Picking up the “Zhenhuang Seal,” Meng Qi examined it briefly before putting it away, without any greed for it. Even as the Celestial Mandate Cultivator had said, he possessed the fate of an emperor, but he still had no interest in becoming one. His path was to roam freely and traverse the world.
Moreover, the “Zhenhuang Seal” wasn’t particularly valuable. Judging from the presence of the Emperor Sword’s aura, a certain rumor should be true. The last desperate effort of Emperor Ai was indeed searching for the “Emperor Sword,” even excavating the Dragon Platform without hesitation. Only after finding nothing did he reluctantly settle for this seal, imitating its forging.
At that time, it was the end of the Kang Dynasty, and the imperial court or the Han family definitely did not have any experts of the Dharma Body realm; otherwise, they could at least stabilize the situation and extend the dynasty’s fortune for another two or three centuries. Therefore, even if Emperor Ai pinned his final hopes on this seal, hoping it could help his divine weapon suppress the dynasty’s fortune, it was unlikely to be a divine treasure of the godly weapon level. The final outcome proved this, as Emperor Ai ended up dashing himself to death against Yanyu Mountain.
If it were truly a “divine weapon,” Sikong Tu could have openly presented it to the emperor instead of maneuvering between the Crown Prince and the Jin Prince. Not only would he receive generous rewards, but he could also legitimize his identity, avoiding future disgrace when his son became a direct disciple of a sect—only to be exposed as the son of a notorious thief.
“Just don’t know how valuable the ‘Zhenhuang Seal’ is to the Six Dao…” Meng Qi muttered as he tucked the seal away, climbed over the wall, and turned directly toward Xingyun Manor.
If not for Sikong Tu’s secret technique involving karmic causality, particularly the final move of the A-nan Breaking Precepts Blade Method, “Sticking Causality,” taking half the treasure would actually be more profitable.
Regarding the A-nan Breaking Precepts Blade Method, Meng Qi always found it strange. Even at his worst, A-nan should have at least attained the Arhat Golden Body. Not to mention the eerie aspects of “Just Like That” and “Eliminate the Heretics,” how could his signature blade technique merely be at the peak of the external scenery level?
From the description of “Sticking Causality,” it already involved one of the fundamental paths of Buddhism, so labeling it merely as an external scenery peak technique was hard to believe. Unfortunately, he was no longer at Shaolin, where he could have reviewed the notes left behind by senior monks who had mastered this blade method to uncover its secrets.
Moreover, Shaolin’s treasured godly weapon was the “A-nan Blade,” a genuine divine weapon corresponding to the Dharma Body!
“Shaolin possesses an external scenery blade method, and so does the Six Dao’s cycle master. However, Shaolin lacks the true intent inheritance, having only the manual. Thus, the ‘A-nan Breaking Precepts Blade Method’ remains at the peak of external scenery even after mastery… Unless, unless the version in the Six Dao originally belonged to ‘Lack,’ and a senior monk, trapped in samsara, exchanged the manual for it?” As Meng Qi walked, he pondered, his pupils suddenly narrowing. He wondered if this monk was a deceased senior or currently within the temple.
If there was a hidden reincarnator within the temple who could exchange the A-nan Breaking Precepts Blade Method with the Six Dao monk, then the matter of the “Yi Jin Jing” would begin to make sense…
“The true intent inheritance indeed hides profound mysteries and is quite eerie, possibly deliberately arranged by A-nan…” Meng Qi felt a chill just thinking about it.
If this time the blade technique involved was not “Sticking Causality,” but “Invoking External Demons” or “Accumulating Karma,” he wouldn’t even glance at it, let alone keep his distance.
Since learning the “Thunder Shocking the Nine Heavens,” his usage of “Cutting Purity” and “Falling into the Mortal World” had significantly decreased, to avoid entanglement from “Just Like That.” Therefore, he had no intention of learning the last two moves.
Still, he harbored inner turmoil. If it truly involved this mysterious figure who constantly invoked “Just Like That,” mere avoidance would hardly be effective. Under the entanglement of karma, he would inevitably be drawn deeper, eventually facing it directly.
After all, he was still too weak; every struggle and effort seemed insignificant.
Sometimes, escape doesn’t solve problems, and covering one’s ears while stealing a bell is not a lasting solution. Meng Qi had always possessed a fearless spirit, and when the opportunity arose, he had the courage to confront and resolve it!
