Chapter 1395 — Holding Each Other in Check

"There is no power so fearsome as men's words. Rumor is an arrow, and it can shoot a man dead."

Wei Suifeng, being the more mature of the two, lowered his voice to Crown Prince Youming: "Your Highness, this matter had best not be spoken of. I know you grieve over Earth Mother's death, and I know you understand Celestial Master Mu's intent and comprehend his deeds. But when the world is at peace, there will be many more to censure Celestial Master Mu, and in the end it will be his name that is damaged, his reputation that is ruined. This matter is best hidden from the world."

Crown Prince Youming hesitated a moment, then nodded.

Shen Mu shook his head. "Eldest Senior Brother, it cannot be hidden. There are traces of our battle left here, and Long Xiao, Heavenly Consort Qiang, Celestial Master Gong and Divine Emperor Langxuan were here too. How could they not speak of it? There is no need for such alarm. I did it; why should I fear what men say?"

Wei Suifeng frowned. Words were words, and yet when a heroic deed goes uncomprehended, when the thinking of later ages no longer accords with the times of war, men still pass judgment on those who came before, and censure the deeds of the sages and worthies of old.

The forebears blazed too brightly. But the brighter the figure, the more sharply drawn its blemishes; even a stain of no consequence will be magnified, as flies find the wound on a brave warrior's body and buzz and lick at it.

Wei Suifeng had seen much of this.

Crown Prince Youming had seen too little of the world to understand why such things should be; Shen Mu cared nothing for it; but on Shen Mu's behalf, Wei Suifeng felt a certain grievance.

"The war of the Celestial Masters has reached its end, has it not?"

Shen Mu went to the highest divine mountain nearby and climbed to its summit, gazing far into the distance. Crown Prince Youming and Wei Suifeng came to stand beside him, and the three looked out. There, Celestial Master Gong, Divine Emperor Langxuan, Heavenly Consort Qiang and Long Xiao still fought bitterly on. Heavenly Consort Qiang had at first been losing, but with the aid of the Great Emperor's head and fist she at once seized the upper hand; in a surprise assault she struck Celestial Master Gong, Long Xiao and Divine Emperor Langxuan until they vomited blood again and again.

The Great Emperor's head had little strength left in it. Shen Mu had worn its cultivation down to almost nothing, until it was no more than an existence at the Imperial Throne realm. Yet its divine consciousness was fierce and overbearing.

His fist, too, was the last limb remaining of the Great Emperor's fleshly body. It was no conjuration of visualization, and its power was therefore immense.

But Heavenly Consort Qiang soon suffered a heavy loss. Celestial Master Gong, Long Xiao and Divine Emperor Langxuan turned upon her, and three Celestial Master-level beings attacking together dealt her another grievous wound.

And so a strange situation took shape: whoever was strongest, whoever was least wounded, became the one the others joined to attack.

Yet the result of this was that all four were left maimed, and in the end none could seize the final victory.

"Is there a chance we might pick up the scraps?"

Wei Suifeng's heart thumped wildly. He murmured, "If those four are all left maimed, each with little strength remaining, then if the three of us join hands, could we do away with them?"

At these words, Crown Prince Youming's heart likewise began to thump, and his dao heart grew unsteady.

Shen Mu shook his head. "If all four are maimed, the final victor will be Long Xiao. Celestial Master Gong, Divine Emperor Langxuan and Heavenly Consort Qiang are all figures who have lived from the most ancient times down to the present; they will not give Long Xiao that chance."

Wei Suifeng was briefly startled, then understood his meaning.

Crown Prince Youming still did not quite follow, and Wei Suifeng explained: "This is the back of the Ancestral Court. Even wounded, Long Xiao still has countless giant beasts to command. If Celestial Master Gong and the others are too badly hurt, Long Xiao can set those ancient giant beasts upon them, and even if it is only a grinding, he can grind them to death."

Crown Prince Youming saw the light. "The Ten Celestial Masters are shrewd beyond measure; they would never let themselves fall into such a position."

"Yet they have fallen into it before."

Wei Suifeng glanced at Shen Mu. "The Great Emperor and Celestial Master Hao left each other maimed, and someone else reaped the profit. I have heard it said that our junior brother once chased Celestial Master Hao six hundred thousand li, hunted him until he called on heaven and earth and neither answered."

Shen Mu felt rather pleased with himself, and laughed. "Celestial Master Hao cannot really be blamed. At that time he was locked in a fight to the death with the just-revived Great Emperor, and he had no choice but to unleash the whole of his strength. Had he won, riding the prestige of slaying the Great Emperor, who would have dared set himself against him? All Ten Celestial Masters would have submitted to him and not dared harbor a second thought, and his position would have been secure."

Wei Suifeng said, "And the Ancestral Court refining the Great Emperor's head?"

"That was the Great Emperor being crushed by four Celestial Masters. Never mind that the Great Emperor was not at his peak; even at his peak, he would have been crushed by four Celestial Masters. Had he not fled swiftly, he would not have kept so much as a head."

Shen Mu laughed. "Picking up scraps is not so easy a thing."

Even as he spoke, several violent surges of force came crashing in, one upon another. Long Xiao was gravely wounded; he soared into the air, howling, and fled far away.

His wounds were heavy. Of his nine heads, the necks of seven had been broken, and they hung limply; the dragon scales over his body had been all but shattered to nothing, and he had no choice but to flee. To fight on would be to injure his very origin.

No sooner had he fled than Heavenly Consort Qiang suddenly gave a giggling laugh, cast aside Celestial Master Gong and Divine Emperor Langxuan, and flew swiftly away. Higher and higher she rose, and there in midair she formed a reverse summoning altar.

Shen Mu's expression darkened slightly.

That Heavenly Consort Qiang had been able to learn the reverse summoning divine art was certainly the work of Shu Jun and Dragon Qilin. Shu Jun carried on his back the seal with which Shen Mu suppressed the Great Emperor's head, and he had been affected by the Great Emperor's divine consciousness. When Dragon Qilin passed the reverse summoning divine art to Shu Jun, the Great Emperor had learned it as well.

"I beg you two, do not reveal my identity!"

Higher and higher Heavenly Consort Qiang rose; the reverse summoning altar activated and drew her toward the front of the Ancestral Court. Her coquettish laughter drifted down from the sky. "For if you reveal my identity, I will expose yours as well! Celestial Master Hao will surely be delighted to do away with his half-brother, and the ancient gods will surely be delighted to rid themselves of the fish that slipped through the Creators' net! You two, mother and son, may take your time and chat on!"

Celestial Master Gong's and Divine Emperor Langxuan's expressions shifted slightly, though what Heavenly Consort Qiang had said was already ordinary fare to them. Among the Ten Celestial Masters, who could be without a few secrets unfit for the light?

Not one of the Ten Celestial Masters was clean, Celestial Master Fire included, Celestial Master Hao included. Every one of them had secrets, and even one who held another's secret could use it as a threat; there was no need to actually drag it out into the open.

Celestial Master Gong and Divine Emperor Langxuan each halted, and each looked at the other, their gazes complicated.