Chapter 998: A Hundred Transformations Leave No Trace
Empress Qiang’s gaze drifted, her voice soft as she said, “Your Majesty, would you care to come to my chambers for a while?”
Qin Mu’s eyes flickered, and he stepped forward, shaking his head. “I am tired. I must return to the Hall of Nurtured Glory to recuperate properly. Another day, my beloved consort.”
Empress Qiang soared into the air, landing in his palm, looking up at the Heavenly Emperor’s face with great charm. She let out a tinkling laugh. “Since the fall of the ancient god Heavenly Emperor’s physical body, the rift among us Ten Heavenly Venerables seems to be growing ever wider. This is quite troubling. Do you truly believe the words of that boy, Heavenly Venerable Mu?”
“She thinks I am one of the Ten Heavenly Venerables, not knowing I am Heavenly Venerable Mu!”
Qin Mu’s heart stirred, but he continued walking, speaking calmly. “Where there’s smoke, there may be fire. Heavenly Venerable Mu is but a child; I know he is full of tricks, and his words cannot be fully trusted. However, he has no reason to deceive us. Since Heavenly Venerable Fire and Heavenly Venerable Void are about to return, we can simply ask them whether he is lying.”
Empress Qiang frowned slightly, lowering her voice. “Then who do you suspect is the Grand Emperor?”
Qin Mu gave a faint, ambiguous smile. “Heavenly Venerable Qiang, are you testing me?”
Empress Qiang lay down in his palm, reclining on her side, propping her head up with her arm, her figure curving gracefully. “The Heavenly Alliance is restless. The Ten Heavenly Venerables are suspicious of one another. The ancient gods remain unsubdued, the Grand Emperor stirs up trouble, and that rebel Qin Ye sits in Carefree Haven, secretly influencing the situation. This is a time of life and death for the Heavenly Court. Though it appears stable, it is riddled with cracks. I cannot help but worry. I seek a like-minded ally to face this together.”
“That ally is not me.”
Qin Mu sneered. “Heavenly Venerable Qiang, you have chosen the wrong person. I do not trust you at all. Your origins are shrouded in mystery. I suspect you are the Grand Emperor!”
Empress Qiang snorted, rising to her feet. An immense pressure immediately forced the Heavenly Emperor’s body to halt.
Qin Mu raised an eyebrow, speaking coolly. “Heavenly Venerable Qiang, are you here to find a friend or an enemy? Do you truly wish to make me your foe?”
Empress Qiang let out another laugh, flying up from his palm and drifting away. “I am also a Heavenly Venerable, no weaker than you. If you wish to join forces, I will give you the chance.”
Qin Mu breathed a sigh of relief and continued toward the Hall of Nurtured Glory, thinking to himself, “Damn it, I forgot something. The Ten Heavenly Venerables suspect and doubt each other, but they also try to win each other over. Empress Qiang came to me; other Heavenly Venerables will likely come as well. I haven’t been exposed yet, but I can’t guarantee I won’t be later! I need to return this body as soon as possible!”
The Incense Hall and the Zao Fu Palace were out of the question. Now, he only hoped to return the Heavenly Emperor’s body before other Heavenly Venerables sought him out, to avoid revealing himself.
After all, he was not one of the Ten Heavenly Venerables.
He quickened his pace, drawing closer to the Hall of Nurtured Glory. Just then, a voice rang out with a laugh, “Where has Your Majesty come from?”
Qin Mu stopped, his heart pounding, but he remained composed. “Ah, my beloved consort Yan. I have just come from my beloved consort Qiang’s place.”
The speaker was none other than Heavenly Venerable Yan, Empress Yan, one of the Ten Heavenly Venerables and also a consort in the harem. She was elegant and dignified, holding a white cat in her arms, attended by a dozen maidservants.
The white cat had not a single speck of color, lying lazily in her arms, pure white, squinting as it dozed. Occasionally, it stretched out sharp claws, yawned, and then squinted at Qin Mu.
Empress Yan looked pitiful. “Your Majesty dotes on Sister Qiang but neglects me. It fills my heart with sorrow.”
Qin Mu’s head ached.
Empress Yan’s eyes showed hope as she said softly, “Your Majesty, my Palace of Eternal Joy is not far. Would you care to sit with me for a while?”
The white cat in her arms extended a tiny red tongue, licking the fur on its paw, then glanced lazily at Qin Mu, meowed, and nuzzled against Empress Yan’s chest.
