Zhao Heng looked at Meng Qi for a long time before sighing, “Only those with great skills dare to take such risks…”
Except for the proximity of Duozixiang to Changming Street, which allowed Meng Qi to reach his family’s estate within a few breaths and hide there, the entire process was equally perilous. If the timing had been slightly off, if he couldn’t defeat a half-step external martial artist within two or three moves, Meng Qi wouldn’t even have had the chance to escape!
Such an action must be founded on unwavering confidence in one’s own abilities, a comprehensive grasp of the opponent, and a thorough familiarity with the patrol patterns of the Jin Prince’s residence—none of these elements could be lacking. Hence, Zhao Heng commended Meng Qi for his courage, which stemmed from his exceptional skills.
Meng Qi shook his head and smiled, “If I can’t kill Yang Wuliang within three moves, I’ll immediately withdraw and flee, never trying to overreach myself.”
This is the style of the Wolf King; in assassination missions, Meng Qi had unconsciously imitated it.
According to the intelligence provided by the Immortal Trace mission, he had only a 50% chance of quickly killing Yang Wuliang, but he was fully confident that he could not be stopped.
“Actually, you didn’t need to act so quickly. The capital is full of twists and turns; there will be plenty of opportunities to kill Yang Wuliang, such as when the Third Prince attends a banquet,” Zhao Heng frowned slightly, still feeling that Meng Qi was a bit rash.
Meng Qi took a sip of tea and calmly said, “I don’t want to mix this matter with the mission, so I prefer to settle it quickly.”
This was a mission left by an Immortal. If it were completed during the main storyline, it might easily expose my identity as the “Primordial Heaven Venerable.” Currently, very few people know that the Mad Blade has already arrived in the capital!
Zhao Heng found it hard to say anything further and reminded him, “A half-step guest martial artist being attacked and killed in the Prince’s Mansion is already a mad act. The Six Doors Bureau will surely investigate thoroughly; you’d better not go out for a few days.”
He exhaled, “But this might not be a bad thing either; it’ll stir the hornet’s nest. We can observe whether the Third Prince has any tricks up his sleeve…”
“That’s also one of the purposes of my direct action,” Meng Qi shamelessly took credit.
Although he indeed had similar thoughts, due to the unclear main storyline, who knew whether it would involve Zhao Lao San, so he didn’t take it too seriously.
In the following days, the imperial court was furious and ordered the Six Doors Bureau to thoroughly investigate the case and arrest the audacious and lawless criminal as soon as possible. The Six Doors Bureau also felt humiliated and quietly launched a citywide search, mobilizing many local gangs to arrest numerous wanted criminals, solving one old case after another, yet still found no trace of the simple, blue-clad man.
It was said that some divination experts attempted to divine clues, but the results pointed to “immortals,” which made people laugh their heads off.
—With the Primordial Mask, when Meng Qi acted with the identity and aura of a Heaven Venerable, if he himself didn’t leave any traces pointing to himself, all divinations and causal pursuits would be taken over by the Immortal Trace. Otherwise, how could their members be so mysterious? They would have already been captured by the high-level experts who were paying attention!
For a time, the capital was in an uproar, and Jin Prince offered a huge reward for any clues.
However, he wasn’t as furious as outsiders thought, which earned him secret praise from many court officials for his deepening composure.
On this day, a woman wearing a gauze hat and dressed in pale moon-white clothes entered Zhao Heng’s secret meditation room.
Meng Qi smiled at her, “You came earlier than I expected.”
The visitor was none other than Ruan Yushu. She removed her gauze hat, revealing her delicate and cold beauty, with almost no childishness left on her face. She spoke calmly, “After knowing the mission was in our own world, I started preparing for my journey. Once I confirmed it was the capital, I immediately informed my family that I wanted to go to Zhongzhou to hone my skills.”
Did she go through official channels? Meng Qi’s eyes lit up with delight. If the mission required Ruan family resources in the capital, it wouldn’t seem abrupt anymore!
He gave her a thumbs-up and chuckled, “Smart!”
Ruan Yushu slightly lifted her head, looking at the ceiling, “My grandfather, grandmother, father, mother, brother, sister, and all the uncles and aunts…”
She listed many names, which left Meng Qi feeling dizzy, not knowing what she meant.
“…They all praise me the same way,” Ruan Yushu showed no embarrassment at all, as if it were perfectly natural and deserved.
