Chapter 230: Evil Deeds

"Pooh, pooh, good luck. The monks from Little Thunderclap Temple haven't found this place."

Xian Qing'er asked curiously, "What bad things have you done that you're pursued wherever you go?"

"Perhaps I'm just too outstanding?"

Qin Mu looked up and thought for a moment, convinced his statement was absolutely correct: "I'm too outstanding, which makes people jealous, so I'm chased wherever I go."

He waved goodbye, and Xian Qing'er quickly said, "If I have time, I'll come find you to play. Don't let your elders kill me!"

"Alright!"

As the sun set, Qin Mu finally reached Disabled Elderly Village. Just as he entered, he saw over a dozen hen-dragons, each taller than a man, surrounding him with hostile expressions.

Leading them was the old hen, who, upon seeing Qin Mu, became agitated. She pointed at him with her wings, clucking incessantly to the other hen-dragons, seemingly telling them that this young man was an egg thief.

"I've only been away for half a year, and the village has so many more hen-dragons."

Qin Mu felt as if he were facing a formidable enemy. He declared, "I am no longer the same as before! I am now the Sacred Teacher of the Heavenly Saint Cult. Even if you are numerous, I am not afraid!"

"Cluck! Cluck-cluck-cluck—"

The flock of hen-dragons surged forward, engulfing him. Their feathered wings were like swords, they breathed fire like dragons, and their sharp claws could split metal and stone, making them incredibly fierce.

Seeing this, Hu Ling'er quickly said, "Young Master, I'll go home first to check!" With that, she scurried away.

A moment later, Qin Mu, panting, forced the chicken flock back. He was scratched all over his face and head, his hair was disheveled, and several chicken feathers were stuck in it. The old hen, leading her flock, strutted away proudly, patrolling the village.

The Dutian Devil King laughed gleefully, "Stinky brat, you can't even beat a flock of chickens!"

Qin Mu plucked the feathers from his head. "You were defeated by someone who can't even beat a flock of chickens. Grandma, Village Chief, I'm back! You saw me being bullied by a flock of chickens, and you didn't even come to my rescue! Huh, why is no one here?"

Qin Mu walked around the village, greatly surprised.

The Village Chief's and Apothecary's rooms were also empty. No one else from the village had returned, and he only found a few notes. Qin Mu opened them. The first note stated that the Village Chief, Apothecary, and the Founding Master of the Demonic Cult had gone to search for Carefree Village, and if the villagers returned, they should first help the Apothecary feed his insects.

The second note was in the Butcher's handwriting, saying that the Village Chief and the others had not returned, so concerned for their safety, the Blind Man and the Butcher had gone to look for them.

The third note was left by the Mute Man, stating that the Blind Man and the Butcher hadn't returned, so he was going to find them.

The fourth note was left by Cripple and Grandpa Ma, saying that the Village Chief and the others might be in danger, and since they were fast, they would go search.

The fifth note was left by Grandma Si, saying that the old fellows were causing trouble, and she was going out to bring them back, asking Qin Mu not to run around after he returned.

"Grandma says they're all troublemakers."

Qin Mu shook his head, put down his luggage, went to the herb garden outside the village, and picked a few spiritual herb leaves. He opened the earthenware pot in front of the Apothecary's door and put them in. Inside the pot, a group of ravenous insects immediately began to fiercely snatch the food.

Qin Mu then entered the Apothecary's house, found a few spiritual pills, crushed them, and scattered them into other pots. After that, he washed his hands and started cooking.

"These broken pots…"

The Dutian Devil King was startled when he saw the broken earthenware pots containing the small insects. Then his gaze fell upon the water vat in front of the blacksmith's shop, and he was shocked again. "This large water vat… and that rake, and that pot, and these treasures just left lying around…"

"Lord Devil King, stop wandering around. You have many arms, come help me stir-fry a dish," Qin Mu called out.

As the last ray of sunlight vanished, darkness suddenly rolled in from the west, sweeping towards the east like a great flood, engulfing mountains along its path and submerging the Great Ruins!

Qin Mu was long accustomed to this sight and paid it no mind. He put on an apron and brought out the dishes. The Dutian Devil King, however, was seeing this terrifying scene for the first time. He was dumbfounded, speechless for a long time.

Just as darkness was about to engulf Disabled Elderly Village, a thin old man carrying a book basket walked into the village. Behind him, the darkness swept past, roaring eastwards on either side of the village.

"Grandpa Deaf!"

Qin Mu was both surprised and delighted. He quickly put down his bowls and chopsticks and hurried forward. Deaf Man's clothes were tattered, clearly indicating he hadn't fared well outside. He put down his book basket and said, "Is there food? I've been hungry for days."

"Just finished!"

Qin Mu quickly washed another set of bowls and chopsticks. Deaf Man sat down and ate heartily, consuming four or five bowls before letting out a sigh of relief. Qin Mu served him a bowl of soup and asked in wonder, "Grandpa Deaf, where have you been all this time?"

Deaf Man's eyes twitched, and he grumbled, "Yan Kang. I went looking for Mute Man, couldn't find him, and ran out of money. So I had to sell paintings."

The old man said with deep distress, "People's hearts have changed! They truly have! Not a single one of my paintings sold. Finally, I was so hungry that I ran into Old Lady Si, who spared me a few coins. She also mocked me for a long time. Oh, don't tell Apothecary about this. That fellow always laughs at me, saying my painting doesn't make money as fast as his medicine."

The Dutian Devil King's eyes widened. This old man was a top master. Could he be that master of painting who painted the Sword God? Such a grand master almost starved to death. If he had no money, why didn't he just rob someone?

Qin Mu smiled wryly, "Grandpa Deaf, the world isn't peaceful right now. Who would buy paintings for collection? If you're short on money next time, try selling them to the Imperial Preceptor's mansion. The Yan Kang Imperial Preceptor would surely be happy to buy them at a high price."

