Chapter 9: The Heavenly Empress Descends

Shen Mu sat in complete silence, staring at the perfectly ordinary stool he had just repaired.

Across from him, Elder Huo, now an Earth Immortal, knelt with absolute reverence, his body still faintly glowing with golden flames.

Bai Ling and Elder Zhao were frozen in shock.

Xiao Lan looked like she was about to pass out.

And Shen Mu?

Shen Mu wanted to cry.

'I FIXED A STOOL. I DIDN'T MEAN TO CHANGE THIS MAN'S LIFE!'

Elder Huo took a deep breath. Then, with absolute devotion, he kowtowed, pressing his forehead to the ground.

"…Master Shen Mu." His voice trembled. "This one is unworthy… but if you would grant me the honor, I humbly request to become your disciple."

Shen Mu nearly coughed up blood.

'Oh COME ON—AGAIN?!'

Bai Ling gasped. "A newly ascended Earth Immortal… begging to be a disciple?!"

Elder Zhao nearly dropped his teacup.

"This… this is unprecedented," he muttered. "A man who just broke through to immortality, bowing before a mortal carpenter… If word gets out, the world will go mad."

Shen Mu, meanwhile, was losing his mind.

'Okay. Breathe. Think. This is salvageable. If I reject him, maybe he'll—'

Elder Huo slammed his forehead against the ground.

"Master Shen! If I am not worthy as a disciple, then please allow me to be a mere servant in your household!"

Shen Mu twitched.

'I CAN'T EVEN GET RID OF HIM NOW?!'

But before he could reject him—

The skies suddenly darkened.

A powerful, divine aura descended upon the mortal realm, suffocating everything beneath it. The clouds split apart, revealing a shimmering golden chariot pulled by eight celestial beasts, its surface glowing with ancient inscriptions.

Atop the chariot stood a woman in flowing jade robes, her presence ethereal and untouchable. Her mere existence caused the wind to still and the world to tremble.

Shen Mu's heart nearly stopped.

"Wh-WHO is that?!" he whispered.

Bai Ling's face turned pale as snow.

"T-The Heavenly Empress…?!"

Shen Mu's hands trembled.

'Wait. WAIT. WAIT. THE EMPRESS?!'

Empress Yue, the ruler of the Celestial Jade Pavilion, stood at the front of her divine chariot, gazing down upon the tiny woodshop in the mortal world.

Her piercing silver eyes locked onto Shen Mu.

'So… this is the man behind the artifact,' she thought.

She had seen countless legends, countless geniuses, countless myths.

Yet the man before her was… a mortal.

No aura. No cultivation. Just a simple man standing in confusion.

And yet…

The moment she laid eyes upon him, an unexplainable feeling settled in her heart.

A feeling that she, who had long since transcended mortality, had never experienced before.

Curiosity.

Her soft lips parted, her voice calm and divine.

"…You are Shen Mu?"

Shen Mu gulped. "Y-Yeah?"

Bai Ling nearly fainted.

'He said 'yeah' to the Empress?!'

Empress Yue studied him closely. "You are the creator of the Chair of Enlightenment?"

Shen Mu resisted the urge to scream.

'NOT THIS AGAIN.'

He knew how this conversation would go. No matter how many times he denied it, they would interpret it as humility!

So this time… he tried a different approach.

"…What if I said yes?" he asked cautiously.

Everyone froze.

The air grew still.

Bai Ling gasped.

Elder Zhao's teacup shattered in his hands.

Elder Huo's jaw dropped to the floor.

And Empress Yue…

Empress Yue narrowed her eyes.

A moment of heavy silence passed.

Then, slowly, she stepped down from her chariot.

Everyone else immediately fell to their knees—except Shen Mu, who was too shocked to move.

As she approached, her jade robes flowed like mist, her every step causing ripples in the world itself.

She stopped in front of him.

For the first time in centuries, Empress Yue bowed.

"This one has come," she said softly, "to seek your wisdom."

Shen Mu felt his soul leave his body.

'THIS. IS. NOT. HAPPENING.'

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End of Chapter 9