Chapter 376: Battle of the Half Step

“Next.”

The voice was not loud, like the morning after a blizzard had ceased, yet it echoed like rolling thunder in the ears and minds of the crowd, challenging their previous beliefs and shaking their very souls.

Was it true that Chi Mei Dao Wang, a stable top-five candidate of the Qi-opening stage, had been defeated? Some onlookers had their mouths half-open, others stared blankly, unable to believe that Chi Mei Dao Wang had lost—so decisively, so swiftly, in merely a dozen breaths, overpowered head-on and defeated!

The brilliant purple glow, the roaring thunderous dragon still lingered in their vision and ears, as if heralding the rise of a new martial arts powerhouse.

With merely seven or eight opened acupoints and without even a protective aura, how could he generate electric snakes and strike such an overwhelming blow?

Was it a unique cultivation technique? Was his long blade a treasure weapon?

Yet regardless, unless one had reached the realm of mastery over sword techniques, unless one possessed battle strength capable of shaking the Qi-opening stage, even wielding a treasure weapon wouldn’t have been enough to defeat Chi Mei Dao Wang.

Which sect was he from? Where did he come from?

In the upcoming competition for the title of Tianyuan Emperor, he would surely have a place!

Zhong Ning and the other traitorous disciples were stunned by Chi Mei Dao Wang’s defeat. They had never expected the mighty Chi Mei to fall to an unknown Daoist of the same Qi-opening stage. Yet they were even more shaken by the essence of Meng Qi’s techniques and his fighting style—alternating between heavy and feint, between fierce and domineering, lightning flashing across the sky, thunder rumbling continuously, almost as if he were executing divine punishment on behalf of Heaven.

The figure in Daoist robes seemed to merge with the image of the master they feared most in their minds—equally wild, equally domineering, equally righteous, and equally capable of making one tremble from the depths of their soul.

He carried the jade pendant of their master and had integrated the essence of the Shenxiao Spear Techniques into his swordplay. Could he truly have received their master’s full instruction? Or perhaps, was he actually their master reincarnated through another body?

Regardless of which hypothesis, they couldn’t help but shudder, unable to conceal their fear and panic.

Disciples like Qi Shaochong and Xia Yan Yun shared similar thoughts, though without the fear and panic—only a mixture of surprise and delight, alternating between joy and astonishment.

Could he really be a helper sent by their master?

Or perhaps their master was hiding somewhere in the shadows?

The Red Thread Lady and the Divine Camel of the Northern Wastes were equally stunned. Even though they had traveled through snowy plains with Meng Qi at night and had praised him highly after he killed one of the Eight Generals, the White Severing Dragon, they were still shocked now. Their previous evaluations had been too low! Each time they thought they had overestimated him, he quickly shattered their assumptions and forced them to raise their appraisal once again.

Who was Chi Mei Dao Wang? One of the top figures among the younger generation, on the verge of reaching the “half-step into the external scene” stage, with the door to the external scene half-open. He was a strong contender for the Tianyuan Emperor title. Yet now, he had fallen so quickly, so easily, as if Qingyuan Daoist had barely begun to warm up!

Although Qingyuan Daoist’s previous display had shattered their earlier impression of him as graceful and elegant, his new image of masculinity, ferocity, righteousness, and majesty was equally compelling. After all, the Daoist sects naturally emulate nature, and carrying out divine punishment is one of their duties—this does not conflict with being carefree and at ease.

Looking at Qingyuan Daoist’s current calm and composed demeanor, he truly gave the impression of being tranquil as a maiden at rest and swift as a hare when in motion.

Clang! A sound of something falling inside the room rang out, seemingly caused by Lady Huangfu and Miss Huangfu, who, having witnessed the fight, were reminded of Huangfu Tao.

Wen Hengshui watched Chi Mei Dao Wang retreat, his heart filled with bitterness, like having eaten an unripe tangerine—sour and astringent. He felt as if Meng Qi had slapped him hard across the face, not only humiliating him personally but also disgracing the reputation of Yue Zhi Xiang.

