Chapter 343 — Visitors from Beyond the Heavens, Sentiments Like Poetry

The dragon qilin wagged its tail and said coaxingly, "I'm more impressive than it is.

" Shen Mu was speechless.

Riding a big fleshy ball with a tail — how was that impressive? It ate better and more than anyone, and it couldn't outrun the green ox — fine, let that pass — but now it couldn't even catch a dog!

"Sect Master, have you grown tired of me?

" The dragon qilin turned its head, eyes brimming with tears.

"You've definitely grown tired of me, haven't you? " Shen Mu snorted, a thread of tenderness in his eyes. "No.

The new year is only a few months off — how could I be tired of you? How about I give you two dou of Scarlet Fire Spirit Pills every day? Eat more, get fatter. " The dragon qilin shuddered.

Xiong Qi'er scrambled clumsily onto its head, carefully gripping a tuft of mane behind its ear so she wouldn't fall, and whispered into its ear, "Don't eat it! You'll be killed at the new year!

" The dragon qilin whimpered softly, "I know! But I just can't control myself. . . " Little Jade Capital was far from the Daoist Sect, and it floated in the sky; at the dragon qilin's pace it would take some ten days to get there.

Shen Mu made a rocking chair and set it on the dragon qilin's broad back, then settled Li Zheng into the chair. The dragon qilin was fat, but that had one advantage: it ran smoothly, so there was no fear of Li Zheng falling off. Xiong Xiyu occasionally drank tea with Li Zheng, and when they passed a city, Shen Mu would go down to buy spirit medicines to continue treating her injuries.

And she did not break her word — she passed on the True Heaven Palace's Myriad Gods Natural Art to Shen Mu. The Myriad Gods Natural Art drew on the true meaning that all things possess spirit and all things possess divinity. The cultivation methods of the Western Lands' True Heaven Palace differed from those of the Central Plains; their path was somewhat akin to the Daoist Sect's, both drawing close to nature. But the Daoist Sect exhaustively studied number and principle — the Dao models itself on nature — while the True Heaven Palace emphasized the mutual resonance of all things and the manifestation of souls. The True Heaven Palace's art cultivated an incomparably powerful faculty of perception, and at the same time bestowed souls upon all things.

Shen Mu pondered it and decided that this art was indeed suited to women; a woman's mind was finer, her perception keener, naturally surpassing a man's. If he cultivated it himself, it would enhance his own perception, but it held little significance for him.

What was truly useful lay in the arts of creation concealed within it. Bestowing souls upon all things was itself a kind of creation art. Compared with the Seven Chapters of Creation in the Great Nurturing Dark Demon Scripture, the Myriad Gods Natural Art was more direct and more exquisite; useful things could be drawn from it. "This art of the True Heaven Palace doesn't seem like something from this age. " When Xiong Xiyu taught him the Myriad Gods Natural Art, Li Zheng heard it too.

After mulling it over, he said, "Palace Master Xiong, your True Heaven Palace's art is rather ancient, and not quite the same as the arts of the Kaihuang Era. When did the True Heaven Palace begin? " Xiong Xiyu shook her head.

"That I don't know either.

I had only just become Palace Master when the Yu family rebelled and seized power; I never had the chance to examine the True Heaven Palace's records. But our True Heaven Palace is exceedingly ancient, with a long and deep lineage. I once heard my nurse Kui say that our True Heaven Palace is older even than the holy lands of the Central Plains. .

. " Her expression dimmed, then she rallied. "If you gentlemen could help me reclaim power in the True Heaven Palace, and I take it back, the palace's texts will be open for you two to read as you please! " Li Zheng yawned, squinted his eyes, and fell asleep. Xiong Xiyu looked at Shen Mu; Shen Mu was playing with Xiong Qi'er, drawing a few birds with a brush.

The little birds flew off the paper and fluttered chirping around the little girl, making Xiong Qi'er giggle without stop. Xiong Xiyu sighed and said no more. Shen Mu and Li Zheng clearly had no intention of helping her return to the Western Lands to seize power.

Going to the True Heaven Palace to contend for power was a murky business, and she had no greater benefits to offer that might entice the two of them. "The only way now is to go to the Jingping Kingdom's Grand Academy and take up the post of Director, hoping to speak at length with the Imperial Teacher of Jingping. " Her eyes flickered as she mused, "But judging by the Imperial Teacher of Jingping's conduct, once he has conquered the grasslands he most likely won't halt his advance; the northern snow plains will hardly stop him. If he annexes the snow plains, might the Western Lands also be among his targets?

To negotiate with him would likely be to skin a tiger.

. . " She hesitated, then remembered that only she and her mother were left of the Xiong family, and her heart hardened.

"The Yu family wiped out my Xiong family to the last. Whatever it takes, I must avenge this sea of blood — so what if I invite a wolf into the house?

This debt must be repaid! " Shen Mu glanced at her. The Western Lands were ruled by women, but judging by her methods, Xiong Xiyu was not suited to be the Palace Master of the True Heaven Palace; she lacked sufficient resolve and ability. The reason Shen Mu had no thought of helping her was that she lacked ability; even if she retook the Western Lands' True Heaven Palace, she likely wouldn't hold it steady.

As a powerhouse who had opened the Divine Bridge Divine Treasury, Xiong Xiyu's strength was sufficient — but to command a holy land was not merely a matter of one person possessing sufficient power. Xiong Xiyu had only just ascended to the position of Palace Master when the Xiong family collapsed utterly, wiped out by the Yu family without the strength to strike back. In this respect, Xiong Xiyu was clearly not a fit Palace Master. Back then, the reason Shen Mu had recommended her to teach at the Grand Academy was to give her a chance to come into contact with the Imperial Teacher of Jingping.

The Imperial Teacher of Jingping had ambition and ability; if Xiong Xiyu wished to use his hand for revenge, she would have to pay a sufficient price. And none of this had anything to do with Shen Mu. Suddenly, Li Zheng opened his eyes and looked into the distance in astonishment.

Shen Mu's heart stirred. "Li Zheng, what is it? " "Someone is challenging me to battle. An old rival. " Li Zheng raised an eyebrow, unconcerned.

"Pay them no mind. Little Jade Capital is almost here — let's go there first and talk afterward. " "A challenge?

" Shen Mu was stunned. "A challenge to Li Zheng? Aren't they afraid of being beaten to death? " At that moment, in Little Jade Capital, Xu Shenghua suddenly rose to his feet and gazed into the distance, a look of doubt on his face.

The old Daoist Master and the old Tathagata were there as well; sensing it too, they all looked toward the direction of Qingmen Pass.

"These auras are very strong.

" A blind old man leaning on a bamboo staff said in surprise, "Old Tu, did you sense it?

" Zaifu was cleaning his nails with a butchering knife.

He raised an eyebrow. "These fellows all have some skill.

Where they come from makes me quite curious.

" Yu Liu and the other women sensed nothing amiss.

"Young Master, what is it? " "My master and the others have descended to the mortal realm. " Xu Shenghua said in surprise, "So many divine beings descending — could something have happened in the Heavens Above?

" The old Tathagata smiled.

"Young Master Xu, they're flaring their auras as if challenging someone.

It shouldn't be that something has happened in the Heavens Above. " Xu Shenghua mused, "Challenging someone?