Chapter 1053 — The Ancient War-Presiding Deity
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 2 of 4
The terrace of the White Tiger Heavenly Palace was nothing like what Shen Mu had imagined: here stood many smelting platforms arranged in rows along the Jade Pool, where great furnaces blazed day and night, making the air scorching hot. Shen Mu surveyed the smelting platforms and said in surprise, “This is the standard of the Heavenly Artificers of the Kaihuang Era.
Did Kaihuang come here?
” “He did. ” Catching sight of a massive wooden post, the Western Emperor dashed over, thrust both hands out of her big sleeves to reveal sharp tiger claws, raked the post twice at lightning speed, then lay flat upon it in a languid stretch before hopping down. “Kaihuang brought a handsome young fellow named Li Youran,” she said. “He was utterly charming, and he charmed a whole host of the girls in my palace. The smelting platforms here were his design. When I said we couldn’t be hammering iron beside the Jade Pool, those girls raised such a clamor at me that I had no choice but to let them have their way. ” She looked rather resigned. “My Western Expanse Heaven abounds in divine gold and exquisite jade, and I am the ancient god who rules over war, so building these smelting platforms is not a bad thing, after all—at least they serve some use.
That Li Youran was sent by Shen Ye to learn casting and smelting from me, but my cultivation art draws in metal qi, which he could not learn. From him, though, I did pick up some techniques for forging divine weapons, just not as refined as his. ” Li Youran was none other than the Heavenly King-Buddha Shakra, the War Heavenly King of the Kaihuang Heavenly Court. Li Youran’s personal strength was unremarkable among the Four Heavenly Kings—one might even say he ranked last—but his reputation as the War Heavenly King was fully earned. In the art of forging, the Silent Craftsman would be hard-pressed to surpass him, although of late the Silent Craftsman and the Blind Elder had begun joining forces, attempting to combine the divine-consciousness powers of the Creators to found a craft of microscale forging. If their research succeeded, they would surpass Li Youran at the way of forging.
Just now, the female Heavenly Artificers who had been repairing the Heavenly Dragon Palanquin carried it back, set it by the Jade Pool, and began drawing and measuring its structure.
Shen Mu and the Western Emperor stepped forward to look. These female Heavenly Artificers were strapping, sturdy women, full of dash and vigor, their craft mature, their hands and feet deft and sure—clearly they had received the true transmission of the Heavenly King-Buddha Shakra, Li Youran.
Shen Mu was inwardly delighted. *When the Silent Craftsman sees them, he is sure to be pleased. * “Western Emperor,” he said, “Jingping has now made forging the very foundation of the state, and we are exactly in need of such Heavenly Artificers.
If the Western Emperor could send Heavenly Artificers from the Western Expanse Heaven to help, I would hold the favor in my heart forever!
” The more Shen Mu looked at these women, the more he liked them. “Jingping has achieved a good deal in the art of forging as well, and has no lack of able craftsmen,” he said.
“If the Western Emperor sends some female Heavenly Artificers, the two sides can complement each other’s strengths and shortcomings. ” The Western Emperor shook her head and smiled. “You’re trying to hoodwink me again!
I’ve heard of Jingping, too.
Your Jingping forges divine weapons for the Heavenly Court. If I send the Heavenly Artificers of the Western Expanse Heaven to Jingping, wouldn’t I be boosting the Heavenly Court’s might? That is aiding the enemy!
” Shen Mu gave a mocking smile. “Western Emperor, this is precisely where your insight falls short. From the fall of the Kaihuang Era to this day, a full twenty thousand years, the forging of your Western Expanse Heaven has never advanced.