Chapter 1197 — Reunion with Old Acquaintances
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 2 of 3
At the sight of Shen Mu they hastily shrank back into the basket, and the little male fish even pulled down the lid and carefully shut it, so as not to disturb Shen Mu, whispering, "The old master is going to get half beaten to death.
.
. " "Not likely!
I say it will be all the way dead — dead through and through!
" "Hush, keep your voice down. " Shen Mu came up behind the Fisherman Heavenly Master. The old man's body went stiff and his rod wobbled.
Shen Mu laughed: "Celestial Master, your heart of the Dao is unsteady.
Mind the fish don't get away. " The Fisherman Heavenly Master gave a snort, stood, reeled in his rod, took off his bamboo hat and turned around: "A blade is a blade whether you duck or not. Have you come to hit me or to scold me? " Shen Mu said in surprise, "Why would you say that?
" The Fisherman Heavenly Master sighed: "In the Jingping Tribulation, when you needed us most, we ran. I failed you. Hit me or scold me, I will not raise a hand or talk back.
" From the fish basket the two little red fish peered out through the gaps, and the small female fish whispered, "If a fight starts, should we try to talk them out of it?
" "No.
" "Will we turn into braised fish?
" . . . Shen Mu raised his fist and thumped the Fisherman Heavenly Master on the chest: "Let that matter be over and done with. The Jingping Tribulation is a scar upon my heart of the Dao, and here in Fengdu every one of you must tear it open again.
My heart is flesh too, and it hurts.
Do not speak of it again. " The Fisherman Heavenly Master stared at him blankly: "You. . .
very well, I will not speak of it. " Shen Mu broke into a smile: "I came this time for two reasons: to see you all, and to seek out Di Yiyue the Heaven King, to borrow her Nether Capital Heaven Gate against Yin Tianzi's divine arts. Do you know where she is?
" The Fisherman Heavenly Master ventured, "Will you not go and see the others?
Old Man Qinghuang, for instance, or Heaven King Dishi, or the woodcutter? " Shen Mu hesitated, then nodded: "I will go and see them. " He took his leave, and Chixiu the Divine led him on to the village where the Martial Combat Heavenly Master dwelt, with the Douniu Realm close beside it; the Martial Combat Heavenly Master had even moved his paddy fields and the great willow tree into Fengdu.
Under the willow, Niu Sanduo was puffing at his water pipe with a gurgle; at the sight of Shen Mu he scrambled to his feet, quite at a loss. Shen Mu went up to him and said smiling, "Senior Brother Sanduo, I trust you have been well?
" "Well, well!
" Niu Sanduo said in a fluster, "In the Jingping Tribulation.
.
.
" Shen Mu raised a hand and smiled: "No need to speak of it. " Niu Sanduo had no choice but to swallow his words.
"The old master does not yet know you are here. If he knew, he would be too ashamed to show his face anywhere. " Shen Mu smiled faintly: "The Martial Combat Heavenly Master's martial Dao reaches the divine; his powers are vast indeed. How could he not know that I have come to Fengdu?
He may hide for a while, but once hidden he will think it through, and come out to see me. " Just then the sound of the Martial Combat Heavenly Master steeping tea came from behind him: "When I heard you had come here, I did hide. But on reflection, I must come out and see you. I have wronged you; if I hid from you besides, that would be still more unseemly of me. " Shen Mu turned around and smiled: "Celestial Master.
.
. " Suddenly the Martial Combat Heavenly Master dropped to his knees and knocked his head several times upon the ground with a bang, smashing a great pit in the floor!