Chapter 196 — The Solitude of the Invincible
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 2 of 4
" Daoist Daoquan shook his head secretly. "They have brought the court's way of fighting — one that owes nothing to rules — into the jianghu. That old jianghu, I fear, can never be regained.
" In Yuncheng, Shen Mu did the same trick again, "curing" a bout of illness for Imperial Teacher Jingping, and at Shancheng, another "cure. " The armies advanced abreast, already before Daxiang, taking cities and seizing land the whole way, sweeping all before them. The south had many mountains and many rivers, but with the Yong River, that natural barrier, gone, it was hard to hold back Jingping's great army. Shen Mu had summoned the Demon King Dutian and broken Tianbo City, that key military stronghold built upon the natural barrier — a great help to the state of Jingping indeed.
Only a pity the credit could not be claimed.
On the fifth day, Shen Mu and his companions came to Yuecheng, and Yuecheng too had already fallen.
They had just entered the city when an old beggar in tattered, patch-covered clothes, holding a cracked bowl and leaning on a staff, came up before them. Monk Yunque hastily searched his person to see whether he still had any loose change; Xue Hu'er produced a Great Feng coin and handed it to Yunque, who thanked her and dropped it into the old beggar's bowl. The old beggar shook the cracked bowl, which clattered loudly, and grinned.
"You are all great benefactors — may you have many sons and grandsons, much fortune and much honor. Imperial Teacher Jingping, pray come to Daxiang for a meeting. In Daxiang City, on the second street, the heroes of all under heaven will gather to await Imperial Teacher Jingping. We respectfully welcome your honored arrival!
" Imperial Teacher Jingping glanced at him and said mildly, "Why not wait a few more days? A few more days, and my great army can be at the walls of Dali, and I can meet these so-called heroes of all under heaven at Dali, and throw the heroes' corpses into the South Sea to feed the fish — sparing us the trouble of burying them.
Would that not be a delight? " The old beggar laughed heartily. From within his body came the sound of gates opening — seven times in succession, no less.
His aura surged, his cultivation vast and profound beyond measure, his bearing that of a god enthroned on high, looking down upon all living things — as though he were not one who needed alms to live, but a god who granted alms to all beings and received their worship.
"Imperial Teacher Jingping's high spirit is as ever. At Daxiang City, we await your honored arrival! " He was about to leave when a voice was suddenly heard: "Wait. " The old beggar halted and turned his head, looking back at Shen Mu with suspicion. Shen Mu's face was as calm as an ancient well.
He said softly, "Ling'er, take the money back. This fellow is far richer than we are. " Xue Hu'er hurried forward and fished the Great Feng coin out of the cracked bowl. The old beggar said angrily, "Money given in alms to a beggar, and you have the face to take it back? Unfit to be a reng son!
Unfit to be a reng son! " "Stinking beggar, and cursing people besides! " Xue Hu'er turned her head and said, "Young Master, what does 'unfit to be a reng son' mean? " Shen Mu said, "Reng is a descendant of the eighth generation.
To say you are unfit to be a reng son is to say you are not even worthy to be his descendant of the eighth generation. " "So he truly is cursing me! " Xue Hu'er flew into a rage and spat a mouthful of saliva full in the old beggar's face. The old beggar did not dodge, only laughed and said, "Little fox, you have provoked a beggar — you are doomed. " That said, he stamped his foot and shot away through the air.
Xue Hu'er spat again.
"Cheating this old lady out of her money, and cursing me and hexing me besides — unfit to be a reng son!
" Imperial Teacher Jingping said, "You had best be careful.
That was Qi Dayou, master of the Beggars' Sect. The Beggars' Sect has always been petty and skilled in vile arts.