Chapter 640: Dim and Depressed

In the imperial palace, many of the palace maids had an emaciated look, and their clothing were also simple and plain. Some of these palace maids were plucking vegetables outside the imperial kitchen. Qin Mu saw this sight, and for a moment, he thought he had walked into a market.

Eternal Peace Empire was clearly very wealthy. Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor had paved two roads to connect West Earth to Middle Earth, and because of this, the trade was booming. Qin Mu saw that the people were leading abundant lives after the imperial court had built the two roads. However, the emperor and the palace were poor.

The reason for their poor state was because the battle in Supreme Emperor Heaven has affected the imperial treasury. As a result, the treasury was emptied out.

The battle in Supreme Emperor Heaven was like a bottomless pit. There was nothing to earn and whenever they fought a war, all of the funds and provisions for the troops, including the spirit weapons, were all provided to them from Eternal Peace.

Furthermore, the people of Supreme Emperor Heaven were also immigrating continuously into Eternal Peace, and it also required quite a significant sum to settle these people down.

It was no wonder Emperor Yanfeng was beyond elated and lost his composure when he saw that he could earn a massive sum from allying themselves with the remnants of Crimson Light Era.

Not long after, Yan Zhigui came forward and said, “Your Majesty, I’ve already settled the emissary down. May I ask Your Majesty, how am I supposed to negotiate with the Crimson Light emissary?”

Emperor Yanfeng passed the list of items to Yan Zhigui. “Negotiate according to the items in this list. I shall grant the remaining survivors of Crimson Light Era a place to settle down here. Open up a trading port, establish traffic, flying ships, and flying cars—everything they need will be provided.”

Yan Zhigui looked at the list, and he jumped in shock. He took a glance at Qin Mu and asked with a trembling voice, “Lord Qin, this list is not a joke, right?”

Qin Mu replied, “It’s not a joke. Chi Xi will also accept the terms. These divine weapons aren’t really of much use to the remaining survivors of Crimson Light Era. They don’t have that many people to use these items. Lord Yan just needs to remember one thing: They need our help, and it’s not us that need them. Also, you must get hold of the Divine Ring of Creation no matter what!”

Yan Zhigui left in a hurry.

Emperor Yanfeng sighed ruefully. “When the news of the battles in Supreme Emperor Heaven kept coming in during the early period, my blood was boiling, yet I was also scared and on edge. I wanted so much to personally be on the frontlines to fight the enemies. After Imperial Preceptor arranged the cultivation method of Supreme Emperor Heaven, I have also comprehended it for quite some time and gained many benefits. However, I still regret that I can’t personally go to the battlefield.”

As soon as Emperor Yanfeng finished speaking, a surprised voice cried out, “The one that herds cows!”

Qin Mu looked towards the voice, and he cried out in shock, “Sister Xiu, why have you returned back from Supreme Emperor Heaven?”

Ling Yuxiu ran over quickly as though she was flying. When she saw Emperor Yanfeng beside Qin Mu, she immediately slowed down her footsteps, and walked with a solemn and dignified pose.

Emperor Yanfeng said with a smile, “There are no huge battles in Supreme Emperor Heaven recently, so Xiu’er is back. I still have some court affairs I have to settle, so I’ll be taking my leave first.”

As he slowly walked away, he would turn back from time to time. When he saw Qin Mu and Ling Yuxiu just standing there without any untoward actions, only then did he left with his mind at ease.

When Ling Yuxiu saw him leaving out of the corner of her eye, she immediately grabbed Qin Mu’s hand and pulled him forward while explaining with a smile, “After my father became a god, he has become more and more awe-inspiring. He has become a little sneakier as well, and is most probably looking at us from a dark place now. Let’s go to the imperial garden to shake him off!”

Qin Mu stumbled forward as he got pulled along by her. After passing through a few bends and winding corridors, they encountered a few imperial concubines gathering together and taking a stroll. Ling Yuxiu immediately let go of Qin Mu’s hand and greeted the imperial concubines with a dignified bearing. When the imperial concubines had left, she grabbed Qin Mu’s hand again and ran forward happily.

After running a few more steps, they encountered several palace maids escorting the empress, and Ling Yuxiu jumped in shock. She immediately returned to her dignified look to greet the empress. “Mother.”

The empress pulled her over and muttered something to her. She then examined Qin Mu up and down, and said with a smile, “Cult Master Qin is becoming more and more handsome.”

Qin Mu felt that her gaze at him was slightly wrong, as though she was a mother-in-law that was looking at her son-in-law. He blushed and stood aside.

After the empress walked away, Ling Yuxiu pulled him once more to sprint forward, and they finally reached the imperial garden. She started chuckling. “It’s really uncomfortable to be staying in the palace. I’m always being restrained by all kinds of etiquettes, and I can’t be myself. It’s still better on the martial world. I can be free and happy.”

