Chapter 1035 — Sworn Sisterhood

Dutian, you go too. " Long Qilin brought them all to Shen Mu's other courtyard in the Jingping capital. In that courtyard stood a magnificent Primordial Tree, lush and verdant, with strands of iridescent light hanging down from it, guarding the Jingping capital—the most splendid sight in the whole city.

Emperor Yanxiu had sealed that courtyard as the Imperial Preceptor's Residence of Jingping, and sent people daily to sweep it. In the residence lived a woman named Gongsun Yan, who was on very good terms with Emperor Yanxiu.

Now and then Xue Hu'er and Gongsun Yan would come and stay a few days.

When Long Qilin arrived at Shen Mu's Jingping Imperial Preceptor's Residence, he saw Gongsun Yan drinking tea with three other women, and could not help but shiver. The Demon King Dutian was startled as well: one of those four women looked exactly like Lang Wan the Divine King—only dressed differently from Lang Wan the Divine King—and that woman was Yun Chuxiu!

Yun Chuxiu wore her hair in two ponytails, lively and restless; and the other woman was Lian Huahun! Long Qilin thought: "Has Lady Yuanmu made herself another Yun Chuxiu?

" "Has the young master returned?

" Gongsun Yan saw Long Qilin and was overjoyed; she hurried up to greet him, but did not see Shen Mu.

Yan'er transformed into a little green sparrow and fluttered up into the Primordial Tree, rummaging for a nest; finding that the nest Gongsun Yan had built for her was still there, she gave a cheer, settled herself snugly into it, opened her beak and puffed out little flames, dozing at her ease. Emperor Yanxiu stepped forward and glanced around; not seeing Shen Mu, she smiled: "Fatty Long, where is the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping?

" "He is at the Grand Academy. " Long Qilin looked up at the nest and said: "Your Majesty, the Cult Master is learning Sword Twenty; he will return once he has mastered it. Has Your Majesty seen Yun Jianli?

" Emperor Yanxiu was slightly taken aback, then smiled: "You mean Our Minister Yun?

A few days ago Minister Yun went down to Jiangnan to inspect the imperial works there; I do not know whether he has returned.

" Long Qilin said: "Will Your Majesty go and see whether Yun Jianli has come back, and ask him to come over? Yun Jianli is that young lady's elder brother.

" Emperor Yanxiu glanced at Yun Chuxiu and smiled: "You mean Sister Chuxiu is Minister Yun's younger sister? Some days ago We became sworn sisters with Sister Chuxiu—what a coincidence.

" "Sworn sisters with Lady Yuanmu? " Long Qilin felt his head swell three sizes.

That was Lady Yuanmu—one of the Ten Heavenly Sovereigns of the Heavenly Court! "This is beyond me; the Cult Master must come himself! " Long Qilin looked up at Gongsun Yan's phoenix nest, envy in his heart: "If only I could hide in there too.

" Lang Wan the Divine King stepped forward, her eyes roving, sweeping over each of the women, and smiled: "Your Majesty has become sworn sisters with Sister Chuxiu?

And what of Sister Lian and Sister Yan?

What a fine coincidence today.

Why don't the five of us swear sisterhood together? " Her presence was even greater than Lian Huahun's, and Emperor Yanxiu could not help but be swayed.

She smiled: "When I saw that you and Sister Chuxiu look exactly alike, I was just now wondering whether you were twin sisters; now that you speak of swearing sisterhood, I know you are not. Can there really be two flowers in this world that look the same? " Lang Wan the Divine King's eyes flickered: "Who knows?

Perhaps there are. What do you think of my proposal, sisters? " Yun Chuxiu clapped her hands in delight; Lian Huahun hesitated, then nodded. Gongsun Yan had never had a mind of her own; seeing this, she nodded too.

Lang Wan the Divine King looked at Emperor Yanxiu, and Emperor Yanxiu had no choice but to agree.

She smiled: "To become sisters with you all is naturally my good fortune.

" Yan'er gave a cheer, fluttered down from the nest, and clamored to be sworn in as well.

Long Qilin hurriedly called her back and whispered: "Little Ancestress, don't go adding to the hubbub; there is hubbub enough already! " "Why?

" Yan'er was rather puzzled.

But she still listened to Long Qilin, and had to stand on his head and watch the five girls swear their sisterhood, tea in place of wine, becoming sisters of different surnames. Yun Chuxiu giggled: "Shall we make a vow?

Not to be born in the same year, the same month, the same day, but to die in the same year, the same month, the same day?

" Long Qilin's heart gave a spasm. He thought: "Cult Master, come back quickly; this scene grows more unpredictable by the moment.

. .

Yun Jianli, you could come too! " In the Grand Academy, Shen Mu was learning Sword Twenty from the Headman.

In his battle with Emperor Kai back then, both sides had been badly hurt, and Shen Mu had carried his wounds off in grand style—but in his concern for style, he had not asked Emperor Kai to teach him Sword Twenty. The Headman's attainments in the sword dao were exceedingly high. Emperor Kai had passed it to him with a purpose in mind: to use the Headman's hand to transmit this move to Shen Mu.

After all, both Sword Eighteen and Sword Nineteen had been comprehended by Shen Mu; Emperor Kai had profited from Shen Mu, and it was thus that he had comprehended Sword Twenty. Shen Mu studied with the utmost diligence, wholly absorbed in his comprehension, knowing nothing of the sworn sisterhood taking place in his own residence. The five sisters each harbored her own designs; only Gongsun Yan was as innocent as a blank sheet of paper.