Chapter 342: Visitors from the Upper Firmament, Emotions Like Poetry
Dragon Qilin wagged his tail, flattering, “I’m more imposing than it is.”
Qin Mu was speechless. Riding a large meatball with a tail—how was that imposing?
He ate more and better than anyone, yet he couldn’t outrun the green ox, and now he couldn’t even catch up with a dog!
“Chief, are you dissatisfied with me?”
Dragon Qilin turned his head, tears welling up in his eyes. “You must be dissatisfied with me, right?”
Qin Mu snorted, a trace of tenderness in his brows. “No. It’s only a few months until the New Year. Why would I be dissatisfied with you? How about I give you two measures of Crimson Fire Spirit Pills every day? Eat more, get fatter.”
Dragon Qilin shuddered. Xiong Qier clumsily climbed onto his head, carefully grabbing a tuft of mane behind his ear to keep from falling, and whispered, “Don’t eat anymore! You’ll be killed during the New Year!”
Dragon Qilin, on the verge of tears, murmured, “I know! But I just can’t control myself…”
Little Jade Capital was very far from the Daoist Sect, floating in the sky. At Dragon Qilin’s speed, it would take about ten days to get there. Qin Mu set up a rocking chair on Dragon Qilin’s broad back and placed the Village Chief in it. Although Dragon Qilin was fat, he had one advantage: he ran very smoothly, so there was no worry about the Village Chief falling off.
Xiong Xiyu occasionally accompanied the Village Chief for tea. When Qin Mu passed through cities, he would go down to buy medicinal herbs to continue treating her injuries. And she kept her promise, teaching Qin Mu the Ten Thousand Spirits Natural Art of the True Heavenly Palace.
The Ten Thousand Spirits Natural Art was based on the true meaning that all things have spirits and all things have gods. The cultivation method of the Western Earth True Heavenly Palace differed from the Central Earth methods, sharing some similarities with the Daoist Sect in its closeness to nature. However, the Daoist Sect delved into mathematical principles, letting the Dao follow nature, while the True Heavenly Palace emphasized the interaction of all things and the manifestation of souls.
The True Heavenly Palace’s technique cultivated an immensely powerful sense of connection, simultaneously granting souls to all things.
After pondering it, Qin Mu felt this technique was indeed more suited for women. Women’s minds were more delicate, their perceptions sharper, naturally surpassing men. If he cultivated it, it could enhance his own perception, but it wouldn’t be very meaningful to him. The truly useful part lay in the creation methods it contained.
Granting souls to all things was also a creation method. Compared to the Seven Chapters of Creation in the Great Nurturing Demon Sutra, the Ten Thousand Spirits Natural Art was more direct and more exquisite, allowing him to extract some useful elements.
“This technique of the True Heavenly Palace doesn’t seem like something from this era.”
When Xiong Xiyu taught him the Ten Thousand Spirits Natural Art, the Village Chief also listened and pondered it. “Palace Master Xiong, your True Heavenly Palace’s technique is somewhat ancient, different from the techniques of the Kaihuang Era. When did the True Heavenly Palace originate?”
Xiong Xiyu shook her head. “I don’t know that either. I had just become the Palace Master when the Yu Family rebelled and seized power, so I didn’t have time to check the True Heavenly Palace’s records. However, the True Heavenly Palace is extremely ancient, with a long history. I once heard my wet nurse say that our True Heavenly Palace is older than the sacred lands of the Central Earth…”
Her expression darkened, but then she perked up. “If you all can help me reclaim the True Heavenly Palace’s authority, and I regain control, the palace’s scriptures will be open for both of you to read!”
The Village Chief yawned, squinting as he fell asleep. Xiong Xiyu looked at Qin Mu, who was amusing Xiong Qier. He drew a few birds with his brush, and the little birds flew out of the paper, chirping and fluttering around the little girl, making her giggle endlessly.
Xiong Xiyu sighed and said nothing more.