Deaf Man shook his head, "Last time I annihilated tens of thousands of the Yan Kang Imperial Preceptor's army. If I go to his house to sell paintings, he'll surely execute me. I can't beat him."

Qin Mu smiled, "Come find me at the Imperial College. I have plenty of money, and I can buy as many of your paintings as you make. Does Cripple Grandpa still have other paintings in his book basket? Sell them to me, I'll pay you now."

"I burned them."

Deaf Man said nonchalantly, "Where are the others in the village? Haven't they returned yet?"

"Burned them?"

Qin Mu felt a pang of heartache. If the Yan Kang Imperial Preceptor were here, he would surely spit out three liters of blood.

He took out the notes left by Apothecary and the others. Deaf Man read them once and said, "The handwriting is really ugly. Get a good night's sleep. Tomorrow I'll go look for them. Who is he?"

Only then did he notice the Dutian Devil King. The Dutian Devil King proudly said, "I am the Lord of Dutian, the ruler of the Dutian world. You don't need to bow."

"He's really ugly." Deaf Man got up and went back to his room to sleep.

"I am the Devil King of the Dutian world!" the Dutian Devil King roared.

Qin Mu kindly said, "Devil King, Grandpa Deaf can't hear you."

"Nonsense! He could hear what you said just now!"

Qin Mu explained, "Sometimes he can hear, sometimes he can't."

The Dutian Devil King was exasperated. Qin Mu tidied the bowls and chopsticks, preparing to sleep. He said, "Devil King, you absolutely must not run around at night. It's very dangerous in the darkness."

The Dutian Devil King meekly assented, thinking to himself, "This brat dares not enter the darkness. Now is a good time to leave. As soon as I step into the darkness, I can shake him off and then conduct the grand sacrifice to summon my true form."

Soon after, Qin Mu fell asleep, snoring.

The Dutian Devil King tiptoed towards the village outskirts. The stone statues at the four corners of the village emitted a faint glow, so the village wasn't completely dark. However, areas beyond the statues' light were pitch black; nothing could be seen.

The Dutian Devil King cautiously approached the village entrance, hesitated, and then extended a finger into the darkness. He heard gnawing sounds, withdrew his hand, and was stunned. His finger was gone, bitten off by something in the darkness.

The Dutian Devil King examined the wound, a thought stirring in his mind. He tentatively asked, "Gang nuo di da hei (Who is in the darkness)?"

There was a silence in the darkness. After a moment, a sinister voice replied, "A pu gao ni gen (And who are you)?"

The Dutian Devil King's spirits lifted, and he was about to speak when a voice suddenly came from behind him: "What are you doing? Why are you speaking Demonic language?"

The Dutian Devil King saw Deaf Man appear behind him at some point, and his heart tightened. "This Deaf Man's ears are so sharp! No, isn't he deaf?"

Deaf Man yawned, picked up a brush, wrote the character for "fix" on him, and then went back to his room to sleep.

The Dutian Devil King was unable to move and tried to speak, but no sound came out.

The next morning, Qin Mu woke up early to cook. The Dragon Qilin held a basin in its mouth and placed it before Qin Mu, then sat down in front of the basin, waiting to be fed.

Deaf Man, full and satisfied, said, "Mu'er, I'm going out to find the Village Chief and the others to come back for New Year's. You and the big dog stay here and watch the village."

Qin Mu acknowledged him. The Dragon Qilin, while eating a Scarlet Flame Spirit Pill, grumbled, "I'm not a big dog. I'm an auspicious beast, half-dragon and half-qilin."

Deaf Man didn't hear him. He walked out of the village, drew a dragon in the air with his brush, and rode off on it.

The Dutian Devil King remained standing there, unable to move.

Qin Mu tidied the bowls and chopsticks, thinking, "I wonder how that big guy, the Demonic Ape, has been doing these days. I even brought him some gifts."

He looked at the Dutian Devil King, smiled, and softly asked, "Gang nuo di da hei?"

The Dutian Devil King's heart trembled slightly: "This kid knows it too?"

Qin Mu left the Dragon Qilin to guard the village and headed towards the Central Palace. He hadn't gone far when he suddenly heard a Buddhist chant: "Amitabha! Heavenly Devil Cult Master, I have searched high and low for you, and now you appear before me without effort. I never expected this humble monk to meet the Cult Master here."

He saw a shabbily dressed monk appear in front of him. Both were surprised to encounter each other.

Qin Mu immediately recognized the monk as the one who had attacked his treasure ship in Yan Kang. He had injured the monk's legs with the Young Protector Sword, yet the monk could still run like the wind.

"What is the monk's name?" Qin Mu smiled, looking around. He sighed in relief when he didn't see Long Jiaonan and the others.

This monk had apparently been chased by the root demons of Dry Ridge, escaped into the Great Ruins, then encountered various mishaps within the Great Ruins, got separated from Long Jiaonan and the others, and fled in panic all the way here, only to coincidentally run into him.

"This humble monk's Buddhist name is Half-Idiot."

Monk Half-Idiot looked up at the sky, two streams of clear tears rolling down his cheeks. He sighed, "My Buddha is merciful. This humble monk's journey is finally complete. Heavenly Devil Cult Master, you have committed many evil deeds. Let this humble monk send you on your way."

Qin Mu said solemnly, "Monk, you say I have committed many evil deeds. Please name one evil deed I have done, so I may die convinced."

Monk Half-Idiot radiated murderous intent, stepping forward to charge at him. His body glowed with Buddhist light, and he sternly declared, "You are the Heavenly Devil Cult Master. That is the greatest evil! If there is a next life, may the Cult Master be reborn as a good person!"