Chapter 460 — The Liu Clan Within the Divine Burial Valley

It is said that the ancestor of the Liu family was buried after death beneath a willow tree, and in time a spirit was born within the corpse; hence the surname Liu, Willow. We of this clan, because we are born from corpses, have dead flesh, and so cannot bear children; yet we too have a span of years, and when the spirit's allotted time is done, we still scatter into nothing.

The world says our Liu family is strange by nature and keeps apart from outsiders, and in that they wrong us.

It is not that we are unwilling to deal with outsiders; it is that we are all spirits formed from dead bodies, and we fear being caught and refined into yuan soldiers. " Shen Mu said mildly: "But when Zhentian Palace's expert came to ask you to deal with me, you agreed. Can it be that Zhentian Palace has the means to level your Liu family and refine you into yuan soldiers? " Liu Ruyin's face changed slightly. Shen Mu laughed heartily, then his face softened again: "Sister Ruyin, you have become head of the Liu family, and your cultivation outstrips mine beyond reckoning — could I truly frighten you? Your little brother was only waving a tiger's skin for a banner, bluffing, with no confidence in his heart at all. " Liu Ruyin breathed a long sigh of relief and laughed: "You — you gave your sister a right proper fright. Sect Master Shen, what is your cultivation?

" Shen Mu answered honestly: "I am only at the Six Harmonies realm. Sister should be at ease now.

" Liu Ruyin was indeed reassured, though she still dreaded the Qingxuan Water Dragon Pearl in Xiong Qi'er's hands.

The Qingxuan Water Dragon Pearl might well be called the Liu family's greatest bane: once its might was roused, no matter how formidable the cultivation of the Liu family's experts, they could not contend with it. That the Liu family had submitted to Zhentian Palace was likewise out of dread of the Qingxuan Water Dragon Pearl. Shen Mu spoke again: "Sister Ruyin, who has come from Zhentian Palace?

What is their cultivation? " "The one who came is an elder of Zhentian Palace's Yu family — Yu Ruyi," Liu Ruyin said.

"The Yu family's experts have reached the Life-Death realm as well.

Not to be taken lightly.

" Shen Mu nodded slightly. People here in the Western Lands did not set much store by cultivation realms; the Myriad Gods Natural Art had never won by cultivation, but by sensing nature and comprehending heaven and earth — the purer the mind, the keener the sense, and the better one could commune with heaven, earth, and nature.

High cultivation and mighty powers of creation did, of course, matter greatly to strength, but for the people of the Western Lands, perception and comprehension of nature were what counted most.

"Sister Ruyin should be at ease now?

" Shen Mu smiled: "This Sister Ruyi is at the Life-Death realm, and I am only at the Six Harmonies realm.

Sister Ruyin, if Sister Ruyi means to kill me, you must protect me.

" Liu Ruyin looked troubled and said with difficulty: "Yu Ruyi and I have some friendship. I can promise only that she will not act within the Divine Burial Valley. Once outside the valley, I cannot answer for the Sect Master's safety.

" Shen Mu let out a breath and thanked her: "I am in your debt, sister. What sort of place is this Divine Burial Valley where you live?

" Liu Ruyin smiled: "We are in the Divine Burial Valley now.

Sect Master Shen, please come out of the coffin! " The lid opened, and Liu Ruyin brought him out.

Shen Mu looked around: it was an underground world, passages running every which way; upon the vaulted dome of the tomb were sun, moon, and stars, the constellations in their courses, and all around passage after passage connected tomb chambers great and small, while many coffins came and went through chambers and corridors. A small coffin floated over; its lid flipped up, and a little girl tumbled out, sat upon the lid, and said: "Mother, who is this? " Shen Mu looked at Liu Ruyin in doubt; Liu Ruyin's face fell, and she said in a low voice: "This is my little girl.

She died together with me; the elders here woke us both, and so we live here.

.

. never mind that. Did you not want to meet Yu Ruyi? I will go call her and introduce you; perhaps the misunderstanding between you can be resolved.

Nannan, stay here and keep big brother company. " The little girl answered sweetly and looked Shen Mu over with curiosity.

But Shen Mu did not dare to slight this little girl: though she was Liu Ruyin's daughter, they had died together and been awakened together, and so the child's cultivation was most likely the same as Liu Ruyin's — a great expert of the Life-Death realm or the Spirit Bridge realm. He looked to the center of the Divine Burial Valley, where stood a golden coffin bound round and round with thick chains and plastered with yellow paper talismans covered in all manner of runes. Shen Mu asked curiously: "Who lies in this coffin? Why is it bound? " The little girl said: "My mother says there is a god inside.

The god's corpse has already become a spirit, but they feared he would do evil, so they bound him.

" "So that is how it is," Shen Mu smiled. "Nannan, Qi'er, let me do a magic trick for you. " With that he took from the Taotie Pouch a great jade eye and said with a smile: "This eye of mine can shine. " Nannan said excitedly: "How does it shine?

" Just then Liu Ruyin's voice came, laughing: "Ruyi, that is Sect Master Shen. If there is some misunderstanding between you, why not let me play the peacemaker.

.

. " Another woman's voice answered, giggling: "Dissolve our grievance?

Very well — hand over the little princess, and it is dissolved.

" At that very moment a dazzling white light suddenly split the gloom of the Divine Burial Valley and vanished in a flash.

Shen Mu's laughter came: "How was that?

It shines, does it not?

" Liu Ruyin was struck dumb; then she saw that Yu Ruyi, beside her, had split cleanly open and been cut into two halves.