Dou Mu Yuanjun… Meng Qi’s heart sank. Could this be the same Dou Mu Yuanjun who had already reached the peak of the Outer Realm decades ago?
Back at Shaolin’s Great Hero Hall, Xuan Yuanzi, the head of logistics for the Zhenwu Sect, once mentioned how he had encountered a “Dou Mu Yuanjun” at a Fairyland Ruins. After a fierce battle, he barely escaped, battered and bruised.
As a Grandmaster-level figure, renowned on the Earth List, he was certain that Dou Mu Yuanjun was at the peak of the Outer Realm. Considering the time that had passed, it had already been over a decade since their clash. It was possible that Dou Mu Yuanjun had already reached the Half-Step Dharma Body stage. Even if not, she would still be no weaker than Meng Qi’s master-uncle. Within the “Fairyland Ruins,” she was likely among the top three strongest figures beneath the “Lord of Spiritual Treasures.”
Suddenly encountering such a prominent figure from the “Fairyland Ruins,” Meng Qi couldn’t help but feel momentarily stunned.
Dressed in a simple green robe and skirt, with the hem tailored closely around her legs, resembling martial attire, Dou Mu Yuanjun exuded an extraordinary aura that left a lasting impression.
She was currently reading the notice posted on a jade pillar. Upon sensing Meng Qi and Bi Xia Yuanjun’s approach, she slowly turned around, revealing a face partially obscured by the “Dou Mu Yuanjun” mask. She examined Meng Qi from head to toe, her voice clear and ethereal: “Finally, someone has chosen the inheritance of ‘Yuanshi Tianzun.'”
Her eyes were deep and shadowy, carrying a faint trace of age and a hint of strange nostalgia.
“Greetings, Yuanjun,” Meng Qi carefully bowed.
Dou Mu Yuanjun gave a slight nod: “I hope one day I will see the Wuxiang, Daoyi, and Kaitian Seal.”
With that, she turned her head away and ignored Meng Qi.
“Why does Dou Mu Yuanjun seem so strange and mysterious?” Meng Qi whispered privately to Bi Xia Yuanjun.
Bi Xia Yuanjun replied with a smile in her voice: “Yuanjun possesses formidable strength and a noble status, as a major figure in this world, she naturally sees things that others cannot.”
Is that so? Meng Qi stared intently at Dou Mu Yuanjun, sensing her elusive aura. Around her, tiny specks of brilliant starlight shimmered, as if the vast cosmos followed her every step.
“With Yuanjun’s cultivation level, your secret whispering is like shouting loudly in public,” Bi Xia Yuanjun scoffed with a hint of mischief.
I just said she seemed strange… Meng Qi’s expression turned blank as he realized he had chosen a mocking title upon arrival, speaking ill of such a powerful figure.
Right, earlier Jiuniang had used secret whispering first!
But she didn’t say anything bad, and she was an Outer Realm expert. This… this was a deliberate provocation for him to follow suit!
This woman really has a vengeful heart!
Bi Xia Yuanjun radiated satisfaction as she pointed toward the jade pillars: “You can choose your own tasks. As long as you complete them within a year, otherwise you will violate the contract. Completing three tasks will allow you to apply for the formal member examination.”
Meng Qi had already survived the death mission and met the strength requirements, qualifying him for the examination. However, as a newly joined member, he would naturally need to be observed for a while first.
Under the watchful and ambiguous gazes, Meng Qi slowly strolled through the Fairyland Bazaar, scanning the notices pinned to the jade pillars, searching for tasks related to Jiuxiang, so he wouldn’t have to go back later specifically to complete them.
Many of the exchanged items stirred excitement in Meng Qi, but most of his own martial arts items had either been converted into good karma or were still useful, leaving him with nothing extra to offer. He could only hope for future insights into the “Rulai Divine Palm.”
