Chapter 242: Again

“The next Human Emperor?”

Qin Mu was puzzled. The name felt strange. The world already had emperors, as well as patriarchs, sect masters, and gate lords of various major sects, each with their own duties and jurisdictions. What exactly was a Human Emperor? It seemed there was no place left in this world for a Human Emperor to rule.

“The Human Emperor is not someone high and mighty with power; they only bear responsibility.” The Village Chief explained, “The Human Emperor isn’t meant for you to rule all living beings under heaven, nor to wield ultimate authority, waging wars and subduing dissenters at will. Being a Human Emperor is a state of mind, a moral principle. There’s a treasured seal, left behind by the first Human Emperor, which I tossed under my bed. Go and get it.”

Qin Mu went into the Village Chief’s room. Sure enough, there was a black lump under the bed. He pulled it out to find a palm-sized black iron seal, engraved with bird-and-worm script. Qin Mu handed the black iron seal to the Village Chief. The Village Chief blinked and said, “This is the Human Emperor Seal, the supreme sacred artifact of our lineage.”

Qin Mu looked at the seal and hesitantly asked, “Village Chief, does our lineage have any other sacred artifacts?” The Village Chief flared up. The Human Emperor Seal flew up and struck Qin Mu on the forehead, leaving a large bump. Then, the black iron lump landed in Qin Mu’s arms. The Village Chief declared, “The Human Emperor Seal is yours. You are now this generation’s Human Emperor.”

“It’s that simple?” Qin Mu was astonished. The Apothecary was also taken aback. The Village Chief had always spoken of his immense responsibilities and heavy burden, and the title of Human Emperor was terrifyingly grand. He had assumed an important ceremony would be required for Qin Mu to succeed to the position of Human Emperor. He never expected the Village Chief would simply toss a black lump at Qin Mu and consider it an succession.

“Very few people know about the Human Emperor nowadays,” the Village Chief sighed. “We are not a sect, nor are we emperors of a nation; we are simply a legacy. Passed down from generation to generation, with only one successor each time, we typically seek out the most intelligent and perceptive person of the era to be the Human Emperor. This generation’s most brilliant individual is Imperial Preceptor Yong An, but he likely has no interest. Moreover, he has already forged his own path, making it difficult for him to accept my legacy and responsibilities.” He continued, “And I’m too lazy to travel outside. After much thought, you’re the only one who’s just about acceptable.”

Qin Mu tried to reassure him, “Village Chief, don’t force it. I think you can still find someone better.” The Apothecary’s expression was odd. The Village Chief was half-choked with exasperation. This boy clearly found it troublesome and unrewarding, so he was quite reluctant.

“One trip outside, and you’ve grown quite bold, daring to be sarcastic!” the Village Chief sneered. “Are you going to be the Human Emperor or not?” Qin Mu reluctantly replied, “Yes, yes. Just give me the dirty work and the hard labor. I already have enough of that on my plate; one more Human Emperor task won’t make much difference.”

The Village Chief was enraged. He wished he could grow another arm just to smack Qin Mu’s head. He chastised, “Countless people beg me to teach them my swordsmanship, and I refuse. They ask me to pass on my legacy, and I still refuse. And you have the audacity to disdain it?” Qin Mu lowered his head, kicked a pebble away, and grumbled, “I’m not disdaining it; I just think it’s merely a title with no real use. It would be fine if you just taught me the sword art, Village Chief. As for the Human Emperor title, why don’t you give it to someone else?”

The Village Chief laughed in anger, looking at the Apothecary. “Tell me, is he disdaining it or not? Is being the Human Emperor so shameful? He’s getting more and more presumptuous!” The Apothecary coughed repeatedly and said, “You two can chat slowly. I’m going to check on my insects, lest they freeze to death.”

