The word “kill” flashed into their vision, causing Qin Shuanglian and Shi Tiengao’s heads to buzz violently, nearly making them faint. Even the Grandmaster of the Celestial Sect couldn’t be spared? Even the Great Grandmaster couldn’t stop it?
They were beings far superior to themselves, like heaven and earth, like immortals and mortals. If even they were like this, how could they themselves fare any better?
Those who had entered the crack soon died. Those who followed into the ghost village experienced the word “kill” gradually deepening based on their strength, ultimately losing their lives?
Despair arose, enveloping their hearts.
The Celestial Master’s expression turned grave. He looked up at them, carefully inquiring about the ghost village. At the end, he ordered a young Taoist acolyte:
“Bring Master Yusheng over.”
He possessed the “Earth Store Soul Passage Sutra,” a treasure written by a great Bodhisattva, most effective at subduing yin ghosts and evil spirits!
……
Dong Yuan’s face turned pale, his whole body trembling. He kept stepping backward until his legs hit the edge of the sofa, where he lost his balance and plopped down: “T-talk about what?”
“The areas searched by the government shouldn’t be a secret,” Meng Qi stood in front of Dong Yuan with his hands behind his back, his emotionless gaze dissuading Dong from calling his guards.
A carpet search would certainly alarm a large number of civilians, absolutely impossible to conceal. At most, they could use the excuse of hunting down terrorists or dangerous fugitives. To Dong Yuan, a senior journalist with direct access to the upper echelons, it was indeed no secret—just that he didn’t know the specific results.
Dong Yuan’s breathing grew rapid, his heart hammering in his chest as sweat drenched his body. He realized the person before him was a ruthless powerhouse who would show no mercy if he refused to cooperate. After a brief silence, he managed to steady himself slightly, no longer daring to make any demands, and truthfully revealed everything he knew.
Meng Qi listened quietly, his soul projecting the “Indestructible Primordial Image,” rapidly deducing possibilities like electric sparks flashing. By the time Dong Yuan finished speaking, Meng Qi had already narrowed it down to three locations—some already searched by the government, others untouched.
Among them, the one that raised Meng Qi’s greatest suspicion was the “Annam Maximum Security Prison!”
It belonged to the military-controlled zone, considered “friendly” by the government and military, but was only for violent criminals. The guards were relatively low-tech, far from being impregnable—a classic example of a blind spot right under the lamp.
After a brief pause, Meng Qi placed his right hand on the video phone, his figure vanishing without a trace.
Dong Yuan sat motionless on the sofa for a long time, his face dark and grim. After a while, he redialed a number:
“Tell the covert agent team monitoring Nangong Chong to be alert. The Patriarch of the Sky-Desert Sect has reappeared!”
“Ensure no secret areas answer unknown calls.”
……
Grilled skewers, beer, potato chips, crayfish… Nangong Chong devoured them all, as if facing certain death.
In modern society, these items were labeled “harmful,” detrimental to health, mostly satisfying mere cravings. Nangong Chong had always liked them but managed to control himself, not eating them often. Yet now, early in the morning, he had to eat all of it—how could he not feel terrified?
After finishing his meal with a burp, he asked with concern: “Senior, do martial artists really have to eat all this stuff? So much?”
He had heard in the Heishan Lao Yao world that martial cultivation initially consumed tremendous energy, requiring food for replenishment.
“No,” Meng Qi replied calmly, “you just need to eat less of it from now on. For now, eat as much as you can.”
Nangong Chong twitched slightly, feeling tricked, quickly changing the subject: “Senior, what should we do next?”
After making the call, he seemed useless again.
Meng Qi smiled slightly: “You just go to class and come home normally, meditate and regulate your breath. In short, the more nonchalant you appear, the better.”
“Eh?” Nangong Chong was quite puzzled.
He was full of enthusiasm, eager to serve his senior.
Meng Qi chuckled: “Do you think the government won’t assign agents to monitor you after the events of the past two days? Moreover, the call just now can be traced back to this university, making it easy to link back to you. Therefore, you should act normally, forget about their existence, and draw their attention.”
“A feint?” Nangong Chong suddenly understood.
“Indeed, you are teachable,” Meng Qi praised casually.
The reason he had orchestrated the previous events, making Nangong Chong proactive, was precisely because he needed to act separately and could no longer control him directly. If Nangong became indifferent or resistant, it would easily lead to mistakes!
Thinking about being under surveillance and caught in trouble, Nangong Chong felt disheartened. However, his recent experiences reignited his enthusiasm temporarily. Only by enduring hardship could one become superior. If he couldn’t pass this test, how could he cultivate martial arts and eventually connect inner and outer realms, becoming an immortal in the mortal world?
“After all, the surveillance is already compromised. Without evidence, once Senior creates a big commotion elsewhere, they’ll believe I was merely used as a pawn and stop watching me!” Nangong Chong comforted himself.
Then he attempted to silently recite the cultivation method’s accompanying scripture from yesterday, using its repetitive, rhythmic verses to calm his mind. Soon, he was attending class, chatting, daydreaming, going home, bathing, playing games, and browsing forums—everything as normal.
The monitoring agents, alerted beforehand, raised their vigilance to the highest level, watching Nangong Chong’s every move intently, searching for any clue.
Meanwhile, Meng Qi had already taken over another body. Following maps and routes, he kept switching hosts until finally reaching the vicinity of the “Annam Maximum Security Prison.”
The area was wide open, with no hiding places. Various spotlight-like devices scanned outside the walls. Soldiers were everywhere, even in fortified positions, all heavily armed, muscular, and fierce-looking. Any unfamiliar approach would immediately draw gunfire.
For others, it might take tremendous effort to infiltrate and confirm whether the mysterious fragment was here, but Meng Qi didn’t need that. Standing at a distance, he seemed to admire the vast land. Star-like lines appeared in his eyes, shining brilliantly, revealing all the karmic threads of the prison. They were dense and hard to distinguish, but he didn’t need to differentiate. He only needed to look directly at the edges, searching for karmic threads connecting to other realms!
No other convicts could possibly be linked to the Heishan Lao Yao world!
There, several karmic threads were blurry, faintly visible, similar to what he had seen above the Empress City, matching the characteristics. Meng Qi narrowed his eyes slightly, his lips curling into a smile as he sighed: “Indeed, fate brings distant souls together.”
They really were hiding in the Annam Maximum Security Prison—the mysterious fragment was right here!
Thus, Meng Qi quietly withdrew, found a public phone booth, and dialed the number of the Annam Maximum Security Prison!
“Hello, this is Annam Prison,” a stern voice answered.
“Hello, may I ask what procedures are needed to visit a prisoner?” Meng Qi casually inquired, his figure gradually fading, plunging into the receiver, merging into the electric current!
Sometimes, lacking a physical body was actually more convenient. Of course, once reaching the Dharma Body stage, one simultaneously possessed characteristics of the Yuan Shen, physical body, and Dharma Image!
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage