Chapter 75 — The Youth's Properties

Granny Zhu's primal qi surged and roiled; behind her materialized an eight-armed, eight-aspect celestial god, identical in every particular to that of Fu Yundi's Eight-Aspect Celestial God Art. Shen Mu studied it closely and could discern no difference whatsoever.

"The Creation Chapter of the Grand Nurturing Nether Demon Scripture is truly remarkable — worthy indeed of being a technique that can make one a god or a demon.

" After voicing his admiration, the Blind Elder asked: "Is this the Creation Celestial God Art from the Creation Chapter?

" Granny Zhu nodded, and the voice that issued from her mouth was still Fu Yundi's: "The Creation Chapter of the Grand Nurturing Nether Demon Scripture is divided into the chapters of Heaven, Earth, Man, God, Demon, Ghost, and Spirit. This is precisely the Creation Celestial God Art, which excels at imitating other techniques. " The Blind Elder fell silent for a moment, then said: "There is something I ought not to say, but Shen'er is already fourteen years old, so it must be said.

Shen'er has been made the Young Cult Master of the Nether Demon Cult, and one day he will surely leave the Wasteland. When will you pass the Grand Nurturing Nether Demon Scripture on to him? " Shen Mu, too, had his misgivings: for more than two years now, Granny Zhu had never taught him the Grand Nurturing Nether Demon Scripture, had not even so much as mentioned the matter.

Granny Zhu sighed: "If he cultivates the Grand Nurturing Nether Demon Scripture now, I fear it will warp his mind and consciousness. This technique carries too heavy a demonic nature.

" The Blind Elder nodded. Venerated as the sacred text of the Nether Demon Cult, a technique capable of making one a god or a demon, the Grand Nurturing Nether Demon Scripture was naturally steeped in a profound demonic nature; even an adult in full possession of his wits would likely be seduced by the thousand bizarre demonic arts recorded within its pages and stray from the right path.

Take, for instance, that night watchman of the cult who had cultivated the Perfect Innate Art: he had misconstrued the proper method of cultivating it and had taken to raising strange serpents to devour the innate qi of newborn infants, until he perished at the hands of Granny Zhu and the Blind Elder. "In truth, if one could comprehend the Grand Nurturing Nether Demon Scripture from beginning to end, then cultivating this sacred text would be no different from cultivating an orthodox technique, and one would not commit evil. But if one's understanding deviates by the slightest margin, one will go astray — and yet, perversely, one can still bring it to completion.

" Granny Zhu found this a sore headache as well: "What is more, its power is extremely strong, and stranger still, it leaves behind enormous flaws — yet it has the advantage of being quick to master. That is the very reason the Nether Demon Cult came to be called the Nether Demon Cult. At the very beginning, the cult was called the Heavenly Sage Cult; legend has it that a sage descended from heaven and established the cult, intending to teach and enlighten all living beings, and it was for this purpose that the techniques were handed down.

Later, many of the believers cultivated them wrongly, and the techniques grew ever more bizarre and sinister, until the cult came to be called the Nether Demon Cult. Shen'er has always had a will of his own, but if I hand him the Grand Nurturing Nether Demon Scripture rashly, I am afraid he will twist the meaning of the text. " She suddenly soared into the air and sped toward Crimson Dragon City, her voice drifting back: "I will go on ahead to the city to make preparations and await the vanguard of the Kingdom of Jingping!

Once the two of you reach the city, find somewhere to settle down first! "

Not long after, Shen Mu and the Blind Elder returned once more to Crimson Dragon City. By daylight, the city no longer seethed with the clamor of the night before, but there were still not a few villagers from all directions who had not yet left. Shen Mu and the Blind Elder went back to the same inn; the innkeeper, a member of the Nether Demon Cult, had already arranged rooms for them. The Blind Elder said with great excitement: "Shen'er, today I will take you to the gambling den to see the world. The two of us are bound to win at the very first game and come back with our pockets stuffed! " Shen Mu recalled how last night the Blind Elder had been carried out of the gambling den and dumped into the street, and he shook his head: "I'm not going.

" The Blind Elder stammered: "Then give me a few dragon coins. .

. " Shen Mu took out his money pouch; the Blind Elder thrust his great hand inside, scooped up a large handful, and went out the door in high spirits, bamboo staff in hand.

Shen Mu did not know whether to laugh or cry.

The Blind Elder was addicted to gambling, yet he stubbornly refused to make use of his own abilities and wagered against others on sheer luck alone. In his boyhood, Shen Mu had learned from the Blind Elder the art of listening to the wind and discerning position; any dice or dominoes could be identified at a single hearing.

If Shen Mu could do that, how much more the Blind Elder?

Add to that the Blind Elder's Heart-Sage Pupil, and one could say he was sure to win at every game; yet he insisted on not using it, staking only luck, and so he was sure to lose at every game.

Shen Mu walked downstairs. The innkeeper came forward with a fawning smile: "Is the Young Cult Master going out? Does this subordinate need to make arrangements?

" Shen Mu shook his head: "This inn has many eyes and ears. You need not call me Young Cult Master — just call me Young Master.

" "Yes, Young Master. " Shen Mu thought it over, then asked: "Whose property is the gambling den next door?

" The innkeeper's face creased into smiles: "Naturally, it is also the Young Master's property. Would the Young Master like to go and look over his property?

This subordinate will go at once to notify the gambling den's owner to come and attend on you.

.

.

" "My property? " Shen Mu was taken aback, somewhat dumbfounded.

He shook his head: "No need.

In this Crimson Dragon City, just how much property do I have? " The innkeeper mused for a moment, then counted on his fingers: "The vegetable markets, gambling dens, inns, taverns, brothels, antique shops, utensil shops, apothecaries, smithies, weapon shops.

. . Young Master, more than half of all Crimson Dragon City is the Young Master's property, and more than half of the power within the city is the Young Master's. Every gambling den, every pleasure house, the vegetable hawkers of the market, the butchers, the tea stewards of the inns, the warriors who hammer at the forges, the clerks and elixir masters of the medicine shops, the masters of the weapon shops — if the Young Master gives but a single word of command, they will go through fire and water for the Young Master and will not shrink even from death! " "No wonder so many people helped me last night to cut down those pursuers. " Shen Mu stared wide-eyed, his head swimming. After a long moment, he said slowly: "Tell the gambling den: that blind old gentleman who came with me — don't always win against him.

Let him win a few rounds as well.

But you must not let him win them all. As long as he wins some and loses some, and he is happy, that is enough. " "Yes.

" The innkeeper withdrew and went out to make the arrangements.