Chapter 1177 — The Twofold Ore Belt

"Could this ore vein have fallen into Yan Tianfei's hands already?

" Shen Mu was rather disappointed. Yan Tianfei was either the Empress or Lady Yuanmu, and she surely knew the Ancestral Court well, so she would naturally have chosen the finest treasure site at the first opportunity. Yan Tianfei sensed his arrival and walked out from her palace, standing before the hall with a white cat in her arms, gazing about.

Shen Mu bowed in greeting, and Yan Tianfei hastily returned the courtesy, saying with a smile, "Heavenly Venerable Mu, parading the foremost treasure under heaven everywhere you go - are you not afraid the Void Beasts will covet it and devour you? " Shen Mu laughed.

"I do not fear the Void Beasts. I fear only the Heavenly Venerables of the Ancestral Court. " Yan Tianfei could not help but smile.

"Without your spells and divine powers, no one else could leave even if they wished.

And since they dare not break the Ancestral Court's seal outright, they can only watch helplessly as you flaunt the Lapis Azure-Sky Banner. " Her lovely eyes blinked. "Does Heavenly Venerable Mu know the origin of the treasure upon the Lapis Azure-Sky Banner? " Shen Mu's heart stirred slightly, and he humbly sought instruction.

"Please, elder sister, enlighten me. " The white cat in Yan Tianfei's arms let out a mewl, its face threatening.

Shen Mu laughed.

"I am not competing with you over her affections, so why do you try to frighten me? " Yan Tianfei gathered the cat closer and said with a smile, "Little Seven is no ordinary cat, but a spirit cat that knows right from wrong and tells good from evil. It must think Heavenly Venerable Mu is not a good man, and so warns me.

Is this cat white? " Shen Mu nodded without thinking. "Especially white! And big!

" Yan Tianfei burst out laughing, and Long Qilin hurriedly coughed.

Coming to his senses, Shen Mu said hastily, "Let us not speak of the cat.

Elder sister has still not told me the origin of this treasure. " "This treasure was forged by Northern Emperor Xuanwu, who plundered the treasury of Grand Emperor Juyu and refined it from countless exotic treasures of the Ancestral Court.

The celestial sphere upon it was mined from the ore veins in the territory of the Nüxin Clan, and was originally called the Wish-Granting Stone," said Yan Tianfei. "This treasure grants every wish and can command all the treasures in the world, unleashing their power. It can transmute matter, more wondrous even than a Creator's visualization. It can turn soil into gold, women into men, flowing water into flying fish.

This treasure helped the Nüxin Clan flourish until they stood shoulder to shoulder with the Juyu Clan. Yet the being within this egg is nothing more than another Heavenly Emperor. " Shen Mu thanked her. "Many thanks for your guidance. " Yan Tianfei smiled. "Do not play with fire. The Grand Emperor hatched an Ancient God Heavenly Emperor, and he came to no good end.

" Shen Mu's heart turned cold.

Yan Tianfei said, "This is my domain. Heavenly Venerable Mu had best seek another treasure site.

" Shen Mu took his leave and departed, then suddenly halted.

"Does the Heavenly Consort know who Lady Yuanmu is, and who the Empress is? " Yan Tianfei was briefly taken aback, then shook her head with a smile.

"Does Heavenly Venerable Mu know? " Shen Mu said, "I believe Lady Yuanmu and the Empress would never pass up the Ancestral Court.

No matter whom they have been reborn as, they will come to wade into these murky waters.

I possess a treasure - the very body of Lady Yuanmu - which may be able to summon Lady Yuanmu's soul. If so, I will know who Yuanmu truly is. " Yan Tianfei smiled. "I too would very much like to know where Yuanmu hides and whom she has become. So why does Heavenly Venerable Mu not give it a try? " Shen Mu laughed heartily and turned to leave.

"I only said it in passing. Where would I get Lady Yuanmu's body?

" He stood upon the Void Beast's head. After the beast had traveled for a long while, they came to yet another treasure site.

Shen Mu narrowed his eyes and, far in the distance, caught sight of the palace of the Langxuan Divine Emperor. He surveyed the surroundings, and saw that the lie of the mountains and rivers here was like a three-dimensional Taiji diagram: two divine mountains, one black and one white, pressed upon the ground, with a long river flowing through the center, winding and meandering. The two divine mountains sat rounded upon the flat land, one wholly snow-white, the other wholly jet-black, a thousand li apart, facing each other across the distance, their rosy radiance soaring into the heavens.

The palace of the Langxuan Divine Emperor had been built between the two divine mountains, where a stretch of ore veins lay along both banks of the river. Rosy light spilled from the river, all but forming Dao patterns, and ore caves stood in dense array on either shore. Shen Mu flew high into the sky and looked down, and saw that the lie of the mountains and rivers here formed exactly a natural Taiji diagram!

Within the palace, the Langxuan Divine Emperor sensed him and immediately summoned his Heavenly Venerable treasure, a great bell. It turned upside down and hung suspended above the palace. The Langxuan Divine Emperor raised his hand and gave a shake.

The bell tolled mightily, shaking all the Void Beasts hidden nearby to powder. "You, surnamed Shen - how do you compare to these Void Beasts? " The Langxuan Divine Emperor looked up, brimming with killing intent.

"This is my domain, my treasure mountain, my ore vein. If you dare covet them, you die!

" Shen Mu descended and laughed. "Langxuan, my worthy nephew. .

. " The Langxuan Divine Emperor raised his hand to strike the bell.

Knowing him to be ruthless and cruel, Shen Mu immediately corrected himself.

"Worthy brother. " The Langxuan Divine Emperor's expression eased slightly. He sneered, "You are loyal on the outside and treacherous within.

You may deceive others, but you cannot deceive me.

If you do not provoke me, I will tolerate you. But if you do provoke me.

. . " Shen Mu laughed.

"Then I will not take you out!

" The Langxuan Divine Emperor was startled, then said slowly, "There is no need to put it that way. Heavenly Venerable Mu, let me give you a pointer. This Ancestral Court has five ancient ore veins, and all five are now claimed - beyond your reach. Yet apart from these five veins, there are other treasure sites, and treasures beyond counting. " Shen Mu's expression stirred slightly. "Might I ask for your instruction?

" The Langxuan Divine Emperor smiled.

"For instance, Youdu itself originated from the Ancestral Court. You could seek out the place of Youdu's origin - the burial ground of the first Creator. That corpse has not decayed in millions upon millions of years. What has it grown into after being nurtured in the Ancestral Court?

" Shen Mu could not help but be moved.

The Langxuan Divine Emperor continued, "Or you could seek out the place where the Tianyin Realm originated, where souls are shattered. You are well versed in the heavenly laws, so that place would be a great treasure site for you as well. Furthermore, you could seek out the place where Guixu originated. Though you may not find the Twin Lotuses of Life and Death, you can find their roots and stems, which are supreme treasures in their own right! " Shen Mu bowed and thanked him. The Langxuan Divine Emperor returned the courtesy and smiled.

"I am a blunt man and speak rather harshly. You are the Grand Elder of the Heaven Alliance, my Eldest Senior Brother - do not take offense. " Shen Mu said gravely, "That the Heaven Alliance has a man of such integrity as Daoist Langxuan is indeed a fortunate thing.

" The two laughed heartily. Shen Mu patted the Void Beast, and the Void Beast departed.

"The places the Langxuan Divine Emperor spoke of are indeed remarkable treasure sites, and would be of great use to me.