It is currently my True Form appearing; it’s not a secondary identity. It would be unwise to expose my secret agent status… I must maintain the image of a young hero… being overly meticulous would seem petty… indeed, I cannot ruin someone else’s livelihood… numerous thoughts flashed through Meng Qi’s mind. He took out a banknote from Langya Ruan Clan’s money house and laughed heartily:
“This deserves compensation! This deserves compensation!”
With a generous laughter, Meng Qi turned around with his saber, while his heart bled inwardly.
Many around him, eager to befriend the “Fierce Saber” and willing to pay for him, were still stunned from the previous spectacle of flames and purple lightning flying everywhere. They hesitated for a moment too long, watching helplessly as Meng Qi walked toward the end of the street.
An You, seeing the amount on the banknote, quickly said: “Master Su, this is too much. After the compensation is settled, where should we send the remaining silver?”
In his mind, the “Fierce Saber” Su Meng would surely wave his hand freely and casually, saying with ease that there was no need to return the rest, just leave it for everyone to ease their nerves.
But at this moment, he heard a faint voice in his ear: “Send it to the residence of the Nine-Not Medical Sage…”
…
Late at night, after reporting Duan Rui’s matter to the Six Gates, Meng Qi stayed at the guest quarters of Zhong’s estate.
In the courtyard, a pond shimmered with clear green water. The lotuses had withered, their broken branches and dry leaves floating on the surface, forming a sharp contrast to the proud, upright green pines. It was a scene typical of late autumn nearing winter.
Dark clouds veiled the moon, and the sky was pitch black. Meng Qi sat cross-legged in meditation, refining the acupoints related to the eighth orifice, striving to open it as soon as possible. Once opened, his mastery over the Qi Cultivation Technique would surpass ordinary people, approaching the level of gods and demons.
The nine postures left by Duan Rui, Meng Qi believed, were definitely valuable, but he currently dared not attempt to practice them, fearing madness, demonic transformation, or becoming biased and extreme. He decided to wait until the next cycle mission began, then submit them to the Six Cycle Reincarnation for appraisal. Even if it turned out to be a demonic cultivation method, he could exchange it for some merit points.
He exhaled deeply, a lingering sense of doubt lingering in his mind regarding this matter.
Who was that old monk? Was he a real person, or was Duan Rui’s adoptive father lying—either intentionally or under the influence of negative demonic forces?
If the old monk truly existed, what was the nature of those nine pages of incomplete scrolls? Why would he tell Duan Rui’s adoptive father the “correct” cultivation order? Could it be that even he himself was uncertain, or perhaps he had other intentions?
Duan Rui’s adoptive father had managed to enter the back mountains of Shaolin—he was undoubtedly a mighty master. With his insight and vision, how easy would it be for Duan Rui’s negative demonic force to deceive him into practicing the wrong order?
In the quiet of the night, Meng Qi pondered repeatedly without finding an answer. He finally suppressed his doubts, calmed his mind, and tried to recover his exhausted spirit and body through sleep.
In the hidden passages behind Shaolin’s back mountains, the air was cold and dimly lit by a flickering torch.
Walking slowly, though his steps were light, they echoed within the narrow tunnel.
At the tunnel’s end, the rock wall curved outward, resembling an open chamber, with a stone door embedded in it.
As he reached out to touch it, a bone-chilling coldness surged through his body, a terrifying sensation that made him shiver all over, as if he had fallen into a hellish prison—limbs torn apart, decaying corpses, evil spirits and demons appearing one by one before his eyes.
He barely managed to turn his head and saw a line of text beside the stone door:
“Those who value love, righteousness, and benevolence must not enter this door.”
“Those who value love, righteousness, and benevolence must not enter this door!” Meng Qi suddenly awoke, his breathing slightly quickened, his expression filled with doubt.
This was something he had seen in the Shaolin back mountains of the Dorchad world. Because the layout of the two Shaolin mountains was identical, even the location of the hidden tunnel entrance was the same, he often had the feeling that what he had seen in that hidden tunnel might also exist in the Shaolin back mountains of the main world. Yet he never expected to dream of this today.
Was it a coincidence?
No!
Meng Qi steadied his breathing, deep in thought. This lingering doubt in his heart had stirred memories buried deep in his mind!
“Those who value love, righteousness, and benevolence must not enter this door…” Meng Qi repeated these eight words, gradually gaining some understanding.
These nine pages of incomplete scrolls might be closely related to this door. Even if they were originally a Buddhist divine technique, they likely concealed a “demonic” nature…
Perhaps the old monk’s true intention was to open this door…
That’s why he told Duan Rui’s adoptive father the cultivation order, “hoping” he would cultivate the “demonic art” and help open the door for exploration?