Earlier, Chi Mei Dao Wang had warned him that the young Daoist was unfathomable, but Wen Hengshui had thought it was just a cautious remark from an experienced elder. Now, he realized it was truly unfathomable. Even after Chi Mei Dao Wang’s defeat, he still couldn’t gauge Meng Qi’s true depth!

He inhaled deeply, suppressing his inner anger and embarrassment, and tried to remain calm as he looked at Meng Qi: “Daoist Master, your skills are indeed extraordinary. No wonder you dared to challenge Ju Shen Manor. However, time is getting late, and to avoid delaying the auspicious hour, this young master will no longer play games with you.”

“Uncle Master Long Wang, please step forward.” His expression turned serious, and he directly summoned the “Azure Blood Dragon King,” a half-step into the external scene guardian, regardless of what others might say. It was better to suffer criticism than to lose face!

Half-step into the external scene was rare in the world, the backbone and pillar of various factions. With Azure Blood Dragon King present, Wen Hengshui felt secure. He simply refused to believe that anyone at the Qi-opening stage could transcend their realm!

For decades, such a heaven-defying feat had never occurred. Even when Huangfu Tao reached the stage of communion with Heaven, he had barely managed to fight a weaker half-step external scene opponent to a draw. Even that had shaken the entire world, prompting several factions to secretly unite and plot his elimination.

The guests and Zhong Ning let out a sigh of relief. With Azure Blood Dragon King stepping in, the matter would be resolved, and they wouldn’t have to endure the awkwardness of watching Wen Hengshui’s humiliation, which would make future meetings difficult.

Disciples loyal to Ju Shen Manor, like Qi Shaochong, were still confused, unable to understand what had just happened—why such a powerful Daoist had intercepted the bride’s chamber, and yet not completely stopped the wedding…

Thus, they felt no outrage at Azure Blood Dragon King’s intervention, merely a slight sigh. To send a half-step external scene expert to escort a bride was truly disheartening. If Ju Shen Manor had such resources, they wouldn’t fear being taken advantage of by Yue Zhi Xiang.

The Red Thread Lady and the Divine Camel of the Northern Wastes had no particular expectations for the outcome but were worried that time was running short. They feared that after Azure Blood Dragon King’s victory, the wedding would proceed immediately, leaving no chance for Miss Huangfu to escape.

Azure Blood Dragon King was a short, stocky old man with a bluish face and eyes that seemed to glow faintly with phosphorescence. His voice did not match his sturdy build—it was soft and eerie, like wailing from a grave at night:

“You possess Huangfu Tao’s jade pendant and have mastered parts of the Shenxiao Spear Techniques. You were unknown in the martial world before, yet your strength is terrifying. It truly compels me to draw certain conclusions.”

Meng Qi understood his implication and smiled slightly: “This humble Daoist indeed entered a mysterious tomb before.”

He had even fought the old ancestor of their clan, nearly killing him. If not for Huangfu Tao’s rescue, they might have become enemies with a grudge of ancestral murder.

Thinking of this, Meng Qi couldn’t help but feel his “generation” was quite high…

Gasps and murmurs of admiration rose in waves. No wonder Qingyuan Daoist was so strong—he had also entered the mysterious tomb and received its inheritance, just like the past Huangfu Tao and the ancestors of the Nine Clans!

This meant he would become an external scene master in the future!

Undoubtedly, as long as he didn’t perish along the way!

Qi Shaochong trembled with excitement, desperately wanting to ask about his master’s whereabouts. Was he still alive?

“Aha,” Azure Blood Dragon King chuckled. “A pity, a real pity. You met me before your martial arts were fully mastered.”

For those who had obtained such inheritances, the Nine Clans had a single principle: if they could not be recruited, they must be eliminated early and their inheritance seized.

