Chapter 649 — A Sense of Loss

Why should it be handed to the emperor for nothing?

" Shen Mu said with patience, "There is a way even in commerce. The Sacred Cult was not founded to do business, but for the daily use of the common people, to let them live better. When the Sacred Cult does business, it is to serve the people's convenience, not to squeeze out wealth. The money you earn is Dafeng coin, the currency of Jingping; if the State of Jingping ceases to exist, the Dafeng coin is worth nothing at all. And now the Sacred Cult has gathered half the wealth of the world under its hand - I would say calamity is not far off.

" Si Yunxiang was still reluctant: "But it was all earned through bitter toil. .

. " Shen Mu said, "Trade can bring wealth, and trade can bring ruin.

What benefits the people and the state may be done; what harms them may not. The Heavenly Sacred Cult is not so great that it can stand above the common folk, above the fate of the realm, so great that it cannot fall! The founding purpose of the Heavenly Sacred Cult is the way of the sages, not the seizing of the world's wealth. " Si Yunxiang was still unwilling to yield, when suddenly an old woman walked toward the two primordial spirits, raised her head to look at them, and said, "Xiang'er, the Cult Master is right. What is taken from the people should be used for the people.

Our Si family manages the finances and holds the wealth of the Sacred Cult, but the wealth of the Sacred Cult is still the Cult Master's to command.

You have squeezed your way into the eye of a coin, and forgotten the first purpose of the Heavenly Sacred Cult. " Shen Mu said hastily, "Greetings, Ancestral Grandmother of the Si family! " The old woman returned the courtesy in haste and grinned: "Cult Master, Xiang'er is a little greedy for small gains, but she is not a petty person. " Shen Mu thanked her and said, "So this is the Si household.

I intruded rashly and disturbed you, Ancestral Grandmother; forgive me. I am still in the imperial garden and must return quickly. " With that he bowed deeply, and his primordial spirit vanished. Si Yunxiang also withdrew her primordial spirit and returned to her body, saying, "Ancestral Grandmother, why should the wealth of the Sacred Cult be given to the emperor?

" The Ancestral Grandmother of the Si family smiled: "The Cult Master spoke truly.

When the people are rich and the state is weak, it is not the people who are rich but a handful of powerful houses; and if foreign enemies invade and the state is destroyed, the people's wealth is gone with it, and however much treasure there was turns to running water. The best path is still this: a rich people and a strong state.

If the state does not fall, the people's wealth endures. " In the imperial garden, Shen Mu's primordial spirit returned to his body, and he saw Ling Yuxiu bending low on the other side of the flower, eyes closed, breathing in its scent - a single blossom between them. Ling Yuxiu stealthily opened her eyes and found Shen Mu staring at her with wide eyes; her pretty face flushed scarlet.

Shen Mu released the branch and lightly kissed her on the lips.

Ling Yuxiu cried out in alarm and ran off, darting away through the flowers and willows, her voice carrying back from afar: "You rogue! If my father finds out he will have your head! " Shen Mu laughed heartily and set off after her. Behind a willow in the distance, Emperor Yanfeng's face was dark as he said to the little eunuch behind him, "Bring me my little notebook!

" The little eunuch hurriedly presented the notebook along with brush and ink. Emperor Yanfeng opened it and wrote: "Taking liberties with my precious daughter - I will have your head.

Put it on account for now!

" "Your Majesty, is it not somewhat unseemly for us to spy here? " the little eunuch ventured cautiously. Emperor Yanfeng glared at him: "I will have your head.

Not now - I will put it on account first.

" The little eunuch pouted: "Your Majesty, you have already had my head a dozen times or more. " Shen Mu caught up with Ling Yuxiu, and the young pair wandered and played for a while, easy and content, feeling their affection deepen by the moment.

Just as they were about to do something more, the First Ancestor Human Emperor came searching for them; seeing him, Ling Yuxiu hastily withdrew. "She is not a bad girl," said the First Ancestor Human Emperor.

Shen Mu was startled: "You saw all that?

" "The emperor saw it too.

Over there.

" The First Ancestor Human Emperor pointed to a thicket in the distance: "He has been following you two for quite a while. The empress is over there, behind the rockery.

I watched them a moment ago; they did not notice me.

" Cold sweat sprang out on Shen Mu's forehead.

He looked toward the thicket and saw the emperor gathering up his dragon robe and scurrying off with the little eunuch at his heels; on the other side, from behind the rockery, the Empress and her train of maids departed in a fluster.

The First Ancestor Human Emperor watched Shen Mu's embarrassment and laughed: "You are like me - a master who keeps his hands off and leaves all to others. Now that the negotiation with Chi Xi has been handed to the emperor, let us speak of serious matters.

Do you wish to learn my Heaven-and-Earth Seal? You have seen how mighty my Heaven-and-Earth Seal is, and yet I have never found an heir.

Only you can inherit my Seal. . . " "First Ancestor, it is not that I do not wish to learn, but that your heart and mine are not the same," Shen Mu said gravely. "I have not lived your life; I cannot learn your Seal.

" The First Ancestor was stunned, as if he had suddenly taken a crushing blow; in a moment he wilted, his spirits dashed, and he seemed to age greatly.

Shen Mu could not bear it and said, "How about this: pass it to me first.

If I can learn it, I will learn it; if I cannot, I will find you an heir. " The First Ancestor turned sorrow to joy and laughed: "Since you possess an Overlord Body, you are certain to learn it!

My art is called the Heaven-and-Earth Heart Sage Formula. With the heart of heaven and earth within one's own body, one stands amid a collapsing heaven and earth, and though the sky falls and the earth splits with all its force, one stands unshaken - and the power of that rending sky and splitting earth becomes my Heaven-and-Earth Seal!

" He transmitted his art and his Seal to Shen Mu in the minutest detail. Shen Mu studied with all his heart, memorized, and pondered. The First Ancestor Human Emperor's art and Seal were indeed peerlessly exquisite, hardly inferior to the Indra Heavenly King Sutra, and within them were stored all manner of knowledge and insight from the Kaihuang Era. Yet such arts and divine powers bore the deep brand of their age.

Shen Mu pondered them a while and could never find the method. But the First Ancestor Human Emperor was full of expectation, waiting for him to display the Seal; instead he saw Shen Mu, having learned the Seal, go straight back to studying the runes and brands upon the Wheel of Creation, trying to combine the runes and bring forth the divine power of Creation. Idly Shen Mu sent out a seal, and a little palace maid passing by them shrieked and turned into a sheep bleating maa-maa.

Shen Mu was astonished and delighted: "It worked!

It worked! " The First Ancestor Human Emperor was desolate. Shen Mu caught the little sheep running every which way and reversed the seal; the sheep became the palace maid again, who fled in terror.

Shen Mu glimpsed his expression and smiled: "First Ancestor, I told you - our hearts are not the same. I do not have your state of mind, so I cannot bring forth your Seal.

" The First Ancestor Human Emperor shook his head and turned to go, his manner bleak: "You have never tried - how do you know it will not work?

I thought you were like me, a Shen orphan, abandoned in this world. .

. " Boom - a violent tremor suddenly came from behind him.