Chapter 717: Monarch and Minister as One
Qin Mu and the others arrived at the National Teacher's residence, but the Yan Kang National Teacher was not there. The National Teacher's wife was teaching her child to read. She hurriedly led the child out to greet them, saying, "My husband has gone to see the Emperor. He hasn't returned for many days. Yunjian, quickly call your godfather!"
The child beside her was only three or four years old. In a milky voice, he called Qin Mu "godfather."
Qin Mu's face flushed red. He stammered, "Sister-in-law, I'm not even married yet. How can I be a godfather?"
The National Teacher's wife laughed, "When Yunjian was born, he already paid respects to his godfather. Can the Sect Leader deny it?"
Qin Mu thought for a moment, then pulled a large wing from his glutton sack. He plucked a fiery feather from it and said, "This is a Vermilion Bird feather. At least it's a feather from a powerhouse of the God Execution Platform. Let Yunjian play with it for now. I can't give him the whole wing—it's too heavy and very dangerous. The feather is light enough. Wait a moment, I need to suppress the Vermilion Bird sacred fire within it."
He used the Heavenly Fire Great Path runes to seal the Vermilion Bird sacred fire before handing the three-foot-long Vermilion Bird feather to Jiang Yunjian. The child took the feather and swung it at the stone lion at the gate. A streak of fire flashed, and the stone lion was sliced in two.
The National Teacher's wife was startled. She quickly snatched the feather away, saying, "You can play with this when you grow up!"
Qin Mu, along with the Woodcutter, Di Yiyue, and the First Ancestor, arrived at the imperial palace. The Empress said, "His Majesty was taken away by the National Teacher. They said they were going to the Imperial Academy, but after many days, His Majesty hasn't been sent back. The Crown Prince is currently acting as regent, handling state affairs."
They went to the Imperial Academy. Gu Linuan shook his head and said, "His Majesty and the National Teacher are not here either. They came for a while, gathered the scholars, and said they wanted to build Sun Boats and Moon Boats. Then they took many scholars to the Jiangling shipyards. His Majesty went along as well."
Di Yiyue laughed, "This Emperor doesn't like sitting on the dragon throne. He's always running around everywhere."
They arrived at Jiangling, the hometown of the Yan Kang National Teacher. This place had the most shipyards, with over a hundred of them.
Before they could even meet Yan Feng Emperor and the National Teacher, they saw many large boats shuttling back and forth on the water, transporting huge, precise components to the largest shipyard in Jiangling.
Those components were likely parts for the Sun Boats and Moon Boats.
During the Kai Huang era, Sun Boats and Moon Boats were forged from stone. Here, however, they were made of metal, which consumed a great deal of resources.
Qin Mu also saw many women from the Western Lands' True Heaven Palace helping out. The leading little girl was an acquaintance of his—Xiong Qier, the daughter of Xiong Xiyu.
A few years had passed, and Xiong Qier had grown to be eight or nine years old. She was casting spells in the Jiangling shipyard, activating the components one by one, causing these massive objects to float and automatically assemble.
"Sect Leader Brother!"
Xiong Qier was delighted to see him, and even happier to see the Dragon Qilin. She quickly ran over, ignoring Qin Mu, and hugged the Dragon Qilin's whiskers with great joy.
Qin Mu was momentarily ignored by the little girl, but then he saw her jump onto the Dragon Qilin's tail. The Dragon Qilin raised its tail, and the little girl slid all the way from the tip of the tail to the Dragon Qilin's forehead, giggling nonstop.
"The Sun Boats forged by the Emperor and the National Teacher—every component looks like it was cast from the same mold. Each shipyard only makes a dozen or so parts, and then they assemble them."
Qin Mu was amazed. He stepped forward to examine the components. The runes on the parts could interlock with each other with extreme precision. Combined with the Western Lands' "All Things Have Spirit" techniques, they could be assembled quickly.
"This is an excellent method for mass-producing Sun Boats and Moon Boats!" Qin Mu praised repeatedly.