Qin Mu hesitated. “I must return to the Hall of Nurtured Glory to recuperate. I think I’ll skip the Palace of Eternal Joy.”
Empress Yan laughed. “Your Majesty, did I not just attend to your recuperation?”
Qin Mu’s heart tightened. “So it was Empress Yan who summoned me to the Hall of Nurtured Glory! This Heavenly Venerable came to see me before the others, asking about the Great Void and Carefree Haven. Her information network is remarkably swift, faster than the others!”
Empress Yan looked at his feet, which were stained with blood, and chuckled. “Your Majesty went to Sister Qiang’s place and came back covered in blood. You truly do need recuperation. Sister Qiang is quite fierce. I won’t disturb you further.”
Qin Mu laughed dryly. “Rest assured, my beloved consort. In a few days, I will call for you again.” With that, he continued toward the Hall of Nurtured Glory.
Empress Yan watched him go, then suddenly smiled. “Daring to tease me, quite bold. Little Seven, who was the Heavenly Venerable hiding in that body just now? I’m curious to know what he was doing entering the Emperor’s birthplace.”
The white cat in her arms leaped down, taking a few steps. Though it was a cat, it moved with the stride of a dragon and the step of a tiger, its posture vigorous and extraordinary.
From the cat’s mouth came a deep, masculine voice, tinged with confusion. “He is not any of the Heavenly Venerables.”
Empress Yan was stunned. “Little Seven, do you mean that the one in the Heavenly Emperor’s body just now was not one of the Ten Heavenly Venerables?”
The cat named “Little Seven” said, “He is indeed not one of the Ten. I have never seen him before, and I cannot identify him. But if I see him again, I will recognize him.”
Empress Yan blinked, puzzled. “Could it be that boy, Heavenly Venerable Mu? But he shouldn’t be able to control the Heavenly Emperor’s body. If not him, then who?”
The white cat gradually grew larger, then stood upright, transforming into a silver-armored, white-robed general. He was striking, handsome, and noble. “I can follow him and find out his origins.”
Empress Yan reached out a hand, smiling. “This person is no ordinary being. Anyone who can control the Heavenly Emperor’s body is no weakling. Tracking him would be dangerous. Come into my arms.”
The handsome silver-armored general leaped toward her, turning back into a white cat as he landed in her embrace, nuzzling her chest before settling down lazily again.
The maidservants around Empress Yan seemed long accustomed to this, following her back to the Palace of Eternal Joy.
Qin Mu returned to the Hall of Nurtured Glory. As soon as he entered, he saw Heavenly Venerable Hao standing with his hands behind his back, waiting inside.
Qin Mu’s heart skipped a beat. He ignored Hao’s presence and walked past him, appearing calm, but his heart nearly leaped into his throat.
Qin Mu sat down steadily, saying, “What brings Heavenly Venerable Hao here?”
Heavenly Venerable Hao looked up, speaking indifferently. “Mingya went to see you. You took him to the birthplace and delayed so long. What exactly were you doing?”
“Mingya?”
Qin Mu was momentarily taken aback, then smiled. “Mingya must be the name of the Eastern Palace Crown Prince. Now I know.”
He sat motionless, speaking leisurely. “Crown Prince Mingya is also a descendant of the Heavenly Emperor. Visiting the birthplace is no issue. Heavenly Venerable Hao, we are both Heavenly Venerables. I don’t need to report my actions to you, do I?”
Heavenly Venerable Hao snorted. “Don’t forget, without me, would any of you have your current positions? Could any of you have defeated Heavenly Venerable Cloud, Heavenly Venerable Ling, and Heavenly Venerable Moon? It was because of me that you climbed to the seats of Heavenly Venerable and gained your current power!”
Qin Mu laughed heartily. “And it was because of you that the Grand Emperor managed to infiltrate the Ten Heavenly Venerables, becoming a great hidden danger. Heavenly Venerable Hao, your influence is indeed vast, but mine is not small either. Don’t always speak to me in that condescending tone!”
Heavenly Venerable Hao clenched his fists, staring at him. Qin Mu struggled to overcome his fear and met his gaze.
Heavenly Venerable Hao relaxed his fists, speaking coldly. “That boy Qin Mu said the Grand Emperor is among us, and you believed him? He’s just trying to divide us, to make the Ten Heavenly Venerables fight among themselves. That he managed to escape the Great Void alive surprised me, but his words are half-truths, hiding many things.”
Qin Mu leaned back on the Heavenly Emperor’s throne, speaking lazily. “His words may be half-truths, but Heavenly Venerable Fire and Heavenly Venerable Void should be returning soon, right? When they come back, we’ll know whether Qin Mu’s words are true or false.”
