Chapter 209 — The Gate of Kunyuan
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 2 of 4
He went about it as one long practiced, and soon had the runes covering a demon god statue all alight. This time no such terrifying spectacle as at Tianbo City appeared, nor did Shen Mu glimpse the realm of Dutian; plainly the demon god summoned now was not the equal of the Demon King of Dutian in might.
Above the Grand Academy the heavens suddenly changed, and a vast, mighty demonic power burst through the sky and came down from on high, striking straight down like a black pillar, shooting toward the Scholars' Quarters of the Grand Academy! In that instant, countless students of the Imperial College and scholars within the Grand Academy were startled, and the Libationer and the Grand Libationer were startled, and the powerful ones of the capital were startled, and all turned their eyes this way.
Yet in Shen Mu's courtyard in the Scholars' Quarters the summoning went on. The wooden demon god statue gave off a crackling roar, growing taller and taller, larger and larger, until a voice brimming with demonic power howled: "This lowly world - prepare to receive the fury of the Jiahe Demon God of Dutian! " At that very moment, above the Grand Academy, Buddha-light blazed up. A great Buddha sat in midair, stretched out a palm tens of acres across, and pressed downward; with a crackling roar, the consciousness and magic power of that Jiahe Demon God, just as they descended, were ground to powder together with the ever-swelling wooden image!
The many Imperial College students and scholars in the Grand Academy were astonished afresh, while the powerful ones of the capital and the great armies guarding it took comfort from the sight: "It is the Grand Academy, after all - a place thick with masters. Such attainment in the Buddha's dharma is seldom seen even at the Great Tingming Temple! So the Grand Academy still harbors experts of this caliber; they are not to be made light of! " Pei Wujiu came hurrying to the scene with the Grand Academy's Imperial College students, and Shen Mu poked his head out of the courtyard and said with a smile, "Gentlemen, you come at a fine time.
Just now a demon god leapt out, and my elders struck him dead. " Pei Wujiu's heart gave a lurch; with a half-smile he said, "Lord Shen, be careful, and do not wreck the Scholars' Quarters. Well then, disperse, all of you. Lord Shen's elders have arrived, and the Grand Academy will come to no harm.
" The Imperial College students looked at one another. Pei Wujiu had always been at odds with Shen Mu - why was he so accommodating now? "This is plainly Lord Shen summoning demons; why does Grand Libationer Gu not make things hard for him?
" Doubt filled their hearts: "Summoning demons in the Scholars' Quarters of the capital is a crime that warrants beheading! Why does the Grand Libationer let him do as he pleases? " Pei Wujiu left a step ahead of them, cold sweat rolling down his brow: "Their elders have come - is it that blind old man who lifted the Yong River with a single staff, or the Lame Elder who made off with my scabbard?
Or that murderous half-bodied old man?
No wonder His Majesty said I could not afford to provoke him; truly I cannot!
These dreadful creatures dare to walk out of the Wilderness Ruins - the capital is truly not at peace, when every kind of monster and demon comes running here. .
. " Shen Mu shut the door of his room, and the Imperial College students, their hearts leaping with fright, hastily called the other scholars out of the Scholars' Quarters, saying, "This place is perilous beyond measure. Do not lodge in the Scholars' Quarters for the time being, lest you die without even knowing how. Scholars all, go hide outside for a couple of days and come back once it is peaceful! " The many scholars in the Scholars' Quarters, their souls still unmoored by the demon god and the Buddha that had so suddenly appeared, knew well that the Scholars' Quarters was no safe place, and hastily fled far from it.