Without delay, Meng Qi quickly fled the city and headed straight for the western hill. As a replica and a secret treasure with limited usage, the Shanhé Sheji Chart couldn’t be maintained for long. He had to reunite with his companions before its effect ended and combine their strength to kill Gongyang Zeng!
Otherwise, back then, the Thousand-Mile Eye and the Wind-Ear would not have set up an ambush halfway. Of course, part of the reason was that they had assessed their own strength and secret treasures and looked down on Meng Qi and others, thus unwilling to carry the chart all the way back to their mountain.
With his current strength, during the brief period when he maintained the Heaven-Imitating and the Four-Armed Form, Meng Qi felt confident enough to contend with most top experts of the fourth level of External Scenery. With proper planning and opportunity, he might even have a chance to defeat them. However, Gongyang Zeng was a seasoned top expert, nearly at the sixth level. As the family head, he surely possessed many secret treasures. If Meng Qi were careless, the incident where the Thousand-Mile Eye and the Wind-Ear were defeated by their group would serve as a cautionary tale!
Therefore, Meng Qi’s decision to assassinate Gongyang today was not impulsive. According to the original plan, after splitting up to escape, they were to reunite now at the western hill.
Taking advantage of the time before Gongyang Zeng’s disappearance was discovered, Meng Qi left the city calmly and ascended the hill. This place had always been remote and deserted.
Looking around, Meng Qi did not see Jiang Zhiwei and Ruan Yushu, only Zhao Heng, Qi Zhengyan, and Tian Kuo.
Tian Kuo?
Frowning slightly, Meng Qi sensed the surroundings cautiously and flew over.
“Master Jiang and Master Ruan disguised themselves as bandits and voluntarily entered the prison, making it inconvenient for them to leave. They sent me to inform you, Master Juzi,” Tian Kuo guessed Meng Qi’s confusion and whispered.
As one of the minor jail overseers, he naturally had free movement within.
Meng Qi understood immediately and shook the Shanhé Sheji Chart in his hand: “Other matters can wait. First, help me deal with Gongyang Zeng!”
“Gongyang Zeng?” Both Zhao Heng and Tian Kuo exclaimed in shock, while Qi Zhengyan also showed slight surprise.
He had silently captured the Grand Minister and head of the Gongyang family!
This feat was no less than capturing a general’s head amidst a million troops during the Opening!
Meng Qi had no time to explain: “Thanks to this chart. Prepare your secret treasures quickly; it won’t last much longer.”
This was mainly directed at Zhao Heng and Qi Zhengyan.
“Alright!” Zhao Heng pulled out a golden rope with his left hand, while Qi Zhengyan held a yellow flag and took positions at different points.
After recovering from his shock, Tian Kuo quickly refocused: “Esteemed gentlemen, the secret treasures must be used swiftly. The Gongyang family possesses a replica of the Primordial Unity Banner, which can conceal one’s form and aura and employ the space-folding technique, making it the best choice for escape and survival.”
“What else?” Meng Qi nodded slightly. With this reminder, many variables could be avoided.
Tian Kuo quickly relayed what he knew and concluded: “Gongyang Zeng is the chief instigator behind this rebellion. Esteemed gentlemen, please eliminate this injustice!”
“It was him!” Meng Qi narrowed his eyes, recalling the tragic death of Prince Chen, the imprisoned Mohists, and the failed mission to spread their teachings. Anger surged in his heart, and his voice became gritted with hatred.
Now was the time to settle old scores!
Although he often considered himself narrow-minded, Meng Qi took a deep breath, pushing away these emotions. Ripples in his mind calmed instantly, and his spirit returned to clarity and calmness.
He unfolded the Shanhé Sheji Chart, holding one end, and shook it toward the center!
Swish! A figure flew out, holding a chaotic-colored parasol in his left hand, making his form semi-transparent. With his right hand, he flicked a finger, sending out a stone glowing with five-colored lights.
Gongyang Zeng had been prepared, waiting for this moment!
At the same time, Zhao Heng and Qi Zhengyan launched their attacks. A golden rope flew out, dividing into sections, each marked with mystical talismans and inscriptions, wrapping toward Gongyang Zeng.
