The setting sun sank into the water, golden scales shimmering in countless fragments, as the great river appeared like a dream or illusion.
Meng Qi relaxed his mood and did not mention the Overlord again. Instead, he smiled and asked, “Regarding the matter of the Supreme Heaven Devil, is there anything I can assist with?”
“Heart Sage and Benevolent Sage are all nearby. Many Law Bodies have gathered here. You are newly arrived, unfamiliar with the people and the land; I’m afraid you won’t be of much help,” Ren Qiushui gently declined Meng Qi’s offer. After all, this person’s background was mysterious; it was still uncertain whether he could be trusted. Moreover, his cultivation level was at most similar to hers, so he wouldn’t be able to play a significant role.
Meng Qi himself had merely approached this with the mindset of witnessing history and did not insist. Smiling, he asked, “Miss Ren, if I have a good friend who also recently arrived in Luo City, and under the current circumstances where communication and divination are temporarily impossible, how should I go about finding him?”
Ren Qiushui pondered for a moment, then smiled gently, “You can go tomorrow to listen to Heart Sage’s lecture. Since he has come to Luo City, how could he not know of Heart Sage’s teachings? How could he miss the opportunity to attend?”
“A great idea,” Meng Qi clapped his hands in delight. Indeed, once Senior He Qi realized they had returned to the ancient era and learned there was a lecture by Heart Sage nearby, he would surely go to pay homage, listen to the teachings, and even seek advice on sword techniques. At that time, Meng Qi would only need to stand up and ask Heart Sage a few questions, and He Qi would find it easy to notice him and come over to reunite. Their previous communicator had temporarily lost function upon returning to ancient times, as the corresponding heavenly mechanisms and karmic connections became chaotic, requiring gradual adjustment—”adapt to local customs.”
As Meng Qi was about to rise to stroll around the place where Heart Sage would lecture, he noticed Ren Qiushui taking out a brown doll. It looked neither wooden nor metallic, palm-sized, and carved with Ren Qiushui’s own likeness, lifelike and vivid, yet with a mysterious aura flowing within it. Meng Qi felt a sense of familiarity, as if it were somewhat similar to his communicator.
“May I ask what name the Daoist friend goes by?” Ren Qiushui smiled and asked.
Young lady, don’t you know that asking someone’s name is a taboo? If I called you, would you dare to answer? Meng Qi thought wryly, recalling the gourd that captured souls used by the Supreme Elder Lord, and then replied with a smile on the surface, “Su Meng. ‘Su’ from Su Meng, and ‘Meng’ from Su Meng.”
Ren Qiushui rarely encountered such a response and couldn’t help but smile slightly, “Daoist Su, would you like to become a righteous cultivator?”
“What do you mean by that?” Meng Qi was somewhat puzzled.
Does becoming part of the righteous path require certification?
Ren Qiushui replied solemnly, “Benevolent Sage practices the path of benevolence and compassion, proposing the idea that ‘the stronger one’s power, the heavier one’s responsibility, and the stricter one’s self-discipline must be.'”
That sounds familiar… Meng Qi raised his eyebrows slightly.
Seeing this, Ren Qiushui explained, “Once one reaches the Exo-Heavenly realm, one’s inner world manifests externally, connecting with the forces of nature. Every movement can unleash tremendous power. If there are no restrictions during battle, cities can be destroyed, rivers severed, weather altered, and hundreds of miles left with countless corpses. Once one attains the Law Body, one’s strength becomes even greater. Even if not in the starry sea, the destructive power is weakened, yet one can still move mountains and rivers, destroy entire nations. A True Immortal is even more terrifying. Even if they cannot destroy the Real World, prolonged attacks can cause massive devastation, wiping out most living beings, with only areas protected by specific magical laws surviving.”
“With such power and destructive capability, sometimes even without malicious intent, the aftermath of a battle might still take thousands of lives and reduce the world to ruins, bringing about the apocalypse. Therefore, Benevolent Sage believes that Law Bodies must uphold the concept that ‘the stronger one’s power, the heavier one’s responsibility, and the stricter one’s self-discipline must be,’ to prevent the destruction of the environment on which we depend for survival.”
