Chapter 907 — Severing the Root

The Heavenly Court would never hand the New Heavenly Chart to Jingping to forge!

Such a divine artifact can only be made by the Heavenly Court's own Zaofu Palace!

The Heavenly Court's Zaofu Palace is where the most important divine artifacts are made! Nearly all the Heavenly Court's great implements are forged there, and it is heavily guarded! To work there, one must verify one's identity with the Book of Life and Death every single day! " Shen Mu smiled. "What I mean is that Jingping first manufactures some everyday items for the Heavenly Court—ice chests, windmills, and the like. Then we manufacture the divine armor, divine steeds, tower ships, and formation charts needed by the Heavenly Court's armies. The Heavenly Court can use the currency it mints to buy directly from Jingping the treasures we make. " Yuchenzi was stunned.

The others knitted their brows, still somewhat baffled.

"For such a good thing, the Heavenly Court would naturally be willing. Only.

. . " Yuchenzi said with difficulty, "Jingping's craftsmen would toil to forge treasures and receive only the Heavenly Court's minted coin in return. That is rather. . .

" Shen Mu said, "So long as the coin circulates in the Yuan Realm, it does not matter how much money is made. Can you do it? " Yuchenzi said decisively, "I can! " Shen Mu breathed a sigh of relief. "Then how long will Jingping's imperial workshops need to drive the Heavenly Court's workshops out of business, until the Heavenly Court has only the Zaofu Palace left for forging heavy divine artifacts?

" Yuchenzi was deeply shaken, then laughed.

"This is pulling the firewood from under the cauldron—severing the root of the Heavenly Court's livelihood and economy!

The Heavenly Court's powers are a motley mix, and with almost free divine weapons and implements available, those imperial workshops will not hold out long before Jingping replaces them!

By then, Jingping will be full of workshops capable of forging divine weapons and implements everywhere, while the Heavenly Court will have no workshops left to use! " He paced back and forth.

"The Heavenly Court holds sway over the Four Poles, Xuandu, the Yuan Realm, Youdu, Mingdu, the Southern Heaven, Northern Heaven, Eastern Heaven, and Western Heaven, and also commands the Thirty-Six Heavenly Palaces, the Seventy-Two Treasure Halls, and all the heavens and myriad realms! If Jingping can supply the Heavenly Court's needs for daily life and for armaments, then industry throughout all the heavens and myriad realms will gradually hollow out, and they will have no money to use.

By then, with livelihood in ruins throughout the heavens and myriad realms, they will surely rebel.

" Shen Mu said, "I only ask how many years you need. " Yuchenzi said with feeling, "At most a hundred years! " Shen Mu thought for a moment.

"A hundred years—that will be enough. Can you use free divine weapons and implements to buy the emperor's sacrifice to Heaven without the blood sacrifice of boys and girls? " Yuchenzi considered. "It is worth a try. " "As for all the other details, all of you are more skilled than I: how to settle the people, how to revive their livelihoods, reclaim good fields, plant crops, and survive the present famine—many of the court's civil officials are well versed in these matters; simply seek their counsel. My several elders are masters of swordsmanship, formation arts, forging, medicine, painting and calligraphy, and other profound disciplines—do not hesitate to consult them.

" Shen Mu rose to his feet and bowed. "Then I entrust Jingping to all of you! " Everyone was startled and hurriedly rose to return the courtesy. Daoist Master Lin Xuan said, "Why does the Sect Master speak such words? Are you not staying in Jingping? You are now Jingping's Imperial Preceptor, and you also bear the identity of Mu Tianzun; who knows how many are watching you.

Your current condition is somewhat off—it would be best not to go running about outside.

" Shen Mu straightened up, feeling somewhat dizzy, and smiled.

"If I stay in Jingping, the Heavenly Court will fix its gaze on this place, and what it watches is not Jingping but me, Mu Tianzun. As Imperial Preceptor of Jingping, if I roam about, Jingping will instead have a chance and time to breathe.

Say no more.

" Si Yunxiang looked at Ling Yuxiu, whose expression was complicated. "When the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping leaves the capital, when will he return? " Shen Mu said, "When I return, I will come find you all. As for when that will be, I have no plan at present. " "How about returning on this day next year?

" Ling Yuxiu gazed at him and said softly, "I know your health is poor.

Come back at this time next year—let me know you are still alive. " Shen Mu laughed heartily and nodded firmly. "On this day next year, I will return! " He turned and walked out. Reaching the palace gate, he roused the Dragon Qilin, and together they headed for the Imperial Preceptor's residence.

"Is the Sect Master's condition dangerous? " Wang Muran asked quietly, watching him recede into the distance. "He has no soul left. " Yuchenzi said in a low voice, "I have never seen anyone survive without a soul.

" "The Sect Master is not going to hide alone in some corner and die in silence, is he? " Si Yunxiang was suddenly anxious, and her eyes reddened despite herself.

She said in a low voice, "I fear he worries that we would grieve, and so will hide himself away and gradually die. Even if his corpse were found, no one would know he was Mu Tianzun, Sect Master Shen, the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping.

.

. " Ling Yuxiu shook her head.

"He will return.

On this day one year from now, he will meet us here again! " In the capital there were two residences of the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping: one was the former Imperial Preceptor Jiang Baigui's residence, and the other was Shen Mu's villa here, in which stood a Primeval Tree, lush and verdant.

Shen Mu came beneath the Primeval Tree and stroked its trunk.

Suddenly, Gongsun Yan, in a green dress, came around from behind the tree carrying a small watering pot, and smiled.

"Little Brother, you are back?

Yan'er, your young master has returned!

" From a nest in the canopy, Yan'er poked her head out, and then a plump blue sparrow flew down and perched on Shen Mu's shoulder, laughing. "The nest here is so comfortable I do not even want to get up. Young Master, are you planning to go out? " Shen Mu nodded and smiled.

"Sister Yan'er, since the nest here is comfortable, you may as well stay, and you can look after Jingping as well. " Yan'er hesitated, then shook her head.

"Her Highness told me to follow you; I cannot stay. Besides, Yan'er is even better at caring for others than I am—she has waited on me so well. That phoenix nest has everything; she prepared all kinds of fruit for me, and even worms to eat!

I have never met anyone as thoughtful as me—I have gotten fat. " The Dragon Qilin poked its head out from behind Shen Mu and was about to speak, but the round blue sparrow glared at him and said fiercely, "Dragon Fatty, shut up! " The Dragon Qilin did not dare speak.

Gongsun Yan said awkwardly, "I would also like to go out with you all, only I have taken root here. . .

" Shen Mu smiled gently. "Then stay here.

This is my root as well. I will come back. "