The Village Chief was furious, but then he suddenly understood and burst out laughing. “Others beg me to teach them, and I still won’t. Now you’re making me practically beg you to learn, aren’t you? You’re getting naughtier and naughtier. To be honest, you’re really not Human Emperor material. I’m just too lazy to leave; otherwise, I would definitely find a more outstanding young man than you.” Qin Mu pouted and muttered softly, “Me, a Hegemon Body. Who could be more outstanding than me?”

The Village Chief nearly choked on his own breath. Qin Mu quickly stepped forward to rub the old man’s chest and pat his back. Once the Village Chief recovered, Qin Mu was about to speak, but the old man said, “Don’t speak yet, let me recover a bit. My mind is a little hazy…” The corner of the old man’s eye twitched. The instigator was finally getting his comeuppance. After a long while, he finally composed himself. Back then, his casual joke had been taken seriously by everyone else, but he knew it was a joke, so he secretly enjoyed seeing others believe it. Now, by choosing Qin Mu as his successor, did it mean that deep down, he himself also believed Qin Mu was a Hegemon Body? “I’ve told too many lies. Even though I know it’s false, I have no choice but to believe it myself. Oh well, oh well.”

The Village Chief relaxed and smiled, saying, “As Human Emperors, we have only one responsibility.” His eyes blazed with intense light, like countless sword rays erupting from his pupils, dazzlingly bright. “To strike down gods, strike down devils, and strike down heaven!”

“What belongs to gods is governed by gods; what belongs to devils is governed by devils; what belongs to humans is governed by humans!”

“If gods or devils interfere, then cut off their hands!”

“If gods or devils assert themselves, then cut off their heads! This is the most fundamental responsibility of the Human Emperor.”

“When you become powerful enough, you’ll have even greater responsibilities: to strike down gods, strike down devils, and strike down heaven! Kill your way to the heavens… You come back here!”

Qin Mu tossed the Human Emperor Seal into the Village Chief’s arms and turned to leave. The Village Chief was furious. His vital qi transformed into a large hand, grabbing Qin Mu by the collar and pulling him back. Then, in a pleasant tone, he said, “As this generation’s Human Emperor, how can you not know the purpose of our lineage’s legacy? I haven’t finished speaking yet… Still trying to run? Apothecary, Apothecary, come help me hold him down!”

The Apothecary did not come over, and Qin Mu couldn’t break free, so he simply gave up struggling. The Village Chief continued, “Our lineage doesn’t have many rules; these are our core principles. I will teach you my swordsmanship; you can grasp as much as you’re able. Oh, and our lineage also has a Human Emperor Hall. If you have time, go take a look at the great achievements of past Human Emperors. Also, while my swordsmanship is quite good, if any god or devil sees you perform it, they will definitely try to obliterate you… Don’t run! You can’t escape my grasp! I couldn’t run away back then either; I just haphazardly inherited this legacy.”

“Grandma, save me!” Qin Mu cried out to Granny Si for help. Granny Si, her face full of smiles, said to the blind man beside her, “That old Village Chief finally decided to teach his legacy to Mu’er. Look, Mu’er is so happy he’s almost crying.” The blind man tilted his head and asked, puzzled, “I heard him yelling for help.” “He’s just delirious with joy,” Granny Si chuckled. “The Village Chief’s legacy is the envy of countless people. He was once the foremost expert under heaven, a renowned Sword God. Of course, Mu’er is excitedly babbling incoherently.”

Qin Mu couldn’t break free, so he resigned himself to his fate and casually tossed the Human Emperor Seal into his Gluttonous Bag. The Village Chief was very pleased. “You’ve already learned the first stance of the Sword Diagram, ‘Sword Treading Mountains and Rivers’,” he said. “Now, demonstrate it for me so I can see if you’ve made any progress.”

Qin Mu affirmed, then executed ‘Sword Treading Mountains and Rivers’. His ‘Sword Treading Mountains and Rivers’ was already different from what the Village Chief had taught him; he had incorporated Imperial Preceptor Yong An’s "Coiling Sword Form," "Drilling Sword Form," and "Roaming Sword Form," adding many variations. After performing the single stance, Qin Mu retracted his sword qi and nervously watched the Village Chief.

