Chapter 1004 — The Mottled Sword, the Mottled Heart
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 2 of 4
He stayed outside, leading the remnant armies in resistance, and never once came here. I have often thought that if I had been as resolute as he, had held out in resistance, perhaps His Majesty would never have entered the Worry-Free Land. " He stared blankly into space, looking rather dull-witted. Shen Mu's gaze flickered. "You want to use my hand to force Kaihuang out of the Worry-Free Land? " Su Maiqing chuckled.
"How could a Daoist harbor such treasonable thoughts?
Kaihuang's first sword form, the Taihuang Heaven-Pacifying Sword, is hidden in the patterns of Taihuang Heaven's mountains and rivers.
That sword is the first blade Kaihuang took up upon entering the Dao, his first heaven — and it is truly formidable. " He broke off a branch, used the branch as a sword, and performed the Taihuang Heaven-Pacifying Sword. The branch moved through the air, wrought of the most basic sword techniques, yet bearing a vast and luminous grandeur; the sword became sun and moon, mountains and rivers, ranging and closing at will, forming towering ranges and mighty rivers, with the air of one who pacifies the chaos of heaven and earth. Having performed the move, Su Maiqing gripped the branch in his hand, carefully thrust it into the soil, and planted it, saying, "This little sapling will one day become a tree that pierces the sky.
" Shen Mu closed his eyes and savored the Taihuang Heaven-Pacifying Sword he had just witnessed; after a long while he opened them and bowed.
"My thanks for your guidance, Sect Master Su. Master, I have one doubt: why was it that after Kaihuang came to the Worry-Free Land, the reforms of the Kaihuang era came to a halt? " Su Maiqing finished planting his tree, straightened his back, grinned, and said, "How does the Heavenly Venerable read my spirit and vigor now?
" Shen Mu answered frankly, "Gray as dusk, without a spark of fight in it. " Su Maiqing laughed.
"That is the spirit and vigor of the whole Worry-Free Land. " Shen Mu was taken aback. "The Kaihuang Reforms accorded with Heaven and answered to man; their central purpose was set by Wen Tiange, and it was chiefly protection. " Su Maiqing visualized a little clear water and poured it over the branch.
"The gods protect all living beings and are used by all living beings, so that the living may live the better.
From among the living, those with divine abilities are cultivated; those with divine abilities become gods — and so a virtuous cycle is formed.
Those with divine abilities and the gods themselves developed more divine abilities and more useful things, and the Kaihuang era grew ever stronger, ever more prosperous.
But then the Kaihuang Tribulation broke out, and the gods no longer protected the living.
" He stared blankly at the little sapling, and after a moment sighed.
"The gods cast off the living and departed. The spirit and vigor of the whole age drained away in an instant, and the reforms broke off there. Heh — and even now there are men at court who talk it up, saying that the Worry-Free Land has absorbed the visualization methods of the Creator race and that the reforms go on; they trumpet it to the heavens, until they believe it themselves. But a Daoist refuses to believe it! " He gave a cold humph and turned to leave. "A Daoist refuses to believe it!
The soil for the reforms is gone, the very purpose of the reforms is abolished, and all they do all day long is brag. What manner of reform comes of that? Utter nonsense, flattery, fawning — this Daoist will not keep company with such men. This Daoist only hopes you will give Kaihuang a good beating and knock some sense into him! " Shen Mu was startled, and watched him go.
Shujun came over and followed his gaze; he saw only Su Maiqing's retreating back and asked, puzzled, "What is the Holy Infant looking at? " "Nothing. " Shen Mu came back to himself and smiled. "I was merely struck by a sudden feeling.
God King, have you finished?