Chapter 1191 — Frank and Open
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 1 of 4
Shi Qiluo led the gods of Zaofu Heavenly Palace in tallying up the various divine weapons, his voice loud and carrying far: "Emperor Yanxiu, these divine weapons of yours aren't of very high grade. For these goods, I want to shave off another point!"
Ling Yuxiu's voice drifted over: "High God, Jingping's goods are already the lowest among all the heavens! Apart from Jingping, no heaven can offer you this price! Shave off another point, and Jingping will have no profit left—we won't even be able to cover wages! Eh, the cowherd... Shepherd Heavenly Venerable!"
Her eyes lit up as she saw Shen Mu approaching, and she nearly blurted out the words "the cowherd" before catching herself and correcting her address.
Shi Qiluo glanced at Shen Mu as he walked over and sneered, "Even if the cowherd Shepherd Heavenly Venerable shows up, it won't help! I'm a man who only recognizes hard logic—even if all ten Heavenly Venerables came together, I absolutely won't yield you half a point..."
He had just said this when his expression suddenly changed drastically, for he saw Hao Heavenly Venerable and Langxuan Divine Emperor entering Zaofu Heavenly Palace side by side.
The skin on Shi Qiluo's face and his full beard twitched wildly, his legs trembled, and he was about to drop to his knees.
Hao Heavenly Venerable said indifferently, "No need. Fellow Daoist Mu's footsteps are rather quick."
Shen Mu replied politely, "It was merely the power of a borrowed treasure—nothing worth mentioning. You two fellow Daoists are the ones with true skill."
Hao Heavenly Venerable's gaze shifted to Yun Chuxiu, and with a cold laugh, he turned his head and said, "Shi Qiluo, you are in charge of the Creation Divine Artifact. I ask you—just how many divine artifact Heavenly Venerables have you manufactured?"
Shi Qiluo dropped to his knees with a thud, trembling, and fumbled for the account books.
Hao Heavenly Venerable gave a humph: "I did not tell you to kneel. Why did you kneel?"
Shi Qiluo looked up with a fawning smile: "This humble one's two legs are always disobedient—the moment they see a Heavenly Venerable, they feel that kneeling is more comfortable. Heavenly Venerable, please wait a moment, this humble one will find the account book..."
Langxuan Divine Emperor smiled genially from the side: "Palace Master Shi need not worry. Brother Hao is not here to investigate your little treasury. Those matters of yours—taking kickbacks, lining your own pockets, falsifying prices, shaving off points—none of them are a problem."
Cold sweat rolled down Shi Qiluo's forehead, and he grew even more flustered, taking quite a while before he found the records of the Creation Divine Artifact's usage and hurriedly handed them to Hao Heavenly Venerable.
Hao Heavenly Venerable opened the account book and carefully browsed through it once, his expression growing ever more somber.
Shi Qiluo's face was ashen, deeply uneasy.
Hao Heavenly Venerable handed the account book to Langxuan Divine Emperor at his side. Langxuan Divine Emperor flipped through it once, and Shen Mu leaned his head over to look. Langxuan Divine Emperor hastily closed the account book, and with an ambiguous smile said, "Shepherd Heavenly Venerable also wishes to manufacture a divine artifact Heavenly Venerable? This account book—you cannot see it."
"Stingy."
Shen Mu laughed: "Fine, I won't look. That divine artifact Heavenly Venerable refined by the Creation Divine Artifact—I'd like to get one too..."
Hao Heavenly Venerable's expression was mild as he said, "It is not that I am unwilling to give one to you, fellow Daoist, but the materials required to manufacture a divine artifact Heavenly Venerable are extraordinary. Even in the Heavenly Court such materials are scarce, and there is no spare funding now to make another."
Shen Mu smiled faintly, knowing that he naturally could not be telling the truth.