Heavenly Lady Qiangâs gaze turned, and she gently asked, âEmperor, do you want to go to my place?â
Qin Muâs gaze flashed as he walked forward. He shook his head and said, âIâm tired. I want to go back to the Hall of Nourishment to nourish myself. I will go to your place another day.â
Heavenly Lady Qiang flew into his palm and looked up at Celestial Emperorâs face. She smiled charmingly. âEver since the fall of the ancient Celestial Emperorâs corporeal body, the rift between us, the ten Celestial Venerables, has gotten wider. It will be bad if it continues. Do you really believe what Celestial Venerable Mu said?â
âShe thinks that Iâm one of the ten Celestial Venerables. She doesnât know that Iâm Celestial Venerable Mu!â
Qin Muâs heart fluttered, and he walked on, plainly saying, âEverything is said and done for a reason. I know Celestial Venerable Mu is full of tricks and that one canât believe him fully. However, he doesnât have a need to trick us, as Celestial Venerable Huo and Celestial Venerable Xu are returning. We will know whether heâs lying by asking them.â
Heavenly Lady Qiang raised her eyebrows and whispered, âThen, who do you suspect of being the Grand Emperor?â
Qin Mu vaguely asked, âCelestial Venerable Qiang, are you probing me?â
Heavenly Lady Qiang laid down on her side in his palm, her hand propping up her head. Her figure and curves were elegant and charming as she gently said, âEveryone is panicking in the Heaven Alliance. All the Celestial Venerables are paranoid of one another. The Grand Emperor is causing trouble despite us not having quelled the ancient gods yet. Now, that thief Qin Ye is affecting the situation in the dark from Carefree Village. Whether the celestial heavens live or die rides on this moment. It may seem secure, but itâs riddled with weaknesses, which makes me worried. I want to find a friend with the same motive to ally with.â
âThis friend isnât me.â
Qin Mu coldly smiled. âYou found the wrong person, Celestial Venerable Qiang. I donât trust you at all. Your origin is peculiar, which makes you most likely to be the Grand Emperor!â
Heavenly Lady Qiang gave a cold humph, stood up, and pressured Celestial Emperorâs corporeal body to a stop.
Qin Muâs eyebrows were raised as he plainly asked, âCelestial Venerable Qiang, are you here to look for a friend or an enemy? Do you really want to make me your enemy?â
Heavenly Lady Qiang smiled and flew from his palm, then said, âIâm a Celestial Venerable as well. Iâm not weaker than you. If you want to ally with me, Iâll give you the chance.â
Qin Mu gave a sigh of relief as he continued towards the Hall of Nourishment, thinking, âD*mn it. The ten Celestial Venerables may be paranoid of one another, but they also want to form secret alliances with other Celestial Venerables too. Now that Heavenly Lady Qiang came for me, the other Celestial Venerables might too. I might not be busted now, but that doesnât mean I wonât be in the future! I have to quickly return this corporeal body!â
He couldnât go to the Hall of Fragrance or the Patriarch Creation Palace. Now, he just wanted to return Celestial Emperorâs corporeal body before other Celestial Venerables sought him out.
After all, he wasnât one of the ten Celestial Venerables.
He continued walking and got closer to the Hall of Nourishment when a voice rang out. âWhere did you come from, Emperor?â
Qin Mu stopped. He was nervous, but he calmly said, âItâs my lady, Lady Yan. I just came from Lady Qiangâs place.â
The one speaking was Heavenly Lady Yan, Celestial Venerable Yan of the ten Celestial Venerables. She was elegant and proper in demeanor, and she carried a white cat with her. She was accompanied by a dozen or so ladies who were serving her.
The white catâs fur was entirely white like snow, and it lazily laid in her embrace. It closed its eyes sleepily while extending its sharp claws to stretch. Then, it looked at Qin Mu.
Heavenly Lady Yan acted pitifully as she said, âYou neglected me while you went to be with Sister Qiang. I feel heartbroken.â
Qin Mu felt a headache.
Heavenly Lady Yan showed signs of anticipation as she gently said, âEmperor, my Lasting Joy Palace is close, do you want to go there?â
The white cat in her embrace extended its red tongue to lick the fur on its paws. It glanced at Qin Mu, meowed, and arched its body on Heavenly Lady Yanâs breasts.
