Chapter 597 — The Nine Secrets of the Heaven Blade

"Could it be that Sect Master Shen means to borrow another's blade to do his killing?

" Star Lord Yang looked at Shen Mu and said with displeasure, "Young as Sect Master Shen is, he has no shortage of schemes. Young Master Qi, do not fall for his tricks. If we kill the demons, I fear we will find ourselves at a disadvantage.

" Qi Jiuyi was unconcerned. "Rest easy, Star Lord. The demons are nothing but dogs the Heavenly Court keeps. A few dead dogs are no great matter.

Brother Shen wishes to use this chance to see what I am made of, and I wish to use it to see what he is made of. " Shen Mu laughed. "Brother Qi's mind is far broader than Star Lord Yang's. Star Lord Yang grovels before you, anxious over gain and loss, most likely because your station is far above his.

You must come from the so-called Heavenly Court.

And the purpose of your visit is me? " Qi Jiuyi smiled faintly. "Brother Shen is perceptive.

You ought to be called Shen Yi.

" "It is not hard to guess your purpose," Shen Mu said. "That is not perceptiveness, and it does not make me worthy of the name Yi. Just now you invited me to a duel at Jingping.

I suspect you had other thoughts in mind as well.

" Qi Jiuyi felt a chill in his heart, but he only smiled and said nothing. Shen Mu raised his head to look at Star Lord Yang. "Star Lord, your mind is not on your battle with Grandpa Tu. In the fight, you will be cut down with a single stroke.

In a moment you may see whether my words prove true. " Star Lord Yang gave a cold snort. "Is Sect Master Shen trying to shake my heart of the Dao? " Shen Mu paid him no heed, and looked across.

A host of demon masters had arrived one after another, even a number of Divine Bridge realm masters, and many practitioners of the Five Luminaries and Heaven-Man realms besides, no doubt goaded by his taunts and unable to keep from charging over.

Among the demon race, martial strength was honored above all; practitioners of every realm had their rankings of martial strength. Shen Mu had fought some Seven Stars realm masters in Licheng, the strongest among the demon race's god-demon disciples, able to rank in the top ten, and among them Zhe Huali ranked first in the Seven Stars realm.

Other realms had their rankings as well. Of the practitioners who had come here, only the Seven Stars and Six Harmonies realms were absent, for the masters of those two realms had essentially all been killed by Shen Mu.

The crowd came on with murderous momentum. The foremost master of the demon race's Divine Bridge realm raised a hand, and the crowd halted. That Divine Bridge realm master's cultivation was already near that of a deity, exceedingly powerful, and it made Granny Zhu and the others feel a chill in their hearts, sensing a threat to themselves.

Though they had made good the deficiencies in their cultivation arts, they had practiced for only a short time; at the same realm they were still somewhat inferior to these demon masters who had trained in the true-god methods since childhood. Yet in time, they too could temper every aspect of their bodies to the level of a true god of the same realm. Moreover, the primal-qi human-body-form network Shen Mu had taught them was the threshold for entering the Dao through one's art.

Entering the Dao through one's art encompassed every aspect of a young true god: not only the tempering of the body, but also the cultivation of the primordial spirit, the forging of primal qi, the honing of Dao arts and divine powers. To temper only the body to the level of a young true god was far from matching a true young true god. "Sect Master Shen of Jingping! " That demon Divine Bridge master fixed his gaze on Shen Mu and said in a low voice, "You have no rival in the Seven Stars realm, but that does not mean you have no rival in other realms. I, Shuye, disciple of Vajra, have come to try you! " Shen Mu asked curiously, "Brother Shuye, where do you rank in the Divine Bridge realm?

" "Second! " Shuye said calmly, "The one ranked first is Tu Jun, but he is assaulting the Demon God Palace and is about to become a Demon God, so he has not joined the battle.

Once he becomes a Demon God, I will be first!

" Shen Mu shook his head. "Go and ask him to come out of seclusion. You are not enough.

I once killed a disciple of Vajra, Fu Yuxiao, of the Heaven-Man realm.

His strength was great, but at the same realm he was far beneath me.

" Shuye was furious. Suddenly, Vajra descended from the sky and landed before the many demons. Shuye and the other demon masters hurried to pay their respects: "Revered King!

" Vajra raised a hand to signal that they need not stand on ceremony. "No need for ceremony. At the same realm, you are no match for young friend Shen.

Unless you rank first in your realm, there is no need to trouble him to kill you at all! " The Silent Artisan, the Butcher and the others felt a chill in their hearts.

This was a true demon descended among them; even if they all attacked together, they would be no match for him! Vajra's gaze slid from the Butcher's face to the Silent Artisan, then to Star Lord Yang, and at last to Shen Mu. Shen Mu's heart gave a start, and he hurriedly reached for his chest, only then remembering that the jade pendant was not hanging at his chest, but had been driven by Tu Bo into the vertical eye at the center of his brow.

Seeing his hand reach for the jade pendant at his chest, Vajra's heart skipped. He recalled the time he had been gravely wounded by the out-of-control Shen Mu, and his own chest ached faintly.

He laughed heartily. "Young friend Shen, there is no need for alarm.

I mean you no harm. I have come this time only to bear witness; I will not raise a hand against you.

" Shen Mu let out a breath and lowered his hand from his chest, bowing. "Senior Vajra is a man of lofty character who does things fairly. I have always admired you. " Qi Jiuyi's gaze also fell upon his chest. His heart stirred slightly, and he smiled.

"So the jade pendant really is hung at his chest. Now that I know where the thing is, it will be much easier.

" Suddenly another peerless beauty came walking over, radiant with splendor, appearing at Vajra's side. Her gaze swept over the Butcher, the Silent Artisan, Star Lord Yang and the others, and came to rest on Granny Zhu, and at once the light on her face dimmed greatly. She too was a peerless beauty, but set beside Granny Zhu she was instantly eclipsed.

One was a peerless beauty; the other was a beauty unmatched in the world. There was no comparing them. Seeing this woman, Shen Mu ventured, "Lu Li of the Nether Capital?

" "It is I.

" Lu Li withdrew her gaze, a trace of jealousy rising in her heart.

She gave him a sweet smile, exceedingly charming, yet her voice was the coarse, heavy voice of a man.

"A beauty unmatched in the world.

I feel pity just looking at her, and a touch of jealousy too. What is this little sister called? " Granny Zhu was about to answer, but Shen Mu shook his head and said in a low voice, "Granny, the arts of the Nether Capital are aimed at the soul and spirit. If she knows your true name, she will have a way to deal with you.

" Granny Zhu hastily abandoned the thought of giving her true name. Lu Li laughed, a giggling cackle. "Shen Fengqing, I truly never imagined you would turn into what you are now.

You disappoint me, truly.

I had even wanted to get hold of this unmatched beauty's shell and play with it a while! And this noble one, is his surname Qi? " Qi Jiuyi smiled faintly. "Qi Jiuyi of the Qi clan greets Commissioner Lu Li.

" Lu Li's voice remained deep and heavy, but her tone was quite plaintive.

"It seems the Heavenly Court does not trust me after all, to have sent Young Master Qi. It truly chills my heart. " Qi Jiuyi said leisurely, "If the Commissioner had no secret designs, why would she care about me?

" Lu Li sneered.

"Since I have come here, you will not be taking the man named Shen away!