Chapter 579: The Martial Arts World Remains the Same

Several days later, the sun shone brightly.

It was early summer. In Guangling, the weather had not yet turned hot. The air was fresh and clear, making it an ideal time for an outing. Many people were taking their families out to enjoy the season, and the streets were bustling with crowds.

Yuan Yang, Weng Lingyu, and the others—Min Renlong, Wu Xiuxian, and Wu Xing—had finally gathered together. Beyond their cycle of tasks, this was the first time they met in reality after becoming teammates for quite some time.

Of course, during their cycles, they had participated with their true selves, and communication had no restrictions. Now, aside from novelty and a bit of excitement, they didn’t feel any sense of unfamiliarity or distance. They met like old friends, comfortable in both conversation and silence, and were now heading together to take a boat ride and enjoy fish at the Xiaonan Lake in Guangling.

After walking for a while, they suddenly heard a commotion from ahead. Each of them had considerable experience in the martial arts world and immediately took defensive stances—some gripping their swords, others subtly preparing hidden needles or tightening their grips on their judge’s brushes, each watching a different direction to avoid being taken advantage of in the chaos.

After a moment of confusion, the crowd shifted direction, all heading toward Xiaonan Lake, and many rumors began to spread.

Min Renlong, a disciple of the Taiyue Sect who had long trained his hearing, listened carefully. Amidst the noise, he discerned something useful and excitedly said, “Wang Ji, known as ‘No Fault Under the Sword,’ and Song Quanlue, known as ‘Poetic Blade, Versed in Sword,’ have agreed to a duel at the Xian’an Pavilion by Xiaonan Lake. This is a rare encounter between two ranked fighters!”

“Jiangdong truly lives up to its reputation. Perhaps only here can such high-level duels be commonly seen…” Wu Xiuxian, who was witnessing such a high-level martial clash for the first time, sighed with emotion.

Yuan Yang, naturally cheerful and fond of excitement, had long admired the rankings. As she moved forward with the crowd, she eagerly asked, “What are their rankings? How much of a gap is there between them and Yan Chong, Cui Zhe, Qingyu, Wang Zai, Yang He, Tiance, Ruan Yushu, Shangguan Heng, Wenren An, Luohou, Qi Zhengyan, Luo Xiu, Zhen Ben, and others?”

She rattled off more than ten names, all of whom were among the top fifteen on the rankings and familiar to her. Among them, “Luohou” from the Xiu Luo Temple was a title, belonging to the lineage of the ancient Asura King Luohou, a single heir in that tradition. He was now ranked among the top three. His master had cultivated the “Luohou Dharma Body,” the current Asura King, also commonly called Luohou. However, Yuan Yang had no idea about this distinction and thus wouldn’t confuse the two.

—The southern wilderness was vast, dangerous, and often cut off from information, even more so than the Western Regions. Despite border trade, Yuan Yang only knew of the most famous names on the rankings. She had been too busy traveling lately to catch up on the rest, hence her question.

“Song Quanlue is an outstanding member of the Song Clan of Luyang. He debuted later than most but quickly climbed the rankings and is now ranked thirty-first.” Wu Xiuxian, a native of Zhongzhou, was the most knowledgeable about the rankings.

Weng Lingyu smiled lightly beside her, “Last year, Song Quanlue participated in the Qionghua Banquet, hoping to make a name for himself in one fell swoop. Unfortunately, he encountered the then-rising ‘Crazy Blade,’ who defeated five of them in one go. Song was greatly discouraged and nearly gave up, but eventually recovered. This year, he officially entered the martial world again, but no longer wielding just a sword—he now excels in both sword and blade, inheriting the Song Clan’s core techniques.”

Since her successful awakening in the cycle, she had longed for the freedom of the martial world. Jiangdong, being a hub of information, naturally offered her ample knowledge of martial legends.

“That’s right! A-Yu mentioned it yesterday!” Yuan Yang clapped her hands together, showing a bit of childishness.

She had heard yesterday about how the “Crazy Blade” crushed his opponents but hadn’t paid attention to Song Quanlue’s name among the defeated. She hadn’t expected him to be ranked as well.

Wu Xing, the swordsman, gazed toward Xiaonan Lake in the distance and casually added, “Wang Ji, known as ‘No Fault Under the Sword,’ is a junior member of the collateral branch of the Wang Clan of Jiangdong. He is not yet twenty, but his Kanxu Sword Technique has already reached a moderate level. Since his debut, he has achieved impressive victories and climbed to the thirty-fifth spot. These two are evenly matched, so it will be an intense battle not to be missed!”

