After the world fell into chaos, distinctions between surnames gradually blurred, and nowadays, they have completely merged. Thus, someone like Duke Huan of Qi, an ancient figure hundreds of years old, deliberately announced his surname and given name.
Upon hearing such an introduction, others in the group might not have reacted, simply because they didn’t recognize the name, but Meng Qi was different. In his previous life, while reading books about the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, he often mocked the great Duke Huan of Qi for having such a comically undignified name—Xiaobai (“Little White”)!
Later, when he discovered that their family included members named Wu Zhi (“Ignorant”) and Zhu Er (“Son of the Elder”), he gradually became numb to it. Although he didn’t know what the Duke Huan of Qi in the Fengshen world was called, when he saw a person bearing the name “Jiang Xing, Lu Clan, named Xiaobai,” he couldn’t help but make an educated guess!
“Could it be Elder Lu of Qi before me?” Meng Qi concealed his surprise and bowed respectfully.
Because the Six Tyrants had either retreated into seclusion or vanished altogether, they often bore posthumous titles such as Huan, Zhuang, and so on. However, since the person was still alive and Meng Qi was not of equal status, he naturally refrained from addressing him directly as Duke Huan.
Duke Huan laughed and said, “We are both disciples of the Yu Xu Sect; there is no need for such formalities. Besides, this old Taoist has a favor to ask of you.”
Getting straight to the point, Meng Qi immediately said, “What can this junior possibly assist you with?”
Duke Huan stroked his white beard and said, “A small matter. After you transform, follow this old Taoist to meet Zhuang of Chu and help identify an item he obtained from the Yu Xu Palace. Since you two seem destined to cross paths, perhaps you can discern its origin.”
“Could it be my senior uncle cannot recognize it?” Since Duke Huan had mentioned being from the same Yu Xu Sect, Meng Qi took the opportunity and addressed him as “Senior Uncle.”
Duke Huan’s white eyebrows slightly furrowed. “It is not the one I expected; it seems to have a different origin.”
He did not object to the term “Senior Uncle.”
Seeing that he was unwilling to elaborate, Meng Qi did not press further and instead asked, “Senior Uncle, may I ask if there is a pattern to Yu Xu Palace’s appearances?”
This was what he was most concerned about, as it might contain the complete inheritance of the “Primordial Gold Manuscript!”
“It appears and disappears without a fixed pattern. However, shortly before each appearance, the heavens and earth always undergo some changes. Ordinary people cannot perceive them, but at my level and that of Zhuang of Chu, we can clearly sense it. Especially this last time, the River of Time itself showed anomalies, no longer as ‘slow’ as before, and has yet to return to normal. It seems we can’t go back…”
Speaking of this, Duke Huan became somewhat talkative, unafraid that Meng Qi, who had not yet reached the Body Refinement stage, might use this knowledge to locate Yu Xu Palace and get there first.
Meng Qi listened quietly, then interjected appropriately, “So, by observing these changes in heaven and earth, we can find the Yu Xu Palace before it appears?”
Duke Huan nodded. “After several previous failures, we gradually figured out the pattern and finally located Yu Xu Palace at the last moment. Unfortunately, we were expelled shortly after entering. Only Zhuang of Chu obtained an item. This old Taoist wants you to identify its origin so we can gather more clues, hoping to forcefully enter next time or gain more benefits.”
He sighed and continued, “At my age, I can probably wait for only one more appearance of Yu Xu Palace. Alas, my ancestor lacked the fortune of immortality and never achieved the Body Refinement stage, so the ‘Primordial Gold Manuscript’ he obtained did not include the ‘Body Refinement Chapter.’ This old Taoist’s current cultivation is mostly due to other extraordinary encounters and becoming the League Leader of the Martial World…”
He did not continue, but instead looked up at the sky and said, “Since the Fengshen War, the heavens and earth have been damaged, filled with strange anomalies and restrictions. At my level, I can vaguely sense something and refuse to stop here. Therefore, I place great hope on Yu Xu Palace, hoping to obtain the complete inheritance and the Kunlun Elixir of Immortality.”
The Elixir of Immortality? Meng Qi inhaled deeply. It seemed the Body Refinement experts in the Fengshen world also had only around three hundred years of lifespan!
After regaining his composure, he asked about these strange anomalies and restrictions, but Duke Huan evaded the question, making Meng Qi even more puzzled.
Unable to ask further, Meng Qi temporarily set the matter aside and asked another question he was concerned about: “Senior Uncle, do you know why the Heavenly Venerables and other immortals of the Yu Xu lineage are nowhere to be seen?”
Upon hearing this, Duke Huan’s expression turned solemn. “My ancestor left a farewell letter stating that after the heavens and earth were damaged, all sects suffered heavy losses and reached an agreement to abandon the Shang dynasty and fully support King Wu. The three Heavenly Venerables and the two ancestral masters of Buddhism each returned to their own places.”
This matched what Meng Qi had learned from the Immortal Traces… Meng Qi nodded slightly.
“However, in the third year after the damage to the heavens and earth, Master Tongtian disappeared, and Biyou Palace’s location became unknown. In the fifth year, Tai Shang and Dushuai Palace disappeared simultaneously. In the ninth year, the Heavenly Venerable vanished, Yu Xu retreated, and Kunlun sealed itself off, leaving only mortals behind. In the eleventh year, the Buddhist Pure Lands ceased to appear in the mortal world.” Speaking of these past events, Duke Huan showed a look of shock and confusion. “In the following decades, many senior immortals either departed or secluded themselves, and some were even found dead.”
