Chapter 220: The Great Robbery Never Ceases
"This cloud is large enough, yet not large enough. This cloud and this snow over the nation of Diên Khang feel more like a warning."
In the western region, at Tu Di Mountain, atop the golden summit of the Great Thunderclap Temple, the towering majestic mountain rose high, with the golden summit seated above the clouds. The Old Như Lai gazed across the entire nation of Diên Khang, observing the brilliant golden sunlight illuminating the sea of clouds with extraordinary brightness.
"In the long history of my Great Thunderclap Temple, we have witnessed this kind of celestial phenomenon attack before."
Beneath the Old Như Lai stood numerous Bodhisattvas, Venerables, and Arhats. The Old Như Lai spoke: "That celestial phenomenon attack was even more vast than the current one. It was also heavy snow, also dark clouds, plunging the people into misery, leading to years of consecutive natural disasters, and countless deaths. Khổ Tôn Giả, go to the Sutra Library and retrieve the scroll of the Không Kỷ Ai Hoàng Sutra, and turn to page one thousand three hundred and sixty-seven."
A monk with a sorrowful expression rose and left. After a moment, this Khổ Tôn Giả returned carrying a thick sutra scroll, turned to the page the Old Như Lai had mentioned, and read aloud: "Không Kỷ era, Ai Hoàng year six thousand four hundred and twenty. The celestial phenomena shifted; snow fell for thirty days; clouds sealed eight hundred thousand miles, obscuring sun and sky. Corpses of the starving littered the fields; bandits rose on all sides. Ai Hoàng commanded the gods and dragon kings to eliminate them. Ai Hoàng year six thousand four hundred and thirty: fire meteors fell from the sky, star showers like tides, volcanoes erupted by the thousands, the earth trembled, the ground split into thousands of ravines and ten thousand chasms, rivers dried up. The seas emptied. The following year, the sun disappeared, sun and moon lost their light..."
Behind the Old Như Lai, Cùng Phu Tử and others were shaken to the core, blurting out: "Như Lai, this is..."
"The Great Ruins."
The Old Như Lai turned to look at the vast, boundless wilderness behind Tu Di Mountain, and said: "What is recorded in this sutra is the final history of the divine kingdom within the Great Ruins. The heavy snow and dark clouds were merely the initial warning. However, this warning has come earlier than I expected—many years earlier, and far lighter as well. It seems the actions of Diên Khang have alerted those above."
Cùng Phu Tử, Điền Chân Quân, and the others felt their minds explode, murmuring: "The Great Ruins..."
"If the Emperor wishes to quell this disaster, the only way is to immediately halt the reforms, issue an edict of self-blame, and beg forgiveness from Heaven and from the common people."
The Old Như Lai's gaze was profound: "Otherwise, this snow disaster is only the beginning. More terrifying celestial phenomena will follow. Those phenomena will not merely be snow and clouds, but star showers, volcanoes, rivers and lakes drying up, the seas evaporating, the sun and moon vanishing entirely. This is divine retribution—Heaven's wrath descending, yet the common people must bear it. That seems excessive..."
"Reporting to Như Lai, the Crown Prince of Diên Khang has sent an envoy requesting an audience."
The Old Như Lai was briefly startled, then smiled: "This Crown Prince has come to seek out this old monk after all. Invite him up."
"Respectfully obeying the Dharma decree."
The Old Như Lai smiled to the monks around him: "The Crown Prince is quite extraordinary; perhaps he will be a savior of the world. The Emperor acts willfully, but the Crown Prince will not be so. His envoy is worth meeting."
The Daoist Sect, Côn Luân Ngọc Hư Mountain.
This place was called Ngọc Hư Động Thiên, as if it were a world unto itself. The mountain enjoyed eternal spring, like a sacred immortal realm, no less impressive than Tu Di Mountain.
"The clouds sealing Diên Khang are merely a light, insignificant warning—far milder than the warning that preceded the destruction of the Great Ruins."
The Old Daoist Master spoke unhurriedly to the many cultivators of the Daoist Sect: "The Diên Khang National Preceptor's reforms—my Daoist Sect opposes him not for personal gain, but for the sake of the Dao. These reforms have already violated many rules and many principles, and are doomed to fail. Unfortunately, the National Preceptor's vision is too shallow; he does not know what kind of ending the great terror that follows will bring."
