I guessed the beginning, but not the ending.
Behind him, the city of Guangling was lit by the fading twilight, its grandeur and brilliance reflecting upon the great river like a glittering starry sky. Before him, a white-robed elf approached gracefully, her eyes indifferent and cold, as if concealing a silver whiteness. Meng Qi stood at the center, feeling as if he were in a dream, and the familiar line of dialogue naturally surfaced in his mind.
With Guangling City at his back, carrying the Qisha Tablet and the Spirit Treasure Fire Blade, and having already entered the paths of the Dao Yi Seal, Kai Tian Seal, and Void Seal, Meng Qi’s journey this time was determined and fearless.
Although he had long sensed that Su Bei possessed strange treasures, and that his emotional fluctuations were restrained, which itself was abnormal, in the treacherous world of the Nine Evil Dao sects, some people always carried similar treasures to prevent their thoughts from being probed. Even if there were genuine problems, why should he fear them?
As long as the Xian Sisters’ Immortal Realm was not entered, provoking their hidden strength, even if Xuan Nu and the Joyful Bodhisattva each wielded divine weapons and joined forces, he still had some confidence in defeating them. Even if they invited several powerful cultivators from the evil sects to surround and kill him, this was still outside Guangling City, near the ancestral mansion of the Jiangdong Wang Clan. Based on their usual conduct, they would never suddenly ally with the Nine Evil Dao sects and become deeply involved in such a scheme. Therefore, with the Luo Shu chart suppressing divine weapons, the river surface was not a good place for an ambush. Even if the Wang Clan did not wish to go to war with the Nine Evil Dao sects, they would certainly scare them away to avoid being attacked by the righteous sects, which was not a situation they desired.
After evaluating various potential traps, the only setup Meng Qi believed could pose a threat to him was the “Shanhe Sheji Scroll” being deployed in advance to ambush him. However, having just battled Xiao Hu, the disciple of the “Demon Sage,” he was well aware that the demonic faction would not target him at this moment—at least not before deceiving A’nan.
Therefore, Meng Qi chose to go alone, to see what trickery the Xian Sisters’ Dao had planned. If they genuinely wished to cooperate, that would be excellent, offering a glimmer of hope in a deadly situation. But if there were ambushes or traps, even if he couldn’t win, couldn’t he escape?
However, unexpectedly, the Six Dao advanced the death mission—it had never happened before!
This was an unforeseen development; who could have predicted it beforehand?
Despicable! Disgusting! Ruthless! Upon hearing the reward of the “Ba Wang Liu Zhan” technique—”All Past Events, Vanishing Like Smoke”—and a Reincarnation Talisman, Meng Qi suddenly clenched his fists tightly. The Six Dao not only wanted to force him into a desperate situation where he had to make a choice between two options, but also added malicious mockery.
You wanted it, didn’t you? Then I’ll give it to you!
Meng Qi’s heart sank slowly, his whole body turning cold. He wasn’t fully prepared yet, unable to perform the sword technique similar to “All Past Events, Vanishing Like Smoke.” Even if he forcibly severed this body and transferred to his Earth body, it would only wait for the Six Dao to track him down again through the traces left, regaining control.
Perhaps, what they wanted was to force him to reveal his trump cards before he was fully ready, eliminating all uncertainties. If he truly had the heart to kill Gu Xiaosang, he would leave an irreparable mental flaw. If he later had another chance to sever the past, this flaw would be exploited, making success extremely difficult.
Thus, advancing was difficult, retreating was difficult—trapped between a rock and a hard place!
Light radiated from around Su Bei, tearing open the void as he tried to escape. Gu Xiaosang stepped forward, rising beautifully amidst countless wish-light points, like a celestial descending to the mortal world, complementing the rolling lights of the river, beautiful without a trace of worldly dust.
This scene, reflected in Meng Qi’s eyes, seemed even more like a dream.
