After the festival of the G.o.ddess of Flowers was the grand ceremony of worshipping heaven in the Immense Sea. Nie Xiaowu attended the Ceremony of Worship as the ident.i.ty of Zhu Jiuyin. This was the rule pa.s.sed down generations to generations in Pangu family, and each of the Master of Immense Sea could not revise it. On that day, all the Original Spirits scattering in the three realms would gather in the Immense Sea, and Zhu Jiuyin would cast incantations of Pangu family on the Original Spirits to make them parts of the Pangu family and stay in the Immense Sea forever. Because of the power of Pangu"s incantations, Original Spirits could have physical bodies to become the valiant warriors in the Immense Sea and were supposed to be always loyal to the Family Head of Immense Sea and never violated their vows. All the Original Spirits in the universe lingered outside the three realms and were abandoned.
Ying Fu burnt the map of Si Shui that Emperor Jun had given him. All of his property was changed with a fake map, which infuriated Ying Fu considerably. To his fury, he was cheated by the person who he had followed most of his life. When he went to the Ninth Heaven again, he took Xu Linghe with him. Along the way, Ying Fu warned Xu Linghe repeatedly and changed him into a bow-backed servant. Xu Linghe accepted with pleasure. Last time, he was not only cheated by the old man, but also made the mess of himself. And this time, the old man was willing to take Xu Linghe, so Xu Linghe could not help but wonder whether the old man used him as a hired thug. But it wouldn"t be better anyway, because Xu Linghe wanted to know who the boss was behind the old man. The two landed from the auspicious clouds and headed to the palace gate directly. The palace was more magnificent than that in the human world. When they arrived, Ying Fu revealed his true color. The palace servants took up the shields when seeing Ying Fu there, and even some of them crumpled down onto the ground with fear. Ying Fu came there with anger, but seeing the palace servants on the ground, he realized that how rampant he was. "Since when did I become a person who bullies the weak and fears the strong? Alas! Why do I become a coward when seeing Emperor Jun?" Ying Fu took off his thrusting rage and helped the palace servants to make their clothes neat. The little palace servants all shrank their necks with fright. Watching the palace servants" shocked looks, Xu Linghe knew that the old man had been a.s.suming great airs for a long time, so he wondered how the Master of the palace would treat his spoiled subordinate. The two flew to the colored-glaze palace, and Xu Linghe could not help but sigh with emotion everywhere he pa.s.sed by. Shrouded in the mist and cloud, the buildings flashed by in the Flowing Light. Light and graceful, the sea of clouds lifted the temple. Accidentally, Xu Linghe"s feet was spotted with starlight, which were transformed into a sea of stars in the human world, and now hopped on his toes. This was the Ninth Heaven in the legend.
"What a country b.u.mpkin that has seen nothing of life!"
"Your master is Emperor Jun."
Ying Fu held his head high in a lofty air and led Xu Linghe to pa.s.s the last building. When they landed from the auspicious clouds, the palace gate were standing fairy maidens. Ying Fu took no notice of the fair maidens, followed by Xu Linghe. The two walked to the palace. Just with a mere glance, Xu Linghe could tell who the man sitting on the imperial couch was, because Xu Linghe once saw his image in the forbidden area of Ao Ze. It turned out that Ying Fu"s master was Emperor Jun indeed. Seeing Xu Linghe"s surprised look, Ying Fu appeared more arrogant, thinking, "Xu Linghe must be numb with shock. Every time he addresses my name directly, he doesn"t know my true ident.i.ty and height that the Kunlun can"t not reach to."
"Ying Fu, why are you here today?"
Ying Fu sat on the steps heavily, one step away from Emperor Jun. Xu Linghe was quite worried about the old man, since the man in the imperial hall was not a common devil. Xu Linghe once saw Emperor Jun when led by the Grandmaster to the void. Emperor Jun radiated vital force of the h.e.l.l, who abandoned his own child and killed his own wife merely for Authority, and unbelievably, he could rise to the Ninth Heaven.
"Your Excellency, the map of Si Shui that you gave me is to deceive me. Right? I have rummaged the Immense Sea thoroughly, and still could not find the entrance."
"Fu, you mean I broke my words? Si Shui is Pangu"s forbidden area. Perhaps the new family master re-established the defensive cover."