Suddenly, his eyes lit up as he spotted the two characters “Jiuxiang”:
“Urgent Mission: A female member of our junior team has become entangled in a romantic dispute with the master of Tianxiang in Jiuxiang World. She has been imprisoned within Tianxiang and refuses to leave, making it difficult for our junior team to complete their main mission and delaying their return indefinitely. We humbly request assistance from senior members.”
“Mission Reward: A 500-year-old Qinghua fruit.”
“Mission Poster: Junior Team ‘Beiming.'”
Qinghua fruit? A primary ingredient for the “Dongji Everlasting Pill”? Meng Qi pondered thoughtfully.
Noticing Meng Qi’s lingering gaze on this mission, Bi Xia Yuanjun explained in detail: “Beiming is one of our junior teams, but no one has yet passed the observation and selection to become a junior member.”
“With their strength, their main mission shouldn’t have involved the master of Jiuxiang,” Meng Qi remarked with a slight chuckle. It seemed like a clichéd romantic subplot had developed?
Since they weren’t even junior members, the Beiming team certainly had no one capable of entering the top 25 of the Human List. Meanwhile, Jiuxiang World must have figures at the Outer Realm level, with the master of Tianxiang being at least at the Half-Step Outer Realm. Given their strength, even combined, they likely couldn’t handle such an enemy, hence Meng Qi’s conclusion.
“Of course not,” Bi Xia Yuanjun affirmed. “Most likely, they recklessly opened a side mission and became entangled with Tianxiang.”
At this, she chuckled: “It’s said their main mission has no time limit. If they can’t complete it, they’ll remain stuck in Jiuxiang indefinitely, so they managed to submit the mission request through another cycle team to seek help.”
“Wouldn’t staying there be fine? After all, returning to the main world is just an instant. They could focus on cultivation, wait until they reach the Half-Step Outer Realm, and then rescue their teammate themselves,” Meng Qi questioned.
Unless that female member was very close to the other team members, who couldn’t bear to see her imprisoned.
Bi Xia Yuanjun scoffed: “Do you think the Six Dao would be so kind? Any mission without a time limit will make cultivation increasingly difficult. After a month, it’ll have almost no effect. Plus, your aging won’t stop. If you return to the main world, people nearby will witness someone’s hair turning white in an instant.”
“I see…” Meng Qi felt even more determined not to try exploiting loopholes in the Six Dao. Who knows what traps might be lying ahead?
He hesitated for a moment: “Yuanjun, I’ll take this mission. Do you have detailed information about the team and Jiuxiang?”
His real intention was the latter.
“Yes,” Bi Xia Yuanjun gestured for Meng Qi to first remove the notice.
As soon as the notice entered Meng Qi’s hand, it flared up with a green flame, then flew into Meng Qi’s “Yuanshi Tianzun” mask. In front of his eyes appeared detailed information about the Beiming team. Currently, the team had only four members, two males and two females, with the imprisoned woman using the alias “Qin Qing.”
As he read, he listened to Bi Xia Yuanjun’s explanation about Jiuxiang: “Jiuxiang consists of Tianxiang, Dixin, Renxiang, Rixiang… Their martial arts were all obtained from a mysterious mausoleum within the “Qianli Mountains.” However, each of their patriarchs went mad in their old age and returned to the tomb. This mausoleum is very mysterious; we’ve never found it, and it should be quite dangerous. You shouldn’t get involved with it for now.”
We’ve already explored it all… Meng Qi listened impassively.
“There’s no traditional concept of an imperial court in Jiuxiang. The nine villages jointly maintain the world and elect a Tianyuan Emperor to serve as a figurehead similar to a Son of Heaven. This Tianyuan Emperor either possesses unparalleled martial prowess to subdue all under heaven or emerges from within Jiuxiang itself. In any case, the masters of each of the nine villages are at least at the Half-Step Outer Realm level…”
Bi Xia Yuanjun continued to explain the information gathered by the Fairyland about Jiuxiang, “The previous Tianyuan Emperor was Huangfu Tao of Junshen Manor, known as ‘Punishing Heaven on Behalf of Heaven.’ However, like the patriarchs of the nine villages, he also returned to the mysterious mausoleum in his old age.”