The more dangerous it became, the calmer he grew; the more complex the situation, the more he could think. Countless thoughts surged like electric snakes in Meng Qi’s mind, wildly colliding in midair, sparking inspiration.
Seven days remained!
There were still seven days!
Heaven had left a thread of hope, not without opportunity. Today was unsuitable for confrontation; he must separate from Gu Xiaosang first, then return to the Immortal Trace, sparing no effort to gather Reincarnation Talismans. As long as the Six Dao did not go mad and seal the use of the talismans, there would still be time!
Before that, he must capture Su Bei and extract the location of the Xian Sisters’ Immortal Realm from his memories. If necessary, if the Six Dao truly went mad and sealed the talismans’ use, he would embrace death and enter the realm, stealing the Ba Wang Absolute Blade!
Thinking and acting simultaneously, Meng Qi suddenly moved. A ray of light shot from his forehead’s ancestral gateway, his left eye black, his right eye white. He joined his hands in a seal, forming an ancient lamp without color before him. The tiny flame burned quietly, emitting infinite light, both black and white, spreading instantly, illuminating the river and the fleeing Su Bei, highlighting countless threads of karma.
Then, Meng Qi drew the Spirit Treasure Fire Blade, gently cutting forward like a lover’s caress.
At the same moment, Gu Xiaosang lifted her right hand. The world abruptly plunged into darkness, with only the radiance of the Dao Yi Glazed Lamp persisting. Above and below, in every direction, darkness and chaos enveloped her completely.
All was peaceful and serene, without noise, without love or hate, without gathering or parting, without struggle. Being within felt like achieving the ultimate fulfillment of life, returning to the home of the soul, the beginning and the end.
Wusheng Laomu, the Void’s Home!
Gu Xiaosang’s eyes, previously indifferent, turned cold, revealing intense killing intent. Her right hand’s three fingers bent, drifting toward Meng Qi amidst endless chanting and prayers.
Due to the Fruit of Present Life, there was no doubt that the Eternal Mother of Wusheng intended to kill him. On a narrow path, she would strike. Yet Meng Qi still felt an inexplicable sorrow—the Fruit of Present Life had one final use remaining, but Gu Xiaosang seemed not to have awakened.
After painstaking efforts and struggles, was he still unable to escape?
His long blade traced a graceful arc, sweeping forward in a swift slash. Golden lotuses blossomed beneath his feet, layer upon layer, dissolving into veils of emptiness that painted the illusion of “so near yet worlds apart,” all to intercept the strike as he advanced to seize Su Bei.
Just as the blade rose, it suddenly became heavy, unreasonably heavy, as if betrayed by its master, easily manipulated by the woman opposite, deviating from its trajectory and intent. The golden lotus failed to fully bloom, pierced by the elegant white finger, aiming for his forehead.
Wusheng Laomu was the Golden Emperor.
The Golden Emperor was one of the Five Emperors, the sovereign of metal and the progenitor of warfare. Even divine weapons—regardless of whether he had yet regained his Dharma body—would always be influenced by anything containing metal!
Her slender fingers approached, when suddenly, a hand appeared at Meng Qi’s forehead—long, powerful, ancient, and weighty. Before him, the darkness seemed to press down upon the heavens and earth, not seeking to block but to strike, colliding with the fingertip with a force capable of overturning the skies.
Thanks to the myth of the “Xi Wangmu,” Meng Qi had long prepared for the Golden Emperor’s ability to control weapons.
Bang!
The Heaven-Reversing Seal struck the fingertip, causing the void to dent, forming a vortex, then cracking inch by inch. Meng Qi was flung backward, his blood surging, feeling like vomiting blood.
Wusheng Laomu, wielding the power of countless beings, her seemingly light finger strike was unimaginably heavy. Even with Meng Qi’s immense strength, he was still slightly inferior!
But after blocking this strike, Meng Qi seized the opportunity, his figure suddenly vanishing into the void.
…
The Void Talisman took effect, and Su Bei successfully fled into the distance, tearing open the void, his figure emerging among the clouds.
