The ripples had barely begun when Meng Qi sensed danger.
Although Meng Qi and Jiang Hengchuan had been cautious on their way up, guarding against ambushes, once they confirmed that there were “no people” around, their focus shifted to erasing traces and searching for hidden places to hide, rather than concealing their presence and movements.
Who could have known that the person Qiu Fei met was hiding underground, lying among the corpses, with an aura nearly undetectable. Even though Jiang Hengchuan could achieve unity with heaven and Meng Qi had various secret techniques, they could only sense the surface of the soil, unable to detect deeper. However, the hidden enemy could sense their approach through subtle vibrations on the ground and had already concealed themselves!
The reason they did not attack immediately was because they judged their strength insufficient and waited for Qiu Fei, a half-step into the external realm, before launching a coordinated attack!
Meng Qi and Jiang Hengchuan exchanged glances. Without hesitation, despite the risk of exposure, they immediately retreated.
Just as the two moved, the three opponents acted. Qiu Fei swung his staff downward, miraculously crossing several zhang of distance, aiming directly at Jiang Hengchuan.
The wind gathered, blowing the weeds flat or uprooting them entirely, layering together as if forming a wall of wind with no distinction of thickness or strength, sealing off all escape routes for Jiang Hengchuan, leaving him no choice but to block the staff head-on.
In Qiu Fei’s mind, Jiang Hengchuan, in his state of unity with heaven, was clearly more threatening than Meng Qi, so he attacked without mercy.
A weaker half-step into the external realm would only cause minor environmental disturbances, using them to slightly distract or add damage. However, a normal-level practitioner at this stage would harmonize their inner and outer worlds, allowing their techniques and true energy to benefit from the environmental phenomena, creating effective synergy.
Just like Qiu Fei now, the wind did not blow aimlessly but formed a wall at the perfect moment, compensating for the flaws in his technique and forcing Jiang Hengchuan into a position where he couldn’t evade.
The staff struck downward, unlike other heavy and imposing long staves. Instead, it was light and flowing, chasing the wind, changing with the movements, its inner energy fully contained, waiting for the moment of release.
In the howling wind, Jiang Hengchuan’s expression remained calm and content, seemingly unaware of the oppressive wind wall, as if he were part of the wind itself, a natural element flowing with it.
At the same time, he struck outward with his right hand, fingers forming various seals, each seal containing profound principles, ever-changing and unfathomable.
His fingers clenched into a single point, as if amidst infinite change, there was an unchanging constant—just like how impermanence itself remains constant in an ever-changing world!
This was “The One!”
Faced with Qiu Fei’s formidable half-step external realm attack, Jiang Hengchuan gave it his all from the start!
Two disciples of the Shengsi Wu Chang Sect, their faces pale like corpses and wearing pointed hats, one dressed in black and the other in white, resembled the legendary Black and White Impermanence of the Underworld, but they looked identical, as if cloned.
Both attacked Meng Qi bare-handed. The white-robed disciple leapt upward against logic, striking downward with both palms, causing the air to collapse like a net, descending upon Meng Qi.
The black-robed disciple stepped forward, left hand across his chest, right hand lightly striking outward, perfectly coordinating with the airborne white-robed disciple, as if this attack had always been meant to be, incomplete without either.
The two palm forces met, forming a vortex that absorbed all surrounding vitality and yang energy, exuding chilling yin coldness.
Facing this attack, Meng Qi felt that nearly every flaw had been covered by the other, leaving only a few openings, which might even be traps.
The cold wind seeped through every gap, the palm force coming from all directions, as if every blade of grass and every stone around had become a deadly weapon, ready to strike or trip at the slightest misstep.
There are many who die from seemingly trivial causes—a misstep on a pebble causing a fall. Normally, this wouldn’t be fatal, but if the back of the head landed precisely on a sharp rock, that was the meaning of life’s impermanence.
Invited by Yama himself, every tiny detail could be the cause of death!
Their joint move was intricate and complementary, perfectly embodying this meaning.
This was the true core disciples of the Shengsi Wu Chang Sect! The thought flashed through Meng Qi’s mind as he raised “Tianzhi Shang,” its silver lightning surging.
In an instant, he made his decision. Instead of using the previously unexposed “Buddha’s Green Lamp,” he chose to unleash “Tianzhi Shang,” knowing lightning was the nemesis of yin and evil!
Nine rapid slashes followed, “Tianzhi Shang” becoming a blur, dispersing the cold wind, compressing the air, exploding with a thunderous roar like celestial thunder—powerful, domineering, and purging the yin and evil!
Even without the Purple Lightning Skill, the nine slashes became electric serpents, entwining like a thunderous dragon, charging toward the two disciples of the Shengsi Wu Chang Sect.
The blade cut through the sky, rumbling continuously, its lightning flashing, the surrounding grass and earth blackening from its power, as if struck by heavenly thunder.
The blackening spread rapidly toward the “Black and White Impermanence,” sweeping away all yin energy, cold winds, and impermanence.
Concerned that there might be more enemies or that the “Ningzhou Hero,” the living corpse, was nearby, Meng Qi decided from the start to end the battle quickly. He didn’t try to use the Solitary Sword or Heaven’s Blade techniques to counter the “Shengsi Wu Chang” move but instead used brute force to overwhelm it with thunderous yang energy!
The blade was refined, dominating, and blinding with electric light—pure yang, absolute and righteous. Once struck, the yin and evil would be utterly annihilated!
Crackling sounds filled the air as lightning blades tore through, the palm forces completely shattered. For the first time, the two disciples of the Shengsi Wu Chang Sect, with their corpse-like faces, showed genuine fear.
However, this move was no ordinary technique. It still weakened and slowed Meng Qi’s blade. Bai Wu Chang used a thousand-jin fall, rapidly descending to stand beside Hei Wu Chang, palms forming an arc.