Ten thousand golden lotuses bloomed, emitting boundless light, connecting with the earth, vast and expansive, as if no matter how far, they could reach and contain everything!
Papap!
The stones glowing with five-colored lights struck down the golden lotuses, flying unerringly toward Meng Qi.
Blocked and weakened by the Jade Emptiness Yellow Flag, Meng Qi transformed with the wind, assuming the Heaven-Imitating Form. His long saber and Flowing Fire collided before him.
Boom!
Light erupted within a small area, swallowing the Five-Color Stones.
Brilliant flashes erupted, and the stone shot straight toward Meng Qi’s face, causing his golden glow to waver and his face to swell and redden. Without the Eight-Nine Art, he might have been severely injured or even had his brains dashed out.
This was a seventh-level secret treasure!
The parasol emitted a dark glow, and the figure vanished instantly. But as he disappeared, the Immortal Binding Rope had already wrapped around him!
At a short distance away, the figure reappeared, crashing to the ground, bound tightly. Talismans flowed, sealing the top expert’s various techniques and divine abilities!
Meng Qi strode forward, applying the Spirit Binding Hand to add another layer of seal.
After finishing, he looked at the slightly flustered and hate-filled Gongyang Zeng and chuckled: “Grand Minister, did you ever think this day would come when you killed the king?”
With his enemy captured, he felt a sense of satisfaction.
Gongyang Zeng suppressed his panic, his face darkened, scanning the area and settling on Tian Kuo coldly: “So it was you, little brat!”
Then he looked at Meng Qi and laughed: “Master Su, why say this? As the saying goes, in Heaven’s Will, the victor leads, and the defeated follows. Long ago, Duke Huan of Qi killed his brother to seize the throne, yet still attained the Dharma Body, founding a great enterprise and becoming the first of the Six Lords?”
In this world of deification, there was also Duke Huan of Qi, the first overlord among the feudal lords, cited here to refute the notion of injustice.
Meng Qi looked at him, unaffected by his words, calmly replied: “Since Duke Huan, the world truly fell into chaos, with endless conflicts among the states. Where was justice then?”
At this point, he didn’t give Gongyang Zeng a chance to argue further, raising his long saber and bowing toward the upper camp:
“His Majesty honored the virtuous and knew how to value the Mohists. I have always been grateful. Today, I slay this villain in tribute and remembrance!”
His tone was calm, without any hatred, but Gongyang Zeng could sense his firm resolve to kill. Thus, he said no more, closed his eyes, and coldly muttered: “It’s just unfortunate I trusted the Tian family back then, letting the news leak. Otherwise, how could I be here? I would have reduced you all to dust long ago!”
Meng Qi inhaled slightly, his inner scenery merging into the void, the surroundings turning dark. He raised his long saber, its descent feeling extremely heavy, as if all internal and external forces were concentrated at the blade’s tip.
A dull collapsing sound echoed. A needle-sized black dot seemed to appear at the blade’s tip, barely visible.
As it neared Gongyang Zeng, the bound body lifted, and the wide robes within the Immortal Binding Rope showed fierce tearing marks.
“Ahh!”
The saber struck. Amidst a piercing scream, Gongyang Zeng was torn apart, his remains scattered across the ground, leaving a uniform layer of flesh and bone.
To prevent accidents, Meng Qi did not attempt to remove Gongyang Zeng’s treasures or robes, only taking off the Ring of the Universe, as that required first removing the Immortal Binding Rope.
The flesh writhed, forming the three large characters:
“Kill the Unjust!”
Tian Kuo also bowed toward the upper camp, offering a memorial for Prince Chen.
…
Hearing the report from the Gongyang family’s External Scenery disciple, Master Chixia of the Golden Light Cave was furious, no longer pretending to be a Mohist. He rushed out of the prison and headed directly for the Gongyang family’s mansion.
After searching thoroughly, he found neither Gongyang Bo’s corpse nor Gongyang Zeng, growing increasingly angry, yet with added caution and a sense of foreboding.
