Chapter 289 — The Fourteen Techniques of the Dao Sword
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 2 of 4
Every clan and every sect brought out the finest treasures of that time and forged the Human Emperor's Seal. Therefore the rites must be observed and no disrespect shown.
May this old Daoist ask to see the Seal?
" Shen Mu took out the black lump that was the Human Emperor's Seal and tossed it to him offhand.
The old Dao Lord caught it in a fluster, the skin of his face twitching, and said again and again, "How can you toss it? How can you toss it? This old Daoist bathed and changed his clothes before coming to see the Human Emperor; I washed my hands many times over, reverent and daring no disrespect—how can you toss the Human Emperor's Seal to me so carelessly? " Puzzled, Shen Mu said, "The Village Head tossed it to me just like that.
I did not even want it and threw it back. He insisted on pressing it on me; I could not beat him, so I had no choice but to accept. " The old Dao Lord's face turned bitter. Holding the Seal in both hands, he examined it over and over, confirmed that it was indeed this Seal, and said, "Human Emperor, pray take it back. " With that he stepped forward and, with both hands, reverently raised the Human Emperor's Seal.
Only when Shen Mu had taken the Seal did the old Daoist step back and lower his hands. To Lin Xuan the Daoist Heir he said, "Remember: this is how the Human Emperor's Seal is received.
The rites must not be disordered. " Lin Xuan the Daoist Heir assented—then saw Shen Mu casually toss the Human Emperor's Seal into the Taotie pouch. Lin Xuan did not dare speak.
"He is the Human Emperor; he may be irreverent. We may not. " The old Dao Lord, in all earnestness, said, "This Seal was forged by the ancestors of our sects and clans from the finest treasures and offered to the Human Emperor, honoring whoever holds it as the common emperor of the human race.
Therefore our Daoist sect must revere it.
But this Seal is our gift to the Human Emperor, and so the Human Emperor may be irreverent toward it.
Do you understand? " Lin Xuan the Daoist Heir nodded. "This disciple understands. " Shen Mu could not help feeling moved. The old Dao Lord's allotted span was nearly spent; within a few years at most his life would reach its end, and yet he still did all he could to guide his disciple.
Such traditional master-disciple bonds were more apt to produce talents of outstanding caliber.
The old Dao Lord was old now; surely he hoped that in his last few years he could cultivate the Daoist Heir to take up his mantle. "Aside from wishing to see the Human Emperor's Seal, does the Dao Lord have anything else to say on this visit?
" Shen Mu asked with a smile.
The old Dao Lord gave him a long, deep look. "The Human Emperor should understand that the revolutionary reforms of Imperial Preceptor Jingping and Emperor Yanfeng are not the true way; they will bring down the wrath of Heaven.
This snow disaster is a warning. For the sake of the common people under Heaven, the Human Emperor ought to put a stop to these reforms.
" Shen Mu shook his head. "The great tide of the world rolls on in flood; thus it passes, never resting day or night. Whoever dares to stand in its way will surely be crushed. I can only go with the tide, go with the flood.
Senior Brother, you have already suffered much; will you still cling to your delusion? " The old Dao Lord sighed. "I will not argue with you. Argue back and forth as we might, the quarrel is still over the doctrines of our two houses, and it is very hard to convince the other; better not to argue at all.