"You meant Zhu Jiuyin?"
"That"s right. After several days, there is a ceremony to worship heaven in the Immense Sea to attract all the Original Spirits in the universe to come back to the Immense Sea, and the forbidden area in Si Shui will open. You can disguise yourself and sneak into Si Shui. Remember not to touch the lake water there."
"Your Excellency, the map you gave me last time must be fake, while it is true that you occupy my dark power."
"Fu, you should live out your life in retirement."
When hearing Emperor Jun mention Zhu Jiuyin, Xu Linghe thought about the Grandmaster"s word: "If Zhu Jiuyin wants to extinguish the realms, can you handle it?" Xu Linghe thought, "As for Si Shui, would Zhu Jiuyin open the forbidden area on purpose so as to hook me?" The man on the throne may have gone through times, so his tyrannical air was covered by peaceful aura. If Xu Linghe hadn"t seen Emperor Jun"s image in Ao Ze, he would not regard the man as an evil. In fact, the man had some resemblances with Shenzong. The royal crown was fastened tightly on the man"s head, and his eyebrow bones jutted with his eyes revealing wisdom. He ran his fingers through his beard regularly. Xu Linghe stared at Emperor Jun closely, hoping to distinguish whether the man in front was true or not. The Grandmaster once told Xu Linghe that Emperor Jun had an agreement with Pangu. What"s more, since Emperor Jun dared to kill his own wife, were his words reliable? Emperor Jun felt dreaded being stared by the humpbacked man and did not expect that Ying Fu would bring an expert of spirit cultivation. Though the humpbacked man looked unspectacular, his whole body was bathed in strong aura. Emperor Jun tried to feel him out, but when condensing his Spirit Power, he calmed himself down instead, thinking, "How can I reveal my real intention?" With the thought, he smiled more. "The man in front conceals his true appearance. And he must not a common person since Ying Fu is willing to take him here." Emperor Jun looked at the man up and down, only to find the clearness in the man"s eyes. Stared by Emperor Jun, Xu Linghe thought, "The man who is looking at me is Junior Uncle Grandmaster"s father. The man who forsook Shenzong is more brutal than my father." At that moment, Xu Linghe could understand more the Grandmaster"s feeling of Black Emperor. In fact, Emperor Jun had died in Grandmaster"s heart, while Black Emperor was the person who raised and taught him like a father and teacher. The loving-kindness was as profound as deep water.
"Your Excellency, I trust you again this time."
"You have a growing humanity. Fu, don"t come to the Ninth Heaven anymore."
To Emperor Jun, Ying Fu was hard to understand, since when he followed Emperor Jun to fight everywhere, Ying Fu had not been as soft-hearted as now. "What has changed him?" In Emperor Jun"s opinion, it was quite indigestible. They used to make the world together and struggle for supreme power by hook or crook. But now Ying Fu was different. Only Emperor Jun knew clearly that he himself would not be controlled by anyone. In the past, he could kill Xi Mu for authority, so was there any impossible thing he could not do? But Emperor Jun was still scared by Ying Fu"s change, because the murderous devil could give up everything for goodwill, and it astounded Emperor Jun a lot.
"I am tired and no longer fond of power... You and I both came from the Yan tribe. We were right to expand our territory, but you should not make use of a woman"s love. So many have pa.s.sed, but I still can"t forget the sorrow in Xi Mu"s eyes when she died. I am both helping Shenzong and myself. Only in this way can my heart be peaceful."
Xu Linghe did not think that the old man would say that. The man looked cunning and mean, but he treated the Junior Uncle Grandmaster"s well. Although he had committed unforgivable mistakes, he was willing to give up everything for the Grandmaster, which made Xu Linghe arouse the admiration for him. Looking at the two"s fading figures, Emperor Jun"s eyes became more profound, with a thought that Ying Fu was out of control now. Suddenly, Emperor Jun felt somewhat lost. "The man is away from me farther and farther. We used to experience b.l.o.o.d.y battles. The indispensable two of us are drifting away." Emperor Jun stepped down his throne.
"Your Excellency, Fu left, but you still have me."
