Chapter 920 — Battle Will Unbroken

Within the dream world, Xu Shenghua at last finished mastering the fruits of the Reform. Time in dreams stretched long; he felt as though two or three years had passed, and the toil had been bitter indeed—yet in the waking world they had risen only two or three times to eat.

And yet Shen Mu's dream world had not collapsed.

Xu Shenghua was puzzled, but then saw Shen Mu draw forth a mirror. Shen Mu set it upright, and the mirror's surface grew larger and larger, until countless jade slips projected forth from within it.

Xu Shenghua stepped closer and watched for a moment, then said with suspicion: "Runes of the Ancient Gods' Great Dao? These are... Great Dao runes parsed through classical divination arts! Hmm, some of these runes you have already recalculated using the Taiwei Calculation Classic!"

He tilted his head in thought: "That day in the lower realm—the Heaven Venerable Yu—could he have been constructed by the Heavenly Court using classical divination runes?"

Shen Mu said: "That was the strongest divine weapon the Heavenly Court ever forged. It wore the outward form of Heaven Venerable Yu, but the one who steered that weapon was a titan of the Heavenly Court's Heaven Alliance. The Heaven Alliance can manufacture more of these strongest divine weapons at any time."

Xu Shenghua walked among the jade slips. Their number was truly immense; Shen Mu had recalculated many of them with the Taiwei Calculation Classic, yet those he had finished were but a drop in the ocean.

Within the dream world, countless Shen Mus were even now calculating the Great Dao runes upon the jade slips, restructuring them through the Taiwei Calculation Classic.

At such a scale, even Xu Shenghua was startled—though his expression remained that of a man unmoved by the sky itself collapsing.

Xu Shenghua browsed the jade slips and said: "The Heavenly Court is experimenting with a perfect Heavenly Court cultivation method. This method can unify the Great Daos of all the Ancient Gods. Forging the strongest weapon was never their goal—creating a unified Heavenly Court cultivation method, that is their true aim."

Shen Mu said: "Their Heavenly Court method is built upon the foundation of the Seven Great Divine Treasuries. The Reform in the lower realm altered the original Seven Great Divine Treasuries, so the Reform must be halted at all costs. Otherwise, a million years of their labor would be nothing but a joke."

Xu Shenghua said: "And yet this weapon is too powerful. The Heavenly Court is remarkable—to conceive of such a weapon, to forge it! A body comparable to the mightiest Ancient God, combined with a cultivation method of the Heavenly Court's realm—once complete, no power in existence could contend with the Heavenly Court! Its sole flaw is the absence of the Taiwei Calculation Classic. If the Taiwei Calculation Classic were added..."

He could not help but shudder.

Add the Taiwei Calculation Classic, and it would become the most powerful body in all history. Combined with the Heavenly Court's cultivation method, that person's cultivation and strength would likely be unmatched under heaven—even if the Ancient God Heavenly Emperor were reborn, even if the Heaven Lord and Earth Lord joined forces, they would be far from a match!

"Sect Master, do you truly intend to recalculate everything with the Taiwei Calculation Classic?"

Xu Shenghua said abruptly: "I suddenly find it terrifying."

Shen Mu looked at him, his expression turning puzzled.

Xu Shenghua said: "If this Taiwei Calculation Classic falls into the Heavenly Court's hands, the Heavenly Court will have no rival. Even if it does not fall into their hands but remains in ours, I still cannot suppress a shudder. I fear that in the future we may become the very Heavenly Court we now dread."

Shen Mu was taken aback, then laughed: "We can scarcely protect ourselves—why concern ourselves with matters so far off?"

Xu Shenghua was silent a moment, then said: "Sect Master Shen, the Heaven Alliance of the Longhan Era was also a driving force of reform and change—and did they not rot in the end? If in the future we gain power and status, will we not also rot as they did? Can you guarantee that before the lure of power and desire you will still keep your original heart? And even if you can, can you guarantee that others will be as you are?"

Shen Mu raised his head and thought for a long while, then shook his head: "I cannot guarantee it."

Xu Shenghua fell silent.

Shen Mu patted his shoulder and said with a smile: "If in the future we do rot, there will be those who come after to overthrow us. There is no need to think so far ahead."

Xu Shenghua argued: "But the Dao arts and divine powers that combine classical divination and Taiwei divination have already reached absolute perfection. Even if we rot in the future, those who come after will have no chance to overthrow us! We possess the most powerful force of all time—past, present, and countless billions of years to come. Crushing those who resist would be effortless! We are forging a future more hopeless than any before!"

"It will not be more hopeless than today."

Shen Mu spoke with weight, his voice deep: "Brother Xu, the Heavenly Court of today also believes it has forged the strongest divine weapon and found the strongest cultivation method, that its dominion is eternal and none can overthrow it. But we found the Taiwei Calculation Classic, and through the Jingping Reform, their strongest weapon and strongest method are no longer invincible—there is hope of overthrowing them. How do you know that the people of the future will not find another path, one that makes our seemingly perfect arts and powers riddled with flaws?"

He was full of confidence, and laughed heartily: "From ancient times to now, Dao arts and divine powers have always been advancing. Each generation surpasses the last, each generation stronger than the one before. What once seemed perfect appears full of flaws to those who come after; what was once strongest may not be strongest in the future. Is this not progress?"

"What we must do is realize our own ideals and aspirations. The way of the sage lies in the daily use of the common people. Gods should no longer sit high above, unable to control the life and death of the people—they should be of use to others, bringing benefit to the people!"

Shen Mu clenched his fist: "I firmly believe that one day, gods will serve the people and work for them. If the gods do not do so, there will be reformers to overthrow them! Brother Xu, my fellow Daoist, my dearest friend! If we truly rot, there will surely be those who overthrow us!"

Xu Shenghua calmed down and thought carefully. He felt there was great sense in these words, and said: "I do not know why, but when you are by my side, I am always full of drive, and I have hope for the future, no longer pessimistic. Sect Master Shen, you are far too skilled at bewitching the heart!"

Shen Mu laughed: "Is it not precisely because our aspirations align that we call each other fellow Daoists? You are occasionally lost, and I merely help you find your way out."

Xu Shenghua was taken aback, then burst into loud laughter.

He had always been one to keep his countenance, and today's uncharacteristically hearty laugh was a rare thing.

Shen Mu imparted his own insights to him, saying: "Emperor Yanfeng and Emperor Jingping's teacher are also studying the Ancient Gods' Great Dao runes. Dao Master Lin Xuan has gone even further in this field. They may all come seeking you."

Xu Shenghua nodded lightly.

Shen Mu then recounted how Heaven Venerable Yu had opened the Yuan Embryo Divine Treasury and the Star River Divine Treasury, and told him of how his own Spirit Embryo had opened heaven and earth and birthed a soul. Xu Shenghua was both admiring and somewhat worried.