Chapter 1188 — The Oriole Waits Behind
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 2 of 3
Shen Mu said gravely, "Would I dare to jest about such a thing? That I could bring you in and likewise bring you out is the very reason I have lived this long in the Ancestral Court. If I cannot send you out, am I not making a jest of my own life? That altar has indeed been destroyed by someone. If I am not mistaken, the one who struck it down is none other than the eleventh Heavenly Venerable of the Heavenly Court."
Heavenly Venerable Hong's expression stirred slightly. "Ming Fangyu?"
Heavenly Venerable Xiao said, "Ming Fangyu is dead. It cannot possibly be him. His primordial spirit was taken away by Heavenly Venerable Ling, and his mortal body was hewn to pieces by Shen Ye."
The gaze of Heavenly Consort Qiang, Divine Emperor Langxuan, Divine King Zu, and the rest fell one after another upon Shen Mu's face. Heavenly Venerable Gong coughed and said, "Heavenly Venerable Mu, there is no need to keep us in suspense. Who exactly is the eleventh Heavenly Venerable of the Heavenly Court?"
Shen Mu sighed. "Lady Yuanmu."
Upon the altar, the Heavenly Venerables trembled faintly and each took a step back, eyeing one another warily.
They appeared to be on most harmonious terms, joining hands to deal with the ancient gods, ruling the Heavenly Court together, advancing and retreating as one, sharing life and death.
Yet they all knew well that though they were partners, they were also rivals.
The alliance between them was not unbreakable.
They had long suspected that the Great Emperor and the Heavenly Emperor were both lurking among them; perhaps even the Empress and Lady Yuanmu hid at their side. It was even possible that these four ancient gods were themselves numbered among the Ten Heavenly Venerables!
If Lady Yuanmu were hidden among them, then who would she be?
Pairs of eyes turned this way and that over Heavenly Venerable Gong, Heavenly Consort Yan, and Heavenly Consort Qiang, plainly more suspicious of these three female Heavenly Venerables.
All the more of Consort Qiang and Consort Yan: the Empress and Yuanmu were both of the Heavenly Emperor's consorts, and Consort Qiang and Consort Yan were in name likewise of the Heavenly Emperor's consorts. Suspicion could not but fall upon them.
Shen Mu shook his head. "Lady Yuanmu is not among us, nor even among the Ten Heavenly Venerables. Her station in the Heavenly Court must be somewhat lower than yours. She did not enter the Ancestral Court, but she came to the outside of it, destroyed our altar, and means to shut us up in the Ancestral Court until we die."
Silence fell over the altar.
After a long while, Heavenly Consort Yan said, "If Yuanmu seals us within the Ancestral Court, then she may deal with Heavenly Venerable Huo and Heavenly Venerable Xu. Those two do not know her true identity, and it is hard to say they will not fall to her murderous hand. Then the age of the ancient gods' rule would in all likelihood return."
Heavenly Venerable Xiao sighed. "All that countless martyrs have striven for since the Longhan era would be wiped out to the last trace."
Heavenly Consort Qiang said, "The only course now is to open the seal of the Ancestral Court; only so can we leave it. Yet if the seal is opened, the Void Beasts within will surely escape. And more dreadful still is the Great Emperor."
With killing intent on her face, she said coldly, "The Great Emperor is certainly awaiting this very chance, to gather up the Void Beasts and bring calamity upon the world! For the sake of the countless living souls of the world, we should not open the Ancestral Court!"
Heavenly Venerable Xiao and Heavenly Venerable Gong glanced at her. Consort Qiang, righteous and stern, swept her gaze around and said, "You will all agree with my judgment, will you not?"