Chapter 127 — Draw Your Blades
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 2 of 3
But now that we have been through training, I fear the Scholars' Lodge will have no Eldest Senior Brother henceforth, only an Eldest Senior Sister! " Shen Wanyun said calmly, "I killed barbarians at the frontier and came back bearing a fierce renown; my killing intent runs too deep, and I fear that should I raise my hand there will be death or injury. But a ruthless one has come to our Scholars' Lodge, a savage fellow indeed, and most of the scholars here have taken a beating from him. Whichever of you can defeat him, I will yield the seat of Eldest Senior Brother with both hands!
" Yue Qinghong's eyes lit up. "You will not go back on it? " Shen Wanyun smiled. "When has Shen Wanyun ever gone back on his word? This fellow is named Shen Mu.
He wears brocade and keeps a white fox at his side, so he is easy enough to know.
I met him just now on his way down the mountain; he should be back soon. " Yun Que at once sprang away, laughing. "This Shen Mu, I, humble monk, shall go and convert.
Senior Sister Yue, do not snatch him from me; let me first have my fill of playing Eldest Senior Brother! " Yue Qinghong watched him go far off and smiled coldly.
"That bald thief plays the holy monk day in and day out, yet he has the least patience of anyone. If even Senior Brother Shen finds the man troublesome, he is surely no good sort. Senior Sister Qu, were all of you beaten by that Shen Mu?
" Senior Sister Qu and the others looked thoroughly embarrassed.
Yue Qinghong's eyes flickered.
"Will you tell your little sister what moves this Shen Mu used? " Her mind was meticulous; she questioned each of them closely about the moves Shen Mu had used to defeat them, and after a moment Yue Qinghong had formed her judgment. "This man has used spells and palm techniques, but never sword techniques. In the sword he can have little attainment.
.
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" Qu Ting said hurriedly, "Senior Sister, at the grand examination he defeated Daoist Lingyun of Chunyang Hall with a wooden sword.
" "Defeated Daoist Lingyun?
" Yue Qinghong was startled. "In how many moves? " "One move! " Yue Qinghong's heart quivered. "To defeat Daoist Lingyun at the same realm is not so very hard; I could manage it too. But to defeat Lingyun in a single move, that I could not do. He defeated these junior brothers and sisters all in one move, whether by fist or by spell. That he can master all three arts — can he truly have no weakness to be found?
No, he must have a weakness!
On this trip to the battlefield of Langjuxu I saw those venerable elders of long renown, and even they had their flaws. How much more so a scholar newly enrolled? When Yun Que crosses hands with him, I will have my chance to see what is real and what is false!
" She set down her bundle and at once left with the wolf slave. Shen Mu took the little fox into the capital and found a restaurant of some quality, ordered a table of rare delicacies, and ate his fill. In a rare fit of generosity, Shen Mu ordered a pot of good wine for Snow Fox, and drank two cups himself; man and fox ate until their bellies were round. Snow Fox, muddle-headed, rode the wind through the air, returning with Shen Mu to the Grand Academy.
This little fox, once drunk, turned grave and proper; she sat motionless on the demon wind, her forelegs stretched out stiff and straight, her eyes fixed ahead without a blink, save that her furry belly had swollen several sizes. Two cups had done Shen Mu no harm; along the way he took in the sights and customs of the capital.
The capital was more splendid than brocade, a place to linger in. Man and fox entered the mountain gate. Shen Mu waved a hand before the little fox, and saw that Snow Fox's eyes were still round and wide, yet from her throat came a purring snore like a cat's; she had drunk herself asleep, and still this fox demon drifted onward on her demon wind.