Chapter 171 — The Tail That Can't Be Hidden

Heavenly King Shi said, "And the green lamps in the Heavenly Delight Pavilion — the oil in them is sesame oil, and someone has stolen a good deal of it to drink, no one knows who. " Feeling Shen Mu's gaze fixed on her fox tail, Snow Fox stealthily tucked it under her rump and sat on it. Shen Mu coughed and said, "Ling'er, your fox tail is showing.

" "Where?

" The little fox cried out in alarm, "I clearly hid it!

" Heavenly King Lu said unhurriedly, "In the herb garden before the Medicine King Hall there is an ancient medicinal tree, and on it grows a copper-red nine-leaf great lingzhi. The ninth leaf has been more than half gnawed away.

That lingzhi was cultivated from the ancient medicinal tree; its medicinal power is fierce, and it holds many spores that fly about everywhere. From time to time a spore will sprout and put out a little lingzhi.

" With a pop, a tiny lingzhi leaf sprouted from the little fox's head.

Snow Fox raised a paw as if to scratch her head, quietly plucked it off and popped it into her mouth, thinking herself utterly unnoticed — only to look up and find Shen Mu and the three Cult-Protecting Heavenly Kings all staring at her. Heavenly King Shi said, "And several cloud pearls inlaid on the screen in the Drifting Cloud Pavilion are missing too — most likely they fell out.

. .

" Snow Fox panicked and hastily clutched the little pack on her back. Shen Mu cleared his throat twice and rose, saying, "Heavenly Kings, I have stayed on Holy Advent Mountain for many days now, and it has suddenly occurred to me that I am still an Erudite of the Grand Academy and have scarcely taught a single class.

I intend to leave Holy Advent Mountain today and return to the capital.

" All three Cult-Protecting Heavenly Kings breathed a sigh of relief.

Heavenly King Shi said, "By every right we ought to keep the Holy Cult Master here to comprehend his art, but the Holy Cult Master's studies are, after all, more important, so we shall not press him to stay.

" Heavenly King Yu said politely, "Holy Cult Master, Holy Advent Mountain is your home. You must come home often, and not think of yourself as an outsider. " "I certainly will, I certainly will. " Shen Mu said politely, "As Holy Cult Master, I ought of course to come back often to look around.

" "Shall we see the Holy Cult Master down the mountain? " "No need, no need. Heavenly Kings, please stay.

" . .

.

"Young master, it seems the Cult-Protecting Heavenly Kings have grown tired of you," Snow Fox said, blinking. Shen Mu stared at her, and the little fox stealthily hid her tail again. Shen Mu was speechless, then shook his head and said, "You may stir up trouble wherever you go, but it is all small trouble.

I have stirred up no small amount of trouble myself, and greater than yours at that, so I have no face to scold you. This is likely the first time in the history of the Heavenly Sacred Cult that a Holy Cult Master has been tired of by his subordinates. Never mind — since I have more or less comprehended the Grand Unification Art, I may as well go down the mountain.

" Snow Fox nodded hastily. Shen Mu tested it a few more times, and feeling that he had mastered the knack of the teleportation robe, he took her in his arms and said, "This teleportation, I am not entirely sure of either.

I still have some pills in my bundle, so that if my vital essence runs out, I can replenish it.

" Snow Fox pressed close against his chest, not daring to loosen her grip.

Shen Mu leaped, springing down from Holy Advent Mountain, and the whir of wind rose at once in his ears.

The youth's brocade robe flared and closed, and he vanished in midair.

The three Cult-Protecting Heavenly Kings rushed in alarm to the foot of the mountain and looked down, but could see no trace of Shen Mu.

"Shura Blood Pupil, open!

" Heavenly King Yu extended his forefinger and touched it to the point between his brows; red light blazed from both his eyes as he looked down. After searching a moment he finally found Shen Mu's trace and breathed a sigh of relief, saying, "The Holy Cult Master is unharmed. He has already reached the edge of the Firmament Thunder Forbidden Zone that rings Holy Advent Mountain. Once he passes through that forbidden zone, he will be safe. " Heavenly King Lu's heart suddenly stirred, and he said hastily, "Senior brothers, did either of you tell the Holy Cult Master that there is a Firmament Thunder Forbidden Zone outside Holy Advent Mountain?

" Heavenly King Yu and Heavenly King Shi looked at each other and both shook their heads.

Heavenly King Shi said, stammering, "Did not Junior Brother Lu mention it to the Holy Cult Master? " Heavenly King Lu shook his head. "I thought you had told him.

. .

This is bad!

" The faces of the three Cult-Protecting Heavenly Kings changed drastically, and they each leaped down in haste.

The Firmament Thunder Forbidden Zone had been laid down by successive generations of Cult Masters to protect the holy ground; from the outside it showed not the slightest sign of anything amiss, but the moment one entered it, one would be struck by the Azure Firmament Heavenly Thunder!

Never mind Shen Mu — even a powerhouse of the Heaven-Man realm, falling into it, would be crippled if not killed! With cultivation like Shen Mu's, he would surely be blasted to ashes in the very first instant! The three Cult-Protecting Heavenly Kings moved with extreme speed, arriving at the Firmament Thunder Forbidden Zone and plunging in to save him. Yet for all that the three Heavenly Kings' cultivation was vast and mighty, they were struck until their heads and faces were scorched black.

"That thunder zone is truly vicious. " Outside the Firmament Thunder Forbidden Zone, Shen Mu looked up at the sky and said, still shaken, "Luckily I used the Azure Firmament Heavenly Eye to see this hidden thunder zone and teleported straight out.

Hm? There seem to be people in the thunder zone.

.

. " He had no time to look closely; his body was already falling from midair, and below lay the green hills and clear waters of the Kingdom of Jingping, veiled by drifting clouds, a magnificent sight.