His gaze was deep, but his aura was utterly calm. He continued slowly: "Back when the National Preceptor was young, he came to the Daoist Sect to see me. I saw his extraordinary potential and held great expectations for him, so I allowed him to read our sect's foundational scriptures, hoping he would achieve great things in the future. As for sectarian prejudice, I cast it aside—such talent naturally deserved to be nurtured without regard for factional boundaries. Later, when he became National Preceptor, my expectations turned to disappointment. Why? Because the Dao follows nature."
The many eminent figures of the Daoist Sect listened quietly.
"What is meant by 'the Dao follows nature'? It means the Dao and its methods arise from nature. We cultivators may summon wind and rain, but we do not alter wind and rain—that is, we do not alter nature, we do not alter the Great Dao. I actually hold no prejudice against the Thiên Ma Sect. On the contrary, I quite appreciate some of their ways and actions. But our paths differ. Why?"
The Daoist Master shook his head: "The Dao arises from nature, yet the Thiên Ma Sect uses the Dao to alter nature. This is the greatest difference between my Daoist Sect and the Thiên Ma Sect, and it is the very reason the Thiên Ma Sect is called demonic."
The many Daoists of the sect felt their hearts tremble. Đan Dương Tử said: "I have observed disciples of the Thiên Ma Sect—some use techniques of summoning clouds and rain, bringing rain during droughts and charging farmers money. Others use drilling spells to bore wells into the earth, solving drinking water problems. Others use true fire to smelt ores, extract mystical gold, and forge farming tools for sale. Some demonic disciples have farmers pay them to hunt demonic beasts. The Thiên Ma Sect indeed violates the principle of the Dao following nature—they are altering nature."
The Daoist Master said: "Applying Dao techniques and divine powers to daily use by the common people is altering nature and destroying nature. Altering nature and destroying nature is altering the Great Dao and destroying the Great Dao. The Thiên Ma Sect's doctrine is wrong, and can only develop into the demonic path. Add to that the opening line of their doctrine—'act according to your nature, purely follow nature'—this is indulging one's desires, doing whatever one pleases, acting without restraint. If this is not demonic, what is?"
He sighed: "The National Preceptor has been too deeply influenced by the Thiên Ma Sect, to the point of governing the state with their philosophy. Thus, the disasters that the Great Ruins experienced in the past will also appear in Diên Khang. This is Heaven's punishment, Heaven's tribulation—a calamity sent from above. That said, the common people are innocent."
The Daoist Master's tone softened: "Go down the mountain. The divine punishment provoked by the Emperor and the National Preceptor should not be borne by the world. Go help those common people trapped in suffering—save as many as you can. Travel, save lives, and seek out youths with good foundations to continue our sect's legacy."
"Respectfully obeying the Dharma decree."
One by one, the eminent Daoists descended the mountain.
The Daoist Master looked at the cloud vapor spreading over Diên Khang and sighed: "This region's people should not have to bear this... If the National Preceptor and the Emperor remain obstinate, my Daoist Sect will have no choice but to enter the mortal world."
Tần Mục contacted the Left and Right Protector Envoys and transmitted the Holy Lord's decree: "Help the Emperor with disaster relief. Collect the dark clouds from the sky, then have our sect's disciples go south to help farmers clear the frost-killed crops and replant. This snow disaster will claim many lives. Do your utmost—save as many as you can. Also, warn the disciples to be careful. Famine years always bring chaos; the world will not be peaceful."
"Respectfully obeying the decree."
The Left Protector Envoy, Ninh Đạo Trì, hesitated for a moment, then asked: "Holy Lord, in what capacity do we help the Emperor? If the Emperor offers us official positions, do we accept or not?"
Tần Mục pondered for a moment, then said: "Act as individuals, but devote the full strength of the Holy Sect, and do your utmost. If the Emperor offers official positions, accept them. The Emperor can tolerate the National Preceptor, so he can tolerate us as well. Diên Khang is the Thiên Thánh Sect—do not doubt this."
