Yun He delighted in reading ancient texts. The Ink Palace of the Ten Thousand Phenomena Grotto Heaven had not suffered the chaos of the Demon Buddha, and thus all kinds of records were well preserved. His knowledge of the Mid-Ancient Era was nothing short of detailed, and his guidance for He Qi to come to Luo City first proved this point. Therefore, the tofu shop of Auntie Wang was certainly not a random suggestion—it must carry some hidden meaning… With a chill in his heart, Meng Qi calmed his emotions and began to ponder carefully.
The most critical matter in Luo City right now was the capture of “Taishang Tianmo” Wu Daoming. Could it be that historical records indicated he would be discovered at Auntie Wang’s tofu shop? Therefore, Yun He had instructed He Qi to move ahead and seize credit, to gain the trust of the Mid-Ancient Sages?
However, if Taishang Tianmo were exposed prematurely without adequate preparation, would he truly be subdued here?
And if Taishang Tianmo fell too early, there would be no event of the Hegemon slaying him, thus no act of the Hegemon turning to strike the Demon Lord. Without provoking the Demon Lord, and without interference from such a mighty being, the Hegemon might have a slim chance of survival. Even if ambushed by the Demon Buddha A-nan from a future life, he wouldn’t necessarily be doomed to death, for the peerless blade might seize this fleeting opportunity, temporarily breaking free from control to unleash the might of this supreme divine weapon.
If the Hegemon survived, the alteration to history would be immense, and the forces of historical convergence and correction would be terrifying indeed…
After a moment of contemplation, Meng Qi finally chuckled and sighed, “Regardless of anything, let’s first go and take a look at Auntie Wang’s tofu shop. Even if we don’t take action, understanding how Taishang Tianmo evaded the surveillance of so many Celestial Immortals could benefit our own cultivation.”
Regarding Taishang Tianmo, he would do his best to merely witness without interfering, becoming the most dutiful spectator.
Earlier, when he conversed with Ren Qiushui and stepped into the historical currents of the Mid-Ancient Era, Meng Qi had already sensed that resistance and correction. Yet since he hadn’t altered the situation, the backlash was still weak and temporarily imperceptible.
“Perhaps Yun He merely pointed out an opportunity unrelated to Taishang Tianmo,” He Qi said with a casual smile.
At the mention of Yun He’s name, Meng Qi thought of how he might be following the records in ancient texts, excavating some treasures that wouldn’t greatly affect the historical course and posed little danger. Instantly, jealousy and envy filled his chest.
This old man just doesn’t understand sharing!
As these thoughts passed through his mind, Meng Qi and He Qi leisurely finished their breakfast, left the Yaoguang Building, and headed toward Auntie Wang’s tofu shop.
He Qi had already been in Luo City for several days and had long since located the shop. It was the only one of its kind, tucked away in a quiet alley near Yaoguang Building, in an out-of-the-way location with modest business. When Meng Qi and He Qi entered, only two or three customers were having breakfast.
The shop wasn’t large, holding six small tables. A stove was built nearby, with two iron pots simmering different kinds of tofu, bubbling slowly and steaming warmly. Auntie Wang was over fifty, her charm long faded. Meng Qi prided himself on his discerning eye, yet he couldn’t detect anything unusual about her. Even when he subtly activated his inner lamp, employing the “Law of All Fruits and Causes” to probe her karmic connections, he found Auntie Wang to be utterly ordinary, with all deeper karmic ties linked to the tofu shop.
“There’s nothing wrong here. What exactly was Master Yun He trying to say?” Puzzled, Meng Qi casually chose a small table to sit at with He Qi.
“The tofu here is no worse than that of grand restaurants. Look, these are all regular customers—once they’ve tasted it, they’ll come back again,” Auntie Wang greeted them in a halting official dialect. “Would you like fresh soft tofu now, or firm tofu to take away for cooking? Sweet or salty? Or perhaps some chili and scallions?”
It was a difficult decision. Meng Qi hesitated for a while before saying, “Bring us two bowls of both sweet and salty tofu. Only after tasting can we decide our future preferences.”
“Coming right up!” Auntie Wang cheerfully replied and turned to prepare the order. Meng Qi and He Qi glanced around the shop, scanning for secrets, but found nothing.
“Could Master Yun He have mistaken the timing? Perhaps it’s not yet the time for Auntie Wang’s tofu shop to enter the annals of history,” Meng Qi turned back and transmitted his thoughts to He Qi.
He Qi shook his head with a smile, “He’s always so mysterious—who can ever know?”
Meng Qi stopped transmitting thoughts and casually asked, “Senior He Qi, in this world, who is the cultivator you most wish to see?”
He Qi blinked and chuckled, “Coming here, if I can’t see the Hegemon who dominates all, slays countless foes with a small blade, and possesses unmatched dominance, then I’ve truly wasted this chance.”
“Right. Second would be the Fifth Generation Xuan Nu, a cultivator who has mastered the Manifestation Technique,” Meng Qi smiled.
What he truly wanted to say wasn’t about seeing a master of the Manifestation Technique, but rather to satisfy his curiosity about the woman who had captured the Hegemon’s heart for life, causing him to risk everything for love. He also wanted to know how resolute she had been when she finally shattered her own primordial spirit to die alongside him. Naturally, if he spoke his true thoughts, he’d seem too “gossipy,” damaging his heroic image in He Qi’s eyes.
At that moment, Auntie Wang first brought over a bowl of sweet tofu pudding, its white, tender texture instantly awakening their appetites.
