Chapter 378 The Fall of the Gods
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 1 of 4
Shen Mu, Wang Muran, Mu Qingdai, and Long Yu had all suffered heavy wounds and lay unable to move. Long Yu's legs had been broken, Mu Qingdai badly wounded and unconscious, Wang Muran's bones nearly shattered throughout his body. As for Shen Mu, the worst wound was the punch he had taken while turned into a shadow—he had nearly been smashed to pieces even in that state. The four lay where they were. Long Yu's neck was crooked and his tongue lolled out; he had wrenched his own neck, the blow he had struck while turning back having nearly snapped it. Helplessly he watched the Dragon Qilin approach, helplessly watched it extend its long tongue and slop it over him. The licking rolled him completely over, and then with another lick his face came round to the front again—and still his tongue had not gone back in.
The Dragon Qilin licked him again, leaving Long Yu drenched all over. His whole body began to itch—the ache and prickle of broken bones knitting anew, severed sinews reconnecting, flesh regrowing. He hurriedly drove his primal qi to adjust his bones, lest they mend crooked. If they mended crooked, even after the wounds healed he would be a twisted, lopsided wreck—that would be disastrous.
Wang Muran, sprawled nearby, watched him being coated in slobber while the Dragon Qilin's great tongue flipped the senior brother over several times like a frying spatula, as if afraid he might burn—and could not help snickering. The young man laughed until his wounds burst open and blood streamed out, the pain bringing tears to his face.
The Dragon Qilin then walked over and stretched out its long tongue. Wang Muran could laugh no longer. The tongue slapped down over his face like an enormous sticky blanket, wrapped him up, and rolled him over.
Having dealt with Wang Muran, the Dragon Qilin gave the unconscious Mu Qingdai a thorough licking, soaking the girl through. The licking woke her, but to spare herself the awkwardness, she could only keep pretending to be unconscious.
The Dragon Qilin headed for Shen Mu. Shen Mu said feebly, "Don't lick me. Senior Brother Long Yu, how are your wounds? There are jade bottles of dragon spittle in my Glutton pouch—take them out and smear some on me, and that will be enough..."
"Lick him! Big Fatty—Big Dragon, you must lick him!" Long Yu shouted in a fluster.
Wang Muran nodded vigorously and called out, "We've all had our turn—are we going to let him off? Big Dragon, lick!"
Mu Qingdai hastily opened her eyes, no longer feigning sleep, and laughed: "Share joy, share woe. Big Dragon, lick!"
Shen Mu's expression changed drastically, and he struggled to crawl aside. The Dragon Qilin raised a paw and pinned down the hem of his trousers. Unable to move, Shen Mu flew into a rage: "Fat Dragon, there's poison on my body! Lick me and within moments the poison will take effect and you'll die, blood pouring from seven orifices!"
The Dragon Qilin hesitated. The other three all laughed: "Who would coat their own body in poison? Fat Dragon, just lick him—if you die of poison, we'll bury you!"
Reassured, the Dragon Qilin licked Shen Mu till he was topsy-turvy, drenched all over. After all, this was its meal-provider, so naturally it had to be more conscientious—it licked Shen Mu with even greater care than the others.
Shen Mu's face turned livid. Flipped back and forth by the tongue like a fish in a pan, he lay motionless, offering no resistance, as if resigned to his fate.
The Dragon Qilin withdrew its tongue, then noticed its licking had mussed Shen Mu's hair. Hastily, carefully, it licked the hair smooth again, glossy and gleaming.
"Enough, Fat Dragon..." Grand Master Qin said woodenly. "Enough, stop licking... all right, all right, it's perfectly smooth now... no more licking!"
Seeing him angry, the Dragon Qilin reluctantly pulled back its tongue, withdrew its forepaws, settled onto its haunches, and crouched beside Shen Mu.