Chapter 103: A Reminder

A treasure weapon worth thousands, a divine artifact, it’s impossible for Meng Qi not to feel a flicker of greed. He hadn’t yet become a saintly monk who had severed all worldly desires. Moreover, each time he used “Cleansing Severance,” emotions such as lust, gratitude, familial bonds, greed, and fear would always intrude, severing both others’ tranquility and his own. In daily life, he inevitably experienced some negative effects, giving rise to undesirable thoughts.

This is also why few monks throughout history have successfully mastered the “A-nan’s Blade Techniques of Broken Precepts.” It runs counter to the Buddhist path of purity and solitude. Practitioners must constantly endure worldly disturbances, karmic forces, and the pull of cause and effect to temper a Buddha’s heart and radiate the pure, crystalline light of enlightenment. Once one fails to extricate oneself, the Buddhist path is completely severed, unless a great opportunity leads to a profound awakening.

However, harming his companions was one of Meng Qi’s bottom lines. As long as the other party had no ulterior motives, and considering the main mission this time was to cooperate with the four great sects to seal the graveyard of demons, which required four treasure weapons to simultaneously suppress it, seizing a treasure weapon would anger the four sects, making it impossible to complete the main mission and losing crucial support. He would then be hunted by the demonic sects, the four sects, and hostile samsara participants from three sides, with little chance of survival. A treasure weapon could only unleash its full power in the hands of an Outer Scenery expert. Leaving aside the time factor, even if he purified it day and night for years, he could only reach the level of Gu Kongshan at best.

Most importantly, these four treasure weapons were left by an “Immortal” to seal the demonic graveyard. Although they lacked sentience, they possessed their own “will.” If someone rashly tried to seize them without understanding the critical points, the weapons might activate themselves with full force, leaving nothing but bones behind.

Perhaps others were struggling with similar thoughts as Meng Qi. For a short time, no one spoke, and an unspoken silence fell over the group.

“Let’s discuss the main mission and the factional battle tasks,” several breaths later, Jiang Zhiwei said expressionlessly.

As a highly valued direct disciple, she had no particular greed for treasure weapons. Once she normally entered the Semi-Outer Scenery realm, she would likely be granted a long sword of this rank. It wasn’t worth taking such a risk. Therefore, she didn’t want the main mission to fail due to her teammates’ greed, resulting in insufficient merit and subsequent elimination.

Zhang Yuanshan smiled lightly and said, “Precious treasures and wealth move hearts. This is quite normal. As long as one can gauge their own strength and not go against their nature, it’s not a big deal.”

He continued, “After this, the enemy will know our approximate strength level and martial arts characteristics. They will certainly change their tactics—for example, targeting those with weaker strength first or creating opportunities to concentrate all their forces to eliminate one person. We must be vigilant.”

“For us, the four great sects have the advantage in strength. As long as we closely follow them and don’t rashly separate, advancing steadily, the enemy will lose their hidden advantage after we conquer the Holy Volcanic Mountain, leaving them no space for ambushes or maneuvering.” Luo Shengyi spoke slowly, outlining a strategy of defeating the enemy openly. At that time, even if the opposing faction of demonic sects had more high-level forces, our side would have more people and the help of experts from the four great sects, giving us a great chance of victory.

This time, because of Xia Chulin’s death, Meng Qi had been too eager to turn the passive situation into an active one, greedily seeking credit and advancing recklessly, thus falling into the enemy’s trap.

Recalling his “team battle experience,” Meng Qi frowned in thought for a moment before saying, “What if the enemy concentrates their forces to eliminate someone other than us?”

“What do you mean?” Luo Shengyi looked at this seemingly unreliable but actually formidable monk.

“The little monk means that if the enemy concentrates their forces to kill the treasure weapon wielders from the four great sects and seize one of the weapons, the four sects’ plan of steady advancement would be in vain. They would have to split their forces to retrieve the weapon and quickly capture the Holy Volcanic Mountain, which would be disadvantageous to us, possibly even preventing us from completing the main mission.” Jiang Zhiwei understood Meng Qi’s meaning from his subtle hints.

