Chapter 906 — Falling Behind Is No Crime; Being Weak Is the Sin

The gods of the Heavenly Court stifled their fury, yet the Azure Emperor of the East remained wholly composed. Majestic of countenance, he declared, "Celestial Lord Mu, there is nothing improper in what you say. After all, you are exalted as a Celestial Lord, possessed of vast divine powers. But now you are a cripple and nothing more. People often speak of a heroic spirit that does not perish. You have lost your soul. All you rely upon now is your heroic spirit alone."

Emperor Yanfeng and the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping felt their hearts quail, and they looked toward Shen Mu.

A heroic spirit that does not perish—what this meant was that Shen Mu had in truth already had his soul scattered and dissipated, leaving only spirit, with no soul remaining.

In other words, Shen Mu of the Three Worthies of the Jingping Reform was, in fact, already dead.

The Imperial Preceptor of Jingping suddenly wept, thinking, "Elder Brother could not bear to let go of Jingping. His obsession does not perish, his consciousness does not disperse—is he forcing himself to hold on until now?"

He had seen too many people like this—slain in battle, yet sustained by a powerful obsession within that kept them from falling, so that even in death they would keep fighting.

Only, Shen Mu's situation was somewhat special, and it was not as he imagined.

The Azure Emperor of the East grew ever more solemn and awe-inspiring, his voice reverberating, resounding everywhere like a great bell or grand pitch-pipe. "Celestial Lord Mu, Jingping is but a small state, occupying a mere pellet of land within the Primordial Realm. That I received orders to come and clean up the remnants of Jingping is already out of respect for you, Celestial Lord Mu, which is why I have not struck to kill. Celestial Lord Mu, do not make things difficult for me. Because of Wei Suifeng, I am already one bearing guilt. Striking down the head of the rebels is imperative!"

Shen Mu turned around, a smile that was not quite a smile on his lips. "If I do not make things difficult for you, then you make things difficult for me."

The Azure Emperor of the East said, "If their physical bodies are destroyed and not a trace of their bloodline remains, can you, Celestial Lord Mu, still remake bodies for them and revive them?"

Shen Mu shook his head. "I can only regather their souls and spirits and send them into reincarnation. Twelve years from now, I will ferry them across, restore their memories of past lives, and let them rise again. If their physical bodies still exist, then the moment you leave, they revive—all the simpler."

Around them, the gods roared in anger.

The Azure Emperor of the East raised his hand and said coldly, "Celestial Lord Mu, you are being insolent! Where would you place the majesty of Heaven? Would you destroy the prestige and dignity of the Heavenly Court?"

Shen Mu waved his hand. "You are not the one who can decide. Then get back, and find someone who can decide to come see me!"

The gods were enraged. Dark clouds gathered thick across the sky, thunder and lightning intertwined, and crack after crack came crashing down.

"Celestial Lord Mu, stop resisting the majesty of Heaven!"

Suddenly, among the kneeling populace of Jingping, an old man prostrate on the ground kowtowed again and again, crying out in a shrill voice, "That is Heaven above! To resist Heaven is monstrous treason!"

Shen Mu was stunned. His vision went black, and only after a moment did he recover.

More subjects of Jingping cried out from below: "That's right! By what right do you decide for us? If you want to kill, then kill the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping and Emperor Yanfeng!"

"They are the ones who brought this calamity! What reform? What change? Kill those two traitors!"

"Beseech Heaven to send down its wrath and slay this rebel, Celestial Lord Mu, as well!"

……

Shen Mu's eye twitched violently, then his expression returned to normal. The Azure Emperor of the East laughed heartily. "Celestial Lord Mu, the very people you wish to protect—it seems they are not grateful to you at all. You protect a herd of livestock, dying and living again for their sake, even gouging out your own eye, casting aside your identity as a Divine Son of Youdu, leaving yourself with nothing but an undying heroic spirit. Was it worth it?"

Shen Mu sneered. "Get back, and find someone worth talking to!"

The Azure Emperor of the East gave a cold snort, rose abruptly to his feet, and was about to order the troops withdrawn—when suddenly a voice drifted over, leisurely saying, "Azure Emperor of the East, if you order the troops withdrawn just like that, where will the majesty and prestige of the Heavenly Court be? Withdraw, and the Heavenly Court's majesty will be swept to the ground. In the future, there will be even more treasonous rebels who resist the majesty of Heaven."

The Azure Emperor of the East was startled, and quickly knelt in worship.

With a clatter, countless divine beings turned and bowed. A "Celestial Lord Yu" of stature comparable to Shen Mu's strode forward, smiling. "Celestial Lord Mu truly knows how to make trouble for me. Jingping—a place the size of a pellet—and I must make the trip myself."

Shen Mu coughed violently twice. "Only because you, Daoist Brother, bully others too far."

"Celestial Lord Yu" smiled. "The Imperial Preceptor of Jingping and Emperor Yanfeng need not die. But to defy Heaven and go against the Mandate of Heaven, and leave it unpunished, would be for the Heavenly Court's majesty to cease to exist. I can spare their lives and suppress them both—this gives Celestial Lord Mu face, and preserves the Heavenly Court's face as well. What do you think?"

Shen Mu said, "There must be a set term. Otherwise, Daoist Brother might as well kill them."

"Celestial Lord Yu" said coldly, "You press your advantage too far."

Shen Mu said no more.

After a moment, "Celestial Lord Yu" smiled. "The Primordial Realm has many treasonous rebels, and they cannot all be killed. I have been planning to build a great prison, so I will suppress them within the Great Prison of the Primordial Realm. I give you face—they shall be imprisoned for only two hundred years. No bargaining."

Shen Mu was about to speak when "Celestial Lord Yu" said calmly, "Though you can revive them, do not forget—the Heavenly Court has ways enough to prevent you from gathering their remnant souls. The wisp of Lan Yutian's remnant soul—did you not fail to find it?"

Shen Mu was greatly shaken, his gaze fixed upon him.

The true Celestial Lord Yu had always been muddle-headed, a wisp of his remnant soul suppressed within the Pixiang Hall of the Heavenly Court, so that he could never recover and return to what he once was.

The Heavenly Court indeed had ways to seal the souls of the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping and Emperor Yanfeng, leaving even him, a Great Master of Dharma, helpless.

"Celestial Lord Yu" came to the skies above the capital and fixed his gaze on Emperor Yanfeng, smiling. "Heaven has a virtue for sparing life. Your death sentence may be remitted, but your sentence of living cannot be escaped. You shall be suppressed forever within the great prison. Jingping cannot be without an emperor. Choose a successor."

Emperor Yanfeng turned and looked at his offspring. His gaze fell upon Ling Yuxiu, then moved away from Ling Yuxiu and fell upon Ling Yushu. He smiled. "Yushu, come up. After I am gone, you shall be Emperor of Jingping."

The Imperial Preceptor of Jingping understood his meaning, and his heart ached with bitterness.

Ling Yushu stepped forward and bowed, kneeling.

At that very moment, "Celestial Lord Yu" flicked a finger, and Ling Yushu's physical body instantly turned to powder, his soul scattered and dissipated.

"Celestial Lord Yu" smiled. "The child you choose will surely be the best—inheriting your ambition. I am not at ease. Choose another."