Chapter 930 — A Reunion Like First Love

Shen Mu's mind was in turmoil. On the Ghost Ship, the Empress Consort and Jue Wuchen had been buried together in one coffin, guarded by eight dragons—he had seen it with his own eyes, and there could be no mistake!

Yet the woman before him, one called Yun Chuxiu, was almost identical to Jue Wuchen, without the slightest difference!

Could there truly be someone in this world born exactly like Jue Wuchen?

"That is impossible!

Jue Wuchen was a perfect body forged by Heavenly Venerate Ling, a weapon to beguile the Ancient God Heavenly Emperor. The Ancient God Heavenly Emperor, shrewd his whole life, died beneath her beauty!

No one could look exactly like her!

" "Then—is this woman called Yun Chuxiu none other than Jue Wuchen from the Ghost Ship? " Countless thoughts came crowding into Shen Mu's mind, surging forth without cease: "I was able to escape the Ghost Ship because I had studied Heavenly Venerate Ling's divine abilities deeply, and had already grasped a little of the Unchanging Divine Ability. With the power of the Four Emperors and of every officer and soldier of the Yulin Army, I was just able to flee that ancient ship with my life! Who besides me could manage such a feat?

" His heart was greatly shaken, yet outwardly he remained calm, and he looked down at Yun Jianli, who was kneeling in worship below.

Could it be that this Yun Jianli possessed powers beyond the ken of gods and ghosts, had entered the Ghost Ship, and brought Jue Wuchen out?

Yet in terms of time, it seemed impossible.

His eldest senior brother Wei Suifeng was now aboard the Ghost Ship, and before coming to the Heavenly Court, Shen Mu had attempted to rescue Wei Suifeng. If Yun Jianli had boarded the Ghost Ship after that, he could not possibly be a match for Wei Suifeng aboard the ship.

Moreover, even if he could escape the Ghost Ship with Jue Wuchen, he could not possibly have returned to the Heavenly Court in such a short time.

After all, the Phoenix Ship Shen Mu had ridden was the fastest imperial-throne divine weapon in the world today!

Yun Jianli was not yet a deity; even if he had such a fast ship, he could not possess such deep and mighty dharma power to drive such a treasure. "Could it be that he came to the Ghost Ship before Wei Suifeng and took Jue Wuchen away?

In those years, Heavenly Venerate Yun and Heavenly Venerate Ling had been on excellent terms; most likely the Yun family possessed records of Heavenly Venerate Ling's Unchanging Divine Ability. " Shen Mu's gaze shifted away from Yun Jianli: "Yet even if Yun Jianli took Jue Wuchen away, he could not bring Jue Wuchen back to life.

For Jue Wuchen was merely a shell of the Empress Consort; rescuing a shell would be of no use to him. Could it be the Empress Consort herself? " He looked at Yun Chuxiu, who was bowing gracefully, the corner of his eye twitching, and reached out to help the two of them up, smiling: "Rise.

We are about the same age; there is no need for such ceremony. " His heart was still in turmoil, waves crashing within: "If it is the Empress Consort, then perhaps it is possible.

I once summoned the soul of the Empress Consort's corpse aboard the Ghost Ship, only to discover that she was not dead, and she sensed me as well. It is very likely that when she heard I was coming to the Heavenly Court, she set her mind to it and had Jue Wuchen brought out from the ship. If so, then this woman's body houses the Empress Consort! She is the Empress Consort's puppet! But.

. . " Thoughts multiplied in his mind: "But why did the Ancient God Heavenly Emperor order the Azure Emperor of the Eastern Heaven to sink Wei Suifeng in the river? He means to trade Wei Suifeng for the Ghost Ship; clearly he intends to obtain the body of the Empress Consort and the flesh of Jue Wuchen aboard the ship, and use these two bodies to deal with the present Empress Consort.

Could it be that what dwells within Jue Wuchen is the Ancient God Heavenly Emperor?

" His head was nearly bursting; the possibilities were so many that he could not deduce the truth. Yun Jianli and Yun Chuxiu rose.

With a smile on his face, Shen Mu invited them to be seated, saying: "I have only just arrived here and have no property in the Heavenly Court; I am lodging here temporarily, and must apologize for the poor hospitality. " Yan'er looked curiously at the back of Shen Mu's neck and saw the goosebumps there multiplying, with beads of cold sweat trickling down his neck—clearly Shen Mu was growing ever more alarmed.

"The young master does not sweat on his forehead, but sweats on the back of his neck—who taught him that trick?

" Yan'er grew ever more curious. Yun Jianli said hurriedly: "Your Heavenly Venerate is too kind.

You spread the Dharma to all living beings, giving them hope of attaining godhood; your merit covers the world.

This junior has come according to the deathbed instructions of his ancestors to beg forgiveness from Your Heavenly Venerate. " Shen Mu said in surprise: "The deathbed instructions of Heavenly Venerate Yun? What crime did he commit? " "In those years, to save the common people from fire and water, my ancestor had no choice but to impersonate Heavenly Venerate Mu and Heavenly Venerate Shen on several occasions, borrowing their names to rally the people's hearts, and thus was able to establish the Xiaohan Heavenly Court and win a thread of survival for the common folk.

Therefore, before his death, my ancestor left instructions: should his descendants one day be fortunate enough to meet Heavenly Venerate Mu again, they must kneel and beg forgiveness from Heavenly Venerate Mu and Heavenly Venerate Shen! " Yun Jianli rose and bowed down once more, saying: "My ancestor has already met Kaihuang and begged forgiveness from him, but never could find Heavenly Venerate Mu. Today Yun Jianli is fortunate enough to finally meet Heavenly Venerate Mu.

An unfilial son of the Yun family begs forgiveness on behalf of his forebear!

" Shen Mu was moved, and rose, saying: "What crime has Heavenly Venerate Yun committed?

There is no need for such ceremony; please rise at once.

" Yun Jianli continued to kowtow, saying: "Though Your Heavenly Venerate does not blame us, Jianli bears the deathbed instructions of his ancestors and must bow. " He insisted on finishing his bows before rising. Shen Mu invited him to sit, smiling: "I met your ancestor Heavenly Venerate Yun here, though I never had the chance to speak with him at length.

What is the background of this sister Yun Chuxiu? I just heard Brother Qi say that the Yun family has passed down a single heir for generations, one male in each generation. " Yun Jianli had an elegant bearing, the air of a son of a great family; though a sickly young master, he possessed a charm beyond the ordinary, and he said: "Chuxiu is a sister I took in not long ago. She is also surnamed Yun, but is not of the Yun family.

Seeing that she was clever and quick-witted, of uncommon ability, and all alone, I acknowledged her as my sister so as to look after her. " Yun Chuxiu said with a smile: "When I heard my brother say he was coming to pay respects to Heavenly Venerate Mu, I pestered him to bring me along.

I never expected Heavenly Venerate Mu to be so young.

" Every frown and every smile of hers was so captivating that one could not help but conjure all manner of fantasies. Her smile gave Shen Mu and Qi Jiuyi entirely different impressions.

Because Shen Mu's consciousness was powerful and his heart was on guard, and because of Granny Zhu's influence, he felt little. Qi Jiuyi, however, saw far more in her smile; scenes arose unbidden in his mind of meeting this woman, coming to know her, falling in love with her, and spending a lifetime together.

He even seemed to hear a lovely, moving melody at his ear, and in that instant of imagination he saw their future children running around their knees. Only when Yun Chuxiu's words fell silent did his imagining end.