The Gongyang family’s External Scenery disciple accompanying him was puzzled, quickly summoning the household guards and servants to inquire about the master’s whereabouts.
“The master left with a grim face!”
“He seemed to head toward the prison…”
The consistent answers made Chixia frown. Could it be that Gongyang Zeng discovered some clue, anxiously searching for him, only to fall victim?
Looking around, he suddenly noticed something amiss and sternly asked: “Is this where your Gongyang junior cousin perished?”
The External Scenery disciple nodded at first, but upon closer inspection, he gasped in shock: “How could this be?”
There were no traces of a struggle here, no clues from the burning of a corpse!
Chixia, with his vast experience, pondered deeply and solemnly said: “The Shanhé Sheji Chart!”
“They are connected to the Xiao Qian Cave of the Jade Emptiness Mountain!”
“The Shanhé Sheji Chart? No wonder…” The External Scenery disciple suddenly understood.
Chixia acted decisively: “Quickly activate the formation, seal the entire city. We might be too late otherwise!”
As he finished speaking, another External Scenery disciple sent to check the ancestral hall stumbled back in panic: “Bad news! The master’s soul lamp has gone out!”
Crack! All the stones in the courtyard turned to powder. Enraged, Chixia roared: “No need to seal it anymore!”
“Notify the other families. Withdraw the people in the prison. Top experts should guard their homes. External Scenery disciples, key members, and restless members of the royal family must stay by their sides and not leave.”
“I will personally guard the upper camp, sitting in midair, monitoring all directions, awaiting reinforcements from the Golden Light Cave.”
“Swear to kill Su Mo and others!”
…
The secret treasures obtained through exchange were nearly depleted. Meng Qi was now opening Gongyang Zeng’s Ring of the Universe, searching for treasures to sustain the battle.
As the family head, even if he didn’t carry the treasure vault with him, he was still not lacking. Compared to Gongyang Deng and Gongyang Bo, he was much better off. There were nearly ten treasures, including heavenly materials and rare herbs, two superior-grade weapons—a spear and a sword—and four remaining secret treasures. It should be noted that Gongyang Zeng had already used two powerful items!
“A fifth-grade Five-Colored Stone, a Golden Light Earth Evasion Talisman, a fourth-grade Four Symbols Pipa, and a replica of the Eye-Piercing Pearl…” Meng Qi identified each item with mild disappointment. These secret treasures were effective against first-rate masters but utterly insufficient when facing grandmaster-level opponents. As for secret treasures of seventh-grade or above, even wielding them would impose a tremendous burden on himself!
At this moment, Tian Kuo informed Meng Qi that Jiang Zhiwei and Ruan Yushu had discovered a powerful External Scenery practitioner disguised as a Mohist hiding in the prison. Because of this discovery, the two women revealed their identities and sent Tian Kuo to deliver the message.
“There was indeed an ambush,” Meng Qi mused thoughtfully. “But after the incident with Gongyang Zeng, things might have changed. Master Tian, please return to the prison, pass on the message, and clarify the situation. We must act accordingly.”
“Yes, Master Juzi.” Tian Kuo bowed.
…
On his way back, Tian Kuo noticed Master Chixia holding a bow, sitting cross-legged in midair near the prison, monitoring the noble district within a dozen miles. At the slightest movement, he could act immediately.
“This makes rescue difficult…” Tian Kuo frowned, entering the prison and secretly transmitting his voice to Jiang Zhiwei and Ruan Yushu.
The two women also found it tricky. As they were pondering, a voice, old yet spirited, suddenly echoed in their ears: “Esteemed ladies, this old Daoist can help you rescue the captives, but you must agree to one request from this old man.”
“Who?” Startled by the voice that revealed their thoughts, they couldn’t help but be astonished at first but soon forced themselves to calm down and turned to look at the old Daoist smiling in the opposite cell.
The old Daoist performed a Daoist bow, indicating it was indeed him.
“What request?” Jiang Zhiwei asked directly.
“This matter still requires Master Su’s consent.” The old Daoist looked at Tian Kuo, clearly wanting him to relay the message.
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