Chapter 142 — The Drug That Felled the Grand Academy Hall
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 2 of 4
He did not know that the Bewildering Incense was no poison at all, but only a numbing drug; after an hour or two its potency would fade and it would do a man no harm whatever.
Just then, before the Grand Academy Hall, a gourd rose slowly into the air, its mouth turned downward, and a dreadful suction came from it, drawing upward from the mountaintop, pulling the slowly spreading fragrance, air and all, into the gourd.
A wild wind rose over the mountain, above and below; before long the strange fragrance was gone, and Libationer Bashan let out a breath. "Thank goodness the Grand Libationer is here, or it would have swept the whole mountain. But these people, I fear..."
His tiger eyes brimmed with tears as he looked at the countless "corpses" before the Hall of Imperial Physicians. Suddenly a voice came to his ear, laughing: "Bashan, they're not dead. What are you crying for?"
Libationer Bashan started slightly, hurried forward, and tested the breath of one "corpse"—sure enough, full and strong.
The young Patriarch came to his side and looked around, then frowned and said, "This looks like the work of the Poison King. Yes—I know who's behind it. That little wretch, there's no law he won't defy!"
Libationer Bashan said hesitantly, "Grand Libationer, I heard it was several imperial physicians refining medicine, and something went wrong..."
The young Patriarch sneered. "Those imperial physicians of the Hall of Imperial Physicians couldn't refine a numbing drug this strong. It must be that little devil refining medicine in the hall, and it went wrong—he numbed himself, and numbed every scholar in the academy besides..."
He had barely spoken when his eyes went straight, fixed on something not far away.
Libationer Bashan, puzzled, followed his gaze, and his own eyes went straight as well.
A young scholar was coming around the Grand Academy Hall from the back mountain, both hands holding up an enormous great blue ox. The ox had been numbed too, its four hooves bound together, feet to the sky, and the youth bore it along as he walked.
And on the ox's hooves sat a little fox, pure white without a trace of any other color.
Seeing the "corpses" all over the ground, the young scholar started slightly; then he saw Libationer Bashan and the young Patriarch, and his face changed drastically. He flung down the blue ox, snatched up the fox, and ran for all he was worth.
"My little ox!"
Libationer Bashan dashed over and caught the numbed blue ox, his face full of anguish, and roared, "You brat! You've laid low my mount—I'll never let you off!"
Shen Mu had not run far when his collar went tight and he was lifted up by the young Patriarch; then the scenery before his eyes shifted at flying speed, and the next moment he stood before the Hall of Imperial Physicians, amid the "corpses" all over the ground.
Shen Mu stood meek as could be, head down, looking at the white fox beside him; the white fox was meek as could be too, head down, looking at its own furry forepaws.
The young Patriarch laughed in his fury, pointed at the "corpses" all over the ground, and for a long while could not speak.
"Stand in the corner!" he finally managed, and shouted.
Shen Mu and Snow Fox went to the corner of the Hall of Imperial Physicians and stood there, heads down.
The young Patriarch, black-faced, hands behind his back, paced back and forth before the one man and one fox, then suddenly shouted, "Who laid the poison?"
Shen Mu said hurriedly, "I numbed the ox, but as for these scholars and Libationers, I know nothing about it."
The young Patriarch said darkly, "How is it cured?"
Shen Mu answered honestly, "No cure needed. Just wait a little while, and they'll come round."