Chapter 764: Yun He’s Request

The Gate of Myriad Phenomena was covered with various patterns and stood quietly before Meng Qi, manifesting an ancient and weathered presence.

When Meng Qi left the fairyland, he exchanged the opportunity to comprehend the “Yuanjin Zhang” general outline of the Dharma Body section and the “Yuanxin Seal” for the inheritances of the “Reversal Heaven Seal” and the “Wuji Seal.” With five seals in hand, he might be the person who obtained the most “Yuan Origin Seals” since the fall of the Celestial Court!

Without delay, he exited the fairyland, found a secluded spot, took out the Gate of Myriad Phenomena, walked through it, entered the cave heaven, and flew directly toward the Gate of Myriad Phenomena.

Just arriving at the main peak, Meng Qi heard the calm and refined voice of Yun He Zhen Ren echoing in his ears: “It has been a long time. Young friend, I hope you have been well?”

Seeing Yun He Zhen Ren’s peaceful and composed demeanor, Meng Qi gained some insight and smiled slightly, bowing in the air: “Congratulations, Zhen Ren. With the Yang Shen formed, you are no longer the same as before.”

It seemed that Yun He Zhen Ren, with years of accumulation and the help of the general outline of the “Rulai Divine Palm,” had successfully taken an important step forward.

As soon as the words were spoken, Meng Qi felt the spiritual aura of the world change. The void dimmed and brightened, and he felt slightly dizzy before appearing in a quiet room adorned with black and white yin-yang fish. Yun He Zhen Ren sat high on a cloud bed, holding a teacup and sipping it with narrowed eyes.

“If I hadn’t formed the Yang Shen, I would have been overtaken by you younger generation,” Yun He Zhen Ren said with a ruddy face, snow-white hair shiny and lustrous, smiling as he spoke. “It hasn’t been long, yet you’ve already crossed the second celestial ladder, nearly scaring this old Taoist into a spiritual mishap.”

Meng Qi, always shameless after becoming familiar, chuckled and sat cross-legged on the opposite lotus cushion: “If I had known, I would have come a few years later, and by then I might have already crossed the third celestial ladder.”

“Full of vigor and confidence, truly admirable,” Yun He Zhen Ren sighed, stroking his smooth chin. “But with your temperament, coming here unannounced must mean you have a purpose?”

Meng Qi, not the least bit embarrassed, smiled and said, “Zhen Ren, your ability to deduce celestial mysteries as if observing palm lines is deeply admirable.”

“Stop pretending. If there’s something, say it. If there’s profit to be made, this old Taoist is always agreeable,” Yun He Zhen Ren laughed, his mood having been good since achieving Yang Shen.

Meng Qi’s expression turned serious as he detailed the matters concerning Gourdo and the Nine Heretical Sects to Yun He Zhen Ren, fully revealing the various power analyses he and Han Bing Xian Zi Ye Yu Qi had conducted, withholding nothing. Finally, he said, “That is the situation. Zhen Ren can consider it accordingly.”

Yun He Zhen Ren’s smile faded as he placed his whisk on his left arm, sighing: “The world changes; once again, it is a time of chaos. Some calamities can never be avoided…”

After a long silence, he slowly spoke: “As a branch of the Daoist sect, this old Taoist cannot shirk his duty, but bearing the rise and fall of the sect, I dare not act recklessly.”

This meant he was going to set conditions… Meng Qi’s heart brightened, bowing and saying, “With the heretical forces growing strong and the world in peril, if Zhen Ren is willing to step forward and assist, it would be a great favor. Please state any needs without hesitation.”

The worst fear was being flatly refused without any conditions!

Yun He Zhen Ren nodded and spoke frankly: “Before this matter is resolved, your Gate of Myriad Phenomena will temporarily be kept by this old Taoist. If things go awry, this old Taoist can destroy it, ensuring no one enters the cave heaven, and the Gate of Myriad Phenomena will not perish.”

“No problem.” Meng Qi fully understood Yun He Zhen Ren’s intentions.

“Secondly, if we ultimately repel the heretics or reach a stalemate, this old Taoist hopes to claim a mountain in a remote area as a symbol of the Gate of Myriad Phenomena’s return to the outside world,” Yun He Zhen Ren said calmly.

Suddenly, his expression turned solemn, and his tone became grave: “This sect’s heritage comes from the Myriad Phenomena Immortal Patriarch, and seeking the whereabouts of our ancestral master is our top priority. Otherwise, I cannot rest or eat in peace. If this matter can be resolved, I hope several Daoist friends can coordinate and allow this old Taoist to learn certain things from the Snow Mountain Sect.”

The “several Daoist friends” obviously referred to the Law Body cultivators, meaning he was asking Meng Qi to deliver the message, as Meng Qi could not make decisions on his own.

For the first matter, Meng Qi could decide immediately. However, regarding the latter two, Meng Qi dared not hastily respond. He stood up, bowed, and took his leave:

“Zhen Ren, please allow this junior to inform the other seniors.”

…

At the Huamei Villa, Lu Da Xiansheng and Chong He Daoren had not yet headed north, and “Han Bing Xian Zi” Ye Yu Qi had not yet gone to accompany the capital to test “Qingyuan Miaodao Zhen Jun” Cao Xian Zhi.

When Meng Qi stepped into the flower hall, Ye Yu Qi, with a slightly cold gaze, glanced at him. Seeing him again the next day, indeed, he had already become a Grandmaster.

Lu Da Xiansheng did not mention this matter, and Chong He Daoren knew it well, neither of them spoke, allowing Meng Qi to greet them freely.

