Chapter 640: Dejected and Heartbroken
In the imperial palace, many palace maids looked gaunt and were dressed extremely plainly. Some maids were sitting outside the imperial kitchen, picking vegetables. Qin Mu took in the scene and, in a daze, felt as if he had wandered into a vegetable market.
Clearly, the Yan Kang nation was very wealthy. The Yan Kang National Teacher had paved two smooth roads connecting the Western Lands and the Central Lands, linking the Western Lands with Yan Kang. Commerce and trade were flourishing. Qin Mu also saw the court busy building bridges and roads, and the common people were prosperous. Yet the emperor and the palace had become poor.
It must be that the war in the Imperial Heaven had affected the national treasury, leaving it empty.
The war in the Imperial Heaven was a bottomless pit. There was no real economy there. Fighting relied entirely on Yan Kang as the rear base, supplying the Imperial Heaven with all kinds of supplies, military pay, provisions, and spirit weapons.
Moreover, the common people of the Imperial Heaven were constantly migrating to Yan Kang. Settling these people also required the national treasury to pay out money and grain, which was another considerable expense.
No wonder Yan Feng Emperor was overjoyed and lost his composure when he saw that an alliance with the remnants of Chi Ming could yield a huge profit.
After a while, Yan Zhi Gui arrived and said, "Your Majesty, the envoys have been arranged for lodging. May I ask, Your Majesty, how should we negotiate with the Chi Ming envoys?"
Yan Feng Emperor handed the list Qin Mu had drawn up to Yan Zhi Gui and said, "Negotiate according to the conditions on this list. I will also grant the remnants of Chi Ming a place to live, open trade ports, establish transportation, and provide everything from tower ships to flying chariots."
Yan Zhi Gui looked at the list, was startled, glanced at Qin Mu, and said tremblingly, "Lord Qin, is this list a joke?"
Qin Mu said, "It's no joke. Chi Xi will also agree. These divine weapons and magical tools are actually not very useful to the remnants of Chi Ming. They don't have enough people to use them. Just remember one thing, Lord Yan: they need us, not the other way around. Also, the Creation Divine Wheel must be obtained no matter what!"
Yan Zhi Gui hurried away.
Yan Feng Emperor sighed with emotion, saying, "There have been battle reports from the Imperial Heaven recently. They made my blood boil and my heart race. I wished I could go to the front lines and fight myself. The National Teacher organized the cultivation methods of the Imperial Heaven, and I have also pondered them for a long time, gaining a lot. It's just a pity that I can't go to the battlefield myself."
As he spoke, a delighted voice came: "Cowherd!"
Qin Mu looked toward the sound and said in surprise, "Sister Xiu, how did you come back from the Imperial Heaven?"
Ling Yu Xiu ran towards him. When she saw Yan Feng Emperor beside Qin Mu, she quickly slowed down, put on a serious expression, and walked over with dignified poise.
Yan Feng Emperor smiled and said, "There hasn't been a major battle in the Imperial Heaven recently, so Xiu'er came back. I still have some court affairs to handle, so I'll take my leave first."
He walked away slowly, occasionally looking back. Seeing that Qin Mu and Ling Yu Xiu were not behaving improperly, he left with peace of mind.
Ling Yu Xiu noticed him leaving, immediately grabbed Qin Mu's hand, and walked forward, laughing, "Since my father became a god, he's become more dignified, but he's also a bit sneaky. He's probably still hiding in the shadows watching us. Let's go to the imperial garden and shake him off!"
Qin Mu stumbled along as she pulled him. They turned a few corners and passed through several covered walkways in the air. When they encountered a group of imperial consorts strolling together, Ling Yu Xiu quickly let go of Qin Mu's hand, composed herself, and politely greeted the consorts. Only after the noble ladies had walked away did she take Qin Mu's hand again and continue running happily.
After a few more steps, they ran into many palace maids accompanying the Empress Dowager, who was walking towards them. Ling Yu Xiu was startled and quickly resumed her proper princess demeanor, bowing to the Empress Dowager: "Mother Empress."
The Empress Dowager pulled her aside, whispered for a while, then looked Qin Mu up and down, smiling, "Lord Qin has grown taller and more handsome."
Qin Mu felt that her gaze was a bit off, like a mother-in-law sizing up her son-in-law. He blushed and stood to the side.
After the Empress Dowager left, Ling Yu Xiu pulled him forward again, finally reaching the imperial garden. There, she giggled, "It's so uncomfortable in the palace, always bound by all kinds of etiquette, unable to let loose. It's much better in the martial world, free and happy."
Qin Mu looked around with her. There were exotic flowers and rare plants, a beautiful sight. But there were also some vegetable plots, where many palace maids were watering and picking insects. It must be that the palace had no money and had to grow its own food.
"Sister Xiu, has Saintess Xiang returned to Yan Kang?" Qin Mu asked suddenly while admiring the scenery.