Qin Mu went to examine the exotic flowers and rare herbs. They were so beautiful that nothing more beautiful could be imagined. However, there were also numerous palace maids that were watering plants and getting rid of pests in some vegetable gardens, and it was because the imperial palace had no money, so they could only plant vegetables themselves.

“Sister Xiu, has Saintess Xiang also returned to Eternal Peace?” Qin Mu asked her while admiring the scenery.

Ling Yuxiu was furious. “We haven’t met for a long time, and instead of chatting with me, you’re asking about her? How much do you miss her?”

Qin Mu hurriedly said, “I’m looking for her because of proper business. I’m not missing her!”

“She’s back! Demoness Xiang has returned with me!” Ling Yuxiu walked forward while puffing her cheeks in anger.

Qin Mu quickly followed after her, and the two of them came in front of a flowering tree. The tree was not tall, and Qin Mu held onto a branch. He bent down to sniff the fragrance of one of its flowers, and a smile broke out on his face.

He executed Secrets of Three Primordial Spirit Assembly. Just as his nose was about to touch the petals, his primordial spirit had already left his body.

When Ling Yuxiu looked at the side view of his clean and handsome face, she couldn’t help feeling the fragrance of the flower being intoxicating at this moment. Her heart couldn’t help beating faster. Her face blushed, and her breathing also became quicker.

On the other side, Si Yunxiang suddenly sensed something, and she hurriedly executed Secrets of Three Primordial Spirit Assembly. As her primordial spirit left her body, she saw Qin Mu’s primordial spirit arriving.

“Saintess Xiang, Princess Xiu and I are in the imperial garden, and things are urgent now so I will keep things brief.”

The consciousness of Qin Mu’s primordial spirit pulsed as he said, “The treasury of Eternal Peace Empire is empty. Does the sacred cult have any money?”

Si Yunxiang said with a smile, “You are dating that Little Vixen Yuxiu in the imperial garden, and yet you have come here to meet your mistress in private. This is truly the style of a devil cult master! The sacred cult has money, and buying half of Eternal Peace is no problem at all. Our sacred cult has properties all over the world and every hall is flourishing. No matter if it’s trading in Middle Earth or West Earth, mining ores, or forging spirit weapons, our sacred cult is participating in everything. That’s why our wealth is flowing in endlessly.”

Qin Mu pondered for a moment and said, “Leave behind the daily expenses for the sacred cult and donate the rest of the money to the emperor. Let the emperor use it for his expenses.”

Si Yunxiang immediately rejected, “No way! This money is all earned by our brothers and sisters of the sacred cult. Why should we give it to the emperor without reason?”

Qin Mu said patiently, “There’s a method to carry out commerce. Founding Heavenly Saint Cult isn’t for the sake of earning money, it’s for the everyday use of the common people, to let the people live better lives. The sacred cult carrying out commercial activities is to make the lives of the people more convenient, and it’s not to hoard money. What you are earning is great abundance coins, so if Eternal Peace Empire no longer existed, the great abundance coins will have no use anymore. Now that the sacred cult has amassed half of the fortune in the world, disaster wouldn’t be far.”

Si Yunxiang was still reluctant. “We clearly earned the money through hard work—”

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“Money can cause wealth, and it can also cause disaster. As long as it benefits the people, it’s okay. If it doesn’t benefit the people, it’s not okay. Heavenly Saint Cult isn’t so powerful that we can rise above the heads of the people, to rise above the power of the empire. We aren’t so powerful that we are invincible! When it was founded, Heavenly Saint Cult’s original intention was the path of the saint, not to covet the fortune of the whole world.”

Si Yunxiang was still slightly unwilling when an old woman walked towards their primordial spirits. She raised her head to look at them. “Xiang’er, the sacred cult master is right. We take from the people, so we have to give back to them. Our Si family may be managing the wealth of the sacred cult, but how the wealth of the sacred cult should be used is still the decision of the cult master. You have put too much importance on money, and have forgotten the heart of Heavenly Saint Cult.”

Qin Mu greeted the old woman at once. “Si family’s great grandma!”

The old woman was flustered, but she returned his greeting and grinned. “Sacred Cult Master, Xiang’er may be a little greedy, but she isn’t a miser.”

Qin Mu gave his thanks and said, “So, this is Si family. I have intruded and alarmed great grandma, please pardon me. I’m still in the imperial garden, so I need to return as soon as possible.” After saying that, he bowed and his primordial spirit vanished.

Si Yunxiang also quickly pulled back her primordial spirit and returned into her body. “Why does great grandma want to give the wealth of the sacred cult to the emperor?”

The great grandma of Si family said with a smile, “Cult Master is right. The people are rich, the empire is weak, and only a selected few are strong. When outsiders invade and the empire is wiped out, the wealth of the people will cease to exist. No matter how much wealth one has, they would all turn into flowing water. The best route is still having rich people in a strong empire. As long as the empire doesn’t fall, the wealth of the people can last long.”

In the imperial garden, Qin Mu’s primordial spirit returned into his body. He saw Ling Yuxiu bending down in front of him, smelling the flower as well. There was only a flower between their faces.

