Chapter 266 — The Heavenly King Ranks Fourth

The emperor and the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping did not know whether to laugh or cry. This cult leader of the demon path was truly audacious beyond measure—as the leader of the Nether Demon Cult, he had not the slightest scruple. He even wished to drag both the emperor and the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping into his Nether Demon Cult!

"If you cannot heal your wounds, and cannot take back the throne, then with the skills of my Heaven Sacred Cult, you can at least keep body and soul together. " Shen Mu urged them on.

"Moreover, if you join the cult now, I can grant you very high office—a Heavenly King, an Elder, or the like. When you are utterly ruined and beyond saving, and only then wish to join, the most I can give you is an incense master, and a deputy at that. My lady, help me persuade them. " The wife of the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping smiled but said nothing, offering no further words.

The Imperial Preceptor of Jingping said calmly, "If I am to do it, I will be the cult leader.

" Emperor Yanfeng nodded.

"So will I.

" The Imperial Preceptor said, "You be the cult leader, and I will be your helper.

" Shen Mu's eyes lit up.

"Does the emperor truly wish to be cult leader? " Emperor Yanfeng was struck dumb, jaw agape, never having expected that Shen Mu truly meant to give up the seat of the Nether Demon Cult's leader. If he himself became the leader of the Nether Demon Cult, would not all of Jingping belong to that cult?

This was truly a hot potato, one that must not be taken up!

The Imperial Preceptor felt his head swell as well, and quietly shook his head at the emperor, signaling him not to accept.

The wife of the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping burst out laughing. "Cult Leader Shen, they are unwilling, but I am willing.

I wonder what post the cult leader might arrange for me? " Shen Mu's eyes lit up, and he inwardly praised the woman's cleverness; she had stepped forward to smooth things over and spare the Imperial Preceptor and the emperor embarrassment.

"If my lady joins the cult, she may have a sinecure, a title in name only," Shen Mu said with a smile.

"Does my lady know embroidery?

How would you like to be Incense Master of the Embroidery Hall?

" "Good. " The young wife laughed, and drawing the Imperial Preceptor aside, she said in a low voice, "Why must you refuse Cult Leader Shen, my husband?

On this return to the capital, what are your chances—yours and His Majesty's? " The Imperial Preceptor was silent a moment, then said, "The people of the realm support the reform. Seven or eight in ten of the civil and military ministers at court are my men and His Majesty's.

Once we return to the capital, we can surely execute the traitors and seize back power. " The wife of the Imperial Preceptor laughed.

"Truly? Will the Great Thunderclap Temple and the Daoist sect not stand in your way?

Is it you who can hold off the Tathagata and the Dao Lord, or His Majesty who can hold them off? " Shen Mu leaned in and said with a smile, "In the capital, every prince and minister's household lodges several Daoist priests or monks, chanting Buddhist sutras or reciting Daoist scriptures. " The Imperial Preceptor fell silent. His wife pushed Shen Mu away and said in a low voice, "The two great holy lands watch your forces so closely that all who are close to you have been placed under house arrest or thrown into prison.

Now the only strength you can borrow is Cult Leader Shen's.

If you would borrow another's strength, you must set their mind at ease.

" Shen Mu leaned in once more, about to speak, and the wife pushed him away again.

The Imperial Preceptor pondered a moment, then walked over to Shen Mu. "Does the Heaven Sacred Cult still lack a Heavenly King?

" Shen Mu nodded.

"The fourth Heavenly King. " The Imperial Preceptor said, "I will be that fourth Heavenly King—but His Majesty must on no account be entangled with the Heaven Sacred Cult. Your Majesty, I will join his Heaven Sacred Cult. " Emperor Yanfeng was astonished; after a long while he said slowly, "The Imperial Preceptor of Jingping is put to hardship.

" Shen Mu smiled and said to Emperor Yanfeng, "Your Majesty seems to have some misunderstanding of my Heaven Sacred Cult. My Heaven Sacred Cult is not a cult; it simply carries out a philosophy for the daily use of the common people, and walks the way of the sages.

This reform of yours and the Imperial Preceptor's shares our philosophy. .

.

" The wife of the Imperial Preceptor laughed. "Cult Leader, we should be on our way. There is no need to preach further—His Majesty cannot join our Heaven Sacred Cult.

" The wife of the Imperial Preceptor sat on the Dragon Qilin's back, while Shen Mu, the Imperial Preceptor, and the emperor walked below; the two roused the Mystic Body Three Elixir Art Shen Mu had taught them to restore some of their vital essence. These two were like ascetics; their pace was not quick, and their walking was labored. Only after two or three days did they reach Qinzhou. The Nether Demon Cult of Qinzhou had already prepared the medicinal materials, and Shen Mu at last healed the injuries to Emperor Yanfeng's hun and po; the Imperial Preceptor's external wounds were cured. It was only that the remnants of the other divine powers the god had left within his body could not be drawn out.

The remnants of the god's divine powers were exceedingly powerful.

If the Imperial Preceptor could refine these remnants, it would be no trouble for Shen Mu to heal all his wounds.

The crux was that the Imperial Preceptor could not circulate his dharma power; these remnants hid within his body and his divine treasury, and he had to use his own dharma power to suppress them—a moment's carelessness might trigger their might. "The emperor and the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping—not one of them can fight," Shen Mu reflected.

The two strongest men of Jingping were now both invalids, both needing his care and protection. He too cultivated, unceasing day and night; whenever he walked, the Mystic Body Three Elixir Art stirred of itself, and five streams of stellar power and starlight poured down without cease from the sky.

And as they traveled, Shen Mu diligently practiced his swordsmanship, rehearsing over and over the two sword techniques the village headman had taught him, trying to perfect them. When the Imperial Preceptor saw the diagrams of these two sword moves, he gave a soft cry of surprise, could not help but look a few more times, and asked in astonishment, "Cult Leader, which of the great ones in your village passed these on to you?

" "Our village headman.

The eldest one. " The Imperial Preceptor pondered a moment, then said, "You are trying to fuse the three basic sword forms I created into these two moves? These two moves are already perfection itself. Adding my basic sword forms would instead break their balance; it might increase their power, but it would open many flaws.

Why would you do such a thing? " Shen Mu executed the move One Sword Opens the Emperor, Blood Like a Vast Ocean, and suddenly felt in his heart a desolation that brought tears. One sword opens the emperor, blood like a vast ocean; the mountains and rivers remain, the heart is vast and lost; he looks left and right—the old kingdom is no more, and none still don the old attire. Here was a solitary man mourning his old kingdom, mourning his fallen heroes, filled with a grief both tragic and heroic.

The Imperial Preceptor picked up a branch from the ground and said, "There are still many flaws in your moves. Let me feed you moves.

" Shen Mu's eyes lit up.

"Please instruct me.

" "I would not presume. " Shen Mu also fetched a branch, and the two used branches as swords; the Imperial Preceptor attacked, and Shen Mu defended with the two sword moves from the diagrams. In but a moment, the Imperial Preceptor slipped through the gap and broke Sword Treads the Mountains and Rivers.