Qin Mu hesitated before saying, âI need to go to the Hall of Nourishment for nourishment, so no thanks.â
Heavenly Lady Yan smiled. âEmperor, didnât I nourish you just now?â
Qin Mu was shocked. âSo, the one who summoned me to the Hall of Nourishment was Heavenly Lady Yan! This Celestial Venerable summoned me before the others to question me about the Great Void and Carefree Village. Her news source is quick! She received the news faster than the other Celestial Venerables!â
Heavenly Lady Yan looked at his feet and saw blood stains on them. She smiled and said, âYou are all bloody after going to Sister Qiangâs place. You truly do need to nourish yourself. I didnât know that she was so fierce, I shall stop disturbing you.â
Qin Mu laughed and said, âRelax, I will go to your place in a few days.â After he was done, he continued walking towards the Hall of Nourishment.
Heavenly Lady Yan watched him walk away before smiling. âThis person is gutsy to trick me. Xiao Qi, which Celestial Venerable was hiding in the corporeal body just now? I want to know what he was doing in Celestial Emperorâs ancestral grounds.â
The white cat leaped down and walked around. It was a cat, but it walked with a solemn and elegant gait.
A manâs voice came from its mouth. It was very deep, and it hesitantly said, âIt wasnât one of the Celestial Venerables.â
Heavenly Lady Yan was stunned and couldnât help but ask, âXiao Qi, you are saying that the person inside Celestial Emperorâs corporeal body just now wasnât one of the ten Celestial Venerables?â
The cat named Xiao Qi said, âHe wasnât. I have never seen him before, so I canât identify him. However, if I see him again, Iâll be able to.â
Heavenly Lady Yan blinked and thought, âCould it be that fellow Celestial Venerable Mu? He canât pilot Celestial Emperorâs corporeal body, though. If not him, who could it be?â
The white catâs body grew in size before he suddenly became a human general with silver armor and white robs. He was handsome. âI can follow him and find out who he is.â
Heavenly Lady Yan extended her hand and smiled. âThis person isnât normal. People who can pilot Celestial Emperorâs corporeal body are strong. If you follow him, it will be dangerous. Return to my embrace.â
That handsome general ran back into her embrace as a white cat. He arched in her embrace before lazily falling asleep.
The maids with Heavenly Lady Yan seemed to be used to it, as they merely followed her back to Lasting Joy Palace.
Qin Mu returned to the Hall of Nourishment, and upon entering, he saw Celestial Venerable Hao with his hands behind his back, waiting for him.
Qin Muâs heart jumped. He ignored him as he walked by him. Although he looked calm, his heart pounded in his chest.
Qin Mu steadily sat down and asked, âWhy are you here, Celestial Venerable Hao?â
Celestial Venerable Hao looked up and plainly said, âMing Ya sought you out, and you took him to the ancestral grounds. You two took a long time to come out. What were you two doing?â
âMing Ya?â
Qin Mu was stunned, and he smiled. âMing Ya should be the Crown Prince of the East Palaceâs name. Now I know.â
He leisurely said, âCrown Prince Ming Ya is the descendant of Celestial Emperor, so itâs fine for him to go to the ancestral grounds. Celestial Venerable Hao, we are both Celestial Venerables, do I have to report everything I do to you?â
Celestial Venerable Hao gave a humph and said, âDonât forget how you lot only climbed to your positions with my help! Which one of you could have fought against Celestial Venerable Yun, Celestial Venerable Ling, and Celestial Venerable Yue? Itâs because of me that you lot could reach the precious position of Celestial Venerable, that you lot could obtain the power you have now!â
Qin Mu smiled. âAnd itâs because of you that the Grand Emperor became one of the ten Celestial Venerables and a great hidden threat. Celestial Venerable Hao, you may be powerful, but Iâm not a pushover. Donât talk to me in that arrogant tone!â
Celestial Venerable Hao looked at him while clutching his fists. Qin Mu tried very hard to overcome his fear and look back at him.
