Chapter 329 — The Old and New Supremes of the Sword Dao
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 2 of 4
To go back and contend for power, to seize the Palace Master's seat again: for one thing, she had no confidence of success; for another, she feared for Xiong Qi'er's life.
Yet to abandon the legacy of her ancestors, that she could not quite bring herself to accept. Shen Mu read her expression and smiled. "I will remove the Silk-Binding Poison from you, but your cultivation cannot be restored all at once.
I will need to nurse you for a while and help you recover your vital essence.
If you cannot make up your mind, I do have a suggestion: come with me and stay in the Kingdom of Jingping for a time. I am an Erudite of the Imperial Academy, and I can recommend you to teach there. " Xiong Xiyu's beautiful eyes were like cut water; she gave him a long look, and unconsciously the bearing of a master of a holy land came over her. "I am, after all, the mistress of the True Heaven Palace. And you would have me teach at the Imperial Academy? " Shen Mu thought for a moment, then ventured, "Then how about teaching at the school of my Heavenly Sage Sect?
" Xiong Xiyu did not know whether to laugh or cry. Her gaze flickered. "I will go and look around the Imperial Academy first.
" Five days later they came at last to the vicinity of Yincan Village.
Shen Mu went first to find Xue Hu'er.
Several white foxes came burrowing out of Xue Hu'er's house and spoke in human tongue: "Young Master, our elder sister has gone to the Kingdom of Jingping to look for you. She left months ago! " Shen Mu questioned them closely, and the foremost white fox said, "King Meiluo came to force a marriage. Our elder sister beat King Meiluo, so King Meiluo went and fetched his father.
Our elder sister could not beat him, so she ran off. She said she was going to the Kingdom of Jingping to find you, Young Master. " Shen Mu took his leave and led the others toward Yincan Village. The village came into view, and Shen Mu's heart surged.
He called out loudly, "Grandpa Village Head, Grandpa Alchemist, I am back! " Xiong Xiyu looked toward the little village. At its entrance an old man sat in a reclining chair, his beard unkempt, his face stubbled, his hair a tangled mess, and he had neither legs nor arms.
In the village a flock of chickens patrolled with great swagger, looking very imposing. "So little Shen is back? You have grown taller again.
" The scruffy old man rocked in his chair, basking in the sun.
He looked at Xiong Xiyu and the two white bats, and a flicker of surprise crossed his face.
"This girl is very pretty, and her cultivation is strong. A pity she has been poisoned. Those two white bats are interesting. " With a rustle the two white bats hung down headfirst from the tree above him, studying the village head with curiosity.
"You are strong too! " Shen Mu could not help frowning.
He gave the village head a once-over, then ran into the village for a butchering knife, found a length of white cloth in Granny Zhu's room and tucked it under the village head's neck, boiled a basin of hot water, laid a hot towel over his face, and let it steam there a while. Shen Mu peeled back the towel and began scraping at his beard with the butchering knife, rasping and scraping. "Village Head, where is everyone? Where is Grandpa Alchemist?
Is he not in the village? Look, your beard is about to drag on the ground. " "The Alchemist ran off.
" The village head sighed.
"Some women came and found this place, and scared him away. They left me here.
I have no hands and no feet; I cannot even crawl back into my room.
" Shen Mu was startled.
"Village Head, how long have you been sitting at the village gate? " "Nearly two months.
" Shen Mu was speechless.