Chapter 1014 — The Young Heavenly Lord's Residence

"Little sisters, which consort was it that was bathing that day? Was it the Consort Qiang we just met? " Shen Mu's face turned black as iron. The two maids dared not answer.

To speak of it would likely be a capital offense.

When Shen Mu had twice opened the gates of the Heavenly Lord's inner palace at the Void Bridge, the uproar had been considerable. The consorts had suppressed the news and executed a batch of maids who had gossiped too freely.

These two had survived, and naturally they too feared for their own situations.

The Heavenly Lord's inner palace was vast beyond measure. The two maids led them along small doors and side paths, avoiding the crowded places, and sent them out through a rear gate. Shen Mu looked back and said in a low voice, "Many secrets are hidden in the Heavenly Lord's inner palace.

.

.

" God King Langwan smiled a half-smile. "And many young ladies who bathe frequently.

" Shen Mu said no more.

God King Shujun nodded.

"Last time, when the Holy Infant opened the door, we happened to come upon the consorts and maids bathing. So many people, all white and glistening. " Shen Mu shot God King Shujun a glance. Shujun shuddered, as though plunged into an abyss.

Shen Mu smiled. "God King sister, this is the Heavenly Court. You wished to see the ancestral court of we Creators—are you satisfied now?

" God King Langwan looked around. Above the Heavenly Court, streams of light flowed like two funnels pressed together—an exceedingly bizarre sight.

That was the Spiritual Energy Transfer Bridge that Shen Mu had designed.

She did not recognize it.

The number of Spiritual Energy Transfer Bridges had multiplied several times over since Shen Mu had left. It seemed likely that the myriad heavens and worlds—even the Nether Capital and the Mystic Capital—had all been linked by the bridges, making travel convenient and the Heavenly Court's rule all the easier.

God King Shujun shook his head.

"This is the Ancient Gods' Heavenly Court, not the ancestral court of we Creators. God King Langwan is still young and has likely never been to the ancestral court.

The ancestral court is not here. " Shen Mu was taken aback.

"The Heavenly Court is not the ancestral court?

" God King Shujun shook his head. "No. " God King Langwan said, "I did not think it seemed much like it either. The ancestral spirits said that the ancestral court was vast beyond measure, holy in every place, with boundless mountains and rivers, mines of Divine Creation Stones, and other heavenly treasures beyond counting.

Though this place is rich, it does not resemble the ancestral court of which the ancestral spirits spoke. " Shen Mu frowned. He had been prejudiced, always believing that the ancestral court of which the Creators spoke was the Heavenly Court.

It seemed now that he had guessed wrong.

"This should be the birthplace of the Ancient God Heavenly Lord.

" God King Shujun wrinkled his nose. "I just caught the scent of that fellow's Great Dao. A great secret is hidden in his birthplace. From the scent I caught, his birthplace is somewhere in the inner palace. " Shen Mu looked at him in surprise and thought, "The scent of the Great Dao?

He can smell that? Is God King Shujun's nose built differently from ours?

Still, that the Heavenly Lord's birthplace is in the inner palace—that is a heaven-shaking secret!

If I could enter the inner palace again and explore. . . " He shook his head.

Though Consort Qiang had courteously ordered them escorted out, to enter the Heavenly Lord's inner palace again would be difficult beyond measure. "Yan'er and Long Pang are currently in the Vermilion Bird Palace. Best to bring them back first. " Shen Mu made a quick calculation and thought, "I have no property in the Heavenly Court, nor the money to buy any. That is a vexing matter.

. . " He led the two of them to the Southern Emperor Vermilion Bird's temporary palace in the Heavenly Court.

The Southern Emperor Vermilion Bird had originally had his own heavenly palace in the Heavenly Court, called the Vermilion Bird Palace, but had later relocated to the Southern Pole Heaven, leaving only a temporary residence behind, also called the Vermilion Bird Palace.

It was not as magnificent as before, merely an ordinary palace. When Shen Mu arrived, he saw that the Vermilion Bird Palace was not large, but beside it stood another palace, golden and resplendent, exceedingly vast.

This was the temporary palace of Qi Xiayu, located in the southern part of the Heavenly Court and called the Hall of Allegiance, meaning "surrender to the great cause. " This was because the Crimson Emperor Qi Xiayu had not originally been the Heavenly Court's Crimson Emperor; she had submitted to the Heavenly Court during the battle that destroyed the Supreme Emperor's Heavenly Court. Hence the hall where she resided was called the Hall of Allegiance. The Hall of Allegiance was even more splendid than the Vermilion Bird Palace, its buildings far taller. Shen Mu arrived at the Vermilion Bird Palace to find its doors tightly shut. He asked the divine being guarding the entrance, who said, "So it is Heavenly Lord Mu.

Princess Yan and Young Master Pi left here long ago and returned to the Heavenly Lord's Residence. " Shen Mu was surprised. "The Heavenly Lord's Residence? " "Does the Heavenly Lord not know?

" The divine being smiled. "The Heavenly Lord's Residence was bestowed by His Majesty. It is in the Jade Capital City.

Please come with me, Heavenly Lord; I will escort you there.

" Shen Mu frowned, somewhat uneasy. "I am penniless in the Heavenly Court. How could I afford to maintain a property as large as the Heavenly Lord's Residence? I would rather stay at the Jade Pool and mooch meals off the Empress.

Otherwise I could not even cover daily expenses.

.

. " The divine being escorted them to the Heavenly Lord Mu's Residence in the Jade Capital City.

The estate was exceedingly vast and luxurious, with a tower every five steps and a pavilion every ten—a veritable small heavenly palace! Shen Mu was somewhat dazed when he heard Snow Fox's voice from within. "Hurry, hurry! Decorate everything before the young master returns.

. . This is the Heavenly Lord's Residence; it should at least have the air of one.

We cannot embarrass the young master, and it is not as if we lack money. . . Long Pang, come over here, this is the palace where you will stay. . .

" Shen Mu walked into the Heavenly Lord's Residence, Snow Fox's voice growing nearer. ". . . Would you prefer it decorated as a dragon's nest or a qilin's den? Do you need to be chained up to fall asleep? Shall I have Jingping's Imperial Workshop forge you a solid gold chain? "