Celestial Venerable Hao loosened his fists and plainly said, âYou believe Qin Mu about the Grand Emperor being among us? He was trying to divide us, to get us to fight amongst ourselves. While itâs indeed unexpected that he came out of the Great Void alive, heâs not exactly truthful. He hid a lot of things from us.â
Qin Mu leaned on Celestial Emperorâs throne and lazily said, âWhile heâs not exactly truthful, Celestial Venerable Huo and Celestial Venerable Xu should be back soon, right? When they get back, we will know whether Qin Muâs words are real or fake.â
Celestial Venerable Haoâs gaze fell on the injuries on his legs. His pupils contracted as he said, âDid you take Crown Prince Ming Ya there to use his blood to take the precious artifacts in the ancestral grounds? Those are mine and my familyâs things! You canât take them!â
Qin Mu playfully said, âYou seem to be very concerned about Crown Prince Ming Ya. Your relationship seems to go beyond that of brotherhood.â
Celestial Venerable Hao brushed his sleeves and left. His voice came from afar, saying, âYou better repair this body. Also, Crown Prince Ming Ya is my brother. If you dare do anything against him, Iâll kill you regardless of which Celestial Venerable you are!â
Qin Mu gave a furious humph, only relaxing after seeing him leave. He sat on the Emperorâs Throne as if he was paralyzed.
âCelestial Venerable Haoâs relationship with Crown Prince Ming Ya is abnormal. The latter seems to be more like his son than his brotherâŚâ
Celestial Emperorâs forehead cracked open, and Qin Mu flew out, visibly perplexed as he thought, âThe relationships in the royal family are chaotic! I canât stay in this corporeal body anymore despite how exciting it was, or Iâll eventually get busted! I have to leave this Hall of Nourishment immediately!â
He shook his body and morphed into a maid before walking out of the hall.
As soon as he walked out, he saw Celestial Venerable Hong walking towards him. He was wearing extremely wide robes with large sleeves.
He looked like a kind elder in those white robes of his that had loose sleeves. His facial hair was white too. He treated everyone kindly.
âLittle girl, is the emperor inside?â Celestial Venerable Hong smiled.
âTo answer Celestial Venerable, he is still inside,â Qin Mu submissively said.
Celestial Venerable Hong waved his sleeves and walked inside.
Qin Mu immediately picked up his pace. He went to the corner of the long corridor and changed himself into a swimming snake. He went into the bushes to reach the pool in front. He entered the water and became a large koi, swimming in the river parallel to the chambers of concubines.
He swam to the imperial garden and became a green frog. He went ashore and became a civet cat after reaching the back of a tree. He walked alongside the edges of the palace walls before jumping on them to go through the halls.
Soon, the civet cat that was Qin Mu jumped down into the shadows beneath the wall.
A black figure crept in the shadows of the wall as it kept itself near the ground. Qin Mu only walked out of the shadows to walk towards his residence when he reached the outskirts of the Jade Capital.
In the Hall of Nourishment, Celestial Venerable Hong looked at Celestial Emperorâs corporeal body, frowning. It had injuries all over its legs. He couldnât help but shake his head. âThese guys, they donât know how to treat things well. After all, this body is the face of the celestial heavens⌠Who piloted this corporeal body to the ancestral grounds⌠Wait! That maid just now had something off about her! There couldnât have been only one maid serving Celestial Emperorâs corporeal body!â
His consciousness burst forth and surrounded the Hall of Nourishment to look for clues and inconsistencies to find the maid.
His consciousness was powerful, and it caused a great disturbance. Instantly, other consciousnesses burst forth from far away, collided with his!
Lightning and thunder struck all around the Hall of Nourishment. The thunder rumbled. It was clearly a peculiarity caused by the collision of several Celestial Venerablesâ consciousnesses!
Celestial Venerable Hong retracted his consciousness and laughed. âMy Dao friends, do you all think that Iâm the Grand Emperor? Is that why you probe me in such a way? We have always been brothers and sisters. When did we become so paranoid and suspicious of one another?â
The consciousnesses in the air were dispersed, and calmness was restored.
Celestial Venerable Hong frowned and thought, âThat suspicious maid probably escaped due to their delay. She was the one who piloted the corporeal body to the ancestral grounds. Her sneakiness could only suggest that the ancestral grounds areâŚâ
He hastily left the Hall of Nourishment and moved towards Celestial Emperorâs birthplace.
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When Celestial Venerable Hong got there, he saw Celestial Venerable Hao, Celestial Venerable Gong, Celestial Venerable Qiang, Celestial Venerable Yan, and the others there too.
Their expressions were serious and solemn as they gazed at the bunch of light formed by the Great Dao purple light. In it, one part of the eggshell was gone.
âWho took it?â
Celestial Venerable Hao coldly said, âIf you hand it over now, I can forgive you!â