Was it an illusion? A dream? Meng Qi, whose experience in the martial arts world could be described as seasoned and astute, did not allow shock or bewilderment to linger. His thinking quickly resumed, and several guesses surfaced in his mind.
Outwardly calm, he suppressed his Yuan Shen with the golden giant Buddha and secretly formed the Yuan Xin Seal with his Dharma image at his brow. One was a counter to illusions and deceptive techniques under heaven, while the other was one of the origins of martial and arcane arts. Though Meng Qi had not yet fully mastered these techniques, he was confident that he could spot the unreality of any illusion or dream beneath the level of a Dharma Body.
A warm ripple of golden light emanated from his eyes, dissolving the hazy veil over the world, making everything clear, though nothing had changed.
The white-robed swordsman crouching beside the table and picking up chopsticks sensed only a subtle, unfathomable aura of Chan from the mature, refined man in the green robe, as if his mind were impossible to grasp, reinforcing the swordsman’s belief that he was a transcendent master. Given the man’s slightly weathered demeanor, one might expect him to have frosty temples or a head full of silver hair.
Seeing Meng Qi give no reply, the swordsman shifted his thoughts, wiped the chopsticks on his own robe, and respectfully handed them over, flattering, “Senior, they’re clean now.”
“Chong Ge? What are you doing?” The beautiful young lady was completely baffled by her lover’s behavior and cried out in disbelief.
How could a young hero stoop so low?
The handsome young swordsman briefly showed alarm but quickly regained his composure as he turned around. “Qing Mei, this senior is dignified and elegant, and I admire him instantly. Alas, nowadays, many younger martial artists, relying on their strength, show no respect for the elders and lack any sense of chivalry, which is disgraceful. How can we be like them? Seniors have experienced more than we’ve even tasted salt, and listening to their teachings will surely benefit us. Respect your elders, and extend that respect to others. You, too, have parents; you should know the importance of respecting the wise and venerable.”
The more he spoke, the more righteous and compelling he sounded.
The beautiful young lady’s eyes sparkled as if filled with shining stars. “Chong Ge, there are few people in this world as respectful, humble, and chivalrous as you. I was right about you!”
Her admiration seemed to deepen.
The young swordsman quietly exhaled and turned his head to look at the composed senior, placing the chopsticks respectfully on the table.
Unbeknownst to him, the “mature and refined” senior was furiously thinking to himself:
“Damn! Could I have encountered someone with the power to reverse time?”
It was neither an illusion nor a dream. The words “time reversal” naturally surfaced in Meng Qi’s mind.
He looked at the young swordsman “calmly,” perceiving clearly within his mind the blood, muscles, skin, bones, outfit, Yuan Shen, and even the blood-red small banner in his storage bag of this top-level martial artist, but found nothing related to cosmic light.
This was very strange; he needed to observe more carefully… Meng Qi dared not rashly probe the young swordsman’s fragmented memories for fear of triggering irreversible changes. Thus, he maintained his lofty demeanor, brushing off the chopsticks and saying, “In this day and age, few young people still understand proper etiquette like you.”
Delighted, the young swordsman bowed. “My name is Nan Gong Chong, from Dinghu. This is my fiancée, Du Qingqing. We heard that the ancient temple Lanruo Temple nearby is haunted, so we came to slay the demons. May I ask, Senior, how should we address you?”
At the mention of “fiancée,” a blush spread across Du Qingqing’s smooth, fair face, her expression a mix of shyness and joy.
At this moment, the Left Deputy, Sun Junlin, smiled and asked, “Lanruo Temple is haunted?”
Coincidentally, he was there to investigate news about Lanruo Temple himself.
Meng Qi’s green robe was slightly darker in hue, sitting sideways to the window, giving him an ancient and solemn air. He glanced at the Left Deputy emotionlessly, thinking to himself: He indeed “doesn’t remember” being attacked earlier.
“Reporting to the Senior, a few years ago, the monks of Lanruo Temple mysteriously died one after another, turning the surrounding area into a ghost-infested wasteland. Fortunately, the Junior Celestial Master passed by, dispelling the evil spirits and restoring peace to the area, making Lanruo Temple a place for travelers to rest. However, recently, there have again been travelers found dead within the temple, resembling mummies.” Nan Gong Chong recounted the entire story. “Since Dinghu is nearby, upon hearing this, I volunteered to come and eliminate the ghosts.”
The Left Deputy asked a few more specific questions, which Nan Gong Chong answered thoroughly, giving both him and Meng Qi a general understanding of the situation at Lanruo Temple.