“On the proposal of Benevolent Sage and several other Sages, righteous Law Bodies gathered in Guangling and, after discussion, signed the ‘Jiangmei Pact,’ voluntarily limiting their combat. When encountering enemies, they must first use artifacts or talismans such as the Two-World Separator Talisman and the Qian-Kun Geography Chart, or corresponding magical techniques, to isolate the battlefield from the Real World, minimizing the damage caused by the aftermath.”
Meng Qi had not reached the point of indifference toward lives and was not against such an idea, though he felt it might be somewhat restrictive. He interjected, “But what if the situation is urgent and there’s no time to separate the two worlds?”
“Then prioritize your own safety,” Ren Qiushui’s eyes flickered slightly, and her voice unconsciously grew lower.
Benevolent Sage might sacrifice himself, but he could not possibly demand other Law Bodies to abandon their lives for ordinary people. Otherwise, unless he could overpower all the Law Bodies gathered together, he would not be able to force them to sign the “Jiangmei Pact.”
“But this can only bind the righteous path. The wicked and demonic sects might exploit the situation, threatening to destroy entire cities if they are about to be captured,” Meng Qi pondered.
Ren Qiushui gave a slight nod and said, “Indeed, similar situations have occurred. However, this has made the unorthodox and demonic sects more cautious about taking lives and causing destruction in their daily affairs, as cities can serve as bargaining chips. Of course, each situation must be handled on a case-by-case basis. If allowing an unorthodox practitioner to escape would lead to greater destruction and more losses, decisive action must be taken.”
“The pact is quite decent. Benevolent Sage lives up to his title of ‘Benevolent,'” Meng Qi praised. It was rare for a True Immortal to still value ordinary lives.
Of course, this was also the path of the Benevolent Sage. Without such steadfast dedication to his philosophy, the “Nine Swords of the Overlord” would not have even reached the Law Body level on their own. They were simple yet profound, excelling in the Great Dao rather than mere techniques.
After praising, Meng Qi smiled and asked, “I suppose the Overlord didn’t sign the ‘Jiangmei Pact,’ did he?”
The “Jiangmei Pact” had been lost in the great calamity of the Demon Buddha, and he had only heard of it for the first time now. Perhaps Master Yun He might know more.
“No,” Ren Qiushui gave a faint bitter smile.
Would the Overlord ever be bound by such constraints?
After saying those two words, Ren Qiushui’s smile vanished. She grew serious and asked solemnly, “Benevolent Sage is nearby. Daoist Su, would you like to go and sign the ‘Jiangmei Pact’?”
“Alright,” Meng Qi pondered slightly and gave a definite answer.
At present, he was still completely clueless about how to return to the future. It was only natural to interact more and learn about the ancient cultivators. The Sages and the Overlord were unavoidable knots.
Ren Qiushui seemed to relax a little, showing a hint of feminine charm. Her right hand danced with five slender fingers, instantly forming a unique talisman seal, which landed on the brown doll.
The brown doll suddenly radiated seven-colored light, like flickering “neon lights,” pausing momentarily on pure white. Its mouth opened, emitting a hoarse and upright voice, as if filled with the righteous energy of heaven and earth: “Has Miss Ren encountered the Supreme Heaven Devil?”
Witnessing this, Meng Qi’s lips gradually curled into a smile. Was this the ancient era’s “telephone”?
A “telephone” based on machinery techniques and artifact forging?
Isn’t this exactly what he had wanted? It seemed he should find the “manufacturer” to have a chat!
“No,” Ren Qiushui did not waste time with pleasantries and replied directly, “This junior has met a newly arrived Law Body cultivator. He wishes to visit Benevolent Sage and sign the ‘Jiangmei Pact.'”
During this ancient era, other universes and realms were still roughly considered the “Immortal Realm.” Occasionally, Law Body cultivators ascended here. Ren Qiushui had previously used this as an excuse for her own origin and now conveniently used it to cover for Meng Qi.
“A new friend with such benevolence pleases this old man greatly. Miss Ren, please bring him over,” the hoarse yet mighty voice of Benevolent Sage came from the doll, echoing only within a radius of about ten feet.
