Chapter 716: The Southern Emperor's Face

The Taiwei Calculating Sutra, in its derivations, remains largely an unexplored territory. It can deduce higher Dao rules that were previously unnoticed, but such derivations require a large number of skilled arithmeticians.

The Primordial Magnetic Divine Art is much simpler. Cult Master Qin has already devised several equations to deduce Primordial Magnetic runes. By simply deriving deeper-level equations and deducing the fundamental runes of the Primordial Magnetic Divine Art, the outline of this divine art system can be determined.

Xu Shenghua discussed with Jing Yan, "I plan to establish the Shangcang Academy, but Shangcang is not yet in my control. Establishing the Shangcang Academy is imperative; otherwise, Yongkang will have no foothold in Shangcang in the future. Yanzi, what are your thoughts?"

Jing Yan replied, "No academy has been established in the Western Earth yet, my lord, why not recruit people from there? There are many talents in the Western Earth, but the sectarian prejudices of aristocratic families are deeply entrenched. If my lord goes to establish a Shangcang Academy that casts aside such views, the True Heaven Palace Master will surely be happy to assist you. Helping you is also helping her break the power of the great aristocratic families in the Western Earth."

She pondered for a moment and added, "The Western Earth was conquered by Cult Master Qin, and the great aristocratic families there hold the highest respect for him. If the Shangcang Academy is built in the Western Earth, you must invite Cult Master Qin to be the chancellor. With his reputation and the support of the True Heaven Palace Master, there will be no resistance. Once the Shangcang Academy is established, my lord can counterattack Shangcang, completely eradicating the Heavenly Court's lackeys there, and from then on, Shangcang will fall into your hands. Furthermore, with Shangcang integrated into Yongkang, the Emperor will also strongly support you."

Xu Shenghua's eyes lit up, and he smiled, "Yanzi, that's an excellent idea. Let's do it. So, between Cult Master Qin's Taiwei Calculating Sutra and the Primordial Magnetic Divine Art, which direction should my Shangcang Academy choose?"

Jing Yan mused, "The Dao Sect has been established for a long time and has a profound foundation, whereas the Shangcang Academy has not yet been founded, so my lord lacks the capital to compete with the Dao Master. Moreover, the Taiwei Calculating Sutra is likely extremely complicated, and it will be difficult to see results within a few years. The Primordial Magnetic Divine Art, however, can yield results much more easily. In a few years, the Shangcang Academy can share the achievements of the Primordial Magnetic Divine Art with the Heavenly Saint Academy, using the Heavenly Saint Academy's name to gain fame across the world. Once renowned, scholars from all over will naturally be willing to study at the Shangcang Academy."

She smiled, "By then, the Dao Sect's research on the Taiwei Calculating Sutra should still have few results. With fame and personnel, my lord can then participate in the research of the Taiwei Calculating Sutra."

Xu Shenghua felt much more at ease and chuckled, "With a wife like this, what more could a man ask for?"

With their plans settled, Jing Yan said, "Princess Xiu is a first-rank princess of the Western Earth. The Emperor trusts her greatly, and as a heroic woman, she is highly respected and trusted in the Western Earth, where women are revered. Her connections are extensive. I will visit Princess Xiu to forge this connection, and through her, establish ties with the True Heaven Palace. My lord, discuss with Cult Master Qin to open that connection, and there will be no obstacles."

Xu Shenghua immediately decided and spoke to Qin Mu about it.

Qin Mu smiled, "There is only one True Heaven Palace in the Western Earth, which was originally subordinate to Shangcang. However, its control over the Western Earth has weakened in recent years, leading to the proliferation of powerful aristocratic families there. This is fine during peacetime, but if turmoil arises, the Western Earth will surely rebel. Brother Xu, your idea of establishing the Shangcang Academy is excellent. I can lend my name to your Shangcang Academy. You also need to visit Sister Yuxiu; she has deep roots in the Western Earth. Then, together with her, petition the Emperor. The Emperor will allocate funds and personnel to help you establish the Shangcang Academy sooner."

Xu Shenghua was overjoyed.

After Qin Mu dealt with some minor matters at the Heavenly Saint Academy, the Human Emperor, the First Ancestor, said, "Mu'er, it's time for us to depart!"

Qin Mu responded, bid farewell to Granny Si, and followed the Woodcutter, Di Yiyue, and the others.

"There's a statue of a Calamity God in Ba State Prefecture up ahead."

The Woodcutter Saint said, "Heavenly King, would you like to go and see it?"

Di Yiyue calmly replied, "It wouldn't hurt to take a look."

Qin Mu followed them to Ba State Prefecture. The statue had emerged from within Ba State City, towering like a mountain peak within the city.

This statue had the head of a bird and the body of a human, with its wings half-open and exceptionally sharp eyes. It was a female statue.

