Chapter 111 — Demon Shadows Dance upon the Cresting Waves

Shen Mu slowly let out a turbid breath.

This news was far too shocking; he could not help but digest it piece by piece. Though the office of Grand Libationer of the Imperial Academy was only of the third rank and appeared not particularly exalted, it was in truth far too important. The Grand Academy governed the world's cultivation arts and divine abilities, compiling them into volumes; it could be called the holy of holies among the sacred grounds of martial and divine arts under heaven, supreme and without equal.

Moreover, the officials of Jingping Kingdom often came from the Grand Academy; every person who emerged from there could be said to be a disciple of the young Patriarch, bound by the bond of master and pupil. This office was not great, but its power to rally was too strong!

Add to that the hidden identity of the young Patriarch, and it became truly terrifying.

Fu Qingyun said, "Now that you have come to my place, young master, you should rest for a few days first, and go to the Grand Academy another day.

Only, if you wish to enter the Grand Academy, you must pass certain trials. " Shen Mu asked in doubt, "What trials?

" "The Grand Academy is not a place just anyone can enter.

One must become a Grand Scholar before one may go in.

" Fu Qingyun smiled. "The Patriarch's meaning is naturally that you should first become a Grand Scholar. This year's examination for Grand Scholars is about to begin.

You will be tested alongside scholars from all regions; once you complete the examination, you may enter.

" "Thank you, Sister Yun'er.

" Shen Mu let out a breath of relief and smiled. "I have no place to stay yet, so I will lodge here with you for a few days, Sister Yun'er. " Fu Qingyun lowered her voice.

"There is certainly no reason you cannot stay here, young master, only you must beware of the few little minxes in my household.

They are full of schemes, and they would give anything to climb over my head and make themselves the Patriarch's widow. " Shen Mu turned bright red and stammered, "There is such a thing?

" Fu Qingyun giggled. "Young master, at this rate you will not withstand their provocations. Come with me; I have arranged a room for you.

" The room Fu Qingyun arranged was quite elegant, though by the look of its furnishings it seemed more like a place where a girl lived; even the bedding was fragrant.

Fu Qingyun said hastily, "This is where I take my brief rests. If it does not suit you, young master, we can change to another.

" "No need.

" Shen Mu set his bundle on the table, but Fu Qingyun still had not left the room. Biting her bright red lips, she said softly, "Does young master have any other instructions? " "No, thank you, Sister Yun'er.

" Even as Shen Mu spoke, the bundle stirred, and out from within burrowed a small white fox carrying a tiny pack of its own.

Fu Qingyun took one look, turned, and walked out, muttering, "No wonder.

So he brought his own little fox spirit. .

. " Xue Hu'er reeked of wine. Shen Mu frowned. "Ling'er, you hid in the bundle and drank secretly!

" "I did not! " The white fox was tipsy, and suddenly gave a drunken hiccup. She clapped her mouth shut in a fluster, then hiccuped again, rose on her two hind legs, swayed, and nearly toppled off the table.

Shen Mu was caught between laughter and tears.

He took an empty wine flask from the bundle. "Still say you did not? These past days I have been studying the Great Nurturing Dark Demon Scripture, and I happened upon a cultivation method suited to you, called the Creation Spirit Art.

I have already comprehended it thoroughly these past days and meant to teach it to you, and now here you are dead drunk. " The fox on the table finally toppled off.

Shen Mu picked her up and tossed her into the bedding, and Xue Hu'er clutched a pillow and slept. Shen Mu had spent the whole journey evading the assassins of the Dragon Taming Sect, and he too was weary; he lay down at once and sank into deep sleep. That night he woke from hunger. He rose from bed and saw that Xue Hu'er was still asleep, so he did not wake her.

Shen Mu took the ointment and tooth-sticks from his bundle, washed up, and stepped out of the room.

Outside the door stood a girl; her eyes lit up at the sight of Shen Mu, and she smiled. "Young master is awake. Elder Sister knew you must be hungry, so she prepared food long ago and told me to wait here and invite you to dine.

" Shen Mu thanked her and followed her to an elegant room in the Listening to Rain Pavilion, its window facing bamboo.

Beyond the bamboo could be seen a pavilion and a rockery with a pool, very quiet and secluded. Shen Mu sat down, and several girls filed in and set down dishes, and before long the table was full. In the pavilion beyond the window, a girl in white came carrying a qin and sat down in the pavilion, gently plucking the strings. After a moment several more girls arrived, some cradling pipa, some bearing long flutes, some carrying guzheng, and there they played and sang.

Shen Mu ate and watched, entranced, and listened, entranced, feeling his heart expand with delight. His gaze fell upon the dancing ten fingers of the girl playing the qin, and unwittingly he set down his bowl and chopsticks; his own fingers began to play along.

After a while his gaze fell upon the pipa girl, and he studied the fingering of her playing, then watched the fingering of the flute girl, utterly intoxicated.

"The Finger-Flick Thunderclap Pipa Hand—so it is not only plucking after all, but also flicking, wiping, hooking, picking, striking, snapping. .

. " Shen Mu's eyes grew brighter and brighter.

The fingering of the girls in the pavilion as they played set his ten fingers more and more aroused, and comparing it with the Eight Peals of Thunderclap he himself practiced, he felt his understanding of the move Finger-Flick Thunderclap Pipa Hand deepen more and more, a feeling of sudden thorough comprehension coming over him.

He itched to leap out himself and play a piece to his heart's content! Seeing the girls play, he too felt the desire to play, and that desire burned hotter and hotter; yet he knew very little of music, and did not dare rashly offend these beauties. But that desire grew more and more restless.

He watched, entranced, and unwittingly forgot to eat. His ten fingers at times seemed to stroke a qin, at times to pluck a pipa, at times to pinch together as if blowing a flute, and at times to strum a guzheng.

The girls in the pavilion seemed to notice the youth in the window as well. One girl laughed softly, "Little Sister Yue'er, the young master is looking at you! It seems he has taken a fancy to you!

" The girl bowed her head in shyness and did not dare raise it. Just then, Shen Mu finally lost himself in his delight.

He rose to his feet and stepped forward, and with a crash shattered the window lattice to pieces. In a few strides he reached the pavilion, and without a word reached out and snatched the pipa from the hands of that Little Sister Yue'er.

The girls in the pavilion had thought the young sect master meant to use force and seize a maiden, but to their surprise this young sect master did not seize Little Sister Yue'er, but instead snatched away the pipa.

Shen Mu seemed to have entered a wondrous state. He cradled the pipa in his arms and gently plucked it, yet what emerged was not clear and plaintive music, but rather a crack-crack of thunder splitting the air, startling all the girls! Shen Mu, lost in abandon and self-forgetfulness, his ten fingers flying as he played the pipa, heard each peal of thunder as a wondrous melody, sweet and pleasing to the ear, throwing the girls' qin, flute, and zheng all into disarray.

These girls had labored hard at music; no sooner had his thunder tones thrown them into disorder than they adjusted themselves again, each wearing a solemn expression as they played, seeking to suppress the noise Shen Mu produced. Deng! Deng!