Chapter 318 — Yet Not a Single Righteous Soul

The Taotie Pouch Shen Mu held was his own; Shen Mu was taking out one item after another, examining them over and over, turning each one in his hands.

"What a huge hammer! " He drew a great white-bone hammer from the pouch and gave it a light shake; at once countless skulls flew out from the great skull at its head, spewing soul-fire in every direction. Shen Mu shook it again, and the great skull's jaws opened wide and sucked the little skulls back into its mouth.

"There is even a sword pellet! " Shen Mu stuffed the bone hammer back into the pouch and fished out a sword pellet. With a gentle urging, countless hair-fine swords danced around his palm.

"To refine them to such fineness — that took deep effort! Is this the Daoist way of tempering a Dao sword?

It does not quite look it. " Shen Mu shook his head. "A Dao sword needs only one blade, Brother Ban. Your cultivation is not up to the mark — no wonder your Dao sword is so slapdash, not a patch on the Dao Master's.

" Ban Gongcuo gave a muffled snort and sneered, "The Taotie Pouch you stole is no more than a hair off nine oxen compared with the wealth I have amassed over all my lifetimes.

" He lowered his voice and ordered those around him: "Tomorrow, you Witch Kings get rid of the two white bats and that fat cat.

The rest of you strike together and kill that Shen! " Shen Mu finished going through the contents of the pouch, then rose and walked straight over to the three demon monks, saluting them.

"Brother. " The three demon monks were sitting in meditation; they scrambled up and returned the salute.

"Brother!

" The three monks wore wide robes with great sleeves; though the robes were large, they could not cover their legs and feet, which showed sharp claws and thick, feathered bird-legs. "Are the three of you from Little Leiyin Temple? " Shen Mu asked, "Is the Little Tathagata's disciple a Xuanliao demon ape, whose dharma name is Kong?

" The three demon monks were startled and nodded hurriedly. "Brother, the Tathagata bestowed on him the dharma name Zhankong.

He is indeed the Tathagata's disciple.

Might we ask how you come to know Zhankong? " Shen Mu laughed.

"I am the Cult Master of the Heaven-Sacred Cult, and he is my sworn brother. Of course I know him.

" "So that is how it is. " The three demon monks relaxed their guard and said with smiles, "My dharma name is Dingjue; these are my brothers from before I took vows, Dingzhi and Dingming. We pay our respects to the Cult Master of the Heaven-Sacred Cult.

" Shen Mu glanced at Ban Gongcuo. "That youth is the Great Venerable of the Loulan Golden Palace.

Of the three Witch Kings at his side, two are of the Heaven-Man realm and one of the Life-and-Death realm. " The three monks jumped in fright, their faces ashen. "What are we to do?

We have not even reached the Heaven-Man realm — we cannot beat them! " Shen Mu laughed.

"Do not worry, you have me.

Tomorrow I will lead you out through them. Come with me and rest over there. " The three monks were reassured and followed him to the Dragon Qilin's side, where they hastily saluted the beast.

"Brother.

" The Dragon Qilin had already fallen asleep and paid them no heed. The three demon monks were good-natured indeed and took no offense; they saluted the two white bats hanging upside down beneath the eaves.

"Brother. " The two white bats, arms crossed on their chests, returned the salute. "Brother.

" Only then did the three demon monks resume their meditation.

Seeing this, Ban Gongcuo's face went a little green, and he gave a cold humph.

Shen Mu said amiably, "Have the three of you heard of the Heaven-Sacred Cult? " Dingjue shook his head.

"We keep to the Wasteland and have never heard of it. " Shen Mu was about to speak when the turbaned male divine-power wielder guarding the treasure chariot suddenly stepped forward and bowed. "Brother.

. .

" Shen Mu rose and returned the salute, shaking his head. "Please, do not open your mouth.

" The foreign wielder said in surprise, "Why does Brother say so? " "You are hunted by these powerful ones and have fled into the Wasteland.

I will not join hands with you.

" Shen Mu shook his head. "They are too many, and every one of them is strong.

I can scarcely keep myself alive; to join you would be to seek my own death.

Please go back.

" The man looked disappointed, returned to the chariot, and spoke to it in a low voice.

From within the chariot came a little girl's voice: "Mother, that big brother does not want to help us?

" Another voice, very lovely, came from the carriage with a sigh: "There are no righteous souls in the Wasteland.

No one can save us, mother and daughter. .

.

" Shen Mu raised an eyebrow.

"A righteous soul?

I am no righteous soul. I am the Cult Master of the Nether Demon Cult — people are overjoyed when I do no evil. Me, a righteous soul?

Tch.

Only when I was a child did I get hot-headed and do good deeds; now I have grown up. .

. " The night seemed to pass very slowly.

Everyone in the ruins was occupied with their own thoughts. How long it was, no one knew, but at last a plume-crested fire pheasant dragon among the strange beasts flapped its wings and flew up, alighted on the roof of a ruined hall, and, head raised to the sky, crowed. At once the darkness fled swiftly, and a ray of sunlight shot from the east, falling upon the mountain peak beyond the ruins and lighting it up.