No, that doesn’t make sense. If I were him, Duan Rui’s adoptive father is a powerful figure, even among the Outer Scenery experts, not an easy opponent. He wouldn’t be an easy person to control. Moreover, he had direct contact with me and knows my aura characteristics—my appearance can be changed, but I must find an opportunity to eliminate this hidden danger…
So, did he go mad?
Meng Qi suddenly realized. It would be difficult for Duan Rui’s negative “demonic force” to deceive his adoptive father, but if there was a terrifying old monk secretly assisting, it would be entirely different. In that case, Duan Rui’s adoptive father went mad and could no longer recognize the culprit. Duan Rui, who had never even met the old monk but had already begun practicing the demonic art, became an even better candidate.
Through such a convoluted process, the old monk remained even more deeply hidden!
Meng Qi jumped out of bed, pacing the room, carefully pondering. Suddenly, a thought startled him.
Duan Rui was such an ideal candidate—would the old monk allow us to cure his dissociative disorder and never touch the demonic art again?
Earlier, when Duan Rui was locked in the underground prison, he had the ability to escape, and either he or his assigned observer would not rashly act. But what about now? Duan Rui was at the Nine-Not Medical Sage’s residence, his acupoints sealed, and the hope of curing his dissociative disorder was high. Would the old monk just sit back and wait?
Thinking thus, Meng Qi rushed directly out of the guest room, startling Qi Zhengyan in the neighboring room. Qi didn’t ask questions, just put on his clothes and followed Meng Qi toward Zhong Taiping’s medicine hut.
Zhong Taiping was fully focused on Duan Rui’s condition, deeply contemplating the best combination of herbs and acupuncture. He had moved into the study of the medicine hut. Sensing Meng Qi and Qi Zhengyan approaching, he opened the door, his beard bristling with anger, and shouted: “Why disturb my peace in the middle of the night?”
“Master Zhong, Duan Rui’s demonic art origin is suspicious. I fear something might happen—I must see him again,” Meng Qi stated directly.
Zhong Taiping angrily replied: “I’m staying right here. What could possibly happen?”
Still grumbling, he opened the door leading to the back courtyard of the medicine hut.
After crossing the courtyard where herbs were drying, his expression suddenly changed—there was no sign of life!
Duan Rui had all his acupoints sealed, but he wasn’t a corpse. Not to mention the several apprentice herbalists living in the back courtyard!
Zhong Taiping waved his sleeve, unleashing a gust of force that broke through the doors with loud cracks.
In the dim light, Meng Qi saw the scene inside Duan Rui’s room. An apprentice herbalist lay silently on the outer bed—but he had no breath left.
Meng Qi strode in, walked past the screen, and saw the inner bed empty—Duan Rui was gone.
“How could this happen! How could this happen…” Zhong Taiping first raged furiously, then whispered with growing fear. Although he wasn’t staying in the back courtyard, it was only separated by a relatively spacious courtyard. With his Half-Step Outer Scenery cultivation, he should have sensed any disturbance here…
All the questions could only lead to one conclusion:
The one who acted was extremely terrifying!
Meng Qi turned back to the outer room, carefully inspecting the apprentice herbalist’s cause of death. He found a single thread of finger-force precisely piercing the apprentice’s temple, killing him in his sleep.
“The finger-force was very weak, just enough to kill. I can’t determine the strength of the attacker,” Meng Qi sighed, feeling slightly guilty for the herbalist’s death.
Zhong Taiping’s face darkened: “It was like a finger strike from far away…”
How far exactly, he couldn’t tell.
“On the way here, ‘he’ had many opportunities to abduct Duan Rui or help conceal his trail, but didn’t act. He waited until the last moment and didn’t even eliminate us witnesses. This indicates that ‘he’ found it difficult to act and was constrained by many inevitable factors,” Meng Qi analyzed. “It also proves that the information we possess hasn’t reached a level that would prompt him to silence us.”
The Shaolin matter was full of twists and turns, with many mysteries in the back mountains. Meng Qi felt he must warn his master and younger apprentice brother.
Zhong Taiping paced back and forth, clenching his teeth, finally saying: “Report it to the Six Gates.”
Investigate any monks appearing nearby… Meng Qi silently added.
…
If it were the grasslands or Yunzhou, the first snow would already be falling in early October. But in Jiangdong, though the wind was cold, it hadn’t turned piercing yet. Many resilient plants in the forest still retained their green.
Duan Rui was awakened by the cold wind, looking around in confusion, as if in a dream.
Again… he had been controlled by the demon and fled… he suddenly understood, feeling both angry and dejected.
“You and I are originally one. Forcibly expelling me will only turn you into a fool,” his face suddenly twisted, his eyes turning deep and dark.
