"The next Human Emperor?"
Qin Mu was puzzled. The name sounded strange. The world already had its Emperor, its various sect leaders, patriarchs, and gate masters — each with their own domain and jurisdiction. What exactly did a Human Emperor do?
It seemed there was nothing left in this world for a Human Emperor to rule over.
"The Human Emperor is not above all else. He holds no power — only responsibility," said the Village Chief. "The Human Emperor does not mean you shall rule over all living beings, nor that you shall wield hegemony and wage wars of conquest to subjugate the rebellious. The Human Emperor is a state of mind. A sense of moral duty. The Human Emperor possesses a sacred seal, passed down from the first Human Emperor. I tossed it under my bed — go fetch it."
Qin Mu went to the Village Chief's room. Under the bed, there was indeed a dark lump. He pulled it out and found a palm-sized seal of black iron, carved with bird-script and worm-text.
He handed the seal to the Village Chief, who blinked and said, "This is the Human Emperor's Seal — the supreme relic of our lineage."
Qin Mu stared at the seal and asked haltingly, "Village Chief... does our lineage have any other relics?"
The Village Chief flew into a rage. The Human Emperor's Seal shot up and cracked Qin Mu square on the forehead, raising a large bump. Then the black iron lump fell into Qin Mu's arms.
"The Human Emperor's Seal is yours now. You are the Human Emperor of this generation," said the Village Chief.
"That's it?" Qin Mu was stunned.
The Herbalist was also startled. The Village Chief had always spoken of his burden as enormous and his responsibilities as crushing, and the title of Human Emperor sounded terrifyingly grand. He had assumed there would be some important ceremony to mark Qin Mu's succession to the throne.
He never expected the Village Chief would simply toss Qin Mu a black lump and consider it done.
"Nowadays, very few still know about the Human Emperor. We are not a sect, nor are we the emperor of a nation — we are simply a lineage. Passed down through the generations, with only one person per generation. We always seek the most intelligent and perceptive individual of the era to serve as Human Emperor. The cleverest person of this generation is the State Preceptor of Yankang, but he's probably not interested. Besides, he has already forged his own path — it would be difficult for him to accept my inheritance and responsibilities."
The Village Chief sighed. "And I'm too lazy to go wandering about. After thinking it over, you're the only one who's... passable."
Qin Mu tried to comfort him. "Village Chief, don't force it. I'm sure you can find someone better."
The Herbalist's expression turned odd.
The Village Chief was half-choked with fury. This brat was clearly trying to avoid the trouble — he saw no benefit and wasn't keen on the idea.
"After one trip outside, you've grown some nerve! Mocking me, are you?" the Village Chief sneered. "Will you or will you not be the Human Emperor?"
Qin Mu reluctantly agreed. "Fine, fine. If there's dirty work and hard labor, just hand it to me. I've already got plenty of both on my plate — what's one more Human Emperor on top of it?"
The Village Chief was so exasperated he wished he had grown an extra arm just to smack this boy's head. "Do you know how many people have begged me to teach them my sword art, and I refused? How many have begged me to pass my inheritance to them, and I wouldn't? And you have the gall to look down on it?"
Qin Mu lowered his head, kicked a pebble, and muttered, "I'm not looking down on it. I just think it's only a title with no real use. Just pass the sword art to me, Village Chief. You can give this Human Emperor title to someone else."
The Village Chief laughed in anger and looked at the Herbalist. "Tell me — is he not looking down on it? Is being the Human Emperor something to be ashamed of? The audacity of this boy!"
The Herbalist coughed repeatedly. "You two carry on with your little chat. I'm going to check on my insects — don't want them freezing to death."
The Village Chief's frustration boiled over, but then he suddenly realized something and burst out laughing. "Others beg me and I won't teach them. Now you're making me beg you to learn, aren't you? You're getting worse and worse. Honestly, you really aren't material for a Human Emperor. I'm just too lazy to go out, or I'd definitely find some other brilliant young person to take the role."
Qin Mu curled his lip and muttered, "Me? Hegemon Body? Who could be more brilliant than me?"
The Village Chief's breath caught in his chest and he nearly couldn't breathe. Qin Mu quickly rushed forward, massaging the old man's chest and rubbing his back. The Village Chief caught his breath. Just as Qin Mu was about to speak, the old man held up a hand: "Don't talk yet. Let me catch my breath... my head is spinning..."
The corner of the old man's eye twitched — the instigator had finally reaped his karma.
After a long while, he finally recovered. At the time, it had been a passing joke of his. Others had taken it seriously, but he had known it was a joke, which was why he'd felt secretly pleased when others believed it.
And now, having chosen Qin Mu as his successor — did that mean some part of him actually believed Qin Mu truly was the Hegemon Body?
"I've told too many lies. Even knowing they're false, I end up believing them myself. Fine, fine," the Village Chief relented, a smile returning to his face. "As the Human Emperor, we bear only one responsibility."
A sharp light blazed in his eyes, like countless sword beams erupting from his pupils, so bright it was blinding: "Slay gods. Slay demons. Slay heaven!"
"What belongs to the gods, let the gods govern. What belongs to the demons, let the demons govern. What belongs to mortals, let mortals govern!"
"If the gods or demons meddle, cut off their hands!"
"If the gods or demons raise their heads, cut off their heads! That is the most basic responsibility of the Human Emperor."
"When you are strong enough, you will bear even more responsibility — slay gods, slay demons, slay heaven! Fight your way up to the heavens... Come back here!"
Qin Mu tossed the Human Emperor's Seal back into the Village Chief's arms and turned to walk away.