“The Six Dao’s temporary mission was indeed dangerous. Last time, I was caught by Liuluo and forced to help her. Fortunately, Kuang Dao was unprepared this time.” A self-satisfied smile appeared on his face as he heaved a sigh of relief.
His identity as the external affairs manager was genuine, and the Wang family had verified it. The location provided was irresistible; Kuang Dao couldn’t resist the bait!
Just then, he saw a crack suddenly appear on his intact nose, slowly splitting open, blood flowing.
How could he suddenly be injured? Mysteriously injured? Su Bei’s mind was hazy, only feeling his body splitting, yet he had no idea when he had been struck by Meng Qi. His emergency-use treasure had not even activated!
His vision darkened, suddenly seeing a long, strong hand grab his forehead, devastating his mental ocean, violently seizing all memory fragments.
Kuang Dao… I had already used the Void Talisman before he swung his blade… Su Bei fell into complete silence.
After absorbing the memory fragments, Meng Qi prepared to flee, but suddenly, a slender, white, yet terrifying finger emerged from the void, reducing everything in its path to chaos, returning to the home, the primordial sea abruptly vanishing.
Now that he knew the new entrance to the Xian Sisters’ Immortal Realm, there was no time to waste. Meng Qi had no desire to fight. His left hand radiated yang, his right yin, pushing forward as black and white swirled, yin and yang transforming, like a Taiji diagram blocking the Wusheng Finger while preparing to escape through the void—he feared the Spirit Treasure Fire Blade would be manipulated again, so he only borrowed its power, invoking its inner Solar True Fire and the nascent Grotto Heaven.
“Red dust is like a prison, all beings suffer, the cycle never ends, worries and troubles persist. Pity our world, a god descends from heaven, Wusheng Laomu, the Void’s Home!”
The black and white swirling yin-yang fish suddenly shrank and vanished without resistance, returning to chaos, reverting to Wuji!
The power and mystery of this finger exceeded Meng Qi’s expectations, making forced escape impossible. He had no choice but to resist fully, unleashing countless punches and kicks in half a breath. All his acupoints opened, emitting radiant light, surrounded by heavy ancient seals, black and white small mirrors, apricot-yellow flags, and the Jade Box of Earth, Fire, Wind, and Water, resembling a Celestial Venerable’s descent.
The Heaven-Reversing Seal struck Gu Xiaosang’s Void’s Home, vanishing silently like a clay cow into the sea, the darkness and chaos remaining;
The Yin-Yang Three Harmony Palm Blade slashed into the undifferentiated chaos, suddenly losing control, reverting to its origin;
The Jade Apricot-Yellow Flag of the Wuji Seal was struck by the Wusheng Finger, instantly disintegrating into chaos;
The Void Seal’s movements always returned to the original position, the surroundings indistinguishable up, down, front, or back, preventing Meng Qi from dodging the Wusheng Finger;
Earth, fire, wind, and water raged, but as the Wusheng Finger approached and the Void’s Home enveloped, they quietly calmed;
The fists of Returning to Emptiness struck the dark chaos, the concentrated force suddenly vanishing into emptiness.
Meng Qi’s terrifying round of attacks couldn’t even scratch Gu Xiaosang, failing to stop her finger from slowly advancing. The Void’s Home, like dark chaos, seemed to embrace all, capable of absorbing and eliminating all forces, placing her invincible!
This was true chaos…
This was Wuji…
Meng Qi gained sudden insight, looking into Gu Xiaosang’s cold eyes, his right hand rising again, gathering surrounding illusions into chaotic qi. His Niwan Palace opened, flying out an object resembling neither a banner nor an axe.
The “Pan Gu Fan” illusion landed in his right hand, Meng Qi’s entire strength suddenly vanishing, concentrating in this hand, then slashing outward with the posture of creating heaven and earth.
Creation against Wuji!
The Big Bang against the Chaos Singularity!
