Chapter 863 — Where the Venerable One Sleeps
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 1 of 4
"Heavenly Venerable Yu!"
Yan Qiling cried out in shock, staring at the newcomer in disbelief before whipping her head around to look at Shen Mu.
She had seen Heavenly Venerable Yu before. He followed at Shen Mu's side, a slightly plump youth.
She had even fought Shen Mu fiercely over taking Heavenly Venerable Yu away, nearly killing him, only to have the tables turned and end up in his grasp, nearly dead herself.
But shouldn't Heavenly Venerable Yu be at Shen Mu's side?
Who, then, was this Heavenly Venerable Yu before her?
Xing An was also suspicious, casting a doubtful glance at Shen Mu. He too had seen the Heavenly Venerable Yu by Shen Mu's side and had taken him for a mere follower, thinking nothing of it—after all, Heavenly Venerable Yu's cultivation was still low and hardly worthy of his attention.
Yet the Heavenly Venerable Yu who had suddenly appeared in the hanging coffin put him on guard, wary, giving him a sense of danger.
The Heavenly Dragon King also looked doubtful, his gaze shifting back and forth between Heavenly Venerable Yu and Shen Mu. That day, when Shen Mu had brought Heavenly Venerable Yu to the palace of the Earth Mother Primordial Lady, he had nearly pressed his face against theirs to scrutinize them.
This Heavenly Venerable Yu differed somewhat in build from the one at Shen Mu's side, but only subtly.
The hanging coffin fell into utter silence.
That Heavenly Venerable Yu, his face wreathed in smiles, also looked at Shen Mu, his gaze settling on Shen Mu's hand.
Just now, the teacup in Shen Mu's hand had shattered from his loss of composure. Yan'er had taken out a silk handkerchief and gently wiped the water stains from his face.
At Shen Mu's fingertip, a token was spinning rapidly, its rotation slowing by degrees.
It was this token that had drawn his gaze.
Shen Mu ignored everyone's stares.
The Heavenly Venerable Yu who had suddenly appeared in this hanging coffin could not possibly be the real Lan Yutian.
A million years ago, Lan Yutian had perished, his soul scattered. Shen Mu had reconstructed his body, repaired the damage to his bodily functions, then forged a coffin and gave it to Venerable You to hide in the Nether Capital.
Only a few years ago had Shen Mu revived Heavenly Venerable Yu, and since then he had followed him ever since.
And now, Heavenly Venerable Yu was studying at Lanjiang Academy, personally mentored by Zai Fu.
This Heavenly Venerable Yu who had suddenly appeared in the hanging coffin was thinner than the real one. Originally, after Heavenly Venerable Yu learned alchemy, he had secretly eaten the Water Qilin's rations, becoming a little chubby, and only after being trained by Old Farmer for a time did his figure return to normal.
However, these past few days, with Yan'er—a Green Sparrow who loved to wait on others—around, Heavenly Venerable Yu was gradually trending toward plumpness again.
This Heavenly Venerable Yu before them, however, maintained a perfect figure, a perfect physique—so perfect as to seem inhuman.
He resembled the peerless Heavenly Venerable Yu Shen Mu had first met at the Jade Pool Gathering, radiant and dazzling.
There could not be two Heavenly Venerable Yus in this world. This Heavenly Venerable Yu who had suddenly appeared in the hanging coffin must have been created by the Dao Lord of the Heavenly Court, using the imprint of Heavenly Venerable Yu from the top floor of Shoucang Pavilion and the Heavenly Court's Creation Divine Artifact.
"Perhaps there is another possibility: someone learned the dharma of the Great Brahma Heavenly King Buddha and transformed into Heavenly Venerable Yu. But the one who cultivated that dharma has been dead for a long time."