Chapter 44 — The Dark Demon Ancestral Court Appears in the Mortal World

The strapping man entered the newly built village beside Hidden Remnant Village, settled himself cross-legged in a room, and said not a word. A short while later, a ragged old woman came, offered her respects to the youth and the old man, and entered the village to find an empty room and rest. Then an old fisherman arrived on a leaf of a skiff.

After mooring it by the bank, he shouldered his creel, carried his fishing rod, and entered the village to stay. Not long after, still more strange and motley people arrived: some like wealthy landlords, some like merchants, some like private tutors, scholars on their way to the examinations, and young women earning their keep in brothels—every trade and calling, nothing wanting. The Lame Elder's smile grew even broader, and he said with a fawning grin, "Where is Old Lady Si? All these people have come looking for her!

"

The Deaf Elder said, "I saw Granny turn herself into a roe deer and leave the village before Shen'er did. She must have fretted over Shen'er going hunting alone and not trusted his safety, so she is secretly protecting him.

What I fear is that she still does not know the Dark Demon Sect has already found this place. The Dark Demon Sect has all but moved its entire sect right next door to us! "

. . .

Shen Mu walked into the depths of the mountain forest.

After a while, a roe deer came running up on light, dainty hooves. It looked about in every direction and found no trace of Shen Mu. While it was still hesitating, Shen Mu suddenly jumped down from a tree, laughing, "Granny, since I am hunting alone, please go back. I can take care of myself. "

The roe deer said in mock anger, "You little brat—mind you don't die out here! " Then it shook its short tail and ran off.

Shen Mu went on. Before long, he saw a maned mountain elephant drinking at a pool and laughed, "Granny, I truly can take care of myself.

There's no need to follow. "

The maned mountain elephant became enraged. Stamping its four feet, it charged him.

Shen Mu sent his origin energy surging; the Beast-Slaughtering Saber rasped from its sheath. "If you are not Granny," he said with a murderous air, "then die! "

The maned mountain elephant turned tail and fled, speaking human words: "You'd kill even Granny?

When we get back, we'll spank your bottom! "

Shen Mu shook his head.

After walking another six or seven li, he looked up at a great bird wheeling overhead and said helplessly, "Granny, there really is no need for you to trail behind me. "

The great bird tilted its head to look at him, unmoved, and kept circling. Shen Mu's gaze flickered.

He scooped up a fistful of pebbles, then snapped his fingers again and again, sending the pebbles streaking through the air at varying heights.

When more than ten stones were in flight, Shen Mu leaped up, landed on the first pebble, pushed off it, and sprang to the second—and so on, up through the air, until he was level with the great bird. The bird abruptly spoke in human words and cried, "Fine, fine! I'll stop following! " Then it flapped its wings and left. Shen Mu dropped from midair, thudding into the ground, his feet sinking a foot into the soil.

He looked up—the bird in the sky was nowhere to be seen. "Granny will most likely still be following.

"

Shen Mu scanned his surroundings and found nothing amiss. After another few li, he came upon a waterfall, fine in mountain and water alike. Beside the waterfall stood a thatched hut, and outside the hut, oddly, a stone statue, half buried in the earth, half exposed, leaning askew.

Cooking smoke rose from the thatched hut.

Clearly someone made their home there. "Who could live in these wild, desolate mountains? Could some senior master be living here in seclusion? "

No sooner had the thought crossed his mind than he saw a white fox walk out of the hut, take up a bamboo tube, and return inside.