荒墟牧神 - 第364章 牧龍之主 - 簡牘書房

Wang Muran rode up on his stag and shook his head. "Old folk are nothing but trouble."

Shen Mu said in surprise, "Yours too?"

Wang Muran nodded. "In Little Jade Capital there are thirteen old codgers of that sort, and now that the old Daoist and the White-Browed Monk have arrived, that makes fifteen."

Shen Mu laughed. "My village has only eight and a half. All things considered, I'm the luckier one."

Wang Muran said, "Thank goodness Senior Sister Qingdai and Senior Brother Long Yu help share the burden."

Shen Mu's face darkened. In his village he was the only young one; Granny Zhu was of course a young one too, but she always loved to play the elder.

The two of them went on at an unhurried pace, waiting for Mu Qingdai to find Long Yu and bring him back. Before long Mu Qingdai came dragging Long Yu along. This young expert was a slovenly sight: he had stripped off every stitch he wore, and when Mu Qingdai found him he was in nothing but a pair of undershorts, racing through the capital, singing and dancing, raving nonsense all the while.

Mu Qingdai had to fetch this senior brother two or three heavy slaps before he came to his senses. Long Yu spat out several mouthfuls of blood-phlegm that had clouded his mind, then, utterly crestfallen, followed her to catch up with Shen Mu.

Wang Muran had the two of them sit on the stag's back. Long Yu was no longer raving, but his spirits had yet to recover.

Shen Mu said with a smile, "Senior Brother Long Yu, what difference does it make whether you know how high the sky is and how thick? The sky is there; know it or not, it is there. Keep an ordinary mind, cultivate with all your heart, and break through this sky as soon as you can to go outside and have a look. That is the proper business."

Long Yu said gloomily, "I understand everything the Human Emperor says. It is only that whenever I think all of this is false, I cannot help losing my fighting spirit."

Shen Mu understood that feeling well. Not everyone could step out of the shadow as swiftly as Dao Master Lin Xuan had.

The celestial signs were false; that blow had struck Dao Master Lin Xuan hardest of all, and yet he had been the first to walk out of it. Long Yu, lacking Lin Xuan's standing and his experience of shouldering heavy burdens in his youth, was a little less able to withstand the blow.

Still, give Long Yu a little time and he would walk out of the shadow.

"Now that Senior Brother Long Yu is here, let us be on our way quickly."

At Wang Muran's command, clouds gathered beneath the stag's hooves and it soared into the air. Shen Mu urged on the Dragon Qilin, which hurried to keep pace. The stag glanced back, its face full of contempt, and quickened its speed.

The Dragon Qilin was furious and strained to keep up. After a hundred li or so it was panting, rolling its eyes, and said, "Is it worth my while to squabble with a stupid deer? Cult Master, don't you agree? What we're competing in isn't speed, it's endurance!"

Shen Mu answered with a dark face and a grunt of "Mm."

The Dragon Qilin slowed its pace and watched as the stag bore Wang Muran and the other two away until they vanished from sight.

After five thousand li the Dragon Qilin was so exhausted it could not catch its breath and clamored for a rest. Shen Mu had it stop, lit a fire, and cooked a meal, while the Dragon Qilin sprawled nearby, snoring soundly.

Shen Mu ate and drank his fill, then called for a long while before the Dragon Qilin slowly clambered up and, most reluctantly, resumed the journey. They chased on into the night, and from night into dawn, and still there was no sign of the stag or of Wang Muran and the others.

"That stupid deer's endurance isn't bad either..." Dragon Fatty said, lacking confidence.

Shen Mu answered with a dark face and a grunt, tossed over a Scarlet Fire Spirit Pill, and said, "Your rations for today."