Ling Yu Xiu pretended to be angry: "We haven't seen each other for a long time, and instead of whispering sweet nothings to me, you ask about her? How much do you miss her?"
Qin Mu quickly said, "I have official business with her, not because I miss her!"
"She's back! That demoness Xiang came back with me!" Ling Yu Xiu said huffily, walking ahead.
Qin Mu quickened his pace to catch up. They came to a flowering tree. The blossoms were in full bloom, and the tree was not tall. Qin Mu pinched a flowering branch, bent down, and gently sniffed the fragrance, a smile spreading across his face.
He activated the Three Origin Spirit Meeting Technique. Just as the tip of his nose was about to touch the petals, his primordial spirit had already left his body.
Ling Yu Xiu saw his profile, delicate and handsome. She felt that the fragrance of the flowers was intoxicating at that moment. Her heart began to race, her face flushed, and her breathing became a little rapid.
On the other side, Si Yun Xiang suddenly felt a resonance. She quickly activated the Three Origin Spirit Meeting Technique, and her primordial spirit left her body. She saw Qin Mu's primordial spirit flying towards her.
"Saintess Xiang, I am with Princess Xiu in the imperial garden. The matter is urgent, so I'll be brief."
Qin Mu's primordial spirit communicated through thought waves: "The Yan Kang national treasury is empty. Does the Sacred Sect still have money?"
Si Yun Xiang smiled and said, "You and that little vixen Yu Xiu are having a secret rendezvous in the imperial garden, yet you come to meet your little lover privately. This is truly the style of a demonic sect leader! The Sacred Sect does have money; buying half of Yan Kang would be no problem. Our Sacred Sect's industries are spread across the land, with branches blooming everywhere. Whether it's the trade between the Central Lands and the Western Lands, or mining ores and forging spirit weapons, the Sacred Sect has a hand in it. So the money flows in endlessly."
Qin Mu thought for a moment and said, "The Sacred Sect should keep the money for daily expenses and donate the rest to the emperor for the national treasury."
Si Yun Xiang immediately vetoed the idea: "No way! This is money earned by the brothers and sisters of the Sacred Sect through their own skills. Why should we give it to the emperor for nothing?"
Qin Mu patiently explained, "There is a way for merchants as well. The Sacred Sect was not founded for commerce, but for the daily needs of the people, to make their lives better. The Sacred Sect engages in commerce to serve the people, not to extort money. The money you earn is Da Feng coins, the currency of Yan Kang. If the Yan Kang nation ceases to exist, Da Feng coins will be worthless. Now that the Sacred Sect has gathered half of the world's wealth, I think disaster is not far off."
Si Yun Xiang was still reluctant: "But this is money earned through hard work..."
Qin Mu said, "Commerce can bring wealth, but it can also bring disaster. If it benefits the nation and its people, it can be done; if it does not, it should not be done. The Heavenly Sacred Sect is not so big that it can stand above the common people, above the nation's fate, to the point where it cannot fall! The founding principle of the Heavenly Sacred Sect is the way of the sages, not the plundering of the world's wealth."
Si Yun Xiang was still a bit unwilling. Suddenly, an old woman walked towards the two primordial spirits, looked up at them, and said, "Xiang'er, the Sacred Lord is right. What is taken from the people should be used for the people. My Si family manages the finances and controls the Sacred Sect's wealth, but the Sacred Sect's wealth is ultimately decided by the Sacred Lord. You've gotten too caught up in money and have forgotten the original purpose of the Heavenly Sacred Sect."
Qin Mu quickly said, "Greetings, Grandmother Si!"
The old woman hurriedly returned the greeting, grinning, "Sacred Lord, Xiang'er is a bit greedy for small gains, but she is not a stingy person."
Qin Mu thanked her and said, "So this is the Si family residence. I intruded rashly and disturbed Grandmother. Please forgive me. I am still in the imperial garden and must return quickly." With that, he bowed, and his primordial spirit vanished.
Si Yun Xiang also withdrew her primordial spirit, returning to her body, and asked, "Grandmother, why did you give the Sacred Sect's wealth to the emperor?"
Grandmother Si smiled and said, "The Sacred Lord is right. If the people are rich but the nation is weak, the rich are not the people, but a few powerful families. When a foreign enemy invades and the nation is destroyed, the people's wealth will cease to exist, and all that wealth will flow away like water. The best path is for both the people and the nation to be strong. If the nation is not defeated, the people's wealth will last long."
In the imperial garden, Qin Mu's primordial spirit returned to his body. He saw Ling Yu Xiu opposite him, also bending down with her eyes closed, sniffing the fragrance of a flower. Only one flower separated them.
Ling Yu Xiu secretly opened her eyes and saw Qin Mu staring at her. Her pretty face flushed red.
