The clattering of hooves echoed as Meng Qi galloped along the long street. Unlike his outwardly carefree and heroic demeanor, his mind was filled with numerous questions.
He had actually encountered assassins from the Bureau of Injustice!
After secretly parting ways with Qi Zhengyan, he had changed his appearance and altered his route multiple times. He was confident that unless someone had been following him all along, in a world as vast as this, with so many bustling roads leading to Shaolin, and so many merchants and martial artists around, no one could have found him while he was concealing himself with the Nine Profound Heavens Art and the corresponding materials.
So, how could the assassins from the Bureau of Injustice intercept him?
Actually, Meng Qi was not entirely unprepared for the possibility of encountering Bureau of Injustice assassins, but such an abrupt encounter was unexpected—it should have happened according to a plan.
He knew that the closer he got to Shaolin, the fewer routes he would have to choose from, and the higher the chance of being discovered. If the mysterious monk behind the scenes truly possessed terrifying strength, he would certainly face an ambush or assassination attempt when approaching Liantai Mountain, where Shaolin was located. Given his current reputation, the enemy would at the very least be a half-step beyond worldly realm expert, likely someone who had broken through after reaching the state of Heaven-Man Communion, rather than a weaker half-step beyond worldly realm practitioner who had relied on pills or other artificial means to ascend, or possessed some other unique abilities.
If the hidden adversary wished to remain anonymous, it was highly probable that he would not deploy his established forces directly but instead turn to hired killers or assassins. This way, even if the attempt failed, there would be no clues to trace back.
Considering the danger of the final leg of his journey, Meng Qi had requested the Six Gates to protect “Lord Tang II,” offering rewards and half a year’s salary as incentives.
His excuse was that he was working together with Lord Tang II, one openly and one covertly, to deal with the Bureau of Injustice, one of the nine evil sects.
Once he entered Qinzhou and approached Shaolin, Meng Qi would don a mask made of human skin, transforming into Tang Jing, Lord Tang II, and secretly ask Six Gates’ silver-insignia constables and others to discreetly follow him. Using himself as bait, he intended to lure out the Bureau of Injustice assassins. When that happened, whoever the hidden mastermind sent would be identified as Bureau of Injustice assassins and either captured or stopped by the Six Gates.
In this way, Meng Qi could rely on the Six Gates’ power to deter the mysterious monk from taking any rash actions, all without revealing his true purpose or his identity as a secret agent of the Six Gates.
This strategy was inspired by the tactics of Lord Wang and Jiang Hengchuan: concealing one’s true intentions!
However, before he had even transformed into Lord Tang II or entered Qinzhou, how had he already encountered the Bureau of Injustice assassins?
He first ruled out the possibility of mistaken identity. Even if they knew he was “Lord Tang II,” how could they intercept him precisely in Longyan City after he had disguised himself and changed his route?
This was the biggest question in Meng Qi’s mind.
After crossing Longyan Mountain, he would enter the territory of Qinzhou. Shaolin was located at Liantai Mountain in the southern part of Qinzhou, not too far away, though there were still many possible routes to choose from.
More than a month had passed, and his senior brother Qi’s cover should no longer hold up. Any sharp-eyed person would realize that “Wild Blade” Su Meng was no longer with him.
If the mysterious monk figured this out…
Meng Qi suddenly felt a jolt of realization, as if he had understood something.
The Divine Eye and Divine Ear!
These legendary supernatural abilities were no longer myths but obstacles standing in his way!
The mysterious monk’s strength was likely even greater than he had imagined the strongest experts to be!
The cover arrangements in Jiangdong had failed. This location was not too far from Liantai Mountain, and considering all the traces he had left behind at Shaolin, the Divine Eye and Divine Ear might have overcome the interference and narrowed down the correct route to one of two or three options. Then, the monk could have ordered his subordinates to hire the Bureau of Injustice to set up assassins along those paths.
If that were the case, there shouldn’t have been only assassins of the caliber he had just encountered. At the very least, there should have been a true assassin!