Blocking this strike would allow him to escape to the Immortal Trace!
The void before him suddenly split, even the void cracked. Gu Xiaosang’s Wusheng Finger was interrupted, withdrawn early, her hands forming a seal before her chest, the Void’s Home suddenly contracting around her, forming a point like an egg.
The palm blade struck the “Void’s Home,” the chaos slowly splitting, nearby colors fading, leaving only black and white, the illusory Time River emerging, quietly flowing.
At this moment, Meng Qi felt emptiness beneath his hand, the chaotic darkness abruptly vanishing. Before his palm was Gu Xiaosang’s exquisite face, her body perfectly proportioned.
Her eyes sparkled with liveliness, as if she actively welcomed this world-creating slash.
This… Meng Qi tried to withdraw his force, but it was too late. Time slowed, yet could not be reversed.
Bang! The palm blade struck Gu Xiaosang’s body, piercing through, shattering her Yuan Shen.
Gu Xiaosang’s eyes curved, blood trickling from her lips, her expression mischievously charming.
Meng Qi’s Yuan Shen suddenly felt detached, as if in a dream, not feeling real. A thought suddenly arose in his mind:
From the very beginning, she had used the Fruit of This Life to awaken Gu Xiaosang.
Originally, it was Gu Xiaosang “pretending” as Wusheng Laomu attacking him.
No wonder, despite being a reincarnation of a great cultivator, she didn’t use a divine weapon…
No wonder she left him a chance to counterattack…
Why do this… Meng Qi’s heart surged with storms, watching Gu Xiaosang slowly collapse into his arms, her white robe dazzling, the world seemingly vanishing, everything slowing impossibly.
Gu Xiaosang raised her head, her lips stained with blood, smiling mischievously, a hint of sadness and sigh:
“I struggled, I lost.”
Her eyes closed, her breath gradually fading, like a lamp extinguishing.
I struggled, I lost… Meng Qi’s eyes suddenly blurred, his mind echoing this sentence.
I struggled, I lost…
Senior Chong He also struggled, and lost…
Bound by heavy chains, fate not in his hands, his body not his own—was his struggle merely a moth drawn to the flame?
The beauty in his arms gradually turned cold, blood staining his body, Meng Qi stood in the void, eyes confused and frenzied.
At this moment, the emotionless voice of the Six Dao Reincarnation Master sounded: “Gu Xiaosang, the ‘Great Luo Beauty,’ died by Zhen Ding’s hand. The death mission is complete, reward: the Ba Wang Absolute Blade’s ‘All Past Events, Vanishing Like Smoke’ and a Reincarnation Talisman.”
“The Wuji Seal is in Gu Xiaosang’s hands; the Nine Seals are complete. Return to forge the divine weapon.”
“Strength growth has hit a bottleneck; mission intervals return to normal. The next mission will be ten years later.”
The voice entered his ears, the words echoing in his heart, Meng Qi’s mind exploding with unwillingness, anger, frustration, despair, and deep hatred, solidifying into reality in his brain.
Biting his teeth, blood spurted, before him seemed a white-robed elf, standing gracefully on the boat’s bow, playing a melancholic flute, her beautiful eyes turning, seemingly resentful yet joyful, asking: “Must I save you a hundred or a thousand times before you believe my heart?”
“Ahh!”
Meng Qi cradled Gu Xiaosang’s corpse, howling to the sky, his sorrow and hatred startling both banks, the apes responding.
Unstoppable emotions surged endlessly. Amid his roar, Meng Qi’s vision grew increasingly blurred. Suddenly, a mighty and domineering figure emerged—arrogant and unyielding.
The mark of the Ba Wang Absolute Blade!
He fixed his gaze on Meng Qi, his domineering eyes concealing the same reluctance, sorrow, hatred, and profound loneliness.
Indeed, loneliness.
In twenty years of dominance, who could accompany him?
[End of Volume Four]
Volume Five: Do People Have Illnesses, Does Heaven Know?
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage