Seeing that Tang Clan’s wife had such an awakening, Meng Qi had no need to say more. He sighed and said, “Before his death, Master Tang entrusted me to deliver these items to you.”
As he spoke, a package magically appeared in his hand.
Hearing him address Tang Clan as “Master Tang” rather than simply “Master,” Tang Clan’s wife became even more certain of her suspicions. Her body swayed as though frail and delicate, and then she accepted the package with a mixture of grief and sorrow.
Slowly opening the package, she saw a long sword with a crystalline blade that seemed to contain wisps of cloud energy, an ornament that appeared neither golden nor jade-like, a secret manual, and two small jade vials.
“A treasure weapon…” murmured Tang Clan’s wife in a daze.
Treasure weapons were always priceless and rarely available for sale. Even the largest sects and noble families would not part with them unless for an exchange of interests. It was uncommon for them to be given away, let alone buried with the deceased. Even noble families and declining sects that had fallen on hard times rarely sold their treasure weapons, for these were their hopes for revival. Only a few desperate individuals, who had given up on restoring their former glory and sought only temporary luxury, would sell such treasures.
Thus, despite Tang Clan’s considerable wealth and his many tomb excavations, he had never obtained a treasure weapon.
Now, seeing this cloud-embellished sword, Tang Clan’s wife could not help but be stunned.
“This is what Master Tang obtained at the cost of his life. Especially that secret manual—it can enhance one’s innate talent, but it carries a mysterious curse. It can only be read by one person, or it will be destroyed immediately. If the practitioner reveals its contents to others, malevolent spirits will haunt them, leading to sudden death.” Meng Qi specifically reminded them that the things from the Six Paths are not so easily obtained.
Tang Clan’s wife nodded, her emotions complex and difficult to express. She murmured to herself, “A man like him always meets a tragic end. Ever since I married him, I’ve always urged him to give up his ways. Every time he left home, I was filled with anxiety, fearing that I would hear of his death.”
“This time, he said he had discovered the location of an ancient tomb. If he could excavate it, it would secure Xing’s future and allow him to become a true hero. I was both happy and worried. I was happy because, after this, he would give up his ways and no longer engage in such activities. He could raise our child properly and enjoy family life, freeing me from my constant anxiety. But I was worried because ancient tombs are always dangerous, and I feared he would not survive this one.”
“Indeed, in the end, he failed to open that final door.”
Those who made a living by grave robbing often encountered many strange and unusual things, rarely meeting peaceful ends. Thus, Tang Clan’s wife was not surprised by the mysterious curse, and she had always wished for Tang Clan to give up his ways.
“He who travels ninety miles of a hundred-mile journey still has half to go,” Meng Qi sighed, using the saying to encourage himself.
Unknown to her, two streams of tears had begun to flow down Tang Clan’s wife’s face, silently sliding over her smooth skin and dropping soundlessly. “In truth, I do not care for treasures or money. As long as he could live well, we have enough to eat and wear, and his martial arts are more than sufficient to teach Xing. Why must he take such a final risk?”
Tang Clan was at least a half-step normal external expert and had robbed many graves, acquiring numerous martial arts techniques.
Wiping her tears, Tang Clan’s wife said softly, “Young sir, you have traveled a long distance to deliver my late husband’s belongings without keeping anything for yourself. Besides your chivalrous heart, you must have another request, I presume?”
“Meng Qi replied with complete candor and without any trace of embarrassment, ‘Master Tang promised me a secret technique—the one that transfers karma.'”
He was not related to Tang Clan by blood or marriage. If there were no benefits, why should he keep his word to a grave robber?
Tang Clan’s wife was momentarily stunned. “That secret technique? It only works if the other party willingly agrees, akin to a deepening of a soul oath. What use would the young sir have for it?”
This was her instinctive reaction, as far as she was concerned, that karmic secret technique was like a useless appendage, not on the same level as the items in the package.
“That is my own concern,” Meng Qi naturally would not explain that he only wanted to study the method of transferring karma, thereby gaining insight into sword techniques.
