Chapter 6 — The Child Treads the Wind and Escapes the Ape's Maw
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 3 of 4
Suddenly, Shen Mu recalled the Lame Old Man's words: "Don't think about whether the spot beneath your feet can bear your weight.
As long as you run fast enough, water is level ground, grass is level ground, air is level ground—everywhere is open road.
" He tapped his toes and sprinted. Behind him, sword-light shot into the sky, carving the crown of the great tree where he had just stood into fragments!
The two youths sprang up, leaping onto the treetops, and watched in horror as Shen Mu, treading from treetop to treetop, howled away like a gale. His steps were so swift that one could only gape in astonishment! "This fellow is younger than us—how is he so fast?
His cultivation seems. .
. seems even a little stronger than ours.
. .
" The two youths had barely thought this when they saw Senior Brother Chu shoot up in a puff, chasing after Shen Mu at a speed even greater than his. "Senior Brother Chu is truly worthy of the name, a martial artist at the peak of the Spirit Embryo realm—far stronger than we are.
" The two sighed in admiration: "With Senior Brother Chu acting in person, this little wretch is doomed.
" At that very moment, a huge shadow rose abruptly among the mountain forest.
A furry palm the size of a mat swung at Senior Brother Chu and slapped him squarely while he raced through midair! Senior Brother Chu was sent spinning like a top, flew backward, and crashed to the ground with a thunderous boom. He tumbled and rolled no one knew how many turns before coming to a stop.
The moment he sat up, he spat out a mouthful of blood and cried harshly: "Don't go over there! That is the territory of the Dark Fang Demon Ape—a Dark Fang Demon Ape lives there! " The other four hastily stopped. The shadow in the mountain forest was indeed a terrifyingly huge black ape, eyes blood-red, fangs jutting out.
It beat its chest with both fists and roared at them, its voice like the thunder of war drums: "Little bean! Die! " And Shen Mu, who had been sprinting at the front just now, was also slapped down by the Dark Fang Demon Ape, landing beside its enormous foot.
He lay motionless—whether alive or dead, no one could say. Senior Sister Liu said in a low voice: "Even Senior Brother Chu was badly wounded by a single slap from this Dark Fang Demon Ape.
That little wretch took a slap from it too—he must be dead by now, surely? " Before her words died away, she saw Shen Mu, sprawled beside the Dark Fang Demon Ape, quietly turn his head, open his eyes, and steal a glance at the ape.
Senior Sister Liu was startled: "This fellow isn't dead? " The dark, hulking Dark Fang Demon Ape let out a few hoarse roars.
Seeing that no one dared approach, it let the matter go. It lowered its head, looked at Shen Mu, then reached out two fingers and turned him over: "Little bean, dead? " There lay Shen Mu, eyes bulging wide, blood flowing from all seven orifices, tongue lolling out—plainly dead beyond all doubt!
The Dark Fang Demon Ape grunted twice, tossed Shen Mu's "corpse" aside, sat down with a thump, pulled up a whole tree, and began leisurely eating its leaves.
"The Dark Fang Demon Ape is so fierce, and yet it turns out to be a vegetarian. " Shen Mu kept bleeding from all seven orifices, eyes bulging, and quietly shifted his shoulder, inching outward.
The Dark Fang Demon Ape whipped its head around. Shen Mu's "corpse" did not stir a hair.
The ape stared hard at him. Shen Mu's "corpse" still did not stir a hair.
The Dark Fang Demon Ape reached out a finger and poked the "corpse. " Finding it ice-cold and already stiff, it was well pleased: "Little bean, dead. " It paid him no further heed, turned back, and focused on eating leaves.
In the distance, Senior Sister Liu could not resist: "Big fellow, don't you find it strange that the little bean's corpse went stiff so quickly? " The Dark Fang Demon Ape seemed to understand her words.