Snowflakes drifted down, swirling gracefully. Meng Qi’s vision was filled with white, occasionally interrupted by children playing in the snow and the crackling sounds of firecrackers. Amid the cold, the warm glow of countless lanterns exuded a cozy atmosphere.
Turning into Yuqiao Street, colorful lanterns adorned the shops on both sides. Their reflections shimmered in the gently flowing Ye River, as if the Milky Way had descended to earth, displaying the splendor of worldly prosperity.
This was one of the grandest and most bustling streets in the capital city of Ye. At its entrance stood treasure pavilions and exotic goods shops, dealing in weapons, elixirs, and secret manuals. The middle section was lined with banks, pawnshops, and teahouses. Further along, following the course of the Ye River, stretched the three-mile-long Hongfen Alley and Xuejinku, teeming with courtesans whose beauty dazzled the eyes.
Meng Qi had come to buy a fine weapon, naturally heading toward the entrance. With a relaxed and wealthy mindset, he compared various shops, visiting several in succession.
“Anjin Pavilion…” Meng Qi entered this reputedly finest treasure pavilion in the capital city. Led by a maid, he reached the second floor—”Zangjian Pavilion”—where he saw rows of long swords, some dazzlingly radiant, others plain and unassuming.
“If I were to rob this place…” Strange thoughts flickered through Meng Qi’s mind as he carefully examined the swords. His Evil Tribulation was lightning-based, effective against yin and evil. Thus, a sword need not duplicate that attribute.
The prices of these weapons ranged from several thousand to tens of thousands of taels. Meng Qi focused on the most expensive ones, occasionally pulling out land deeds or house contracts. After all, he had slightly altered his facial muscles using the Eight-Nine Mystical Art, and with half a year’s growth, it was unlikely that anyone unfamiliar with him would recognize him.
“Zi Wu, forged by Master Jian Gu, perfectly combines subterranean yin iron and century-old warm jade through a clever forging technique. It embodies the mutual generation and transformation of yin and yang, changing with the wielder’s energy. Only a swordsman of great skill can control it. Price: twelve thousand taels…” Meng Qi spent over half an hour and finally found a sword with an ancient appearance and faintly interwoven black and white hues.
It perfectly suited Meng Qi’s needs—not only did it embody the mutual generation and transformation of yin and yang with unique functions, but it was also crafted by a sword artisan at the Outer Scenery level, aiding him in comprehending the essence of “Yin and Yang in Threefold Harmony, What is the Origin and Transformation.” Though not the finest among fine weapons, it was the most suitable for him—only a master of forging at the Outer Scenery level could be openly honored with the title “Master.”
As he was about to call a maid to complete the purchase, a sudden thought struck him, and he instinctively turned his head toward the “Short Weapons Pavilion,” separated by pearl curtains.
“Someone was watching me just now…” Half a year had passed, and Meng Qi’s “Undying Seal Art” had advanced rapidly. Combined with the Eight-Nine Mystical Art, his spiritual perception was exceptional, nearly reaching the realm where he could sense someone’s gaze upon him.
He carefully sensed the surroundings and found two unfamiliar men selecting short weapons, nothing unusual about them.
“Perhaps just a casual glance,” Meng Qi mused, then dismissed them, calling over a maid, summoning the shopkeeper, and paying with silver notes to purchase Zi Wu.
With the long sword hanging at his waist, Meng Qi walked joyfully along Yuqiao Street, planning to find some delicacies at a teahouse in the middle of the street.
After walking a while, he felt a sudden unease, slightly furrowing his brow and scanning the surroundings.
The street was bustling with pedestrians—some entering teahouses, others browsing stalls for New Year goods, textiles, and small ornaments, all part of the festive atmosphere.
Meng Qi found nothing and was about to turn his head when suddenly his pupils contracted, and his hands instinctively grasped the hilts of his sword and knife.
On Yuqiao Bridge, a young girl draped in a white cloak stood up from a stall, holding an exquisite silver hairpin. Her features were as delicate as a painting, her eyes like stars in the heavens, radiant and captivating.
“Husband, does this hairpin look good on me?” Smiling, she inserted the silver hairpin into her loosely tied hair. The white fur trim of her cloak added a touch of playful charm. Crowds bustled on the bridge, while lanterns floated beneath it, creating a dreamlike scene.
Meng Qi twitched his lips, consoling himself that at least she hadn’t called him “father of our child.”
“Miss Xiao Sang, anything you wear looks good,” he casually replied, his mind already plotting an escape route. With his current strength, he still had a chance to survive and flee.
Of course, he knew that Gu Xiao Sang’s appearance must have a reason—she was the very embodiment of the saying “no business, no visit to the Three Treasures Hall.” Surely, she hadn’t come just to confess her love!
Gu Xiaosang set down the hairpin, pouting slightly with feigned grievance: “Husband, are you still upset with me? Why do you sound so distant?”
She approached Meng Qi, swaying gracefully like a lotus in water—both pure and enchanting.
Meng Qi noticed many passersby turning their heads to look at Gu Xiaosang, and he desperately wanted to shout, “Catch the demoness! The daughter of the Luo Sect is here!”
“What exactly do you want?” As she drew closer, Meng Qi quickly whispered in secret, his vigilance not lessening in the slightest.
Gu Xiao Sang’s lips curled into a bright smile. “Do I need a reason to see my husband? Father of our child, Xiao Zi misses you, Xiao Sang misses you, and our child misses you too.”
“Hehe…” Meng Qi replied stiffly.
