Chapter 404 — Xing An Manifest
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 2 of 4
His vital essence grew incomparably fierce; in his belly it was as though a great furnace blazed, as though a small sun spun madly. That fearsome vital essence surged ever more mightily!
Sitting there, he was like a sun gathering energy, waiting for an earth-shaking eruption!
"Silent Smith, you have refined your dantian into a divine furnace, and Xing An needs your dantian too.
" The village head looked at the Deaf Elder and shook his head.
"Deaf Elder, though you have reached the utmost in the art of painting, Xing An has no need of what is in you.
He cannot take your craft. " The Deaf Elder raised his head, glanced at the Alchemist, and said, "The quack is probably beneath his notice as well. The quack's cultivation is too low — only the Heaven-Man realm.
" The Alchemist laughed.
"A wandering physician like me will never starve wherever he goes; it is the painter who nearly starved to death. " The Deaf Elder said smugly, "The money from a single painting of mine can buy several grand mansions in the capital. You kill your patients and can only bankrupt yourself in compensation.
" The village head said suddenly, "Xing An needs the Alchemist. " Everyone was slightly startled. The village head said, "He needs the Alchemist's craft — to change his body.
" The Alchemist shuddered.
The village head said in a low voice, "You need not worry.
Pig-killer, smith, Alchemist — come with me; we will go together to the Great Thunderclap Temple. Deaf Elder, Lame Elder, Blind Elder, you stay behind. Xing An's targets are us, so he will not come looking for you.
It is settled; we set out now. Shen'er, you stay too, and spend the New Year here; we will go to the Great Thunderclap Temple to eat vegetarian fare.
Let's go! " The Blind Elder said calmly, "My Dragon An would also very much like to meet Xing An again.
This divine spear was defeated by his hand, and it has long awaited revenge. " The village head shook his head.
"This is not your affair alone; Lord Huo's safety is at stake.
A master is needed here as well.
The Lame Elder is finished — with one leg he could still run, but with both legs gone he cannot.
You had best stay. " The Blind Elder frowned and said nothing. The Alchemist fetched his medicine basket, set the village head inside it, and departed together with Zaifu and the Silent Smith. Many women crowded around, intending to leave with the Alchemist; he hastily begged for mercy, saying, "Good sisters, dear sisters, I will be back in a few days, I won't run off, rest assured! " Only then did the women relent and let him go. In the great hall only the Lame Elder, the Blind Elder, the Deaf Elder, and Shen Mu remained.
The Lame Elder began to weep again, saying, "Shen'er is the fastest runner in the village now. Even if I wanted to run, I have nothing left to run with.
. . " Shen Mu hurried to comfort him. The Lame Elder gradually calmed — then suddenly saw that below his waist there was nothing at all, and grief welled up in his heart; he began to cry again: "Before, when I had one leg, I could still hop about; with one leg I could walk fast too.
Now I cannot even hop!
" "Grandpa Lame, I can attach two deer legs for you. I have seen plenty of deer demons in the mountains; with my skill, it would not be hard to graft them on for you," Shen Mu suggested. "Deer legs are crooked — after a few steps you'd be kneeling. No!
" Shen Mu had no choice but to give up.
The Deaf Elder, finding the Lame Elder too noisy, ran back to his own hall. Tears streaming down his face, the Lame Elder muttered that the Deaf Elder despised him. The Blind Elder was about to leave too, when Shen Mu hastily said, "Grandpa Blind, I encountered the eyes of Ziqing, the foremost Sacred Pupil of the Kaihuang era.