“Are you okay?” Jiang Zhiwei asked with concern as illusory water rippled.
Even with his eyes closed, Meng Qi still felt a burning pain, as if his eyes had been scorched by intense heat and smoke before his Eight-Nine Mystical Art reached perfection. Two tears involuntarily slid down his cheeks, and everything in his vision was a fiery red.
“I’m fine. I just need a moment to recover,” Meng Qi forced himself to say through the pain.
If not for his Eight-Nine Mystical Art having already eliminated his eyes’ vulnerability, he probably would have gone blind. Looking directly at a “star” from such a “close” distance was truly terrifying!
Jiang Zhiwei closed her eyes, her image of the Supreme Sword Sovereign becoming prominent. Her mind lake reflected a black star-like point, faintly sensing something from afar.
“Just a pig demon’s corpse…” Her brows did not relax; instead, they slightly furrowed. A pig demon of such magnitude was unheard of!
After crossing the first tier of the Celestial Staircase, she had also gained partial supernatural abilities, such as the “Heavenly Sword Heart”—a Daoist principle of impartiality, perceiving all things equally, without distinction of closeness or distance.
If one could reach the level of the Nine Venerated Daoist Patriarchs or the Ancient Buddha of Chan Sect, merely with this supernatural ability, one might illuminate the entire universe, making distant places seem as close as the horizon before one’s eyes. Though her ability had just been attained and was only slightly tested, its effect was indeed impressive.
However, with Meng Qi’s experience as a warning, she only briefly “sensed” it without getting closer for a detailed look, gaining merely a vague impression.
“Without any surprise, it should be Marshal Tianpeng,” Meng Qi still couldn’t open his eyes.
So the old pig had died in the Milky Way? How could such a sly and cunning old pig fail to escape this calamity?
He clearly had rolled up his belongings and fled when he sensed danger. Why were the Heavenly Soldiers outside still capable of awakening, while he had become roasted whole?
His eyes and expression were frozen in disbelief. Was it because the attacker was unexpected, or had he fled prematurely only to run straight into the blade?
“Marshal Tianpeng? Just because he shares the surname Zhu, it doesn’t necessarily mean he’s actually a pig…” Zhao Heng said somewhat speechlessly.
When the Six Paths introduced the background of the Journey to the West, they used voice descriptions. Between Zhu and Pig, normal people would naturally think of the surname “Zhu.”
Meng Qi took a breath: “I heard from elsewhere that Marshal Tianpeng indeed originated as a pig demon.”
Jiang Zhiwei and others had assumed it was a divine trace, and Zhao Heng thought it was before they formed a group, so no one asked further. They all asked Meng Qi for a detailed description of what he had seen.
Meng Qi roughly described it, silently mourning for his second senior apprentice brother. Although he had especially disliked him when reading Journey to the West novels, finding him sly, cunning, lazy, and deceitful, even wishing for Monkey to beat him to death, seeing him die so tragically still stirred some sadness within him. After all, this was a memory accompanying his growth.
“Yet it doesn’t seem small compared to the sun?” Zhao Heng asked in astonishment. What kind of demon body was this!
It was said that above the levels of Demon King and Great Demon were the Demon God and Great Sage levels. Which category did this belong to?
“It seems he used some cosmic-expanding techniques before death, just like the Heavenly Soldiers, he solidified after death,” Meng Qi offered his judgment.
Ruan Yushu gazed toward the star, “Roasted whole pig, uh, Marshal Tianpeng, commanding the Heavenly Water Troops, dominating this world. He probably didn’t fall into danger by accident. Perhaps we can uncover the mystery of the Nine Heavens’ disappearance and the fall of the Celestial Court from him.”
“Pity, that star is like a blazing sun. We would turn to smoke the moment we get slightly closer. There’s no way to examine the corpse or determine the cause of death,” Jiang Zhiwei sighed.
In Meng Qi’s mind, a series of scenes had already unfolded. The old pig, stationed at the central command, had dispatched his Heavenly Soldiers to patrol the Milky Way. Then, sensing something amiss, he realized the Celestial Court might not survive this time. So he gathered his belongings and tried to escape through the Milky Way instead of going through the Southern Gate of Heaven. Where he thought he was escaping triumphantly, an unimaginable person attacked him, or he unknowingly entered an ambush. He barely struggled before perishing, leaving an expression of incredulity on his face.
The reason Meng Qi guessed there had been little struggle was because there were no signs of fierce battle near the “star.” Judging from the demon body the old pig left behind, if the two sides had been closely matched or engaged in a prolonged battle, they would have shattered the “planet” and created various traces of destruction. Yet the area was calm, with the blazing sun at the center, surrounded by several slightly eerie planets, showing no signs of prior destruction.
“Either the opponent was far superior to the old pig and launched a surprise attack, or it was someone the old pig had absolutely no guard against,” Meng Qi mused with his eyes closed.
Here, “strength” referred to a comprehensive assessment including formations and treasures, not just the enemy’s cultivation level.
Moreover, what puzzled Meng Qi was that the old pig’s demon body could endure burning on the sun’s surface for years without being completely destroyed, clearly indicating its formidable power. Why hadn’t the attacker taken it along?
Thinking of this, he quickly spoke up: “Zhiwei, sense around the sun. See if there’s any floating item like a rake?”
The divine weapon of the old pig, the items he had gathered, and the gifts from his master, seniors, and juniors—were they still there?