Meng Qi understood their intentions well. However, with his mysterious origins, Huangfu Tao’s techniques and jade pendant, even if he denied it, they would suspect him. They would rather kill the wrong person than risk letting him go. After all, Meng Qi was here to save Huangfu Fei, and being pursued by Yue Zhi Xiang in the future was inevitable. What was there to fear?

Meng Qi did not underestimate Azure Blood Dragon King in the slightest. His aura was elusive, much like his voice—difficult to detect and unpredictable. Standing there, he seemed like a chilling wind from the underworld, terrifyingly formidable. Though slightly inferior to Huo Wang and Dorchad, he was still a normal half-step external scene master without hidden injuries.

For a half-step external scene master like him, even a full-strength strike without employing lethal techniques could already rival Meng Qi’s use of treasure weapons or the Purple Thunder Skill to unleash “Thunder Shakes the Nine Heavens.” In other words, every move he made could unleash techniques like “Thunder Shakes the Nine Heavens” or “Flying Immortal from Beyond the Heavens.” Additionally, he could disrupt the mind, directly attack the soul, and summon a fraction of the power of heaven and earth to aid him. Against ordinary Qi-opening stage fighters, he was practically invincible.

However, Meng Qi himself was now among the top ten of the Renbang list, and he had cultivated secret techniques like “Changing Heaven and Earth,” which focused on spiritual power. Though he might not be strong enough to attack in a soul battle, he could still defend himself. As for attacks comparable to his own ultimate techniques, he didn’t need to worry too much. Just like when he fought against Qingyu and others, he never used his most powerful moves directly. If he didn’t create an opening, it was easy for opponents to dodge.

If you can’t land a hit, how strong can you really be?

Of course, this was merely a strategic dismissal, to prevent himself from being afraid before the fight even began, thinking he was sure to lose. If he thought like that, he really would lose.

Facing a half-step external scene master, one must have the confidence to win, yet must not be arrogant or dismissive of others.

Meng Qi extended his left hand behind his back, subtly embodying an immutable cosmic principle. His movements were mysterious, neither fast nor slow, and in the strange sensation of the crowd, he had already grasped the sword hilt.

Clang! The sword left its sheath, as if a flame had flickered.

So he was a dual master of sword and saber, and hadn’t even used his full strength during our battle… Chi Mei Dao Wang felt a wave of despair, the seed of defeat buried even deeper.

Azure Blood Dragon King narrowed his eyes, seemingly indifferent. Just as Meng Qi was about to draw his sword, he suddenly moved, seizing the fleeting pause. He struck with both palms.

His left palm swept diagonally, his right palm struck straight. The surrounding cold wind turned sinister, and the snow took on a bluish hue, as if tiny ghostly flames danced in the air.

In Meng Qi’s mind, ghostly wails echoed, dark clouds gathered, and it felt as if he had fallen into the depths of the underworld, his soul being devoured by demons, his spirit paining and numbing.

Fortunately, he had already activated the Changing Heaven and Earth Art, transforming into a divine being overlooking the mortal world. His aura became vast and mighty, his soul rising above, and the ghostly winds and wails became mere passing clouds, unable to disturb him.

He shifted his stance, his body like a phantom, escaping Azure Blood Dragon King’s lock. He flashed to the side and slashed his saber toward the opponent’s exposed flank, swift as lightning.

Azure Blood Dragon King seemed to have anticipated this. He slightly shifted his body, his left leg lashing sideways, trailing greenish ghostly flames. With a whoosh, he kicked toward Meng Qi’s saber tip, aiming to knock the weapon from his hand.

This kick carried waves of ghostly wind. The onlookers felt a bone-deep chill, not an illusion but a tangible force. Their souls and bodies seemed to freeze.

The might of a half-step external scene master was indeed extraordinary!

Since reaching this level, Azure Blood Dragon King had never encountered anyone below the Tianren Communion stage who could withstand ten of his moves, even without using his full strength. Most opponents would quickly become paralyzed, their limbs stiff, their strength reduced to the point of being easily captured.

