Chapter 266 — The Heavenly King Ranks Fourth

Shen Mu pondered long. The flaws the Imperial Preceptor pointed out differed from those the village headman had pointed out; both men were grandmasters of the sword, but they walked different paths. In the village headman's swordsmanship there was a fierce, stirring passion, while the Imperial Preceptor's was sweeping and commanding, reforming, advancing, and pioneering. Different philosophies, and thus different swordsmanship.

The guidance they gave Shen Mu, and the benefit he gained, were likewise different.

With the village headman's guidance, Shen Mu had exhausted his wisdom; his foundation was not enough to improve the two moves further—but the Imperial Preceptor's guidance opened another path, allowing him to keep improving his swordsmanship.

They practiced as they walked, and Shen Mu's understanding of the sword grew ever greater; he felt his swordsmanship seemed dimly about to leap to another level, but always a gauze lay between, and he could not leap across. "No need to practice more; more practice will bring no progress," the Imperial Preceptor said. "To break through, you must come to a realization of your own.

" Shen Mu was puzzled, but Emperor Yanfeng, watching from the side, understood clearly, and said with feeling, "One step further and you will be a minor grandmaster. Minister Shen, how old are you now, to reach such a level? When I reached this step, I was fifty-seven.

I cultivated the Nine Dragons Emperor Art, drawing on the qi of nine dragons to cultivate.

My vital essence was vast, and I sensed the dragon qi of the earth moving, the tides of the realm bustling and ever-changing and unfathomable, and only then broke through in one stroke.

You are thirty or forty years earlier than I was. " Shen Mu smiled. "What is the strength of Your Majesty's Nine Dragons Emperor Art? " "My strength is transformation," Emperor Yanfeng said gravely. "If you wish to learn, I can teach you. Before me, the Nine Dragons Emperor Art was merely an art for mastering spells, but in my hands, any spell, any sword technique, any physical divine power can be brought forth.

Why?

Because the dragon is transformation!

A dragon may be great or small, may hide or appear, may soar into the heavens, may roam the deep seas, may lie hidden in the abyss as a submerged dragon, may appear in the fields, may gather clouds and pour rain, may burn the sky with fire, may command wind and thunder, may send down sweet dew. Do you wish to learn? " He had thought Shen Mu would refuse, for after all he was the cult leader of the Nether Demon Cult, a figure of resounding name—but unexpectedly Shen Mu said crisply, "I do! " Emperor Yanfeng was stunned, then suddenly laughed heartily. "Very well. Who says the Nine Dragons Emperor Art is my Ling family's art and cannot be taught outside?

I shall pass it to you. " The wife of the Imperial Preceptor looked at Emperor Yanfeng in surprise, and the Imperial Preceptor said calmly, "His Majesty has always been such a man—bold and open, or he would not have dared to use me.

In truth, I have read the original text of the Nine Dragons Emperor Art no fewer than ten times. " Emperor Yanfeng passed the Nine Dragons Emperor Art to Shen Mu, teaching him how to move qi, how to circulate the qi of the nine dragons.

This art differed from the Mystic Body Three Elixir Art; its practice was grand and majestic, and at the same time endlessly varied, every gesture concealing the mighty power of heaven and earth. "The Nine Heavens Divine Dragon Cover is a spell: it transforms into nine true dragons, hides them in the clouds, and attacks the enemy. Watch!

" Emperor Yanfeng roused his vital essence, and a small cloud the size of a palm emerged three inches above his head; several wisps of dragon qi thin as earthworms bared claws and fangs, most ferocious.

Emperor Yanfeng's vital essence was spent, and the cloud and dragon qi dispersed with a pop. Emperor Yanfeng panted for breath and said sheepishly, "I have no dharma power left, but you should understand the idea.

" Shen Mu nodded, roused the Mystic Body Three Elixir Art, and fused the Nine Dragons Emperor Art with the vital essence of his Overlord Body; in midair dragons suddenly hid and appeared, nine dragons thrusting out their claws and crushing to powder all the rocks within several dozen zhang around them.

Emperor Yanfeng was stunned, and the Imperial Preceptor was astonished as well, and they saw the nine dragons circle and fly above them, then suddenly turn into fire dragons, flames whirling, and at once a fire tornado formed around them, lifting their bodies up. The fire dragons changed again, commanding a great flood and bearing them upon the water; then thunder erupted, crackling and striking down all around.

Emperor Yanfeng and the Imperial Preceptor exchanged a glance, each seeing the shock in the other's eyes.

This Nine Dragons Emperor Art, the moment Shen Mu took it in hand, was as if he had cultivated it for ten or twenty years—truly wielded at will, better than most of the princes in the Imperial Academy's Princes' Court cultivated it.

Shen Mu dispersed the Nine Heavens Divine Dragon Cover, and Emperor Yanfeng taught him all he had learned and realized without reserve, and sighed, "If only your surname were Ling. . .

" Ahead, the capital was only two or three days' journey away, and there were still three days until the third month's sixth day, when the crown prince would ascend the throne. Suddenly a great bird flew in on beating wings, rolled upon landing, and became a woman in blue robes, who stood bowed before them. "Reporting to the Holy Master, all is prepared.

" Shen Mu nodded. "Go on ahead.

" "As you command.

" The woman turned and ran two steps, then suddenly her body shook, two wings grew from her back, and she tore through the air and was gone. "If the Great Thunderclap Temple and the Daoist sect can kill an emperor, then my Heaven Sacred Cult can too.

Otherwise, how could we be the foremost holy land of the demon path? " Shen Mu said softly.

The Imperial Preceptor frowned. "What do you intend? " "Enter the city. Kill the emperor.

"