Using strength to deflect strength, borrowing force to oppose force; without the infused power, how is a hidden weapon any different from a child’s plaything?
As for the toxins attached to them, how could Meng Qi, who had already started cultivating the seventh stage of the Golden Bell Shield without sustaining any wounds, be poisoned, especially when the toxins were not extraordinary poisons that open acupoints or toxic mists?
If the hidden weapon launched by the “Poisonous Hand Arhat” could truly threaten Meng Qi, wouldn’t the abilities to detect enemies through inner energy and perceive them via spiritual awareness be utterly useless? He wasn’t cultivating supreme martial arts like the *Jade Emperor’s Manual*, nor was he a powerhouse nearing the harmony of heaven and humanity like the Star God of Fire!
Thud! The Poisonous Hand Arhat fell backward. Meng Qi did not stop but stepped over him and rushed into the corridor.
He must intercept the Snake King before he discovered and fled!
He fully unleashed his footwork, moving swiftly like a phantom or a demon, instantly vanishing from the sight of the survivor Yue Gu. Jiang Hengchuan, seemingly unhurried, appeared to merge seamlessly with the surrounding environment. With each step, he harnessed the environmental changes, effectively shrinking distances and stepping into the corridor.
The entire hall was silent, with only Yue Gu still standing; everyone else was dead.
Just a moment ago, there had been two Guardians and nearly ten assassins, their yang energy vibrant!
A night breeze blew through, creating a chilling echo. Yue Gu couldn’t help but shiver. Could it be that he had encountered a malevolent ghost seeking vengeance?
Such swordsmanship was simply divine and ghostly!
The corridor twisted and turned, passing over a pond filled with vicious fish, connecting to the small building where the Snake King resided. There was no candlelight visible in the darkness, suggesting that the Snake King had already fallen asleep.
Meng Qi and Jiang Hengchuan each took a side, advancing rapidly along the corridor, racing against time.
Their minds focused inward while their spirits extended outward, either merging with their long swords or blending into the environment. Meng Qi’s mind was clear and unwavering.
After running a few steps, his sword suddenly stabbed downward to the left without any warning.
An assassin was clinging to the outer side of the corridor, hiding within the water’s ripples and shadows, his right hand gripping a blade, waiting for the white-robed swordsman to draw near.
This was the opportunity! As Meng Qi passed by, he leaped up suddenly, aiming to slash at Meng Qi’s lower abdomen while staying close to the corridor floor.
Yet at that very moment, a sword blade appeared before his eyes. Somehow, the sword had already reached him, striking with pinpoint accuracy!
Plop! The assassin took a sword to the throat, clutching his neck as he fell into the pond with a splash. Blood trickled outward with the ripples, and a swarm of armored, scale-covered vicious fish quickly gathered, tearing at the flesh.
After Meng Qi thrust his sword forward, the top of the corridor suddenly shattered. A black-clothed figure, wielding a blade with both hands, slashed downward at Meng Qi’s right neck.
He coldly watched his comrade die, all for this very opportunity!
With the sword having just killed someone, there was no time to defend himself!
Then he saw a bolt of lightning.
Brilliant and dazzling.
What awaited him was not his intended target’s neck, but a long blade.
The blade was fast, and only after it had been withdrawn did the black-clothed figure finally see its shape. It was uniquely designed, resembling a giant wound, shimmering with silver-white electric light.
Crack! Crack! Crack! His entire body split apart, organs scattering onto the ground, soft and limp.
Meng Qi wielded sword in one hand and blade in the other, eyes forward, rushing forward like the wind and lightning, his white robes fluttering, untouched by dust or blood.
As the small building came into sight, Meng Qi suddenly halted his steps.
At that moment, figures burst forth from beneath the corridor and from beyond the railings on both sides. Their blades flashed like bolts of silk, working in unison to seal off all escape routes!
Yet their web of blades found no one within!
Meng Qi had paused just in time, stopping precisely at the edge of their combined attack range—no more than half a step forward, no less than half a step back.
The sword light flared, and three figures each clutched their throats, retreating. One slumped slowly against a beam, while the others stumbled and fell into the pond with splashes. Broken lotus leaves drifted on the ripples, blood flowing like tiny snakes.
A swarm of fish arrived, feasting heartily.
On the other side, Jiang Hengchuan strode forward. He suddenly thrust out his right palm, unleashing a violent gust of inner energy. Immediately afterward, his left palm followed, the force combining with the previous gust.
Whoosh!
A violent gale formed, and the inner energy coalesced into a fierce energy dragon, roaring forward.
Thud! Thud! The corridor shook as figures were forced out, their chests caved in and ribs broken, falling into the pond to become fish food.
Simple and brutal, yet swift. Jiang Hengchuan quickly caught up with Meng Qi at the entrance of the small building.
They didn’t go through the door. Instead, they pushed off the ground like great eagles spreading their wings, soaring upward to the second floor, where the Snake King’s bedroom was located.
In midair, with no place to gain leverage, a black shadow suddenly lunged down from the second floor, wielding a blade with both hands, attacking the two with fierce momentum.
The long blade rose, and metal clashed against metal. Meng Qi blocked one strike, his body momentarily weighed down, beginning to descend.