“It seems that Jiuxiang has yet to elect this generation’s ‘Tianyuan Emperor,’ since at least two Outer Realm experts exist outside Jiuxiang, along with the masters of Yuexiang and Xiangxiang, making four Outer Realm experts who must first determine their strength hierarchy.”
I know this person… Meng Qi murmured with a sigh upon hearing Huangfu Tao’s name. Thanks to his guidance and instruction, Meng Qi was able to grasp some of the essence of Dharma Body techniques. He needed to find an opportunity to repay this favor.
After clearly knowing that the Abstention Breaking Blade Method of A-nan included the technique “Sticking to Karma” and that inheriting a powerful cultivator’s martial art meant inheriting their corresponding karma and fortune, Meng Qi had become more cautious about matters of karma, preferring to repay debts when possible. Moreover, he genuinely felt grateful to Huangfu Tao. Additionally, he needed to obtain the complete version of “Heaven’s Thunder Five Thunder Strike” from Junshen Manor.
“This is the map of Jiuxiang,” Bi Xia Yuanjun handed Meng Qi a simple map. Centered around the “Qianli Mountains,” it depicted the distribution of the nine villages, as well as major factions like Junshen Manor and Daode Monastery.
Meng Qi examined the map carefully and let out a slight exclamation. Tianxiang was quite far from Junshen Manor. With only a month’s time from the cycle talisman, it might not be enough.
“What’s wrong?” Bi Xia Yuanjun asked.
Meng Qi carefully chose his words: “I see that the nine villages are scattered. I’m worried I might be sent elsewhere, and a month might not be enough to reach Tianxiang.”
“Hmm, you still have some good karma, right?” Bi Xia Yuanjun’s tone was relaxed, as if she didn’t think it was a problem at all.
“I still have two or three hundred points,” Meng Qi didn’t understand why she asked this.
Bi Xia Yuanjun pointed to the central jade pillar: “Normally, activating the cycle talisman outside won’t let you enter the Cycle Plaza, but our Fairyland has some privileges. The central jade pillar is equivalent to half a Cycle Plaza. You can go there and exchange for an extra month or two.”
“Can it be done like that?” Meng Qi was surprised.
Bi Xia Yuanjun scoffed: “Of course. After you survive four more death missions, you’ll gain many privileges. This is one of them.”
She didn’t elaborate further since Meng Qi was still a probationary member, and details about the Six Dao were secret.
“I see… By the way, earlier I noticed even a team like ‘Beiming’ has a team name. Why don’t we have one?” Meng Qi remembered his previous question.
Bi Xia Yuanjun sneered: “Either you become our probationary team, and we’ll give you a team name, or you survive another death mission.”
“Forget it then,” Meng Qi shrugged casually, walked to the large jade pillar in the center, spent two hundred good karma points to exchange for an extra month, and then activated the “Cycle Talisman.”
A green light flashed, and he vanished from the spot. Before his eyes appeared a scroll depicting the scene of the Zhenwu Suspected Tomb:
“You may choose an exit direction from the Qianli Mountains…” the voice of the Master of the Six Dao Wheel sounded.
Meng Qi identified the location and chose the exit closest to “Junshen Manor.” His own matters were more important!
…
The green light faded, and Meng Qi found himself inside a ruined mountain temple. Before him was a pile of burnt firewood. Outside, the night was deep and dark, with the moon and stars obscured by thick clouds.
He removed the “Yuanshi Tianzun” mask and glanced at the sky, planning to set off at dawn. Then he lit the fire, found a spot to lie down, curled up, and began his first attempt at the first posture of the “Yijin Jing.”
Before long, Meng Qi entered a peculiar state of emptiness and clarity. He felt warm all over, his external breathing ceased, as if he had returned to his mother’s womb.
In this state, he seemed to sense a vast area and heard the noisy footsteps of travelers approaching the ruined temple in the night.
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