Snap!
The swordsman, who had appeared to Zhang Yuquan and the many sailors as a top-tier swordsman in both bearing and demeanor, was struck so hard that his head shattered, his body crushed into a pulp. The small boat splintered into pieces, floating on the ocean’s surface.
Only then did they notice a Daoist in dark robes standing midair.
He wore the mask of “Yuanshi Tianzun,” exuding majesty and solemnity, towering at about twenty feet tall. His entire form seemed woven from cosmic principles, giving the impression of touching both heaven and sea.
He appeared to fill the void itself, the beginning of all things, sovereign over the heavens. With the sea calmed and the mist crackling with flashes of lightning, he seemed truly divine, like a Buddha or immortal, leaving an indelible impression on Zhang Yuquan and the sailors.
Hmm… Meng Qi inwardly murmured in surprise, but had no time to dwell on it. Still invoking the “Law Mirroring Heaven and Earth,” he strode through the air, his right hand clenched into a fist. His knuckles were clearly defined, white and powerful.
The figure concealed within the mist seemed to witness a colossal jade ruyi hurtling toward him. It emanated sacred and solemn golden flecks, intertwined with swirling black and white auras of morality. Yet it stirred no ripple in the natural order—the waves held their rhythm, the mist hung undisturbed, and lightning continued its silent dance across the heavens.
The only peculiar thing was that all the thunder and mist instinctively parted to make way for this enormous jade Ruyi-like fist!
The formless and sinister opponent, recalling the swordsman’s tragic end, feared suffering the same fate—his skull shattered, body reduced to mud—and dared not block it directly. Instead, he formed seals with both hands, fingers pressing together, slowly pushing outward.
With this push, he seemed to completely merge with the mist, instantly vanishing into the distance.
Just as he was pleased with his successful escape technique, a sudden overwhelming sense of danger surged in his mind. He realized the “jade Ruyi” was still unerringly hurtling toward him.
How could this be?
Only then did he notice the black and white swirling in the surrounding void, forming an ever-circulating taiji. His earlier escape had merely been going in circles!
The golden specks infused the mist, making the surroundings sacred and rigid, not easily broken through for some time.
What technique, what martial art was this?
As he was about to erupt with power, he suddenly felt a numbness throughout his body, as though encountering a natural predator, an overwhelming counterforce, making resistance impossible. His movements slowed by half.
The jade Ruyi-like fist descended, piercing through his instinctively conjured protective barrier and striking his forehead.
Snap!
His forehead cracked open, brains spilling out. Yet unlike the swordsman before him, his body remained intact—this terrifying blow had only destroyed his head.
At that moment, the swordsman’s blood and flesh suddenly congealed, as if a vortex had appeared at the center. Within seconds, it vanished entirely, leaving behind only a strange creature. Its elongated body resembled a tree trunk, covered in long tendrils, with thin arms and legs on either side. It immediately dove into the sea, using the water to escape, causing Meng Qi’s tracking to falter slightly.
As Meng Qi focused on this creature, the formless opponent controlling the eerie spirit also underwent a similar transformation. The difference was that what remained was a crimson orb the size of a fist, resembling either a stone or a fruit, marked with colorful patterns resembling eyes and a mouth.
Plop! The crimson orb also fell into the sea, allowing Meng Qi’s attempt to snatch it from the air to only lift a handful of seawater.
Strange? What were these things? Meng Qi, encountering such creatures for the first time, was unprepared and inevitably exploited, allowing them to seize the chance to escape.
But his confusion didn’t end there. Whether it was the swordsman with overwhelming aura or the shadowy spirit controller, their strength was clearly far beyond Zhang Yuquan, a mere novice in the Outer Scenery realm. They should have at least approached the first tier of the Celestial Ladder, surpassing Meng Qi in both cultivation and combat ability.
Therefore, when Meng Qi made his move, he hadn’t even dared to hope for an immediate victory. Though he had employed “Law Mirroring Heaven and Earth” combined with the “Heaven and Earth Inversion” of the Reversing Heaven Seal to establish dominance, he still anticipated that the swordsman would block the strike at the cost of injury. The true lethal strike was actually the Dharma Body-level “Three Treasures Ruyi Fist.”
Who would have thought that the swordsman was simply overpowered by brute force, unable to hold his ground? And the later formless opponent also appeared defenseless against the “Three Treasures Ruyi Fist,” both seemingly failing to exhibit their true prowess.
“Could it be that my aura completely suppressed them, shattering their minds, or perhaps they were terrified by the identity of ‘Yuanshi Tianzun’?” Meng Qi speculated, turning his body. With a single step, he returned to the ship, his form gradually shrinking back to normal human size.
Yet to the sailors and Zhang Yuquan, he was no longer the so-called immortal of the mysterious sect, Biyou Palace, but a true immortal capable of upholding the heavens. Even in ordinary size, he appeared towering and majestic!
No wonder he was a mighty figure bearing the title of one of the Three Purities!
Meng Qi kept his expression hidden behind the mask, silently walking back to the cabin, leaving only one sentence behind:
“Retrieve the swordsman’s sword. I must inspect it for clues.”
The items carried by the white-robed swordsman and the shadowy figure had been taken by those strange creatures, leaving only a single treasure sword behind. As “Yuanshi Tianzun,” the majestic immortal, how could he personally retrieve it?
