The woman in red hastily swallowed a pill and sat cross-legged on the ground. Greenish qi rose from her face, and faint sword lights circled her body. If someone ill-intentioned but weak approached, these lights would automatically activate to injure the attacker.
Sitting in a chair, Meng Qi glanced up and down at her. He noticed her main wound was below her chest, seemingly inflicted by an unusual weapon like a water-piercing thorn—narrow and deep, almost penetrating through her back. The blood was held in place by sword qi, barely spilling out.
“After the news about the Nine Heavens Ruins spread, the Grand Formation in the Divine Capital entered a half-activated state. Any sign of manipulating heavenly and earthly forces would immediately draw the attention of the Six Gates and the State Council…” A series of images rapidly flashed through Meng Qi’s mind, forming a coherent sequence of events.
Spying, stalking, an ambush in the night, mutual suppression of inner scenes, swords and exotic weapons clashing back and forth, figures darting about—finally, the woman in red named Sun Yuexiu lost by a narrow margin, stabbed in the chest, her protective qi shattered, barely escaping with her life…
“It’s said that Bai Ning, who possesses half of the map to the Nine Heavens Ruins, keeps a very low profile, under covert surveillance by the imperial court and the Six Gates. With both sides keeping each other in check, why would she end up in a life-or-death struggle?” Meng Qi suddenly chuckled bitterly. After all, he had already decided to stay out of it—what was the point of speculating?
He had heard of Sun Yuexiu before. She was among the younger generation of the Ten Hearts Ascetics, the last among the Four Beauties of the Moonlight Sword Sect, and should have already crossed the First Celestial Threshold.
He stood up, pushed the door open, and stepped outside to examine the courtyard. If he could help, he would do so casually. If not, since they were neither relatives nor close friends, and he had been dragged into this mysteriously, he had no mood to get involved.
There were a few drops of blood in the courtyard, and only faint insect chirps filled the air. Meng Qi sensed around slightly and found no pursuers.
“It seems she has already shaken off her pursuers. But at the last moment, she couldn’t hold on any longer; her blood inevitably left a trail. Worried about being detected by enemies, she had no choice but to ask for help.” Meng Qi made a preliminary judgment of the situation. Since it was just a minor inconvenience, he didn’t dwell on it. He fetched a basin of water to rinse the blood away and scattered some dirt to mask the scent.
Sun Yuexiu was in a daze, relying solely on her willpower to protect her vital points—her Niwan Palace, Xuan Guan, and heart meridian—while circulating her true energy to blend with the medicinal power, alleviating her injuries. Her mind flickered between consciousness and unconsciousness, replaying the scenes of her earlier encounter.
The wind was strong, the rain sparse, and the night deep as she followed a clue and tracked her target under cover of darkness…
At a street corner, suddenly a silent beam of dark light pierced toward her, like an invitation from Yama, sending chills down her spine…
She barely dodged that strike, but her opponent continued attacking relentlessly, like a storm with no gaps, and she, who had always prided herself on her sword skills, found herself unable to counterattack…
Both sides tacitly refrained from drawing upon heavenly and earthly forces, yet she kept retreating. Realizing she was outmatched, she finally transformed her Moonlight Cleansing the Sky technique into a deceptive maneuver, using water to escape. However, her enemy seemed to anticipate this, entering the water in advance and delivering a fatal blow. Fortunately, her lightness skill was exceptional; without revealing her inner scene, she twisted her body mid-air, rebounding from the water to the shore, fleeing in panic…
She changed direction several times along the way, finally collapsing upon reaching the courtyard…
The terrifying dark glow, the razor-sharp movements, the flawless offensive maneuvers replayed incessantly in Sun Yuexiu’s mind—finally freezing on the water-splitting thrust that had pierced her chest, blood gushing forth in torrents!
Sun Yuexiu suddenly opened her eyes wide, gasping for breath, as if trying to expel her inner terror.
What an incredibly formidable enemy!
Under circumstances where neither could harness heavenly or earthly forces, minimizing the gap in cultivation levels, she was still so thoroughly suppressed. Her opponent’s insight, understanding, mastery of martial techniques, and the speed and strength granted by their powerful physical form likely surpassed many Grandmasters!
After a few breaths, she regained her composure, suddenly turning her gaze to the window. Outside, the rain and wind had ceased, the night tranquil. Inside, a young man in green robes sat on a chair, with an umbrella and a small bundle placed in front of him.