Meng Qi did not waste words, directly taking out the Gate of Myriad Phenomena and briefly recounting Yun He Zhen Ren’s matter.

“With another friend, there is more hope,” Chong He Daoren said joyfully. “As for his second condition, if it is unclaimed land, this old Daoist has no objection. What about you, Daoist friend Lu?”

This meant tacitly approving the Gate of Myriad Phenomena to reestablish itself as a sect.

Lu Da Xiansheng sat on the chair, his long sword upright on the table: “This old man does not object.”

“As for the third condition, this old Daoist will do my best to facilitate it but will not force it, unless the Snow Mountain Sect colludes with the heretics,” Chong He Daoren stated his bottom line upfront.

“The same for this old man,” Lu Da Xiansheng added.

After explaining the latter two conditions, Chong He Daoren looked at Meng Qi: “As for the Gate of Myriad Phenomena, it is your possession, and this old Daoist will not decide for you.”

“A mere Gate of Myriad Phenomena, what’s the fuss?” Meng Qi put on a show of being wealthy and generous, then bowed: “The rest will be discussed between the two seniors and Yun He Zhen Ren. This junior will head north immediately to ‘join’ the Golden Tent.”

The matter concerning the nine heretical sects and the insider must be extremely secretive. Normally, those who approached exposure among the left sects would definitely not be recruited. Relevant personnel would even sever all connections with neutral organizations like the Tieyi Mansion to ensure absolute safety when the orthodox families conduct frantic searches. Meng Qi’s alter ego, “Poisonous Hand Demon Lord,” was a loner with no connections among the heretics. Without going to the Golden Tent, no heretics would approach or recruit him.

Therefore, heading north directly to pretend to join the Golden Tent, although a “sixth heaven” expert close to Grandmaster level could not be as valued as a Grandmaster to command a front, it would still be a beneficial supplement to the core forces, and no one would refuse, at most just strictly interrogating and scrutinizing him.

Once an opportunity arises, Meng Qi would strive to replace a Grandmaster with considerable importance before Gu Xiao Sang and the Su Nu Sect learn of the Poisonous Hand Demon Lord’s arrival, thus infiltrating the secondary core layer.

“Be careful,” Lu Da Xiansheng, Chong He Daoren, and Ye Yu Qi all reminded him.

…

It was early spring, and the grasslands were still windy and cold, with snow covering many places.

The vast and wide ancient Nu River flowed quietly, carrying floating ice, nourishing patches of fertile land.

Near the estuary of the ancient Nu River, a huge Golden Tent stood, spanning nearly a hundred zhang, inlaid with gold, and engraved with eagles, shining brilliantly.

This was the narrow definition of the “Golden Tent,” the residence of the grassland Khan Gourdo, stationed in different places according to the seasons.

The broader definition of the “Golden Tent” referred to the hundreds of miles of territory surrounding this huge tent, with layers of tents spreading outward. The sounds of cattle and horses neighing and strange beasts roaring filled the air. According to their status, different areas naturally formed: some places reeked of cow and horse dung, some were filled with the constant clinking of blacksmiths forging metal, some occasionally saw radiant lights shooting into the sky, and others had shamans appearing one after another.

Two experts stood guard on the path leading to the core area, their vigilance at its peak. In their eyes, the Golden Tent was now shrouded in the ominous clouds of war, with treacherous undercurrents lurking beneath the surface. There was no telling when an assault from the Central Plains barbarians might strike.

The original plan had been disrupted by the traitor!

Suddenly, their vision blurred, and they saw a refined and elegant man in a blue robe. His eyes were deep, his temples slightly gray, adding a touch of maturity and world-weariness, his demeanor exceptionally outstanding.

“Who?” The two experts, one a Golden Tent warrior and the other a shaman priest, prepared to strike.

Meng Qi smiled with his hands behind his back: “This old man is the ‘Poisonous Hand Demon Lord.’ Hearing that the Khan is recruiting all the left sects, I specially came to join.”

His tone was gentle and his words elegant, which naturally endeared him to the two experts. They sized him up and asked, “Are you the Poisonous Hand Demon Lord listed on the Black List?”

They were no strangers to the Blacklist.

(Note: “Black榜” is translated as “Blacklist” in this context, as it refers to a list of banned or undesirable individuals. The phrase “no strangers to” is retained to convey familiarity with the list.)

“Exactly this old man.” Meng Qi’s blue robe fluttered in the wind, his posture graceful and carefree.

The two experts exchanged glances, seemingly sensing each other’s unfathomable depth. Moreover, the Poisonous Hand Demon Lord seemed to exude a kind of demonic charm, making them not doubt or be wary of him, but instead wholeheartedly wanting to help:

“Lord Demon, please go to the ‘Blue Tent’ and wait. We will report and verify your identity.”

“How will you verify?” Meng Qi stepped forward calmly, asking composedly.

The Golden Tent warrior felt an irresistible presence before him and obediently answered: “We will find a Grandmaster who knows the Demon Lord.”

“The old man has a feud with the Luo Sect and the Su Nu Sect. It would be best to avoid them,” Meng Qi said flatly.

“Understood.” The shaman felt that the Poisonous Hand Demon Lord’s request was perfectly reasonable and readily agreed.

Watching the shaman turn and leave, Meng Qi stood bathed in the setting sun, gazing at the evening glow. His eyes seemed both indifferent and profoundly deep, sighing at the overwhelming power of the “Yuanxin Seal.”