Zhang Yuanshan gently clapped his hands and said, “Right, we focused too much on the factional battle tasks and our confrontations with each other before, forgetting that the enemy might not necessarily target us directly. A flanking maneuver could also be effective.”

Luo Shengyi frowned and said, “Although the four great sects are advancing separately in four groups, the distance between them isn’t far, and there would be more than enough time to rescue each other…”

He trailed off as he thought of the enemy who “cultivated an evil god.” This enemy could harness the power of heaven and earth more effectively than the master of Fengyun Manor, easily creating widespread chaos and temporarily cutting off rescue between the groups. This was exactly why we had nearly been wiped out last time, and we couldn’t afford not to learn from that lesson.

“We must warn them,” Qi Zhengyan, usually a man of few words, couldn’t help but speak up on this matter.

Meng Qi nodded and said, “We should first inform Master Gu of this attack, and he can warn the other three sects. It would be best if all four sects could advance together.”

“There’s no time to lose. We should return immediately,” Zhang Yuanshan took a deep breath.

Meng Qi smiled and pointed to the ruined temple, saying, “There are still two friends there. If they report the matter, Master Gu will surely take it more seriously.”

He was referring to Chen Xiao and Luo You, who were hiding.

When Chen Xiao and Luo You were called out, their expressions were very confused. How could the sandstorm just stop all of a sudden? And why had all the members of the “Power Gang” arrived?

Meng Qi briefly explained what had happened, concluding, “Please inform Master Gu that the enemy has gained a new powerful ally, someone strange and terrifying, and we must be vigilant.”

“How could this be possible… How could this be possible…” Chen Xiao was shocked beyond self-control by Meng Qi’s description. How could a sandstorm like a natural disaster be man-made? Even if it was created by harnessing the original sandstorm! This was already the technique of an immortal!

Moreover, how could a few members of the “Power Gang” defeat an “immortal”? That was even more incredible!

“Master Gu should be able to see the abnormality of the sandstorm just now,” Meng Qi said no more, not explaining to the two disciples. He only needed them to report exactly what they had seen and heard to Gu Kongshan.

Chen Xiao and Luo You, with expressions that seemed to say, “I’m not well-informed, don’t try to fool me,” blankly followed Meng Qi and the others back to the main force of Fengyun Manor.

Xia Dandan’s body was carried back by Luo Shengyi, not only to be buried in a better place, but also to let Gu Kongshan witness the terror of the Wusheng Finger once again, enhancing the persuasiveness.

On the way, Meng Qi secretly took out the black iron dart and showed it to Fu Zhenzhen, Jiang Zhiwei, and others, asking what kind of hidden weapon it was.

“This is the ‘Fatal Dart Upon Sight.’ It looks like an ordinary throwing dart, but if thrown with a special technique, it will split into seven poisoned needles mid-air, covering all directions the enemy might dodge. Once seen, it means certain death. I’ve seen someone use it before,” Luo Shengyi carefully examined it and said.

Although the teaching of hidden weapons is part of the education of prominent sects, to prevent disciples from being caught off guard by unusual hidden weapons when they go down the mountain, Jiang Zhiwei, Zhang Yuanshan, and others had extensive knowledge of hidden weapons. However, this ‘Fatal Dart Upon Sight’ was not from the main world, so they didn’t recognize it. Fu Zhenzhen mainly studied medicine and toxicology, and only knew a few hidden weapons that suited her. In the end, it was thanks to Luo Shengyi’s experience in the samsara world that they identified it.

“What a great item,” Meng Qi secretly rejoiced. Although this ‘Fatal Dart Upon Sight’ was not as good as the Rain of Pear Blossoms Needles, it was still a top-tier hidden weapon. It might prove extremely useful in the future.

…

After receiving the report from Chen Xiao and Luo You, Gu Kongshan summoned Meng Qi and the others immediately.

His hair remained jet-black, his back still straight, and he carried an air of innate authority as he solemnly inquired, “Was that extraordinary individual truly born with a vertical eye in the center of his forehead?”

This was the feature of a legendary divine figure!

