Chapter 230 — Heaped With Evil Deeds

"I am the Demon King of the Dutian World!" the Demon King of Dutian said angrily.

Shen Mu said kindly: "Demon King, Grandpa Deaf can't hear you."

"Nonsense — he heard what you said just now!"

Shen Mu explained: "Sometimes he can hear, sometimes he can't."

The Demon King of Dutian was speechless with rage. Shen Mu cleared the bowls and chopsticks and made ready for bed, saying: "Demon King, whatever you do, don't go running about tonight. The darkness is extremely dangerous."

The Demon King of Dutian answered meekly, but thought to himself: "The little wretch doesn't dare enter the darkness. Now is the perfect time to leave. Once I walk into the darkness I can shake him off, then preside over the great sacrifice and summon my true body."

Before long Shen Mu was asleep, his snores drifting out.

The Demon King of Dutian tiptoed toward the edge of the village. The stone statues at the four corners of the village gave off a faint glow, so the village was not wholly dark. But where the statues' light did not reach, all was a black murk in which nothing could be seen.

The Demon King of Dutian came cautiously to the village entrance, hesitated, then stretched out one finger into the darkness. He heard a crunching, gnawing sound; he drew back his hand and stared, dumbfounded. That finger was gone — bitten off by something in the darkness, he knew not what.

The Demon King of Dutian examined the wound, and his heart stirred. He ventured: "Gangnuo dida hei — who is it in the darkness?"

The darkness was utterly still; after a moment a sinister voice came: "Apu gaoni gen — and who are you?"

The Demon King of Dutian's spirits lifted; he was just about to speak when a voice suddenly came from behind him: "What are you doing? Why are you speaking the demon tongue?"

The Demon King of Dutian saw that the Deaf Elder had appeared behind him at some unknown moment, and his heart clenched: "This Deaf Elder's ears are so keen! No — isn't he the Deaf Elder?"

The Deaf Elder yawned, took up a brush, wrote a single word on him — "Still" — and went back to his room to sleep.

The Demon King of Dutian could not move at all; he wanted to speak, but could make no sound.

The next morning Shen Mu rose early to cook. The dragon qilin carried a washbasin in its mouth and set it before Shen Mu, then sat down in front of the basin and waited to be fed.

The Deaf Elder, having eaten and drunk his fill, said: "Shen'er, I'm going out to find the headman and the others and bring them back for the New Year. You and the big dog stay here and watch the village."

Shen Mu answered. The dragon qilin, munching crimson fire spirit pills, said in a muffled, booming voice: "I am not a big dog. I am an auspicious beast, half dragon and half qilin."

The Deaf Elder did not hear. He walked out of the village, raised his brush and drew a dragon in the air, then rode off on the dragon.

The Demon King of Dutian still stood there, unable to move.

Shen Mu tidied the bowls and chopsticks and thought: "I wonder how that big fellow, the Xuanliao Demon Ape, has been getting on. I've even brought him some gifts."

He glanced at the Demon King of Dutian, smiled, and said softly: "Gangnuo dida hei?"

The Demon King of Dutian was slightly shaken: "The little wretch knows that too?"

Shen Mu left the dragon qilin to guard the village and set off for the Disaster-Quelling Palace. He had not gone far when suddenly a Buddha's name rang out: "Amitabha! Leader of the Nether Demon Cult — worn through iron shoes and found nowhere, yet it comes without the least effort. Little monk never thought he would meet the Cult Leader here."

A monk in rags appeared before him. The two met, and each was somewhat taken aback.

Shen Mu at once recognized this monk as the one who had attacked his treasure ship back in the state of Jingping, whose leg he had wounded with the Chubao Sword, yet who could still run swift as the wind.

"What is the monk's name?" Shen Mu smiled and looked around; seeing no sign of Long Jiaonan and the others, he breathed a sigh of relief.

This monk had plainly been hunted by the Withered Silence Ridge Root Demon, and after fleeing into the Wasteland Ruins had met with all manner of mishaps there, become separated from Long Jiaonan and the others, and fled here in a panic — only to run into him by chance.

"This little monk's dharma name is Halfwit."

Halfwit Monk looked up at the sky, two clear tears sliding down his cheeks, and said with feeling: "Compassionate is my Buddha. This little monk's journey has at last come to perfect merit. Leader of the Nether Demon Cult, your evil deeds are many — let this little monk see you on your way."

Shen Mu said gravely: "Monk, you say my evil deeds are many. Then name one evil I have done, and let me die convinced."

Halfwit Monk, killing intent thick about him, strode at him, Buddha-light blazing from his whole body, and cried fiercely: "You are the Leader of the Nether Demon Cult — that is the greatest evil of all! If there is a next life, Cult Leader, be reborn as a good man!"