The night was deep and the mountain breeze was cool. Meng Qi carried Hua Lun on his back and, using the Wind God’s Leg technique, dashed along the nearest path back to Qinshan City.
“Master Meng’s lightness kung fu is truly extraordinary…” As a disciple of the Zhenyi Sect, Hua Lun possessed some discernment in martial arts. Sensing the formidable power of Meng Qi’s “capturing wind and seizing shadows” technique, he couldn’t help but secretly admire him. Yet, recalling Meng Qi’s bold and lofty demeanor and words back in the ruined temple, Hua Lun felt an inexplicable unease. After all, Meng Qi was only at the fourth or sixth aperture level, while among the Luo Sect’s followers, there were many experts far surpassing that realm. Being overly reckless or arrogant would only lead to a desperate situation.
“At least his lightness kung fu is good,” Hua Lun thought with relief. Judging from Meng Qi’s current display of lightness skills, even if he couldn’t win, he could still escape!
Though brimming with heroic courage, Meng Qi remained highly vigilant. He fully leveraged his Fourth Aperture abilities, keeping his senses sharp in all directions to guard against any potential ambush.
In the dark night, the forest and mountains resembled silently lurking monsters, their claws and fangs sending chills down one’s spine.
Suddenly, two figures darted from the woods on either side of Meng Qi. They wielded long, strange weapons and attacked Meng Qi from above and below.
“Watch out!” Hua Lun closely monitored the surrounding movements.
Before his voice had even faded, he saw Meng Qi’s long sword swing like a drunkard’s, stabbing left and slicing right. With a couple of “ding-ding” sounds, the two figures retreated diagonally forward, blocking the road.
One wore black, the other white. Their hair was loose and wild, making them look like vengeful ghosts. Their weapons were long staffs with hooks at the front, quite unusual. After a brief adjustment, they charged at Meng Qi again.
Hua Lun’s eyes narrowed. He used secret sound transmission to inform Meng Qi, “The Zhou Shan Twin Ghosts, skilled fighters at the fourth aperture level. Their locking staffs are exotic weapons, adept at disarming opponents.”
He seized the opportunity to brief Meng Qi on the enemy to increase his chances of victory.
As he spoke, Meng Qi and the Zhou Shan Twin Ghosts had already closed in.
One staff aimed to seize Meng Qi’s sword, while the other swung down from above, releasing powerful gusts and displaying considerable might.
“They prefer to fight together and are stronger than many warriors at the sixth level.”
Meng Qi did not evade with his sword. Instead, he deliberately guided it into the hook of the locking staff. Then, at the moment when the opponent’s force was exhausted and a new one had yet to form, he twisted upward, sending the locking staff flying into the descending second staff.
With two clanging sounds, both locking staffs flew sideways. Meng Qi stabbed left and right. The Zhou Shan Twin Ghosts screamed in pain, covering their faces as they hastily fled into the mountains.
“I heard…” Hua Lun began, but seeing the Twin Ghosts already retreating, he stopped himself and instead praised, “Master Meng, your sword skills are impressive!”
“You flatter me,” Meng Qi smiled. He did not pursue but continued down the mountain path. After exiting the forest, the path ahead became treacherous. To the right was a cliff face, and to the left, a deep ravine. Faintly, one could see miasmic vapors rising.
At that moment, a figure emerged from behind a rock at the path’s entrance. He crossed his arms over his chest, holding a long sword, and stared coldly at Meng Qi and Hua Lun. He did not attack from behind but slowly advanced.
“‘Thunder-listening Sword’ Mo Cheng, at the sixth or seventh aperture level. He is a renowned solitary swordsman from the Three Mountains and Four Rivers. Proud and aloof, he despises surrounding or ambushing opponents. I never expected him to have also joined the Luo Sect.” Since there was still some distance, Hua Lun was able to calmly finish speaking, his tone quite heavy.
“Master Meng, you must be careful. Mo Cheng’s ‘Seven Thunder-listening Sword Techniques’ are among the rare sword arts of the Three Mountains and Four Rivers. He is also a well-known expert outside the major sects…” Hua Lun spoke rapidly.
Mo Cheng unfurled his sword with minimal movement, yet his speed was like lightning, with sounds of wind and thunder subtly embedded within.
“The Seven Thunder-listening Sword Techniques, one of the fastest sword arts…”
Facing Mo Cheng’s Thunder-listening Sword, Meng Qi did not defend but attacked instead. He thrust his sword directly at Mo Cheng’s wrist, surprisingly arriving first!
Mo Cheng’s face twitched slightly. He had to change his move to intercept Meng Qi’s sword, otherwise before he could strike his opponent, his wrist would be pierced, making it impossible to hold his blade.
His sword circled like a fan, but Meng Qi’s Ice Gate Sword suddenly lifted, unexpectedly changing direction and pointing at Mo Cheng’s throat diagonally.
Unable to change his move in time, Mo Cheng could only retreat twice to avoid the sword’s range.
As Mo Cheng retreated, Meng Qi advanced as if he had anticipated it all along. Maintaining the same distance between them, it was as though he had measured it precisely.
Watching this battle, Hua Lun was momentarily stunned and stopped describing the characteristics of the Seven Thunder-listening Sword Techniques.
Seeing that he couldn’t avoid the throat-striking sword, Mo Cheng gritted his teeth and thrust his sword forward, aiming for Meng Qi’s throat as well. He was gambling on a life-or-death reversal—if the opponent was unwilling to fight to mutual destruction, he could regain the upper hand.
Meng Qi suddenly rotated his sword, striking Mo Cheng’s left shoulder with the flat of the blade, defying conventional sword principles. The force was so great that Mo Cheng lost balance and staggered sideways. His sword naturally lost its aim and failed to strike Meng Qi.
To Mo Cheng’s right was the cliff. After staggering a few steps, he fell directly into the clouds below, his scream startling birds in the mountains.
This battle was swift, over in just a few breaths. Mo Cheng was utterly defeated, and Hua Lun had not even begun to describe the Seven Thunder-listening Sword Techniques in detail.
He fell silent, unsure of what to say.
Without delay, Meng Qi stepped onto the mountain path and hurried through the night.
The narrow path could barely accommodate two people side by side, but for someone with Meng Qi’s exceptional lightness kung fu, it was as easy as walking on flat ground.
Halfway up the mountain, Meng Qi and Hua Lun, who had opened his Eye Aperture, noticed a figure sprinting toward them along the path. Evidently, Mo Cheng’s scream had alerted his companions, spurring them to climb the mountain and intercept.
“He is the Luo Sect’s Zhikong Envoy who injured me. He is at least at the seventh Qiao level, with unparalleled mastery of the Black God Palm, and his strength even surpasses that of Mo Cheng.”
Hua Lun vaguely feared this Zhikong Envoy and reminded Meng Qi again, planning to describe the unique characteristics of his martial arts.
Meng Qi rushed forward with his sword, and within two breaths, he met the Luo Sect’s Zhikong Envoy. His sword slashed out chaotically, crooked and slanted, as if wielded by an ordinary person unfamiliar with martial arts.
“He favors revealing a flaw on his left side to lure opponents.”
Facing this unconventional sword technique, the Zhikong Envoy hesitated slightly. He clapped his palms together and aimed to strike the flat of Meng Qi’s sword.
Suddenly, Meng Qi’s sword swept sideways, striking the Envoy’s palm. Using the force, Meng Qi leapt into the air. His sword flashed again, pure and bright.
“He can unleash two layers with his right-hand Black God Palm…” Before Hua Lun could finish speaking, he saw Meng Qi soar over the Zhikong Envoy like a giant roc, landing behind him.
The Envoy hastily turned around, only to see Meng Qi already behind him. The Zhikong Envoy fell backward, similarly plunging into the ravine. A faint blood mark appeared on his forehead, his wide eyes frozen in shock.
This was too fast… Hua Lun thought in bewilderment.
In that sword strike, Meng Qi had incorporated the “Yama Note” into the Solitary Sword, though not completely. But under these circumstances, it was enough to kill the Zhikong Envoy.
Landing on the ground, Meng Qi did not look back, completely ignoring the Zhikong Envoy behind him. He continued forward with his sword, not doubting the effectiveness of that last strike for a moment.
The mountain path was steep and long, but with Meng Qi’s full effort, he quickly reached the foot of the mountain. As he just turned onto the official road leading to Qinshan City, he saw a fat, large monk blocking the way ahead, wielding a thick, heavy water-milling Zen staff.
Hua Lun opened his mouth but ultimately chose to remain silent, not uttering a word.
The fat monk swung his staff, the wind heavy and oppressive as it rushed toward Meng Qi.
Meng Qi casually pointed his sword at a spot on the staff. Instantly, the staff lost control, seemingly affected by the skillful application of a light force redirecting great power. It abruptly changed direction, pulling the fat monk forward.
Meng Qi slightly sidestepped to avoid the monk and accelerated, brushing past him. As he passed, his sword suddenly flashed out and was quickly withdrawn. He continued to sprint. Behind him, the fat monk’s Zen staff struck the ground, and he clutched his chest, slowly collapsing.
The official road of the “Three Mountains and Four Rivers” was relatively flat. Meng Qi fully exerted the Wind God’s Leg technique, striding swiftly like a shooting star. Before long, he faintly saw Qinshan City in the distance. Hua Lun, still on his back, remained silent, his gaze slightly dazed.
“Master Hua, why didn’t you describe the fat monk’s situation earlier so I could prepare accordingly?” Meng Qi suddenly smiled and spoke.
Hua Lun’s voice was dull. “I thought it was pointless, and there was no time to finish…”
Suddenly, a scene from the ruined temple surfaced in his mind, one that had left a deep impression. Master Meng had strummed his sword and declared boldly, his spirit soaring:
“Let them test my sword.”
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