Chapter 672 — The Youth Bestows the Art

Then again, the cultivation arts and divine abilities of the Daoist gate are founded upon the numerological arts, and demand the very highest attainment therein. As for the Flawless Creation Mystic Sutra, the things it touches are likewise exceedingly broad: it demands attainment in the numerological arts, and also learning in runes and seal marks, learning in creation, learning in the mechanics of the physical body — it draws in a great many fields. It was precisely because the First Ancestor Human Emperor and Shen Mu had studied all these fields that they could master the art. Were it anyone else, merely to study these things until they attained some measure of success would take decades, even centuries — and by then the art would only just be at the gate.

And that is only the demand of wisdom! Add to that the Emperor's Throne art's exceedingly harsh demands upon aptitude and comprehension, and so, even if Shen Mu spread the Emperor's Throne arts through the world, there would be few among those who command divine abilities who could perfect the Flawless Creation Mystic Sutra, and far fewer still who achieved anything great.

Shen Mu transmitted the Flawless Creation Mystic Sutra to the crowd, whole and entire.

This art embraces all things; he did his utmost to speak plainly and simply, that all might understand. But the people of the Hidden Cripple Village each had their own strengths, and in the end it was Granny Zhu who was first to grasp the key to cultivating the Flawless Creation Mystic Art. Granny Zhu had cultivated the Great Nurturing Dark Demon Sutra, and she chiefly cultivated the Seven Chapters of Creation from the Heavenly Demon Sutra; hence she had surpassing attainment in this field. Shen Mu was tireless, explaining over and over, answering the crowd's questions.

The Flawless Creation Mystic Sutra drew in too many fields; even for him to answer was somewhat laborious. Fortunately, the Crimson Emperor had transmitted to him his own Three Primal Gods' Indestructible Divine Consciousness — an art concerning the creation of the primal spirit, which could be set against the Flawless Creation Mystic Sutra for mutual reference.

Moreover, the First Ancestor Human Emperor was there at his side; he had cultivated this art and had many views of his own, so wherever Shen Mu could not answer, he spoke up and answered.

Before long, the Deaf Elder shuffled back and sat down to listen. Shen Mu lectured for days and nights on end until his mouth was dry and his tongue parched. The second to comprehend the Creation Mystic Art was, instead, the Deaf Elder.

As for the Headman, the Pill Master, Old Huo, the Lame Elder, the Silent Craftsman, the Blind Elder, and the rest, none of them had yet got a grasp of it. Shen Mu's head ached. Then a sudden flash of inspiration came, and he laughed, "I have another Emperor's Throne art here — the Three Primal Gods' Indestructible Divine Consciousness, also an art of the emperors of the Crimson Brightness era.

I shall pass this art to you as well, and you may verify one against the other. " The Headman frowned, "One Emperor's Throne art is already hard enough to digest; bring in another, and I fear we shall spend a lifetime comprehending it.

Shen'er, greed for too much leaves a man unable to chew. " Shen Mu laughed, "Greed is exactly what is wanted. The Flawless Creation Mystic Sutra cultivates the physical body, while this art cultivates the primal spirit. The two arts complement each other's strengths and shortcomings precisely, and their principles have much in common.

If the two are learned together, perhaps it will be easier to get a grasp of them!

" He expounded the Three Primal Gods' Indestructible Divine Consciousness. As the crowd listened, the astonishment on their faces deepened. When Shen Mu had earlier expounded the Creation Mystic Sutra, there had been many obscure and hard passages — plainly places where Shen Mu himself had not digested it fully. But in expounding the Three Primal Gods' Indestructible Divine Consciousness he seemed to have become the art's founder himself; his comprehension of it was far beyond mere thoroughness.

He was as the Crimson Emperor reborn, personally preaching the Way and teaching the art to them!

And in truth, though it was Shen Mu who expounded the art, what Shen Mu spoke was the Crimson Emperor's own understanding — for the Crimson Emperor had handed over to him, in full, all his thought and consciousness concerning the Three Primal Gods' Indestructible Divine Consciousness! For the Crimson Emperor himself to preach the Way was no small thing! Indeed, as Shen Mu had said, the two arts complemented and interpenetrated each other; many points the Headman and the others had not grasped before were opened at a single touch when they heard Shen Mu expound them, and the crowd nodded again and again.

"To think that after teaching Shen'er all these years, in the end we should become his students.

" The Pill Master was filled with emotion, and he laughed. As Shen Mu lectured on, his own comprehension of the Flawless Creation Mystic Sutra grew deeper and deeper; method after method became clear without his comprehending them, and divine ability after divine ability grew refined without his cultivating them. His heart was like a bright mirror; he grasped every exquisite point of the Creation Mystic Sutra.

When he had finished expounding the Three Primal Gods' Indestructible Divine Consciousness, his body suddenly shook violently, and he cried out, "I know why the Bright Emperor was defeated, and why the Crimson Brightness era perished! Without the Indestructible Divine Consciousness, the Creation Mystic Sutra carries an enormous flaw!

" The Headman's aptitude and comprehension were exceedingly high, and he grasped it at once. In a heavy voice he said, "The Bright Emperor's primal spirit could not refine the other two heads of the three-headed, six-armed form, nor the other four arms.

Whoever killed him must have cut off his two heads and sheared away his four arms!

This Bright Emperor must have died most miserably! "