Chapter 174 — Taken In as a Foster Son
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 1 of 4
The little fox in the bundle on Shen Mu's back could not help poking her head out. "Brother Fan," she said, "has it never once occurred to you that your ship is now three to five times faster than before? If you carried passengers, you could make a great many more runs and earn a great deal more money. There would be no need to rob anyone. " Fan Yunxiao gave Snow Fox two white-eyed looks.
"Why waste the effort? My ship is fast enough, and robbing is fast enough too. Before, I could rob only once a day; now I can rob three or five times, and the money is far more than carrying passengers would bring. In times of peace there are more merchant ships, so one robs in times of peace. Now that there's a war on, merchant ships are few, so one carries passengers. Little fox spirit, you have no head for business. " Snow Fox was utterly speechless.
The tower-ship was going too fast; the vessel had begun to creak and groan, hard-pressed to bear the pressure of the air from such speed, and Fan Yunxiao grew anxious again.
With several of the bandits he reinforced the tower-ship, transforming primal qi into talismans and branding them onto the hull. Shen Mu was frightened out of his wits; now he too feared the tower-ship might collapse at any moment and split into pieces. Fortunately, all the way there, the tower-ship never came apart in midair. On the road they ran into several more battlefields, but the Cloudchaser pirates' ship was so fast that before either side in the fighting could see what it was, the tower-ship had already flown past, leaving them astonished beyond measure. Fan Yunxiao was astonished beyond measure as well: the pill furnace Shen Mu had refined was simply too powerful.
At this rate of flight, a journey of seven or eight days could be covered in a little over one day, all the way to the capital. Yet fine as Shen Mu's furnace was, it consumed a great deal of spirit stones and medicinal ingredients.
By the time they reached the capital it was already the morning of the next day.
The tower-ship slowed, the medicinal stones aboard were nearly spent, and the vessel descended slowly, coming to rest in the capital's Carriage and Horse Market. An official of the market came up to inspect them, and at the sight of Fan Yunxiao his face changed drastically; he was about to order the constables to seize the man when Fan Yunxiao hastily said, "I've gone straight! Gone straight, I tell you — here's the registration record for my humble vessel!
" The official glanced at it. It was indeed a proper record filed with the court. Doubtfully he said, "A wretch like you, who deserves a thousand cuts, ought to have his head chopped off.
How is it you're permitted to go straight?
" Fan Yunxiao laughed dryly. "It's the court's grace. My humble vessel and all aboard are moved to tears with gratitude.
" Shen Mu disembarked and was about to take his leave when Fan Yunxiao hurried over, slung an arm around his shoulder, and chuckled. "Brother Shen, what future have you at the Grand Academy? Why not come with me?
We'll do big business together — a fortune without capital! " Shen Mu shook his head. "Brother Fan, at the Grand Academy I'm not like you in the Daoist sect.
You're crooked of heart, but my reputation at the Grand Academy is excellent — I'm a good man with a spotless name.
" Snow Fox said with full confidence, "The words 'crooked of heart' have never had anything to do with the young master. " Fan Yunxiao had no choice but to let it drop, muttering, "With your talents, it's a waste not to be a bandit. Oh, that's right — when I left the Daoist sect I stole a volume of the Taixuan Divination Classic. You're interested in the arts of number, so it's yours.
" Shen Mu's spirits soared. He hastily accepted the Taixuan Divination Classic the man handed him. "How can I accept this?
Ling'er, put it away quickly.