Chapter 400: Abducting Her Away
Qin Mu closed his eyes, and it took a moment for Hu Ling'er and Yan Jingjing's vision to slowly recover.
"In the Sun Well, I saw Ziqing's divine eye."
Qin Mu dared not open his eyes, saying, "And then many things appeared in my eyes, as if her eyes had imprinted something into mine."
Yan Jingjing asked nervously, "Can you see anything now?"
"Yes."
Yan Jingjing's eyes, after Qin Mu's treatment, had mostly recovered, and she could see, though her body was still frail.
She immediately swam over to Qin Mu, placed her hands on his shoulders, and whispered, "Our Muri tribe also has a technique for training the eyes, called the Pleiades Star Ring. Wait for me to activate the Pleiades Star Ring, then open your eyes, and I'll take a look for you."
Qin Mu waited a moment, and Yan Jingjing said, "Alright."
Qin Mu opened his eyes, and the divine light within them burst forth once more, illuminating everything around them in a blinding white. He saw this thin girl lean sideways, bringing her face close to his, earnestly examining his pupils. Her eyes seemed to have rings of star halos encircling her pupils, the rings spinning continuously, resisting the power of his divine eyes.
Yan Jingjing examined him very carefully, leaning in to distinguish each texture and pattern up close.
Qin Mu dared not breathe, afraid his breath might hit her face.
"It's a kind of runic imprint, forming a formation."
Yan Jingjing's breath was like orchid fragrance as she examined and pondered, "The outer texture resembles our Muri tribe's Pleiades Star Ring, but there are inner textures as well. There are two layers, three layers, four layers..."
She scrutinized his pupils closely, seeing layers of space within. These runic imprints formed a peculiar formation structure, like layers of solar rings stretching backward. How many layers there were, she couldn't tell.
"At the very center of the layers of Pleiades Star Rings inside your pupils, it seems there's a sun, or perhaps it's composed of star rings..."
She finished her examination and said, "I'll teach you the Pleiades Star Ring, this eye technique. Try to see if you can control the imprint in your eyes."
Qin Mu nodded with difficulty.
Only then did Yan Jingjing notice how close her face was to his, almost touching. Qin Mu had been afraid to nod, worried he might bump into her. Their eyes met, and the star rings in each of their eyes shimmered with light.
Just then, Hu Ling'er's voice came, "Young master, are you done examining? Why has it gone quiet?"
Qin Mu quickly said, "Not done yet?"
Yan Jingjing let out a soft laugh, her breath hitting his face.
Hearing this sound, Hu Ling'er grew suspicious and immediately scrambled over, splashing through the water with hands and feet, her tail flicking above the surface.
Qin Mu's gaze was too bright for her to see where they were, but she followed the sound and swam between them, half-standing out of the water, shaking her several tails and splashing water all over the boy and girl beside her.
Qin Mu and Yan Jingjing quickly parted, suppressing their strange feelings. Qin Mu closed his eyes. Hu Ling'er sat between them, separating them.
Yan Jingjing quickly said, "I'll pass the Pleiades Star Ring to you. Listen carefully." She then taught Qin Mu the technique.
Qin Mu asked questions whenever he didn't understand, and soon grasped the Pleiades Star Ring. He tried activating it, and the layers of star rings in his pupils extinguished one by one, though some imprints still surfaced in his pupils.
Qin Mu opened his eyes, and no astonishing light shot out from them, though deep within his pupils, a faint glow occasionally flickered.
The Pleiades Star Ring hadn't fully closed the sun imprint at the core of his eyes.
Yan Jingjing swam over from the side, observed his pupils, and mused, "The Pleiades Star Ring seems to be only part of the technique for this divine eye, not complete, so the Solar Seal can't be fully closed..."
Hu Ling'er squeezed in on Qin Mu's right, mimicking the examination of his right eye, and said, "Young master, there are stars in your eyes!"
Qin Mu was caught between laughter and tears, saying, "That's the Pleiades Star Ring. Jingjing and I are studying this matter—don't cause trouble. Jingjing, the imprint of the Ziqing deity's eyes left in mine should be her divine eye mark. Perhaps I can master her divine eye from these imprints. Her divine eye is definitely the best in the Kaicheng era. If I can master it, it would be extraordinary!"
Yan Jingjing thought for a moment and said, "Mastering the best divine eye just from imprints alone is impossible. Even though I've learned the Pleiades Star Ring, I can't deduce the technique for the best divine eye from it. Figuring it out would be far too difficult..."
"There's someone who can do it!"
Qin Mu's eyes lit up, full of confidence. "My blind grandfather at home can definitely recreate the Ziqing deity's technique from these imprints!"
"Blind grandfather?"
Yan Jingjing asked curiously, "He can't see, can he?"
Qin Mu had full faith in Blind: "Even though he's blind, his eyesight is excellent. He's the most accomplished person I've ever met in the art of divine eyes!"
Yan Jingjing grew even more puzzled, asking, "If he's blind, how can his eyesight be excellent?"
"My blind grandfather has great eyesight, my mute grandfather doesn't talk much but his words are harsh and he's fierce, my lame grandfather runs the fastest, one-armed Horse Grandpa has the best fists, half-bodied Butcher Grandpa fights the fiercest, and my deaf grandfather, though he can't hear, is the most understanding."
