Chapter 1681 — The Footsteps of That Heavenly Venerable

Countless living beings of later ages have basked in your blessing! " Lan Yutian caught him by both arms and shook his head. "A blessing, perhaps not.

I created the art of becoming a god, and the common folk gained little from it, while gods and devils gained far too much — so much that they lord it over the common people and bully them as they please. " The Star Source lord was silent a moment, then said, "Your teaching is most just.

Ziman receives it, and will hold it in his heart.

" His name was Ziman; but because he was lord of the Star Source Heaven, few spoke his name aloud, and most addressed him as the Star Source lord. He too was a member of the Heavenly Alliance.

In the Alliance, apart from the Ten Venerables, those who held power were the lords of the various heavens. Lan Yutian said, "My brother will most likely not come over. His energy is too great; your bridge would have to be enlarged a hundredfold to bear it.

But you may rest easy — he will send men with the money. " The Star Source lord said hurriedly, "For a sum so trifling, why should the leader of the Heavenly Alliance keep it so firmly in mind?

" Lan Yutian smiled. "My brother keeps to the rules.

The more ordinary the man he deals with, the more strictly he keeps to them; the smaller the matter, the greater it seems in his eyes. That is why he is loved.

" A few days more, and one after another, tower ships out of Jingping sailed clear of the Spirit Energy Translocation Bridge, their holds heaped to the brim with Da Feng coins, glinting so brightly that men stared and could not look away. The Star Source lord had never seen so much money in his life. Startled, he said hurriedly, "The leader of the Alliance but borrows the road — how can he send so much?

Too much, far too much!

" "Too much indeed! " Si Yunxiang stepped out of a cabin, clapped her hands, and said with a smile, "This money is not only the Venerable Shepherd's crossing fee. It is the crossing fee for billions of humans and devils besides, so I brought extra.

Congratulations, Star Source lord — your Star Source Heaven is about to grow rich. " The Star Source lord was dazed, unable to make sense of it.

"Why does the Prime Minister say so? " Demon King Dutian came forward, took out the Gourd Heaven Bottle, and raised it on high, where it became a whole heaven in the air.

The gods and devils of Jingping at once began moving the people of Jingping who dwelt within the Gourd Heaven Bottle, guiding them onto the Spirit Energy Translocation Bridge to set out for Jingping.

Orderly and well coordinated, they kept the bridge running always at a reasonable load, and the migration proceeded without the least disorder. Watching, the Star Source lord was filled with admiration. "Lord, the Da Feng coins aboard the ships come to ten billion in all," Si Yunxiang said, coming to his side.

"Has my lord thought of how such a sum is to be spent?

" Thunder filled the Star Source lord's skull.

He stammered, "Ten billion. .

. When will I ever spend it all?

" Si Yunxiang burst out laughing.

"My lord, spending is easy; earning is hard.

If you think ten billion Da Feng coins too much, you are badly mistaken.

For the Star Source Heaven to grow rich all at once is not necessarily a good thing — it may make the people idle, and breed wicked designs in them for the sake of wealth.

Making money beget money, that is the true way. If my lord does not know how to make money beget money, I can teach you. " The Star Source lord bowed. "I beg the Prime Minister's instruction! " "With this money you may open more state workshops, turn out more goods, and trade among the various heavens.

When the people take work in those workshops, the money they earn is the fruit of their own labor, and their hearts will not turn wicked.

" Si Yunxiang went on, "You must also open the people's minds and found schools, more academies and halls of learning. When the people's learning is greater, their wealth will grow of itself, and grow ever greater still. " The Star Source lord hesitated, then said, "To speak plainly, the Star Source Heaven is no rich land like Jingping, nor have we such a host of talents.

State workshops, academies, halls of learning — they would be very hard to establish here. " Si Yunxiang beamed. "Jingping can help you.

Jingping has craftsmen in plenty, and academies and halls of learning in plenty. Let them come and help you build more state workshops and found more academies and halls, and in a few decades the Star Source Heaven will have men and wealth enough. Of course, Jingping does not do this for nothing.

" Meaningfully she added, "The money that ought to be spent, my lord had best spend. " Months later, Si Yunxiang shipped those barges of Da Feng coins back to Jingping; yet the gain to the Star Source Heaven was plain for all to see. With Jingping's workshops and academies behind it, this frontier land of the Star Source Heaven was bound to become the strongest and richest of all the heavens of the north. In the Gushing River Heaven Palace, the Village Chief, the Butcher, the Mute Artisan, the Blind Elder and the rest looked Shen Mu over and over, up and down, until the Butcher could hold it in no longer and burst out laughing. Shen Mu's face darkened.

He gave a cold snort.

"What are you laughing at, Grandpa Butcher? I'm far better off than you were in your day — I have legs! " From the roots of his thighs two thin little legs had grown, and below them, tender little feet. Shen Mu stood there, his head no higher than the others' waists.

Which was, even so, about the height of the Blind Elder. Since his return from the Star Source Heaven he had cultivated night and day, and it had taken four or five months before his shins had barely grown out.

"He won't be able to share a bed with his wife for some while yet," Granny Zhu said with regret, sighing. "And there I was, hoping to hold a baby before long.

. .

" With that she took out the little shoes she had made for an infant and held them up against Shen Mu's feet.

Shen Mu acted as though he had heard nothing.

He set the plank door upright and studied it closely.