Although there were a few with special techniques capable of resisting or countering the icy wind, they could only manage to force him to take them seriously.

But now, his opponent was unlike any Qi-opening stage fighter he had ever faced. The man’s skin glowed faintly golden, his aura vast and mighty, like a god or Buddha. He seemed unaffected by the soul-freezing wind, moving freely and attacking relentlessly. Each strike targeted Azure Blood Dragon King’s openings, varying between speed and slowness, heaviness and feint, like surging waves or fleeting thoughts. His saber techniques displayed the mastery of a true expert.

Meanwhile, the sword in his left hand remained lowered, its tip trembling, as if calculating the opponent’s weaknesses or preparing for a change. Though he hadn’t launched an attack, the pressure forced Azure Blood Dragon King to remain vigilant, reserving some strength for defense.

Azure Blood Dragon King had rarely encountered anyone whose martial skill had reached such a level—not even including past Tianyuan Emperors like Huangfu Tao. Counting them all, there were fewer than five, and he himself was not among them.

Fortunately, he had the advantage of cultivation stage and power. As a normal half-step external scene master, his spirit merged with the environment. Besides being able to summon a bit of the power of heaven and earth, he also experienced a sensation akin to Tianren Communion. In his mind’s eye, everything around him—including his opponent—was clearly outlined.

The flow of his opponent’s qi, the reaction of his muscles, the techniques he was about to use—all were completely transparent to him!

Thus, the spectators saw Meng Qi struggling, each attack seemingly walking into a trap, forced to change tactics as Azure Blood Dragon King’s hands, covered in layers of ghostly flames, pressed him back. If not for his strange footwork, with turns and changes that often defied expectations, like a phantom or a demon, he would have already been struck down by Azure Blood Dragon King’s palm.

Azure Blood Dragon King fought steadily, without any rashness. With his cultivation and strength suppressing the opponent, the only way to victory was to gradually push him into a dead end. Rushing forward recklessly might lead to a trap. As the saying goes: the weak win through the unexpected, while the strong win through righteousness!

His footwork was strange, his flow of qi peculiar and unusual—could it be a supreme martial art obtained from the tomb? Against other Qi-opening stage fighters, Azure Blood Dragon King could already predict their changes based on the flow of their qi and muscle reactions, setting traps in advance to kill them with one palm strike.

But Qingyuan Daoist was different. When he used his footwork, his entire body’s qi flowed rapidly, condensing into qi seeds at each key acupoint—seeds that would only explode at the last moment of a directional change, unleashing explosive qi currents that propelled his mysterious and unpredictable turns.

This made prediction difficult, as the qi seeds were scattered throughout all key acupoints. Only at the moment of change would they “detonate.” Even if Azure Blood Dragon King could detect them, he couldn’t intercept in advance, at best avoiding being misled and forcing Meng Qi to change direction again.

This was the secret of the Phantom Demon Step, making it hard for even a half-step external scene master to grasp the pattern within a short time!

Meng Qi remained calm, not discouraged by the evasive maneuvers that failed to inflict real harm on the opponent.

His understanding of martial arts surpassed theirs. What seemed like a desperate situation from their perspective still contained the seeds of hope from his own.

However, he felt no joy at all, only a complete focus on finishing the story.

A focus learned from Master Lu, the great practitioner of the “Single-Minded Sword”.

Within the cycle of reincarnation, how many enlightened experts could observe the carving of a Dharma Body under his influence and receive his guidance?

At this moment, Meng Qi forgot his desire to win, and also the fear of losing. In his eyes were only the Azure Blood Dragon King, his Heavenly Scar, and Flowing Flame.

The emerald phosphorescent palms, the eerie and unpredictable figure, the silver-white lightning dancing across the Heavenly Scar, the rising red flames of Flowing Fire—apart from these, Meng Qi saw nothing else. He no longer saw the snow tinged with blue, felt the blowing cold wind, or noticed the red plum blossom in the corner, nor the spectators like Wen Hengshui and Madame Redline.