“Yes, Tianzun.” Zhang Yuquan respectfully replied. He had also witnessed the strange phenomena following the deaths of the two Outer Scenery experts, adding more doubts about the events in Qiaozhou. What had happened there? What were those creatures?
Meng Qi thought for a moment and added, “Don’t lose it.”
With that, he solemnly strode into the cabin.
…
Inside the secret chamber, two additional green lamps had been placed among the candles, burning with small, lively red flames.
These were simple soul lamps, capable of lasting only a limited time.
“Judging by the timing, they should have acted by now. If the soul lamps remain unchanged, it means the mission was successful.” A sharp voice spoke.
A deep voice replied, “We understand. No need to explain.”
“The past two attempts were similar to this one, except for the presence of a Biyou Palace immortal this time.” rasped a hoarse voice.
Before he finished speaking, a sudden gust of cold wind blew through.
Whoosh! Both soul lamps simultaneously extinguished, plunging the room into darkness!
“This…”
“How is this possible!”
“Are they both dead? Died almost simultaneously?”
Voices erupted in disbelief, unable to accept the reality, turning the chamber into a cacophony of confusion.
It was a long while before silence returned.
After a brief pause, an aged voice slowly said, “They could both briefly unleash the power of the Fourth Heaven. That should have been sufficient to handle most of the court’s experts. Their simultaneous deaths can only mean one thing: the Biyou Palace immortal is far more terrifying than we imagined, perhaps rivaling Doumu Yuanyun or Taiyi Zhenren from years past.”
No one objected. The facts were before them—blind denial and refusal to believe would only lead to greater losses.
“Against such an immortal, we should avoid direct confrontation. We must retreat to advance.” said a hoarse-voiced man.
“How do we retreat to advance?” the hoarse-voiced one asked.
The aged voice replied, “Allow Zhang Yuquan to take control of Qiaozhou, let us return to the capital. We will use the excuse of gathering our families, delaying as much as possible. If necessary, we will seize the ship during the voyage and secretly return.”
“Once the sea route is cut off, with our secretly cultivated forces and your hidden strengths, we can secretly carry out our plan without Zhang Yuquan’s knowledge. By the time the sea route reopens next year, our great task will be complete. What is there to fear then?”
They had known the identity of the imperial envoy all along, proving there were supporters on the opposing side!
A deep voice asked, “What if the Biyou Palace immortal personally escorts us back?”
The chamber fell silent again. After an unknown length of time, someone gritted his teeth and said, “Then we burn our boats and lure him there. I refuse to believe we can’t kill him!”
“Good!” After a brief hesitation, the others also resolved their determination.
Death is but a dream; survival brings endless years!
…
Xinhai City, the capital of Qiaoxia Prefecture.
The sun shone brightly, scattering golden patches across the azure sea like leaping golden scales. On the horizon where sea and sky met, ships gradually grew larger, their tall masts seemingly piercing the clouds.
Many fishermen and merchants gazed in awe. It had been decades since they last saw such a grand tower ship or such a magnificent fleet—perhaps not since the migration that established Qiaozhou!
Before the tower ship reached the harbor, Fang Butong, the Prefect of Qiaoxia Prefecture, boarded an official vessel and approached the deck of Zhang Yuquan’s ship.
He once held the record for being the oldest person to enter the Outer Scenery realm in the dynasty’s history. Now aged and frail, he had yet to break through to the Second Heaven. It wasn’t due to insufficient heavenly energy or the unavailability of rare treasures, but rather an irreparable error in his cultivation’s critical juncture.
Fang Butong’s hair was white, his posture slightly hunched, his face wrinkled, showing none of the commanding presence of a regional governor. He respectfully greeted Zhang Yuquan, subtly glancing at the stern-faced Daoist behind him—the terrifying figure known as “Yuanshi Tianzun”!
Meanwhile, Meng Qi was also observing him. One should never judge by appearances. Who would have guessed this frail old man, together with other governors, had caused the destruction of two imperial fleets, costing the lives of two Outer Scenery experts.
Regarding this, the imperial spies hidden in Xinhai City had already reported earlier.
Fang Butong remained composed, listening as Zhang Yuquan read the imperial decree. The emperor, out of kindness, allowed him to retire and return home, with Zhang Yuquan temporarily assuming the governorship of Qiaoxia Prefecture.
Upon finishing, Fang Butong loudly praised the emperor’s grace, shedding tears of gratitude with no sign of resistance.
After entering Xinhai City and attending a banquet, Zhang Yuquan finally found time to seek Meng Qi’s counsel:
“Tianzun, I feel something is amiss. Fang Butong was too compliant. When things seem abnormal, it’s often a sign of something sinister.”
Still wearing the “Yuanshi Tianzun” mask, Meng Qi sat cross-legged on the bed, his voice indifferent: “Would those who had already buried two imperial envoys willingly surrender?”
Once someone had taken such a desperate path, it was hard to turn back!
Zhang Yuquan understood this well, lowering his voice: “Tianzun, I will be vigilant against Fang Butong and quickly uncover the truth.”
“Why bother pretending with them? They might be stalling for time, waiting for the sea routes to close. You have righteousness on your side and the support of Biyou Palace. You should take the initiative and strike first!” Meng Qi calmly replied.
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