Chapter 1660 — Hidden Killing Intent

The next day, Shen Mu and Ling Yuxiu rose early. After washing and dressing, Ling Yuxiu coiled her hair into a married woman's bun, and Shen Mu pinned a hairpin into it for her. Once the couple had finished breakfast, the attendants in the manor had already sorted the various congratulatory gifts and catalogued them into a ledger, which they presented to Shen Mu. Shen Mu and Ling Yuxiu drank tea, heads bent together over the ledger, reading through it entry by entry.

Apart from treasures, many of the guests' gifts were strange and curious things.

Lan Yutian, for instance, had sent the insights he had comprehended beneath the World Tree over the years; Xu Shenghua had sent a jar of tea leaves and a pot of fragrant orchids; Zhe Huali had sent a Hundred Sons Jade Scene he had carved himself with a blade. Dao Master Lin Xuan had copied out a set of the mathematical equations of divination he had studied over the years and sent it along; War Void Tathagata had sent a single prayer bead; Wang Muran had sent a letter of challenge, inviting Shen Mu to the Lesser Jade Capital for a duel at the same cultivation realm. Emperor Yanfeng had given them a thick stack of small booklets, on which Shen Mu's name was written at the top, and below it row after row of tally marks. Jiang Baigui, Imperial Preceptor of Jingping, had sent a section of tree branch, within which his sword dao was concealed.

Whether it was a challenge to Shen Mu or a hope that he might comprehend his own sword dao from it and advance further, none could say. Sage Woodcutter had sent a volume compiling three hundred and sixty kinds of acquired dao, signifying that he was passing his mantle to Shen Mu. Yan Yunxi had sent a carrot with a bite taken out of it, which was most likely because the donkey Lu Zheng had been unable to resist nibbling it when he came to deliver the gift.

Di Yiyue had given Ling Yuxiu a hairpin, which would probably still be of use. Tian Shu had sent a jar of wine he had treasured for many years and could never bear to drink.

Li Youran, Emperor Shitian, had personally copied out a volume of the Record of a Hundred Heavenly Creations that he had comprehended. Zhuo Cha the Old Farmer had sent a picul of rice he had grown himself, and Niu Sanduo had sent along another picul of rice as well. Hantang the Fisherman Celestial Master had sent them two small red kun, still juveniles, most likely the remaining offspring of his red fish.

Ling Yuxiu hurriedly dug them out from the pile of gifts, and saw in a small fishbowl two little red fish, each with a pacifier in its mouth, swimming to and fro. "Don't touch them. " Shen Mu hastily stopped her. "Those are kun.

They eat people. " The two little red kun, pacifiers in their mouths, looked back at them innocently.

The two continued browsing. Ling Yuxiu laughed. "Ling Tianzun sent you a knot of eternal friendship. What a Zun sends is indeed unlike anything else. " Shen Mu fished out the knot Ling Tianzun had sent, and saw that it was a knot tied with the seal method of red cord, employing all manner of exquisite subtleties of the Mira Palace's dao patterns, and before he knew it he was absorbed in studying it.

"Yue Tianzun sent you a Lamp of Shared Hearts! " Ling Yuxiu found a lantern embroidered with two hearts, and said with a half-smile, "What a Zun sends is truly in a class of its own.

" "It's for both of us.

It means wishing us hearts joined as one forever.

" Shen Mu said without changing expression, "This lantern would be quite remarkable for traveling.

" Ling Yuxiu dug out Langwan the Divine King's gift next. "Sister Langwan sent you a flower.

" Shen Mu looked, and his heart gave a small leap. This was the flower from back when he had been in the Void of the Other Shore, when Langwan had been instructing him. In their contest, at the final strike, Shen Mu had not counterattacked, but instead visualized a vivid, dewy flower and given it to Langwan.

Langwan had planted that flower in the Primordial Essence Pool, and it had actually survived to this day.

Shen Mu laughed heartily. "Langwan's gift is also quite unique.

.

.

yes, quite unique. " Ling Yuxiu said with a half-smile, "Mu Yingxue the Poison Master sent her family's geographical map.

" Shen Mu said hastily, "Careful, it might be poisoned! Better burn it right away! " "He Yiyi the Formation Master sent a White Horse painting, with you and her riding on the same horse. It's painted very well, no wonder, after studying under Deaf Grandpa for two years.

" "There's a killing formation hidden inside.

Burn it!

" "The Supreme Emperor White Sword God sent you a set of puppets.

" Ling Yuxiu rummaged around, and saw that the puppet was a box with four legs.

Opening the box, inside were two little figures back to back. She was just about to take the figures out for a closer look when Shen Mu suddenly exclaimed in delight, "Grandpa Alchemist sent us a set of dual cultivation techniques!

Wife, come quickly!

" Ling Yuxiu shut the box, leaned in to look, spat, and said with a flushed face, "Grandpa Alchemist is a rogue, an old lecher!

" "Taichu sent me a dragon scale. " Shen Mu found the dragon scale, studied it for a moment, and smiled.

"Qinglong, Eastern Emperor, how have you been? Taichu must have sent this dragon scale because Qinglong once told him that I owed Qinglong a favor when I resurrected the Heavenly Duke.

This dragon scale is an interesting gift, interesting indeed. .

.

" His eyes flickered. "Taichu suspects I haven't truly retired, and so he's using this dragon scale to test me. If I resurrect Qinglong, Eastern Emperor, then I haven't truly retired, and still harbor grand ambitions. He's still wary of me!

" He put the dragon scale away without resurrecting Qinglong, Eastern Emperor. "The Ten Zun are the Ten Zun. Taichu and Hao Tianzun are birds of a feather. Resurrecting Qinglong can wait for the future!

" "Emperor Hao also sent quite a few treasures. " Ling Yuxiu clicked her tongue in wonder. "He's generous enough.

The Heavenly Duke sent gifts too, in the name of both Tubo and the Heavenly Duke.

" "He's urging me to resurrect Achou Tubo. " Shen Mu quietly put away the box puppet Bai Quer had sent, then visualized puppets of himself and Ling Yuxiu and placed them in its spot.

"He can't urge me directly, so he's using gifts to remind me.

" "Long Pang sent a set of the Classic of Raising Humans! " Ling Yuxiu burst out laughing. "And it's the new edition.

Long Pang is thoughtful after all.

This must be for me! " With that, she shot Shen Mu a glance.

Shen Mu gave a ha-ha and turned his head away, his expression dark.

"Taishi sent a gift too, a small piece of eggshell.

" Ling Yuxiu said doubtfully, "What's he sending an eggshell for. .

.

Senior Brother Wei sent a pile of geographical maps. Do you want to look?

" . . .

The couple sorted through everything, and at last finished reviewing the guests' gifts.

What should be kept was kept; what should not was sent straight to the Jingping treasury or sold off. By mid-morning, the couple went to pay their respects to his parents and the Eight Elders of Yincan Village. Granny Zhu had prepared several cows for Shen Mu. His heart tightened, and he quietly looked over at the cows, only relaxing when he saw that they really were cows.

"Shen boy, let's go back to the village! " the Blind Elder said with a smile. At Yongjiang, in Yincan Village, the Crested Fire Pheasant Dragons had long since taken over the place and become the local tyrants.

Everyone intended to clean things up and drive the Crested Fire Pheasant Dragons away, but Shen Mu laughed. "No need.