Chapter 1410 — The Scapegoat Heavenly Venerate

Shen Mu's face turned black at once, for it was plain that Lady Yuanmu, even as she spread the news, had dumped the muck-pot squarely on his head. To be sure, the scheme had indeed been his own, so the blame did not fall on him unjustly.

Only he had meant for Lady Yuanmu herself to wear that muck-pot, hoping thereby to avoid offending Heavenly Venerate Gong, Consort Qiang, and Divine Emperor Langxuan as far as possible.

He had not expected Lady Yuanmu to prove so shrewd, shifting it straight onto him, with the result that Heavenly Venerate Gong had come with an army at her back to demand an accounting. Shen Mu burst into loud laughter, his eyeballs rolling wildly, while Heavenly Venerate Gong fixed her gaze upon those rolling eyeballs with a ceaseless cold sneer.

"The idea was mine. " Shen Mu checked his laughter and said with a solemn face, "My friend, if no Beast Realm is established, do you think you can outmatch Consort Qiang?

She is the Grand Emperor, and how mighty is her divine consciousness? In the end the primordial giant beasts would fall under the Grand Emperor's control, giving him wings like a tiger's, so why not simply open a Beast Realm and let each rely on his own ability, so that all may make use of the primordial giant beasts?

What do you think?

" Heavenly Venerate Gong said coolly, "If the Grand Emperor could control all the primordial giant beasts, he would never have been overthrown by the ancient gods. He has no such powerful divine consciousness. When he controlled the void beasts, he controlled only the void mother beast. Set against the primordial giant beasts, he could control at best a single host. To establish a Beast Realm still cuts into my interests.

" Shen Mu ran out of reason and stammered, "Matters have come to this, and I fear the other Heavenly Venerates will all agree to establish the Beast Realm. I am helpless. " Heavenly Venerate Gong suddenly turned anger into smiles and said, "I hear Heavenly Venerate Hong holds a promissory note from Heavenly Venerate Mu, who owes him a debt of favor, so I too will be so bold as to ask Heavenly Venerate Mu to give me a note as well. " Shen Mu's expression shifted slightly, and after a moment's hesitation he said, "I shall write it. " And so he wrote a note.

Heavenly Venerate Gong took the note and rose, saying, "Your legs are inconvenient. You need not rise to see me out.

" Shen Mu could only sit there and watch with wide eyes as she left. Hardly had Heavenly Venerate Gong left when a palace maid came in a panic, crying, "My Lord Heavenly Venerate, grave tidings! Consort Qiang has come to visit!

" Shen Mu's face changed greatly and he raged, "None of the other Heavenly Venerates come to visit, yet the very victims seek me out!

I will not see her!

" "I am already here!

" From outside came Consort Qiang's voice, furious with shame and anger, and then Consort Qiang barged straight in. Helpless, Shen Mu waved the maid away and invited Consort Qiang to sit, saying, "I went astray in my cultivation, and both my legs are ruined.

. .

" "Ruined by Heavenly Venerate Gong?

" Consort Qiang was overjoyed and praised, "Worthy of my woman, she strikes clean and quick, crippling you before I could.

Heavenly Venerate Mu, I hear you proposed establishing the Beast Realm? How bold you are!

" Shen Mu said solemnly, "No.

It was Lady Yuanmu who proposed establishing the Beast Realm. It has nothing to do with me! " Consort Qiang sneered, "You and I are so close that with a single stir of divine consciousness I can know what color your underclothes are, and you still hope to hide it from me?

" "My lady, you do not know, I never wear such things.

" Shen Mu said helplessly, "Brother, your edge is too keen of late. No sooner had the Grand Emperor revived than he crippled Heavenly Venerate Hao, gravely wounded Heavenly Venerate Huo and Heavenly Venerate Xu, maimed Heavenly Venerate Shen and Divine King Langwan, and in the battle of the Ancestral Court heavily struck the four great Heavenly Venerates Xiao, Yan, Zu, and Lang.

Your limelight is too fierce.

Can the Ten Heavenly Venerates still tolerate you? If you gain the primordial giant beasts besides, your death day will truly have come. This opening of the Beast Realm may not be a bad thing for you. " Consort Qiang stared at him. Shen Mu did not change countenance. "I speak for your sake. Think, if there were no Beast Realm, Heavenly Venerate Gong and Divine Emperor Langxuan, mother and son, would take the greatest profit.

If they do away with you, they will surely monopolize all the giant beasts.

Why make a wedding dress for others? " Consort Qiang burst into a laugh, bewitching and lovely, and said, "I know the sense in it, only having been tricked by you, my heart is unwilling. My flesh body was all but utterly ruined because of you, yet you would stand aside untouched, and my heart is ill at ease. " Shen Mu probed, "The Heavenly Emperor's body remains in your grasp.

When I rescue Heavenly Venerate Ling another day, and you possess that body, your skill will surpass even the past. " "Do not dream of getting Heavenly Venerate Ling out! " Consort Qiang sneered, "I would rather leave the body of Taichu the Heavenly Emperor and my primordial spirit forever in the Celestial River! Heavenly Venerate Mu, you spoiled my good affair, and you must produce real gold and silver, not fool me with empty phrases!

" Shen Mu pondered a moment and said with utmost sincerity, "From Heavenly Venerate Hao's heart I refined his essence blood, and within each drop lurks an imprint of a heavenly palace. .

.

" Consort Qiang turned anger to joy and laughed, "Heavenly Venerate Hao's heart was my gift to you, yet I never thought you could refine such a treasure. Give me a share, and this matter shall be lightly set aside! " Shen Mu wore a look of fleshly pain.

"With Heavenly Venerate Hao's heavenly palaces I traded with Consort Yan for half the Taishi divine stones. . .

" "That spendthrift woman the Empress promised you so many Taishi raw stones? " Consort Qiang was astonished, then sneered, "But I shall give you nothing! Hand the things over!

" Shen Mu had no choice but to hand over thirty-five drops of Heavenly Venerate Hao's essence blood, which Consort Qiang examined carefully before pocketing, then swept away. Shen Mu wore a black face and thought to himself, "Luckily I refined a great deal of essence blood from Heavenly Venerate Hao's heart, and can sell it several more times.

.

.

" "My Lord Heavenly Venerate! Divine Emperor Langxuan seeks audience!

" The same palace maid rushed in again in a fluster to report. Shen Mu choked with anger, rose to his feet, and raged, "Girl, are you born under a broom star?

You only ever bring ill tidings!

" "Heavenly Venerate Mu, is my visit ill tidings to you? " Divine Emperor Langxuan's voice came from outside, drawing ever nearer, and Shen Mu hastily sat down, watching Divine Emperor Langxuan stride into the main hall with a smile, "I went astray in my cultivation.

.

. " "I have already heard, and Heavenly Venerate Mu need say no more.

" Divine Emperor Langxuan took his seat and said leisurely, "Gone astray, legs paralyzed.

With Heavenly Venerate Gong and Consort Qiang coming to visit, if you were not paralyzed they would beat you into paralysis, so you might as well first pretend to be paralyzed and show weakness to the foe. Heavenly Venerate Mu, your heart is filthy. " Shen Mu coughed repeatedly to cover his embarrassment and said, "To what do I owe the Divine Emperor's coming? Can it also be for the Beast Realm?

" Divine Emperor Langxuan said indifferently, "Not wholly for that. Heavenly Venerate Mu, you are a clever man.