Chapter 265: The Fourth Heavenly King
The Emperor and the National Teacher were caught between laughter and tears. This Demon Sect Leader was truly audacious beyond belief. As the Demon Sect Leader of the Heavenly Demon Sect, he had absolutely no scruples whatsoever, even trying to recruit the Emperor and the National Teacher into his Heavenly Demon Sect!
"If you can't heal your injuries and can't reclaim the throne, with my Heavenly Saint Sect's skills, we can at least make a living to support our families."
Qin Mu urged. "And if you join now, I can give you high-ranking positions, like Heavenly King Elder or something. By the time you're completely crippled and beyond saving, if you want to join then, I can at most offer you the position of Incense Master, and a deputy one at that. Madam, please help me persuade them."
The National Teacher's wife smiled without speaking, saying nothing more.
The Eternal Peace National Teacher said calmly, "If I join, I want to be the Sect Leader."
The Eternal Peace Emperor nodded. "I as well."
The Eternal Peace National Teacher said, "You be the Sect Leader, and I'll be your assistant."
Qin Mu's eyes lit up. "The Emperor truly wants to be the Sect Leader?"
The Eternal Peace Emperor was dumbfounded, never expecting that Qin Mu actually had the intention of handing over the position of Heavenly Demon Sect Leader. If he became the Heavenly Demon Sect Leader, wouldn't the Eternal Peace Kingdom become the Heavenly Demon Sect's territory?
This was truly a hot potato, not to be accepted!
The Eternal Peace National Teacher also found it troublesome and quietly shook his head at the Emperor, signaling him not to accept.
The National Teacher's wife chuckled. "Sect Leader Qin, they're not willing, but I am. I wonder what position the Sect Leader could arrange for me?"
Qin Mu's eyes lit up, inwardly praising this woman's intelligence. She was stepping in to smooth things over to spare the National Teacher and the Emperor from embarrassment.
"If Madam joins the sect, I can give you a leisurely position, just a nominal one."
Qin Mu smiled. "Does Madam know embroidery? How about being the Incense Master of the Embroidery Hall?"
"Very well."
The young woman smiled, pulling the National Teacher aside, and said in a low voice, "Husband, why refuse Sect Leader Qin? On this return to the capital, what are your chances of victory with His Majesty?"
The Eternal Peace National Teacher was silent for a moment, then said, "The people of the world support the reforms, and seventy to eighty percent of the civil and military officials in the court are my and His Majesty's people. After returning to the capital, we will certainly be able to execute the traitors and reclaim power."
The National Teacher's wife smiled. "Really? Won't the Great Thunderclap Monastery and the Dao Sect obstruct you? Can you block the Tathagata and the Dao Lord, or can His Majesty block them?"
Qin Mu leaned in, smiling. "The homes of the princes and ministers in the capital all have a few Daoist priests or monks living in them, either reciting Buddhist scriptures or chanting Daoist texts."
The Eternal Peace National Teacher fell silent. The National Teacher's wife pushed Qin Mu away and said in a low voice, "The two sacred grounds have your forces tightly watched. Those close to you are either under house arrest or locked in prison. Now, the only power you can borrow is Sect Leader Qin's. If you borrow someone's strength, you must also put them at ease."
Qin Mu leaned in again, about to speak, but the National Teacher's wife pushed him away once more.
The Eternal Peace National Teacher pondered for a moment, then walked toward Qin Mu. "Is the Heavenly Saint Sect still missing a Heavenly King?"
Qin Mu nodded. "The Fourth Heavenly King."
The Eternal Peace National Teacher said, "I'll be this Fourth Heavenly King. But His Majesty must have no connection whatsoever with the Heavenly Saint Sect. Your Majesty, I will join his Heavenly Saint Sect."
The Eternal Peace Emperor was stunned, then after a long moment said slowly, "I have wronged the National Teacher."
Qin Mu smiled and said to the Eternal Peace Emperor, "Your Majesty seems to have some misunderstanding about my Heavenly Saint Sect. My Heavenly Saint Sect is not a religion; it merely implements the philosophy of daily necessities for the people and follows the path of the sages. Your Majesty's and the National Teacher's reforms share the same philosophy as ours..."
