How could Mu Jinyu not recognize the face concealed beneath the black robe of the Heaven Palace Master?
That face was so familiar, after more than a decade of relying on each other, how could he possibly forget...
This Heaven Palace Master turned out to be his master, Mu Shao'ai.
Since Mu Jinyu had achieved success a few years ago, Mu Shao'ai had gracefully left Yinlong Mountain, and since then could not be found, even when chaos erupted, he did not appear.
Mu Jinyu had even suspected at the time whether his master had passed away, but unexpectedly, today they once again met as master and disciple, and the master had transformed into the Palace Master of the largest organization in the Kunlun Ruins.
This truly was beyond Mu Jinyu's expectations.
"What, can't recognize your master?"
The face beneath the black robe was youthful and handsome, completely incompatible with the coarse and aged voice of the former Mu Shao'ai, and at this time Mu Shao'ai's voice was also youthful, magnetic, and full of charm.
It was evident that his previous speech tone was entirely feigned.
"Master, you... how could you be..."
Mu Jinyu looked at Mu Shao'ai dumbfounded, tongue-tied, still somewhat unable to accept that his master had suddenly transformed into the Heaven Palace Master.
Then what did his battles with the Heaven Palace mean?
"It's a long story, let's talk about it in detail later," Mu Shao'ai said with a cheerful smile.
And while they were speaking.
The Chen Family People, whose eyes had almost been blinded by light, finally felt the pain lessening and then heard their master-disciple conversation, all were shocked.
They never imagined that Mu Jinyu's master would be the Heaven Palace Master.
Although they couldn't understand why, since it was a master-disciple relationship, the Heaven Palace Master had previously allowed his subordinates to pursue and kill his disciple—was it to test the disciple?
They couldn't understand these matters, but it did not prevent them from knowing that, henceforth, Mu Jinyu would truly soar without restraint.
After all, the only force in Kunlun Ruins that could currently threaten Mu Jinyu had become his backyard; they would not fight anymore.
There were initially some Chen Family People who disliked Mu Jinyu and were hoping the Heaven Palace could eliminate Mu Jinyu, allowing the Chen Family to be resolved completely.
Now they completely abandoned that hope.
"Master... this..."
The Chen Family Ancestor, Sect Leader of the Wuji Sect, and Baiyang Palace Master, their complexions slightly changed. While they were relieved internally, they also felt quite bitter.
Unexpectedly, they originally worried that if Mu Jinyu were to die in the hands of the Heaven Palace Master, their Souls would trigger Restrictions causing them harm, that situation did not occur, yet they unexpectedly learned that Mu Jinyu's background was so great.
No wonder, Mu Jinyu had such Aptitude; he reached the Unity Realm Stage before the age of twenty, for his master was the Heaven Palace Master after all.
Indeed, people cannot be compared to one another!
Mu Jinyu finally awoke from shock, becoming much more excited, saying, "Let's go, Master, we should talk aside."
As he spoke, he put away the Dragon Phoenix Cauldron, Dragon Spear, and Five Beasts Spirit Fan, his figure flickered, and he left the place.
Mu Shao'ai detected from the void fluctuations where Mu Jinyu went, his figure flickered, following swiftly.
Soon, the master and disciple arrived at a secluded mountaintop.
"Master, how did you become the Heaven Palace Master?"
Mu Jinyu stood on the mountaintop, looking at Master Mu Shao'ai with a complex gaze, eyes filled with excitement, joy, suspicion, and anger.
Mu Shao'ai smiled and said, "Why, surprised? Who do you think your master is? Do you think I'm just a nameless nobody?"
"Then back then... Ah-Xiang's family..."
Hearing Mu Shao'ai's lighthearted and natural words, Mu Jinyu subconsciously clenched his fists, his eyes fixated on his master, asking, "Was it you?"
Learning that his master had not died but had become the Master of the Heavenly Palace, Mu Jinyu thought about Jian Ruyan once revealing the Heaven Palace but then kept silent, and thought of the childhood disaster in Xiang Mantang's family...
He suddenly felt his world view crumbling.
If the true culprit who killed Xiang Mantang's parents and caused the siblings' separation were truly the Heaven Palace, and the one who gave the order was their master, Mu Shao'ai...
Then what should he do?
Hide the truth for his master?
Or help Ah-Xiang take revenge? Annihilate the master?!
Regardless of the choice, he couldn't make it!
Xiang Mantang was like a brother to him and had saved his life multiple times, how could he bear to deceive him?
And without his master, he would likely not be where he is today, and in more than a decade on Yinlong Mountain, Mu Shao'ai had long stood as a fatherly figure in his heart.
Mu Jinyu momentarily felt a chaotic heart, utterly lost and at a loss for solutions.
If at this moment, his master appeared, but with a different identity, he would not be so lost and agitated, but very excited instead.
But alas, the master was indeed the Master of the Heavenly Palace!
This truly was hard for him to accept.
Mu Jinyu now had only one hope in his heart, that those who killed Xiang Mantang's parents were not commanded by Mu Shao'ai, and that he had no knowledge of it...
If that were the case, he could still accept it.
"What wild thoughts are you having! Your master is not someone who resorts to killing innocents to achieve goals," Mu Shao'ai said, half exasperated and half amused, upon hearing Mu Jinyu's words, understanding why Mu Jinyu, upon learning his identity, felt more confusion and anger than excitement and joy.
"Then... why... what is the truth..."
Upon hearing his master's words, Mu Jinyu secretly breathed a sigh of relief and then asked.
Mu Shao'ai whispered, "Actually, I wasn't originally the Master of the Heavenly Palace; a few years ago, after entering the Kunlun Ruins, I killed the previous Heavenly Palace Master, impersonated him, and became the new Palace Master. This is a truth and secret no one in the Heaven Palace knows; this is something the master only tells you, so don't spread it."
"Really?" Upon hearing Mu Shao'ai's words, Mu Jinyu's eyes immediately burst with delight, feeling that the world, which had become dark, had once again revived with vivid colors.
Mu Shao'ai said, "Of course, Ah-Xiang remains my disciple, although only a registered disciple, he is still my disciple; I couldn't ignore his hatred, so after teaching you almost everything I could, I left you a life-saving jade pendant and went to find clues. Following the trail, I came to Kunlun Ruins, and being traced to the Heavenly Palace, eventually knowing the true culprit was the Palace Master of Heavenly Palace, I killed him to avenge Ah-Xiang..."
"Initially, I intended to leave the Master of Heavenly Palace for Ah-Xiang to kill personally and vent his hatred, but with his aptitude, I feared he could never personally take revenge, so I did it on his behalf."
Listening, Mu Jinyu's brows suddenly furrowed, and he asked perplexedly, "Why would the Master of Heavenly Palace attack the Xiang Family, who were merely ordinary people back then? What was their purpose?"