Qin Mu released the flower branch and gently kissed her on the lips. Ling Yu Xiu shrieked, ran away, and parted the flowers and willows as she fled, her voice drifting back: "You're being a hooligan! If my father finds out, he'll definitely have your head!"
Qin Mu laughed heartily and followed her.
Behind a willow tree in the distance, Yan Feng Emperor's face darkened. He said to the young eunuch behind him, "Bring me my little book!"
The young eunuch quickly presented the little book and a brush. Yan Feng Emperor opened the book and wrote, "For assaulting my precious daughter, I will have your head! I'll put it on the tab for now!"
"Your Majesty, isn't it a bit improper for us to be spying here?" the young eunuch asked cautiously.
Yan Feng Emperor glared at him: "I will have your head. Not now. I'll make a note of it."
The young eunuch pouted: "Your Majesty, you've already 'killed' my head over a dozen times."
Qin Mu caught up with Ling Yu Xiu. The young man and woman played for a while, feeling their affection deepening. Just as they were about to do something more, the First Ancestor, the Human Sovereign, came looking for them. Seeing this, Ling Yu Xiu quickly retreated.
"She's a good girl," the First Ancestor, the Human Sovereign, said.
Qin Mu was startled: "You saw everything?"
"The emperor saw it too. He's over there."
The First Ancestor, the Human Sovereign, pointed to a thicket in the distance and said, "He's been following you for a long time. The Empress Dowager is over there, hiding behind the rockery. I was watching them just now, and they didn't notice."
Cold sweat broke out on Qin Mu's forehead. He looked towards the thicket and saw the emperor, holding up his dragon robe, running away with the young eunuch. On the other side, behind the rockery, the Empress Dowager and a group of palace maids were also fleeing in panic.
The First Ancestor, the Human Sovereign, looked at Qin Mu's embarrassed state and laughed, "You're just like me, a hands-off manager who doesn't handle things personally. Now that the negotiations with Chi Xi have been handed over to the emperor, we should talk about the real business. Do you want to learn my Heaven and Earth Seal? You've seen how powerful my Heaven and Earth Seal is, but I've never been able to find a successor. Only you can inherit my seal technique..."
"First Ancestor, it's not that I don't want to learn, but our states of mind are different."
Qin Mu said seriously, "I haven't had your experiences, so I can't learn your seal technique."
The First Ancestor was stunned, as if struck by a heavy blow. He suddenly became dejected, heartbroken, and looked much older.
Qin Mu couldn't bear to see this and said, "How about this: you teach me first? I'll learn what I can. If I can't, I'll help you find a successor."
The First Ancestor's sorrow turned to joy, and he laughed, "Since you are the Overlord Body, you will definitely be able to learn! My technique is called the Heaven and Earth Heart Sacred Art. I make myself the heart of heaven and earth, standing firm amidst a collapsing world, using the power of the heavens collapsing and the earth splitting, remaining unshaken. This power of the heavens collapsing and the earth splitting becomes my Heaven and Earth Seal Technique!"
He imparted his technique and seal method to Qin Mu in meticulous detail. Qin Mu studied, memorized, and comprehended them with all his heart. The First Ancestor's technique and seal method were indeed exquisitely unparalleled, not inferior to the Imperial Sutra of the Heavenly King, and they also contained various knowledge and insights from the Kai Huang era.
However, this technique and divine ability bore a strong imprint of its era. After Qin Mu pondered it, he still couldn't grasp its essence.
The First Ancestor, the Human Sovereign, was full of anticipation, waiting for Qin Mu to display his seal technique. But he saw that after learning the seal technique, Qin Mu went back to studying the runic imprints on the Creation Divine Wheel, trying to combine the runes and perform the Creation divine ability.
Qin Mu casually sent out a seal. A young palace maid walking past them screamed and turned into a sheep, bleating.
Qin Mu was both surprised and delighted: "It worked! It worked!"
The First Ancestor, the Human Sovereign, was dejected and heartbroken. Qin Mu caught the little sheep running around in panic and reversed the seal technique. The little sheep turned back into the palace maid, who fled in terror.
Qin Mu noticed his expression and laughed, "First Ancestor, I told you, our states of mind are not the same. I don't have your state of mind, so I can't perform your seal technique."
The First Ancestor, the Human Sovereign, shook his head, turned, and walked away, his expression desolate: "How do you know you can't if you haven't tried? I thought you were like me, an orphan of the Qin clan, abandoned in this world..."
Boom!
Suddenly, a violent tremor came from behind him. The First Ancestor turned around and saw Qin Mu standing alone amidst a collapsing world, single-handedly resisting the impending disaster.
The First Ancestor was stunned, a glimmer of hope appearing in his eyes.
"There is no seal technique that the Overlord Body cannot learn." Qin Mu held one hand as heaven and one hand as earth, looking dejected and heartbroken.
——Grandma Si, carrying a small basket: "Going to the riverbank to pick up monthly tickets. One, two, three..."