Chapter 1032 — The Village Headman's Sword, the Lame Old Man's Leg

But in primordial spirit alone, Emperor Kai was greatly inferior to Shen Mu. Shen Mu looked about him and frowned slightly. He had meant to go from the Valley of the Fallen Gods to Jiangling, but now, having entered the Nether Capital and come out again, the geography was much altered: this place was farther from Jiangling and quite close to Bazhou.

"Since that is so, I will first go to the Heavenly Sage Academy to see Granny Zhu and the others. " He sat down with Divine King Langwan and Shu Jun and ordered Demon King Dutian to set out for the Heavenly Sage Academy.

In the carriage Shen Mu took out the jade bottle that sealed the Great Emperor's spiritual consciousness and said, "In refining the Great Emperor's spiritual consciousness I do not want his spiritual-consciousness cultivation; I want only his memories, and through them his Supreme Daluo Spiritual Consciousness.

His spiritual consciousness shall belong to the two Divine Kings. " Divine King Langwan hesitated, then nodded. "A great part of the Great Emperor's spiritual consciousness was not cultivated but came from the sacrifices of the Creators in the ancient age.

His spiritual consciousness is impure, and that has limited his achievements.

Among the forebears of the Great Void Creators there is a rumor that the reason the Great Emperor was defeated in his war with the Ancient Gods was precisely that he had raised his cultivation through sacrifice, and so acquired a weakness. Had his cultivation been won by his own bitter toil, defeating the Heavenly Emperor of the Ancient Gods and sweeping away all the Ancient Gods would have been no difficult matter. " Shu Jun's eyes lit up and he laughed. "You do not want the Great Emperor's spiritual consciousness; I do.

Divine King Langwan, do you want it? " Divine King Langwan hesitated a moment, then said, "The Divine King and I will each take half. Having cultivated to my present state, to advance another step is exceedingly difficult; even if the Great Emperor's spiritual consciousness is impure, I must make the attempt. Still, I propose we divide the spiritual consciousness into three, each taking one share and leaving one third for the Holy Infant. " Shen Mu was puzzled as to her meaning. Divine King Langwan said gently, "In the future, if you reach a bottleneck in your cultivation and can advance no further, then you may refine the Great Emperor's spiritual consciousness and raise your cultivation. My race of Creators can also sacrifice to you as one, to swell your power. " Shen Mu pondered a moment, then nodded.

The three at once each roused their spiritual consciousness and their refining divine arts, and gave themselves wholly to the refining, while the Heavenly Dragon Treasure Chariot went on its way toward the Heavenly Sage Academy. In the capital of Jingping, Emperor Kai bowed and asked the Sword God Su Muzhe to hold his step.

"I have sought instruction for so long, and Ye Kai has gained much. There is no need for the Elder to see me off. " The village headman insisted on accompanying him. "What I have learned from you is a hundred times what you have learned from me.

Brother Ye's talent is one of only two sword-path geniuses I have ever seen; I cannot but see you off.

" Emperor Kai said in surprise, "The Elder has seen another whose sword-path talent can be mentioned in the same breath as mine? Might I ask whether that man is Heavenly Venerable Mu? " The village headman shook his head and smiled.

"Shen'er's sword path is lofty indeed, but his nature is flighty, and he can hardly sit still to study the sword path; his sword heart is impure.

That sword-path master whose sword heart can match yours is Jingping's former Imperial Preceptor, Jiang Baigui of Jiangling. " Emperor Kai was moved.

"Might I ask where this Imperial Preceptor of Jingping may be found? " "Seized by the Heavenly Court and imprisoned.

He is locked in the great prison together with the Retired Emperor," the village headman said. "Jiang Baigui's sword heart is utterly pure. His sword path holds the wonder of the cosmos splitting open and ten thousand paths springing forth; he uses the sword path to evolve all paths, and his sword heart is limpid and lofty, the like of which I have seen nowhere else.

He is also the creator of Sword Fifteen, Sword Sixteen, and Sword Seventeen. If you were to meet him, you would surely talk with him long and joyfully.

" Emperor Kai pondered a moment and sighed. "A pity he is in the great prison, and who knows when we may meet again. I still must visit other academies and see something of Jingping's reforms; I have no leisure to seek him in the prison. If fate allows in the future, we shall meet again.

Farewell, and hold your step.

" The village headman watched him go into the distance, and for a long while did not return to the Grand Academy.

The Blind Elder and the Silent Craftsman came looking for him, and the Silent Craftsman's voice boomed like a great bell. "Headman, you have met that fellow called Ye Kai? A rare talent indeed! Such a man is just what Jingping needs. Why did you not keep him?

" The village headman shook his head. "Emperor Kai is a rare talent, of course. How could I keep him? " The Blind Elder and the Silent Craftsman started and looked at each other.

"He came to see me, and I did not look at him; I sensed him by his aura alone, and I felt a sword-path sovereign standing upon the thirty-fourth heaven.

Then I knew that the first man of the sword path had come," the village headman said mildly. "When a swordsman achieves something in the sword path, he feels before him a peak he can never climb or pass. That peak is Emperor Kai, forever standing in front of him.

This time he came to give Sword Twenty to Jingping.

"