Qin Mu's heart trembled slightly as he immediately guessed why the Dao Master was so certain that he was the contemporary Human Emperor.
He had only learned two moves from the Village Chief's Sword Diagram and had used them very few times. Apart from displaying them before Emperor Yanfeng and the State Preceptor, he had only shown them to Ban Gongcuo and the Dao Child Lin Xuan.
When Lin Xuan, the Dao Child, had followed Dan Yangzi to the Imperial Academy to block the gates, he had been defeated by the first move of the Sword Diagram—Sword Treading Through Mountains and Rivers.
After returning to the Dao Gate, Lin Xuan must have tried to show Qin Mu's move of Sword Treading Through Mountains and Rivers to the Dao Master. The Dao Master most likely learned then that Qin Mu's swordsmanship came from the Village Chief, but he could not be certain that Qin Mu was the contemporary Human Emperor.
His certainty was actually just a probe.
Qin Mu was perceptive. Although he had guessed the Dao Master's intentions, he did not deny them. He also took some water to irrigate the Solomon's seal, smiling: "The Dao Master's divine abilities are vast, and his wisdom is extraordinary."
The Dao Master and Lin Xuan used leaves to carry water, while Qin Mu simply used his qi to lift the spring water—more convenient and faster.
The old Dao Master saw him use qi and said: "The Dao follows nature. Why must the Human Emperor be in such a hurry?"
Qin Mu replied: "Let nature take its course, and apply what one learns. If the Dao Master does not use it, why learn it?"
The Dao Master frowned, then his brow relaxed, and he smiled: "The differences between our two sects are merely philosophies of dealing with the world. I will not argue with you over the doctrines of the Dao Gate and the Heavenly Demon Cult. The Human Emperor has not appeared for several hundred years. Now that he has appeared, there must be some purpose, right?"
Qin Mu used his qi to control the flow of water, irrigating the Solomon's seal as he said earnestly: "What purpose could I possibly have? The Village Chief of our village says that being the Human Emperor is a responsibility. I still have not understood what is so good about being the Human Emperor—no power, no influence, and yet one must bear some responsibility. If the Dao Master is willing to take the position, I will yield it to you."
The Dao Master was watering with leaves. His face changed slightly and he quickly shook his head: "I cannot bear that burden."
One used leaves to carry water, the other used spells to fetch it, both watering the Solomon's seal.
Lin Xuan, the Dao Child, watched from the side and secretly shook his head. This old man and this young one were both stubborn and obstinate.
After the time it took to burn one stick of incense, Qin Mu—being faster—had finished watering all the Solomon's seal. The old Dao Master had also planted the leaf that had carried water into the soil. He straightened his back and sighed: "I am old. My body is no longer what it was. Since the Human Emperor is the Cult Master of the Heavenly Demon Cult, the Dao Gate cannot oppose the Human Emperor. This old Daoist came to see the Human Emperor in order to designate my successor. Lin Xuan has already paid his respects to you. After I die, he will be the Dao Master."
Qin Mu bowed to Lin Xuan, and Lin Xuan hastily returned the bow: "I am not yet the Dao Master. I dare not accept."
The old Dao Master smiled: "Even after you become the Dao Master, you will still be half a generation junior. When bowing, you must bow half a hand lower."
Lin Xuan was startled.
The old Dao Master said unhurriedly: "We cultivators received the grace of the first Human Emperor twenty thousand years ago. Therefore, we all honor him as the Human Emperor. Each sect and clan contributed their finest treasures at that time to refine a Human Emperor Seal. Thus, we must follow proper etiquette and not be disrespectful. May this old Daoist request to see the seal?"
Qin Mu took out the black lump that was the Human Emperor Seal and casually tossed it to him. The old Dao Master hurriedly caught it, his face twitching: "How can you just toss it? How can you just toss it? This old Daoist came to see the Human Emperor after bathing and changing clothes, washing my hands many times over, showing utmost respect. How can you just toss the Human Emperor Seal over?"
Qin Mu said, puzzled: "The Village Chief tossed it to me just like that. I didn't even want it and threw it back. He insisted on giving it to me, and since I couldn't beat him, I had no choice but to accept."
The old Dao Master's face turned bitter. He held the Human Emperor Seal with both hands, examining it several times to confirm it was the real seal, then said: "Human Emperor, please take it back." He stepped forward and respectfully presented the Human Emperor Seal with both hands.
