At this moment, Meng Qi truly felt like a wealthy patron. The insight of “Dao Spreading Throughout the Universe” was indeed priceless—it itself was the foundation upon which top sects established their legacies. If senior experts of the Xianji Sect or above could contemplate it regularly for ten to twenty years, they might well create a divine technique reaching the level of a Dharma Body, or even surpassing all others. Even if such a feat proved unattainable, their existing martial arts could be enhanced, their understanding of profound Daoist principles deepened, and their chances of breaking through current cultivation barriers significantly increased. Six thousand merits were indeed a bargain!
If not for the urgency of the death mission, Meng Qi would have taken the Tree of Dao to Huamei Villa to thank Master Lu for his guidance and assistance, allowing him to contemplate it freely and thereby strengthening their relationship. If three Dharma Body experts from the righteous sects became indebted to him, and no enemies from the evil sects bore him any deadly grudges, it would be unwise to provoke trouble.
As these thoughts flashed through his mind, Meng Qi spoke, “This time we’re forbidden from using secret treasures, talismans, or the like. Our preparations are simple: two batches of Dongji Changsheng Pills. Even without spare weapons, we must upgrade our current ones to the highest quality, and our armor as well. In short, we must do our utmost to leave no regrets.”
Boots and bracers were counted as part of the armor, sharing one slot with robes and battle attire. Consequently, Meng Qi and Jiang Zhiwei’s shoes would become useless.
Jiang Zhiwei’s expression turned serious as she said, “This time, we won’t be exchanging secret treasures that everyone can use. Pooling merits for distribution would go against human nature. I know you, little monk, wouldn’t mind, but we would feel guilty and uneasy. An incomplete mind leads to incomplete power.”
Seeing the huge disparity in merits among the team and that the treasures weren’t for the entire group, she proposed this.
“So?” Meng Qi roughly guessed Jiang Zhiwei’s intention.
“Using the form of borrowing merits from you, we’ll repay them after completing the mission.” Jiang Zhiwei glanced at Ruan Yushu and Zhao Heng.
They nodded in agreement.
“Fine.” Seeing their agreement, Meng Qi didn’t refuse, “First, let’s figure out how many merits we still need for the two batches of Dongji Changsheng Pills.”
They had the pill formula, but Meng Qi didn’t know how many Qinghua fruits and auxiliary herbs his companions had prepared.
Ruan Yushu, Zhao Heng, Qi Zhengyan, and Jiang Zhiwei each took out their collected materials, not much, with Ruan Yushu accounting for half, as they were indeed difficult to gather.
After inquiring from the Six Paths, Meng Qi and the others discovered that, along with two Qinghua fruits over five hundred years old, some herbs and flowers, and the Six Paths’ refining costs, the total for two batches came to twenty thousand merits.
“Each person contributes four thousand merits. Since the little monk didn’t gather any, he’ll contribute six thousand. Yushu prepared more, so two thousand will suffice,” Jiang Zhiwei proposed.
Everyone agreed, and Meng Qi smiled, turning to Ruan Yushu, “I’ll lend you another two thousand, totaling three thousand one hundred merits owed to me.”
Ruan Yushu nodded seriously, “This mission offers a reward of four thousand five hundred merits.”
First, we must complete it… Meng Qi didn’t voice such an inauspicious thought, merely murmuring it silently.
The twenty thousand merits were quickly gathered, placed into the pill formula, and a radiant glow rose with a fragrant aroma. Two batches of six Dongji Changsheng Pills appeared before everyone, green and glistening, their pill auras forming misty clouds, surrounding them with a warm and translucent glow.
Jiang Zhiwei and the others each took out prepared jade bottles, collecting one pill each, with the extra one placed with Meng Qi as a reserve.
Ruan Yushu already had the “Guanghan Jade Robe” and “Seven Immortals Zither,” needing no further exchanges. She stood aside, watching Meng Qi and Jiang Zhiwei.
Jiang Zhiwei seemed unaffected by the pressure of the death mission, still smiling as she said, “I just need to upgrade my ‘Seamless Heaven Robe’ to the highest quality.”
The Baihong Guanri Sword was already of the highest quality. If its power could be fully unleashed, it would be nearly half a step toward a Dharma Body. However, unlike divine treasures, its effectiveness depended on the wielder’s realm and strength. With Jiang Zhiwei’s current condition and her deep connection to the sword, fully unleashing its power would match a regular master’s strike. Combined with Dharma Body techniques, it would approach the peak of the Outer Scenery realm. Of course, any master would have some Dharma Body killing moves at their disposal.