Qin Mu smiled, saying, "And there's the most beautiful Granny Si, the most adorable Grandpa Medicine, who's the best in the world at both poisoning and healing. But the most formidable is the armless and legless Village Chief, whose swordsmanship is unmatched in the world!"
Yan Jingjing was bewildered but excited, saying, "I really want to go out and see!"
"Once you're better, I'll take you out!"
Qin Mu said, "It's almost New Year's. This year, I'll probably be celebrating at Granny's place. Do you want to come along?"
"Sure!"
Yan Jingjing was thrilled, but then her expression dimmed, and she shook her head. "I need to stay with the tribe. The Sun Ship can't be left unattended. What if the demons attack..."
Qin Mu laughed, "Don't worry. I fished up a new sun and killed the Heavy Body Demon. There shouldn't be any external invasions for a while. After the New Year, I'll bring you back."
Yan Jingjing felt joy mixed with some unease, saying, "I've never left my tribe to go out alone before..."
"With me here, you can rest assured!"
...
Hu Ling'er couldn't get a word in, muttering to herself. After a while, a woman from the Muri tribe came over, set down a pile of clothes, and said respectfully, "Your Highness, the new clothes are ready."
Qin Mu stood up but suddenly felt a chill on his backside, so he quickly sat back down, saying, "Ling'er, Jingjing, turn around. I need to change."
Yan Jingjing and Hu Ling'er turned their backs as instructed. Qin Mu quickly climbed out of the pool. Hu Ling'er peeked back, and Yan Jingjing quickly said, "No peeking!"
Hu Ling'er whispered, "I'm checking if the young master has a tail."
Yan Jingjing asked curiously, "Did you see a tail?"
Hu Ling'er said disappointedly, "No, his backside is bare."
Qin Mu dressed himself. The clothes were sky-blue, with sun and moon patterns embroidered on the collar and dragon and phoenix patterns on the hem. The cut was very well-tailored, luxurious yet understated, elegant and subtle.
"These clothes are quite nice."
Qin Mu was surprised. The clothes felt very comfortable. He tried activating the Nine Dragons Imperial Art, and his muscles bulged like dragons, but the clothes also expanded with him, still fitting perfectly.
"Very nice!"
Qin Mu was both surprised and delighted, feeling that the surging primal energy within him flowed with the clothes. The clothes felt like his own skin and could automatically adjust and change.
"This is the work of the Tianyu tribe!"
Qin Mu smiled, "If the Tianyu tribe went to Yankang, they could make a living with this tailoring skill."
He jumped back into the pool to soak. Though the clothes entered the water, they didn't absorb any moisture, staying dry when he came out. Qin Mu marveled at this.
The pool water was condensed from pure yang energy, soaking in it could replenish lost vitality. Yan Jingjing, with her pure yang constitution, benefited the most. Qin Mu activated the Overlord Body Three Dan Art and could also absorb the pure yang energy from the water, feeling not only his vitality recovering but also his cultivation improving, his primal energy becoming purer. The two soaked in the water for several days, and their bodies recovered significantly.
Hu Ling'er's injuries had long healed, but she still refused to leave. Qin Mu simply taught her divine techniques and swordplay, and exchanged knowledge about divine eyes with Yan Jingjing. The days flew by.
Though Yan Jingjing's vitality had recovered, she was still very thin. When she stretched out her arm, it was just skin and bones, evoking pity. The Sun Ship had consumed her flesh for too long, and it would take time to recover.
Qin Mu lifted Hu Ling'er out of the water, and Yan Jingjing also climbed out, hesitating, "The chieftain probably won't let me leave. I've never left the Sun Ship..."
"Then don't tell him. We'll sneak away," Qin Mu said with a smile.
Yan Jingjing's face flushed with excitement, and she clenched her fists, "That doesn't seem right..."
Qin Mu told them to wait there while he went to find the Muri chieftain and Yu Zhaoging. Yu Zhaoging had already discussed with his people and decided to settle in Yankang temporarily, waiting only for Qin Mu's word.
Qin Mu brought Si Yunxiang and Ling Yuxiu, called for the Dragon Qilin and the dozen flood dragons playing in the lake, and bid farewell to the Muri chieftain. Hu Ling'er took the chance to blend into the Tianyu tribe with Yan Jingjing.
The Muri chieftain led the tribe to see them off, escorting them out of the Sun Well. He bowed to Qin Mu and said, "Your Highness, the Sun Guardian is not in good health. Please take care of her."
Qin Mu was taken aback. The old chieftain waved goodbye, watching them disappear into the distance.
Once they were far from the Sun Well, Yan Jingjing came to Qin Mu's side, excited, "The chieftain didn't notice me!"
Qin Mu was amused, "That old fox couldn't have missed it..."
Ling Yuxiu was startled and exclaimed, "Cowherd, you abducted the Sun Guardian! What nerve!"
Si Yunxiang sneered, "He also abducted the princess of Yankang."
She looked around and saw millions of handsome Tianyu tribesmen following Qin Mu toward Yankang, muttering, "The cult leader also abducted the Tianyu tribe... and a dozen flood dragons. He really was born to be the Heavenly Demon Cult Leader. The founder didn't misjudge him. If it were me, I couldn't have abducted so many followers... As for Li Tianxing, he's not even fit to wipe the cult leader's backside!"