Chapter 933 — The Sword Falls, the Immortal Bridge Breaks

" Shen Mu praised it from the heart. "It is a fine art, a beautiful one.

Heavenly Venerable Yun was worthy of the name; and you are no slouch either, Brother Yun. With the skill you have now, you could trade blows with a young Heavenly Venerable for several rounds. " Yun Jianli's eyes flickered. "Then does the Heavenly Venerable think my ancestor's art is outdated?

" "Naturally. " Shen Mu was utterly sincere.

"You need not feel small.

Even in the lower realm, few could best you—at most two could defeat you at the same cultivation.

You never came into contact with the Jingping Reform, and yet you have achieved this much; you have not disgraced Heavenly Venerable Yun. " Yun Jianli laughed despite himself.

"Two people in the Yuan Realm surpass me? Are they stronger than the Heavenly Venerable? " Shen Mu shook his head.

"They are a little weaker than I am, and a little stronger than you—after all, I have a tyrant body. But even so, I am only a hair stronger than the two of you.

" Yun Jianli roared with laughter—and laughing, he began to cough violently, gasping for breath several times before he recovered. "So then, just now the Heavenly Venerable did not use his full strength. I have heard that in the lower realm the Heavenly Venerable bears the name of tyrant body and is a master of the sword; back then, upon the Jade Pool, a single stroke of his sword left even the projection of Lady Yuanmu unable to break it.

I wish to see the Heavenly Venerable's swordsmanship!

" A look of difficulty came over Shen Mu's face.

"Brother Yun, you are a genius. I do not wish to frustrate you and damage your heart of the Dao. .

.

" Yun Jianli said gravely, "My ancestor's dying instructions held the Heavenly Venerable's swordsmanship in the highest esteem. Do not hold back, Heavenly Venerable.

If my family's supreme art should fall to the Heavenly Venerable's hand, it would not be a blow to me but a blessing! " He was full of confidence and pride, and he said sincerely, "Only if I lose can I know that my Yun family's art is still imperfect and still has room to rise. If I do not lose, then living in this world will hold no joy for me at all. To tell you the truth, there is one divine ability I have never completed and never displayed; I would like to set the Heavenly Venerable's sword against that move, and be defeated with a heart wholly convinced! " His aura erupted once more.

At that moment, Qi Jiuyi looked into the distance and saw a great many young men and women crossing the sea by boat, about to arrive here.

The Dragon Qilin peered over. "Third Brother, who are those people? " Qi Jiuyi gazed at the crowd on the boats, his expression grave.

"Figures from the Heavenly Court's Azure Splendor Roll and Divine Elegance Roll. The Heavenly Court has a great many of the younger generation, and to spur them on it keeps the Numinous Grace Roll, the Azure Splendor Roll and the Divine Elegance Roll. The Divine Elegance Roll ranks the disciples of Heavenly Venerables, of ancient gods, of Heavenly Kings and of the Four Emperors, and the imperial princes. The Azure Splendor Roll ranks the disciples of the great houses and mighty clans. As for the Numinous Grace Roll, it ranks the sons and daughters of common folk.

Everyone on those boats is a figure from the Divine Elegance Roll or the Azure Splendor Roll.

" He shook his head. "These people do not come with good intentions.

I knew nothing good would come of Sect Master Shen's arrival in the Heavenly Court.

He thinks others dare not touch him, dare not kill him—what a joke. If the Heavenly Court wants a man dead, then never mind a Heavenly Venerable—even the Jade Emperor himself could be killed! " Those people drew nearer and nearer; the tower ships halted, and those aboard prepared to disembark. Qi Jiuyi said quietly, "They have surely come to make trouble, to find some pretext to kill Sect Master Shen. Second Brother, do not interfere. I will receive them. After all, disciples of the Crimson Emperor and the Black Emperor still have some standing.

I can protect only you—I cannot protect Sect Master Shen. . .

" He looked again at Yan'er and said in a heavy voice, "If Sect Master Shen is in danger, you must not act either.

This is the Heavenly Court, after all. To kill Sect Master Shen they may still have some scruples, but to kill you they would have none at all! " Without waiting for the Dragon Qilin or Yan'er to answer, he went forward to meet them and laughed loudly.

"Gentlemen, it has been a long time. What whim brings you to the Jade Pool today? " "So it is Brother Jiuyi.

" The yellow-robed man at their head laughed. "We heard that Brother Jiuyi had gone down to the lower realm and was long in returning.

I thought some misfortune had befallen you; to find that Brother Jiuyi is still among the living—truly, Heaven is blind.

" Qi Jiuyi smiled coldly. "You are too kind, too kind.

Good men have Heaven's protection; I am blessed with great fortune and a great fate, so of course I cannot die.

" A woman with wings growing from her back, delicate in form, looked out at Shen Mu and Yun Jianli on the Jade Sea and said with keen interest, "So that was Heavenly Venerable Mu trading blows with Yun Jianli just now? Truly remarkable, divine powers beyond measure—it frightened me so badly I nearly dared not come at all. " "A Heavenly Venerable naturally has some skill.

" Another Daoist laughed.

"Though Heavenly Venerable Mu comes from some tiny backwater of the lower realm, to be able to match Yun Jianli blow for blow is indeed impressive. " The others nodded and laughed.

"No wonder the yokels of the lower realm call him the Jingping Tyrant Body—he does have some skill!

" Suddenly Yun Jianli's aura erupted once more, and everyone's heart gave a start.

"They are still going to fight?

" But this time it was different from before. Yun Jianli raised his palm, and runes whirled and flew, forming the vision of the Empyrean Heavenly Court.

Star after star took shape; temple after temple and divine city after divine city appeared; his forged runes built ancient deities one after another, each with its own strange manifestation. More and more deities appeared, and that Heavenly Court grew ever more complete, until at last the Empyrean Heavenly Court seemed to have come out of the past into the present, and within its Lingxiao Treasure Hall it was as if a great emperor had come back to life. A resounding Dao voice rang out across the Jade Sea, deafening and rousing!

Even though these people were personages of consequence on the Azure Splendor Roll and the Divine Elegance Roll, their expressions could not help but change.

The supreme art Yun Jianli was displaying he had never shown before anyone—it must be a great divine ability he had only lately created. His qi and blood were fiercely intense, his aura overbearingly domineering, striking awe into the heart! At that very moment, Yun Jianli released the full might of this great divine ability.

This seal pushed him into a realm of the Dao he had never before been able to touch, leaving his heart utterly clear and empty.

Before, he had been unable to draw out the full power of this move; now, facing a great enemy like Shen Mu, he could finally lay down every bond and every worry, and freely, joyously unleash his ambition. In his heart, this move was already flawless.

The next moment, a sword came flying, and the sword filled the Empyrean. Shen Mu's sword light was incomparably sharp; it pierced through the Empyrean Heavenly Court, slew the great emperor within the Lingxiao Hall, and drove into Yun Jianli's body. Yun Jianli heard a thunderous roar—his spirit bridge had been severed by Shen Mu's single sword stroke, and his spirit bridge and spirit storehouse came crashing down!