Chapter 1019 — Identity Exposed

The Ten Heavenly Venerables may suspect one another, but they will certainly soon discover that the body has vanished. I cannot linger here too long.

" Shen Mu then made the Heavenly Lord's body close its brow, hid himself deep within its glabella, turned the body around, and walked toward the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace. The Heavenly Court was thick with the eyes and ears of the Ten Heavenly Venerables; from discovering the disappearance of the Heavenly Lord's body to tracking it down would take them no time at all.

He still intended to use this body to visit Zaofu Palace and Pixiang Hall, so he had to set out before the Ten Heavenly Venerables noticed.

The corner of the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace's eye twitched as he watched his "Imperial Father" approach.

When Shen Mu came to his side, the Crown Prince lowered his head; his lips moved, and at last he forced out that word: "Imperial Father.

" Shen Mu stopped and looked at him with a half-smile, then said abruptly: "You have noticed? " A chill ran through the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace; every hair on his body stood on end, and he nearly could not stop himself from bursting out with all his strength and fleeing! "Even if you have noticed, it changes nothing.

" Shen Mu said calmly: "I am, after all, one of the Ten Heavenly Venerables, and a Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace like you has never meant anything to me. To be quite frank, your father, the Ancient God Heavenly Lord, died long ago.

You have felt my coldness toward you for forty thousand years; surely you can guess the reason by now. " He said icily: "Your father has been dead for forty thousand years!

" The Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace dropped to his knees with a thud, his hands braced against overlapping strands of purple glow, his palms eaten bloody by the light.

His body shook. He wanted to spring up and hurl every last ounce of his strength into killing the Heavenly Venerable before him to avenge the Ancient God Heavenly Lord, yet he knew the gap in their power and that he was no match for a Heavenly Venerable! His reason told him that he must not move on any account, that he could only swallow his pride — and swallowing his pride was the only way to live!

Shen Mu watched him coldly, and after a moment said: "Forty thousand years ago, your father died at the hands of us Ten Heavenly Venerables.

It was we who created this body to take control of the Heavenly Court.

" The Crown Prince's voice was hoarse: "Why.

. . " "Why?

" Shen Mu laughed heartily.

"Because of this seat! Because of this immense power!

Prince, if you obediently play the Crown Prince, you will live. If you say one thing too many, your death will not be far off. " The Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace fell silent, and his body stopped trembling.

Shen Mu waved a hand and said indifferently: "I have no hold over you at the moment, and deposing a Crown Prince is a troublesome affair, so I shall spare your life.

You may withdraw. Conduct yourself well.

" The Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace rose slowly, tears gleaming in his eyes, and walked out in silence with his head bowed.

"Stop.

" Shen Mu called him back. The Crown Prince went rigid and stood there in silence. "Do not think of betrayal, of giving us Ten Heavenly Venerables a chance to depose you.

Understood?

" Shen Mu's voice reached him. The Crown Prince nodded mutely.

"Go.

" Shen Mu said.

The Crown Prince left, holding back his tears.

Shen Mu breathed a sigh of relief, thinking: "If the Crown Prince had truly attacked, with his Imperial Throne strength, even controlling this body I am afraid I could not have withstood him.

This body is too large, too unwieldy to maneuver; fighting a peak Imperial Throne expert would be difficult.

.

.

" Refreshed in spirit, he walked out: "First to Pixiang Hall, to see whether I can take Heavenly Venerable Yu's remnant soul; then to Zaofu Palace, to see just what that Creation divine artifact really is, that it can forge so many blue fatties. . . " He had barely left the forbidden zone when, straight ahead, a woman came toward him.

She trod on cloud-ascending boots, wore a red-and-white off-shoulder gown, her cloud-like hair coiled high, her bosom half exposed — she was none other than the Heavenly Consort Qiang, one of the Ten Heavenly Venerables! Shen Mu blinked and inwardly cursed: trouble! "Why would Your Majesty have the leisure to come here?

" The Heavenly Consort Qiang's lovely eyes roved as she looked around, and she burst into a giggle. Shen Mu chuckled: "My beloved consort, this is my ancestral land. What are you doing here?

" The Heavenly Consort Qiang said, smiling sweetly: "Your Majesty has not entered the inner palace for quite some days.

When you came so suddenly today, your humble consort was, of course, overjoyed and waiting for Your Majesty — yet instead of coming to see me, you ran off to this place.

" Goosebumps rose all over Shen Mu's body.

The thought that this Heavenly Consort Qiang might well be the incarnation of one of the Ancient God Heavenly Lord's souls made him utterly ill at ease.