Chapter 840 — Setting Out to Take a Life

Those few Daoists, unconsciously won over by his smile, suspected nothing, and pointed toward the Daoist palace at the mountain's summit. "The Heavenly Court's envoys are in the Daoist palace right now. Their status is high, so the sect master receives them in person.

" Shen Mu hastily thanked them, then glanced at the array diagram on the round platform. His heart stirred slightly, and he smiled. "This array diagram merely governs the operation of the celestial-phenomena array. The arrays used for the various celestial bodies, the sun and the moon for instance, must surely be far more complex. Each star has a different orbit, and the power contained within each star differs, so the arrays differ as well. You senior brothers have truly worked hard. To tell the truth, this junior is also quite versed in the arts of numerology, and could perhaps share your burdens and ease your difficulties.

" One of the Daoists shook his head. "The star arrays were laid long ago; there is no need to redesign them. Right now we need only to calculate the Heavenly Chart and patch up the flaws within it.

" Another Daoist shook his head. "You did not hear clearly just now.

The Heavenly Court envoy's meaning is to reforge the Heavenly Chart, and to be sure to fuse the celestial-phenomena divine abilities into it as well.

" "So that is how it is. " That Daoist laughed.

"I wondered why our fellow disciples in the Daoist academy have been toiling so hard these days, keeping their heads down and never coming out. So it was to design celestial-phenomena arrays. " Another Daoist laughed. "I asked the sect master. He said that once the celestial-phenomena divine abilities are fused into the Heavenly Chart, if a nation like Jingping appears again in the future, or if someone in the lower realms rebels, there will be no need to ask the Four Emperors for aid; we need only activate the Heavenly Chart to send down tribulation. Though the Heavenly Court looks down on a tiny nation like Jingping and cannot be bothered with it, each time it still must send people to clean it up, which is truly troublesome. Reforging the Heavenly Chart will save a great deal of trouble.

" "No wonder the Heavenly Court sent so many people this time. Many of them seem to come from under the command of the major Star Host Deities; they are disciples of the Star Host Deities. " "Not just that!

Disciples of the Four Emperors have come too. They are all in the Daoist academy, instructing our fellow disciples there on how to design celestial-phenomena arrays!

" The corner of Shen Mu's eye twitched.

He barely restrained the urge to draw his sword and cut down these Daoists. "To fuse the celestial-phenomena divine abilities into the Heavenly Chart, that is truly vicious and sinister! If the Heavenly Chart is forged, Jingping will have no way to survive! Not only Jingping; from now on, in every age, no one will have the strength to rebel, no one will have any means to threaten the Heavenly Court! The chief culprits are the Heavenly Court's envoys.

Cutting down these Daoists would be useless.

" At this thought, Shen Mu said, "Senior brothers, where is the Daoist academy? " One of the older Daoists raised a hand and pointed.

"The Daoist academy is right in front of the Daoist palace. The Heavenly Court envoys are in the Daoist palace; their subordinates are in the academy.

" Shen Mu thanked them, then cast a meaningful glance at Dao Master Lin Xuan.

The two left that place, and Dao Master Lin Xuan asked, "Sect Master Shen, what do you intend to do? " Shen Mu looked up at the Daoist academy on the mountain and said in a low voice, "To kill.

" Dao Master Lin Xuan was silent for a moment, then said, "We have not yet even met the sect master of the Qingyun Sect, and you would directly set about killing?

" Shen Mu frowned.

"Do you still harbor illusions about the Qingyun sect master? " Dao Master Lin Xuan shook his head and said woodenly, "I did once.

After seeing the Heavenly Chart, I no longer do. " There is no grief greater than a dead heart.

He had come with the mind of a fellow disciple and fellow Daoist, yet after seeing the Heavenly Chart, his Dao heart had been gravely wounded once more. Lin Xuan composed himself and said with a solemn expression, "If you strike down the Heavenly Court's envoys, you will not leave Qingyun Heaven alive. " "If these people forge the Heavenly Chart, then whether it be Jingping or the Yuanjie, the life and death of every soul will already be decided, held in the grasp of the Heavenly Court beyond the realms.

Only then will there truly be no way to survive! " Shen Mu said indifferently, "In the beginning, when we measured the sky to be a hundred thousand li high and three hundred zhang thick, we founded the Heaven Alliance. The Heaven Alliance, was it not founded to overturn this heaven? Now the opportunity is right before us!

As for safety, set it aside. Only after the deed is done do we speak of safety! " Dao Master Lin Xuan could not help but be infected by his heroic spirit. He smiled and said, "Sect Master Shen, though you and I are good friends, in truth I have always held a certain prejudice against you, thinking your conduct eccentric and your ways those of the demonic path. Though I thought you a demonic cultivator, I do not know why, but I have always admired you greatly; sometimes I even fantasize that I too could do whatever I wished, just as you do, without looking ahead and behind, without worrying about the consequences. " Shen Mu laughed heartily. "Dao Master Lin, do you still hold the struggle between the righteous and the demonic in your heart?

" Lin Xuan laughed.

"I have received such teachings since childhood; it is hard to remove them all at once. After meeting you, Sect Master Shen, I actually no longer place such importance on the so-called righteous path and demonic path. I rather think that although your actions are eccentric, your heart is that of a pure and innocent child. Having seen this, the distinction between righteous and demonic has grown fainter still, and more often than not, I am simply won over by the way you conduct yourself. " Shen Mu praised him. "The old Dao Master chose you as the next Dao Master; his discernment was truly unmatched.

" "And Patriarch Mingmo chose you as the Heavenly Sage Sect Master; that was true dharma-eye discernment, unmatched indeed.

" The two laughed heartily, climbing the stone steps all the way, chatting and laughing with ease.

Before they knew it, they arrived at the Daoist academy, which was a maze of palaces and towers.

Several old Daoists rushed out in a fluster. "A thief! A thief! The Qingyang Hall has been robbed; many treasures have been stolen!

" Shen Mu stopped and blocked an old Daoist. "Elder, a thief has come to Qingyun Heaven?

" The old Daoist nodded. "I do not know what happened. The thief seems to have cultivated our Daoist sect's wall-piercing technique. The seals on Qingyang Hall were not triggered at all, yet the treasures inside were stolen clean! And several Daoists were stripped naked and tied to trees, bound with their own Golden Dragon Cords, no less, and they could not struggle free! This thief is among us; it must be a disciple of the sect! " Shen Mu was momentarily stunned.

Suddenly the old Daoist turned back, sized them up from head to toe, and said warily, "Your faces are unfamiliar.

Where are you from? " Shen Mu smiled.

"I am Shen Mu, the Jingping Overlord Body, Heavenly Sage Sect Master, and Grand Libationer of the Jingping Kingdom's Innate Academy. This is the Dao Master of the Jingping Daoist sect. Hearing that the Qingyun Sect is a branch of the Daoist path, we have come to pay our respects.

" The old Daoist scrutinized them left and right, circled them twice, then sneered. "So you are poor relatives from the countryside, come to cling to wealth and status. I doubt you have the ability.

" Shen Mu smiled and said nothing.