Chapter 22 — The Night-Quelling Idols Reveal a Mystery
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 1 of 3
In the valley beneath the cliff wall, bang—bang—the sound of heavy blows came without cease, and the crashes set the leaves rattling and shivering, so that the mountain birds beat their wings and fled, not daring to linger. And there in that valley the Black-Fanged Demon Ape leaped high, a boulder clutched to its chest, and hurled it savagely down at Shen Mu from midair.
Shen Mu twisted aside; the ape, its blow having missed, heaved up the boulder and smashed down again, but Shen Mu sprang onto the stone, rebounded off it onto the ape's nose, and planted a palm against the Demon Ape's face.
Third form of the Thunder Cry Eight Forms: Nine Dragons Ride Wind and Thunder! Nine forces lay hidden in that palm.
The first burst from its center like a raging dragon's charge, and the Demon Ape toppled onto its back.
Shoulders and hips moving as one, Shen Mu drove strength through his whole body, marshaling every muscle and gathering it in his palm; the second force erupted, and the Demon Ape's skull struck the ground, the broken stones beneath its head split apart by the shock. The muscles of his body writhed like dragons coiling about him, and with them the third force of Nine Dragons Ride Wind and Thunder burst forth; those shattered stones began to crumble. His muscles convulsed violently, the fourth force erupted, and half the Demon Ape's head was already embedded in the earth. The fifth force of Nine Dragons Ride Wind and Thunder exploded; a dull tremor came up through the ground, and the Demon Ape's entire head sank below the surface!
The sixth force of Nine Dragons Ride Wind and Thunder burst out like six dragons charging—but the very instant Shen Mu's force erupted, the Demon Ape had already recovered itself, and a fist like a small hill came swinging in from the side, caught him full on, and swatted him away like a fly. Shen Mu tumbled and rolled over the ground, while the Demon Ape wrenched its head free with great effort, shook it, and sent gravel flying out of its thick fur, spitting in every direction.
And on the other side, Shen Mu sprang up and came charging again with a shout.
The Demon Ape, its head aching, thought it over, leaped up onto the cliff, crouched on the rock face, and waved a hand: "Little Bean, no. " Shen Mu's feet flew; he rushed on, his steps tapping swift across the sheer cliff wall, and actually ran straight up the face of it from below, charging the Demon Ape.
The Demon Ape was furious. Man and ape fought atop the cliff, leaping and bounding as though they flew, striking until shattered rock sprayed everywhere. A long while passed; the medicinal power within Shen Mu gradually burned away, and the Demon Ape too was too spent to move; man and ape alike lay on the cliff, heaving for breath.
After the time it takes an incense stick to burn, Shen Mu caught his breath, sat up, cultivated his breathing, and adjusted his qi, and joy rose in his heart unbidden: in so short a time his vital essence had advanced considerably again, refined to greater toughness, until it could reach every corner of his body, coursing through him in delight. There was more filth on his body as well; it must be that in his fight with the Demon Ape, the roused medicinal power had strengthened his vital essence and refined yet more impurities out of him.
Shen Mu flicked a finger, and the wind of it tore the air with a piercing whistle, like a sharp arrow splitting the sky. The Demon Ape started in alarm, hastily sat up, and took a defensive stance.
Shen Mu stretched his limbs, felt his muscles ache, and shook his head: "No more fighting. " The Demon Ape understood him, breathed out in relief, reached over and uprooted a tree as thick as an arm, stripped off a handful of leaves and stuffed them into its mouth, chewing slowly, then held the tree out before Shen Mu and rumbled in its jar-like voice: "Little Bean, eat.
" Shen Mu picked a bright red fruit from the tree, peeled it, and ate it; it went down sweet and moist.