Moreover, Jiang Zhiwei could only unleash it seven or eight times, and not consecutively more than twice, or else she would become as weakened as Meng Qi after using a divine treasure.
Meng Qi and the others helped look for a while and settled on a plan: exchanging for “Weaver’s Silk” to upgrade the Seamless Heaven Robe, with materials and refining totaling two thousand merits.
“Seamless Heaven Robe, a treasure-grade armor (highest quality). Legend has it that in ancient times, the Heavenly Court would produce a divine Seamless Heaven Robe every thousand years, taking the form of golden armor or light robes, each given to a heavenly general. After antiquity, many later imitations appeared, with this one, enhanced with Weaver’s Silk and ‘Milky Way Water,’ being among the best, nearly reaching divine quality. Fire and water cannot penetrate it, and it allows free travel through the Milky Way. Without activation, it equals the body defense of the Ninth Gate of the Golden Bell Shield at its peak. When activated, depending on the user’s realm, it can reach the Tenth or Eleventh Gate level, but it has three constantly shifting ‘weak points,’ with the soul defense reduced by one level. Value: nine thousand seven hundred merits.”
The Ninth Gate of the Golden Bell Shield at its peak marked the first tier of the heavenly ladder, the Tenth Gate the second, the Eleventh the third, and the Twelfth Gate at its peak could condense a Dharma Body. Thus, before the body defense significantly lagged behind the Eight-Nine Mystery Art, the Ninth Gate at its peak was roughly equivalent to the fourth level of the Eight-Nine Mystery Art, the Tenth Gate the seventh, and the Eleventh slightly less, equivalent to the ninth level, not the Eight-Nine Mystery Art’s half-step Dharma Body.
This was only body defense; soul defense was considerably inferior to the Eight-Nine Mystery Art.
Combined with the Nine-Turn Mystery Art, Zhiwei’s defense was quite formidable… Meng Qi felt quite pleased.
Qi Zhengyan stepped forward silently, as if he had already decided, directly spending nine thousand five hundred merits to exchange for a “Heavenly Crystal Battle Robe,” known for its hardness, slightly stronger than the Seamless Heaven Robe and Guanghan Jade Robe in direct defense but slightly weaker against soft, penetrating attacks, and lacking the ability to travel through the Milky Way or counterattack enemies.
For a disciple of the Devil Monarch, soft and penetrating attacks were their specialty… Meng Qi sighed inwardly.
After that, Qi Zhengyan exchanged for shattered scales of the Arctic True Dragon, upgrading the Dragon Pattern Crimson Gold Sword to the highest quality, totaling four thousand merits. Its power was roughly equivalent to Jiang Zhiwei’s Baihong Guanri Sword, but unlike Jiang Zhiwei, whose sword was nearly inseparable from her life force, his hidden strength was weaker, his performance inferior, and the number of times he could unleash it fewer.
Watching them finish exchanging, Zhao Heng sincerely said to Meng Qi, “You go first. I only have a thousand merits left. The rest must be borrowed from you.”
He looked slightly embarrassed, his face a bit pale, having fallen from being a major contributor in the team to this state.
Meng Qi didn’t say much, to avoid further embarrassment, first took out the Tianzhi Sword, exchanged for Thunder Pool Purple Crystal, upgrading it to the highest quality—after a year of precipitation, it could be upgraded again.
It cost four thousand merits in total, and the Tianzhi Sword became even heavier, seemingly capable of shaking the void with its weight:
“Tianzhi Sword, a treasure (highest quality). Forged from Heavenly Thunder Red Gold, its nature solidified with Purple Crystal Green Stone, its handle made from lightning-struck spiritual wood, incorporating many precious materials… It is exceptionally heavy, over nine hundred jin… It has some control over lightning and thunder, with immense power. If fully unleashed, depending on the user’s realm and strength, it can match a regular master or half a step toward a Dharma Body. Value: nine thousand seven hundred merits.”
Meng Qi swung the Tianzhi Sword, feeling that its speed and weight alone could kill enemies. The heavier, the better.
After a year of tempering and cultivation, Liuhua had already reached the highest quality, as had Xuan Gui. Meng Qi now only needed a highest-quality treasure sword.
“With your unique ability to split the heavens, you should have a sword with no special abilities, only sharpness,” Jiang Zhiwei suddenly suggested.
