Chapter 855 — The Youth Steals Peaches to Satisfy His Craving

The woman behind the screen played only occasional notes, while the music from outside formed a complete melody. The two strains of zither music seemed to collide in midair, turning space unstable; space itself seemed to leap like quivering strings, to pulse like dancing notes.

Shen Mu's heart stirred, and he knew at once who the newcomer was: "The Red Emperor Qi Xiayu! Why has she come?

" Even as he thought this, the zither had already arrived before the hall; then the music broke off abruptly, and footsteps approached.

Qi Xiayu's voice came: "Your disciple pays respects to her master! How has my master been all these years? " "Well enough," said the woman behind the screen.

Shen Mu's heart shook violently: "Qi Xiayu is the disciple of this woman behind the screen?

Wait, wait—Qi Xiayu is a powerhouse at the Emperor Seat realm, the Red Emperor of the Southern Heaven of the Heavenly Court, and she was once the head of the Phoenix Clan under the Earth Mother Sovereign! If this woman is her master, then who in the world is she? " What unsettled him even more was Qi Xiayu's history. Qi Xiayu had first served as a subject of the Earth Mother Sovereign, then served as a general under the Northern Supreme Sovereign's Heavenly Court; later, in the Supreme Sovereign's era, she met with calamity, was defeated and captured, and defected to the Outer Heavenly Court.

After defecting to the Outer Heavenly Court, Qi Xiayu had taken up with Li Youran, one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Kaihuang Era—the one who would later become the Shakra Heavenly King Buddha. These connections were exceedingly complicated, and Qi Xiayu's moral character was much criticized because of them. But what if these experiences of hers had all been arranged long ago?

What if every single move Qi Xiayu had ever made was secretly orchestrated by the woman behind this screen? "Has my master's injury flared up again?

" Qi Xiayu's voice came.

The woman behind the screen said: "Since you left, it flared up once or twice every few hundred years.

By now I have lost count of the outbreaks—I suppose I have long since grown accustomed to them.

" "If my master were to seek out the Dao Ancestor, the Great Brahma Heavenly King Buddha, and others, perhaps the injury could be undone.

" "It is useless. The Dao Ancestor came to examine it and said that he too could do nothing. " Shen Mu listened, entranced.

The girl called Yan'er lifted a teacup, signaling him to drink.

Shen Mu hurriedly took the cup, drank a sip, set it down, and went on listening.

The girl sat on the floor, leaning against his side, and pared a peach, bringing it to his lips. Shen Mu tried to take it, but Yan'er waved her hand; Shen Mu could only take a bite and gulp it down hastily, whispering: "Sister Yan'er, I can manage on my own.

" The girl called Yan'er giggled: "You really do call everyone 'sister. '" The other girls all burst out laughing. Qi Xiayu seemed to sense something and grew wary. "Master, have you hidden a man in the hall?

I heard a man's voice!

" The woman behind the screen laughed: "It is an old acquaintance who came to see me.

There you go, being suspicious again. Your suspicion runs too deep, and that is why your life is not a happy one.

" Qi Xiayu rose and walked over, laughing: "Since he is my master's acquaintance, I naturally must pay respects to a senior. " She hastened to the rear hall, laughing: "Why hide yourself, senior?

Your junior Qi Xiayu has come to pay her respects. .

. How is it you?

! " Her eyes went wide.

There in the rear hall, a sunny young man sat on a cushion, with several girls nestling at his side, all of them trying to feed him a peach. Shen Mu, his mouth still clamped around a peach and juice running down his chin, looked at her, thoroughly embarrassed, and laughed: "The Red Emperor need not be so courteous.

" Qi Xiayu was furious. She strode over, grinding her teeth: "A philanderer at the side of a heartless rogue—and you dare come to my teacher's house to fool around with every girl in sight?

Today I'll send you on your way! " Then the woman behind the screen in the front hall coughed, and her voice came over: "Xiayu, he is my honored guest. Do not be rude! "