Gu Xiao Sang drew closer to Meng Qi, her fragrance carried by the cold breeze, her gaze seemingly brimming with affection: “I followed that little bitch of the Su Nu Sect to Ye, but she’s hiding well, giving me no opportunity to strike. In my frustration, I had no choice but to ask my husband for help.”
She whispered this using secret transmission.
Beside Yuqiao Bridge, the man in wide sleeves and refined appearance stood opposite the woman in white, as elegant and enchanting as an orchid in a secluded valley. Their presence drew admiring glances from passersby, who envied them as a celestial couple.
Unfortunately, Meng Qi didn’t see it that way. His hand remained on the hilts of his sword and knife, his brow furrowed in caution. “Su Nu Sect?”
“Yes, the heir of the Xuan Nu lineage of the Su Nu Sect.” Gu Xiao Sang continued approaching Meng Qi, brushing her hair back. “They used the divine inheritance hidden within the Hegemon’s Cursed Blade to divine the approximate location of the Thunder God’s heir, found the Three Mountains and Four Rivers, stole the celestial stone, discovered residual traces of the Thunder God’s aura, and I’ve been chasing them all the way into Huanzhou.”
“Using the strange stone as their divination tool, they will eventually narrow down the search and locate my husband. That’s why I’m so anxious. I want to eliminate her, retrieve the strange stone, and protect my husband.”
Meng Qi took a deep breath. Being targeted by the Su Nu Sect, one of the Nine Evil Sects, was certainly no pleasant matter! However, trusting Gu Xiaosang halfway was already showing great generosity. If she truly intended to protect him, she could have directly attacked and seized the Mysterious Stone at the Three Mountains and Four Rivers while she was present. Why wait for the Su Nu Sect to take it before pursuing them all the way to Huanzhou?
Sigh, he hadn’t been cautious enough about divination matters!
Gu Xiao Sang stopped a few steps away from Meng Qi, smiling mischievously. “Husband, do you think that little bitch from the Su Nu Sect is coming to kindly hand over the Thunder God and Hegemon inheritances to you, or to capture you and turn you into their Su Nu Sect’s fighting ‘furnace vessel’?”
The Su Nu Sect was certainly not known for kindness. Meng Qi didn’t need to think twice to know it wasn’t the former. If the Hegemon’s beloved had still been alive back then, there might have been a chance, but after so many years, the leader of the Xuan Nu lineage had changed countless times. Why would they favor him?
Gu Xiaosang said half-jokingly and half-seriously, “Could it be that my husband is actually looking forward to those little sluts’ bedroom techniques? If you like, the Luo Sect has similar things too…”
As she spoke, her face turned rosy red, seemingly overwhelmed with shyness.
Hehe, Meng Qi certainly didn’t believe that Gu Xiaosang could be so easily embarrassed. Xiao Zi perhaps, but definitely not her. He pondered, “Miss Xiaosang, with your strength and the extensive manpower of the Luo Sect, killing her shouldn’t be this difficult, should it?”
What exactly was this enchantress trying to lure him into? Perhaps killing the heir of the Su Nu Sect could indeed help him avoid the impending danger, but she definitely had ulterior motives!
As a cult centered around the worship of Wu Sheng La Mu, the Luo Sect had always maintained formidable covert forces and an extensive intelligence network across the land. Therefore, Meng Qi was never surprised by Gu Xiaosang’s ability to appear and vanish at will, wielding extraordinary supernatural powers while seemingly omniscient and omnipresent. After all, she had the backing of a powerful organization, and as the Holy Maiden, she could mobilize all available resources to their fullest extent.
Precisely because of this, a city as significant as Ye must have had a Luo Sect Outer Scenery expert stationed there. It would have been far more appropriate for Gu Xiaosang to seek assistance from anyone else rather than him. Why did she insist on finding him specifically?
Covering her face with both hands, Gu Xiaosang exhaled warm breaths: “That little wretch infiltrated the Wang family, making it difficult for me to act. Moreover, some matters are better kept from the Church—otherwise, the Dharma Kings, Divine Envoys, and Scattered Immortals will never let you off.”
With a blushing face, she whispered, “The Holy Maiden can only secretly seek out her husband…”
More nonsense. They’d believe he was her husband when hell froze over… Suddenly, Meng Qi had an idea, recalling the fake Iron-Hand Demon and Joyful Demon he had encountered on the boat:
“Is the Xuan Nu heir of the Su Nu Sect Dan Xiumei?”
After all, the real Iron-Hand Demon had been killed by him, so Dan Xiumei should have been exposed, right?
“More or less.” Gu Xiao Sang didn’t give a definite answer.
“What do you mean by ‘more or less’?” Meng Qi pressed.
Gu Xiao Sang smiled mysteriously. “So my husband is agreeing?”
Coughing, Meng Qi nearly choked on his own saliva.
Gu Xiao Sang’s smile carried a hint of mischief. “I received news that an Outer Scenery expert from the Su Nu Sect who inherited the Purple Lightning Blade Technique has headed south, planning to attack immediately once the Thunder God heir is identified. She should arrive in about half a month.”
“Husband, there’s no rush. We still have many days. Take your time deciding whether to help me kill that little bitch. I’ll come find you again after the New Year.”
With that, she walked forward, passing Meng Qi sideways. Her face was pure and saintly, not at all resembling a demoness.
Meng Qi remained vigilant, watching until Gu Xiao Sang’s figure disappeared at the street’s end, his expression turning grave.
“Su Nu Sect…” he muttered softly to himself.
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