Tang Clan’s wife nodded gently, asking no further questions. She turned to her desk, picked up a brush, and silently wrote down the secret method. Meanwhile, Meng Qi detailed the functions of the Longhua Pendant and other items to her.
The secret technique was not long, and Tang Clan’s wife quickly finished writing it. With a sorrowful expression, she handed it to Meng Qi.
Meng Qi did not avoid her gaze. He carefully read it in front of her, pondering every word’s meaning and imprinting the secret technique deeply into his mind.
Gradually, he felt something dissipate in the ethereal realm. He felt lighter, his soul more lively, his body more relaxed, and an indescribable ease enveloped him.
“This is the feeling of severing karma?” Meng Qi mused thoughtfully.
Unlike other karma, this was transferred from Tang Clan and forcibly imposed upon himself. Naturally, its dissipation was noticeable.
One by one, the threads of karma snapped. Tang Clan’s earlier request and the transfer of karma, along with his current sense of ease, flooded Meng Qi’s mind, deepening his understanding of karma.
A slight warmth formed at Meng Qi’s forehead, as if it were about to split open and reveal a third eye. His perception of the surroundings subtly changed. He seemed to see the wind, hear the sunlight, and examine the entire world from a new “perspective.” Everything harmonized, as if both rejecting and embracing him, depending entirely on how his spirit and inner world connected.
He had drawn closer to the union of heaven and humanity… Meng Qi closed his eyes slightly, sighing inwardly.
At that time, the limitation of karma transference was such that if he couldn’t sever it, he couldn’t break through to the external realm. Consequently, after the nine orifices, he became entangled by karma, and the cultivation of the mysterious pass on his forehead slowed down.
Originally, with Meng Qi’s early refinement of the ancestral cavity, he should have reached the union of heaven and humanity within three or four months, surpassing Jiang Zhimi in speed. However, from the time he left the Sword Washing Pavilion to now, a month had passed, during which he had only advanced the “Sky-Shaking Earth-Striking Method” to the next stage, with little real progress in his cultivation. Now, finally free from his shackles, he could rapidly improve.
“There are also recommendation letters from several sects here. Without Master Tang, staying on the border is dangerous for you. After choosing a sect, sell your property and move south as soon as possible,” Meng Qi sincerely reminded her.
Tang Clan’s marriage and having a son were extremely secretive matters. As long as they sold their land and property and left without servants, quietly heading south, no one would be able to trace back to Siming’s origins.
Tang Clan’s wife had once been a martial artist herself, with considerable skills, naturally understanding the key points. She nodded and said, “Thank you, young sir. Tonight, we shall head south.”
She seemed to plan on leaving the land and property behind, taking only gold and silver valuables to avoid drawing attention during the sale, which could attract thieves.
Meng Qi did not say much more and was about to take his leave when he suddenly remembered something. “Madam Tang, I have one more question.”
“What is it?” Tang Clan’s wife asked in confusion.
“Do you happen to have heard of the ‘Worry-Free Valley’?” Meng Qi asked casually.
During this time, both Ruan Yushu and Jiang Zhimi had reviewed ancient texts but had yet to find the location of the Worry-Free Valley. Thinking that Tang Clan was skilled in grave robbing and might know many secrets, Meng Qi casually asked, treating it like trying to cure a dead horse with a living remedy.
Tang Clan’s wife furrowed her brows in thought. “My late husband mentioned it once.”
“Really?” Meng Qi hadn’t expected Tang Clan to truly know about it and blurted out in surprise.
Tang Clan’s wife took a breath and said, “If I’m not mistaken, it was the ‘Worry-Free Valley.’ He discovered records of someone seeking the Worry-Free Valley while excavating an ancient tomb and said that if he had the chance in the future, he would explore it.”
“Do you know where that record is?” Meng Qi suppressed his joy and tried to maintain a calm demeanor.
Tang Clan’s wife sighed. “He had planned to give up his ways, so he buried similar records in his symbolic tomb to signify a clean break from his past. His symbolic tomb is located…”
She told Meng Qi where Tang Clan’s symbolic tomb was, just outside Le Li City. At the same time, she described the various deadly traps within the tomb.