The four assassins from before, judging by their skills and coordination, were likely Gold-tier assassins from the Bureau of Injustice. Such assassins were rare in number. After setting up a deadly ambush, unless they had special techniques to enhance their perception, or unless they possessed the ability to extend their senses and maintain a calm mind to detect their surroundings and the flow of true energy—akin to the Heaven-Man Communion or Heaven-Man Unity states—even top thirty ranked martial artists might still fall in battle, with their lives hanging in the balance.
But Meng Qi’s reputation was well known. Having survived numerous battles, his formidable mental strength was widely recognized. Even attempting to conceal it through the rankings would require a gradual approach. Now, he had even risen to the 11th position, the first among those ranked after the top ten. Such a group of opponents was clearly insufficient.
Given the Bureau of Injustice’s professionalism in assassination, they shouldn’t have made the mistake of underestimating him!
Unless… unless these four assassins were mainly meant to test his strength, making him slightly lower his guard and relax momentarily, giving the real assassin an opportunity!
“One strike after another, the first with vigor, the second with waning strength, the third with exhaustion.” When the horse trader thought the ambush was over and everyone could breathe a sigh of relief, the real strike would come, making people even more convinced that the danger had passed. After surviving the most lethal blow, who could imagine another attack was imminent?
These thoughts surged through his mind in mere moments. Suddenly, Meng Qi’s instincts tensed. His outwardly extended spirit sensed no changes, but his intuition suddenly flared with the extreme danger he had felt when he first encountered the Wolf King!
Without hesitation, he unleashed his true energy, slamming into his steed and propelling himself into the air.
At that very moment, a black shadow, a blend of horse and man, shot up from below. It was pitch-black, as if it had come to life, and a long sword gleaming with a sinister blue sheen pierced through the horse’s belly, bursting out from its back and aiming directly at Meng Qi’s lower body.
If Meng Qi had been even half a beat slower, his lower body would have been impaled, his intestines spilling out. That area was the weak point of the Golden Bell Cover and the Nine Profound Heavens Art!
A figure capable of hiding within shadows or transforming into one must be at least a half-step beyond worldly realm, and at least a Red-tier assassin!
The assassin didn’t hesitate. The black shadow darted like a spear, bursting from the horse’s body with a sickening sound, scattering blood and flesh. The horse let out a pained cry and collapsed, a gaping hole torn through its back, blood and entrails splattering everywhere like blooming flowers.
The black shadow remained unstained by blood, the blue-tinted sword chasing Meng Qi. It struck upward from below, targeting his lower body once again, moving so fast it left afterimages.
Thanks to the horse blocking the way, Meng Qi had a moment to breathe. Even without time to fully channel the Purple Lightning Force, he could still unleash a full-strength slash.
The long blade descended slowly, surprisingly so, but each subtle shift in its motion was almost imperceptibly fast, too quick to follow. It moved with a deceptive slowness that concealed countless rapid changes, enveloping the surrounding area in its pressure. It seemed as though no matter which direction one tried to dodge, escape was impossible.
The slow blade met the lightning-fast sword, creating a strange yet beautiful spectacle.
Clang! Clang! Clang! The blade and sword clashed repeatedly. The sword seemed to be affected by the slow-moving blade, entangled in its shifting patterns, its speed gradually decreasing.
Using the momentum from these collisions, Meng Qi twisted mid-air and landed on the stone-paved street, taking several steps backward to channel the terrifying true energy from the sword through his feet and into the ground.
The energy was thin and insidious, flowing like a serpent, seeping into every crevice. Part of it was blocked by the Nine Profound Heavens Art, and part was neutralized by the Deathless Seal Art, but not all of it. Meng Qi had to expel the remaining energy from his body.
As he stepped back, several stone slabs remained intact for a moment, until a winter breeze swept past, turning them into fine dust that danced in the air.
If not for the Nine Profound Heavens Art strengthening his body’s meridians, even if he could dissipate the force, Meng Qi would likely have suffered internal injuries.
