Chapter 356 — The Old Man Sells Paintings for a Living
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 1 of 4
He was not entirely certain. There were a few demon-clan scholars in the Grand Academy as well; compared with other sects, the Grand Academy was remarkably free of convention in taking in disciples — so long as one passed the Academy's trials, one could become an academy scholar.
Thus there were many women in the Grand Academy too, nearly half its number. After leaving the Academy, these women often took office in one place or another, and many of them entered the army and became generals.
Yet judging by the books behind this cute little girl, stacked so neatly and squarely, not a corner out of place, it was exactly Snowfox's usual way.
And yet Snowfox could not read a single character; she would never carry a stack of books wherever she went. That was not the little fox demon's style.
The little girl had not seen him. She parted ways with the other scholars, and instead of heading toward the Divine Power Residence, she went down the mountain. Shen Mu waited a while outside the Array Primes Hall; no one came out.
"Yuxiu said Ling'er was attending a lecture at the Array Primes Hall. She is not in the hall, so it must be that little girl from just now. She has taken human form?"
Shen Mu was taken aback. "King Meiluo of the Desolate Wastes truly deserves death — Ling'er is so small, and he wants to take her as his bride and make her the lady of his stronghold."
He walked down the mountain, puzzled at heart. "If it is Ling'er, and she is not going back to the Divine Power Residence, where would she go?"
He quietly followed. The little girl with three tails came bouncing and skipping all the way down to the foot of the mountain, then suddenly cried "Ow!" and fell flat on the ground. She crawled forward two steps on hands and feet, wagged her three tails, and only then climbed up, took two testing steps, and with another "Ow!" pitched face-down again.
Shen Mu did not know whether to laugh or cry. Then he saw the little girl glance around; finding no one about, she went racing forward on all fours, on tiptoe, her little hands and feet barely touching the ground, still bouncing along, her three tails swaying to and fro, looking thoroughly pleased and proud.
She must have taken human form only recently and was not yet used to walking on two legs; that was why she sometimes tripped when she walked like a person.
In her transformed shape she looked like a little girl, yet running on all fours she was nimbler than on two legs.
Snowfox left the Grand Academy and headed into the city, but with so many people about she stood up again, bouncing and skipping, her three tails twitching behind her to keep her balance.
Thump.
Shen Mu saw the little girl plant her face in the ground once more, only her three tails sticking up; then the tails twitched, gave a shudder, and drooped.
"Being human is no fun at all..."
Grumbling, the little girl picked herself up, stole around an old tree, and out from the other side of the tree trotted a snow-white little fox, which shot forward in a flash, dragging three long, furry tails.
This time she was much faster. Before long she reached the capital's Curio Garden, and along the way she bought some wine and dishes, wrapped them up, and weighed out some fruit.
The Curio Garden was a market of old goods, selling antiques and relics; there were rare treasures for sale, and Yuan soldiers as well, and there were also down-and-out scholars selling calligraphy, paintings, ancient books and the like.
"Has Ling'er come here to sell books?"
Shen Mu was doubtful; but then he saw Snowfox reach the Curio Garden and turn back into the little three-tailed girl, threading carefully among the passersby, carrying her books on a spell as she walked deeper into the market.
When she reached the street of calligraphy and paintings, the little girl breathed a sigh of relief, looked this way and that, and then her eyes suddenly lit up; she ran toward a stall on the ground.