Yet through these very things, through their interconnected energies and this intense focus, Meng Qi’s inner world began shaping the snowy landscape, the cold wind, the red plum blossom, Wen Hengshui and Madame Redline, and the entire surrounding world was reflected within, vivid and detailed.

After entering the Eight Openings, under the pressure of fighting a true half-step beyond the realm alone, the state Meng Qi had once forcefully attained through external projection of his spirit now naturally matured effortlessly, clearer, deeper, and stronger.

The state of entering subtlety—the first gate of resonance between Heaven and Man!

Within his inner world, the Azure Blood Dragon King struck from afar with a palm concealing deadly intent, its force condensed, entwined with the cold wind, howling toward him. At the same time, his left hand behind prepared for further changes.

As soon as the image formed, Meng Qi instinctively activated the Illusive Demon Steps. Several true Qi seeds exploded, abruptly shifting his position along a trajectory defying common understanding. Then he slashed forward, fast as thunder.

The Azure Blood Dragon King showed no surprise, easily forcing Meng Qi to retreat and evade again with a single palm strike.

After a dozen or so rounds of probing, he gradually grasped the secret of Meng Qi’s steps. No matter how well he concealed it, with so many true Qi seeds, triggering some always required fresh stimulation of Qi. With careful observation, patterns could be deduced!

You’re finished!

Confident in his conclusion, he let Meng Qi dart about, turning into a blur, striking from all directions.

Just as Meng Qi planted his foot on the snow glowing with azure light, twisting his body in an impossible direction, the Azure Blood Dragon King moved. Like a great roc spreading its wings, he surged toward an empty spot.

With palms striking forward one after another, their force surged like waves, igniting all the phosphorescent flames drifting over the snow into a raging sea of green-blue fire, rushing forward with the wind like ten thousand vengeful souls charging out of the underworld—terrifying beyond measure.

And Meng Qi, changing direction, seemed to charge straight into it, as if seeking death willingly!

Haha! Finally got you!

You’re done for now!

Including Wen Hengshui, nearly everyone shared similar thoughts. They had long realized Meng Qi was barely holding on through his mysterious techniques. Once his steps were deciphered and evasion became impossible, defeat was inevitable.

Meng Qi seemed to grit his teeth. His blade trembled in place, as if slashing eight phantom strikes in rapid succession. The layers of air collapsed, streams of purple lightning surging out, forming a furious dragon tightly coiling around the blade. Then he struck—radiant purple, somewhat different from before, yet equally fierce and overwhelming.

Good! Let’s clash directly! A flicker of joy crossed the Azure Blood Dragon King’s mind, his palm force erupting, thick with cold energy, spreading phosphorescent fire, turning the surroundings into a ghostly realm.

Puu! The cold palm force mixed with the wind collided with the lightning dragon, but it was like a paper lantern, instantly pierced through.

His palms struck the Heavenly Scar, finding it hollow and powerless, even his grip on the blade had loosened in advance—just slightly tilted upward before releasing!

Multiple true Qi seeds exploded within Meng Qi’s body, his form twisting eerily sideways, narrowly avoiding the follow-up strike.

This movement completely defied previous patterns! The Azure Blood Dragon King’s pupils constricted, his gaze hardening. The rhythm of Meng Qi’s Qi seed explosions at this moment was entirely different—smoother, more bizarre, completely opposite to his earlier judgment!

Deliberate deception? Intentional concealment?

From the very first slash, he had been setting traps, luring him step by step into this setup through consistent movement patterns that convinced him completely?

What a deep scheme!

As palm force erupted outward, the technique fully extended, the Heavenly Scar flew upward, but Meng Qi’s left hand already thrust forth Flowing Light.

Brilliant and pure, dazzling beyond words, indescribably beautiful. It had no variation, relying solely on momentum and speed to overwhelm. The might of an external realm killing move was fully revealed.