The National Teacher's wife laughed. "Sect Leader, we should be on our way. There's no need to preach anymore. His Majesty cannot join our Heavenly Saint Sect."
The National Teacher's wife sat on the back of the Dragon Qilin, while Qin Mu, the Eternal Peace National Teacher, and the Emperor walked below. The two men circulated the Overlord Body Three Dan Techniques that Qin Mu had taught them to recover some vitality.
These two men were like ascetic monks, their pace not fast and their steps labored. After two or three days, they finally reached Qinzhou.
The Heavenly Demon Sect in Qinzhou had already prepared the medicinal herbs. Qin Mu finally healed the Eternal Peace Emperor's soul injuries, and the National Teacher's external wounds healed. However, the residual divine techniques left in his body by the deity could not be drawn out by Qin Mu.
The residual power of divine techniques was extremely strong. If the Eternal Peace National Teacher could refine these residual techniques, it wouldn't be difficult for Qin Mu to heal all his injuries. The key was that the National Teacher couldn't circulate his mana. These residual techniques were hidden in his body and divine repositories. He had to use his own mana to suppress them, and any slight carelessness could trigger their power.
"The Emperor and the National Teacher—neither of them can fight." Qin Mu sighed inwardly.
The two strongest figures of the Eternal Peace Kingdom were now both invalids, needing his care and protection.
He also cultivated without ceasing, day and night. As long as he moved, the Overlord Body Three Dan Techniques would unconsciously activate, drawing the five streams of star power and starlight from the sky continuously.
While traveling, Qin Mu also diligently practiced swordsmanship, constantly rehearsing the two sword techniques the Village Chief had taught him, trying to perfect them.
When the Eternal Peace National Teacher saw these two sword diagrams, he let out a soft exclamation and couldn't help but take a closer look. "Sect Leader, which elder from your family taught you these?"
"Our village chief, the oldest one."
The Eternal Peace National Teacher thought for a moment. "Are you trying to incorporate the three basic sword techniques I created into these two sword techniques? These two techniques are already extremely perfect. Adding my basic techniques would disrupt the balance. It might increase power, but it would also create many flaws. Why are you doing this?"
Qin Mu executed the "One Sword Opens the Imperial Bloody Ocean" technique and suddenly felt a surge of poignant emotion. One sword opens the imperial bloody ocean, mountains and rivers remain, but the heart is vast and desolate. Looking left and right, the homeland is gone, and people still wear old clothes. This was a lonely person reminiscing about his homeland and martyrs, carrying a tragic and heroic sentiment.
The Eternal Peace National Teacher picked up a branch from the ground. "There are still many flaws in your techniques. How about I spar with you?"
Qin Mu's eyes lit up. "Please, enlighten me."
"You flatter me."
Qin Mu also picked up a branch. The two used branches as swords. The National Teacher attacked, and Qin Mu defended with the two sword techniques from the diagrams. In no time, the National Teacher found a gap and broke through "Sword Traverses Mountains and Rivers."
Qin Mu pondered for a long time. The flaws pointed out by the National Teacher were different from those pointed out by the Village Chief. Both were grandmasters of swordsmanship, but they walked different paths. The Village Chief's swordsmanship contained a passionate and heroic sentiment, while the National Teacher's was about sweeping through obstacles, reforming, and forging ahead.
Different philosophies led to different swordsmanship.
Their guidance gave Qin Mu different benefits.
When the Village Chief guided him, Qin Mu had exhausted his wisdom, and his foundation wasn't deep enough to further improve these two techniques. But the National Teacher's guidance opened a new path, allowing him to continue refining his swordsmanship.
They practiced as they walked, and Qin Mu's understanding of the sword grew deeper. He felt that his swordsmanship was on the verge of leaping to another level, but there was still a veil separating him, preventing him from crossing over.
"No need to practice anymore. Further practice won't bring progress."
The Eternal Peace National Teacher said. "To break through, you need your own enlightenment."
Qin Mu didn't understand, but the Eternal Peace Emperor, who had been watching from the side, saw it clearly. He sighed. "One more step, and you'll be a Minor Grandmaster. Minister Qin, how old are you to have reached this level? When I reached this step, I was fifty-seven years old. I cultivated the Nine Dragons Imperial Art, drawing the power of nine dragons. My vitality was vast, and I sensed the movement of the earth's dragon energy. The world's trends were ever-changing and unpredictable. That was when I made the breakthrough. You're thirty to forty years ahead of me."