“Departed?” Meng Qi asked in confusion.
Duke Huan nodded slightly. “Before they disappeared, they each left behind a few words, but the meaning was the same: ‘Return!'”
“Return?” Meng Qi was puzzled. “Which senior immortals returned?”
Did they return to the “Immortal Realm” or to the “True World,” beyond the fragments of time?
“This old Taoist only knows of the Yu Xu Palace’s Immortal Venerable Guangcheng and the Dushuai Palace’s Immortal Venerable Nanhua,” replied Duke Huan. “As for others, I do not know.”
Meng Qi secretly noted this and continued to ask questions. Duke Huan answered openly what he wished to share and remained tight-lipped about what he did not, leaving Meng Qi quite frustrated. Eventually, Meng Qi simply asked about the contents of the “Primordial Gold Manuscript,” such as the Yu Xu Divine Calculations.
In this area, Duke Huan’s expertise far surpassed Meng Qi’s by countless times, often instantly dispelling Meng Qi’s long ponderings with a single sentence.
Seeing that the Mohists’ affairs were nearly settled, Meng Qi smiled and said, “Senior Uncle, may I ask if the Mohists can take refuge in Qi?”
Duke Huan, understanding his intentions, chuckled. “This old Taoist can ensure the Daoist lineage stays out of it. As for convincing the current King of Qi, that’s entirely up to you. Alas, Qi has long been in decline and decay, desperately needing reform.”
The last half of his sentence was a veiled expression of support.
Meng Qi thanked his Senior Uncle and walked over to Jiang Zhiwei and the others. With a solemn expression, he addressed the Mohists: “Few matters in the world proceed smoothly. Without trials and tribulations, without hardship, there can be no true gold.”
“Of course, the general trend of the world cannot be changed; the future is bright, though the path is winding. I hope you all remain true to yourselves, uphold the principle of universal love, and do not lose heart.”
“The Qi region is in decay, precisely where we can make a difference. You may go under the leadership of Baisong and Zhaobai. If you wish to remain in the state of Chen, Wang Qi will lead you.”
Baisong, Zhaobai, and Wang Qi had already reunited with Meng Qi and others after the restrictions were lifted.
“Yes, Juzi!” the Mohists respectfully replied one by one.
Baisong looked at Meng Qi with some confusion. “Juzi, where are you planning to go?”
“We still have one matter to attend to and will meet you in Qi later,” Meng Qi replied calmly. Baisong could barely shoulder the current responsibilities of the Mohists, though his prestige was still insufficient.
As for the Mohists in Chen, although Wang Qi was highly skilled in martial arts, his leadership abilities were poor, making him unsuitable as a leader. He only held a nominal position, while the true leader was someone Meng Qi and Jiang Zhiwei had in mind—Tian Kuo.
…
As dusk approached and layers of clouds burned in the sky, Meng Qi transformed into a rat and hid inside Duke Huan’s sleeve. He felt surrounded by darkness, as if immersed in chaos, yet he could faintly sense the outside world.
Suddenly, Duke Huan halted and laughed aloud, “In the past, you strutted proudly, dominating the world. Now, why do you hide like a timid maiden?”
“Honored before Duke Huan, this junior dares not look directly,” a dignified voice replied. The tone seemed humble, yet he directly used the “posthumous title.”
Meng Qi focused his senses and discovered a tall man standing ahead, wearing imperial robes and a crown, his face golden-hued, with thick eyebrows and large eyes, and a black beard beneath his chin, exuding sacredness and solemnity.
As he stood there, he seemed to fill the entire heavens and earth.
“So it was Duke Huan’s intervention that allowed Su Mo to escape…” continued King Zhuang of Chu.
Following Duke Huan’s hint, Meng Qi focused all his senses on the item hanging at King Zhuang of Chu’s waist.
It was a jade scepter, radiating purple, white, and golden hues, translucent throughout, exuding solemnity and tranquility, as if capable of suppressing heart demons, life and death, and the passage of time!
Yet its aura was somewhat weak, definitely not the legendary Three-Treasure Scepter.
What surprised Meng Qi, however, was that this jade scepter gave him a strange sense of familiarity—not a familiarity from martial arts cultivation, but an indescribable one, as if seeing it was like seeing himself!
No, it was slightly different from himself!
Puzzled, Meng Qi watched as Duke Huan and King Zhuang of Chu finished blaming each other and went their separate ways.
At a distance, Duke Huan released Meng Qi and asked if he had discovered anything.
Meng Qi honestly recounted his feelings and finally said, “This junior also could not discern its origin.”
Duke Huan paced with his hands behind his back, pondering for a while. “At the very least, it confirms that something strange indeed exists…”
At this time, Meng Qi and the others’ time limit had arrived. Unwilling to spend more time spreading their teachings in Qi and risk causing greater problems due to the return interval, they bid farewell to Duke Huan, paid 2,500 Virtuous Merits each, and forcibly returned!
“I will return!” As he vanished, Meng Qi turned back to look at the land of Chen, a famous quote inexplicably arising in his heart.
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