Chapter 1188 — The Oriole Waits Behind
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 1 of 3
Not long after, Shen Mu's spirit recovered and his bearing was glowing with vigor, and every Heavenly Venerable felt a chill in his heart: 'His powers of recovery are so swift! Who knows how many times faster than ordinary gods and demons!'
Shen Mu thought for a moment, then summoned Long Qilin and Yan'er and said, "I too must go out for a time. I am bound for Jingping to find a few divine beings to come mine the divine ore and explore the Black Wood Mountains. You two will stay here for the present."
Long Qilin and Yan'er were badly startled and shook their heads again and again.
Shen Mu laughed. "There is no need to fear the Void Beasts. I shall leave the Lapis Lazuli Azure Heaven Banner here. With this treasure in your hands, you may set your hearts at ease. You can wield it no worse than I. Besides, the Void Mother Beast is dead; even if a new Void Mother Beast appears, it will need years to grow. There is nothing to worry about."
Long Qilin stammered, "These Black Wood Mountains are uncanny beyond words..."
Shen Mu laughed. "Uncanny in what way? With the Lapis Lazuli Azure Heaven Banner in your keeping, what is there to fear? I am off!"
Long Qilin was shivering and stammering when suddenly Shen Mu's voice transmission arrived: "After I leave this place and return to Jingping, some time will pass. Once these Heavenly Venerables get back to the Heavenly Court, they will certainly send disciples. Those people mean no good, and you must be on your guard. They will surely come to seize the Lapis Lazuli Azure Heaven Banner."
His voice carried killing intent: "Even if the Lord of Heaven himself comes, kill him for me!"
Shen Mu withdrew his divine sense, looked upon the eight Heavenly Venerables with a face wreathed in smiles, and laughed aloud. "My lords, after you!"
The Heavenly Venerables replied with utmost courtesy, "After you, Fellow Daoist Mu."
They walked out of the Black Wood Mountains. Shen Mu at once brought out the altar; the company stood upon it, and Shen Mu reached out with his senses across the distance, seeking to touch the altar left at the entrance of the Ancestral Court.
Suddenly his heart gave a leap.
That altar was gone!
The corner of Shen Mu's eye twitched. "Can it be that I expended too much spirit just now, and my senses are dulled?"
He reached out with his mind once more, and still he could not sense the altar.
A drop of cold sweat broke out on the nape of his neck. The altar was indeed no longer there.
"It may not be that the altar is not there, but that someone shattered it! Even were the altar carried away, I could still sense where it stood. Only if the altar is smashed and the runes upon it destroyed could I be unable to sense it!"
Drop after drop of cold sweat seeped from the nape of his neck. A smile hung upon Shen Mu's face, and that smile slowly stiffened.
His survival in the Ancestral Court had rested wholly upon his ability to lead the eight Heavenly Venerables out of it. Now that ability was gone, and how was he to preserve his life?
Heavenly Consort Qiang coughed and said, "Fellow Daoist Mu, when may we take our leave?"
The gaze of the other Heavenly Venerables fell one after another upon Shen Mu's face, and doubt showed in their eyes. Shen Mu laughed heartily, and the others upon the altar laughed with him; only Heavenly Venerable Hao and Divine King Zu showed no expression and did not laugh.
Shen Mu's hearty laughter slowly died away, and he said gravely, "We cannot leave. Someone outside has destroyed the altar."
The smiles on every face faded one by one. Divine Emperor Langxuan said lightly, "Heavenly Venerable Mu is surely not jesting?"