“Dear young man, I sincerely apologize. I wouldn’t have dragged you into this unless it was absolutely necessary,” Sun Yuexiu struggled to sit up and bowed in gratitude.
Meng Qi could conceal his physical strength, but without transformation, he couldn’t completely eliminate all traces of it. Anyone could see he was an adept practitioner, which was why she had sought him out for help.
Seeing her polite demeanor, Meng Qi remained calm, harboring no ill will or resentment, and smiled slightly: “It’s nothing, just a small favor.”
Sun Yuexiu coughed twice, her eyes glistening with sincere regret: “Although I’m certain the enemy has been shaken off, I cannot guarantee he won’t find his way here. Earlier, your assistance put your life at risk.”
“Life at risk?” Meng Qi laughed heartily, “In our great Jin Dynasty, the heavens are bright and clear, the sun shines brightly, and the Divine Capital lies under the Emperor’s shadow, the most prosperous city in the land. Encountering bandits on the road is understandable, but who dares to attack an inn openly?”
Sun Yuexiu’s expression froze on her pretty face, giving her the feeling of trying to speak a language he simply didn’t understand, as if she had never met someone so trusting of the imperial court.
She sighed inwardly and warned instead: “The Divine Capital is full of hidden dangers, and something major might be brewing. Even inns are not safe places and may become centers of conflict. If you have no business here, young sir, I advise you to leave as soon as possible.”
Meng Qi pointed at the umbrella and bundle on the table with a smile: “I’m meeting a friend today and was planning to leave at dawn tomorrow. If the young lady had encountered danger a day later, you might not have found anyone to help.”
“That’s good to hear.” Seeing that Meng Qi had already decided to leave, Sun Yuexiu felt relieved and solemnly bowed, sincerely saying, “Thank you, young sir, for your help. This is a little travel money. If you ever face difficulties in the future, come to Biyue Mountain in Northern Zhou, and I will certainly do my utmost to assist.”
A promise from an Outer Scene expert was no small matter.
Looking at the two gold ingots she handed over, Meng Qi almost couldn’t help laughing, but smiled and accepted them.
Sun Yuexiu’s expression slightly relaxed as she bid farewell and returned to her room to continue her recovery. Meng Qi casually stuffed the gold ingots into the bundle he carried for show and closed his eyes to meditate, waiting for dawn and the opening of the city gates.
After a while, a Taoist priest wearing a wooden hairpin returned, limping slightly on his left foot, his eyes scanning Sun Yuexiu’s room with caution.
Papapapa, distant sounds of wooden clappers echoed, like a night watchman’s call, or like a nocturnal song, seemingly normal at first hearing.
The Taoist priest listened carefully but detected nothing unusual and limped back to his room to meditate and recover.
Meng Qi appeared indifferent, holding the Dao De Jing in his hands, quietly reading, “The Way of Heaven is to diminish what has too much and supplement what has too little. The way of man is different—it diminishes what is lacking to serve those who already have more.”
To understand the strange phenomena, this was the first time he had read this Daoist scripture so seriously.
Papapapa, the sound of the wooden clappers approached gradually. Suddenly, Meng Qi slightly furrowed his brows—it felt off!
If someone were an ordinary Outer Scene practitioner and not fully alert, connecting with nature and comprehending the principles of heaven and earth, they might not detect the anomaly in the clapper sounds. But Meng Qi’s perception was sharp; he had already sensed the subtle changes in the cosmic patterns. Moreover, with a companion like Ruan Yushu, even if he wasn’t well-versed in music, he had some understanding of this field!
“A sinister sound specifically designed to agitate the blood of the wounded…” Meng Qi narrowed his eyes.
Besides Sun Yuexiu and the Taoist priest with the wooden hairpin nearby, there were likely many ordinary people with various injuries. This evil sound made no distinction—it affected everyone indiscriminately!
Truly malicious! Meng Qi listened attentively, “reading” the changes in the cosmic laws, his left hand bent his fingers, ready to strike.
Papapapa, just as the clapper sound reached halfway, Meng Qi followed the subtle shift in the energy flow and struck downward with his left hand.
Dū!
The sound wasn’t loud but piercing, traveling far. The clapper sound stopped abruptly.
After a short pause, the dūdūdū sound resumed. Meng Qi observed the changes and, at a crucial point in the melody’s progression, struck again, tapping into the “principles of the Dao.”
Dū!
In a dark alley far away, an old man with a hawk nose spat out a mouthful of blood, staining the black wooden clapper in his hand.
His white hair was disheveled as he muttered in terror: “There’s a hidden master in Gouyu Lane!”