The Village Chief was surprised and thoughtful. “Are these the basic sword forms Imperial Preceptor Yong An taught you?” Qin Mu nodded and said, “Village Chief, I modified the ‘Sword Treading Mountains and Rivers’ you taught me. Am I disrespecting my teacher and ancestors? Should you dismiss me and choose another Human Emperor?”

“Very good, very good,” the Village Chief praised. “Imperial Preceptor Yong An is impressive, able to innovate and create new stances from the fourteen basic sword forms. He truly is more suited to be the Human Emperor… But you’re not bad either. You don’t rigidly adhere to old rules and dared to demonstrate the modified ‘Sword Treading Mountains and Rivers’ in front of me. Excellent, excellent. Your vital qi threads have also changed; are you using the 'Coiling Sword Form' to cultivate qi into threads?”

Qin Mu nodded. The Village Chief said, “I’ll use my Five Elements Realm cultivation, and you use your improved ‘Sword Treading Mountains and Rivers.’ Let’s exchange one move.”

Qin Mu’s eyes lit up, and he smiled. “Village Chief, if you lose to me in this move, can I be excused from being the Human Emperor?” The Village Chief smiled, condensing his vital qi into a sword, and calmly said, “Alright. If you defeat me, I’ll take the Human Emperor Seal with me to my grave.”

Qin Mu took a deep breath. Suddenly, his body transformed, divinizing into the form of Lord Tai Bai, with dual dragons underfoot and a tiger’s head with a white forehead. His vital qi converted into metallic qi, gathering into a sword, and instantly, his sword light surged!

Sword Treading Mountains and Rivers!

Under his sword, mountains and rivers materialized, like a scroll painting unfurling, enveloping the village and drawing the Village Chief into his landscape. He had not only integrated the Imperial Preceptor’s basic sword forms but also incorporated the path of painting taught by the Deaf Mute. Thousands of mountains and rivers surged forth, appearing like a real world. This profound sword art could no longer be described merely as swordsmanship; it was a Dao, the Dao of the sword.

His ‘Sword Treading Mountains and Rivers’ fully unfurled, its power completely unleashed. At that moment, the Village Chief’s wisp of sword light flashed, also ‘Sword Treading Mountains and Rivers’, as if two worlds collided. No actual sword light was visible, only terrifying power erupting in an instant!

*Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle, sizzle—*

Dozens of blood streaks flashed across Qin Mu’s body; he sustained dozens of injuries and was sent flying backward, crashing with a thud against the wall of the Butcher’s meat shop. Streaks of sword light instantly appeared on the wall, etching a landscape pattern around Qin Mu. Those were the traces left by the Village Chief’s wisp of sword light.

“Again!” Qin Mu roared, sealing his sword wounds. He rushed towards the Village Chief, once again unleashing ‘Sword Treading Mountains and Rivers’. The next moment, another figure flew out, crashing into Old Man Ma’s house with a loud clatter. The walls around Qin Mu were still adorned with landscape paintings.

Qin Mu stood stunned, then slid down the wall. He applied some dragon’s saliva to his wounds, bandaged them, and then pondered bitterly, continuing to refine ‘Sword Treading Mountains and Rivers’. After a long while, he stood up again and charged towards the Village Chief: “One more time!”

*Boom.*

An imprint in the shape of a human appeared on the wall of the blacksmith’s shop, surrounded by a landscape pattern distinctly different from those on the other walls. Each time the Village Chief made a move, the landscape pattern was unique.

From inside the blacksmith’s shop, the Mute stuck his head out, looked at Qin Mu, and grinned silently. Qin Mu, with a darkened face, applied his wound medicine and continued to ponder deeply, eliminating flaws in the stance one by one, refining his sword art.

“One more time!”

A figure flew back amidst the majestic mountains and rivers, ending up plastered against the Deaf Mute’s wall.