Chapter 809 — New Works in the Capital Foretell Rise and Fall
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 1 of 5
Ahead, the capital came into view. Many divine-arts practitioners were at work expanding the city and renovating its walls; the walls they raised were very high, and many of them were branding defensive runes into the stone with beast blood.
Shen Mu came to the foot of the wall and made inquiries. The one in charge of repairing the capital was a disciple of the Hall of Heavenly Crafts, who said, "Not long ago a demigod transformed into a divine beast and attacked the capital, and broke a stretch of the wall. So the Imperial Teacher of Jingping ordered us to expand the capital, to reinforce the walls and raise them higher. These runes were designed by the Hall of Arrays. Would the Sect Master care to see whether they will serve?"
Shen Mu took the array talisman from his hand and examined it closely. The formation was exquisite, and the patterns and veins of the design were full of beauty. He smiled and said, "Very good indeed. The Hall of Arrays' attainments in formation craft have already surpassed mine; I shall need to study for a while before I can catch up with you."
"The Sect Master overpraises me."
The disciple smiled. "These days it is the Spear God who has been teaching formations in every region, and the Woodcutter Sage has gathered many formations of the Kaihuang era and given them to him. The Spear God passed them on to us, and we have profited greatly."
The Spear God he spoke of was the Blind Old Man.
Shen Mu roamed everywhere, while the Blind Old Man, the Deaf Old Man and the rest taught what they had learned and comprehended in the various academies and halls of learning; and with the Woodcutter Sage, the Fisherman Heavenly Master, Di Yiyue and others passing on to them the knowledge of the Kaihuang era, Jingping's divine arts advanced at astonishing speed.
Had things followed their normal course, Jingping would surely have flourished more and more. But this time the Primal Realm's seal had broken and it had reappeared in the world, and Jingping had been torn apart.
Now Jingping's grip upon its former territory was very weak.
Before long they came to the residence of the Imperial Teacher of Jingping. The Imperial Teacher had returned from the imperial palace not long before and was resting, utterly exhausted. The Imperial Teacher's wife roused him and said to Shen Mu, "My husband was out suppressing rebels, and no sooner had he returned than the Emperor summoned him; he has been in the palace for dozens of days, and is truly worn out."
Shen Mu said apologetically, "I have disturbed my junior brother's rest, and I am all the more uneasy for it."
The Imperial Teacher of Jingping said, "You are too courteous, Second Senior Brother. With the nation in peril, it is only proper. The Emperor too has grown thin, nothing but a bag of bones; if the sovereign is in such a state, how much more so am I? You never come to my door unless there is business; this visit must be over something urgent."
Shen Mu hesitated a moment, then explained his purpose. "I have come to ask you how to have a child."
The Imperial Teacher's wife had thought he meant to speak of serious matters; at these words her face flushed red and she hurriedly rose to leave, then turned back, took Gongsun Yan by the hand and led her away, laughing, "Let the two men talk; we sisters will have a word of our own."
Only when they were far off did the Imperial Teacher of Jingping fly into a rage. "The nation is in peril, and you have the leisure to think of begetting children! Shen Mu, I honored you as my senior brother, and you are this absurd and frivolous!"