Heavenly Venerable Hao’s gaze fell on the wounds on Qin Mu’s legs, his pupils contracting. “You took Crown Prince Mingya into the birthplace to use his bloodline to claim the treasures there? Those treasures belong to my family. You cannot take them!”
Qin Mu showed a playful smile. “Heavenly Venerable Hao seems quite concerned about Crown Prince Mingya, more than brotherly affection.”
Heavenly Venerable Hao flicked his sleeve and left, his voice echoing back. “Take good care of this body and restore it to its original state. And remember, Crown Prince Mingya is still my younger brother. If you dare to scheme against him, no matter which Heavenly Venerable you are, I will make sure you die without a burial place!”
Qin Mu snorted angrily, watching him leave, then breathed a sigh of relief, nearly collapsing onto the throne.
“The relationship between Heavenly Venerable Hao and Crown Prince Mingya seems unusual. Mingya doesn’t seem like his brother, more like his son…”
The Heavenly Emperor’s brow split open, and Qin Mu flew out, his expression strange. “The royal family’s relationships are truly chaotic. I can’t stay in this Heavenly Emperor’s body any longer. It’s too intense! If I stay, I’ll be found out sooner or later! I need to leave this Hall of Nurtured Glory immediately!”
He shook his body, transforming into a palace maid and heading out of the hall.
Just as he stepped out, he saw Heavenly Venerable Hong, in loose robes, approaching.
Heavenly Venerable Hong wore a white robe, with snow-white brows and beard, his robe very loose, looking like a kind and amiable elder, with a benevolent expression for everyone.
“Girl, is His Majesty inside?” Heavenly Venerable Hong asked with a smile.
“Reporting to Your Venerable, His Majesty is still recuperating.” Qin Mu bowed gracefully.
Heavenly Venerable Hong waved his sleeve and walked into the hall.
Qin Mu quickly moved away. Reaching a corner of the corridor, he changed his form, turning into a snake and slithering into the grass. When he reached a nearby pond, the snake entered the water, transforming into a large koi fish and swimming along the harem’s waterways.
He swam to the imperial garden, turned into a frog, and leaped ashore. After a few steps, he reached a tree. From behind the tree emerged a civet cat, which quickly walked along the palace wall, then leaped onto it, moving between the halls along the wall.
After a while, the civet cat leaped down from the wall into the shadow beneath.
A dark shadow moved along the ground and walls, shifting through the shadows. When he reached the outer city of Jade Capital, Qin Mu emerged from the shadow and walked toward the Mansion of Heavenly Venerable Mu.
Inside the Hall of Nurtured Glory, Heavenly Venerable Hong frowned at the Heavenly Emperor’s body, its legs covered in wounds. He shook his head. “These people have no care for it. At least this body is the face of the Heavenly Court… Who was it that controlled this body and went to the birthplace? No, that palace maid was wrong! Attendants to the Heavenly Emperor’s body wouldn’t be just one!”
His divine consciousness exploded, covering the area around the Hall of Nurtured Glory, scrutinizing every detail as he searched for the palace maid.
His divine consciousness was extremely powerful, causing a great commotion. Immediately, several other streams of divine consciousness erupted, coming from afar and colliding with his!
Thunder and lightning flashed around the Hall of Nurtured Glory, the rumbling caused by the collision of several Heavenly Venerables’ divine consciousness!
Heavenly Venerable Hong suddenly withdrew his consciousness, laughing heartily. “Fellow daoists, do you think I am the Grand Emperor? Why test me? The Ten Heavenly Venerables have always been united. When did we become so suspicious of our own?”
The divine consciousnesses in the air dispersed, and the surroundings returned to calm.
Heavenly Venerable Hong frowned slightly. “That delay cost me. That strange palace maid has likely gone far. She was the one who controlled this body and went to the birthplace. So secretive, it must be about the birthplace…”
He quickly left the Hall of Nurtured Glory and hurried to the Heavenly Emperor’s birthplace.
When he arrived, he saw Heavenly Venerable Hao, Heavenly Venerable Gong, Heavenly Venerable Qiang, Heavenly Venerable Yan, and others already there.
Their faces were grim as they gazed at the ball of purple light formed by the Great Dao in the birthplace. There, a piece of the eggshell was missing.
“Who took it?”
Heavenly Venerable Hao’s voice was icy. “Hand it over now, and I will let bygones be bygones!”