Chapter 785 — The Youth Plows the Wasteland

Shen Mu made inquiries, and a villager said: "The stone statues in the village suddenly came to life and slew the demons and monsters who came to make trouble. Once those demons and monsters were killed, they turned back into stone statues."

"So it seems King Yan of Fengdu has come to his senses, and has sent the gods of Fengdu back into their own bodies to guard the people of the ruins." Shen Mu let out a breath. With the protection of the Fengdu gods, the people of the ruins ought to be able to fend for themselves.

The Fengdu gods were a device left behind by Kaihuang. When the Kaihuang era fell, the gods of the Kaihuang Heavenly Court turned one and all into stone statues in the ruins, while their primordial spirits took up residence in Fengdu, waiting for the day they might rise again.

Their stone statues had become the people of the ruins' only hope against the inroads of darkness.

This awakening of the stone statues could save most of the villages — unless they met an adult demigod.

The strength of an adult demigod was too dreadful.

Ahead, the rice paddies came into view, and Shen Mu relaxed. Seeing those few mu of paddy, the village of the Martial Combat Celestial Master could not be far.

The paddies were those same few mu; beside them stood a great willow, and beneath the willow a dragon qilin sat leaning against the tree, hind legs splayed, rump on the ground, forelimbs cradling a water pipe, eyes staring blankly at the paddies; then it bowed its head, drew on the pipe with a gurgle, and blew out a great round ring.

Watching from afar, Shen Mu was doubtful: "Is this my Long Pi? It does not look much like him..."

Beneath the tree's shade the dragon qilin lifted a claw and scratched the scales on its belly with a rustling sound; beside it sat a pot of coarse tea.

The dragon qilin set down the water pipe, turned, poured himself a great bowl of strong tea, and drained it at a tilt of the head.

This dragon qilin was lean and wiry, all muscle and sinew, only his spirits seemed poor.

Deva King Buddha laughed: "If the one under the tree were not a dragon qilin but an ox, I would turn around and walk off this instant! The look on this dragon qilin's face is exactly that ox's! And if it were that ox, the one who tills the fields would be close by. That plowman is all muscle and no brains, and he is much displeased that I entered the Buddhist gate."

The dragon qilin heard the voices and turned his big head to look this way; his dull eyes had no focus, and only after a moment did he make out Shen Mu approaching, whereupon he was suddenly struck dumb.

Tears burst from his eyes; the dragon qilin made a hoarse sound in his throat, wiped his tears, and watched Shen Mu draw near.

"Sect Master..."

His voice trembled, and suddenly he burst into tears: "I am so hungry—"

The water qilin turned its head to look at the dragon qilin and showed contempt: "This fellow is of my own kind, and young and promising at that, yet he has no backbone whatever! What is there to fear in hunger? Eat people, that is all!"

Shen Mu hurriedly took out spirit pills; the dragon qilin swiftly set a great basin before him, and Shen Mu poured it full.

The dragon qilin was overjoyed. Gazing at the basin heaped to a peak with spirit pills, his drool ran down; only after a moment did he eat one pill with tears in his eyes, and the rest he put away.

"Eat, eat."

Shen Mu smiled: "Next time I will not leave you aside so long."

"Swear it!"

"I swear it. Eat, eat."

Just then a heavy voice came, coldly: "You carried off my ox, and now you mean to carry off my horse. Shen though your surname is, you cannot run wild like this!"

Shen Mu looked toward the voice and saw a great many farmers, men and women, escorting an old farmer to the edge of the field. The old farmer's face was angry as he shouted: "Shen! Where is my ox?"

Deva King Buddha's expression changed greatly; he turned at once to leave. The old farmer caught sight of him, was briefly startled, and then a shout like sudden thunder came: "Flower Monk, Li Youran! You scum! In the midst of the great war you ran off to become Deva King Buddha! Take three punches from me!"

BOOM—

A violent surge came. The first surge traveled here from a hundred li away; the farmers and their wives hurried to Shen Mu's side to withstand that terrible shockwave, lest he be hurt.

But the second shockwave already came from a thousand li away, twisting space, stretching the mountain ranges and wringing them into braids.

Before the twisted space had recovered, the third shockwave arrived; then space fell still and slowly relaxed, and the mountains recovered as they had been.

"There, there, all is well."

The farmers all laughed and said: "Young friend Shen, you carried off the Celestial Master's ox, and the Celestial Master has been nursing his anger all this while. He says you are as despicable, shameless, and low as the woodcutter, for tricking away our senior brother Niu Sanduo. Go and explain it to him in a while, and the misunderstanding will be cleared up."

Shen Mu's heart twitched, and he probed: "Can the misunderstanding be cleared up?"

The crowd escorted them toward the small mountain village, saying: "The Celestial Master is the easiest man alive to talk to. Rest assured, admit your fault and his anger will pass."

When they reached the front of the mountain village, suddenly there came a great thud; the old farmer landed on the ground, short of stature, but he was hauling the bruised and swollen Deva King Buddha along, and with a flick of his hand he threw Deva King Buddha into the stinking ditch, shouting: "Whoever dares fish him out, I will beat to death! This fellow eats our food and gives it away, and he has taken up with a woman among the enemy!"

Shen Mu craned his neck to look into the stinking ditch and saw Deva King Buddha lying in the sewer, eyes vacant.

"You said I would not know your old acquaintance..."

He murmured: "This is not taking the blame for you..."

Shen Mu pretended not to hear, and hurriedly bowed to the old farmer: "Senior brother Sanduo is now in Fengdu, helping King Yan open up Fengdu and settle its fate and fortune! Though it was not my intent to carry off senior brother Sanduo, it was because he studied under you, uncle-master, that he acted out of righteousness, with a liver and gall of loyalty, and insisted on staying in Fengdu to lend his aid — his righteousness truly reaches the clouds, as yours does, uncle-master! For this matter my conscience is uneasy, and I make apology to you, uncle-master!"

The old farmer stared at him; suddenly a smile bloomed across his face, and he hurriedly caught him by both elbows, laughing heartily: "What fault is there? Worthy nephew, come inside."