If entangled by karma, then sever it through karma itself!
“Sticking Causality” was one of the few causal martial arts techniques directly cultivable below the Dharma Body level; he couldn’t abandon it out of fear.
He still needed to start with the “Eight-Nine Profound Art” and the “Yuan Shi Golden Treatise,” seeking and cultivating their sections related to causality—the “Eight-Nine Profound Art” was unclear, but he was certain the “Yuan Shi Golden Treatise” had such aspects. Yuan Shi Tian Zun was the origin of all results, and at least three of the “Nine Seals” were related.
His current goals were not only to grow stronger and survive the reincarnation cycle but also to gather similar secret techniques, hoping to face them head-on when the time came, severing karma with a single blade stroke, returning dust to dust and earth to earth!
…
After covertly informing Jiang Zhiwei about the “Zhenhuang Seal” and enduring her playful teasing about his knack for stumbling upon treasures while walking, Meng Qi maintained an air of indifference. He deliberately avoided entanglement in the affairs of the Crown Prince and the Jin Prince, nor did he abruptly withdraw for secluded cultivation, thereby avoiding unnecessary attention.
Two days later, the city of Ying appeared calm on the surface, but beneath it, tensions surged. Unbeknownst to many, New Year’s Eve had arrived, and the Xingyun Banquet commenced.
In the evening, lanterns adorned the Xingyun Manor, and servants bustled about. Besides the few martial artists personally invited by He Jiu, local aristocratic families and sect representatives, along with several renowned martial elders, were present. They maintained relatively close ties with the Eastern Sea Sword Manor, allowing them to attend directly, both as guests and witnesses.
Additionally, there were several distinguished guests, such as the one before Meng Qi.
Prince Jin Zhao Yi entered from the hall’s entrance with a beaming smile, directly approaching Meng Qi. Addressing the aristocratic youths following him, he said, “Young Master Su and Young Master Yan are my saviors. Without them, I would have already perished in the underworld. Yet they neither boast of their achievements nor seek any rewards, truly embodying the demeanor of great heroes.”
With those few words, he instantly strengthened their relationship in front of everyone.
Meng Qi smiled wryly and replied, “Where, where indeed! With eunuch Feng here, how could the prince be in danger?”
The eunuch Feng nodded slightly, appreciating Meng Qi’s tactful response.
Zhao Yi’s demeanor was warm as he pulled Meng Qi aside for a chat, drawing envious glances from many aristocratic youths. They inwardly grumbled, thinking although they lacked such abilities, they represented their families, which had several external scenery experts, clearly surpassing Su Meng by far.
After some conversation, Zhao Yi suddenly lowered his voice: “I heard that a few days ago, young Su went with Jiang Zhiwei of the Washing Sword Pavilion to capture a criminal at the Valley of the Dead?”
Feeling their familiarity had grown, he affectionately called him “Xiao Su” to further strengthen their bond.
Hmm, the main course is coming… Meng Qi thought to himself with a silent chuckle, keeping his expression calm as he responded, “Indeed, I coincidentally encountered a notorious villain with whom I had a personal feud. I then invited Zhiwei and Senior Hong Qian from the Washing Sword Pavilion to join me in the pursuit. Regrettably, we arrived too late to intercept him, only uncovering traces left by the Crown Prince’s associates—the five masters Longxiang, Huhu, Baopeng, and the ‘King of Thieves’ Sikong Tu.”
Zhao Yi instinctively narrowed his eyes: “The Crown Prince? What were the five masters doing in the Valley of the Dead?”
“I don’t know. When we arrived, they had already turned into corpses… The Thief King’s plum blossom needles struck the evil one, but the culprit vanished without a trace, seemingly having fled.” Meng Qi’s expression was sincere as he recounted the events truthfully, without embellishment or distortion. However, he deliberately omitted mentioning the “myth,” keeping it as his secret. Even if Zhao Yi discovered it later, he wouldn’t suspect Meng Qi.
The Crown Prince’s men… The Thief King is still alive, but he has completely vanished these past few days, cutting off all contact with himself… Zhao Yi nodded thoughtfully, his gaze unconsciously turning slightly colder as he pressed for more details.
After a while, the Crown Prince arrived, and Zhao Yi went to greet him, his demeanor showing no abnormalities.
