Chapter 519 — Sharing the Cooked Dragon Fish, a Guest Comes on a Starry Night
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 4 of 5
" Shen Mu walked over and said with a smile: "Leave a little for me. " Snow Fox gave a cheer, then hastily lowered her voice and laughed: "Young master, I knew you loved this kind of fish, so I had Fatty Dragon catch two. But Box was useless—when it was hiding in its belly, the Daoist guarding the lake found it.
" Shen Mu rubbed his hands and smiled: "I too have been wanting to eat this again for a while, but I was too embarrassed to come steal it.
" When the fish was cooked, Snow Fox used a wind blade to cut the flesh, giving a portion to Dragon Qilin, a portion to Shen Mu, and a portion to herself.
Box crouched beside them, concentrating with all its might on waiting for them to finish, so that it could collect the bones for itself. Suddenly, a voice laughed: "How fragrant!
Far more fragrant than the imperial cuisine! Sect Master Shen is indeed a great connoisseur of food—leave some for me! " Shen Mu turned to look, and there came a Dark Fang Demon Ape and a young monk.
The monk was precisely the young monk Chenghuai, whose mouth watered at the smell.
Snow Fox gave him a piece of fish. Seeing Chenghuai wolf it down, Shen Mu asked with doubt: "Do monks eat meat, too? " Chenghuai did not look up, and said: "After I parted last time from the Sect Master, there were disasters from heaven and calamities from man.
Forget fish—I have gnawed at tree bark and caught insects to eat.
When I was starving, I cut my own flesh to feed myself. . .
" He lifted his monk's robe, revealing a scar on his chest, and smiled: "Since that time, I have understood my own scripture. The myriad lives include not only humans and demons, but also grass and trees, and insects as well.
But all lives are one great cycle of reincarnation: I eat them, and when I die, they eat me—that is all. A person struggles in the bitter sea of reincarnation; what he seeks is not the Buddha, but the other shore within his heart.
I have already seen that shore. " Shen Mu savored his words and smiled: "Well said.
Your state of mind has reached a high level. " Snow Fox sliced another piece and offered it to the Dark Fang Demon Ape, who shook his head: "Vegetarian. Strong!
" "He won't eat it—give it to me. " A hand reached over from the side and took the fish. Daoist Master Lin Xuan, sitting beside the Dark Fang Demon Ape, laughed: "This fish smells wonderful—even better than imperial cuisine! " Shen Mu laughed: "You too are a religious cultivator. Do you also eat meat?
" Lin Xuan ate a large mouthful, and said in a deep, muffled voice: "Even Heaven is false—how could a religious cultivator be real?
" "Cowherd, you're eating my father's fish again!
" A puff of fragrant wind rushed over.
Ling Yuxiu pushed Snow Fox, who was beside Shen Mu, aside, sat down heavily, clapped her hands, tore off a large piece of fish, and bit into it without caring that it burned her mouth.
She sucked in air and praised: "Fragrant—truly fragrant!
" "Princess Xiu, wait for me!
" Si Yunxiang also ran over and sat down by the fire.
She tried to squeeze Snow Fox aside, but with a bang, Snow Fox turned into a little girl of six or seven, crossed her arms, and sat sulkily between the two women, refusing to get up no matter what. Si Yunxiang, too embarrassed to shove her away, had no choice but to let her sit there. All chatted and laughed, sharing the Red Dragon Carp Kings.
Before long, Wang Muran, Mu Qingdai, Long Yu, and Xu Shenghua came looking for them.
Wang Muran laughed: "You can't possibly finish two such great fish-kings all by yourselves. Let us help you—no thanks needed! " Shen Mu looked around and smiled: "A Heavenly Alliance gathering is rare—today we shall not return without getting drunk! " "What Heavenly Alliance?