Previously, he had felt that the sudden and fierce sandstorm was a bit strange, but he hadn’t paid much attention. After all, a widespread natural disaster couldn’t be man-made. He was sure he couldn’t do it unless the Fengyun Blade was completely unsealed and fully activated, which was practically impossible. Throughout history, no master had ever been able to completely unseal the Fengyun Blade, relying only on the immortal’s instructions to guess its power.

Now, after hearing the descriptions from Chen Xiao and Luo You, his previous suspicions about the sandstorm resurfaced, and he was half-convinced of Meng Qi and others’ experiences.

“Yes, he had a vertical, emerald-green eye in the middle of his forehead, like a demon,” Meng Qi answered calmly, while Jiang Zhiwei detailed her fight with Su Yuanying.

Gu Kongshan raised his eyebrows, narrowing his eyes at Jiang Zhiwei. The characteristics of the Demon Sect’s Earth Venerable were accurately described, but the Earth Venerable’s strength was something he knew all too well—not to be underestimated. She had managed to fight two opponents alone, injure the Earth Venerable, and even kill the Otherworlder’s substitute. Such a level of skill was truly astonishing!

After a moment of contemplation, he said, “Earlier, I also felt the sandstorm was strange. Now, my doubts are somewhat resolved. Although I still find it hard to believe, hard to believe that anyone could possess such divine techniques. After all, you’re only speculating. But in such matters, it’s better to believe it might be possible rather than dismiss it. Hmm, I will write three letters and have the other three groups come together.”

Meng Qi and the others couldn’t explain to him what “cultivating an evil god” meant, so he remained somewhat skeptical about whether the superhuman with a vertical eye on his forehead could enhance his power and range through the sandstorm.

But as a manor lord, his rationality made him cautious.

“Amitabha, Master Gu’s foresight is a blessing for the other three sects,” Meng Qi couldn’t help but praise when he saw that Gu Kongshan wasn’t being “foolish.”

After doing such a significant deed, Gu Kongshan placed even more importance on Meng Qi and the others, indicating that they should stay in this tent for now and wait together for the other three sects’ replies.

Three strange birds flew away, and Gu Kongshan chatted casually with Meng Qi and others about martial arts, trying to discern their origins. However, Meng Qi and the others were also tight-lipped, occasionally mentioning something about the main world, which left Gu Kongshan completely puzzled, unable to figure out any direction for thought.

Due to the short distance, within less than a quarter of an hour, the three strange birds returned one after another. Gu Kongshan took the letters and, after reading them, lowly and angrily exclaimed, “Fools! At a time like this, they still suspect me!”

“Master Gu, could it be that they are unwilling to come?” Luo Shengyi asked calmly.

Gu Kongshan tossed the letters aside and said coldly, “Indeed, those shortsighted fools not only refuse to believe that a supernatural being could control such a terrifying sandstorm, but they also suspect that I intend to use this opportunity to dominate them. Hmph! Whether the supernatural being is real or not, one undeniable fact remains—the Demon Sect has gained a formidable new ally!”

As the number one expert among the righteous sects, he was already used to being suspected by the other three sects, but at a time like this, their shortsightedness was simply too foolish!

The righteous sects aren’t harmonious among themselves either… Meng Qi smirked slightly and said, “Master Gu, I’m afraid you’ll have to go in person to convince them.”

Gu Kongshan fell silent, hands behind his back, pacing back and forth in quiet contemplation.

After the passage of an incense stick’s time, he made a decision, calling over elders and disciples to strictly guard and defend, then himself carrying the Fengyun Blade case stepped out of the tent, and asked Meng Qi and others to follow him to the Sword Pavilion’s base—without his presence, leaving those whose identities couldn’t be confirmed within the camp would easily lead to problems, and they were also eyewitnesses.

Meng Qi and the others naturally had no objections, but shortly after leaving the camp, they saw the sky rapidly darken, distant yellow sands rolling, sweeping up into the sky, “submerging” the Fengyun Manor camp and nearby areas.

“Something’s wrong!” Gu Kongshan’s eyes sharpened.

The Demon Sect Leader Hu Buwei could conjure small sandstorms, while the mutant with the vertical eye on his forehead could harness and amplify their force!

This thought flashed through his mind in an instant.