The Sun Boats and Moon Boats were designed by the Woodcutter Sage. However, during the Kai Huang era, the manufacturing of these two heavy vessels was not so precise. As a result, the Sun Boats and Moon Boats varied in size, and the production speed was slow.
Here in Jiangling, the shipyards could rapidly produce Sun Boats and Moon Boats!
When they found the Yan Kang National Teacher and Yan Feng Emperor, the two were already fast asleep in the shipyard. The Earth Traveler Clan members were busy forging various components, flying around each part—these divine beings, all under five feet tall, were buzzing with activity.
"You're looking for the dirt emperor?"
Madam Tu stroked her beard, her voice like thunder, and shouted loudly, "He's lying dead over there!"
Qin Mu, the Woodcutter, and the others followed her finger and saw two grown men sprawled out in a corner of the shipyard. The deafening sound of forging filled the workshop, yet the two were sleeping soundly.
Both the Yan Kang National Teacher and Yan Feng Emperor were handsome men. Though middle-aged, they usually paid great attention to their appearance.
But right now, their beards were unkempt, their clothes were tattered and dirty. The Yan Kang National Teacher's foot was propped up on Yan Feng Emperor's face, while Yan Feng Emperor was hugging the National Teacher's leg, sleeping soundly.
Nearby, many court officials and scholars from the Imperial Academy were also sprawled out in the corners of the workshop, sleeping deeply.
Di Yiyue was silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed, "Now I understand why the Great Heavenly Teacher holds such high expectations for them. An emperor like this, a national teacher like this—they are truly the leaders of reform."
The Woodcutter Sage asked, "Should we wake them?"
"No need. They are both deities, and if they can be exhausted to this extent, they must have worked incredibly hard these past days."
Di Yiyue said, "I never imagined an emperor would personally oversee such trivial matters, nor that a national teacher leading reforms would attend to every detail himself. This National Teacher has done even better than you did back then."
The Woodcutter Sage smiled, "Back then, I just tinkered with some things and had others do the work. I was afraid of trouble and rarely did things myself."
Di Yiyue said, "You are a sage, too far removed from the people."
The Woodcutter Sage fell silent, then said hoarsely, "The Heavenly King's lesson is very apt. Back then, when the disaster struck, I led the resistance, but our army collapsed like a landslide. That was when I realized I was too far from the people, too far from the army. As a Heavenly Teacher, one must have a broad vision, but one must also enter the army, enter the mortal world. I was too distant, and when I took command rashly, it led to our great defeat. In truth, I am not as good as Prince Qin Wu."
The First Ancestor of the Human Sovereign was startled, looking at him with disbelief.
The Woodcutter Sage continued, "In truth, even though I refused to see him for twenty thousand years, I have always admired him. In that chaotic era, even though he became a deserter, when he saw the suffering people, he resolutely shouldered the burden, fought desperately, and used his life to protect these people, bringing them to Yan Kang. Without Prince Qin Wu, there would be no Yan Kang today."
Tears glistened in the First Ancestor's eyes. He turned his head away and quietly wiped them.
The Woodcutter Sage noticed this and said, "But later, he still sank into despair, constantly blaming himself, unable to escape the shadow of being a deserter. That's why I looked down on him. Now that he has moved past it, I am very relieved. In truth, during the disaster, he always did better than me."
Di Yiyue laughed, "No need to disturb them. Let's go."
They walked out of the shipyard. Outside, Xiong Qier had finished playing and was now working seriously, finally completing a large ship.
The little girl took out the White Tiger Pearl and gently tapped it. The massive land ship slowly stood up, causing the ground to tremble continuously.
In the shipyard, Yan Feng Emperor and the Yan Kang National Teacher were startled awake. They rushed out and saw the great ship come to life. The two wept for joy, embracing each other, laughing and crying.