Only sharpness? Focusing all improvements on this aspect, combined with the heaven-splitting ability, what terrifying power would that create? Meng Qi was immediately intrigued and, after searching, settled on a treasure sword called the “Zanyu Sword”:
“Zanyu Sword, a treasure (highest quality). Forged nine times with Baihu Gold Essence, it cannot cause celestial phenomena or possess various supernatural abilities, but it is extremely sharp. In a simple clash, it can sever lower-grade treasure swords. If unleashed, depending on the wielder’s realm and strength, it can also sever medium and some upper-grade swords. Value: nine thousand eight hundred merits.”
“Good.” Meng Qi nodded in satisfaction. As a wealthy patron, he could casually spend thousands of merits.
With weapons complete, only armor remained. Meng Qi’s Qingyuan Robe had been destroyed in the Ninth Heaven, so he browsed through the robe series and chose the “Kunlun Robe,” comparable to the Seamless Heaven Robe in various aspects, though it couldn’t travel through the Milky Way, it had the ability to adapt to changes. Value: nine thousand seven hundred merits.
To Meng Qi, the unactivated Kunlun Robe was barely better than his physical body, purely for use in critical moments.
As the “Primordial Heavenly Venerable,” he naturally had to wear the “Kunlun Robe!” Meng Qi thought with bitter humor.
After finishing all exchanges, Zhao Heng approached the central jade pillar, his expression returning to normal as he said, “Actually, I previously traded protective secret treasures, extra weapons, useless pills, and remaining heavenly treasures for a Xuanhuang Emperor Robe, also of the highest quality.”
As he spoke, the robe he wore radiated a Xuanhuang color, filled with sacred and meritorious energy.
Because he had feared leaking the matter of Xianji, he hadn’t mentioned this earlier. Later, seeing Meng Qi produce the Tree of Dao and realizing that Jiang Zhiwei and Ruan Yushu had already contemplated it, he understood and no longer concealed it.
At this moment, he was completely emptied, except for the True Emperor Seal, a treasure sword called Yulong Sword, one Dongji Changsheng Pill, and the Xuanhuang Emperor Robe.
As for how to explain to the Political Affairs Hall, he would think about it after completing the death mission. There was no time to consider such matters now!
“So, I only need to upgrade the Yulong Sword directly to the highest quality.” Zhao Heng’s tone was gentle but his underlying resolve was firm.
Upgrading beyond its current level would cause irreversible damage to the Yulong Sword, preventing it from improving further in the future. However, for Zhao Heng, if he couldn’t achieve the Dharma Body, the Yulong Sword would suffice. If he could attain the Emperor Body, he would naturally have the Emperor Sword!
Seeing Zhao Heng’s determination, Meng Qi and the others didn’t try to dissuade him further. They helped him find a way to upgrade it, finally deciding it would need six thousand seven hundred merits.
Meng Qi lent him six thousand merits, watching him upgrade. The remaining six thousand three hundred ninety merits were temporarily unnecessary to exchange. They had enough for Outer Scenery-level techniques and martial arts!
The light scattered, transforming into myriad lights of the mortal world, filled with the atmosphere of the mundane and the brilliance of human virtue. The Yulong Sword let out a long cry, flying into Zhao Heng’s arms.
After further discussion of the mission, the time limit arrived. Light descended, and the five of them disappeared from the Cycle Plaza, their ears filled with the indifferent voice of the Six Paths Cycle Master: “This is a death mission. All secret treasures and the like are sealed. You may only use your own martial arts and weapons. Each of you may prepare only one piece of armor, such as a Taoist robe, and one healing pill.”
“The leader of the Red Army, ‘World-Subduing Heavenly King’ Du Huaishang, has become the supreme leader of the eighteen rebel armies. His forces sweep across the southeast, directly threatening the royal family, while the imperial court mobilizes experts to wage war and deploy troops. The two sides face off at the Nu River.”
“Main mission: Join the rebel army, assist Du Huaishang in defeating the imperial forces, cross the river to approach the capital. Success rewards four thousand five hundred merits, opens more permissions, and failure results in annihilation!”
Side Mission: Faction Battle
Eliminate a member of the Imperial Faction.
– Killing an Elite Warrior: Rewards 1,000 merits to your faction and deducts the same from the opposing faction.
– Killing a Top Expert: Rewards 3,000 merits to your faction and deducts the same from the opposing faction.
– Killing a Master: Rewards 6,000 merits to your faction and deducts 6,000 from the opposing faction.
Members of the victorious faction will receive an additional Cycle Talisman.
Those with insufficient merits by the end will face annihilation!
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