Chapter 525 — The First Human Emperor
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 2 of 4
The handwriting there brimmed with grandeur, carrying the surging, impassioned force of an erupting volcano; it must have been written by Human Emperor Qikang. These books likewise described the strengths and weaknesses of the Heavens' gods and their arts, along with the counters he had deduced himself.
Beyond that, there were Human Emperor Qikang's own cultivation arts and divine abilities.
Yet in them, Human Emperor Qikang wrote that anyone who cultivated his arts was a fool; he had never in all his life bested the gods of the Heavens, and to cultivate his arts would only be to walk his old road. Between the lines, the discouragement was plain. "No wonder none of the Human Emperors cultivate their masters' arts, but stubbornly set out to open up a new art of their own.
" Shen Mu suddenly understood the successive Human Emperors in Fengdu. They were all failures, unwilling to let their disciples walk their old roads again. The reason they left their arts behind was likely simply that these were the lifeblood of a lifetime; they wished for heirs to their work, and yet could not pass it on to their own disciples.
That was perhaps their greatest regret in life. "All the books upon these shelves are stratagems for the quelling of the Heavens. " The First Ancestor Human Emperor came over, stroking the books upon the shelves.
"Every one of them took the Heavens for their greatest foe, and spent the blood of a lifetime wanting to trample the Heavens flat. A pity — they all failed.
You may stay here and study for a time; it will help you open up a path of your own. " Shen Mu shook his head. "Most of the gods of the Heavens are dead or wounded, and the Four Lords of the Heavens have all fallen in battle.
The Heavens of today are no longer a mortal threat. Apart from the cultivation arts of the successive Human Emperors, most of the books on these shelves are useless now. My goal is not the gods of the Heavens, nor is it to trample the Heavens flat.
" Astonishment came over the First Ancestor Human Emperor's face, and he looked at Shen Mu. "Then what is your goal? " Shen Mu looked straight into the eyes of that ancient worthy and said in a grave voice, "My goal is to tear open this false sky, to reform this inequitable world, to seek advancement through change, and to bring about once more a golden age that does not belong to Kaihuang!
" His gaze was ardent. "First Ancestor," he cried, "is this not your goal as well? " "No. " The First Ancestor's eyes dimmed, and he shook his head.
"I have no such grand ideals as yours.
The years and my enemies have worn me smooth.
You are still young; you still have drive and vigor. I am only a disheartened old man. Sooner or later the years will wear you smooth, and your enemies will wear you smooth. And when that day comes, you will come to the Hall of Human Emperors and, like the other Human Emperors, leave your books behind, writing your failures into books, hoping that those who come after will do what you could not. " His voice was somewhat cold, and grew crueler by the moment: "You are a failure, just as they were.
You will build yourself a thatched hut in peace and quiet. You will sit in that hut with every thought burned to ash. You will not want your successor to walk again the road on which you failed, but the burden of the Human Emperor will force you to seek an heir. In that hut you will weep tears of remorse. You will resent the master you revered.
You will carve your own stele, and upon the stele you will write your failure.
" He sneered. "You will feel that you do not deserve a grave, do not deserve to face the ancestral spirits; and then you will swallow your last breath, just like the dry bones in that thatched hut. " Shen Mu's eyes went wide.
He stared at him in disbelief, feeling the image of that wise and martial First Ancestor Human Emperor in his heart collapse in an instant.
The First Ancestor said icily, "Do you still wish to be Human Emperor?