“Not bad…” Meng Qi looked at the delicacy before him, inhaling its aroma.
Suddenly, without any warning, a figure entered the shop from outside. She wore a plain dress, her eyebrows like distant mountains, her nose like jade, her lips a soft pink, and her aura exuded a serene, ethereal beauty. At the sight of her, only one phrase surfaced in Meng Qi’s mind:
“Peerless Beauty!”
A woman of such unmatched elegance who could bypass his perception and appear directly at the tofu shop’s entrance? Meng Qi seemed to grasp something, just as he was about to seize this fleeting insight, the woman elegantly walked toward him and He Qi, gracefully lifted her skirt, and sat down casually, as though she were intimately familiar with them. She picked up the bowl of sweet tofu pudding and began eating with a spoon.
Everything seemed so natural, unpretentious, as if she had always known them.
“The sweet tofu of Auntie Wang has its own charm, and the salty tofu is equally delightful—just like a peerless beauty, whether adorned or plain, always fitting,” the peerless beauty said with a smile after finishing the bowl, looking at the stunned Meng Qi and He Qi.
He Qi, a bold and proud man while traveling the martial world, laughed heartily, “Young lady, do we know each other?”
The serene, fairy-like woman smiled gently, “You were just speaking of me. How could you not know me?”
Meng Qi’s heart jolted, blurting out, “Fifth Generation Xuan Nu?”
The Fifth Generation Xuan Nu, the love of the Hegemon’s life?
The Fifth Generation Xuan Nu who had died for love?
The peerless beauty smiled radiantly, “With three thousand manifestations coexisting, after ascending in broad daylight, there’s no need for prior preparation. As long as someone in the Real World shares a connection with me or mentions my name, I can sense it. If they’re interested, I can directly manifest a manifestation body before them.”
So this is the power of a perfected Manifestation Technique? If she didn’t hide herself, merely mentioning her name would alert her? And being able to appear anytime and anywhere—wasn’t that a form of omnipresence? Both Meng Qi and He Qi were astonished. In the past thousand years, no one from the Su Nu Sect had truly mastered the Manifestation Technique, causing people to forget its formidable and unpredictable might.
No wonder she could bypass my perception and appear directly at the tofu shop entrance… It was a direct manifestation… Meng Qi realized inwardly, a smile forming on his face, “So it’s truly the current Xuan Nu descending. Your Manifestation Technique is indeed breathtaking. However, we are merely ordinary Law Bodies. Why would Xuan Nu take an interest in us?”
“Guiding sword techniques across the land, becoming famous in Luo City overnight—can you really be called ordinary Law Bodies?” The Fifth Generation Xuan Nu smiled lightly. “And you even resisted the Demon Sword King, breaking through the icy heavenly barrier. If that’s still considered ordinary, then who in the world isn’t ordinary?”
Caught in a lie, Meng Qi could only chuckle awkwardly, “Xuan Nu’s information is indeed prompt.”
“One of our sect’s disciples is in Luo City. What they know is what I know,” the Fifth Generation Xuan Nu smiled.
As long as someone mentioned her name, she could sense it, naturally receiving news instantly!
Meng Qi always felt the Fifth Generation Xuan Nu’s arrival was too abrupt, her intentions unclear, raising his caution. He smiled, “Since you enjoy Auntie Wang’s tofu, why don’t you finish the remaining three bowls? We still need to help search for Taishang Tianmo and will take our leave first.”
The Fifth Generation Xuan Nu maintained a faint smile, “What if I told you Taishang Tianmo has already escaped this calamity and can never be found again—would you believe me?”
“Of course we believe you,” Meng Qi suddenly smiled. “The words of the Fifth Generation Xuan Nu are the words of the Hegemon himself. How could we not believe the Hegemon?”
Upon hearing this, the Fifth Generation Xuan Nu’s smile instantly faded.
At this point in time, the world only knew of the Hegemon’s endless entanglement with the Fifth Generation Xuan Nu, their love and hate intertwined, yet no one knew they had truly become lovers. Thus, upon hearing Meng Qi’s confident statement, the Fifth Generation Xuan Nu was momentarily startled and confused, wondering when such information had leaked.
Meng Qi leisurely rose, walking with He Qi toward the tofu shop’s exit, unafraid of provoking the Hegemon’s trouble. According to conscientious historical records, the Hegemon had long wished to proclaim their union to the world and declare his claim. However, the Xuan Nu, knowing his ideals and methods, feared becoming a target of public criticism and thus hesitated to reveal their relationship. Unfortunately, before the Hegemon achieved legendary status, the news had already leaked.
With his mysterious image intact, Meng Qi stepped out of the tofu shop. Suddenly, a thought struck him—why had the Fifth Generation Xuan Nu, without restraint, eaten the sweet tofu meant for him and He Qi?
Given the Hegemon’s nature, he certainly wouldn’t approve of such behavior. Or perhaps, was this the personality of the manifested body?
Puzzled, Meng Qi instinctively turned back, looking at the Fifth Generation Xuan Nu, at the bowls of tofu being consumed—sweet and salty.
This was something previously overlooked!
He and Senior He Qi had focused mainly on the shop and Auntie Wang, not the customers or the tofu they consumed.
Ancient Lamp glowing in his eyes, the black-and-white radiance hidden within his vision spread across his sight.
Within this vision, Meng Qi saw fine black worms hidden within a bowl of tofu, being swallowed by a customer.
No, not black worms—it was minced meat, dark red to the point of near blackness!
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