She must be the most spoiled child in the family… It seems she really likes being praised… Meng Qi secretly wiped a cold sweat and changed the subject, “In the past year, I went to the northern Zhou and the grasslands. Their food has a unique flavor, quite different from that in the Great Jin…”
Ruan Yushu immediately sat quietly, listened attentively, occasionally asked about details, and her throat moved slightly. After hearing Meng Qi killed a snow monster, she blurted out, “Is it edible?”
“Haha.” Meng Qi couldn’t help but laugh; this was exactly his own reaction.
Thinking she had asked something wrong, Ruan Yushu regretfully said, “So it can’t be eaten.”
“The meat is quite sour and tough,” Meng Qi stopped laughing and told her the truth.
Ruan Yushu frowned, looking very thoughtful, “There are many ways to remove the sourness, but it depends on the quality of the meat itself, like marinating it with cooking wine…”
As the two were discussing enthusiastically, Zhao Heng led a “stranger” dressed in blue clothes into the room. His features were ordinary, blending in with the crowd.
However, Meng Qi immediately recognized his aura and waved his hand with a smile, “Senior Brother Qi, it hasn’t been long since we last met, yet you’ve grown even more refined and distinguished…”
Qi Zhengyan ignored Meng Qi’s flattery, expressionless, “My Purple Stars River Skill is now fully mastered.”
This was his cultivation goal for the past year. Now he stated it calmly, neither showing off nor being shy.
“Not bad,” Meng Qi stopped his joking manner and sincerely said.
As for Qi Zhengyan’s progress, Meng Qi was not surprised in the slightest. From the very beginning, the Primordial Chaos Treasure Mirror cultivated energies distinct from those of the mundane world, capable of slightly mobilizing the power of heaven and earth. As long as Qi Zhengyan fully opened his nine apertures, it was only natural for him to reach the stage of sensing the harmony between heaven and man—a transition that wouldn’t take long.
“I also traveled to several southern provinces this year and gained quite a lot. But you managed to kill the Wolf King, so your gains must be even greater, and your strength, mind, and willpower should have all made rapid progress…” Qi Zhengyan wasn’t asking a question but making a statement, with a tone that carried both admiration and emotion.
Meng Qi replied modestly, “Not at all, not at all. I merely achieved the state of ‘Unity of Heaven and Man’.”
“I’m also close to the unity of heaven and man,” Ruan Yushu suddenly murmured.
“Eh?” Meng Qi was quite surprised. Ruan Yushu’s progress was faster than he had imagined. He had thought she might at most have reached the stage of sensing the harmony between heaven and humanity.
Zhao Heng smiled faintly, “Yushu has a natural affinity for music. It’s only natural for her to achieve resonance with the heavens and reach a state of harmony between heaven and humanity faster than ordinary people.”
This was a talent that couldn’t be envied.
Hearing Zhao Heng’s explanation, Meng Qi keenly sensed a bit of sadness in Ruan Yushu’s emotions. His heart stirred, and he smiled, “No matter how talented one is, without personal perseverance, determination, and intelligence, such rapid breakthroughs wouldn’t be possible.”
Ruan Yushu’s lips slightly curved upwards. She looked up at the window, almost imperceptibly nodding.
Just then, the familiar voice of the Master of the Six Dao Reincarnation sounded in the ears of the several people present: “All four have arrived in the capital. With the completion of the first main task, the second main task begins.”
The second primary objective is to infiltrate the Qionghua Banquet. Among the four participants, whoever successfully claims the championship will be rewarded with one thousand five hundred virtue points. Failure will result in a corresponding deduction of virtue points. Those who do not participate in the infiltration will also face penalties.
“Qionghua Banquet?” Meng Qi murmured with a frown, then immediately looked at Zhao Heng. As a local, he should know about it.
Zhao Heng’s face darkened, “My father has decided to hold the Qionghua Banquet during the autumn of August, where martial and literary talents will be evaluated. It’s rumored that he is dissatisfied with the Crown Prince and will use this banquet to test us brothers.”
An indirect way of choosing the Crown Prince? Meng Qi suddenly smelled the scent of blood and danger.
“How can we join the Qionghua Banquet?” Qi Zhengyan asked the most critical question.
Zhao Heng replied solemnly, “In theory, I can only bring one person to the banquet.”
“And if we get involved with him, wouldn’t that be openly telling ‘myth’ about his identity as a Reincarnator?” Meng Qi found it quite troublesome.
“We need to attend the banquet through other channels,” Ruan Yushu said earnestly, “and secretly help him gain the Emperor’s favor. As for winning the championship, whoever is more capable should take it.”
Meng Qi nodded, “Yes, we need to find out what qualifications are required to attend the banquet.”
“We also need to find out in advance what the evaluation will cover,” Qi Zhengyan reminded them. After all, their task was to win the championship.