Qin Mu and the Village Chief clearly had no intention of helping her return to the Western Earth to seize power. Reclaiming the True Heavenly Palace was a muddy affair, and she couldn’t offer enough benefits to attract them.
“Now my only option is to go to the Imperial Academy of the Yan Kingdom and serve as a National Scholar, hoping to have a detailed discussion with the Yan Kingdom National Teacher.”
Her eyes flickered as she thought, “But judging by the Yan Kingdom National Teacher’s actions, after conquering the grasslands, he likely won’t stop expanding. The Northern Snowfields won’t be able to stop him either. After annexing the snowfields, will the Western Earth be among his targets? Negotiating with him might be like seeking skin from a tiger…”
She hesitated, then thought of how only she and her daughter remained of the Xiong Family, and her resolve hardened. “The Yu Family wiped out my Xiong Family. No matter what, I must avenge this blood debt, even if it means inviting a wolf into the house! This revenge must be taken!”
Qin Mu glanced at her. In the Western Earth, women were in charge, but from her methods, Xiong Xiyu wasn’t suited to be the True Heavenly Palace’s princess. She lacked sufficient decisiveness and ability.
The reason Qin Mu had no intention of helping her was precisely her lack of capability. Even if she regained control of the Western Earth True Heavenly Palace, she likely wouldn’t hold it steady. As a cultivator who had opened the Divine Bridge Treasury, Xiong Xiyu had enough strength, but controlling a sacred land wasn’t just about personal power.
When Xiong Xiyu first ascended to the Palace Master position, the Xiong Family was utterly defeated, wiped out by the Yu Family without any resistance. Clearly, she wasn’t a qualified Palace Master.
When Qin Mu had recommended her to teach at the Imperial Academy, his purpose was to give her a chance to contact the Yan Kingdom National Teacher. The National Teacher had ambition and ability. If Xiong Xiyu wanted to use his hand for revenge, she would have to pay a sufficient price.
And that had nothing to do with Qin Mu.
Suddenly, the Village Chief opened his eyes, looking into the distance with surprise.
Qin Mu’s heart stirred. “Village Chief, what’s wrong?”
“Someone is challenging me to a fight. An old rival.”
The Village Chief raised an eyebrow, unconcerned. “Ignore them. Little Jade Capital is almost here. Let’s go there first.”
“A challenge?”
Qin Mu was stunned. “Challenging the Village Chief? Aren’t they afraid of being beaten to death?”
At that moment, in Little Jade Capital, Xu Shenghua suddenly stood up, looking into the distance with a puzzled expression. The old Daoist Master and the old Tathagata were also there, sensing something, and they all looked toward Qingmen Pass.
“These auras are quite strong.”
A blind man leaning on a bamboo cane said curiously, “Old Butcher, did you sense them?”
The Butcher was picking his nails with a butcher knife, raising an eyebrow. “These fellows have some skill. Their origins intrigue me.”
Yu Liu and the other women sensed nothing unusual and asked, “Young Master, what’s wrong?”
“My master and the others have descended to the mortal world.”
Xu Shenghua said in surprise, “So many divine beings descending—could something have happened in the Upper Firmament?”
The old Tathagata smiled. “Young Master Xu, they’re releasing their auras, seemingly challenging someone. It shouldn’t be a problem in the Upper Firmament.”
Xu Shenghua thought for a moment. “Challenging someone? Then that person can only be someone as strong as the old Human Sovereign or the Yan Kingdom National Teacher. Although the Yan Kingdom National Teacher is called the strongest below the divine, he doesn’t qualify. So it must be the old Human Sovereign. Fellow Daoist Qingyou, I’ve troubled you for many days. Thank you for your hospitality. I must take my leave.”
Qingyou Shanren tried to persuade him. “Young Master Xu, won’t you stay a few more days? Little Jade Capital may not compare to your Upper Firmament, but it’s a rare place of peace and elegance.”
