Chapter 1503 — Relentless

"Ignorant child, all bluster and no substance."

The three schoolmasters paid him no mind. "That you escaped at all was only because some exalted one gave you a leaf from his Dao Tree. But to claim you can do anything to us—you are far from capable. I possess supreme and wondrous arts, and the opportunity lies right before your eyes. Were it anyone else, they would have already kowtowed and begged to learn my supreme Daoist powers and divine abilities."

One of the schoolmasters gave a light tap with his teaching rod, and a vision appeared in the air. "Behold—this is how the sovereigns of your world once bowed and worshipped me when they encountered me. Even they did so, and yet you are a man who cannot read the times."

Shen Mu looked toward the image. The figures within were the Great Emperor, Gong Yun, and other Creator Lords, along with a host of ancient gods—even the Primordial Heaven Emperor was among them. This must have been when they were exploring Jade Capital City.

However, the image did not include Shu Jun, Bo Yang, Long Xiao, and the others. No doubt they had taken a different path at the time and had not encountered the Hall of Pervading Fragrance.

In the vision, the scholar still sat beneath the Dao Tree, and the Great Emperor and the rest bowed their heads in worship, begging to be taught the supreme sagely arts. Even those ancient gods kowtowed to him. Only the Primordial Heaven Emperor stood to one side, watching coldly, his eyes filled with contempt as he looked at the Great Emperor.

The image was vivid and exquisitely detailed, capturing even the expressions and inner thoughts of those present. It was likely no lie.

At the time, the Great Emperor, Gong Yun, and the others had indeed paid homage to this Primordial Sage of the Miluo Palace, seeking instruction in supreme wondrous arts.

It was only unknown whether the Primordial Sage of the Miluo Palace had actually taught them.

"Could it be that the Great Emperor's ability to cultivate the Great Heaven of Divine Consciousness, to brand his consciousness into the Ultimate Void, is connected to this Primordial Sage of the Miluo Palace?"

Shen Mu's heart stirred. The Great Emperor's Great Heaven of Divine Consciousness had an enormous flaw. Though he had branded his consciousness into the Ultimate Void and refined the Dao Tree, Dao Flowers, and Dao Fruits, he could never achieve perfection.

His attainments in the Dao realm were also mediocre—neither high nor low—and his cultivation had been propped up by the sacrificial power of other Creator Lords, not achieved through his own training.

"Most likely, when the Primordial Sage of the Miluo Palace was transmitting the supreme wondrous arts, he harbored ulterior motives and deliberately left many flaws, causing the Great Emperor to cultivate further and further astray. Though he gained immense power, he drifted ever further from attaining the Dao."

Shen Mu deduced the crux of the matter. His eyes flickered, and he laughed. "Then why did they seal you away?"

Another schoolmaster said, "That is a long story. Come inside and listen to the lecture, and I will tell you."

Shen Mu laughed heartily, drew his bow, and loosed an arrow. "No need to tell me—I already know! They fell for your trick, took a stroke of your rod, and became tools for your use, helping you break free! Your supreme wondrous arts most likely achieve the Dao through the borrowing of faith or sacrifice. The Great Emperor believed in you, and that is why you ruined his cultivation!"

The three schoolmasters leaped into the air. Their teaching rods struck the arrow in succession, but the arrowlight Shen Mu had loosed was peerlessly powerful. Three rods fell upon it, and still they could not stop the arrow's radiance!

*Thunk!*

The arrow shot into a fragment of the Great Heaven, striking down a Dao Flower from the Dao Tree. With a *bang*, one schoolmaster's form vanished.

Shen Mu loosed two more arrows. Two streaks of arrowlight struck down two Dao Fruits, and the other two schoolmasters vanished in turn!

The schoolhouse fell into dead silence. Lan Yutian, the Crippled Elder, and the others regained consciousness.

Shen Mu activated the Glazed Azure Heaven Banner. With a single strike, he shattered the schoolhouse to pieces and charged inside, intending to carry everyone away. He laughed. "It was most likely the Primordial Heaven Emperor who freed them—he alone was not bewitched by you. That is why they sealed you here, unable to break free!"

The Dao Flowers and Dao Fruits flew up once more and hung upon the tree again. The three schoolmasters reappeared, surging with murderous intent, and bellowed, "You refuse to appreciate kindness! Today we shall not rest until we settle this with you!"

The three teaching rods whirled up and down. There was scarcely anyone who could withstand a single exchange. They clubbed Lan Yutian and the others all over again, and everyone returned to meek obedience.

Shen Mu rescued a few, but the schoolmasters brought their rods down, and those few went back to chanting scriptures.

Three schoolmasters, three teaching rods, raining *crack-crack-crack* upon Shen Mu's head. Yet the leaf of the Grand Ultimate Dao Tree at his brow protected him, and they could not harm him—only raise several lumps on his scalp.

The three schoolmasters changed tactics, using their rods to flick at the willow leaf between his brows. Shen Mu pressed one hand to his brow and swung the Azure Heaven Banner with the other.

Suddenly, the fragment of the Great Heaven expanded and surged toward him. The scholar beneath the tree rose to his feet, preparing to strike him down personally.

Shen Mu had no choice but to retreat.

The schoolhouse returned to its original state. The scholar sat beneath the tree once more, still holding his book, glancing at Shen Mu from time to time.

The fragment of the Great Heaven transformed back into a painting, hanging upon the schoolhouse wall.

After a moment, Shen Mu again shot arrows at the Dao Fruits and Dao Flowers. The three schoolmasters were enraged. The Dao Fruits and Dao Flowers fell from the tree, and they vanished one after another. When Shen Mu charged in to rescue everyone, the Dao Fruits and Dao Flowers returned to the tree, and the three schoolmasters came storming back in fury. Another round of chaos ensued—Lan Yutian, the Crippled Elder, Ming Huang, and the rest were suppressed once more and meekly chanted scriptures.

Shen Mu escaped again, halting outside the schoolhouse to catch his breath. Then he drew his bow and loosed another arrow.

"Brat!"

Even the scholar beneath the tree could not contain his anger. He stood, rolled his book into a tube, and pointed it at Shen Mu furiously. "Will you never be done? If I were not trapped here, a single leaf would be enough to kill you!"

On the Dao Tree, the Dao Flowers and Dao Fruits split madly. One schoolmaster after another stepped down from them, charged out of the schoolhouse, and lunged frantically at Shen Mu.

Outside the schoolhouse, Shen Mu feared them not in the slightest.

*Hummm—*

The domain of the Primordial Fetus Divine Treasury opened. Shen Mu wielded the Azure Heaven Banner as a hammer, sweeping across thousands of troops, sending schoolmaster after schoolmaster flying. The Azure Heaven Banner's power erupted, grinding those schoolmasters to dust!

The Azure Heaven Banner's might was tremendous. Never mind these schoolmasters—even the Hall of Pervading Fragrance itself shook without cease under its blows. Building after building within the great hall was pulverized to powder!

Strangely, the great hall would reassemble as soon as it was broken. No matter how terrifying his destructive power, the hall swiftly returned to its original state.

The schoolmasters surged forth without end, teaching rods whirling up and down, each strike so exquisitely precise that it landed unimpeded upon his head.