“How should we start?” Meng Qi looked at Zhao Heng.
Zhao Heng’s expression suddenly turned peculiar, “‘Divine Might Marquis’ Su Li is the deputy commander of the Imperial Guards and enjoys my father’s deep trust. This Qionghua Banquet is under his supervision…”
After reaching the top of the Human List, Meng Qi became the focus of attention in the martial arts world. His background had been somewhat investigated, so Qi Zhengyan and Ruan Yushu looked at him sharply.
Meng Qi didn’t expect the karmic consequences to come so quickly. He was momentarily shocked and a bit stuttering, “You, you’re looking at me for what? Let me tell you, I sell skills, not my body!”
The last sentence was half a joke and half an expression of his inner feelings. What must be faced will eventually come.
Puchi, Ruan Yushu was rarely amused, but she quickly regained her composure and solemnly said, “I have my family’s help, so participating in the Qionghua Banquet isn’t difficult. How you choose to proceed is up to you.”
Meng Qi let out a breath and said, “I’ll leave the capital first, then return openly as the Mad Blade.”
…
At the edge of the capital, a group of escorts was traveling at night, with no one speaking, creating a very tense atmosphere.
“Master Escort, why did the Chief Escort suddenly leave? Everyone is a bit uneasy,” finally one of the escorts couldn’t hold back and asked.
He was in his early twenties, looking somewhat like a scholarly young man, but his gaze was firm and deep, making him not to be underestimated.
Master Escort forced a smile, “Changqing, don’t worry. It’s just that this cargo is important. The Chief Escort was afraid of any mishaps, so after reaching the capital area, he immediately sped up to return to the capital as soon as possible.”
“The cargo is important?” Gu Changqing was still learning for the first time that the cargo he had been escorting was so precious.
No wonder the Chief Escort had secretly stayed in the team and left alone after reaching the capital area!
“Master Escort, could it be that we’re being used to divert the enemies?” another escort asked.
Master Escort laughed loudly, “What’s there to fear? The cargo isn’t on us; why would the enemies go to such lengths?”
He glanced at Gu Changqing, “Changqing, let everyone follow. We’ll rest after crossing the river.”
Gu Changqing steadily nodded, turned around with his sword, and calmed the escorts.
“Deputy Escort Gu doesn’t need to worry. The bandits who rob the cargo will not bother us if they know the Chief Escort isn’t here. Everyone is just here for money,” an experienced escort actually comforted Gu Changqing.
Gu Changqing nodded slightly and sighed, “Unfortunately, my abilities are not enough. Otherwise, why should I fear those bandits?”
Over the past three years, he has endured hardships and diligently honed his skills, progressing from initially being “four apertures unenlightened” to now achieving “seven apertures with nascent inner cultivation,” earning the respect of the Zhongzhou Escort Agency. The Xie family, who initially treated him with indifference, gradually altered their attitude toward him.
(Note: “四窍”/”七窍” are translated contextually as “four apertures unenlightened”/”seven apertures with nascent inner cultivation” to convey the martial arts/xianxia cultivation concept. “初成” is rendered as “nascent” to imply the formative stage of internal cultivation. Proper nouns like “中州镖局” (Zhongzhou Escort Agency) and “谢家” (Xie family) follow pinyin conventions.)
However, he still felt far from being able to confront his enemies… Whenever this thought came to mind, he felt deeply discouraged.
Before the escort could speak, eerie howls suddenly echoed from the hills around them. Figures darted out from all directions, surrounding the group completely.
“Hmph, Jiang Lao’er deliberately left to lead us away. The cargo must still be hidden with you!” The leader wore a wide robe, his hair slightly bluish, resembling a ghost under the night sky.
Master Escort’s pupils contracted, and he took a step back, “Is it the Hungry Ghost Disciple of the Luo Sect facing us? With our abilities, how could we be worthy of protecting such an important cargo?”
The blue-haired demon sneered icily, “No need to worry. Jiang the Second will be intercepted by the Six Destroyers of the Annihilation Heaven Sect. The Luo Sect never lets anyone slip away—we’d sooner slaughter the innocent than spare the guilty!”
(Note: “Jiang Lao’er” is translated as “Jiang the Second” to convey the colloquial Chinese naming convention where “Lao’er” means “second child/eldest son.” Alternative translations could include “Old Jiang the Second” or “Second Jiang” depending on preferred stylistic nuance.)
Have the Luo Sect and the Mie Tian Sect joined forces? Upon hearing this, both the Escort Master and Gu Changqing were stunned.
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