The Village Chief's fury erupted. His qi transformed into a giant hand that seized Qin Mu by the collar and hauled him back. The Village Chief said with a pleasant smile, "You are the Human Emperor of this generation. How can you not know the purpose of our lineage? I haven't finished yet... Trying to run? Herbalist! Herbalist, come help me hold him down!"
The Herbalist didn't come. But Qin Mu couldn't break free either, so he gave up struggling.
The Village Chief continued, "Our lineage doesn't have many rules. The purpose is what I've just described. I will pass my sword art to you, and however much you can comprehend is up to you. Oh, and we also have a Human Emperor's Hall in our lineage. When you have time, go take a look at the great deeds of past Human Emperors. Also, my sword art, while quite impressive, would certainly draw the attention of some god or demon if you used it publicly — and they'd surely strike you down... Don't try to run! You can't escape my grasp! Back in my day, I didn't escape either — I inherited this tradition without even knowing what hit me."
"Grandma, save me!" Qin Mu cried out to Grandma Si.
Grandma Si beamed with joy and said to the Blind One beside her, "That old coot Village Chief has finally agreed to pass his inheritance to Mu'er. Look at him — he's so happy he's about to cry."
The Blind One tilted his head, confused. "I heard him calling for help."
"He's so overwhelmed with joy he's losing his mind," Grandma Si replied with a smile. "The Village Chief's inheritance — countless people would kill for it. The former greatest under heaven, the legendary Sword God himself. Of course Mu'er is too excited to speak straight."
Since Qin Mu couldn't get away, he resigned himself to fate and casually tossed the Human Emperor's Seal into his glutton bag.
The Village Chief was very satisfied. "The first move of the Sword Diagram — Sword Treading Through Mountains and Rivers — you've already learned it. Now perform it once so I can see if you've made any progress during this time."
Qin Mu agreed and performed Sword Treading Through Mountains and Rivers.
His version was already different from what the Village Chief had taught him. He had integrated the State Preceptor of Yankang's wrapping sword form, drilling sword form, and roaming sword form into it, adding many variations.
After performing the move, Qin Mu withdrew his sword energy and watched the Village Chief nervously.
The Village Chief was surprised, looking thoughtful. "These are the basic sword forms the State Preceptor taught you?"
Qin Mu nodded. "Village Chief, I modified Sword Treading Through Mountains and Rivers that you taught me. That's betraying my master — should you expel me and choose another Human Emperor?"
"Very good, very good," the Village Chief praised. "The State Preceptor of Yankang is quite impressive — to innovate new moves from the foundation of fourteen basic sword forms. He is indeed more suited to be the Human Emperor... But you're not bad either. You don't blindly follow convention. You dare to use your modified Sword Treading Through Mountains and Rivers in front of me. Very good, very good. Your qi threads have changed as well — you used the wrapping sword form to refine qi into threads?"
Qin Mu nodded.
The Village Chief said, "I'll use the cultivation of the Five Luminaries Realm. You use your improved Sword Treading Through Mountains and Rivers. Let's exchange a single blow."
Qin Mu's eyes lit up. "Village Chief, if I win against this one move, can I be excused from being the Human Emperor?"
The Village Chief smiled, refining his qi into a sword, and said leisurely, "Very well. If you surpass me, I'll take the Human Emperor's Seal with me to my grave."
Qin Mu drew a long, deep breath. Suddenly his body underwent a divine transformation — he became the Star Lord of Taibai, with twin dragons under his feet and a tiger's head with a white forehead. His qi turned to golden qi, condensing into a sword, and his sword light surged explosively.
Sword Treading Through Mountains and Rivers!
Under his blade, mountains and rivers burst into existence like a scroll painting unfurling, shrouding the village and drawing the Village Chief into his landscape!
He had not only incorporated the State Preceptor's basic sword forms but also the painting dao taught by the Deaf One. A thousand mountains and ten thousand rivers surged forward, like a real world.
Such an advanced sword technique could no longer be called mere swordsmanship — it was dao. The dao of the sword.
His Sword Treading Through Mountains and Rivers bloomed fully, its power erupting at its peak. At that very moment, the Village Chief's single thread of sword light flickered — the same Sword Treading Through Mountains and Rivers. It was like two worlds colliding. No sword light could be seen at all, only a terrifying force detonating in a single instant!
Tss tss tss tss —
Dozens of lines of blood flashed across Qin Mu's body. Wounded in dozens of places, he was sent flying backward, slamming into the wall of the Butcher's meat shop with a thunderous boom. On the wall, streaks of sword light flashed, carving a landscape pattern around Qin Mu.
Those were the marks left by the Village Chief's thread of sword light.
"Once more!"
Qin Mu roared, sealed his sword wounds, and charged toward the Village Chief with a howl, performing Sword Treading Through Mountains and Rivers once again. In the next instant, another figure went flying, crashing into Old Ma's house and rattling it noisily.
The walls around Qin Mu were still covered in landscape paintings.
Qin Mu froze for a moment, slid down from the wall, applied some dragon saliva to his wounds, and after dressing them, fell into deep thought. He continued refining Sword Treading Through Mountains and Rivers. After a long time, he rose again and charged at the Village Chief. "Once more!"
Boom.
On the wall of the blacksmith's shop, a human-shaped imprint appeared, surrounded by a landscape pattern that was entirely different from the patterns on the other walls.
Each time the Village Chief struck, the landscape was different.
From inside the blacksmith's shop, The Mute poked his head out, looked at Qin Mu, and grinned silently.
Qin Mu, face black as thunder, applied more wound medicine and continued to rack his brain, eliminating every flaw in the technique and refining the sword form.
"Once more!"
A figure flew back through the towering mountains and rivers, hanging on the wall of the Deaf One's house.
————Sorry, sorry, I'm a few minutes late.