“Alright,” Ren Qiushui saw the pure white light covering the doll dissipate.
Meng Qi, on the other hand, asked with great interest, “What is this?”
“It’s called a ‘Soul-Linked Doll,’ a small creation by the Artifact Sage and Number Sage working together. As long as you set the respective characteristics in advance, it allows remote communication, very convenient,” Ren Qiushui introduced with a hint of pride.
Artifact Sage and Number Sage? The Wang family must have many treasures hidden… Meng Qi muttered to himself, though it seemed not widely used.
After putting the Soul-Linked Doll away, Ren Qiushui led Meng Qi out of Luo City to a mountain peak nearby, where a academy stood and Benevolent Sage was hiding, presiding over the search for the “Supreme Heaven Devil” Wu Daoming.
Two streaks of light landed before a thatched hut. Suddenly, Meng Qi furrowed his brows, and Ren Qiushui immediately let out a soft exclamation, for Benevolent Sage was not inside!
The very Benevolent Sage they had just spoken to and made plans with was not there!
Benevolent Sage was always a man of his word; how could he break a promise like this? Had something happened? Ren Qiushui’s expression grew serious, and her sword flashed in her hand, slicing through the air.
The wooden door became illusory, and within the sword’s light, the scene inside became clear: a table, scrolls, and an incense burner were quietly placed, but nothing else. Benevolent Sage was nowhere to be seen.
Ren Qiushui took a step forward, instantly appearing inside the hut, and extended her divine consciousness to search carefully for any clues.
“There are no signs of a struggle,” Meng Qi appeared beside her.
Ren Qiushui gave a barely perceptible nod, “Benevolent Sage is one of the most outstanding among the Sages, the strongest Law Body in the current age, only a step away from breaking the limits of heaven and earth and proving his legendary status. No one could make him disappear mysteriously unless… unless… unless the battlefield was isolated from the Real World!”
After the signing of the Jiangmei Pact, similar incidents were not uncommon. The room might seem calm on the surface, but in reality, a life-and-death battle might be taking place.
“Benevolent Sage left no explanation, so it seems he was forcibly pulled into the isolated battlefield. But who could possibly force him into such a situation?” Meng Qi already held the Li Xian Sword in his hand, showing no sign of relaxation.
Ren Qiushui shook her head solemnly, “Indeed, the Evil Sect possesses the ‘Nine Nether Survey Map’! If two Heaven Kings join forces, they might be able to forcibly draw Benevolent Sage into it, and Benevolent Sage himself would certainly not wish to endanger the outside world.”
In this era, after tens of thousands of years of natural selection, many Sages had already perished. The remaining nine were all supreme beings with the potential to attain legendary status, thus marking this period as the “Age of Sages.” However, apart from these nine Sages, there were other True Immortals and formidable experts, such as the Four Sacred Monks, the Heaven and Earth Swordsmen, the Sun and Moon Wall, the Six Heavenly Kings of the Heretical Path, and the unrivaled Overlord.
The Six Heaven Kings of the Heretical Path had higher seniority and cultivation levels than the Supreme Heaven Devil. However, they had been subdued by the Demon Emperor’s Claw and thus integrated into the Heretical Path under his command. Some among them were relatively independent and dissatisfied with Wu Daoming, while others sought to revive the Heretical Path and chose to submit. Among Wu Daoming’s Four Great Heaven Devils, two were former Heaven Kings, one of whom had already perished.
So, had the Evil Path sect reached an internal consensus and decided to mobilize all their forces to rescue the Supreme Heaven Devil? As this thought flashed through Meng Qi’s mind, he suddenly heard a loud explosion. The wooden door was blasted open by a violent gale, and a blizzard swept into the hut, transforming it into an isolated world, completely severed from the outside.
Amid the howling wind, a figure burst in. He wore a black robe, his skin pale like snow, and held a black sword that twisted like a snake. Glancing at Meng Qi and Ren Qiushui, he sneered, “Just a couple of juniors?”
“Fine, they’ll do as a sacrifice for my sword.”
Ren Qiushui’s expression grew extremely serious. She transmitted her voice to Meng Qi:
“The Demon Sword Heavenly King of the Heretical Sect!”
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