Emperor Jun walked to the woman who was kneeling over the ground. When the woman raised up her head, Emperor Jun held her in the arms and walked toward the study room. Who could imagine that the woman had a look of Xi Mu? What would happen if Shenzong saw her one day? With clothes scattered on the ground, the woman only had under vest on herself. But Emperor Jun stopped suddenly. The woman was numb with fear, afraid that Emperor Jun was unhappy and tried to make trouble on her again. So her semi-naked body was changed by Emperor Jun"s sorcery. When Jiu Ying"s feet were turned into a long tail, Emperor Jun hugger her.
"Xi Mu."
Jiu Ying knew who Xi Mu was, but did not understand why Emperor Jun changed her into Xi Mu"s look. It was the man who had killed his wife in person, and that"s why Jiu Ying could appear around him. So many years had pa.s.sed. Every time she was intimate with the man, he would like to change her into the look of Xi Mu. Jiu Ying felt sad at the thought. Although she had been the Queen, she had to live in the dark. In the Heaven Realm, no one knew she was the Queen. Each time Emperor Jun would transform himself into the look that he had hundreds of thousands of years ago. And Jiu Ying knew well that the reason why the man changed himself into the young look was for Xi Mu. However, no one knew what the man thought exactly. He was so frighteningly heartless, but was dreadfully spoony. He enwrapped himself and overlooked all the living creatures by a.s.suming an air of superiority. Jiu Ying also knew that the man was reminiscing Xi Mu. But Jiu Ying loved the man, so she was willing to accompany him quietly.
"Xi Mu, I dreamt of you again last night. Your blood kept flowing, and I tried to stop it... But no matter how hard I tried, I was unable to stop it."
Jiu Ying watched the man silently. He was shedding tears. How desperate she was to kiss away his teardrops and to make him no longer sad. But she knew that the man did not belong to her, but to Xi Mu, the Divine Spirit of Kunlun. And the man in front was torturing himself by his own means. Suddenly, Jiu Ying did not want the man to think of the woman any longer, so she condensed her Spirit Power and transformed herself into her original look. To her surprise, Emperor Jun burst into the rage and threw Jiu Ying several meters away. Irrational, he grabbed Jiu Ying up and gave another punch. Jiu Ying shook and fell down like a defoliating leaf. She thought, "Am I wrong as I don"t like to be a subst.i.tute?" The woman screamed, which made Emperor Jun clear. Looking at the woman on the ground, Emperor Jun felt kind of guilty. "What"s wrong with me? I killed my wife with my own hands. How can"t I let it go?"
Since Ying Fu returned from the Ninth Heaven, he became silent. Xu Linghe thought how to sneak into Si Shui and asked Ying Fu for some ideas. After all, Ying Fu belonged to Jiang Di family and was the Master of dark influences. But with some knocks on the door, Ying Fu did not respond. Xu Linghe had no choice but to open the door himself, only to find the old man sitting there quietly. Apparently, it must have something to do with the Ninth Heaven. However, time was not waiting for anyone. Tomorrow was the day of worshipping heaven, but Ying Fu was in low spirit.
"Ying Fu, tomorrow will be the day of worshipping heaven. Have you got any ideas?"
"No ideas?"
Xu Linghe did not expect that the old man answered so simply, and was unable to respond in a short while. Since returning from the Ninth Heaven, the old man became quieter without an air of arrogance. Xu Linghe knew the reason well. The old man was missing the past with Emperor Jun, since he felt sad that the former brothers parted company and wen on each way. Perhaps in Xu Linghe"s opinion, Emperor Jun was a big evil, but in Ying Fu"s heart, Emperor Jun was his brother whom he experienced b.l.o.o.d.y battles with. Suddenly, Ying Fu chose to leave his brother one day, and it had made Ying Fu hard to get accustomed to. What"s worse, their brotherhood that had lasted all most a life would vanish, and they would become strangers to each other. How difficult it was that Ying Fu had to accept that! The pointed decision straitened Ying Fu, but he did not regret, because he was willing to do something for Shenzhong. But he just could no longer take up the wine cup and chat merrily with Emperor Jun.
"Ying Fu, if Emperor Jun colludes with Zhu Jiuyin, it will be harder to escape at that time."
"Even His Excellency cheats me, I have to go there, and I will die at ease."