Chapter 360 — The Smoke of the Mortal World

And the noodle stall's owner was a burly fellow too, pulling dough with both hands and slapping it down with loud cracks, plainly not clean.

Yet Xu Shenghua sat down, panting for breath. Yu Liu and Jing Yan had no choice but to sit as well, wiping the grease from the table with a towel, frowning; the grease could not be wiped clean at all. They sat ill at ease, feeling even the stools beneath them greasy.

Xu Shenghua, however, was at ease, sitting there waiting for his noodles. The first bowl was brought: clear broth with egg noodles, a great sea bowl the size of a washbasin, the noodles pulled to an even thickness, like threads of white jade in the middle of the broth, with a scattering of chopped scallion on top.

Xu Shenghua looked at the noodles and did not know how to eat them.

Shen Mu handed him chopsticks. Xu Shenghua, at a loss, gripped them and stabbed them into the bowl, unable to pick up a single noodle. In the Heaven Above he had never used chopsticks; he ate spirit pills and drank rain and dew, and did not eat the food of the mortal world.

Xu Shenghua looked at the people around the stall eating their noodles, and gradually understood how the chopsticks were used, and tried to use them.

"Eat slowly. " Shen Mu said with a smile, "You have gone hungry for days; eating too fast will hurt your stomach and intestines. What you have is the hunger sickness: your mental power was consumed to excess, and the energy in your flesh was all drawn away by your brain.

When you collapsed you had already starved to the limit, and then you went hungry two more days; no wonder you are dizzy and weak in limb.

Drink some of the broth first; it will help your digestion. " Xu Shenghua slurped the noodle broth, very obediently. Shen Mu's, Yu Liu's, and Jing Yan's noodles were brought as well.

The two women were rather reserved, but Shen Mu paid no mind; he splashed on some chili oil and ate with great relish. Xu Shenghua had already finished his bowl and was gazing at them hungrily.

Shen Mu said hastily, "Let it digest first; you can have the second bowl in a while.

" Xu Shenghua sat there obediently. By the time Shen Mu had eaten his fill, three bowls stood on the table. Shen Mu nodded and said with a smile, "Brother Xu, you may begin. " Xu Shenghua at once began to eat, and following Shen Mu's example splashed a layer of chili oil on his noodles, and was soon steaming with heat. By the time Yu Liu and Jing Yan had finished the noodles before them, Xu Shenghua had finished seven bowls and sat slumped, utterly comfortable.

Yu Liu and Jing Yan exchanged glances.

Young Master Xu had never been so ill-mannered as to slump like that! "This Human Emperor is truly demonic in nature.

If Young Master keeps his company a few more times, I fear he will be picking his toes and sniffing his fingers!

" The two women exchanged a look, uneasy at heart.

Shen Mu rose and asked, "Brother Xu, do you have any Great Feng coins? " Xu Shenghua looked blank and shook his head: "Yu Liu always pays the bill.

" Yu Liu looked troubled and said in a low voice, "Young Master, our money was all spent buying medicine just now. I left my hairpin with the apothecary as surety, and only then could we get the full prescription.

. .

" Shen Mu took out a Great Feng coin and went up to pay, shaking his head: "I truly do not know how the three of you have survived.

This meal is my treat. Brother Xu, get up; after eating so much, you had best walk a little.

" Xu Shenghua rose.

Yu Liu and Jing Yan hurried to support him, but Xu Shenghua shook his head: "No need to hold me.

What I had was indeed the hunger sickness; now that it is cured, I can walk on my own. " The four strolled at leisure, neither hurried nor slow.

Yu Liu could not help but worry: "Is this Human Emperor planning to walk Young Master to death again? " They came outside the capital, and Shen Mu led him once more toward the Directorate of Works. Xu Shenghua's eyes flickered: "Why has Brother Shen brought me here again?

" Shen Mu laughed: "Do not misunderstand. In the two days you lay unconscious, the base of the Sun-Shooting Divine Cannon was finished and assembly has begun. I need to install the base and make adjustments, lest the gun carriage have some flaw.

By the way, when will you pay me for treating you?

My house calls are very expensive.

" Xu Shenghua gave a muffled snort: "No money! " "Then, Brother Xu.

. . " Shen Mu's eyes lit up. He leaned in and said, with an air of mystery, "Have you heard of the Heavenly Sage Cult?

"