Blossoms rained from the heavens in spectacular profusion. Amid the colorful petals, a beautiful woman descended, walking down on the flowers. As the petals drifted and scattered, one landed before Qin Mu, ringing like a small bell.
He reached out, but the petal dissolved like snow.
"Transformed from primordial energy?"
Qin Mu was momentarily stunned. Then he looked up and saw the face of the woman descending from the sky. His heart began to pound fiercely.
He had learned painting and calligraphy from the Deaf One, who possessed unparalleled brushwork capable of capturing all the beauty in the world. But even the Deaf One's brush would struggle to capture this woman's appearance and aura.
Looking at her, Qin Mu finally understood what "unmatched elegance" meant. The words of an ancient rhapsody the Deaf One had taught him came unbidden to his mind:
*Her movements—like light clouds veiling the moon!* *Her grace—like wind stirring falling snow!*
Her appearance: *Neither too plump nor too slender,* *Her height perfectly proportioned.* *Shoulders as if carved from jade,* *Waist slender as bound silk.* *Her long neck graceful,* *Her fair skin revealed.* *No cosmetics needed,* *No rouge required.* *Her hair coiled high like clouds,* *Her eyebrows curved like distant hills.* *Red lips parted in a smile,* *White teeth gleaming within.* *Bright eyes that glanced like lightning,* *Dimpled cheeks that flushed like dawn.* *Her posture extraordinary,* *Her bearing serene.* *A gentle charm beyond words,* *More alluring than any speech.*
Her attire: *Garments rare in all the world,* *Fit for an immortal's portrait.* *Silk robes shimmering with light,* *Jade pendants hanging from her ears.* *Golden and emerald ornaments adorned her,* *Bright pearls studding her gown.* *She wore embroidered shoes for distant journeys,* *Her light skirts trailing like morning mist.*
Only this ancient rhapsody could truly capture her bearing and appearance.
The woman was so beautiful she defied description. No brush could capture such a face, let alone her radiant aura.
Could she really be Grandma Si?
"Did Grandma kill such a beautiful woman and wear her skin?" Qin Mu couldn't help but shudder at the thought.
"Hey! Cowherd!"
Suddenly, a girl's voice called from behind him. Qin Mu turned around but saw no one. Looking up, he spotted a girl sitting on the temple eaves, her skirt reaching her ankles, revealing fair, delicate skin.
Her bare feet dangled just above Qin Mu's head, toes playfully curling and flexing as they swung back and forth.
The girl's eyes curved like crescent moons. "Cowherd, come up here. You can see better from this vantage."
Qin Mu leaped onto the eaves and sat beside her. He noticed a familiar scent about the girl and felt puzzled.
The girl had two strands of hair framing her cheeks, making her face look like a sunflower seed. Her bright eyes and white teeth made her smile radiant, her eyes curving like crescent moons. "Am I fat?" she asked cheerfully.
Qin Mu nodded honestly. "You style your hair this way to make your face look thinner. But if I part the hair, your cheeks still look quite plump."
The girl stamped her foot at him in annoyance. She had taken off her shoes and placed them beside her, sitting with bare feet. "A round face is something I was born with. I can't help it!"
They both sat with their feet dangling over the eaves. Qin Mu propped himself up with his arms, still feeling that the girl beside him looked familiar. The scent was even more recognizable, and he wondered what it could be.
Ahead and to the left, the gates of the City Lord's Mansion in Xianglong City suddenly burst open. A hundred or so people strode out, each radiating powerful auras and bearing impressive appearances. These were renowned cultivators of Xianglong City, their presence commanding and imposing!
At their head was a tall, broad-shouldered man with tiger eyes and a bear's waist. He walked with the stride of a dragon and tiger, exuding an aura that made the heart tremble. His beard bristled outward on both sides of his face. Though not handsome, he had a commanding masculine presence.
Behind him, a phantom image of a divine demon flickered—an eight-armed deity wielding eight different weapons. It was likely a manifestation of his primordial energy, and his bearing was extraordinary.
"The Cult Master's Wife stole the Heavenly Demon Cult's sacred scripture, the Great Nurturing Heavenly Demon Sutra, and fled the pursuit of the Holy Elders and the Holy Ancestor. She entered the Great Ruins and vanished without a trace."
The City Lord of Xianglong City laughed heartily. "I was worried about your safety and thought of you day and night. I never expected you to be unharmed. You've hidden for over forty years—I trust you've thoroughly studied the Great Nurturing Heavenly Demon Sutra. Now that you've emerged, I assume you no longer fear the Heavenly Demon Cult's elders and ancestors?"
The Cult Master's Wife smiled warmly and conversed with the City Lord as if they were old friends.
But the City Lord dared not approach. "Your Ladyship, my humble home happens to be hosting a banquet for distinguished guests. I heard of your arrival and came in haste. It wouldn't do to keep our guests waiting. Perhaps Your Ladyship would honor us with your presence?"
The beautiful woman chuckled lightly. "Very well. I'd like to see who your distinguished guests are. I shall trouble you, then."
"You flatter me. Please!"
