The widow gave a light laugh, popped a bright red fruit into her mouth, unhurriedly wiped her slender jade hands, and then watched with much interest as Shen Mu went on wolfing down his food.

Ling Yuxiu was astonished as well; she had never imagined that Shen Mu could still eat in such a situation.

Before long Shen Mu had eaten his way to half a bellyful. He thought a moment, then took an oil-paper packet from his breast, drew out the dry rations inside, picked some of the soft, savory food from the table and laid it in the packet, and wrapped it up with care. Across from him, that charcoal-black Black Venerable could not help railing, "Boy, if you can't eat it all, you carry it off with you?

"

Shen Mu said, embarrassed, "My granny and my blind grandfather only came into the city today.

On the road we ate only dry rations; they haven't eaten yet. The food here is very fragrant, and Granny and Blind Grandfather have poor teeth, so I'm picking out some to take back for them. " With that he looked at the sect master's widow and wondered inwardly, "Is she Granny Zhu or isn't she? Wait — this scent of rouge, isn't it the very rouge Granny Zhu and I bought together? "

A gentle light flashed through the widow's eyes; she seemed much moved. She laughed.

"You are a filial boy. The more I look at you, the better I like you.

"

Everyone in the tower wore the air of watching a good show, full of sympathy for Shen Mu: "The sect master's widow was a notorious sorceress to begin with; the tedious fuss of filial piety is what she loathes most. This boy is sure to die a most miserable death! "

That charcoal-black Black Venerable waited until Shen Mu had wrapped up his food, then said coldly, "Have you eaten your fill?

"

Shen Mu answered honestly, "Half a fill.

"

The Black Venerable was choked with anger and gave a cold humph; the sound carried, and the hundred-odd window lattices of Zhenjiang Tower clattered and rattled.

Shen Mu could not help admiring him.

"Senior's cultivation is truly mighty.

I could never manage it. "

The Black Venerable's veins bulged twice at his temple.

Suppressing his anger, he waited quietly for Shen Mu to finish eating, while the ever-smiling widow likewise laid down her ivory chopsticks and ate no more. The Black Venerable spat out the turbid breath he had held so long in his chest and said coldly, "Now we have all eaten our fill, have we?

May we speak of business?

"

Every eye in the tower was bright, and they fell one after another upon the sect master's widow. The widow smiled, and that one smile bred a hundred charms, seeming to brighten all before them in the tower. She said with a laugh, "Black Venerable, even if I gave you the Great Nurturing Nether-Demon Sutra, do you fancy you could walk out of Crimson Dragon City alive? I fear the city lord would be the first to want your life; and everyone here, I fear, would not suffer you to leave the Wasteland alive either.

"

The Black Venerable rose to his feet, and the vital essence behind him abruptly turned black and heavy, gathering in the air behind his head into a four-armed heavenly demon, savage and ferocious! To wield vital essence to such a peak, until it took form as a demon god — a method such as this was in no way inferior to Fu Yundi's Eight Aspects Heavenly God Art!

The Black Venerable swept a glance around and said coldly, "If the holy canon of the Nether-Demon Sect falls into my hands, then it is mine. Whoever dares covet it — is he not afraid I will butcher him?

"

Those in the tower smiled and said nothing. The sect master's widow tittered.

"In this hall there are honored guests from the Kingdom of Jingping and hidden masters of the Wasteland.

Which of them could you do away with? This young general here is from the Kingdom of Jingping, is he not?

"

She was pointing at Shen Feiyue. She laughed.

"I have long heard that the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping is the first man beneath the gods; his disciple must be uncommon too. "

Shen Feiyue bowed slightly. "This junior officer is Shen Feiyue. My master is indeed the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping.

But I did not come here for the sect master's widow, nor for the Great Nurturing Nether-Demon Sutra. Though the widow be the first beauty under heaven, and the Great Nurturing Nether-Demon Sutra be a method that claims to make one a god, the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping does not care for them.

"

There was a natural pride in his words: as the first man beneath the gods, the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping cared for no cultivation method, not even the demon sect's canon that could make one a god! Suddenly a voice was heard laughing coldly, "This is the Wasteland, not the Kingdom of Jingping.

Whether the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping cares or not is no concern of ours. "

Shen Feiyue's eyes showed killing intent, and he looked toward the voice. The speaker sat opposite him, a great bearded fellow, his clothes half open, sitting sprawled on the ground, one hand stuffing food into his mouth while the other scratched at the grime in his bosom; in a few scratches he rolled up a pitch-black ball and flicked it away, and where it flew no one knew. Shen Feiyue frowned, showing disgust. "Rustics of the Wasteland are truly coarse; there is no point in losing my temper with him.

When the great army of the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping arrives, every demon and monster will have to bow! "

He looked again at the girl beside Shen Mu, and sat as if on a mat of needles, his head aching sorely: "How has the Seventh Princess gone off to keep company with a youth of Yincan Village?

Just now the princess even pinched him — that is too intimate by far. If word of this gets out, what becomes of the imperial family's face. . . "