Chapter 379 — Punishing on Heaven's Behalf

Shen Mu had already passed on to Emperor Yanfeng the method of operating the Sun-Shooting Divine Cannon; it must have been Yanfeng who fired that shot. On the platform, the fire in the alchemy furnace gave off a white light, and the holy-eye-shaped divine cannon at its center turned slowly, brimming with dreadful power.

Emperor Yanfeng's face glowed red, high in spirits. "The cannon you built with your own hands shot down a god.

" Long Yu said to Shen Mu: "The times have changed.

Mortals can slay the gods who sit on high. Human Sovereign, is this a good thing or a bad thing?

" "I do not know. I only know that gods can no longer do as they please!

" Shen Mu's heart surged; the Sun-Shooting Divine Cannon he had built with his own hands had struck down a god who sat on high; this was the highest glory.

Long Yu looked at him, then suddenly said with meaning: "Human Sovereign, there are many books in Little Yujing.

If you have the leisure, I suggest you read the histories of the ages before. " Shen Mu was slightly startled.

He turned to meet the approaching platform and said with a smile: "I still have to return to the capital, to study with Sister Yuxiu the matter of cultivating the primordial spirit in the Six Harmonies realm, and to press forward the reforms.

When I have time, I will go to Little Yujing again; the old immortals there promised me I might enter the Hall of Five Qi once more. " Long Yu sighed and said no more. Wang Muran was wholly absorbed in cultivation, and Mu Qingdai could hardly sit still; of the three disciples of Little Yujing, only he was the steadiest, and he had read many of Little Yujing's books.

That the Sun-Shooting Divine Cannon had slain a god was indeed stunning, but the consequences it might bring filled him with worry. Wang Muran and Mu Qingdai also went to meet the platform, and Long Yu had no choice but to follow.

"Your Majesty.

Imperial Preceptor!

" Shen Mu and the others landed on the platform. Shen Mu made his salute; Emperor Yanfeng, unable to hide his elation, waved a hand and said with a laugh: "No need for such courtesy, dear Shen!

This cannon.

.

. " Shen Mu smiled: "Does Your Majesty feel good?

" Emperor Yanfeng, high in spirits, laughed heartily: "Good! With that one shot I slew the god who loosed the disaster; good is not the half of it! It was acting on Heaven's behalf!

A pity those other gods fled too fast; otherwise I could have let the Imperial Preceptor have his fun, and dear Shen too!

" The historian behind him coughed and said in a low voice: "Your Majesty, mind your words. .

.

" Emperor Yanfeng waved a hand and said with a laugh: "Just don't write it down.

I have long been itching to fire the damned thing, but the medicine and stone it consumes are truly too much.

Had I not heard this time that dear Shen was in peril, carried off by a strange-looking god, and that gods were doing battle here, I would have had no chance to use this great cannon! By the way, dear Shen, come and meet this aggrieved party, the master of the Taibai Sword Sect.

He has come to lodge a complaint with the throne, saying you took a strange and frightful being and a host of flood dragons and seized his Taibai Sword Sect.

" Shen Mu looked behind Emperor Yanfeng and saw a white-haired old man step forward, a smile on his face. "This master says you and that strange man swallowed up the treasures of his Taibai Sword Sect. " Emperor Yanfeng said with a laugh: "I thought something was off at once, and summoned the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping.

He said your Heavenly Sage Cult had no such host of flood dragons, and that most likely something had happened to you.

" Shen Mu thanked the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping. The Imperial Preceptor shook his head: "No need to thank me. Thank the master of Taibai. Had he not come to lodge his complaint, no one would have known you were in peril. " The Taibai master said hurriedly: "Ignorance is no crime. I had thought Master Shen meant to seize my Taibai Sword Sect and swallow its treasures, and so I hurried to the capital to complain, never expecting to have done a good turn instead.

Master Shen, is there some treasure in my Mount Taibai?

If you did obtain it, could you return it to my Taibai Sword Sect?

" "That. .

.

" Shen Mu looked troubled, torn within, unsure whether he should tell this master of Taibai the truth. Suddenly an officer came flying up and reported: "Your Majesty, the god's corpse has been found!

" Emperor Yanfeng's spirits soared; he waved a hand: "Bring it up! "