Chapter 8: The Stool That Shook the Heavens

Shen Mu slumped into his chair, utterly exhausted.

In just one day, he had been mistaken for a Grandmaster, accidentally shattered a legendary sword, been challenged to a duel, and now had multiple sects sending people to his doorstep.

All because of a stupid chair.

"Senior Shen Mu…" Bai Ling's voice was filled with admiration. "To think you defeated a sword master with just a casual flick of your hand… You truly don't conform to worldly logic."

Shen Mu groaned. "I threw a wooden sword at her face. That's all I did."

Bai Ling gasped. "Exactly! A technique so refined that we can't even comprehend its depth!"

Shen Mu wanted to cry.

But before he could argue, another sharp knock echoed from the front gate.

His heart sank.

'Oh, come on. Who now?!'

Slowly, he got up and opened the gate—

Only to find an old man in red robes, his long beard fluttering in the wind. His aura burned like fire, and even standing near him made the air feel hot and heavy.

Bai Ling's eyes widened in horror. "T-That's… Elder Huo of the Blazing Sun Sect! A Peak Nascent Soul cultivator!"

Shen Mu sighed. 'Another big shot?!'

Elder Huo cupped his fists. "This old one greets the esteemed master."

Shen Mu immediately tried to shut the door. "Nope."

Elder Huo slammed his palm against the door frame. "Wait! I only ask for a moment of your time!"

Shen Mu groaned. "I already told the last group, I'm not taking disciples, I'm not selling divine chairs, and I'm definitely not an expert."

Elder Huo shook his head. "No, no. I have come for something else."

Shen Mu frowned. "…What, then?"

Elder Huo suddenly pulled out a broken wooden stool.

It looked… pitiful. One leg was missing, the surface was cracked, and it looked like it was one bad movement away from collapsing into dust.

Shen Mu blinked. "…What am I looking at?"

Elder Huo bowed deeply.

"Master… please repair this artifact!"

Silence.

Bai Ling nearly choked on air.

Elder Zhao, calmly sipping tea in the background, almost dropped his cup.

Xiao Lan just covered her face in disbelief.

Shen Mu, meanwhile, felt like punching a wall.

"…It's just a broken stool."

Elder Huo's voice trembled. "No. This is the Emperor's Meditation Seat, a sacred relic of our sect! It has been passed down for five hundred years and contains the lingering insights of countless masters. But during a minor earthquake… it broke."

Shen Mu stared at him. "So… you want me to fix it?"

Elder Huo knelt on the ground.

"Please! I would entrust this sacred relic to no one else!"

Shen Mu felt his soul leave his body.

'I am literally just a carpenter—why is a Peak Nascent Soul elder begging me to fix a stool?!'

But then, he had an idea.

'Wait. This is my chance! If I fix this normally and nothing special happens, maybe they'll finally realize I'm just an ordinary craftsman!'

His eyes lit up.

"Alright," he said, rolling up his sleeves. "I'll fix it."

Elder Huo nearly cried with joy.

"Thank you, Master!"

Bai Ling and the others watched in awe as Shen Mu casually picked up the stool, pulled out a few tools, and got to work.

For him, this was basic. He smoothed out the cracks, reinforced the structure, and replaced the broken leg with a fresh one. Simple, efficient, clean.

But to the others watching…

Each motion of his chisel seemed to hum with Dao principles. The way he aligned the wood flowed like the heavens themselves. The way he tightened the joints felt as though he was reinforcing the laws of the universe.

Even Elder Zhao, an experienced cultivator, shivered as he watched.

Shen Mu finished with a satisfied nod. "Done."

He turned to Elder Huo. "Alright, here you go. It's just a stool again. Nothing special."

Elder Huo swallowed and slowly reached out to touch it—

BOOOOM!

A shockwave of golden light erupted from the stool the moment he made contact.

The ground trembled. The air rippled. The trees in the courtyard swayed as if bowing in reverence.

A faint, divine hum filled the air, like a heavenly chorus singing the praises of this sacred object.

Shen Mu froze.

Bai Ling gasped.

Elder Zhao's eyes nearly popped out of his head.

Elder Huo's jaw dropped. "T-This… this is…"

Then, suddenly—

BOOOM!

Elder Huo was blasted backward, his eyes going blank for a moment. His body trembled violently, and then—

BZZZZT!

An explosion of spiritual energy surged from within him.

CRACK!

The invisible bottleneck in his cultivation shattered like glass.

The temperature of the entire courtyard spiked, and the air itself ignited with golden flames.

A roaring fire erupted from Elder Huo's body, swirling into a massive inferno.

"…What's happening to him?" Shen Mu asked weakly.

Bai Ling's hands trembled. "He's… h-he's…"

Elder Zhao, for the first time, looked genuinely shocked.

"…He's breaking through to the Soul Ascension Realm."

Shen Mu's soul left his body.

'HOW?! I JUST FIXED A STOOL!'

Elder Huo's voice roared through the air.

"I… I HAVE BROKEN THROUGH! I AM AN EARTH IMMORTAL!"

The flames surrounding him collapsed inward, merging into his body. His aura rose to terrifying new heights, shaking the entire mountain.

Then, slowly, he fell to his knees, trembling.

"…Master," Elder Huo whispered. "You are… beyond human comprehension."

Shen Mu stared blankly at the perfectly normal stool.

He wanted to scream.

---

Meanwhile, In the Celestial Realm…

Inside the Celestial Jade Pavilion, Empress Yue abruptly opened her eyes.

A powerful shockwave of energy had suddenly rippled through the heavens.

Her serene expression finally cracked.

"…Someone just ascended?"

One of her attendants gasped. "I-It came from the mortal world…!"

Empress Yue slowly rose from her throne, her gaze flickering.

"…So the time has come."

She turned, her voice calm yet commanding.

"Prepare my chariot."

---

End of Chapter 8