Hmph, with this commotion and delay, the old Snake King should be able to escape through the secret passage! The black shadow thought smugly upon realizing his successful ambush.
At this moment, midair and unable to counterattack, they couldn’t possibly attack him. If he seized the opportunity, he could definitely escape safely.
Suddenly, he saw a sword light flare up. Incredulously, he looked toward his own neck, where a sword tip had already pierced a few inches in.
How could he possibly draw his sword?
Only as his vision darkened did the scene flash through his mind—how the white-robed swordsman had thrown his sword upward, flicked it with his finger, and launched it like a hidden weapon…
How could one use a sword in such a way…
Meng Qi’s descent became more pronounced. He swung his long blade again, striking at the Zi-Wu point.
Using this force, he managed to rise slightly, grabbed the sword handle with his left hand, pulled hard, and used the momentum to ascend again, like a white bird diving forward and landing on the second floor.
Thud! The black shadow plummeted faster, landing heavily at the entrance of the small building, his limbs twisted unnaturally. But he no longer felt any pain.
All of this happened in a flash. Jiang Hengchuan, slightly lagging behind in midair, had not yet attacked when he saw the black figure pass him by. The blade that should have been aimed at him fell lifelessly into the corridor.
At this point, the first assassin who had fallen into the pond had only just begun to have his flesh torn away, revealing his bones.
…
The Snake King was old. Indeed, he was truly old—not only were his skin wrinkled and his face gaunt, but even his once-steady hands now trembled slightly when no one was watching. Moreover, he increasingly felt fatigued, his spirit waning. He slept early and woke early, needing to rest several times a day.
A former assassin, he had risen through betrayal and slaughter, gradually building his foundation. Later, with the support of a benefactor, he broke through the limitations of the Snake Fist, successfully opening the Life-and-Death Mystical Meridian, becoming a renowned figure in Maoling.
But precisely because of these experiences, he was extremely suspicious. Even his four trusted Guardians could not approach within three feet of him. After he fell asleep, no one was allowed to enter his room; at most, only one person could stand guard at the door, while the rest had to retreat from the small building. Anyone who approached without permission would be killed!
This was no joke. The Snake King had once pretended to sleep to test his subordinates, killing several who had approached without permission, making his underlings fear him even more.
The sounds of splashes and clashing metal gradually reached the ears of the lightly sleeping Snake King, startling him awake.
They were faint, almost like illusions.
His aged state caused him to take an extra moment to shake off the effects of sleep and confirm that the sounds were real. Alert, he rose, listened intently, and extended his spiritual awareness, trying to sense the commotion outside.
Two moments later, he approached the secret passage entrance, preparing to open the hidden door while calling out:
“What’s happening? Go check and report back!”
“Yes.” A strange voice replied. The door creaked open, and the Snake King froze, seeing a snow-white-robed swordsman step in with his sword drawn.
His features were handsome, his face well-defined, exuding a graceful yet unmistakably aloof and cold demeanor. He was like the sword in his hand—lonely, confident, sharp, and cold, having only enemies and no friends.
His robes were spotless, just as pristine as his appearance, like a drawn sword, unhidden and radiating sharpness.
He had already arrived at the door just after hearing the sounds?
How could he be so fast!
How could he be this fast!
Under the pressure of spiritual confrontation and energy resonance, the Snake King dared not immediately flee through the secret passage—it would mean exposing his back to the enemy, an extremely dangerous move.
His heart churned with shock and disbelief at how swiftly the enemy had arrived. His carefully arranged defenses, meant to give him ample time to awaken and escape, had proven utterly ineffective, as fragile as tofu served at dinner!
Even if this opponent were merely at the Enlightenment stage, he could not be underestimated in the slightest!
“If you seal your own acupoints, I won’t take your life.” Meng Qi pointed his sword forward, his aura as cold as ice and snow.
A surge of anger rose in the Snake King’s heart. How long had it been since he had heard such words after mastering his martial arts? And from a mere junior at the Enlightenment stage!
His withered face darkened. “Who are you people, and why have you intruded…”
Before he could finish speaking, he lunged forward, his fists raised and lowered like a snake, his inner energy restrained, showing no signs.
The shadows in the room seemed to come alive, becoming indistinguishable illusions, attacking Meng Qi from all directions.
The Snake King blended into them, making it hard to tell which shadow was real.
As he launched his attack, he saw a blade flash. His opponent had the same idea—distracting him with words before suddenly striking!
Lightning flashed, faster than imaginable. The blade had already reached the cluster of shadows near Meng Qi.
Though aged and weakened, the Snake King was still a genuine Half-Step Beyond-World cultivator, his cultivation level evident. Meng Qi could not sense his true form through spiritual perception. All his inner energy was hidden, like a real venomous snake, silently waiting to strike. He was indistinguishable from the illusions, leaving Meng Qi to rely on instinct, trusting his blade and sword to strike the cluster of shadows!
The long blade struck a shadow, landing on empty air. Suddenly, Meng Qi sensed something and slashed sideways.
The Snake King’s form revealed itself. Like a boneless, slippery snake, he dodged the blade, slipping past Meng Qi toward the door.
From the beginning, he had no intention of fighting to the death. In such an uncertain situation with an unknown enemy, he had no desire to fight—he only wanted to escape.
The older one becomes in the martial world, the more cautious one grows.
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