Bad! Deceived and caught off guard, the Azure Blood Dragon King found most of his strength and focus concentrated in those palms that had knocked away the “Heavenly Scar”. Facing this celestial-like strike, he felt a numbness in his forehead, as if resistance were impossible.

Forcing himself to concentrate, suppressing fear, he was only grateful he hadn’t committed all his strength recklessly, still maintaining a steady approach. After all, even his non-lethal strikes had completely overwhelmed Meng Qi.

He had reserved some Qi as bait, his pores opening to absorb surrounding energy. Then his body leaned back, his left arm bending unnaturally, retracting with an illusion-like speed, a single finger thrusting toward the sword.

Dang!

The fingertip struck the blade, but the sword force melted like snow, scattering Flowing Flame, still devoid of power!

Using this force, Meng Qi spat blood from the corner of his mouth, his body rising sharply. His right hand lifted just in time to catch the descending Heavenly Scar!

Boom!

Dark clouds gathered rapidly, the surroundings darkened, and lightning danced chaotically within the clouds, revealing their menacing forms.

After simulating the aura of the Heaven-Flipping Seal, Meng Qi could now use the Eight-Nine Profound Art to mimic the might of Thunder Shaking the Nine Heavens and the Flying Immortal from Beyond the Heavens!

Boom!

Nine slashes erupted at high speed, purple lightning surging, forming a coiling thunder dragon, mighty and vast.

The air collapsed, space seemingly contracting, the heavens and earth shrinking. Meng Qi, descending with blade overhead, appeared towering, surrounded by lightning, like a celestial being!

Boom!

Lightning bolts rained down, all converging into the blade—Heavenly Thunder Guided Blade!

Electricity flickered across the ground, snow melted, rising into white mist.

Boom!

Radiant purple, gleaming silver, the blade fierce, its might overwhelming. Divine Punishment descended, unstoppable!

The spectators watched in stunned silence. This was a change in the heavens, the aid of Heaven and Earth itself, the might of an external realm!

The Azure Blood Dragon King’s scalp prickled. As soon as he struck the sword, he realized he had fallen into another trap, yet he had no choice but to fall for it. In such a split second, how could he possibly consider whether it was a trap?

Faced with this strike rivaling Master Xi Yue, the Azure Blood Dragon King finally showed fear. But he had not survived the martial world merely by reputation. At the critical moment, he abandoned hesitation, his pores rapidly drawing in cosmic energy, absorbing the cold wind and phosphorescent fire into his body without regard for damage to his physical form or soul. The surroundings instantly cleared, restoring the bright world.

His steps shifted, his figure seemingly turning into cold wind, evading the slash. At the same time, his right palm finally returned, barely striking outward, glowing emerald, thick with chilling energy, as if dripping with azure blood.

Boom!

Lightning surged, darkness dispelled. All the spectators saw only blinding brilliance, hearing only the dull sound of impact.

When their vision returned, they saw Clear Source Daoist back at the gate, red plum blossoms blooming beside him, though the snow had long melted.

His face was pale gold, blood trickling from the corners of his eyes, his mouth, and nose, but his hair remained intact, his clothes unchanged, fluttering in the wind, his posture still graceful.

Opposite him, the Azure Blood Dragon King was pale, his hair disheveled, his chest soaked in blood, his glowing eyes extinguished. He staggered backward several steps before managing to steady himself.

“After you,” Meng Qi sheathed his blade and sword, smiling slightly.

Though he appeared carefree and effortless now, his spirit was utterly exhausted. Any expert with heightened perception could pose a serious threat to him.

But he had finally defeated a normal half-step beyond the realm directly!

Of course, defeating and killing were two different matters. To kill the Azure Blood Dragon King, Meng Qi would have to immediately activate the Self-Sacrifice Formula, not giving him a moment to recover. Even then, he wasn’t sure whether the opponent could escape, and in the end, it might come down to exchanging injuries for his life.

His smile was calm and confident, but inside he was anxious. Please, stay down! Otherwise, he would face serious trouble!