Chapter 929 — Meeting Beneath the Moon at Yao Terrace
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 4 of 5
Qi Jiuyi was first furious, then suddenly burst out laughing despite himself. "Though I find you quite displeasing, ever since I learned that you are Lord Mu who transmitted the method of becoming a god, I have felt a deep respect for you. It is only that every time I see you, I still cannot help but feel revulsion."
Shen Mu laughed heartily. He was just about to inquire about the origins of Lord Xiao, Lord Ancestor, and the others when a palace maid suddenly ascended to the Manhui Corridor Pavilion, presenting a calling card, and said, "Celestial Lord, you have a visitor."
Shen Mu had no choice but to hold back, and taking the calling card, he smiled. "I knew someone would come seeking me of their own accord—I simply did not expect it so soon. Please, invite them in."
The palace maid withdrew.
Shen Mu opened the calling card and saw that the visitor's name was Yun Jianli. He handed the card to Qi Jiuyi and asked, "This Yun Jianli—who is he?"
Qi Jiuyi's expression shifted slightly, turning somewhat grim. "Yun Jianli is of the Yun family."
Shen Mu asked, puzzled, "The Yun family? Which Yun family?"
"The descendants of Lord Yun."
Qi Jiuyi said, "It is said that after Lord Yun died, the Yun family survived, but their numbers were few. Each generation had only a single heir, barely keeping the bloodline from dying out. Yet every generation of the Yun family produced outstanding geniuses, extraordinarily brilliant. Strangely, however, every generation of the Yun family, upon cultivating to the Divine Bridge realm, would suddenly drop dead before they could even set foot in the Heavenly Palace. Thus the Yun family often had only one male heir, and all the rest were widows. Yun Jianli is the son of this generation of the Yun family, a rising star of the Heavenly Court, known as the Sickly Young Master. His talent, well…"
The corner of his eye twitched as he said, "Before I was ordered to descend to the mortal realm to eliminate you, I once came here and crossed hands with the young powerhouses of the Heavenly Court. He was formidable."
Shen Mu smiled faintly. "At that time, you had taken the Scarlet Emperor and the Black Emperor as your masters, cultivating the supreme arts of both imperial thrones. When I first crossed hands with you, your terrifying strength filled both me and Zhe Huali with admiration. It was only that you entered the Dao through the Scarlet Emperor's cultivation method, and your divine power's reaction speed was not as good as mine or Zhe Huali's. How do you compare to this Sickly Young Master Yun Jianli?"
"I lost cleanly."
Qi Jiuyi did not deny it. "To this day I have never submitted to you, believing I might be able to defeat you. Yet toward him I am utterly convinced, acknowledging myself far inferior. However, I have undergone the baptism of the Jingping Reforms. If we fought again today, the outcome would be uncertain."
Shen Mu was moved.
Qi Jiuyi had originally been extraordinarily formidable, and having remained in the mortal realm all this time, helping Xu Shenghua establish the Shangcang Academy, his horizons and experience were no longer what they once were.
Xu Shenghua was also the great synthesizer of the Jingping Reforms, a talent of unmatched brilliance. Qi Jiuyi's current strength was certainly far greater than before. Yet Qi Jiuyi would only say that if they fought again today, the outcome would be uncertain—one could well imagine how badly Qi Jiuyi had lost back then!
At that moment, the palace maid led a man and a woman up to the Manhui Corridor Pavilion. The young man at the head was tall and slender, dressed in elegant cloud-white robes, his complexion somewhat pale, yet handsome.
Though his bearing was refined and distinguished, a wisp of black qi lingered between his brows, as though the illness had reached his very marrow.
The Sickly Young Master Yun Jianli bowed deeply to Shen Mu, with utmost reverence, and said, "This son of the Yun family pays his respects to Lord Mu."