The dim light from the wall-mounted lamp gently outlined Mei Qing’s face, casting a hazy glow in his slightly puzzled eyes.
Slowly stepping into this slightly eerie warehouse, Mei Qing felt a mixture of nervousness and anticipation.
For a long time, he had felt uneasy about that peculiar inkstone. Without mentioning anything else, the fact that several people had died mysteriously after touching it was enough to indicate that this inkstone was no good.
Yet deep down, he always sensed an unknown connection between himself and the inkstone. However, rationally, he subconsciously resisted approaching it.
But today, after his golden elixir sensed the inkstone’s call, it suddenly became active. It had been swirling inside him, showing a strong urge to break free.
For Mei Qing, who had been obsessed with breaking the seal every day, this temptation was irresistible.
Accompanied by Qian San, he entered the warehouse. Looking at the somewhat anxious bearded man before him, Mei Qing did not speak much. He simply ordered him to open the iron door to the small room where the inkstone was kept, then waved him off.
Standing before the small room, Mei Qing could feel the inkstone’s call growing stronger. Correspondingly, his golden elixir became even more active. The urgency he felt was startling.
Although his heart was pounding, Mei Qing’s hand remained steady as he slowly reached out and took the inkstone case from the wooden box in front of him. This case was very familiar—it should have been the same one Li Mei had placed into Ba’er Liu’s coffin. At that time, Li Mei had secretly taken the inkstone, burying only the case. Later, after Li Mei’s death, the inkstone was confiscated by Magistrate Zhao of Shun天府 (Shun天府 refers to the local government or administrative region). Afterwards, when the Embroidered Uniform Guard exhumed Ba’er Liu’s coffin and retrieved the burial items, the case had fallen into their hands.
It was likely that after Magistrate Zhao’s death, the inkstone was once again seized by the Embroidered Uniform Guard as contraband and placed back into the case, stored in this dark, hidden treasure house.
Feeling the smooth texture of the peach wood beneath his fingers, Mei Qing slowly opened the inkstone case. Under the light from the wall lamp, a stone inkstone shimmering with a strange azure glow suddenly came into view—it was indeed the Big Dipper Seven-Star inkstone from back then. Mei Qing reached out and took it. The moment his fingers touched it, a chill spread through his hand. As he brought it closer for a detailed look at the seven star-like eyes, he was startled to find that the two living eyes he remembered had now become four.
These strange eyes seemed to possess a unique charm. On the jade-green stone base, swirling halos radiated outward in layers, as if peering into the depths of one’s soul. The sight was so captivating that one could not look away.
Mei Qing suddenly felt a loud ringing in his head, his vision blurred, and his entire body floated as if weightless. He shook his head hard, only to realize he was suspended in midair. Below him were swirling clouds and mist. Looking around, he saw golden lights flickering everywhere, boundless and directionless.
“Good, good, good! Today, it’s either you or me! You destroyed my spiritual sanctuary and shattered my foundation—do you truly dare to disregard all the Daoist sects in the world?” A voice filled with deep hatred suddenly echoed in his ears. As he turned his head, Mei Qing was stunned.
Before him stood a tall Daoist priest. His once-bright red robe was now torn and bloodstained. The priest had sharp eyebrows and fierce eyes, his thick beard bristling like swords, glaring at Mei Qing with burning fury.
“Haha… Daoist sects? Fellow Daoist, don’t you understand even now? Alas, the famous Mo Daoren ends up like this—truly, the Dao of Heaven is ever-changing!” Mei Qing suddenly heard himself speak, laughing arrogantly.
“You scoundrel! I’ll destroy you!” The red-robed priest roared, his beard and hair standing on end. He shouted “Sheng!” and five golden talismans suddenly appeared around him, spinning rapidly with radiant light. A surge of golden energy filled the air, and the priest’s face showed a resolute determination.
“Five Thunder Talismans? Hmph, but Mo Zhenren, your cultivation has greatly diminished. You barely retain one or two parts of your former power. Even with the talismans, what can you do to me?” Mei Qing heard his own clear laughter. His inner energy surged like lightning, streams of purple light flowing from his palms, gradually forming a massive glowing net in front of him. Faintly glowing characters flickered within the net, expanding rapidly to encompass the entire sky and earth for dozens of miles.
“Heavenly Net and Earthly Snare! You villain—you actually… Fine! Heaven and Earth, Five Elements, all shall perish. Tai Shang Lao Jun, as commanded!” The red-robed priest roared furiously. With his growling shout, a golden flash erupted. The tall figure and the five golden talismans suddenly exploded, instantly filling the sky with blinding golden light so intense that Mei Qing could not bear to look. He felt as if his very soul had been struck by a massive blow, his consciousness shaken violently. It took a long time before he could recover.
The sky was clear and empty, the priest who had sacrificed himself reduced to nothingness.
Mei Qing heard himself laughing for a long time, followed by uncontrollable coughing.
…
“No! No! How could this happen!?” Suddenly, Mei Qing’s vision changed. The previous clouds and mists vanished, replaced by countless purple lightning bolts. Thick beams of light rained down from the boundless darkness above, piercing his body with unbearable pain, causing him to tremble violently. Along with the fear, an immense anger surged within him.
“Why? Why?” He roared, his eyes blurred. Suddenly, the lightning vanished, replaced by endless purple flames engulfing him. The flames licked at his soul, his consciousness writhing in agony, as he heard himself muttering, “Wicked disciple! Wicked disciple! This is… Ah…”
…
Scene after scene flashed before Mei Qing’s eyes like a revolving lantern. He saw himself as a child, sitting by a stream, suddenly stirred by a desire for the Dao, filled with confusion and excitement. He saw his youthful confidence and pride upon attaining the Dao, the joy of defeating countless opponents in contests, and the boundless pain and fury during moments of great spiritual crisis…
Lost in these memories, Mei Qing no longer knew where he was. These events seemed both familiar and distant. Finally, his vision brightened. He saw himself standing before a small thatched cottage. Before him bloomed a sea of wild plum blossoms. On the wooden pillar behind him were two lines of calm, elegant calligraphy:
Once I called the bright moon to share eternity,
Once I dwelled with plum blossoms on a mountain.
“Mei Ji! Have you made your choice?” He heard himself ask softly.
Suddenly, a young woman appeared before him. Dressed in white, she stood quietly beyond the sea of plum blossoms, her serene face bearing a faint mocking smile: “If my Master commands, how can Mei Ji refuse?”
Mei Ji… Mei Qing suddenly felt that this woman was so familiar. A strange mix of affection, love, hate, reluctance, and unwillingness surged within him. This conflicting emotion was so intense that his mind trembled.
No! This woman… I don’t know her… This isn’t me! Who am I? Where am I? Where?
His Daoist heart suddenly spun wildly under the intense shock. His consciousness fluctuated violently. The suppressed true self, long buried, surged forth with a confused scream.
With that scream, the scenes before him—the mountains, the house, the plum blossoms, and the woman—shattered into nothingness. A clear cracking sound echoed in his mind, as if something had been broken inside him. A wave of intense pain swept through his body. Before he could even cry out, he blacked out.
The Seven-Star inkstone rolled beside Mei Qing. Under the dim light, the seven living eyes glowed with a cold, mysterious gleam.
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