It was adorned with the fire-patterned feathers of a Vermilion Bird. Although its body was massive, its figure appeared quite slender. If one disregarded the bird head and claws, the overall appearance was quite aesthetic.

The area around the statue had been enclosed with bricks and stones. However, outside the wall, there were many incense ashes and candles, likely left by ignorant people who had come to worship.

"Don't these people know this statue is a Calamity God, here to annihilate them?"

Di Yiyue saw that some people were still offering incense and praying, and she couldn't help but shake her head, saying, "When the statue awakens, it will bring calamity upon Yongkang. These people, without cultivation power, will certainly die in the first wave of disaster. What sense does it make to worship a Calamity God that brings disaster to kill them?"

Qin Mu said, "Sister, this is the difficulty of breaking the gods in people's hearts and temples. The more terrifying a god is, the more it instills awe in the ignorant, and the more easily it receives worship. The Imperial Preceptor's reform of customs was precisely to break the gods in people's minds, so that both divine arts practitioners and gods and devils serve humanity."

The statue's feathers had already transformed from stone into real feathers, clearly absorbing a considerable amount of qi and blood from the deceased, showing subtle signs of awakening.

The scales on its legs had also become clearer, and faint divine blood could be seen flowing beneath the skin of its neck.

Although Lou Yunqu had escaped, her lingering influence was profound. Many statues within Yongkang were on the verge of awakening, and the statue in Ba State was just one example.

In truth, even without Lou Yunqu, these statues would eventually revive. Even if the common people of Yongkang died naturally, they would become offerings for the statues.

Lou Yunqu merely accelerated this process many times over.

Di Yiyue approached the statue and softly said, "So, it's a junior sister from the Southern Emperor's lineage. Junior sister, you can return and report to the Southern Emperor. Tell her that your senior sister Di Yiyue is currently in Yongkang, and this matter of bringing calamity will cease here."

The bird-headed goddess statue showed no reaction.

Di Yiyue chuckled softly and said unhurriedly, "You should be able to hear my voice. Your physical body is here, and your primordial spirit is with the Southern Emperor, so you can hear whatever I say from this side."

The bird-headed goddess statue suddenly emitted a crisp bird call. The bird call transformed into a human voice, saying, "Are you also from the Southern Emperor's lineage? Since you are a senior sister, why do you help outsiders? Senior sister, it's not that I don't respect you, but if I were to leave simply because of your words, where would my dignity be?"

"I am giving you face by politely asking you to leave."

Di Yiyue smoothed a strand of hair from her temple, smiling faintly as she said, "You must have joined the sect quite late, haven't you? I suppose you wouldn't know about me, your senior sister, or my methods."

The bird-headed goddess statue suddenly stirred, its bird head lowered, and its petrified eyes stared at Di Yiyue, saying, "May I inquire?"

Di Yiyue raised her hand and pressed it lightly. The bird-headed goddess statue, resembling a small mountain, suddenly vanished with a rumble. Only a broken spatial rift remained in its place. Piercing bird calls echoed from within the rift!

Di Yiyue hooked her hand back and pulled. The bird-headed goddess statue whistled back, returning to Ba State City with a thud. The statue shook incessantly. The spatial fragments behind the statue rapidly stitched themselves together, quickly repairing the rift without leaving a trace!

Meanwhile, flesh and blood began to rapidly grow on the bird-headed goddess statue, quickly transforming it from a statue into a living deity.

The bird-headed goddess stood rooted to the spot, a look of horror on her face. Her body trembled, and she dared not move.

She had transformed her physical body into a statue to send it to Yongkang. However, her primordial spirit contained too much energy to pass through the world barrier and descend into this world.

Therefore, she could only wait for blood and flesh sacrifices to facilitate an energy exchange, which would allow her primordial spirit to descend, revive her physical body, and then bring calamity and destruction upon Yongkang.

However, just now, with a single press of Di Yiyue's hand, her physical body was directly sent back to her palace in another world.

Not only was it sent back to its original place, but her primordial spirit was also forced back into her body!

When Di Yiyue hooked her palm back and pulled, she unexpectedly pulled her physical body and primordial spirit together into Yongkang, which is why she could revive!

Such magic power, such terrifying strength, was practically comparable to that of her master, the Southern Emperor!

She had never heard of such a senior sister among her fellow disciples!

Di Yiyue calmly said, "Junior sister, this is what 'not giving you face' truly means. A moment ago, I already showed you great respect. Don't push me."

The bird-headed goddess hastily took a step back, bowed, and said, "I obey Senior Grand Sister's command."

Just as she was about to leave, she suddenly froze.

She had now been pulled into the world where Yongkang was located. Her own world was still separated by a world barrier. With her current strength, she could not pass through the barrier.