The black shadow also used the momentum to descend, skimming low to the ground like a thin layer of darkness, swiftly “gliding” toward Meng Qi. The sword showed no sign of leaking any true energy.
Meng Qi had steadied himself. Swinging “Heaven’s Wound,” he unleashed a silver-white flickering blade light, vast and misty, like countless lanterns in the night.
Silence. Complete silence. No movement.
Meng Qi’s heart jolted. This was the first time in his use of the A-nan Breaking Precept Blade Technique that he had felt absolutely nothing. His opponent seemed like a lifeless corpse!
Was it due to a unique martial technique, or had the opponent used drugs to forcibly suppress his emotions?
No! Suddenly, Meng Qi realized something and immediately lunged forward without hesitation.
Just then, the black shadow in front of him gradually became transparent and then dissipated—it was an illusion! No wonder the A-nan Breaking Precept Blade Technique had been ineffective!
Meanwhile, his own shadow beneath his feet suddenly came alive. The sword angled upward, aiming for his backside.
Meng Qi reacted half a beat faster. Without stopping his movement, he slashed his blade backward in one swift motion, channeling his true energy and spirit into it. The blade became an extension of his eyes, his hands, and his entire body, allowing him to sense the surroundings and observe the black shadow and the sword in its grasp.
“Heaven’s Wound” traced a mysterious path and struck the sword with a crisp clang, as if it had been waiting for this exact moment.
The insidious, soft energy surged in. Meng Qi’s body glowed faintly golden from the Nine Profound Heavens Art, with the Deathless Seal Art within, either blocking, neutralizing, or expelling the energy. His steps remained steady as he crushed several stone slabs beneath his feet, and a trickle of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.
At this moment, the street was in chaos. The martial artists who had been inspired by Meng Qi’s words rushed forward, including members from the city’s noble families. The black shadow hesitated, then leapt into the shadows of the city gate, vanishing completely.
If cornered and attracting the attention of powerful figures within Longyan City, the assassin, skilled in assassination rather than close combat, would have no chance of escape.
Winter sunlight poured down, illuminating the muddy ground. The world before him was bright and warm, making the previous events feel like a dream.
Reflecting on the battle, Meng Qi assessed the assassin’s strength. It was a Red-tier assassin, a half-step beyond worldly realm, but likely one who had reached that level through drugs or forced breakthroughs. In terms of true energy and strength, there was no insurmountable gap between them. However, the assassin’s half-step beyond worldly realm supernatural ability, combined perfectly with his identity as an assassin, made him a deliberately crafted threat. Together, in terms of assassination alone, he might not be inferior to most half-step beyond worldly realm experts.
Extremely terrifying!
Even more terrifying was the fact that the mysterious monk had no intention of testing or training him. If he had indeed hired the Bureau of Injustice, the Red-tier assassin was likely just the beginning. Orange-tier or even higher-level assassins might soon appear, eliminating threats with lightning speed. If Meng Qi’s route had been confirmed earlier, he might have already faced them.
Fortunately, although the plan had been interrupted, he could still adapt. Assassins from the Bureau of Injustice were universally hated, and Six Gates experts and some beyond worldly realm martial artists would not turn a blind eye. This was the perfect opportunity to spread the news widely, making it seem as though the Six Gates were hiding nearby, waiting to capture the assassin alive. This would deter the Bureau of Injustice’s beyond worldly realm assassins from acting rashly.
Once he crossed Longyan Mountain and entered Qinzhou, it would not be far to Shaolin. Then, by making a big commotion, perhaps his master would hear of it and come to meet him directly. With such widespread sources of information, the mysterious monk would be unable to suppress it.
Meng Qi laughed heartily and shouted, “A Red-tier assassin from the Bureau of Injustice has appeared and been driven off by me! If you believe in your strength, follow me quietly!”
With that, he turned toward the city gate, walking slowly as if waiting for more powerful allies, yet maintaining a distance from the crowd to avoid any assassin hiding among them.
Ten miles outside the city lay Longyan Mountain.
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