Chapter 148 — Anesthetic Faint

Before long Shen Mu had chosen a second scroll, a text called the Soul-Drawing Guide, which could hook a dead man's soul up out of the underworld, and could likewise let the one who worked the rite descend into it himself. He had chosen the Soul-Drawing Guide chiefly because the Tianlu Tower held far too few arts that touched upon such matters. Shen Mu wondered: if the art were further developed, might one not draw up the soul of a man newly dead, and then bring him back to life?

Then he chose the Hongshan Sect's Talisman Edict for Commanding Ghosts and Dispatching Spirits.

The Hongshan Sect's arts were strange as well, able to borrow the power of ghosts and gods through talisman-script, which struck him as having something in common with the Way of Painting. He chose only three scrolls; to choose more would be of no benefit.

The methods he already had to cultivate were many, and the techniques and arts within the Great Nurturing Dark Demon Scripture were as numerous as the hairs on a cow, all demanding his time and insight; there was no need to take on more. With the three scrolls Shen Mu went to see the Palace Librarian, who recorded the scrolls and the tally, and only then permitted him to walk out of the Tianlu Tower. Two days later the imperial edict of appointment came down: Shen Mu was made Erudite of the Grand Academy, granted office of the sixth rank proper, permitted to ascend to the third storey of the Tianlu Tower, and placed beyond the Grand Academy's authority.

Before the mountain gate of the Grand Academy, Libationer Bashan stood waiting. After a moment the Second Prince, Ling Yushu, came hurrying up, dragging a somewhat unwilling Ling Yuxiu behind him. "Seventh Sister, cultivating under Libationer Bashan will surely be better for you than staying here in the Grand Academy.

" Ling Yushu laughed. "Libationer Bashan is a being of patriarch rank, worth more than any number of other National Academy instructors.

Even I am envious beyond measure, and wish I could be the Libationer's disciple. So hesitate no more!

You are my own sister, born of the same womb as I; how could I ever do you harm? " Beside the mountain gate a great sturdy azure ox stood upright like a man, teasing the dragon qilin that guarded the gate, now plucking a whisker, now stroking the qilin's tail.

"Now, little sister, when will you come out and play with your brother?

" The ox lolled against the gate, a peony in its mouth, and chuckled. "Little sister, what joy is there in standing guard here day after day? Let me take you out. The wide world is full of flowers, and I promise you a fine time!

Look at this flower of mine, isn't it pretty? I'll give it to you to eat.

.

. " The dragon qilin swallowed its fury, glanced at Libationer Bashan not far off, and pressed down the urge to turn on the ox and eat it then and there. "Teacher Bashan, when do you set out? " Ling Yushu asked.

Libationer Bashan raised his eyes toward the mountain. "We are still waiting for one more.

He should be coming down.

" Ling Yushu looked at his sister beside him and felt a touch of satisfaction.

Thank goodness I was quick-witted; otherwise, if Seventh Sister had stayed on the mountain, there was no telling what mischief she and that castoff of the Wasteland might have gotten up to. Now that the two of them are being separated far apart, he will have no such chance. Ling Yuxiu was his full sister by the same father and mother, so of course his care for her was of the deepest; every other prince and princess he regarded as a rival, and Ling Yuxiu alone was his dearest sister, and he could not give wicked men the slightest opening. As Ling Yushu was thinking this, he raised his eyes and saw a youth coming down the mountain, a jangling heap of things on his back, an axe, a butcher's knife, a bamboo staff, and a great bundle besides, on which squatted a white fox.

The lad looks like a refugee from a famine, Ling Yushu thought. Does he mean to flee down the mountain? When Libationer Bashan saw Shen Mu, he breathed a sigh of relief at last and said with a smile, "Everyone is here!

" Ling Yushu gave a start and looked at Libationer Bashan, stammering, "The one you were waiting for is him? " Libationer Bashan nodded, shattering the last shred of hope left in his heart. Ling Yuxiu, meanwhile, was beside herself with glee, watching her thoroughly bewildered brother with great complacency.

Her brother's little schemes could hardly escape her.

Ling Yushu hesitated inwardly, wanting to ask Libationer Bashan whether the arrangement might be withdrawn, yet finding it hard to speak the words.

"Teacher Bashan, may I also cultivate under you? " Ling Yushu asked hurriedly, still unwilling to give up.

Libationer Bashan shook his head.

"Second Prince, your cultivation is too high. You have already reached the Seven Stars realm, and you are advanced in years; your path is already fixed.

I cannot teach you.

Set your mind at ease: the Seventh Princess will not suffer under my charge. Go back.

" Ling Yushu could not bear to leave, and stood there glaring viciously at Shen Mu. Shen Mu was puzzled, not knowing how he had offended this prince. Libationer Bashan said gravely, "Since everyone is here, we set out!

" Shen Mu said hastily, "Teacher, a moment!

" Libationer Bashan halted and looked back.

Shen Mu walked up to the dragon qilin, and the enormous azure ox hastily backed away, watching him warily.

Shen Mu paid it no mind; holding his breath, he took out a small jade bottle, unstoppered it, and held it beneath the dragon qilin's nose.

The dragon qilin was at once drugged limp and crumpled to the ground. The great azure ox leaped far away in a panic, staring at him in fright.

Shen Mu stoppered the bottle tight; the little fox stirred up a wild wind to scatter the strange fragrance drifting from its mouth, and only then did Shen Mu draw breath. Snow Fox took another bottle from the bundle and handed it to Shen Mu.

He opened it; a pungent sour reek rose from it, and he poured the liquid down the dragon qilin's throat.

It was juice pressed from lemons. Though the dragon qilin lay numb and could not move, its tongue, meeting the sourness of the lemon, could not help but secrete saliva. Snow Fox hastily brought out one jade bottle after another from the bundle, and Shen Mu took them and held them to the corner of the dragon qilin's mouth to catch the drool. He filled a dozen or so bottles, until the qilin had all but drained itself dry and at last stopped flowing.

Shen Mu rose and smiled. "Teacher, Sister Xiu, we can set out.

" Libationer Bashan glanced at the drugged dragon qilin and asked curiously, "What are you collecting the dragon's saliva for? " Shen Mu explained, "It is a wonder drug for treating wounds. Should one take a cut from blade or sword, smear it on the wound, and it will make rotten flesh grow anew and dead skin slough away.

On this excursion there will surely be injuries, so I have laid in a good store against mischance.

" Something stirred in Libationer Bashan's heart.

This act of Shen Mu's was likely not merely to deal with hurts along the road, but to restore the Butcher, to bring back the Butcher's lower half and make his body whole again. Shen Mu said further, "Teacher, might I borrow this azure ox of yours for a while? " The ox said warily, "Don't you try anything!

I have sworn brother-and-sister with your Ling'er. If you eat me, my sister will fight you to the death! Isn't that so, Sister Ling'er?

" Snow Fox said smugly, "He drank too much and swore brotherhood with me; he is my little brother now.

" Shen Mu laughed. "I only want you to carry my baggage for me.

Look at you in such a fluster.

Oh, that reminds me, I had a look just now. That dragon qilin is male.