Chapter 1213 — A Moment of Tenderness

The instant Taisu left, Shen Mu departed from the Palace Heavenly Venerable's domain. Smiling at the woman emperor who had seen him off with such earnest courtesy, he said, "Sihua, please stay.

" The woman emperor, a disciple of the Palace Heavenly Venerable, was named Nian Sihua. She replied, "Mu Heavenly Venerable, my master has ordered me to treat you with due respect. Even if you led the Human Sovereigns of Human Sovereign Hall to block my gates, I would still greet you with every courtesy and see you off with every courtesy. " Shen Mu laughed heartily.

"Thank you for your hospitality.

No need to see me further. " With that, he drifted away. Nian Sihua watched him go, frowned slightly, and murmured, "I truly don't know what my master is thinking, giving him a tenth of the divine stones we dug up with so much hardship. This Mu Heavenly Venerable has a silver tongue and no real substance. Anyone can see he is a frivolous sort, cut from the same cloth as the Netherworld Son of Heaven.

I hope Master won't be taken in by him and cheated of her property and her person. . .

" Shen Mu had obtained eight Taisu divine stones from Nian Sihua and felt thoroughly satisfied. "Refining these eight divine stones should refine away that mouthful of egg fluid I drank.

At most a little will remain, and that's nothing to worry about. " He took out one Taisu divine stone and closed his palm gently around it. The stone vanished and appeared in his abdomen, where it reacted with the stubborn, unrefined egg fluid and transformed. Feeling the Dao resonance of the Taisu Way, Shen Mu sensed his cultivation rising and came to understand one Taisu great-Dao rune after another. His heart was greatly pleased. "I studied the Taishi Egg for so long before I worked out the Taishi runes, but deeper runic Dao must still exist within those runes. Merely refining the egg fluid lets me understand so many Taisu great-Dao runes. If I could crack open the Taishi Egg, take out the Taishi divine stone, and refine the Taishi egg fluid, then my cultivation would surely get twice the result with half the effort!

" The thought stirred him, but he shook his head.

The Taishi Egg was incomparably hard; even a pinnacle existence of the Great Emperor Throne like Wei Suifeng had been unable to split it and had instead shattered three fingers on it. Naturally, Shen Mu was no exception.

As for the Taisu Egg, it had only shattered the Taishi Egg by borrowing the dreadful might of the previous universe's annihilation—a horror Shen Mu absolutely did not wish to experience again.

He took up the Moon Heavenly Venerable's lantern, walked to the rift above the ancestral court, and passed through the seal he had left behind. Shen Mu examined the spiritual-energy transfer bridge he had left outside the ancestral court, observing it closely, and sneered, "This bridge has been destroyed eight times. Hong Heavenly Venerable, Xiao Heavenly Venerable, and Palace Heavenly Venerable most likely wouldn't destroy my bridge.

So it must have been another of the Heavenly Venerables. And the eighth time should be that wench Yun Chuxiu!

" The thought of Yun Chuxiu inevitably brought to mind Shi Qiluo, the palace master of the Zaofu Heavenly Palace, that burly man with a face full of beard. Shen Mu shook his head and stepped onto the spiritual-energy transfer bridge. The bridge connected to Jingping. By the time he stepped off it, he was already near the capital of Jingping. Shen Mu sighed in relief, walked into Shangjing, met Ling Yuxiu, and spoke of what he had experienced in the ancestral court.

Ling Yuxiu said, "Stay in the palace for a few days. There's no hurry to leave until you've refined that strange egg fluid.

" Shen Mu agreed and lodged in the palace for a while.

After Ling Yuxiu had dealt with the affairs of state, she came to find him, only to see Shen Mu sitting in a pavilion in the imperial garden, staring absent-mindedly into the distance. Ling Yuxiu sat down beside him, waved the maids away, and said with a smile, "What is the Jingping Imperial Tutor thinking about? " "I am thinking of the war in the Great Void," Shen Mu said pensively.

"The Great Void is dangerous, but it can hardly stop the Heavenly Court's attack. The Heavenly Court is far too strong; taking the Great Void is only a matter of time.

Now that the Void Beasts are under the Dragon Qilin's control, should I have the Dragon Qilin lead them into the Great Void to fight? " Ling Yuxiu thought for a moment, then said, "If the Great Emperor appears in the Great Void, can the Dragon Qilin protect the mother beast?

" "That's the same problem I've been pondering. " The two of them sat in the pavilion enjoying the view, saying nothing, cherishing the rare tranquility.

Shen Mu got up, took off his shoes, sat on the edge of the pavilion, and put his bare feet in the water.

Ling Yuxiu laughed. "You still have the temper of a child. Mind your stinking feet don't kill my fish with the smell. " Shen Mu patted the empty space beside him and said, "You come and sit here too.

" Ling Yuxiu shook her head. "I am the emperor now.

What sort of dignity would that be, acting the same as you?

" "There's no one around.

" Ling Yuxiu hesitated, looked all around, then took off her boots, sat down beside him, and carefully lowered her feet into the water.

She let out a sigh. "This is so comfortable.

It's been years since I took off my shoes in front of anybody.

" Shen Mu roared with laughter.

Suddenly she leaned against his shoulder, and the two of them, four feet, splashed the water.

After a while, Ling Yuxiu fell asleep on his shoulder, and Shen Mu sat motionless, seeing how soundly she slept. When Ling Yuxiu woke, the lanterns were already lit. She jumped up in a fluster and complained, "Why didn't you wake me?

" Shen Mu smiled.

"I saw how tired you were, so I didn't disturb you.

A couple of maids did come by a moment ago, but I sent them back. " Ling Yuxiu hurriedly put on her shoes.

"They came to remind me about the Imperial Study. I haven't read through the memorials yet.

I have to go take care of them. " Shen Mu rose, put on his shoes, and said, "I'll go with you.

" Ling Yuxiu shook her head. "If those pure-minded critics see you helping me review memorials, they'll complain at court that you're meddling in government and call for your head.

" Shen Mu laughed despite himself.

"There are still pure-minded critics? " "Plenty.

" "Let me go with you.

I, the Jingping Imperial Tutor, haven't dealt with state affairs in over a decade.

Let those pure-minded critics talk. At worst, you behead them and then quietly banish them to the provinces. Do you have your little notebook? " "Of course!

I must not give up the Ling family tradition!

" The two of them reviewed memorials in the Imperial Study, and before they knew it dawn was breaking. One crested fire pheasant-dragon crowed, then the others followed, crowing toward the east. Ling Yuxiu yawned and said hastily, "I'll go wash my face and eat something first.

Court is about to begin. If I'm late, they'll be quarreling endlessly again.

" Shen Mu also stood up, and wanted to embrace her, but he saw the maids entering with washing things, so he held back and said, "Your Majesty, I have refined the divine stone and the egg fluid. It's time I went to take care of my own matters. " Ling Yuxiu washed her hands and face in the basin, then raised her head and said with a smile, "Go and busy yourself with your affairs.

Whatever happens, I am here. " Shen Mu felt a warmth in his heart and said softly, "Your Majesty, do take care of your health.

" Ling Yuxiu's heart felt warm too, and she said gently, "The Jingping Imperial Tutor should also be careful, and not overwork himself.

" Shen Mu bowed, withdrew from the Imperial Study, and looked up. The east was showing the first light of dawn.