Since his own good deeds were abundant and he wasn’t worried about failing the mission, Meng Qi was far more interested in the previous incident than in the Black Mountain Demon King. Slowly rising, he clasped his hands behind his back and said, “We are from the Tianzong Sect and happen to be heading to Lanruo Temple. If you wish to follow, you may.”
“Yes, Senior!” Nan Gong Chong’s face lit up with joy, and pulling Du Qingqing along, he followed Meng Qi and the others toward Lanruo Temple.
After leaving the city and flying halfway through the sky, Nan Gong Chong still maintained a respectful attitude, occasionally glancing at the deep green figure ahead with a look of slight confusion.
“You two are quite accomplished for your age. May I ask which elders in your family trained you?” Meng Qi asked casually.
Du Qingqing interjected, “I am the legitimate daughter of the Du family in Jianzhou, raised personally by my parents. It’s nothing special for me to have reached the Outer Manifestation stage at this age. But Chong Ge comes from an ordinary family in Dinghu. As a child, he encountered bandits and became a beggar. Yet he never became bitter or gave up. He became a caravan guard, then a bodyguard, and finally, through hard work and some fortuitous encounters, entered the ruins of an ancient master and received true cultivation techniques.”
“He always overcomes adversity, accomplishing what others deem impossible, making him a standout among his generation in the martial world, and he has always maintained a chivalrous heart…”
Her pretty face seemed to glow as she extolled her lover to the senior, hoping that this distinguished master might take Chong Ge as a disciple or bestow upon him a powerful technique or treasure.
“Always overcoming adversity…” Meng Qi grasped the key point and smiled slightly. “This old man hasn’t walked the martial world for many years and didn’t know such a talented youth had emerged.”
“Senior flatters me.” At the words “hasn’t walked the martial world for many years,” Nan Gong Chong’s eyes cleared of much of their confusion.
As he was about to continue trying to ingratiate himself, a dilapidated temple appeared before them in the distance.
Nestled in the mountains, the temple was strategically located at the crossroads connecting north and south. The surroundings were thick with dense forests, the roots of the trees entangled, their branches and leaves luxuriant, forming a canopy that blocked out the sunlight. Even though the sun had not yet set, the forest was already dim and cold.
As the four approached the temple, they heard the cawing of crows. Before them stood yellow walls covered in vines, with no one to sweep the fallen leaves. The wind howled, and the scene was one of desolation.
Above the half-ruined entrance hung a plaque, half-hanging and half-fallen, slanting to inform passersby that this was “Lanruo Temple.”
Without even needing to deliberately sense it, Meng Qi could feel a sinister aura. Smiling faintly, he walked forward with his hands behind his back, each step landing precisely on a fallen leaf without crushing or dirtying it.
Pushing open the temple gate and crossing a courtyard filled with bird droppings, Nan Gong Chong and Du Qingqing followed Meng Qi into the main hall, which bore signs of fire.
Stepping gracefully over the threshold, Meng Qi entered the hall and saw a rough, burly man standing ahead. The man exuded a steady, rock-solid aura, with a broadsword strapped to his back, making him appear mighty and imposing.
Their eyes met, and the rough man felt as if the other’s gaze was unfathomably deep, as if it contained an entire world, revealing no emotion. He felt a chill and finally said, “Lanruo Temple is haunted. It’s best not to stay.”
As if he had already known someone was in the hall, Meng Qi withdrew his gaze and leisurely walked to one side. With a flick of his sleeve, he “cleared” an area and sat down casually. “If it’s haunted, why are you staying?”
“I’m here to exorcise ghosts,” the rough man replied.
Nan Gong Chong glanced at him, then pulled Du Qingqing to sit beside Meng Qi, whispering, “Qing Mei, if I’m not mistaken, he should be Yan Chixia, the great swordsman.”
Upon hearing this, Du Qingqing’s eyes quickly turned to the rough man, scrutinizing him, especially the broadsword, before returning her gaze and sincerely saying, “Chong Ge, your insight is truly remarkable, as if you know everything.”
“At least I don’t know who this Senior is,” Nan Gong Chong replied with a bitter smile through transmitted voice.
At this time, the sun was gradually setting, and footsteps approached, unsteady and stumbling.
Soon, they saw a refined scholar carrying a satchel of books.
“Lanruo Temple is haunted. It’s best not to stay,” Yan Chixia couldn’t help but glance at Meng Qi again as he spoke.
The refined scholar gasped for breath. “It’s getting late. It’s even more dangerous outside!”
“I… I am Ning Caichen.”
With a sudden gust of cold wind, things seemed to swirl around.
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