Chapter 434 — How Could a Cooked Duck Fly?
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 2 of 4
The White Gap Deity cursed with a laugh. "I am not that shameless Lord Dragonkeeper. I have surrendered once already — how can I surrender a second time? Have I no face left? Besides, I eat vegetarian, vegetarian from the womb; I do not eat people. I did once want to be a mountain god, but alas, I ran too fast, and so I could only run errands and carry letters. Had I run a little slower, perhaps I might have landed an official post."
Shen Mu did not know whether to laugh or cry. "So it is your own talent that has ruined you."
The White Gap Deity laughed. "You are not a bad man. You have a good heart, and I admire you. Mend my leg, and we can talk. Even if Jingping is destroyed, you may come with me to the Upper Realm. This much I dare promise: I can at least keep your whole family safe."
Shen Mu thanked him and said, "It is good to leave oneself a way out. I have long wished to go to the Upper Realm; alas, I have no divine incense and cannot make contact."
"That is easy. I have some."
The White Gap Deity's eyes flickered. "So long as you heal my wound and let me finish this calamity smoothly, I will take you to the Upper Realm."
Shen Mu sprinkled powder over the severed leg, and nerves began to grow at furious speed, waving their tendrils in the air like tiny earthworms. He smiled. "I intend to sign the Earth Lord's Pact with you, to make you forswear the calamity — and here you are, trying to talk me into surrender instead. Senior Brother, once your leg is mended we shall sign the Earth Lord's Pact at once. This time you must not go back on your word!"
The White Gap Deity watched his technique — his ten fingers flying, so swift the eye could not follow, and yet so delicate, like threading a needle, carrying the finger-methods of the medical art — and said in astonishment, "You have studied tailoring? Your hands move like a seamstress's."
"A little."
Shen Mu turned his vital essence into thread and joined the nerves at speed. "I studied it for a few years."
The White Gap Deity asked curiously, "What else have you studied?"
Shen Mu's fingers moved faster and faster. "Formation arts, boxing, eye arts, blade arts, movement arts, forging, calligraphy and painting, carpentry, poetry and song — a smattering of each."
The severed leg's every nerve was joined to the divine leg, and at once he could feel his leg returned to his body. Astonished and delighted, he stole a glance at Shen Mu and thought, "This lad's skills are not bad, and his heart is not bad either. I truly do not want to kill him like this... What a pity."
Shen Mu went on to reconnect the blood vessels, join the broken bones, and use the dragon saliva of the dragon-qilin to grow flesh and blood. "Only the marrow remains to be fused. That is the hardest part. Senior Brother, the marrow makes blood and is of great use. I must first cultivate it with medicine, then nourish the marrow of the severed leg so that it can make blood. But once your marrow makes blood, you and I will sign the Earth Lord's Pact: you will not bring down the calamity, and I will let you return to your Upper Realm."
The White Gap Deity scrutinized each medicinal ingredient, confirming that no trickery had been worked, and smiled. "Very well."
Shen Mu breathed a sigh of relief, ordered a great cauldron brought in, had the herbs steeped in water, and had a fire lit. "In about two days the marrow will make blood."
The White Gap Deity said hastily, "Move the cauldron closer. My hand cannot leave the Five Thunder Jar."
Shen Mu smiled. "Senior Brother White Gap, you do things without leaving the slightest crack. Do you really fear I would play some trick? The cauldron stays here. Your hand stays on the Five Thunder Jar — and I too worry that you might carelessly set it off."
The White Gap Deity looked at him. Their eyes met, and Shen Mu did not yield an inch.
The White Gap Deity, clear-headed and full of dragon-horse vigor, laughed heartily. "Fine, have it your way."