At that moment.
A long plume of starry smoke suddenly shot skyward from some unknown place and rose to meet him.
Vast and majestic, its hazy, dreamlike radiance resembled a colorful river of stars pouring from the depths of the Milky Way, thundering down into the mortal world.
Its bewildering colors shook the soul-
Within the starry smoke stood two tall Daoists.
One wore feathered robes and a star crown, his complexion like a child's.
The other wore robes patterned with the Nine Palaces and sported three long strands of beard.
"Gongshu Brothers... why have you come?"
At the sight of them, Mi Jingshi involuntarily tensed slightly. His expression changed, and he demanded in a cold, low voice.
The one in feathered robes and a star crown was Gongshu Yu; the one in Nine Palaces robes was called Gongshu Long. They were brothers born of the same mother, on the same day, in the same month, in the same year.
The brothers were born extraordinary. At their birth, their mother dreamed of two suns entering her embrace. Auspicious light illuminated the room, and a strange fragrance lingered all night.
After they were born.
They could speak in infancy, understood things in childhood, grew quick-minded and earnest in youth, and became intelligent men.
They were also powerfully built, broad-waisted and broad-shouldered, naturally proficient in all eighteen mundane martial arts without ever studying them.
At only three years old, they were already as tall and sturdy as grown men.
They often entered the mountain forests to wrestle tigers, leopards, and other fierce beasts, repeatedly bringing back their hides and flesh to support their parents, never returning empty-handed.
Neighbors and countrymen alike marveled at their extraordinary gifts.
People from counties near and far all came to see them, the crowds forming solid walls.