The escaping light just flickered when Meng Qi suddenly sensed the world dimming. The wondrous state where inside and outside connected harmoniously, integrating the external world into his own realm, shattered instantly into pieces.
In his perception, a golden beam solidified into an arrow, piercing through the ocean of primordial energy, traversing multiple layers of emptiness, illuminating boundless darkness. It arrived in an instant with an overwhelming presence that seemed to embody a cosmic law, impossible to resist or evade!
How terrifying an arrow!
Such was Meng Qi’s immediate thought. He felt no desire to fight, no strength to resist, and his grip on sword and blade wavered.
Is this the might of a Zongshi with a top-grade treasure?
I’ve even seen Law Bodies before! Knowing the situation was dire, Meng Qi gritted his teeth. At the center of his consciousness, “Yuanshi” sat serene and fearless, his martial cultivation willpower forcefully suppressing emotional fluctuations, briefly resisting the mental suppression.
Fighting spirit surged, his mind like a still lake. Meng Qi quickly reached his optimal combat state, but the golden arrow moved so swiftly that it reached him before he could strike.
At this critical moment, a strange fragrance wafted in. Suddenly, thousands of golden lotuses appeared midair, each emitting boundless rays of light, heavy as earth, vast as land.
Thanks to Tian Kuo’s warning, Qi Zhengyan had already hidden the Jade Emptiness Amber Banner in his hand. Now he unfurled it against the wind, displaying the wondrous power of the Kunlun secret treasure, just in time to block the golden arrow.
Puh!
The golden arrow shot down one lotus after another, yet still surged forward with unstoppable might. The replica Amber Banner, limited by its rank, could only weaken the arrow slightly but couldn’t halt it, not even slowing it much. It seemed this speed was an inherent characteristic of the golden arrow, a natural law integrated within, not externally imposed. Unless destroyed or countered by a corresponding law, it was hard to affect!
How terrifying this “arrow” is!
Meng Qi sighed again, though this time his thoughts were different. Now he understood its power, appreciating its marvel.
No time to dodge, no time to counter, Meng Qi’s body suddenly expanded to nearly twenty feet tall, his form woven with laws, majestic and solemn. This forced the golden arrow, aimed directly at his brow center, to change direction, veering upward.
It had locked onto his brow!
But this redirection slightly increased the distance. Meng Qi could now react slightly, lifting his head, swinging his left arm across his face!
Puh! The golden arrow struck Meng Qi’s left arm, deeply embedding itself. Light flared, releasing an extremely terrifying explosion!
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
Golden light scattered, flesh flew, Meng Qi’s pale golden aura shattered, and he flew backward, dragging Qi Zhengyan along.
His left arm, from the shoulder, was completely destroyed, not even a bone left. His fire companion was thrown high, half his face caved in, blood staining him grotesquely.
Had he not cultivated the Eight-Nine Mystical Art and had the Jade Emptiness Amber Banner to block, this arrow would have crippled Meng Qi, leaving him with barely 20-30% of his strength!
Damn it! Meng Qi cursed inwardly, furious.
But he knew his opponent was a Zongshi with a terrifying treasure, so he had no intention of recklessly fighting and planned to escape.
Yet the palace’s hidden figure drew the bowstring again. Now it was a race of who was faster!
The Outer Manifestation experts hiding around the palace flew out, their original plan disrupted, forcing them to attack directly. There was former Minister of Justice Tian Heng, former Minister of Works Wang Dan, current Minister of Engineering Gongyang Zeng, and many of their family’s elders and juniors. Truly, “fathers and sons on the battlefield, brothers slaying tigers together!”
Once the ambush on King Chen failed, there was no turning back. Naturally, they deployed all their might. If the Golden Light Cave Zongshi failed, as long as King Chen was seriously injured, they still had a chance. But events unfolded more smoothly than expected. The Golden Light Cave Zongshi exceeded their expectations in both power and treasures. Even though King Chen’s hidden strength was frightening, it didn’t create much disturbance, merely costing a few secret treasures.
Therefore, they decided to stay, preparing to ambush Meng Qi and others, framing them for good.
However, fate had other plans. For unknown reasons, Tian Kuo learned of the plot, secretly joined the Tian family’s ranks without his father’s knowledge, and managed to secure the duty of inspection and review—besides Tian Heng and Tian Jian, no one in the three families knew he deeply admired Su Mo. His secret affiliation with the Mohists was even more hidden, unknown even to Tian Heng.
Golden Light Cave Zongshi exerted force with his right hand, crimson clouds swirling behind him as countless golden rays burst forth. With a somewhat strained motion, he drew the bowstring.
Dang!
Suddenly, a bell rang out, shaking souls, making spirits tremble. The Outer Manifestation experts rushing out all felt dizzy, unable to steady themselves. The targeted Golden Light Cave Zongshi also felt a buzz in his mind, his hands briefly losing strength, the bowstring snapping back, missing its aim.
The Soul-Scattering Bell!
Previously, to supervise customs duties and make an example, this secret treasure was entrusted to Jiang Zhimwei. After all, Meng Qi, as Grand Minister of Works, needed to stay at the upper camp, making it perfect for this moment.
The golden light transformed into an arrow, piercing through the palace roof, through layers of clouds, straight into the azure sky, shooting toward the sun!
Crack! The small black bell in Jiang Zhimwei’s hand shattered into pieces.
Opportunity!
Without hesitation, Meng Qi turned, his acupoints’ illusory forms contracting. Behind him, the invisible and formless Yuanshi Primordial Image faintly appeared, dark and chaotic, indescribable.
Then, he raised his lone arm high, cleaving downward with a saber stroke, splitting the heavens!
Darkness cracked, palace walls cracked, the white jade plaza cracked, pavilions cracked. From Meng Qi to the first Outer Manifestation expert, hundreds of feet apart, everything was split in two, the earth showing deep trenches!
Puh! With a faint sound, the Outer Manifestation expert, still dizzy, suddenly regained clarity, only to see a blood line descending from his throat to his crotch, his left eye gradually seeing his right eye!
Left eye seeing right eye? Puh-tong! He split into two, falling to the ground.
The saber light didn’t stop, slicing through King Chen’s sleeping quarters, reaching the Golden Light Cave Zongshi.
The Zongshi had just regained consciousness, instinctively raising his left hand, with red light flickering as the saber glow vanished.
Seizing the opportunity, Meng Qi sprouted two additional arms, catching the falling Flame Companion. Together with Qi Zhengyan, they employed the Fire Escape technique and vanished within Shangying City. Meanwhile, Jiang Zhiwei and the others swiftly shielded Ruan Yushu and fled, with Zhao Heng doing the same.
They split into three groups to avoid drawing attention during escape.
As for regrouping, they had long communicated plans. Initially, anticipating a desperate counterattack by nobles sparking civil war, King Chen compromised. Thus, under Meng Qi’s suggestion, they devised a plan to scatter and regroup afterward, preparing for emergencies. Surprisingly, a month passed peacefully without needing it, yet now, just before success, it proved invaluable.
The Golden Light Cave Zongshi sensed the emptiness around him, deeply inhaling. Instantly, his mind reflected scenes within a dozen miles, streets, pedestrians, houses, all vividly clear.
He seemed the ruler of this land, capable of illuminating hidden realms and divine presences.
Unfortunately, still no trace of Meng Qi and others!
This was expected, as “Su Mo” and others were either Outer Manifestation experts or Perfect Half-Steps, having long surpassed the Heaven-Man Unity threshold, their auras blending with the heavens and earth, becoming part of it. This rough sensing method couldn’t distinguish them.
“Pursue!”
“Seal Shangying, search house by house.”
“Divide forces, follow me to track the surroundings.”
“We must capture them!”
The Golden Light Cave Zongshi opened his eyes, issuing orders continuously.
This urgency surprised Tian Heng and Gongyang Zeng. Compared to his previous confrontation with King Chen, the Zongshi now seemed more urgent, as if his purpose wasn’t aiding the nobles but capturing or killing Su Mo and others?
What exactly does the Golden Light Cave want?
…
Meng Qi had lost his left arm, his face sunken, appearing grotesque and severely injured, though fortunately retaining combat capability.
Now, after several leaps, he felt unable to continue. Quickly exiting the Fire Escape (Dun), he connected his aura with Heaven and Earth (Tian Di), concealed himself from perception, and sat cross-legged, preparing to heal.
Qi Zhengyan, having used a treasure beyond his level, was also greatly drained, feeling somewhat dazed, and hurriedly began to recover.
After stabilizing his injuries, Meng Qi took out the Medicine Master’s Heart Pill, swallowing it. A cool thread ran from his mouth down his throat, into his stomach.
Qi Zhengyan recovered faster, glancing around, finding himself in someone’s kitchen, the stove burning a weak flame, warming a soup pot.
Judging by the setup, at most a first-tier household… Qi Zhengyan relaxed slightly, as it wasn’t a noble estate.
Suddenly, he felt Meng Qi’s aura turn strange, quickly turning back, cautious.
At once, his gaze froze, for Meng Qi’s left arm stump was writhing with flesh, continuously regenerating, gradually swelling.
Puh! A pure, strong arm grew from the flesh, glowing faintly golden!
Is this even possible… Qi Zhengyan was stunned.
In his brief shock, he heard footsteps approaching outside the kitchen, a decent cultivator, Semi-Outer Manifestation.
Qi Zhengyan was about to act when he instinctively paused, sensing an approaching Outer Manifestation presence, a voice echoing from afar: “Any abnormalities at your place?”
Oh no!
What bad luck!
Qi Zhengyan narrowed his eyes slightly.
With a creak, the kitchen door opened, revealing a middle-aged man.
In the frozen atmosphere, the middle-aged man glanced at Meng Qi and Qi Zhengyan before declaring in a clear voice, “Everything is as usual.”
Everything as usual? Qi Zhengyan frowned.
A powerful expert patrolling outside wouldn’t waste time searching house by house. They would monitor unusual movements from midair while soldiers and guards conducted the door-to-door inspections. Thus, they remained aloft, keeping their distance high above.
The middle-aged man closed the kitchen door, bowed solemnly, and said in a hushed voice, “Greetings, Master Ju.”
So it’s the Mohist school… Meng Shidi’s fire escape path was carefully chosen! Qi Zhengyan suddenly understood.
“Any abnormalities?”
Damn it!
Terrible luck!
Qi Zhengyan’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Creak!
The kitchen door opened, revealing a middle-aged man.
In the frozen atmosphere, the man glanced at Meng Qi and Qi Zhengyan, then loudly declared, “Everything is normal.”
Everything normal? Qi Zhengyan frowned.
Outer Manifestation experts wouldn’t waste time checking every household; they monitored anomalies from the air while soldiers and guards conducted door-to-door searches. Thus, the expert didn’t approach, remaining high above.
The middle-aged man closed the kitchen door, solemnly bowed, and whispered, “Salutations, Juzi.”
A Mohist… So Junior Brother Meng had deliberately chosen the path of Fire Escape (Dun)! Qi Zhengyan suddenly understood.
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