Only after Qin Mu picked up the Human Emperor Seal did the old Daoist step back, lower his hands, and say to Lin Xuan, the Dao Child: "Remember—this is how the Human Emperor Seal should be received. Do not mess up the etiquette."
Lin Xuan, the Dao Child, acknowledged the instruction, but then saw Qin Mu casually toss the Human Emperor Seal into his glutton pouch. Lin Xuan did not dare speak.
"He is the Human Emperor. He may be disrespectful, but we must not be."
The old Dao Master said earnestly: "This seal was refined by the ancestors of our various sects and clans using their finest treasures, and presented to the Human Emperor, honoring the one who controls this seal as the common emperor of the human race. Therefore, our Dao Gate must show respect. But since this seal was presented to the Human Emperor by us, the Human Emperor may be disrespectful to it. Do you understand?"
Lin Xuan, the Dao Child, nodded: "This disciple understands."
Qin Mu could not help but feel somewhat moved. The old Dao Master was nearing the end of his lifespan—he had only a few years left before his life would come to its end—yet he was still doing his utmost to train his disciple.
This kind of traditional master-disciple relationship made it far easier to cultivate outstanding talents.
The old Dao Master was now old, and he likely hoped that in his final years he could nurture the Dao Child well enough for him to take over.
"Dao Master, besides wanting to see the Human Emperor Seal, is there anything else you wish to say?" Qin Mu asked with a smile.
The old Dao Master looked at him deeply: "The Human Emperor should understand that the revolution and reforms of the State Preceptor of Yankang and Emperor Yanfeng are not the righteous path. They will bring heavenly punishment. This snow calamity is a warning. For the sake of the common people of the world, the Human Emperor should put a stop to these reforms."
Qin Mu shook his head: "The great trends of the world are like a mighty torrent that flows ceaselessly, day and night. Anyone who dares to stand in its way will surely be crushed. I can only go along with the great trends, go along with the torrent. Senior Brother, you have already suffered so much. Will you still cling to your delusions?"
The old Dao Master sighed: "I will not argue with you. Back and forth, we would only be arguing over our respective doctrines, making it nearly impossible to convince the other. There is no point in arguing. You insist on supporting the State Preceptor's reforms. I will say only this: the Dao follows nature, and reform means changing the Dao, changing nature. The gods were born of nature, the embodiment of the Great Dao. If the Dao is to be changed, you know the consequences. The Great Ruins is a cautionary tale. The Human Emperor must not ignore it."
Qin Mu was slightly startled. The Dao Master clearly knew more about the hidden truths behind this matter.
But the Dao Master was unwilling to say more: "I came to see the Human Emperor to make my intentions clear. The Dao Gate may be opposed to the State of Yankang, but it will not be opposed to the Human Emperor. Disciple, bring out the Fourteen Chapters of the Dao Sword."
Lin Xuan took out a stone tablet from a leather pouch at his waist. When he pulled it out, it was nearly two zhang tall, with sword marks crisscrossing its surface.
Lin Xuan hesitated: "Dao Master..."
"Let him see it."
The old Dao Master said: "The old Human Emperor's swordsmanship was better than mine, and more refined. I even showed the Fourteen Chapters of the Dao Sword to the State Preceptor. Why can I not show them to the contemporary Human Emperor?"
Lin Xuan, the Dao Child, set the stone tablet up nearby. The old Dao Master said: "The Fourteen Chapters of the Dao Sword—one chapter per sword. When the State Preceptor of Yankang came to our Dao Gate to study, I allowed him to study it for fourteen days. I will allow the Human Emperor the same—fourteen days. As for our Dao Gate's Primordial Supreme Dao Art, I will not show it to the Human Emperor."
Qin Mu showed a look of surprise. The old Tathagata had allowed him to see the Tathagata Mahayana Sutra, but only its techniques, not its gate—techniques without the gate. And now the Dao Master allowed him to see the gate of the Primordial Supreme Dao Art, but not its techniques. The minds of both holy site leaders were truly magnanimous.
Qin Mu pondered for a moment, then took out the Great Nurturing Heavenly Demon Sutra: "I am not accustomed to accepting favors. This is the Great Nurturing Heavenly Demon Sutra. I will allow the Dao Child to study it for fourteen days."
Lin Xuan, the Dao Child, was quite tempted and looked at the old Dao Master. The old Dao Master's expression shifted slightly. After a moment's thought, he said: "If I tell you to look, then look. The Great Nurturing Heavenly Demon Sutra contains divinity when it holds goodness, and becomes demonic when it holds evil. If you fall into the demonic path, it merely shows that your cultivation is insufficient and your temperament lacking."