The sound of the wooden clappers disappeared completely, and the night returned to silence.
The Taoist priest, whose injuries were lighter, showed a look of alarm and suspicion, peering through the wall at Meng Qi’s room.
Meng Qi closed his eyes and meditated, allowing the priest to observe freely.
After a long while, a faint light appeared on the horizon. Suddenly, Meng Qi felt a stirring in his heart, his spirit extending outward, sealing his room and isolating it from the outside.
“What must come will inevitably arrive…” Meng Qi sighed, activating the Eight-Nine Art to sense a distant call—it was the power of the contract!
The ancient oil lamp flickered, its flame as small as a bean. Suddenly, it flared up with a crackling sound, casting the silhouette of a woman in white robes. Her brows and eyes were like a painting, exquisitely ethereal. With a slight tilt of her head and a faint smile, she appeared both charming and bewitching—none other than Gu Xiaosang, the enchantress of the Luo Sect!
“It’s been so long since we last met, my dear husband. Have you missed Xiaosang? I often think of you so much that I toss and turn, unable to sleep,” Gu Xiaosang parted her lips, her teeth white and neat, her voice filled with deep emotion.
Thinking about how she was probably plotting against him again… Meng Qi inwardly retorted, yet calmly said, “Miss Xiaosang, are you here for the Nine Heavens Ruins?”
“My dear husband, how formal you still are,” Gu Xiaosang feigned hurt, then suddenly smiled, her beauty blooming like a hundred flowers, “I understand now. You’re just playing a game of flirtation, like other couples who call each other ‘brother’ and ‘sister’ or ‘darling.’ Since you call me Miss Xiaosang, should I reply with ‘Master Su,’ ‘Master Meng,’ or ‘Beloved Ding Ge’?”
Her voice was melodious and coquettish, exuding tenderness and charm. Meng Qi couldn’t help but shiver involuntarily:
“Get to the point!”
“The point?” Gu Xiaosang rested her index finger on her cheek, “I wonder if my dear husband has made any progress studying the treasures collected by the Fairy of Shangshui? I’m looking forward to exchanging insights with you.”
Her eyes sparkled with laughter, teasing Meng Qi.
Before Meng Qi could get angry, Gu Xiaosang slightly straightened her expression: “My dear husband, now is the perfect opportunity to explore the Nine Heavens Ruins. Where are you? I’ll come find you.”
“I’m in the Divine Capital.” Meng Qi replied succinctly.
Gu Xiaosang’s eyes sparkled, captivating and enchanting: “How fate brings us together from afar! I happen to be in the Divine Capital too. Tomorrow evening, by the Golden Water Bridge, when the moon rises above the willow trees, let’s meet at dusk.”
Meng Qi chuckled but suddenly asked, “Did you deliberately spread the rumors about the Nine Heavens Ruins in the Divine Capital?”
Gu Xiaosang’s eyes curved into crescent moons, her smile radiant: “We can talk about everything tomorrow when we meet.”
The flame dimmed, the figure vanished, and everything returned to normal, as if nothing had ever happened.
Meng Qi sat in a daze, pondering many things.
At dawn, Meng Qi, with his bundle on his back and wearing a green robe, stepped out of the room, just in time to see Sun Yuexiu welcoming a woman in green. The woman’s appearance was unremarkable, but her eyes concealed a terrifying sharpness.
“Are you leaving, young sir?” Sun Yuexiu greeted him.
“Yes.” Meng Qi smiled and nodded.
The woman in green smiled: “I’m Yuexiu’s senior sister. I’ve just arrived today and am here on behalf of our sect to thank you again. Please tell us your honorable name so we can remember you forever.”
Meng Qi instantly recognized her from Sun Yuexiu’s description—Ren Jingxiu!
Decades ago, she had been renowned for her swordsmanship, holding the top spot on the Human List for two years. Now, she was only a step away from reaching Grandmaster status, making her the most formidable among the “Xiu” generation of the Moonlight Sword Sect!
“I never leave my name when doing good deeds,” Meng Qi laughed heartily, casually walking past them and leaving the inn, planning to find Yuan Lihuo to ensure his meeting with Gu Xiaosang would be safe.
“This young sir has quite the chivalrous spirit,” Ren Jingxiu mused, slightly taken aback.
Sun Yuexiu gazed at Meng Qi’s retreating figure and barely perceptibly nodded: “Unfortunately, he missed the best opportunity to cultivate the highest martial arts…”
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage