Chapter 156: Momentum

The moonlight was cold and clear, casting a silvery veil over the Zengxian Gate complex, unobstructed by trees.

Hua Lun had regained much of his mobility. He leaped down from behind Meng Qi and walked to the main gate, grasping the bronze ring and knocking loudly—bang, bang, bang.

After witnessing Meng Qi’s unpredictable sword techniques, his confidence in retrieving the mysterious stone that night had surged, and he was eager to begin the operation.

With a creak, a small door beside the nail-studded main gate opened. A disciple of the Zengxian Gate peeked out, examining the scene with a mix of surprise and delight: “Young Master, you’ve returned?”

Hua Lun didn’t want to draw too much attention and alert Huang Yun and others prematurely. He pressed his hand down, signaling the disciple to keep quiet: “Where is my father? And the other elders?”

The disciple lowered his voice: “Reporting to you, Young Master, the mysterious stone was stolen. The Gate Master, along with several elders, pursued the thief to the Northern Mountains. They are currently blocking key paths with the Qinshan Sword Sect and other martial heroes, searching methodically. Only three elders remain within the gate.”

Regardless, as a martial sect, there must always be elders staying behind to prevent opportunistic attacks from lowlifes.

Still under blockade… Meng Qi shook his head with a smile. The theft of the celestial stone occurred at noon, and now it was already deep into the night. The Three Mountains and Four Waters were a land of dense peaks and thick miasma. If they couldn’t find the thief by daylight, then nightfall meant little more than doing their best and leaving the rest to fate. By tomorrow, the hope of finding it would be even slimmer—unless the thief was already severely injured, struggling through mountains and rivers.

Hua Lun took a deep breath: “Which elders are still here?”

Back at the ruined temple, he and Meng Qi had already discussed possible scenarios. His father’s absence was the most likely situation, so he wasn’t panicking.

“Elder Li, Hall Master Bai, and Elder Fang are.” The disciple noticed the Young Master’s persistent inquiries and vaguely sensed something was amiss.

Hua Lun nodded: “Take me to see Hall Master Bai.”

Like all martial sects, the Zengxian Gate had its internal factions. Although Hua Tiange and his son Hua Lun enjoyed the support of the Zhen Clan, wielded significant influence, and held authority, there were still elders who resisted accepting the Zhen Clan’s orthodox lineage or disagreed with the notion of a Zhen heir inheriting the sect. Over years of interaction, these elders had also developed intricate relationships with the Zhen Clan, which was why Hua Tiange had refrained from forcibly purging them.

Among the three elders remaining at the gate, Hall Master Bai belonged to Hua Tiange’s faction—most trustworthy, with a cultivation level of the Eight Apertures. He was the head of the Martial Training Hall. Elder Li was neutral, while Elder Fang was among those who opposed Hua Lun’s future succession.

The disciple who opened the gate grew solemn, not daring to ask further questions. He quietly led Hua Lun and Meng Qi through two courtyards and arrived before Hall Master Bai’s residence.

“You’ve finally returned, dear nephew!” Soon after, Hall Master Bai came out, his face bright with joy.

Though older than Hua Tiange, he still had black hair and a sturdy body, making him appear younger.

Hua Lun bowed slightly and spoke directly: “Uncle Bai, I know where the celestial stone is hidden!”

“What?” Hall Master Bai was stunned. He hadn’t expected such words to be Hua Lun’s first upon meeting—he wasn’t even nearby at the time!

Hua Lun concisely recounted his experiences and plans, finally pointing at Meng Qi: “Thanks to Master Meng’s help, I managed to escape and return to report. Please, Uncle, quickly send someone up the mountain to secretly inform my father. We must act together to retrieve the stone!”

Although Ning Jidao, Huang Yun, and Zhang Zhiran were likely still on the mountain to avoid suspicion, the one who had stolen the stone from the Luo Sect must have been extremely formidable. Therefore, it was best to have Hua Lun’s father, who had reached the Nine Apertures, present just in case.

“Master Meng’s great kindness shall be repaid by our sect.” Upon hearing of the Luo Sect, Hall Master Bai’s expression showed fear, but he still politely thanked Meng Qi before wasting no time asking, “Where is the celestial stone hidden?”

“At the manor at the foot of the Northern Mountains belonging to the Qinshan Sword Sect.” Hua Lun’s tone was slightly bitter.

Earlier, he had explained to Meng Qi that Ning Jidao, Huang Yun, and Zhang Zhiran would secretly leave a path open, allowing the Luo Sect thief who fled to the Northern Mountains to descend the mountain. However, with numerous martial heroes already surrounding the area, even a slight carelessness could lead to an encounter. Therefore, they had instructed the thief not to leave immediately, but to hide first at the Qinshan Sword Sect’s nearby manor, waiting until the next day when the commotion died down, then blending into the servants entering the city to purchase supplies.

They had not chosen to flee at night because too many eyes would be watching, and there were always those with ulterior motives who might sneak into the Qinshan manor to seize the opportunity for profit. In such a situation, anyone leaving at night would stand out suspiciously and risk being discovered and suspected.

Hall Master Bai pondered for a moment and turned to Meng Qi: “Master Meng, do you have any suggestions?”

According to Hua Lun’s account, this young master’s strength surpassed what he had shown during the day, making him one of the key figures tonight—his opinion could not be ignored.

“What suggestions could there be? We should simply go first to observe from a high vantage point outside the manor, preventing escape. Once Gate Master Hua arrives, we’ll create a commotion to draw the snake out of its hole.” Meng Qi replied with a smile.

This was exactly Hall Master Bai’s own thought. He nodded slightly: “Very well, we shall follow Master Meng’s plan.”

Hall Master Bai quietly summoned a few trusted and capable disciples. Together, they left the Zengxian Gate unnoticed and headed toward the Northern Mountains. Their initial plan was for Hall Master Bai to take two disciples up the mountain to find Hua Tiange, using the excuse of an urgent matter within the gate to bring him down. Meanwhile, Hua Lun, Meng Qi, and two other disciples would monitor the manor, just in case.

After walking for a while, a sudden burst of light illuminated the sky. Meng Qi and the others turned back and saw a signal flare rising from the mountain ridge where Hua Lun had previously hidden!

“Oh no!” Hua Lun blurted out. This was clearly a Luo Sect disciple, part of the mountain blockade, notifying the stone thief that he had escaped and that the secret was exposed. The thief would now have to flee immediately.

But reaching the manor now would be impossible unless they could fly!

“No need to rush,” Meng Qi waved his hand.

He had anticipated this. That was why he had ruthlessly struck down the Luo Sect’s Zhikong Envoy without hesitation when they met, giving him no time to react or escape, delaying their ability to notify the thief.

The result was neither good nor bad. With Zhikong Envoy dead, the Luo Sect disciples blocking the mountain fell into chaos, and only now did they manage to send the signal. Still, it was significantly later than the best possible timing.

Meng Qi’s ideal scenario had been for him and Hua Lun to already be outside the manor, observing from above, with Hua Tiange nearly arriving. Then, the signal would be sent, startling the thief inside, prompting a hasty escape, and leading to an immediate capture. But the best plans always remained only in imagination.

“Master Meng, do you have a brilliant idea?” Hall Master Bai looked at Meng Qi with hope.

Meng Qi smiled lightly: “We can still guess where the thief might flee.”

“He won’t flee toward the Northern Mountains,” Hua Lun ruled out first. “That would risk encountering martial heroes or even ordinary disciples of the Qinshan Sword Sect who don’t know the secret.”

Meng Qi continued: “He won’t go toward the Zengxian Gate either, unless he wants to walk straight into a trap.”

Hall Master Bai pondered: “He can’t go in the direction of the signal either. Many heroes must have seen it and gone to investigate. The stone has divine power—once someone approaches, it will surely be sensed.”

“So now only two directions remain: the city or the wharf outside the city.” Hua Lun, too, looked at Meng Qi with anticipation.

Meng Qi smiled: “We must figure out the Luo Sect’s objective. If given the chance, would he try to flee directly with the stone, or hide near Qinshan and play cat-and-mouse with us?”

“The wharf!” Hua Lun blurted out.

Meng Qi nodded slightly: “Hall Master Bai, you only need a few disciples to inform Gate Master Hua. Please continue to monitor the manor from above. If the thief stays put, perhaps we can catch him. Meanwhile, Hua Lun and I will intercept him at the wharf.”

“Very well.” Hall Master Bai made the decision immediately.

After splitting up, Hua Lun asked with some anxiety: “Master Meng, do you really think he’ll flee toward the wharf?”

“I can’t divine the future, nor do I know his personality. I can only say the wharf is the most likely. So we must do our utmost to seize the opportunity.” Meng Qi answered honestly.

Indeed, if the thief was a risk-taker, he might return to the Northern Mountains and hide deep in the mountains from the direction Huang Yun and others were searching.

Hua Lun nodded thoughtfully and no longer felt restless.

At the wharf, the moonlight was cold and clear, the boats swaying gently on the rippling waters in the stillness of night.

Since they were closer, Meng Qi wasn’t worried about the thief arriving before them. He scanned the area and said to Hua Lun: “Let’s find a small boat and wait for him.”

“What for?” Hua Lun asked, puzzled.

Meng Qi smiled: “When he arrives, the small boat will slowly emerge from behind a large ship. I’ll stand there with my hands behind my back and say, ‘I’ve been waiting for you.’ How dramatic would that be?”

“…” Hua Lun was speechless, unable to believe that was his real reason.

Meng Qi coughed slightly: “Actually, it’s to create an imposing presence, planting in his mind the impression that I’ve already taken full control and am completely confident. That way, when we fight, he’ll instinctively feel fear, unable to exert even seven out of ten parts of his strength.”

In a duel between experts, the contest lies in spiritual pressure and mental struggle. Whoever’s mind or spirit falters first will be unable to fully unleash their power and will inevitably face defeat—this applies equally to both the Aperture-opening and the Outer Scenery cultivators!

This aspect is particularly emphasized in the Huang Sect’s martial arts, and is similar in the main world.

Hua Lun nodded slightly: “My master and father have always stressed confidence and momentum, but I never truly understood until today.”

He paused, then blurted out with slight confusion: “Master Meng, but I feel like your real reason is exactly what you said at first.”

Meng Qi looked at him, momentarily at a loss for words.

……

Shortly after, a figure appeared at the wharf, looking around anxiously for a small boat to take down the river.

Suddenly, his gaze locked onto something. From behind a large ship, a small boat slowly emerged. Moonlight shimmered, casting a dreamlike glow over the boat and the river’s surface, ripples dancing like scattered stars.

On the boat stood a refined young man in a green robe and a silk hat. He stood with his hands behind his back, his robe flapping in the river breeze, exuding effortless grace and composure.

His eyes held a smile, his tone calm, brimming with an unshakable confidence:

“I’ve been waiting for you.”