Chapter 1640 — Disciples of the Mystic Sect

The Great Brahma Heaven King Buddha turned to the Dao Ancestor and said, "The disciples of your Daoist sect are not at all bad in ability."

The Dao Ancestor, not without pride, smiled and said, "We of the Daoist sect are skilled in calculation. In the Jingping reforms Yuchenzi absorbed the micro arts of number and fathomed out the chaos arts of number — a remarkable thing. His chaos arts excel at hazy reckoning."

Yuchenzi changed tack and bowed. "Since the Heavenly Court's second Celestial Master, Meng Yungui, can see through it, I beg the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping to point me a road to live."

Shen Mu pondered. "Meng Yungui is of the human race..."

"The bond of a common blood may not move his heart. Let the Imperial Preceptor choose another road."

Shen Mu said, "Meng Yungui is greedy for wealth..."

Yuchenzi shook his head. "That is his art of disguise. It is simply that, being of the human race and too high in wit and stratagem, he must be cautious and meticulous, and so deliberately exposes a greed for wealth lest others do him harm. Let the Imperial Preceptor choose another road again."

Shen Mu said, "The third Celestial Master, Bai Yuqiong, is likewise of the human race, and likewise a reincarnation of the Southern Emperor. After you reach the Heavenly Court, go first to see her. Bai Yuqiong knows Meng Yungui deeply, and can tell you his weak points."

Yuchenzi said, "Then, Imperial Preceptor, how am I to move Bai Yuqiong?"

Shen Mu circulated his mana and forged a jade pendant by the Dao of Reincarnation, saying, "Take this jade pendant and go to her. She owes me a debt; it is time she repaid it. Tell her that if Meng Yungui does not hold his tongue, the human race will be exterminated."

Yuchenzi did not take the pendant. "How can the Imperial Preceptor be so certain that Bai Yuqiong's heart leans toward the human race?"

"She has been reincarnated one hundred and ninety-seven times, and never once was she reborn as another race."

Shen Mu's eyes flickered. "One hundred and ninety-seven lives, every one of them human."

Yuchenzi put away the reincarnation pendant, bowed, and said, "I will certainly not betray the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping's trust!" With that, he rose and departed.

Shen Mu watched him go into the distance and said with feeling, "That the human race should possess such a prodigy is truly a blessing."

Having dealt with this matter, he suddenly looked about at those around him and asked, "The Divine Emperor Langxuan is dead. Who is his avatar here in Jingping? Has the Emperor already sent men to kill him?"

At that moment Ling Yuxiu came in from outside and said, "I have already dispatched the Immortal King of Yujing to Canglang Isle, to kill Langxuan's reincarnation, Yu Cangqi. Word will come within a few days!"

"Pray Your Majesty inform Wang Muran at once: do not kill Langxuan's avatar. Let him leave Yu Cangqi a road to live, and drive him into the Southern Heaven, and let him go to see Huo Tianzun!"

Shen Mu bowed. "Pray Your Majesty issue the decree."

The others were baffled by his meaning. Ling Yuxiu looked at him, and after a moment said, "Driving Langxuan's avatar into the Southern Heaven — what does the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping intend by it? Is it to give Huo Tianzun the wherewithal to rise higher?"

"Langxuan's entry into the Southern Heaven is not the wherewithal for Huo Tianzun to rise higher."

Shen Mu said, "It is the beginning of Huo Tianzun's doom."

"How so?" Ling Yuxiu said with a frown.

"Langxuan is a son of Taichu. Hao Tianzun is a son of Taichu. Hao Tianzun may kill Langxuan, but Huo Tianzun is a slave and cannot kill Langxuan, or he takes the road to his own death. If Hao Tianzun tolerates him, Taichu cannot."

Shen Mu said unhurriedly, "When Langxuan reaches the Southern Heaven, if Huo Tianzun hands him over to Hao Tianzun, Taichu will surely kill him to avenge his son. If Huo Tianzun does not hand him over to Hao Tianzun, then Hao Tianzun will kill him."

He said mildly, "As matters stand, Huo Tianzun has become a burden to Hao Tianzun. The world is about to be unified, and that Huo Tianzun should still be taking a share of the broth from Hao Tianzun already pains him to the bone. Hao Tianzun has always been deeply suspicious of Huo Tianzun; Huo Tianzun is, after all, of the human race, and can never set his mind at rest — he forever fears that Huo Tianzun will defect to the human race. And even if Huo Tianzun does not defect to the human race, but to Taichu, that too would be the straw that breaks the camel's back, turning his splendid situation to his ruin. At such a time, a dead Huo Tianzun is the best dog of all."

Ling Yuxiu said, "When the cunning hare dies, the running dog is cooked."

Shen Mu said, "Langxuan's reincarnation is of no consequence. His going to the Southern Heaven is only a fuse — a fuse that will exact a life."

Ling Yuxiu's primordial spirit shrieked forth from her flesh and was gone in an instant — she had roused the Primordial Spirit Beacon and gone herself to inform Wang Muran.

Shen Mu closed his eyes, and only after a long while slowly opened them again. He stepped over to the Old Buddha and the Dao Ancestor and sat down.

The Dao Ancestor brewed tea and said, "The Tianzun has relaxed. Does he not intend to do anything more?"

"Nothing more."

Shen Mu drank his tea and said, calm of countenance, "For now I need only quietly await the negotiations between the Heavenly Court and Jingping, and quietly await the death of Huo Tianzun."

Just then Xue Huer and Si Yunxiang came in one after another with several hundred Daoist experts in their train. Xue Huer said in a crisp, bright voice, "Young Master, the trade figures and the Heavenly Coin circulation figures for the myriad heavens and worlds that you asked for are all sorted out!"

Shen Mu hastily drained his cup at a draught and set to work again.

The Dao Ancestor shook his head. "Truly, he cannot stay idle."