Accompanying the Crown Prince were Jiang Zhiwei, Wang Siyuan, and others. They merely gave a slight nod to the Crown Prince and Prince Jin, displaying the bare minimum of respect without a trace of fear.
Jiang Zhiwei arrived with “Star-Sundering Sword” Hong Qian. After greeting Meng Qi, she didn’t engage in idle chatter and instead took her seat behind the table across from him, waiting for He Jiu’s arrival.
The hall was spacious, seemingly converted from a martial arts training hall, with tables placed around the perimeter and a large open space in the center.
Meng Qi found his designated table, marked with his name, and had just sat down when Wang Siyuan, frail and draped in a white robe, slowly approached and sat to his left. His delicate, feminine face bore a half-smile, as he scrutinized Meng Qi.
Facing this “soothsayer,” Meng Qi felt uneasy, fearing he might detect the “Zhenhuang Seal” on him: “Master Wang, why are you staring at me?”
Wang Siyuan coughed a few times, maintaining his sickly demeanor, though not as weak as before. He whispered telepathically, “Don’t worry, I couldn’t divine the ‘Zhenhuang Seal’ on you.”
Meng Qi’s expression immediately froze. If that wasn’t the case, then what was?
“Because I didn’t divine it.” Wang Siyuan’s expression turned teasing.
At that moment, Young Master Lotus approached, holding a wine jug and exuding a carefree aura. Pointing at Wang Siyuan, he laughed, “You still owe me five jars of ‘Guangling.'”
“Guangling” referred both to Jiangzhou’s capital and the ancestral home of the Wang Clan of Jiangdong, where their secret brews were named after this place.
“I’ve always been a man of my word. How could I renege?” Wang Siyuan smiled, seemingly on good terms with the Lotus Prince.
Suddenly, Meng Qi was alarmed. His encounter with the Lotus Prince and the news of the Thief King Sikong Tu might not have been coincidental…
The Lotus Prince greeted Meng Qi and then drunkenly sang his way to a distant table.
Seeing Meng Qi’s startled and suspicious gaze, Wang Siyuan chuckled, “Treasures belong to those with the fate to obtain them. Would I ever reveal such secrets?”
“What exactly do you mean?” Meng Qi telepathically inquired.
By now, he had regained his composure.
“I was entrusted by someone. Besides, forcefully taking certain things might bring calamity upon oneself.” Wang Siyuan’s eyes turned deep and emotionless, offering no chance for further questions as he mused, “Moreover, a great calamity is approaching, and treasures and inheritances are emerging. Letting them pass through many hands to reach the most suitable person is the Jiangdong Wang Clan’s preparation for the disaster.”
“A great calamity?” Meng Qi heard this term for the first time.
“Our Jiangdong Wang Clan traces its lineage back to ancient times, having witnessed numerous calamities. Even the demon-Buddha calamity pales in comparison to this one. A great calamity is also a great opportunity, with countless immortals waiting for this moment, perhaps even great beings returning from reincarnation…” Wang Siyuan spoke ambiguously, his gaze turning distant as he looked at Meng Qi in the latter half of his speech, making Meng Qi’s hair stand on end.
A-nan?
Before Meng Qi could ask, Wang Siyuan began coughing violently, his coughs tearing at his insides, alarming the maids around him.
Blood stained his handkerchief as Wang Siyuan finally stopped coughing, catching his breath slowly: “The Heavenly Secrets must not be revealed… Su Meng, your fortune is strong, so you must be cautious.”
“Fortune is strong, be cautious.” These two sentences contradicted each other. Previously, Meng Qi would have found them confusing, but with the reminders from Master Lu and the Celestial Mandate Cultivator, he now had some understanding.
At this moment, He Jiu, dressed in a green martial robe, arrived at the head table. He scanned the crowd with a smile: “Thank you all for attending the Xingyun Banquet.”
Without any pleasantries or superfluous words, he glanced at Yan Chong of the River of Blade Qi, Liu Su the Lotus Prince, Xuan Zhen of the Buddha Palm, and Meng Qi, then burst into hearty laughter: “Young Hero Su, Young Hero Yan, Master Xuan Zhen, and Young Hero Liu Su—I, He Jiu, challenge all of you at once!”
Boom! The hall erupted in excitement as the aristocratic families and sect representatives present were shocked into silence.
Bang! Fireworks burst outside, welcoming the New Year and bidding farewell to the old.
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