Chapter 69: Zhong Ling Yu Xiu
In the sky, heavenly flowers fell in chaotic profusion, an extraordinary spectacle. Amidst the colorful petals, a beautiful woman stepped down diagonally through the air, treading on the blossoms as she descended. One petal landed before Qin Mu, making a tinkling sound.
He reached out, but the petal melted away like a snowflake.
"Condensed from primordial qi?"
Qin Mu was startled. When he saw the face of the beautiful woman descending from the sky, his heart suddenly pounded violently.
He had studied painting and calligraphy with the Deaf Elder, who possessed an unparalleled brushstroke capable of capturing all the beauty in the world. Yet even the Deaf Elder's brush would likely struggle to depict this woman's face and aura.
Seeing her, Qin Mu finally understood what it meant to have peerless elegance. Unconsciously, he recalled an ancient rhapsody the Deaf Elder had taught him.
Her movements were like the light cloud veiling the moon, fluttering like the swirling snow in the wind.
Her appearance was perfectly proportioned, neither too plump nor too slender. Her shoulders were as if carved, her waist as if bound by white silk. Her neck was long and elegant, her fair skin revealed. No fragrance was added, no powder applied. Her cloud-like hair was piled high, her long eyebrows curved delicately. Her red lips shone brightly, her white teeth gleamed within. Her bright eyes were good at glancing, her dimples enhanced her beauty. Her form was exquisite and graceful, her demeanor calm and composed. Her gentle emotions and charming manner were more alluring than words.
Her clothing was extraordinary, unmatched in the world, her bone structure like that in a painting. She wore resplendent silk robes, adorned with jade pendants and precious gems. Golden and emerald ornaments decorated her hair, pearls embellished her shining form. She wore embroidered traveling shoes, trailing a light skirt of misty silk.
It seemed only this ancient rhapsody could describe her bearing and appearance.
This woman was too beautiful, beyond compare. No brush could paint such a face, let alone capture her aura and elegance.
Could she really be Granny Si?
"Could Granny have killed such a beautiful woman and worn her skin?" Qin Mu shuddered, a terrible thought crossing his mind.
"Hey! Cowherd!"
Suddenly, a girl's voice came from behind him. Qin Mu turned around but saw no one. Looking up, he saw a girl sitting on the eaves of a temple. Her skirt reached her ankles, revealing fair, delicate skin. Her feet almost dangled over Qin Mu's head, her toes playfully curling and uncurling, swinging back and forth.
The girl's eyes curved like crescent moons. "Cowherd, come up here. You can see farther and clearer from here."
Qin Mu leaped onto the temple eaves and sat beside her. He noticed a familiar fragrance about her and felt puzzled.
The girl had two locks of hair braided on either side of her cheeks, making her face look like a sunflower seed. Her eyes were bright, her teeth white, and when she smiled, her eyes curved like crescent moons. She giggled, "Am I fat?"
Qin Mu nodded honestly. "You have hair on both sides of your face to make it look thinner, but if you push the hair aside, your face is still a bit chubby."
The girl was annoyed and kicked him with her foot. Her shoes were set aside, and her bare feet were exposed. She said angrily, "A chubby face is natural! I can't help it!"
They both dangled their feet over the temple eaves. Qin Mu propped himself up with his hands, feeling that the girl beside him looked familiar, and that fragrance was even more familiar. He was puzzled.
Ahead, the main gate of the Dragon-Inlaid City Lord's Mansion suddenly swung open. A hundred or so people strode out in a grand procession. Each person exuded a powerful aura, with dignified bearing and extraordinary presence. They were all renowned cultivators of Dragon-Inlaid City, their momentum overwhelming!
The leader was a tall, burly man with tiger-like eyes and a bear-like waist. He moved with the stride of a dragon and the steps of a tiger, exuding a chilling aura. His beard bristled outward on both sides. Though not particularly handsome, he had a certain masculine charm.
Behind him, a faint phantom of a deity or demon appeared—an eight-armed divine demon holding eight different artifacts. It was likely a manifestation of his primordial qi, radiating extraordinary power.
"The Sect Leader's Wife stole the sacred scripture of the Demon Sect, the Great Cultivation Demon Scripture, and escaped the pursuit of the Demon Sect's sacred elders and sacred patriarch, entering the Great Wasteland without a trace."
The Dragon-Inlaid City Lord laughed heartily. "I was worried about the Lady's safety, thinking of her day and night. I never expected the Lady to be safe and sound, which puts my mind at ease. The Lady has endured over forty years without emerging, so she must have thoroughly studied the Great Cultivation Demon Scripture. Now that she has come out of seclusion, she should no longer fear the Demon Sect's elders and patriarch, right?"
The Demon Sect's Sect Leader's Wife smiled gracefully, chatting and laughing with the Dragon-Inlaid City Lord as if they were old friends.
The Dragon-Inlaid City Lord, however, dared not approach. He invited her, "Lady, my humble home happens to be hosting a banquet for honored guests. I heard of your arrival and rushed here hastily. It wouldn't do to keep the guests waiting. Would the Lady care to join us at my humble abode for a chat?"
The beautiful woman chuckled lightly. "Very well. I'd also like to meet the City Lord's honored guests. I'll trouble you then."
"The Lady jests. Please!"
"That's the Dragon-Inlaid City Lord's Eight-Phase Heavenly God Technique, a very powerful skill."