"That is the City Lord's Eight Aspect Celestial Deity Technique—a very powerful cultivation method," the girl beside Qin Mu whispered. "I've heard that Fu Yundi has already reached the Life and Death Realm, successfully breaking through the Life and Death Divine Storing. He's one of the Great Ruins' few true masters!"
Qin Mu studied Fu Yundi. The Eight Aspect Celestial Deity Technique was indeed extraordinary. If fully unleashed, it would surely manifest as eight celestial aspects, allowing vision and attack in all directions. "Truly a formidable technique," he agreed.
The girl grew interested. "Cowherd, you're quite powerful too. What cultivation technique do you practice?"
"The Hegemon Body Three Pills Technique," Qin Mu replied. "I'm Qin Mu. What's your name?"
The girl tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled. "I'm Yuxiu."
Qin Mu asked, "Yuxiu as in 'the birth of divine talents'?"
The girl looked surprised. "How did you know my surname is Ling?"
"Ling Yuxiu? That's a lovely name," Qin Mu praised. "If only your face were a little thinner, you'd truly live up to it."
Ling Yuxiu stamped her foot in annoyance again, put on her shoes, and jumped down from the eaves. "I'm ignoring you!"
She took two steps, then looked back in puzzlement. "Why aren't you following?"
Qin Mu was confused. "You said you were ignoring me. Why should I follow?"
"Such a petty boy!"
Ling Yuxiu beckoned with a grin. "I have a way into the City Lord's Mansion. It's quite lively inside right now. Let's go have some fun! Don't you want to see what the Great Ruins' powerhouses are doing and saying?"
Qin Mu's curiosity stirred. He jumped down from the eaves and followed her. "How do we get into the City Lord's Mansion?"
"Through the front door, of course!"
Ling Yuxiu led the way straight to the mansion gates. Four cultivators stood guard but asked no questions as the pair entered.
Qin Mu was surprised. "Sister, are you the City Lord of Xianglong's daughter?"
"Ha! As if!" Ling Yuxiu snorted. "My father's background far surpasses his. I can enter and leave this mansion whenever I please. The Zhenjiang Tower is just ahead. That's where Fu Yundi is hosting his guests."
Qin Mu looked ahead. Before him lay a vast lake of clear blue water. Enormous pearls the size of baskets rested in the water, casting soft glows across the lake's surface. Along the shore, maids stood motionless holding lanterns, illuminating the mansion's lake as bright as day.
Zhenjiang Tower stood on the hillside beside the lake, shaped like a soaring swan. From a distance, it gleamed with gold and jade, radiating an aura of sudden, extravagant wealth. Fu Yundi seemed intent on covering every surface with gold leaf—an epitome of lavish excess!
Inside the tower, several dancers swayed in graceful choreography, their sleeves billowing and fragrant skirts swirling to the accompaniment of silk strings and drumbeats—a mesmerizing performance.
In the center of the lake stood a square platform, a hundred yards wide, supported by a single massive pillar. A dozen corpse lanterns floated overhead, bathing the platform in light as bright as day.
From the platform came explosive sounds—two young men were engaged in fierce combat. Qin Mu stopped to watch, his expression turning to surprise. Both young men possessed extraordinary strength and skill.
One was the boy from the street who had been lured into the mansion by the City Lord's official with a hundred dragon coins. He appeared to possess a White Tiger Spirit Body. His White Tiger energy manifested as a metallic state, his skin shimmering with golden and bronze hues—the gold brilliant, the bronze deep and rich.
When his opponent struck his body, the sound produced was like the clang of a bronze Buddha in motion, sparks even flying from the impact!
Using White Tiger energy to refine one's body to such a degree was remarkable indeed. No wonder he had dared to enter the City Lord's Mansion for the arena.
His opponent was similarly young, perhaps fourteen or fifteen like Qin Mu, but his attacks were ruthless. He wielded eight swords, each of his "hands" controlling one blade.
These were not true hands but manifestations of his primordial energy. Through energy manipulation, he controlled eight sharp swords simultaneously.
"The Eight Aspect Celestial Deity Technique?" Qin Mu murmured.
This youth's technique differed from Fu Yundi's version. Fu Yundi had already manifested phantoms—the Eight Aspect Celestial Deity standing behind him.
This young man's technique had not yet reached that level, but the underlying method of energy manipulation was clearly derived from the same lineage.
Ling Yuxiu explained, "He's Fu Yundi's son, named Tingyue. In truth, he's something of a pitiful case. He lost his mother young and was raised single-handedly by Fu Yundi..."
A splatter of blood.
Fu Tingyue drove his twin swords into his opponent's eyes, then twisted them savagely, shattering both eyeballs.
Despite his extraordinary White Tiger energy that had tempered his body to steel-like strength, the boy had not refined his eyes. Blinded, he let out a piercing scream. But Fu Tingyue did not kill him outright, nor did he stop. Instead, he began hacking at the blinded youth, severing his fingers one by one, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
Qin Mu frowned and glanced at Ling Yuxiu. "You said he was a pitiful case?"
Ling Yuxiu was startled too. She quickly grabbed his hand and led him toward the Zhenjiang Tower. "I'm getting hungry. Let's go find something good to eat! I'm a guest here too, so I shouldn't meddle too much..."