He paused, then continued: "The world is unstable now, and divine ability users are accustomed to standing above others. To have them serve mortals and work for common people like my Thiên Thánh Sect does—they will not be willing. The National Preceptor once said he killed a batch of 'pure critics,' but they cannot all be killed; kill one batch and another appears. I thought the National Preceptor was joking, but now I see it is true."
Tần Mục looked up at the dark clouds in the sky, smiling ambiguously: "This snow disaster and this cloud are creating a calamity that could destroy a nation, yet they are still worrying about whether something is demonic or not, rather than thinking about helping the people. They are probably accustomed to their former lofty positions, believing that working for ordinary people beneath them is an insult to their dignity—and therefore demonic."
He shook his head: "There are many such people, and some are extremists. They may take advantage of the chaos to rebel or target my Thiên Thánh Sect. You must be careful!"
"Rest assured, Holy Lord. The Holy Sect has stood to this day without being crushed by the so-called righteous path—we did not earn that reputation idly!"
The two Protector Envoys bowed and departed separately.
Tần Mục steadied himself, looked up once more at the dark cloud shrouding Diên Khang, shook his head, and returned to the Grand Academy. Hồ Linh Nhi, Long Kỳ Lân, and Đô Thiên Ma Vương were already waiting on the ship.
Tần Mục said: "On our way back to the village this time, let's stock up on New Year goods along the way. Tương Long City probably has none left. This year, Diên Khang's situation is worrying; I expect many merchants will have left Tương Long City."
Đô Thiên Ma Vương tilted his head back to examine the sky, chuckling: "Your world is in for trouble. This heavy snow and this cloud are probably covering the entire territory of your Diên Khang, aren't they?"
Tần Mục's heart stirred, and he asked politely: "Great Demon King, do you have any insights to share?"
"Kneel down, lick my toes, and I will tell you!" Đô Thiên Ma Vương said with arrogant disdain.
Tần Mục shot Hồ Linh Nhi a glance. Hồ Linh Nhi opened the mechanism on the chest of the eight-armed divine statue, sat inside, and manipulated Đô Thiên Ma Vương to kneel down and extend his tongue toward Tần Mục's shoe.
Đô Thiên Ma Vương hastily shouted: "A demon can be killed but not humiliated! Stop! Stop... I'll talk, I'll talk!"
Tần Mục raised his hand.
Hồ Linh Nhi stopped manipulating him. Đô Thiên Ma Vương quickly jumped up, spat a few times, and dared not act presumptuously again.
These past days, Hồ Linh Nhi, with her clever and mischievous ways, had thoroughly tamed him. Đô Thiên Ma Vương, operating on the principle that a wise demon does not court disaster before his eyes, had no choice but to cooperate with this fox spirit.
Đô Thiên Ma Vương wiped his mouth with his hand and sneered: "This is the work of a god—and not an ordinary one. If my true body descended, I could also use such means, attacking with celestial phenomena to wipe out all of humanity, exterminating your entire race, and reshaping this world into a new Đô Thiên. However, the god who unleashed this celestial phenomenon attack seems relatively mild—he did not strike to kill. I estimate this snow and this cloud are merely a light warning."
"A warning?"
Tần Mục was stunned. Merely a light warning?
This light warning would likely cost millions of common people their lives—they would not survive this winter!
He stared blankly into space, thinking of the Great Ruins. Was the Great Ruins not the same? Because of the decrees of gods and demons, the people of the Great Ruins had become abandoned souls whom anyone could hunt down and kill.
"Gods and demons never die—the great robbery never ceases!" Tần Mục suddenly said coldly.
"My lady, gods and demons never die—the great robbery never ceases." The Diên Khang National Preceptor stood atop the clouds at high altitude, gazing at the immensely vast cloud spreading over Diên Khang, and said to the woman beside him with deep emotion.
The woman beside him was of ordinary appearance—neither beautiful nor ugly, with features that were pleasant to look upon. She had been a palace maid, but now she had become the National Preceptor's wife.
This woman had a very perceptive mind and said: "Husband, you did not return this time. Do you believe the Emperor can resolve this natural disaster?"
"Even if the Emperor cannot resolve it, someone will help him resolve it. There is no need for me to return."
The Diên Khang National Preceptor smiled: "We are going to the Little Ngọc Kinh in the heavens."