Chapter 941 — The Bloodshed at Langxuan Divine Palace

The Langxuan Divine Emperor frowned, and doubt crept into his voice. "That fellow actually dares to come? That is a move that gives me a headache. The Heavenly Court has been stirred by him beyond all recognition; the ten Heavenly Venerables suspect and guard against one another, and very nearly came to open war. That fellow is bold enough to run off and stir up trouble among the other Heavenly Kings and the Four Emperors — very well. But that he should dare come to my house and tweak the tiger's whiskers. And in such a perilous season as this..."

He paced to and fro, musing. "I will not go to see him. The Heaven Alliance was founded by him; he is one of the five founding elders, and his standing in the Heaven Alliance is even above the Heavenly Venerable Ling's! Of the five founding elders today, the Heavenly Venerable Yue is crippled, the Heavenly Venerable Yun and the Heavenly Venerable Ling are dead, the Heavenly Venerable Shen hides away and dares not show his face, and only he remains. He is, in name, the man of greatest authority and highest standing in the Heaven Alliance. Were I to meet him, I should have to bow my head and address him as Brother in the Way!"

Chang Xiting was secretly alarmed and dared not speak, thinking, "If I handle this matter well, I shall have earned merit before our master, and he will surely reward me handsomely."

The Langxuan Divine Emperor's gaze was deep, and he went on unhurried. "That boy has reaped every advantage. In the early years of Longhan, the Heavenly Emperor invited me to a gathering. I attended the grand gathering of the Heavenly Court; he, meanwhile, went to see the Heavenly Venerable Yu and attended the grand gathering at the Jade Pool. And what came of it? The Heaven Alliance was founded, and his standing came to outrank my own... Xiting, I shall go out and wander the four quarters. Once you have humiliated him, send him on his way; do not let him die here with me. And one thing more!"

His voice deepened. "Mount a strict guard over the Heavenly Venerable Mu. On no account may anything happen to him! If he dies here in my Langxuan Divine Palace, it is a monstrous chamber pot of filth emptied over my head, and I shall never wash it off! There have long been Heavenly Venerables in the Court who look on me with disfavor and would gladly be rid of me, lacking only the occasion. Now their occasion has come. There may well be someone who will strike, and assassinate the Heavenly Venerable Mu!"

Chang Xiting felt a chill run down his spine and hurried off.

The Langxuan Divine Emperor drifted away, laughing. "At that grand gathering of the Heavenly Court, my standing was above that of certain ancient gods. Who would have thought that the grand gathering of the Heavenly Court would have no bearing on the rankings of later ages, while that unremarkable gathering at the Jade Pool would prove the great event that fixed the order of a million years. Fortunately I joined the Heaven Alliance early as well; otherwise I should not even have had the chance of a share of the soup..."

Shen Mu was gaunt and bony, his vital blood and energy both depleted, wracked by fit upon fit of coughing. Many disciples of the Langxuan Divine Palace were pressing and needling him, saying things like, "We beg the Heavenly Venerable Mu of the Overlord Body to instruct us."

Shen Mu said nothing throughout, gave no response, only his breath and blood churned — plainly he was not calm within.

Qi Jiuyi could bear it no longer. "Senior Brothers of the Langxuan Divine Palace, what is the meaning of this?" he cried fiercely. "The Heavenly Venerable Mu has come to pay his respects to the Heavenly Venerable Lang, not to squabble and brawl with you disciples! If you want a fight, come at me!"

A woman laughed. "Qi Jiuyi, we have heard of your reputation. But you are merely a disciple of the Four Emperors; your skills are mediocre at best, so spare us the display. We are asking the Heavenly Venerable Mu, Shen the Overlord Body of Jingping, to instruct us. You are not qualified."

Qi Jiuyi flew into a rage. "Is qualification required even to issue a challenge?"

The others only smiled and said nothing.

Yun Jianli said, gently smiling, "Then am I qualified? I am a descendant of the Heavenly Venerable Yun. May I accept the challenges of these Senior Brothers on the Heavenly Venerable Mu's behalf?"

Chang Xiting came in from outside, laughing heartily. "Young Master of Sickness, your family's grandmother and great-grandmother are far too formidable to provoke. Why must you enter the fray yourself? Set your mind at ease, Young Master of Sickness; my junior brothers merely wish to ask the Heavenly Venerable Mu for a bit of guidance in cultivation. I have heard that the Heavenly Venerable Mu carried out reforms in the lower realms, that he is named one of the Three Heroes of Jingping, and that he is the peerless Overlord Body of Jingping. Let him instruct my junior brothers and sisters a little, and open their eyes for them."

The assembled disciples bowed low, one and all. "Eldest Senior Brother!"

Shen Mu rose tottering to his feet. "Since you all wish to witness the strength of the Overlord Body, and to see the esoteric arts of Jingping, then I..."

He was suddenly seized by violent coughing, his body swaying, and he reached out a hand as if to steady himself on something.

Yun Chuxiu hurried forward to support him, and helped him walk out, whispering, "You — you must not always be so stubborn, you must take care of your health. I said long ago that we should not come out, but you would have it your way..." And with that she stealthily pinched up a small twist of flesh beneath his arm and gave it a twist.

"I have been toyed with by Her Highness the Empress Consort?"

Shen Mu's heart swayed. He hastily pushed the girl away, and said, panting, "A man may be killed, but not shamed. I can still hold out! I have come to see the Heavenly Venerable Lang, not to be insulted. As an Overlord Body, I will uphold the dignity of the Overlord Body absolutely! Come on!"

He straightened himself, drew out the Heart of the Primal Wood, and leaned upon this wooden staff, every inch the proud and unbending man. Coldly he said, "The Overlord Body of Jingping has never lost! And never once has it retreated!"

Qi Jiuyi sighed and thought, "On this outing, I fear many more will die. First it was the Jade Pool; now it is the Heavenly Venerable Lang's Langxuan Divine Palace. Does Master Shen truly mean, with iron resolve, to tear the Heavenly Court apart piece by piece?"

Yun Chuxiu glanced at that wooden staff, and her heart gave a leap. "The Heart of the Primal Wood of the Yuan Realm! That little wench the Earth Mother Yuanjun stooped to such extravagance to win the boy's favor! Hee — that little brat the Langxuan Divine Emperor has just slipped away; he is not here. The Heavenly Venerable Mu cannot draw out the full power of the Heart of the Primal Wood. If I lend him a little help, tearing this place down would seem very simple indeed..."

A gleam of excitement rose in her eyes.

Shen Mu raised the Heart of the Primal Wood and said coldly, "Who wishes me to instruct him?"

He too had his own calculations. "After I have taken the Heavenly Venerable Lang down a peg, I shall go make a great commotion at the door of the Court's other giants, and then I may go to the Dao Sect of the Heavenly Court and see the Dao Ancestor..."

Chang Xiting threw a glance at a youth, and the youth stepped forward, a faint smile on his face, and bowed. "Shen Wanzhou, disciple of the Heavenly Venerable Lang. I beg the Heavenly Venerable to instruct me!"

Chang Xiting coughed once in reminder. "Junior Brother Wanzhou, do not injure the Heavenly Venerable Mu. We are the hosts; we must observe the duties of hospitality."

Shen Mu's tone was stiff. "No need! Injure me all you like!"