Lin Xuan, the Dao Child, agreed.
Qin Mu sat before the stone wall and looked at the sword marks on its surface.
The sword marks were crisscrossed, appearing to have no pattern at all. He looked at the first sword mark and initially saw nothing remarkable. But as his consciousness sank into it, he gradually sensed some wondrous sword intent.
In his eyes, the sword marks were no longer just sword marks. He seemed to see certain mathematical principles, as if a Daoist were writing swiftly with a great brush, setting down truths of arithmetic. These truths gradually evolved, forming a Taiji diagram of black and white, each half disturbing the other.
One point connects and sets all in motion; within the Two Polarities, Yin and Yang reverse and alternate!
Qin Mu's heart trembled slightly. The cultivation method of the Dao Sword was indeed different from the ordinary. The sword carvings on the stone wall contained extremely deep sword intent, and hidden within that intent were mathematical principles. These principles composed the first form of the Dao Sword.
The mathematical principle hidden in the first form of the Dao Sword was binary Yin-Yang calculation!
"This can be directly compared with the Supreme Mystery Arithmetic Sutra."
Qin Mu felt a stir in his heart. He had already comprehended seventy to eighty percent of the Supreme Mystery Arithmetic Sutra, so the first form of the Dao Sword was not difficult for him.
Before long, Qin Mu had thoroughly grasped the first form of the Dao Sword and turned to the second sword mark.
The second form of the Dao Sword: Five qi and three origins gather their essence; where they ascend, cloud carriages interweave!
Hidden within this sword mark were ternary and quinary systems—three origins and five qi. The mathematical principles in this move constructed the sun, moon, and earth. Five qi facing the origin!
This move was also not difficult for Qin Mu. He spent the time of one incense stick to comprehend it, then turned to the third sword mark.
The third form of the Dao Sword: Five-colored auspicious clouds blanket and cover; atop the three heavens, celestial rhymes ring clear.
This move also involved three origins and five qi, but was far more profound, with variations of the three origins and five qi appearing within.
It took Qin Mu more than half a shichen to fully comprehend this move.
The fourth form of the Dao Sword: Silently guiding the circuits of the heavens; one sees the myriad phenomena of heaven and earth shift and change. The mathematical principles hidden within were already extremely complex, involving the principle that "three births the ten thousand things." Deciphering the mysteries within this move using the Supreme Mystery Arithmetic Sutra alone was already tremendously difficult.
After Qin Mu unraveled the mysteries within this sword mark, he finally noticed that the setting sun was about to sink into the sea. The sky had grown late. The red sun rested on the ocean's surface, bathing the island in crimson light.
"I may not be able to decipher the fifth chapter of the Dao Sword!"
Qin Mu's expression was grave. Each form of the Dao Sword was harder to learn than the last, with increasingly profound mathematical principles. To learn all fourteen within fourteen days was simply impossible. He might not even be able to master the fifth chapter!
He could only choose to comprehend the sword intent first and learn that. As for the other chapters of the Dao Sword, he did not have time to learn them all—he would comprehend as much as he could!
With this thought, Qin Mu immediately turned to the fifth sword mark—the fifth chapter of the Dao Sword: The jade cave receives and returns to myriad transformations; upon Kunlun Ridge, the wind and moon sway gently.
He studied it with full concentration, but the mathematical principles hidden within the sword intent had become nearly impossible to understand. Although he had comprehended seventy to eighty percent of the Supreme Mystery Arithmetic Sutra, some mathematical principles were not encompassed within it. They were likely contained within the Mystery Maiden Arithmetic Sutra.
The Dao Master sat nearby, having entered a state of meditation as though unaware of hunger.
When Qin Mu grew hungry, he left the stone wall and went to find Ling Yuxiu and Si Yunxiang. The two women had already prepared the meal and questioned him. When they heard that it was the Dao Master, both girls were greatly startled and did not dare to be presumptuous.
On the third day, Fan Yunxiao sailed his boat to find them. Upon seeing the Dao Master, he suddenly burst into tears and kowtowed several times. The old Dao Master opened his eyes, looked at him calmly, and said: "You have joined the Heavenly Demon Cult? I was right about you after all. Your heart is truly not upright. Go. I will not kill you."
Fan Yunxiao wept loudly, wiping away his tears as he sailed away.