Beside Qin Mu, the girl whispered, "They say Dragon-Inlaid City Lord Fu Yundi has already cultivated to the Life-Death Realm and broken through the Life-Death Divine Treasury. He's a rare expert in the Great Wasteland!"
Qin Mu glanced at Fu Yundi. The Eight-Phase Heavenly God Technique was indeed extraordinary. If fully unleashed, it would manifest the eight phases of the heavenly god, covering all directions and attacking enemies from every side. He praised, "It's indeed a formidable technique."
The girl grew interested. "Cowherd, you're quite skilled too. What technique do you cultivate?"
"The Overlord Body Three-Dan Technique."
Qin Mu replied, "My name is Qin Mu. What's yours?"
The girl tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled. "My name is Yuxiu."
Qin Mu said, "As in 'Zhong Ling Yu Xiu' (a phrase meaning a place of outstanding beauty and talent)?"
The girl was surprised. "How did you know my surname is Ling?"
"Ling Yuxiu? That's a nice name."
Qin Mu praised her, then added, "If your face were a bit thinner, you'd live up to the name."
Ling Yuxiu was annoyed and kicked him again. She put on her shoes and jumped down from the temple eaves. "I'm ignoring you!"
She took a few steps, then turned back in confusion. "Why aren't you following?"
Qin Mu was puzzled. "You said you were ignoring me, so why should I follow?"
"Stingy!"
Ling Yuxiu waved her hand and grinned. "I have a way into the City Lord's Mansion. It's bustling in there right now. Let's go have some fun! Don't you want to see what the big shots of the Great Wasteland are doing and saying?"
Qin Mu's heart stirred. He jumped down from the temple eaves and quickly caught up with her. Curiously, he asked, "How do we get into the City Lord's Mansion?"
"By walking in openly, of course!"
Ling Yuxiu led the way, heading straight to the mansion's main gate. Four cultivators stood guard at the entrance. They didn't ask any questions and let the two walk in.
Qin Mu was surprised and whispered, "Little sister, are you the Dragon-Inlaid City Lord's daughter?"
"He wishes!"
Ling Yuxiu spat disdainfully. "My father's background is far greater than his! I can come and go from this Dragon-Inlaid City Lord's Mansion as I please. Ahead is the Zhenjiang Tower, where Fu Yundi is hosting the banquet."
Qin Mu looked ahead. The first thing he saw was a large lake with clear, rippling water. Pearls the size of large bowls were placed in the lake, emitting a soft glow that illuminated the surface. On the shore, many maids stood motionless, holding lanterns, making the lake in the mansion brightly lit.
The Zhenjiang Tower was built on a hill beside the lake, shaped like a soaring swan. From a distance, the tower gleamed with gold and splendor, exuding an air of newfound wealth. The Dragon-Inlaid City Lord seemed to want to cover the entire tower with gold leaf, displaying extreme extravagance!
Inside the tower, several dancers performed gracefully in the center, their sleeves swirling and skirts moving to the accompaniment of strings, bamboo flutes, and drums. It was a beautiful sight.
On a platform in the middle of the lake, square and a hundred zhang wide, supported by a massive pillar below, a dozen deathly lanterns floated in the sky, illuminating the platform as bright as day.
Loud crashes came from the platform, where two youths were locked in combat. Qin Mu stopped to watch, surprised. Both youths were exceptionally strong and skilled.
One of them was the youth from the street earlier, lured into the mansion by the middle-aged man with a hundred dragon coins to fight in the arena. He seemed to be a White Tiger Spiritual Body. His White Tiger primordial qi manifested in a state of gold and bronze, with golden and deep bronze colors appearing on his skin. When his opponent struck him, the sound was like the clang of a bronze Buddha moving, sometimes even sparking!
Using White Tiger primordial qi to temper the body to such a degree was highly advanced. No wonder he dared to enter the City Lord's Mansion to fight.
His opponent was also young, about the same age as Qin Mu, fourteen or fifteen. His attacks were extremely vicious. He used eight swords, each "hand" wielding one.
They weren't real hands but his primordial qi. He used his qi to control the swords, handling eight at once.
"Eight-Phase Heavenly God Technique?" Qin Mu murmured.
This youth's Eight-Phase Heavenly God Technique differed from Fu Yundi's. Fu Yundi had already manifested an apparition, with the eight-phase heavenly god standing behind him. This youth's technique was far from that level, but his use of primordial qi followed the same lineage as Fu Yundi.
Ling Yuxiu said, "He's Fu Yundi's son, named Tingyue. He's a pitiful soul, really. He lost his mother when he was young and was raised solely by Fu Yundi..."
Pfft—
Fu Tingyue thrust both swords into his opponent's eyes, then twisted them, grinding the eyes to pulp.
Though the opponent's White Tiger primordial qi was extremely strong, tempering his body like steel or iron, he hadn't tempered his eyes. Blinded, he let out a blood-curdling scream. But Fu Tingyue didn't kill him outright or stop there. He hacked at the blind youth with his swords, slicing off his fingers one by one, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
Qin Mu frowned and turned to Ling Yuxiu. "He's a pitiful soul who lost his mother?"
Ling Yuxiu was also startled. She quickly grabbed his hand and led him toward the Zhenjiang Tower, laughing. "I'm a bit hungry. Let's go get some good food! I'm a guest here too, so I can't meddle too much..."