Chapter 251 — The Word-Spirit Slays the Heart
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 4 of 4
The laughter sank little by little. Bleakly, Shen Mu said, "You wanted to debate the Dharma, and I debated the Dharma with you. While I debated the Dharma, you dragged in doctrine; very well, we spoke of doctrine, and when you could not out-talk me on doctrine, you turned to the taking of life; very well, we spoke of the taking of life. The taking of life you could not out-talk me on either, and now you mean to kill me. What Buddha are you cultivating? Withdraw. Go back to lay life."
Some monks stood lost, hollow in their hearts; after a while one sighed and turned away in earnest, packed his bundle, and went down the mountain.
The rest did not withdraw. Their faces were dark.
Shen Mu shook his head and smiled. "In the end it comes to a fight anyway. Had you known that from the start, why waste your breath?"
His spirit blazed up; he swept the circle of them with a look like lightning. "Who comes to die?"