Chapter 473 — The Holy Mother of True Heaven

The goddess looked much like the one in the mural — the one whose wine Shen Mu had snatched before kicking her flying. She ran to a corner of the wall and slipped behind a folding screen, and from behind that screen stepped a woman of a wholly different appearance.

This woman wore a round, cap-like silver ornament on her head, a short black jacket, a long black skirt, and high-soled black shoes with pointed toes; she was dressed like any ordinary woman of the Western Lands.

"That was close — I nearly got kicked out of my true form by that Forsaken! Still, I gave myself away. Every god and demon in that painting can speak only a word or two at most — 'kill,' 'beast,' things of that sort — and I spoke a whole sentence."

The woman walked swiftly out of the main hall of the Palace of True Heaven. Sunlight fell on a face delicate and fair. Head lowered, she walked on, thinking, "Those two did not think of it before, but a little reflection and they will surely notice something is off. I must leave as quickly as I can — or better, get my hands on the Four Spirit Pearls first..."

Her steps were small and light. Ahead of her were Shen Mu and Imperial Preceptor Jingping. Only then did she slow down, compose her expression, and smile, like some perfectly ordinary young lady-disciple of a Western Lands clan.

"Damn!"

Suddenly Shen Mu's face changed. He struck his palm with his fist and blurted out, "I know where the Old Mother of True Heaven is hiding!"

Imperial Preceptor Jingping was sharp beyond measure; the key came to him at once, and he too blurted, "In that mural with the missing corner! The goddess holding the wine!"

He turned and ran for the main hall, speaking fast: "We killed even the Heavenly Emperor inside that painting, and yet even the Heavenly Emperor never spoke a word. Only that wine-bearing goddess spoke a complete sentence!"

He rushed into the hall, and after a moment came back out, shaking his head. "The wine-bearing goddess is no longer in the painting."

Shen Mu mimicked the goddess's tone: "Where did this little wretch come from? This is wine for the high god — is it yours to touch? For anyone in a painting, that sentence is far too complex. The painter never refined his art to that degree. A goddess who can speak — that is the Old Mother of True Heaven! What a cunning creature, hiding inside a painting. I underestimated her."

The woman came up to the two of them and greeted Shen Mu with a salute. "Cult Master Shen."

Shen Mu's eyes flickered. He smiled. "Why does Sister not greet Imperial Preceptor Jingping as well?"

"Imperial Preceptor Jingping? I have never met him. Is he the mighty one who killed Bagou earlier?"

A flush of excitement came over the woman's face. She hurried to salute the Imperial Preceptor, and gave him a deep, soulful look. Jingping shook his head. "It is not her. Since coming to the Western Lands I have shown myself very rarely; most women here would not know me. It was I who killed the Old Mother of True Heaven's false body, so she would know me."

Shen Mu nodded, then asked the woman, "Did you see anyone come out of that great hall?"

The woman shook her head. "I was with my clan chief, going to seize the Vermilion Bird Pearl. I passed by here, but I saw no one."

Shen Mu pondered, then waved a hand in dismissal. The woman glanced at Imperial Preceptor Jingping once more, then lowered her head and walked past the two of them. Suddenly Shen Mu caught her by the sleeve. The Old Mother of True Heaven's scalp went numb; she could barely keep herself from striking.

Shen Mu smiled. "What is this sister's name? Which clan are you from? Who is your clan chief?"

The Old Mother of True Heaven's expression changed drastically. With a thud she dropped to her knees, trembling, and knocked her head on the ground. "I am a disciple of the Palace of True Heaven! I beg the Cult Master not to kill me! If the other clans recognize me, my life is forfeit! I beg the Cult Master to spare me!"

Shen Mu let out a breath and said to Imperial Preceptor Jingping, "I thought she was the Old Mother of True Heaven. But the Old Mother is a deity after all — how could she kneel to a mortal? She really is a disciple of the Palace of True Heaven, trying to slip out and save her skin."

Jingping waved a hand. "Do as you see fit."

Shen Mu helped the Old Mother of True Heaven to her feet and spoke kindly. "Do not be afraid, sister. Do not listen to the others. They call me the Cult Master of the Dark Demons, but that was only my own guilty conscience — I came to the Western Lands alone and called myself that to frighten people. In truth I am the Cult Master of the Heavenly Sage. Our Heavenly Sage Cult is the kindest of all; we never harm anyone, and I am a great good man myself. Look — Imperial Preceptor Jingping is one of the Four Great Heavenly Kings of my Heavenly Sage Cult. By the way, what is your name?"

The Old Mother of True Heaven did not quite believe him. She ventured, "My name is Tian Siyu. You truly will not hand me over?"

Imperial Preceptor Jingping urged, "I must go read out the imperial edict. I have no time to linger here."

Shen Mu took the Old Mother of True Heaven's hand and followed Jingping. "I am looking for someone — a youth named Ban Gongcuo, also called the Great Venerable. He is the head of the Golden Palace of Loulan, and he once came to your Palace of True Heaven. Sister Siyu, have you seen him?"

The Old Mother of True Heaven, her hand held fast, glanced at Imperial Preceptor Jingping ahead and did not dare pull free. "I have seen this man. I know only that he is called the Great Venerable, and that he is on intimate terms with Elder Yu Qingchan. But he is not in the palace now. When he saw Cult Master Shen attacking the Palace of True Heaven, he ran off."

"Just like the Great Venerable."

Shen Mu sighed, then smiled. "Sister Siyu, stay by my side, so the others do not kill you. By the way, the tracking arts of your Western Lands are unmatched under heaven, and a woman of your cultivation must have a way to track Ban Gongcuo down — is that not so? I will keep you safe from harm, and you will help me track Ban Gongcuo. How about it?"

The Old Mother of True Heaven said happily, "Yes! It is a promise, then?"

Shen Mu laughed aloud. "Would I deceive you? A promise it is! Imperial Preceptor Jingping, once you have finished reading the edict, come with me to hunt down Ban Gongcuo."

Jingping said calmly, "Very well. I would also like to know who that god or demon behind the Great Venerable is, and where he hides."

The Old Mother of True Heaven's expression shifted slightly. She had assumed that she and Shen Mu would go after Ban Gongcuo alone — one man, one woman — and that she could kill this noble of the Forsaken at her leisure. She had never imagined the boy would invite Imperial Preceptor Jingping along!

With Jingping at his side, her danger was great. The slightest slip, and that cold, merciless man would cut her down!

At such close range, if Jingping struck, she could never withstand it!

"Let Jingping come along. It gives me more chances to be rid of him! I still need the Four Spirit Pearls — once I have them, killing Jingping will be far easier..."

At last the great clans of the Western Lands subdued the Palace of True Heaven. The experts of the Yu family were killed or taken prisoner. The clans jointly raised Xiong Xiyu once more to be mistress of the Palace of Western Heaven and Naikui. Holding Xiong Qi'er's hand, Xiong Xiyu received the homage of the great clans.

Imperial Preceptor Jingping read out the edict of Emperor Yanfeng. Xiong Xiyu hurried to accept it. Shen Mu, meanwhile, pulled Xiong Qi'er over and plied her with questions, and got hold of the Dark-Azure Water Dragon Pearl and the Dark Warrior Pearl, turning them over in his hands for a while.

The Old Mother of True Heaven stared at the two spirit treasures in his hands and forcibly suppressed the urge to snatch them.