Cold sweat broke out on the bird-headed goddess's forehead as she looked at Di Yiyue.

Di Yiyue smiled, "Junior sister, have you forgotten something?"

The bird-headed goddess immediately realized, and her mind began to work. In the capital's national treasury, the calamity-bringing divine weapon, heavily sealed, suddenly vibrated violently, shattering its seals. A vermilion gourd among them soared into the sky, blasting open the treasury, and flew towards Ba State as a streak of light.

Soon after, the bird-headed goddess raised her hand and caught the vermilion gourd. With a respectful demeanor, she asked, "Senior sister, may I now return?"

Di Yiyue smiled faintly, "My junior brother from the Northern Emperor's lineage came to bring calamity. Besides taking away the Northern Emperor's divine weapon, he also left behind one of his arms."

The bird-headed goddess's expression changed dramatically. Suddenly, the wings behind her rose, like fiery blades. With a whoosh, she severed her own other wing.

That wing flowed with fire, its flames incredibly vibrant and dazzling, appearing to be woven from countless divine-script feathers.

The bird-headed goddess endured the pain, lowered her wing, took a step back, and stood with utmost respect.

Di Yiyue smiled, "Junior sister, that's enough. Go back and tell our Master that Senior Sister Di Yiyue is here. I haven't visited Master in twenty thousand years; please kowtow for me to our venerable Master."

The bird-headed goddess, sweating profusely from pain, said in a hoarse voice, "I will certainly present myself before Master!"

Di Yiyue smiled faintly, "Tell her that if she comes to bring calamity herself, I will show no mercy. You may go."

She flicked her finger. The bird-headed goddess suddenly spun wildly out of control, fell into the depths of space, and vanished.

Di Yiyue raised her hand and lightly brushed over the spatial rift. The space returned to normal, leaving no trace.

Qin Mu asked with concern, "Sister, by making her leave one wing, will it cause future trouble? She will definitely resent you."

Di Yiyue laughed, "There will naturally be some repercussions. However, I don't care about the resentment of these junior brothers and sisters. It's rather that my several masters are formidable characters. Primarily, I'm just lazy—too lazy to go looking for all these statues. If my junior brothers and sisters suffer losses, they will surely go back and tell the Northern Emperor and Southern Emperor. Once the Northern and Southern Emperors know I'm here, they will realize they cannot bring calamity. Forcing their disciples to bring calamity will surely result in losses. Thus, they will recall the other statues, saving each disciple from losing an arm. And I, too, am spared from having to search for each statue individually. It's a win-win situation."

Qin Mu picked up the bird-headed goddess's wing. Di Yiyue quickly said, "Don't touch it! That's Vermilion Bird Sacred Fire..."

Qin Mu had already picked up the wing. Di Yiyue was surprised and examined his palm. She saw that Qin Mu's vital qi had transformed into tiny, intricate runic flames, like crystals, perfectly blocking the Vermilion Bird Sacred Fire. No matter how potent and fierce the Vermilion Bird Sacred Fire was, it couldn't harm him in the slightest.

"Is this the Profound Capital Heavenly Fire?"

Di Yiyue asked in surprise, "The Grand Dao of Heavenly Fire that you deduced using the Taiwei Calculating Sutra?"

Qin Mu nodded and smiled, "I've been accustomed to hardship since childhood. That sister just now should be a master of the Divine Slaying Platform realm. Her wing should be able to refine excellent divine blades and swords, so I'll put it away for now."

He placed the wing into his Taotie pouch, clearing a space, to prevent the Vermilion Bird Sacred Fire from burning the treasures inside his Taotie pouch to ashes.

Di Yiyue leaned closer to look. She saw that there was also an arm in the Taotie pouch, which was precisely the arm of the Calamity God from the Northern Emperor's lineage. It had astonishingly also been collected by him.

"My brother is truly thrifty and knows how to live," Di Yiyue praised.

The Woodcutter and the Human Emperor, the First Ancestor, had strange expressions.

After several days of travel, they finally arrived at the capital. Qin Mu first went to the Tujing Directorate Factory, where he unloaded the sword pellet from the Dragon Qilin's back. The factory's mechanical giants were forging the sword pellet.

The Tujing Directorate Factory was Yongkang's largest, making it perfectly suited for refining mountain-sized sword pellets. Other directorate factories in various regions did not have such large workshops.

Then news arrived: statues across Yongkang had suddenly vanished overnight without a trace. The capital's national treasury had exploded several times, and the calamity-bringing divine weapons within it had also disappeared.

A great catastrophe had thus vanished into thin air.

The Woodcutter waited for Qin Mu to finish his arrangements and then smiled, "Now, we can go see the Imperial Preceptor and Emperor Yanfeng."