Chapter 906 — Falling Behind Is No Crime; Being Weak Is the Sin
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 1 of 4
The gods of the Heavenly Court stifled their fury, yet the Azure Emperor of the East remained wholly composed. Majestic of countenance, he declared, "Celestial Lord Mu, there is nothing improper in what you say. After all, you are exalted as a Celestial Lord, possessed of vast divine powers. But now you are a cripple and nothing more. People often speak of a heroic spirit that does not perish. You have lost your soul. All you rely upon now is your heroic spirit alone."
Emperor Yanfeng and the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping felt their hearts quail, and they looked toward Shen Mu.
A heroic spirit that does not perish—what this meant was that Shen Mu had in truth already had his soul scattered and dissipated, leaving only spirit, with no soul remaining.
In other words, Shen Mu of the Three Worthies of the Jingping Reform was, in fact, already dead.
The Imperial Preceptor of Jingping suddenly wept, thinking, "Elder Brother could not bear to let go of Jingping. His obsession does not perish, his consciousness does not disperse—is he forcing himself to hold on until now?"
He had seen too many people like this—slain in battle, yet sustained by a powerful obsession within that kept them from falling, so that even in death they would keep fighting.
Only, Shen Mu's situation was somewhat special, and it was not as he imagined.
The Azure Emperor of the East grew ever more solemn and awe-inspiring, his voice reverberating, resounding everywhere like a great bell or grand pitch-pipe. "Celestial Lord Mu, Jingping is but a small state, occupying a mere pellet of land within the Primordial Realm. That I received orders to come and clean up the remnants of Jingping is already out of respect for you, Celestial Lord Mu, which is why I have not struck to kill. Celestial Lord Mu, do not make things difficult for me. Because of Wei Suifeng, I am already one bearing guilt. Striking down the head of the rebels is imperative!"
Shen Mu turned around, a smile that was not quite a smile on his lips. "If I do not make things difficult for you, then you make things difficult for me."
The Azure Emperor of the East said, "If their physical bodies are destroyed and not a trace of their bloodline remains, can you, Celestial Lord Mu, still remake bodies for them and revive them?"
Shen Mu shook his head. "I can only regather their souls and spirits and send them into reincarnation. Twelve years from now, I will ferry them across, restore their memories of past lives, and let them rise again. If their physical bodies still exist, then the moment you leave, they revive—all the simpler."
Around them, the gods roared in anger.
The Azure Emperor of the East raised his hand and said coldly, "Celestial Lord Mu, you are being insolent! Where would you place the majesty of Heaven? Would you destroy the prestige and dignity of the Heavenly Court?"
Shen Mu waved his hand. "You are not the one who can decide. Then get back, and find someone who can decide to come see me!"
The gods were enraged. Dark clouds gathered thick across the sky, thunder and lightning intertwined, and crack after crack came crashing down.
"Celestial Lord Mu, stop resisting the majesty of Heaven!"
Suddenly, among the kneeling populace of Jingping, an old man prostrate on the ground kowtowed again and again, crying out in a shrill voice, "That is Heaven above! To resist Heaven is monstrous treason!"
Shen Mu was stunned. His vision went black, and only after a moment did he recover.
More subjects of Jingping cried out from below: "That's right! By what right do you decide for us? If you want to kill, then kill the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping and Emperor Yanfeng!"
"They are the ones who brought this calamity! What reform? What change? Kill those two traitors!"
"Beseech Heaven to send down its wrath and slay this rebel, Celestial Lord Mu, as well!"
……