Jiang Zhiwei once again manifested the image of the Supreme Sword Sovereign, employing her supernatural ability purely through sword intent to sense remotely, keeping her perception vague and general.
After a while, she shook her head: “Nothing. The sun’s power is immense. If there were any items floating around, they would have already been pulled in and burned.”
“That’s true,” Meng Qi sighed, considering the possibility that the murderer might have taken them.
“It’s getting late. The Demon King has probably already passed through. We need to catch up quickly to avoid letting them succeed before we even try,” Zhao Heng looked toward the upper reaches of the Milky Way, where the water shimmered, creating an ethereal, dreamlike atmosphere.
Meng Qi kept his eyes closed, feeling the burning sensation had eased somewhat. Earlier, even his spiritual senses seemed affected, unable to reach far, making him feel like a truly blind man. Hearing Zhao Heng’s words, he turned and flew toward the waterway connected to the pond.
Plop!
Ripples spread outward as Meng Qi stood innocently in front of a copper door, holding his head.
His senses were still affected, slightly miscalculating the distance, directly colliding with the bottom of the pond and bumping into an ancient copper door!
Good thing he practiced the Eight-Nine Mystical Art; otherwise, he would have had a bloody head! Meng Qi silently thanked his luck.
“There’s actually another door here?” Zhao Heng said in surprise.
The copper door wobbled slightly and slowly opened, seemingly without any seal or barrier.
Jiang Zhiwei and others drew their swords and held their zithers, their vigilance heightened, unsure what might emerge from behind the copper door.
“Heavenly horses?” Meng Qi, standing closest, sensed the situation inside first.
It was a vast, empty plaza with scattered carriages. They had only the carriages but no horses hitched, all covered in sealing light.
Only the one parked at the entrance, blocking the passage, had four heavenly horses pulling it. Their white fur was long and flowing, exuding a majestic and heroic aura. Their flesh contained explosive power. Though not as strong as a Dharma Body, they carried an eerie feeling, seemingly possessing some powerful supernatural ability. The carriage itself was completely enclosed, golden in color, carved with elegant patterns, and inscribed with seal script characters:
“Heavenly Water Troops!”
Could this be the mount of the Heavenly Water Army? Given the vast expanse of the Milky Way, perhaps these celestial steeds possess the divine ability to traverse the void? Only then could they patrol effectively! Meng Qi swallowed hard, overwhelmed by an intense longing to possess one of these horses.
The heavenly horses were also frozen, their bulging muscles and flowing manes motionless against all logic. Meng Qi stretched out his right hand but ultimately dared not touch or retrieve one. If he accidentally awakened them, it might trigger a chain reaction. The Heavenly Soldiers and Generals above might descend en masse, surrounding them before they could subdue the heavenly horses and return with their good deeds.
Further sensing inside, he found that the sealing power was also frozen. That meant once restored, it would display the grandeur of the ancient Celestial Court. Their current strength and cultivation level were simply no match… Meng Qi felt a bit disheartened.
These thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant when Qi Zhengyan softly exclaimed, “This carriage seems to have been about to enter the Milky Way, but encountered a major upheaval before it could depart, freezing everything in place. Who might be inside?”
Prompted by his words, Meng Qi’s eyes suddenly opened, looking toward the carriage. The door was tightly shut, all gaps sealed, the material blocking any sensing or peering.
Was it preparing to join the patrolling Heavenly Soldiers and Generals, or was it an important figure who had foreseen something amiss, trying to escape through the Milky Way? Was that why the old pig realized something major had happened?
There was no sound coming from inside the carriage, an eternal silence, profound and mysterious. Meng Qi exhaled, suppressing his greed, and without hesitation, turned around, floating upward.
With their current strength, they couldn’t afford to take this risk. If a Celestial Immortal or Earth Immortal were awakened, even using the main materials of divine treasures would be useless!
If it was an important figure, where would they flee with the carriage?
This question lingered in Meng Qi’s mind as he approached the pond’s surface, but he didn’t immediately surface. Instead, he made a slight change, sensing around him, confirming the lingering demonic aura spreading into the distance before jumping out.
“The Heavenly Soldiers haven’t awakened,” Jiang Zhiwei looked back and saw everything still remained the same.
Qi Zhengyan nodded: “It seems the demons are quite experienced.”
Meng Qi blinked his eyes, which had mostly recovered, and looked into the distance: “Indeed, the demons haven’t touched anything.”
They had also moved cautiously, not disturbing anything, and showed no interest in the Milky Way, focusing solely on the far end of the long bridge.
Without further ado, the five of them concealed their presence and traces, following the lingering demonic aura, moving from ahead of the demons to behind them.
They were ready to strike!
The long bridge extended, crossing the Milky Way. As Meng Qi and the others hurried forward, vague outlines gradually emerged from the mist ahead. There were lush trees, rising clear energy, and pavilions and terraces.
The exciting part was coming! Meng Qi’s heart leapt with joy. As long as there were no frozen celestial generals and soldiers there, they could gain something valuable, which would be worth quite a few good deeds. Combined with the rewards from hunting the Demon King, even if they didn’t complete the mission, they should still make a small profit.
“Wu!”
Suddenly, a distant wolf howl echoed, its tail wavering, as if something extremely terrifying had happened.
Meng Qi and Jiang Zhiwei exchanged glances, a chill rising in their hearts.
Was it infighting among them, or was there some “monster” hidden within the fragments of the Celestial Court?
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