Chapter 411 — Ranging Across Ten Thousand Li of Vast Sky

Emperor Yanfeng was suddenly seized by the feeling that his own cabbage patch had been rooted through by a wild boar, and then the boar had come back and rooted through it a second time. He scrambled frantically to his feet, about to stop the pair of youths, when several deer-spirits came over and pressed him back down so that he had no choice but to sit. The doe-spirit held up a few flowers, motioning the emperor not to move, and tucked the blossoms into his hair, a riot of purple and red. Then a merfolk came over, handing out the red berries that were quarreling so loudly; a whole cluster of berries was clamoring in the fruit dish, a truly alarming sight.

The tree-spirits patrolled the sickbed with black faces, whipping anyone who would not behave across the backside, and for a time all the famed figures of the jianghu, along with the emperor and the empress dowager, grew considerably quieter. Once the spirits had finished their inspection, the emperor was about to hurry over and stop the young pair, when the empress dowager said lazily, "Emperor, spare yourself the trouble.

Children have their own blessings. Fretting over so much, aren't you afraid Xiu'er will never find a husband?

" Emperor Yanfeng said hurriedly, "Mother, you do not know. Dual cultivation of the primordial spirit carries enormous hidden dangers; it can only be done between husband and wife.

If Xiu'er cultivates her primordial spirit with him, their spirits will resonate and together they will ascend to bliss. Then in the future, when she marries, she will be unable to resonate with the consort's primordial spirit; their souls will not be able to echo one another. Without resonance there is no feeling! And if she lacks the joy of primordial resonance, then even after she marries she will be sent back home in divorce!

" The empress dowager laughed. "Then take him as her consort. Is that worth such a fuss? Besides, who would dare divorce a princess of the imperial house? " Emperor Yanfeng was silent a moment, then said, "Mother, he is the Hierarch of the Dark Demon Cult, and also the Human Sovereign. I am not quite at ease.

" The empress dowager fell silent too, understanding what he meant. The Hierarch of the Dark Demon Cult, power that scorches the heavens.

The emperor was the most powerful man in the court, and the Hierarch of the Dark Demon Cult was the most powerful man in the jianghu. The Dark Demon Cult's influence had already spread to every corner of the jianghu and even of the court.

Especially after Shen Mu became the hierarch of this generation, the cult had flourished more than ever, surpassing the peak of its history.

Both the Daoist sect and the Great Tingming Temple had been crippled by Shen Mu and the court, and could no longer contend with the Dark Demon Cult; and the court's reforms and changes required the cult's people, so many masters of the cult had entered the court.

In the Kingdom of Jingping, from the lowest to the highest, the Dark Demon Cult's power was everywhere. Beyond that, Shen Mu was far more enlightened than the Daoist Lord or the Tathagata. He had reformed the Dark Demon Cult, established academies, and adopted wholesale the system by which the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping had carried out his reforms, cultivating talent for the Dark Demon Cult in an endless stream. Shen Mu had been hierarch for barely two years, and had already brought about such enormous change; the emperor and the empress dowager could not help but worry. What worried them more was that Shen Mu had many masters at his side, and also held the identity of the Human Sovereign.

If he produced the Human Sovereign's Seal, then even the Daoist sect, the Great Tingming Temple, and Little Jade Capital would likely have to await his orders! That was truly terrifying! From this point of view, Shen Mu was by no means the best choice for a consort.

If Shen Mu became the consort, then the relatives of the empress could seize power with the greatest of ease!

This was precisely where Emperor Yanfeng's anxiety lay. While he himself sat on the throne, Shen Mu could not seize power; but when he was gone, the realm could change hands in the snap of a finger! Unknowingly, the simple, honest child who had come to the Kingdom of Jingping two years ago had grown into a brindled fierce tiger, one that could do battle with a giant dragon.

Truly frightening. And even if Shen Mu had no thought of seizing power, what of the next hierarch of the Dark Demon Cult?

Who could guarantee that the next hierarch, once he controlled the colossal power Shen Mu left behind, would not cast his eyes upon the throne? "As an emperor, you truly should not entrust imperial authority to another's pity. You have done well.

" The empress dowager said, "But why do I still see hesitation in you?

You guard against Hierarch Shen, yet you indulge him.

That is not your style.

For the sake of the reforms with the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping, you even indulged the Imperial Preceptor in poisoning me, leaving me bedridden all these years, unable to meddle in court affairs. Such ruthlessness, that is what makes you an emperor of the Ling family.

" Emperor Yanfeng, full of guilt, said, "It was indeed with my connivance and tacit consent that Fu Yuanqing poisoned you, Mother. Had it not been done, your influence in the court would have been too great, and the Imperial Preceptor and I would have found it very hard to control power.

Your son is unfilial; I could only ask you to keep out of the way for a time.

Even without Lord Shen's appearance, once I had full control of power I would have had Fu Yuanqing undo the poison in your body. " The empress dowager sighed.

"You did well. You are truly this old woman's own son, more ruthless even than I was in my day.

Then why will you not move against Hierarch Shen? " Emperor Yanfeng was silent, then said hoarsely, "I am afraid. I fear that the Imperial Preceptor and I will fail, and failure means a grave with no place to bury us. This nation's fate, these common people, they cannot all be tied to me, nor all tied to my Ling family. I need an heir, someone to carry on the reforms after the Imperial Preceptor and I fail.

The Ling family has no such person. But the Hierarch of the Dark Demon Cult is such a person. " The empress dowager looked at his face carefully, closely, and sighed. "I never imagined my son would be such a man. I judged you too shallowly. Emperor, let Xiu'er go with Lord Shen.

If you believe he can be the heir, then let Xiu'er be with him. Then even if you and the Imperial Preceptor fail, my Ling family will not be extinguished because of it. " Emperor Yanfeng's heart stirred slightly.

He thought carefully about the meaning of her words, and nodded silently. "You are a good emperor, and the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping is a good Imperial Preceptor of Jingping. " The empress dowager gazed calmly at the distant mountain ridges shrouded in dense mist, and said softly, "I will not oppose you two any longer. This realm, change it as boldly as you please. These laws, reform them as you will. I shall retire here in these mountains and forests, and contend with these little sluts and hussies who want to fight me for my sweetheart!

" Emperor Yanfeng's face darkened again, and he mumbled, "Mother, the dignity of the imperial house. " The empress dowager basked leisurely in the sun, and said with a half-smile, "You are a filial son. Will you not consider your own mother's happiness in her old age? I lay on a sickbed for so many years, knowing full well it was your doing and the Imperial Preceptor's, did I ever reproach you once? Now this is my only remaining wish.

Just let me go.

Fighting these little sluts and hussies is my last pleasure.