As an outstanding grave robber, Tang Clan naturally would not allow his own tomb to be easily looted.
Meng Qi was overjoyed, thanked her calmly, and then took his leave, planning to excavate it under the cover of night.
When he stepped outside onto the street and had walked only a few steps, Meng Qi suddenly felt a stirring in his heart and turned his gaze toward a nearby figure.
This person was not very old, dressed in brocade robes, with thick, messy eyebrows and sharp, cruel eyes. Standing there, he seemed like a human beast of prey.
Their eyes met, and it was as if sparks flew. The surrounding people and scenery faded away, leaving only the two of them.
“Shangguan Heng, are you indeed ‘Crazy Blade’ Su Meng?” The young man’s voice was filled with fighting spirit.
Unknowingly, many people from the nearby shops and teahouses gathered to watch, for Shangguan Heng had been waiting here for a long time. Among the crowd were the man with the Lulong accent and the Jin merchants who had debated him earlier. They had never imagined that such a confrontation would occur in the small city of Le Li.
Now, was the second-ranked fighter on the Human List truly worthy, or was it true that the Jin Dynasty’s Six Ministries discriminated against the martial artists of the Northern Zhou?
“Indeed,” Meng Qi replied, using his true identity. Naturally, he had intended to hone his skills along the way, and such a public display would make the Wolf King believe he was merely traveling rather than attempting to infiltrate the grasslands.
Shangguan Heng took a step forward, and the ground beneath him trembled slightly. He declared loudly, “Dare you fight?”
“Come then.” Meng Qi smiled faintly and drew his blade in a simple, unremarkable manner.
His perception spread outward, and the surroundings gradually took shape in his mind’s eye. He gained a general sense of Shangguan Heng’s strength:
Shangguan had recently opened his nine orifices, and his spiritual power was significantly weaker than Meng Qi’s. However, for him to rank 11th on the Human List, he must possess exceptional techniques or combat prowess, possibly even mastering a Law Body ultimate move.
If that were the case, Meng Qi would use his strengths to exploit Shangguan’s weaknesses!
Experiencing various techniques and ultimate moves was one aspect of honing his skills, while effectively applying what he had learned was another. Meng Qi now sought to test the latter.
His aura changed, becoming ancient and indifferent, as if he were a celestial being overlooking the earth, like a Buddha or immortal accustomed to witnessing cycles of rebirth. His blade cut through the air, elusive and unpredictable!
Shangguan Heng clenched his fists, ready to counterattack, when suddenly he felt the world shift around him. The street was no longer there; instead, he found himself in a village.
“Cosmetics and face powder, the finest cosmetics and face powder…” Shangguan realized he was a peddler, hawking his wares from house to house.
At that moment, a door opened, and a woman, covering her face with a handkerchief, said, “Let me try some.”
Shangguan Heng knew what was happening and hurried forward, entering the house with the woman. Passion flared between them.
With a loud bang, the door was kicked open, and a man wielding a buffalo-horn knife roared, “Damn adulterers!”
With one slash of the knife, Shangguan Heng’s vision turned black.
When the light returned, Shangguan Heng suddenly felt overwhelming sadness and began to weep. A pair of strong arms wrapped around him from behind as a voice whispered, “My dear, although we couldn’t be born on the same day, we can now die together.”
Everything felt so real. Shangguan experienced the lives of a widow, a client, and a courtesan, one after another, cycle after cycle, his mind beginning to lose its way.
Suddenly, the scene shattered, and he regained his senses in confusion. He saw a strange blade resting against his neck. Though it had not yet pierced his protective aura, the mere position was enough to send chills down his spine.
Meng Qi had used the “A-nan Breaking the Precepts Blade” to further advance the “Sky-Shaking Earth-Striking Method,” using mind-to-mind transmission to awaken Shangguan Heng’s past-life memories!
Defeated… Shangguan Heng stood like a wooden chicken.
“My apologies,” Meng Qi sheathed his blade and walked past, hands behind his back. “I know you won’t accept this easily. When you figure out how to defend against this move, come find me again.”
In a normal duel, defeating Shangguan Heng would likely have been a grueling battle.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage