Chapter 547 — Accord with Heavenly Principles
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 2 of 4
Though the divine ability practitioners of Taihuang Heaven were formidable in cultivation and strength—a notch above those of Jingping—their mastery of the arcane arts was poor. Weapons like true yuan cannons required profound attainments in the arcane arts, and they could not refine them.
Even if Shen Mu were to draw up the blueprints for true yuan cannons and sun-shooting divine cannons and hand them over, they likely could not manufacture them. Only Jingping, with its countless divine ability practitioners well versed in the arcane arts, could produce such things.
"How did you come to Taihuang Heaven?" the Woodcutter Sage asked.
Shen Mu recounted how he had modified the flesh-and-blood sacrifice ritual, substituted himself for a demon general, and transported himself to Taihuang Heaven. The Woodcutter Sage shook his head. "What sheer recklessness—substituting yourself into the enemy's camp. Are you not afraid of death?"
Shen Mu drew a long breath and said in a low voice, "To defeat the Primordial Human Sovereign, the risk is worth taking! I beg the Sage Master to teach me the method of the Youthful True God!"
The Woodcutter Sage was slightly taken aback. "You wish to become a Youthful True God, and then defeat that deserter from the Human Sovereign Hall?"
Shen Mu nodded heavily.
The Woodcutter Sage broke into a smile. "Do you not know his origins?"
Shen Mu was at a loss.
"He is like you—his surname is Shen, and he was also my disciple. Fu Ri Luo calls me Heavenly Master. The Heavenly Master is a teacher who accords with the heavenly dao, and also the teacher of the Son of Heaven—in truth, nothing more than a schoolmaster. In those years, I was commanded by Kaihuang to instruct the imperial princes, and among them was that deserter from the Human Sovereign Hall."
The Woodcutter Sage strode toward the eastern gate of Li City, recalling the past, his gaze distant. "That prince was indeed extraordinarily gifted, with keen comprehension. But when the catastrophe erupted, in the great war the Heavenly Court fell, crashing down from the heavens. The prince, in his terror upon the battlefield, died—and fled. Yet by chance he saved several races, and so was honored as the Human Sovereign. I too survived. He came to see me several times; I refused to meet him. Later I transformed into a stone statue and sent my primordial spirit wandering to seek answers, and I have not seen him since. To defeat him—that will be very difficult."
Shen Mu clenched his fists and said loudly, "But the Sage Master must have a way, surely?"
The Woodcutter Sage climbed the tall city tower. Because it needed to withstand the demon invasion, the tower had been built very high; ascending it was like climbing a mountain.
"I taught him. Among all the princes I instructed, his gifts and comprehension were the finest—any divine ability he learned at a glance, understood at a word, grasped one and comprehended a hundred. He honored his teacher and revered the way. Though I scorn him for having been a deserter, I still admired him greatly. If you wish to surpass him, relying on my teaching will not suffice."
Like a mortal, the Woodcutter Sage climbed step by step, using no divine ability whatsoever. "I was Kaihuang's schoolmaster. Though I bear the title of Heavenly Master, in terms of combat strength, I was not the strongest of Kaihuang's era. On the contrary, my combat strength was merely middling. If I taught you, you would not surpass that deserter. Moreover..."
He smiled faintly. "Have I not already taught you?"
Shen Mu was startled. He must mean the transmission of scriptures upon the stone. By rights, the Woodcutter Sage had indeed already taught Shen Mu—but such a transmission left Shen Mu feeling unsatisfied.