Duan Rui roared: “It’s still better than living like this, worse than death!”
“Heh, how can a fool marry Miss Feng?” As the “real” one, the demon knew Duan Rui better than anyone.
Duan Rui’s face flushed red: “I… I never thought about it! Moreover, with you around, she would only be harmed.”
“I like her too. Why would I harm her? You admire and adore her. I want to possess and enjoy her.” The demon wore a lewd expression. “But think carefully—what makes you think you can marry her? We know our own qualities. Without cultivating those nine postures, we are just ordinary people. With our background and origins, without powerful strength or impressive potential, how can we be chosen by the Feng family?”
“But… but…” Duan Rui couldn’t find words.
The demon sensed he had convinced Duan Rui and continued persuasively: “You and I are inseparable. Neither can harm the other. Just as Master Su said, it all depends on whether you can control your dark thoughts. The choice is in your hands. If you are sincere and upright, with an open heart, even cultivating demonic arts, you can still be a righteous gentleman, suppressing this demon within me. Therefore, don’t resist, don’t reject. Let’s continue cultivating the nine postures, gradually merging, changing our names and identities, becoming a great hero, and openly proposing to the Feng family.”
Duan Rui’s expression changed repeatedly, gazing silently at the half-withered wild grass.
“The Nine-Not Medical Sage’s acupuncture treatment and the initial herbal prescriptions are all known to you. If anything goes wrong, you can always use them to suppress me,” the demon added the final straw.
Duan Rui gave a barely perceptible nod.
…
“None of the monks from nearby temples could infiltrate the medicine hut without alerting Master Zhong. The Fox Chan sects are mostly similar. The rest have clear backgrounds, unrelated to Shaolin or demonic forces. It doesn’t seem like their work. Other powerful figures are local residents, and there was no unusual activity last night.” Since Duan Rui was merely an opened-orifice “demon,” the Six Gates only sent an experienced constable, An You, to report the situation.
Meng Qi pondered: “What about Duan Rui’s trail?”
“Completely vanished, as if he disappeared into thin air. Perhaps someone took him thousands of miles away overnight. We can only wait for other jurisdictions to report any clues.” An You smiled bitterly.
Without intelligence support from the Six Gates, Meng Qi couldn’t track or locate Duan Rui for long. He nodded slightly, falling into silence.
After An You left, Meng Qi, who had been silent for a while, suddenly exhaled, as if making a decision:
“Senior Brother Qi, I plan to return to Shaolin.”
I must inform my master and junior apprentice brother and warn them!
If I write a letter, it might not reach my master’s hands. If I go through the Six Gates and inform them about the old monk, they might suppress the information as leverage against Shaolin. After careful consideration, it seemed the only way was to go to Shaolin personally. Anyway, the Six Gates had mediated the previous matters, and everything had been settled.
“The monk behind the scenes is extremely dangerous. You’re putting yourself at risk,” Qi Zhengyan was not very supportive. Since the spy had existed for so many years, there was no need to rush. It would be better to wait until Zhen Hui descended the mountain for his journey and coincidentally met them.
Meng Qi smiled faintly: “Based on past events, the monk behind the scenes found it difficult to act, constrained by many factors. Otherwise, he would have already silenced us by killing us. Since that’s the case, even if there’s danger, it would stem from his orders, and the scale wouldn’t be too large. There’s still a good chance of success. My master has shown me kindness as deep as a mountain, and my junior apprentice brother and I share a profound bond. If I hadn’t known about this, it would have been fine. But now that I do, if I don’t go and inform them immediately, I won’t be able to live with myself!”
“If because of a delay, they end up harmed by the spy, I will never forgive myself for the rest of my life.”
Qi Zhengyan took a deep breath: “Then I’ll go with you.”
“No need. Senior Brother Qi, you continue traveling in Jiangdong. Occasionally, let someone who looks like me appear, confusing the situation and making people think I’m still in Jiangdong, making it easier for me to secretly slip into Shaolin.” Of course, Meng Qi would be happy to have help, but currently, Ruan Yushu had returned home and couldn’t go out for a while, making it hard to ask Ruan Yaoguang for help. Jiang Zhiwei had gone to Zhongzhou and couldn’t return temporarily. Qi Zhengyan also needed to help confuse the situation.
Certainly, this matter could also seek help from the Six Gates!
Considering the necessity of this deception, Qi Zhengyan nodded slightly: “Then be careful yourself and try to hide your trail.”
Meng Qi nodded, his hand gripping the hilt of “Sky’s Wound,” his expression turning solemn:
“A man lives but once. Some things, though dangerous, must be done!”
Though thousands oppose me, I shall go forth!
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