Chapter 897 — The Only Path to Survival

It seems she has found you. " The remnant soul put the hairpin back into his hand and chuckled.

"I am tempted.

Truly, I am tempted. But Hao Tianzun has descended, and he is enough to settle everything.

I have no reason to descend. .

.

" He rose and paced to and fro, sighing. "My rebellious son holds all power in the court, and my own forces are far inferior to his. And if it were known that I am the Heavenly Emperor of old, they would surely join hands to destroy me. I have no reason to descend.

" Shen Mu's eyes lit up. "If Hao Tianzun cannot deal with the Yuan World, would Your Majesty then have a reason to descend? " The remnant soul was startled. Shen Mu said, "Then it depends on whether Your Majesty can bear to part with it.

" "You are a devil! Mu Tianzun, you truly are a devil!

" The remnant soul sighed, paced swiftly to and fro, and suddenly stopped.

"Whatever it takes, I must bear to part with it!

There is nothing left I cannot bear to part with!

What a pity for the Earth Mother Yuanjun. . . but this is the only chance that would let me descend. Only thus is there a thread of life!

" Yan Qiling too understood at once what they meant to do; her slender body trembled slightly, but she said nothing. "Qiling!

" Yan Qiling bowed.

"This disciple is here.

" The black sand of souls around the remnant soul surged, and after a moment a round bright mirror flew out of the black sand and landed in Yan Qiling's hand. The remnant soul said, "Go to the Earth Mother Yuanjun and let her see this mirror face to face.

" Yan Qiling silently put the mirror away. Lady Tianyin, standing to one side, had been silent all along.

She was simple-hearted and had never understood what Shen Mu and the remnant soul were talking about; but the moment the mirror appeared, she finally understood what it meant.

Only, she too grew even more silent. The remnant soul said, "Mu Tianzun, I am casting away the strongest and most capable general under my command. How do you find my sincerity?

" Shen Mu bowed.

"Your Majesty's sacrifice shall surely be repaid! " The remnant soul shook his head and smiled.

"Of course I mean to be repaid.

Come now and work your rites for me, that my souls may be remade; after that, you may go with Qiling to see the new Earth Mother Yuanjun. " Shen Mu was about to agree when Lady Tianyin coughed once. He heard it and knew what she meant, yet he acted as though he had not, and at once set up the altar and began the rites.

When he opened the Gate of Receiving Heaven and borrowed the power of Tiangong and Tubo, the two sensed it at once and gazed here across the worlds. Shen Mu bowed low and knocked his head to the ground before the two ancient gods. The two ancient gods bore a vast enmity toward the Heavenly Emperor and had meant to withdraw their power and lend him none; but when they saw him kneel and knock his head against the altar until it bled, the two ancient gods fell silent, their faces vanishing behind the Gate of Receiving Heaven, and they did not take him to task for stealing their power.

Shen Mu climbed to his feet and went on with the rites. How hard it was to shape souls for the Heavenly Emperor!

He labored until he spat blood, yet he clenched his teeth and persevered, carrying the rite through to the end.

When the Heavenly Emperor's two souls had been remade, Shen Mu's eyes went wide, and he fell straight backward, unconscious upon the altar. The Heavenly Emperor's earth soul and spirit soul gathered and took the form of a towering figure, which bent to look down at the altar and smiled. "Were you not still of use, and were I not still in need of your hand to find my body, I would truly like to dispose of you right now. Mu Tianzun, to let you keep growing is far too dangerous. .

.

" "Your Majesty! " Lady Tianyin stepped forward and bowed.

"Your Majesty's words are gold; you cannot go back on them. " The Heavenly Emperor's two souls turned their gaze upon her, and after a long while he sighed.

"Tianyin, your elbow is turning outward. I will not blame you; after all, he saved your life. You are too simple. The world is treacherous, and there are many things you cannot grasp. Rest easy, he will not die.

For now he cannot die.

" He flicked a finger, and a thread of vital essence flew into Shen Mu's brow; after a moment Shen Mu slowly came to. "Qiling, go with Mu Tianzun, and let Mu Tianzun see my sincerity.

" The Heavenly Emperor's two souls flew out of the Tianyin World, and his voice came back, laughing. "Mu Tianzun, what follows is up to you. How to clip the wings of that rebellious son Hao Tianzun will depend on your skill and your methods! I shall be in the Heavenly Court, waiting for you to give me the chance to descend upon the Yuan World! Before I descend, your Jingping must be preserved by your own efforts!

If you can hold out, then there is this thread of life! " Shen Mu rolled to his feet and said to Yan Qiling, "Thank you.

" Yan Qiling shook her head.

"I am not helping you. I simply do not want to watch you die like this. I still mean to defeat you with my own hands and make you beg for mercy beneath me. Come with me; I will take you to see the new Earth Mother Yuanjun. " Shen Mu turned to Lady Tianyin. "My lady, you should not have spoken for me before the Heavenly Emperor. He no longer trusts you.

" Lady Tianyin's heart was in turmoil, and she suddenly wept.

"Are you truly going to do away with that Earth Mother sister? She is like me, a pitiable creature. " Shen Mu took his leave. "From first to last, she has been a chess piece of the Heavenly Emperor.

My lady, take good care of yourself! " He turned and departed together with Yan Qiling.

Outside the Tianyin World, Yan Qiling sat with him on the back of the dragon sparrow that Yan'er had become, pointing out the direction of flight. After a long while she said suddenly, "The new Earth Mother Yuanjun is in truth my master's wife in this life. She is my master's consort.

" Shen Mu's body trembled slightly, and he said nothing. "My heart cannot quite bear it, and yet I have no choice but to do it.

" Yan Qiling stared blankly into space, then suddenly smiled.

"I have always prided myself on talent that reaches the heavens, and I looked down on those young prodigies of the Heavenly Court. When I descended to the lower world I thought it would be easy to pacify the Yuan World and help my master unify it. Then I met you, and you sent me home with my wings clipped. I thought myself favored by heaven, but after all that has happened, I have come to realize.

.

.

" Shen Mu reached out a finger and lightly touched the back of her head. The halo of the Heavenly Emperor's blessing at the back of Yan Qiling's head at once grew turbid and dim.