Qin Mu called for the Dragon Qilin and had already walked far away with Di Yiyue and the others. Yan Feng Emperor caught a distant glimpse of the Dragon Qilin and said in confusion, "When did Minister Qin arrive? And why has he already left? The National Teacher and I are here, and he didn't even say goodbye! Someone, bring brush and ink! Today is a great day. I feel refreshed and clear-headed. I want to write him a big 'Upright' character!"
The Woodcutter soon took his leave, saying, "I am still searching for the Farmer and contacting others. I cannot stay here. Angler, let's go."
The Angler left with him.
The First Ancestor of the Human Sovereign also took his leave, saying, "I also have important matters to attend to." With that, he hurried away.
Qin Mu blinked, watching them leave, and thought to himself, "The Woodcutter teacher has his reasons, but why does the First Ancestor have so many things to do? What is he busy with?"
Di Yiyue looked at him and smiled, "Little brother, do you have any business? If not, why not come with me to find Tian Shu Heavenly King and help the King of Hell rebuild Fengdu. Then we can go visit the Netherworld Lady. After paying respects to her, I'll take you around to meet the Heavenly Duke, the Earth Lord, and other Emperor Seat experts. It will be very beneficial for you!"
Qin Mu was very tempted.
If he could follow a Emperor Seat powerhouse like Di Yiyue to visit the innate deities and meet Emperor Seat experts, it would certainly broaden his horizons!
"But I still have the sword pellet to refine..."
Qin Mu hesitated for a moment, then said, "Sister, why don't you go see the Netherworld Lady first? Once I finish refining the sword pellet, I'll go find you in Fengdu."
Di Yiyue smiled, "That works. I'll go find that coward Tian Shu first. Who knows where he's hiding now. Once you've finished refining the sword, if you can't find us in Fengdu, come to the Netherworld Realm."
Qin Mu nodded, and Di Yiyue drifted away.
"Fat Dragon, let's go to the Tu River shipyard!"
Qin Mu leaped onto the Dragon Qilin's head, and the Dragon Qilin immediately sped toward the Tu River shipyard.
At the Tu River shipyard, the sword pellet, which had been over thirty zhang in size, had now been forged down to just over ten zhang. Even the giant mechanical constructs could no longer make the pellet any smaller.
Qin Mu took out the Vermilion Bird wing and used the Vermilion Bird sacred fire to refine the sword pellet. He and his primordial spirit worked together, hammering and forging thousands of times, using the power of the Vermilion Bird sacred fire to continuously imprint his rune techniques into the sword pellet.
After refining for over ten days, the sword pellet shrank to three feet in size, but it still couldn't flow like liquid metal.
Qin Mu put away the Vermilion Bird wing and used the Heavenly Fire technique to refine the sword pellet. After another half month, the sword pellet was reduced to one foot.
He tried to activate it, but it was very difficult to channel his energy. It required a great deal of mental effort to transform the sword pellet into flying swords to kill enemies.
"I cultivate both divine and demonic paths. Maybe I need to use demonic fire to refine it as well..."
Qin Mu's heart stirred: "What would happen if I used demonic cultivation to drive the Heavenly Fire?"
He blinked, immediately intending to test it out. But then he remembered something. He moved the sword pellet out of the shipyard, chose a sparsely populated area, and took out the Heavenly Fire Prism. He reversed his divine storage, and his body was instantly filled with surging demonic energy.
Qin Mu activated the Heavenly Fire Prism, unleashing the power of the Heavenly Fire.
Outside the shipyard, the Dragon Qilin was sleeping soundly when suddenly a deafening explosion rang out. It lifted its head and barely opened its eyes to see a vast expanse of black fire rising dozens of miles away.
The Dragon Qilin yawned, staggered to its feet, took two steps forward, then flopped back down, closed its eyes, and fell back asleep, muttering, "The Sect Leader probably won't die..."
—The "My Favorite You" book review event for "The Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality" is now underway! Thanks to the sponsorship of Perfume Alliance! There will be a detailed introduction in the new chapter below. Everyone is welcome to participate! Let's have some fun together!