Qin Mu smiled. "Your Majesty, what is the strength of the Nine Dragons Imperial Art?"
"My strength is change."
The Eternal Peace Emperor said solemnly. "If you want to learn, I can teach you. Before me, the Nine Dragons Imperial Art was just a technique focused on spells. But in my hands, any spell, swordsmanship, or physical technique can be executed. Why? Because the dragon is change! A dragon can be large or small, hidden or visible, soaring into the sky or swimming in the deep sea, lurking in the abyss or appearing in the fields, summoning clouds and rain, blazing with fire, controlling wind and thunder, or bringing sweet dew. Want to learn?"
He thought Qin Mu would refuse, after all, he was the formidable Demon Sect Leader of the Heavenly Demon Sect. To his surprise, Qin Mu replied bluntly, "Yes!"
The Eternal Peace Emperor was stunned for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter. "Very well. Who says the Nine Dragons Imperial Art is exclusive to my Ling family and cannot be passed on? I'll teach it to you."
The National Teacher's wife looked at the Eternal Peace Emperor in surprise. The Eternal Peace National Teacher said calmly, "His Majesty has always been this way, bold and straightforward. Otherwise, he wouldn't have dared to use me. In fact, I've read the original text of the Nine Dragons Imperial Art no less than ten times."
The Eternal Peace Emperor taught the Nine Dragons Imperial Art to Qin Mu, instructing him on how to circulate qi and how to channel the power of the nine dragons.
This technique was different from the Overlord Body Three Dan Techniques. Its execution was majestic and vast, yet also versatile, with every movement containing the power of heaven and earth.
"The Nine Divine Dragon Shield is a spell that transforms into nine true dragons hidden in the clouds to attack enemies. Watch!"
The Eternal Peace Emperor stirred his vitality, and above his head, a palm-sized cloud appeared. Several dragon energies, as thin as earthworms, bared their claws and fangs, looking quite ferocious.
But the Emperor's vitality was exhausted, and the cloud and dragon energies dissipated with a pop.
The Eternal Peace Emperor panted heavily and said awkwardly, "I have no mana left, but you should understand the idea."
Qin Mu nodded. He activated the Overlord Body Three Dan Techniques, merging the Nine Dragons Imperial Art with his Overlord vitality. Suddenly, dragons appeared and disappeared in the air. Nine dragons extended their claws, shattering all the rocks within dozens of feet around them.
The Eternal Peace Emperor was stunned. The Eternal Peace National Teacher was also amazed. They saw the nine dragons circling above them, then transforming into fire dragons. Flames spun, forming a fiery dragon tornado that lifted their bodies.
The fire dragons then changed again, riding on great water, carrying them on the waves. Then thunder exploded, crackling and striking everywhere.
The Eternal Peace Emperor and the National Teacher exchanged glances, both seeing the shock in each other's eyes.
Qin Mu had only just started practicing the Nine Dragons Imperial Art, yet he handled it as if he had been cultivating it for ten or twenty years, controlling it with ease. He was even better at it than most of the princes in the Imperial Academy's Prince Pavilion.
Qin Mu dispersed the Nine Divine Dragon Shield. The Eternal Peace Emperor taught him everything he had learned and realized without reservation, sighing. "If only you were a Ling..."
Ahead, they were only two or three days away from the capital, and there were still three days until the Crown Prince's ascension on the third day of the third month. Suddenly, a large bird flew down from the sky, rolled on the ground, and transformed into a woman in blue robes. She bowed before them. "Reporting to the Holy Teacher, everything is ready."
Qin Mu nodded. "Go ahead."
"Understood." The woman turned, took two steps, then shook her body. Two wings sprouted from her back, and she shot into the sky.
"The Great Thunderclap Monastery and the Dao Sect can kill the Emperor, and my Heavenly Saint Sect can too. Otherwise, how could we be the number one sacred ground of the demonic path?" Qin Mu said softly.
The Eternal Peace National Teacher frowned. "What do you plan to do?"
"Enter the city. Kill the Emperor."