This move was strange—it generated a warm, yang energy, the technique itself powerful and domineering. Yet, upon closer inspection, within that yang energy lurked a trace of extreme yin death energy, the core of a seemingly rigid move being a soft transformation!
In contrast, Hei Wu Chang placed his hands back to back, palms outward, also forming an arc. The yin wind rose again, the death intent deepening. The technique flowed like water, infiltrating every gap, yet at its core, a hidden yang force surged, the transformation fierce and powerful!
Their techniques merged once more, the surrounding air currents forming a circular energy mass. On the left, life concealed death; on the right, death concealed life. They transformed continuously, embodying the cycle of life and death.
This move had manifested a “Life-Death Taiji!”
This was similar to Meng Qi’s “Yin and Yang Three Harmonies—What is the Origin, What is the Transformation?” philosophy—life and death interdependent, transforming together. Yet, in terms of technique intricacy and touch of cosmic principles, this surpassed Meng Qi’s own creation, being one of the Shengsi Wu Chang Sect’s ultimate techniques.
Meng Qi’s “Yin and Yang Three Harmonies” embraced both forces, adapting to the opponent’s state upon contact. If the enemy had already suffered losses, he could adjust accordingly, such as half-concealing his energy and changing tactics. But the Shengsi Wu Chang Sect’s move was such that at any moment, it could be life or death—no way to predict!
Fortunately, they were on defense!
Crackling lightning blades, like divine punishment, scorched the ground, shattered stones, and struck the Life-Death Taiji head-on.
The Taiji rotated, shifting from life to death, neutralizing the blade’s most dangerous lightning energy. Then, shifting from death to life, it erupted with energy and air currents.
Boom!
The Life-Death Taiji and lightning blade exploded simultaneously. The ground bore black scars, and soil was thrown into the air.
Guiyi’s finger shot out, striking the tip of Qiu Fei’s staff. A slender finger met a thick staff, yet both froze momentarily, like a still landscape.
The wind faded, the contained energy dissipated, and everything returned to normal.
Using this moment, Jiang Hengchuan withdrew his right hand and struck with his left palm, the force like rolling waves, the impact like an earth dragon rising, shaking the ground with unstoppable might.
Reluctantly, Qiu Fei pulled back his staff to defend.
Bang!
The palm and staff met. Jiang Hengchuan used the force to propel himself backward, escaping Qiu Fei’s range.
Meanwhile, the two disciples of the Shengsi Wu Chang Sect, having blocked “Tianzhi Shang,” roared in anger, ready to attack again, only to find Meng Qi had already withdrawn, running along the hill’s edge toward Jinshui River at an incredible speed, like a phantom.
Meng Qi and Jiang Hengchuan fled in different directions, each pursued by Qiu Fei and the disciples. They circled around, gradually reuniting.
Qiu Fei’s face was dark with determination, closing the distance.
At that moment, Meng Qi and Jiang Hengchuan exchanged glances, and in unison, struck each other with their palms.
Normally, this wouldn’t help, but Meng Qi had the Undying Seal Art, and Jiang Hengchuan could guess his specialty, having fought him before.
Peng! The palms met with a dull sound. Using the force, they separated again, accelerating as they leapt into the Jinshui River.
Qiu Fei was a step too late, watching helplessly. He dared not enter the water, knowing both had life-threatening techniques. In the water, his martial arts and half-step external realm powers would be useless, making it extremely dangerous!
The Jinshui River flowed slowly, Qiu Fei’s gaze filled with hatred.
…
Back at the courtyard, Meng Qi dried off with inner energy. From the earlier situation, he guessed why the “Ningzhou Hero” hadn’t appeared:
He had lost control once, and the two core disciples of the Nine Orifices had reasserted control, afraid to use him again in front of Meng Qi.
Back then, it was likely because of Meng Qi’s seemingly miraculous display of the Heaven-Shaking, Earth-Shattering Method that the disciples of Shengsi Wu Chang and Qiu Fei had not appeared, simply following the Ningzhou Hero away.
“Qiu Fei has colluded with the nine evil sects. We must report this to the Six Ministries and mobilize the righteous martial artists to deal with him,” Meng Qi planned to act without revealing his identity.
Jiang Hengchuan agreed, “That is exactly what should be done.”
As dawn broke, the two headed to the Six Ministries and coincidentally met the green-robed enforcer Dai Fei.
“Qiu Fei of the Yangxia Qiu Clan is dead,” Dai Fei said bluntly upon seeing them.
A thought suddenly struck Meng Qi: faking death to escape, avoiding implicating his family!
In that case, Qiu Fei was truly resolute—ruthless enough not to cling to mere luck.
(Note: The term “侥幸” was interpreted as “luck” based on context, as the original text indicated it might be a placeholder or typo.)
Jiang Hengchuan recounted the previous night’s events. Dai Fei shared a similar view, frowning, “The Qiu family has deep roots. If Qiu Fei faked his death, it would be hard to implicate them. Sigh, let’s go to the scene first.”
Qiu Fei’s body was a pile of flesh, seemingly killed by the “Ningzhou Hero.” Dai Fei took some blood and flesh to test for lineage.
The clues were lost once more. The game in Maoling still appeared to be under the control of the shadowy figure behind the scenes. Yet Meng Qi remained patient. Silently departing the city, he found a secluded spot and crushed the Reincarnation Talisman.
This was the agreed three-month deadline. After exploring the mysterious tomb of Zhenwu, he would call Jiang Zhiwei and Ruan Yushu, who were nearby, to secretly infiltrate Maoling. Ideally, the little glutton would bring strong guards. Would the mastermind and Wang Siyuan anticipate this?
Hmph, the game will surely exceed their control!
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