Ling Yuxiu opened her eyes secretly, and blushed when she saw Qin Mu staring at her.

Qin Mu suddenly let go of the branch and gave her a gentle kiss on her lips. Ling Yuxiu cried out in surprise and turned around to run. She parted the flowers, and her voice came from afar. “You hooligan, if my father knows about this, he will definitely take your head off!”

Qin Mu laughed loudly and chased after her.

Behind a willow tree from a distance, Emperor Yanfeng had a dark face as he said to the little eunuch behind him, “Bring my little booklet over!”

The little eunuch hurriedly offered up the little booklet, brush, and ink. Emperor Yanfeng flipped open his little booklet and raised his brush. “Molesting my precious daughter, off with your head. I shall write it down first!”

“Your Majesty, it’s not good for us to be peeking from here, is it?” the little eunuch asked cautiously.

Emperor Yanfeng stared at him. “Off with your head too. But not now, I’ll write it down first.”

The little eunuch pouted his lips. “Your Majesty, my head has already been taken off over a dozen times.”

…

Qin Mu chased after Ling Yuxiu. The young man and young woman played for a moment, and felt contented. Just as their feelings were growing stronger and they were about to do something, First Ancestor Human Emperor came over. Ling Yuxiu hurriedly retreated when she saw him coming.

“She isn’t a bad girl,” First Ancestor Human Emperor said.

Qin Mu jumped in shock. “You’ve seen everything.”

“So has the emperor. He’s over there.”

First Ancestor Human Emperor pointed at the trees far away and said, “He has been following you two for quite a long time. The empress is over there, hiding behind the fake mountain. I saw them just now, but they didn’t notice me.”

Qin Mu broke out in a cold sweat as he looked at the trees. He saw the emperor lifting his dragon robe and leaving quickly with a little eunuch. On the other side, the empress and several palace maids were also moving away from the fake mountain in a hurry.

First Ancestor Human Emperor looked at Qin Mu’s distressed state, and he said with a smile, “You and I are both the same, throwing all of the responsibilities to others and not getting ourselves involved. Now that the negotiations with Chi Xi have been handed over to the emperor, we should be talking about proper business now. Do you want to learn my Heaven and Earth Mudra? You have seen how strong it is, however, I could not find a successor. Only you can inherit my mudra skills—”

“First Ancestor, it’s not that I don’t want to learn, it’s just that my frame of mind is different from yours.”

Qin Mu said righteously, “I don’t have your experience, and I won’t be able to learn your mudra skills.”

First Ancestor was speechless. He seemed to have suffered from a major setback, making him dispirited and listless. He had a dim and depressed expression, and seemed to have aged considerably.

Qin Mu couldn’t bear to see him like this. He said, “Why don’t you teach it to me first? I’ll learn it if I can. If I can’t, I’ll seek a worthy successor for you.”

First Ancestor’s sorrow turned into delight, and he said with a smile, “Since you have the overlord body, you will definitely be able to learn it! My technique is called Sacred Secrets of Heaven and Earth Heart. You will be the heart of heaven and earth, standing between them as they crumble. You will borrow the power of the falling heaven and rending earth, transforming into my Heaven and Earth Mudra Skills!”

He imparted his technique and mudra flawlessly to Qin Mu, and Qin Mu learned diligently. He memorized and comprehended First Ancestor Human Emperor’s technique and mudra skills with unmatched precision. It was not inferior to Sakra Scripture, and furthermore, there were even all kinds of knowledge and understanding of Founding Emperor Era.

However, this kind of technique brought along an intense imprint of that era. Qin Mu comprehended it, but he could never get the hang of it.

First Ancestor Human Emperor was full of anticipation as he waited for Qin Mu to execute his mudra skills. However, after Qin Mu learned them, he continued to study the runes that were on the Divine Ring of Creation. He tried to assemble the runes together to execute a creation divine art.

Qin Mu decided to try it and threw out a mudra. A little palace maid that was just passing by yelped in surprise as she transformed into a little lamb.

Qin Mu cried out in delight, “It’s done! It’s done!”

First Ancestor Human Emperor was depressed. Qin Mu caught the little lamb, and reversed the mudra skill to transform it back into the palace maid, who promptly left them in a flustered manner.

Qin Mu took a glance at his expression, and he said with a smile, “First Ancestor, I have already said that our frame of minds are different. I don’t have that kind of mental state like yours, so I can’t execute your mudra skills.”

First Ancestor Human Emperor shook his head and turned to leave with a bleak expression. “How do you know if you never tried it before? I thought you and I are the same, orphans of Qin family, abandoned on this world—”

Boom—

An explosion from a violent tremor suddenly came from behind him. First Ancestor turned around, and saw Qin Mu standing alone between heaven and earth, his body ready to fight against the looming disaster.

First Ancestor was stunned, and he revealed a look of anticipation.

“There’s nothing an overlord body cannot learn.” With one hand as heaven and another hand as earth, Qin Mu had a dim and depressed expression.