Chapter 220 — Thieves' Shadows Never Cease

" The Daoist Lord's tone softened: "Go down the mountain, all of you. The punishment provoked by the Emperor and the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping should not be borne by the people of this world. Go and help the common people mired in suffering — save as many as you can. Travel and save lives, and seek out youths with good foundations, to carry on the incense of my Daoist Sect.

" "As your holiness commands. " One by one, the masters of the Daoist Sect went down the mountain. The Daoist Lord looked at the cloud vapor spreading over the Kingdom of Jingping and sighed: "This should not be borne by these common people. .

.

If the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping and the Emperor remain obstinate in their delusion, my Daoist Sect will have no choice but to enter the world.

" Shen Mu contacted the Left and Right Dharma Protectors and transmitted the Cult Master's decree: "You are to help the Emperor with disaster relief, gather up the dark clouds in the sky, and then have our sect's disciples go south to help the farming folk clear away the frozen crops and plant new ones. This snow disaster will kill many people. Do your utmost — save as many as you can.

And have the disciples be careful: in a year of calamity there will surely be chaos, and the world will not be peaceful. " "We obey the decree. " The Left Dharma Protector, Ning Daochi, hesitated a moment and said: "Holy Cult Master, in what capacity do we help the Emperor? If the Emperor grants official posts, do we accept them or not? " Shen Mu pondered a while, then said: "In personal capacities, with the full strength of the Holy Cult, do your utmost.

If the Emperor grants official posts, you will accept them.

The Emperor can tolerate the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping, and he can also tolerate us. The Kingdom of Jingping is the Heavenly Holy Cult — do not doubt it.

" He paused, then continued: "The world is not peaceful now, and those with divine powers are accustomed to standing high above. To make them serve mortals, work for ordinary people as my Heavenly Holy Cult does — they would not be willing. The Imperial Preceptor of Jingping once said that he had killed a batch of the pure-stream critics, but that they could not be killed to the last — after one batch was slain there would always be another.

I thought the Imperial Preceptor was joking; now I see it was true. " Shen Mu raised his head to look at the dark clouds in the sky and said with an enigmatic smile: "This snow disaster and this cloud have produced a calamity that could destroy the nation, and still they are thinking about whether it is demonic or not, not thinking of doing anything for the people. I suppose they are used to standing high above as they always have, and consider it an insult to work for ordinary people lower than themselves — and therefore demonic. " He shook his head. "There are many such people, and some are extremists.

I fear they will seize the opportunity to rebel or make trouble, or else target my Heavenly Holy Cult. You must be careful! " "Rest assured, Cult Master. The Holy Cult has stood until this day without being crushed by the so-called righteous path — we have not earned our name in vain! " The two Dharma Protectors bowed and each went his way.

Shen Mu steadied himself, looked up again at the dark cloud shrouding the Kingdom of Jingping, shook his head, and returned to the Grand Academy. Snow Fox, Dragon Qilin, and the All-Heaven Demon King were already waiting on board the boat.

Shen Mu said: "On our way back to the village this time, we'll buy some New Year provisions along the road. Crimson Dragon City likely has none left.

The Kingdom of Jingping's situation is deeply worrying this year; I expect many merchants will have left Crimson Dragon City.

" The All-Heaven Demon King tilted his head back to survey the sky and snickered: "Your world is in for disaster. This great snow and this cloud must be covering the whole of your Kingdom of Jingping, aren't they?

" Shen Mu's heart stirred slightly, and he asked with courteous politeness: "Great Demon King, what wisdom have you to offer? " "Kneel, lick my toes, and I will tell you! " said the All-Heaven Demon King, swaggering and arrogant.

Shen Mu shot a look at Snow Fox. Snow Fox opened the mechanism in the chest of the eight-armed divine statue, sat inside, and manipulated the All-Heaven Demon King into kneeling and stretching out his tongue to lick Shen Mu's shoe.

The All-Heaven Demon King cried out in panic: "A demon may be killed, but not humiliated!

Stop, stop — I'll talk, I'll talk!

" Shen Mu raised his hand. Snow Fox ceased her manipulation, and the All-Heaven Demon King scrambled to his feet, spat a few times, and dared not be insolent again.

These past days, Snow Fox, quick-witted and mischievous, had brought him thoroughly to heel, and the All-Heaven Demon King, holding to the principle that a good demon does not court present loss, had no choice but to cooperate with this vixen. The All-Heaven Demon King wiped his mouth with his hand and sneered: "This is the work of a god — and no ordinary god at that.

If my true body descended, I could also use such arts, attacking with celestial phenomena to destroy all of humankind, wipe out your race to the last, and remake this world into a new All-Heaven.

However, the god who unleashed this celestial attack seems rather mild-mannered; he did not strike to kill.

I would guess that this snow and this cloud are only a light warning. " "A warning?

" Shen Mu was stunned. Only a light warning? And from this light warning, I fear millions of the common people will not survive the winter! He stood in a daze, thinking of the Wasteland. Had the Wasteland not been the same? By the decree of gods and demons, the people of the Wasteland had been turned into outcasts that any man could denounce and slaughter.

"Gods and demons never die, and great thieves never cease!

" Shen Mu said suddenly, cold as ice.

"My lady — gods and demons never die, and great thieves never cease.

" The Imperial Preceptor of Jingping stood on a layer of clouds high in the sky, gazing at the incomparably vast cloud spreading over the Kingdom of Jingping, and said with deep feeling to the woman at his side. The woman at his side was of merely middling looks — neither beautiful nor ugly, but with features that wore well.

She had been a palace maid, and was now the wife of the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping.

This woman had a penetrating mind, and said: "Husband, by not going back this time, do you mean to say you believe the Emperor can resolve this natural disaster? " "Even if the Emperor cannot resolve it, someone else will help him resolve it. There is no need for me to go back.

" The Imperial Preceptor of Jingping smiled and said: "Let us go to the Lesser Jade Capital in the sky. "