Xu Shenghua said, “These days, I’ve seen Little Jade Capital’s techniques, which have broadened my horizons and benefited me greatly. But my master has come to challenge the Human Sovereign, so I cannot miss it.”
Qingyou Shanren didn’t insist further.
Xu Shenghua, along with Jing Yan, Yu Liu, and the other three women, hurried down the mountain to a painted boat. They boarded it, and the boat sailed across the mirror-smooth sky, creating ripples as it headed into the distance. Once it left Little Jade Capital, the mirror-like sky vanished, the ripples disappeared, and it became the real sky.
The painted boat sailed through the sky, gradually fading away.
The Butcher winked at the Blind Man. The Blind Man laughed. “I can’t see your wink—I’m blind. Senior Brother Qingyou, Old Daoist, Old Monk, we two brothers are also heading down the mountain.”
Qingyou Shanren quickly said, “Both of you are enlightened beings. Why not stay in Little Jade Capital? The mortal world is filthy—why wade into troubled waters?”
The Butcher shook his butcher knife, which grew to the size of a door panel as he hoisted it onto his shoulder. “I’m a butcher. Will you let me open a meat shop here? If I can’t sell meat and make money, am I supposed to drink the northwest wind?”
Qingyou Shanren’s face stiffened. Before he could persuade them further, the Blind Man clasped his hands. “A garden full of spring colors can’t be contained—when we meet, why need we know each other? A moment of spring night is worth a thousand gold! Senior Brother Qingyou, stay here!”
Qingyou Shanren was stunned, trying to decipher the meaning of his three lines of poetry. By the time he did, the Butcher and the Blind Man had already left Little Jade Capital.
From the mirror-like sky came the Butcher’s voice: “Blind Man, your first line meant we’re leaving, right? Spring colors can’t be contained—Little Jade Capital can’t keep us. The second line should be polite talk, saying we met by chance, chatted about romance and moonlight, discussed Dao techniques and divine powers, and made friends. The third line is something else—it says we have urgent business and must leave quickly, so a moment is worth a thousand gold. Am I right?”
The Blind Man’s smug voice replied, “Old Butcher, you truly are my soulmate! That’s exactly what my three lines meant. That Deaf Man always says I’m sentimental, but what does he know of my talent?”
The Butcher was full of admiration. “You’re getting more talented, emotions like poetry! You left Qingyou Shanren completely baffled! The old Daoist and the old monk were also dumbfounded!”
Qingyou Shanren was dumbfounded, and the old Daoist Master and the old Tathagata were also stunned.
Not long after the Butcher and the Blind Man left, a voice came from afar: “The current Human Sovereign comes to visit Little Jade Capital!”
Qingyou Shanren’s heart shook. He dared not be negligent and quickly struck the bronze bell. Its melodious sound rang out, and from the immortal mountains of Little Jade Capital, several elderly figures with immortal auras emerged, flying over to gather beside Qingyou Shanren.
Everyone looked toward the mirror-like sky, where a dark, massive seal flew in, creating ripples across its surface.
Qingyou Shanren shook his sleeves as if to dust them off, but Little Jade Capital was a sacred immortal land—where would dust come from?
He stepped forward, raising both hands high. The black seal, plain and unadorned, landed in his hands. Qingyou Shanren stepped back, lowering his hands, and the other old immortals of Little Jade Capital came forward to examine it, their faces solemn.
“The Human Sovereign’s Seal! The Human Sovereign has arrived! Please, come in!”
As he spoke, a potbellied Dragon Qilin carefully walked across the mirror-like sky, his belly dragging across the surface, creating ripples.
A lovely little girl leaned over his ear and whispered, “Fat Dragon, suck in your belly.”
The Dragon Qilin lifted his belly, puffed out his chest, and strode forward like a dragon. But after a few steps, his belly lost control and slammed onto the mirror with a thud.
—There will be a third chapter tonight, around ten o’clock.