Only the main branch of the Wang Clan in Jiangdong followed strict generational naming conventions.

Most of the five had opened four meridians, with the strongest having six. None had even touched the threshold of external manifestation techniques, still far from reaching the rankings. Yet precisely because of this, they were all the more eager. With the Six Paths as their foundation, they harbored secret hopes and desires. Like fish swimming through the crowd, they made their way to Xian’an Pavilion.

Wang Ji and Song Quanlue were indeed evenly matched. The battle lasted a full quarter-hour before a winner emerged—Song Quanlue narrowly prevailing by half a move.

The intricate and profound techniques, the intense clash, and the precise timing displayed left Min Renlong, Yuan Yang, and the others in awe, feeling they had learned much from the encounter.

“Truly a battle worthy of the rankings. Their level is far beyond what we can currently match,” Wu Xiuxian, usually calm, couldn’t help but exclaim.

“If only I had such sword techniques, I wouldn’t have struggled so much last time,” Wu Xing, the swordsman, said with admiration, watching the two exchange post-fight pleasantries.

He intentionally avoided mentioning the word “task” to prevent accidentally revealing the secret of the cycles.

Before Yuan Yang and Weng Lingyu could speak, a nearby martial artist shook his head and said smugly, “What high-level battle was that? Just a fight between two fighters ranked in the lower half of the rankings. You haven’t seen the legendary duel between the ‘Crazy Blade’ and the ‘Emperor Blade’ on the long street, or the grandeur of ‘Invisible Sword’ battling four opponents alone!”

“Ah,” someone immediately chimed in, “Exactly! A few years ago, the rankings were filled with true geniuses—Crazy Blade, Sword Fairy, Invisible Sword, All-Knowing, and the Demoness of Da Luo. Each of them rose to fame in a single step. They left behind many legendary battles far surpassing today’s!”

It was common to praise the past while belittling the present as a way to show off one’s experience. Yet, no one present refuted these claims. After all, from the time Invisible Sword first topped the rankings, five of the top ten had ascended in a single step—more than in any previous era, shining brilliantly like stars.

Even if one couldn’t say such brilliance would never be seen again, it was certainly not something to be matched in the near future!

Compared to them, the current top fifteen, though still skilled, simply couldn’t measure up!

“Forget it, they’re all external manifestation masters now,” someone sighed.

Indeed, they had become external manifestation masters, ruling over cities and regions. They were no longer ordinary figures in the martial world!

Opening meridians and reaching external manifestation were two entirely different realms. The martial world remained the same, but the people were no longer the same.

Yuan Yang, Weng Lingyu, and the others exchanged glances and sighed in unison, “External manifestation masters…”

The famous figures like the “Crazy Blade” they had just discussed were now flying freely like dragons, unseen until their heads appeared, embarking on new journeys in a broader martial world—one only they could access, separated from Yuan Yang and the others by an “immortal boundary.”

As they reflected and sighed, they found a pleasure boat, paid for it, and set sail toward the lake’s center.

After watching the scenery from the bow for a while and seeing mist rising, as if rain were about to fall, they returned to the cabin and told the boatman to prepare fish.

Just stepping inside, all five froze. Sitting behind the table was a young nobleman dressed in white, with sharp eyes and a sword-like brow, smiling gently. A sword rested beside him. He was leisurely brewing tea in a calm and orderly manner, exuding an indescribable sense of peace and ease.

“Master…” “Senior…” They were both startled and delighted, but instinctively held back their words, as if reluctant to break the indescribable tranquility.

They sat down gently, their restless and wistful emotions gradually washed away by Meng Qi’s calm tea-brewing, feeling their minds become clear and serene, free from worries and troubles.

Meng Qi, having altered his appearance and attire, poured tea into the cups with perfect precision and gestured for them to taste it.

“Excellent tea!” Min Renlong took a sip. At first, it tasted bitter, but then left a sweet aftertaste, lingering in his mouth.

Meng Qi watched them drink and smiled, “I happen to be in Jiangdong, so I came to see you and offer a few words of advice.”

“Master, please speak,” the five said, setting down their teacups and sitting up respectfully.

To them, Master seemed even more unfathomable than before!

“You’ve all faced life and death together, becoming good friends. It’s natural to meet privately, but don’t do it too often. In the future, you’ll encounter other cycle participants in your tasks. If they recognize one or two of you through your techniques, they could trace the rest, dragging the danger of the cycle into reality,” Meng Qi said seriously.

Yuan Yang and the others were first startled, glancing around in fear that Master’s direct mention of the cycle might trigger an elimination. But everything remained quiet, with only the faint sound of the boatman slaughtering fish outside, as if from another world.

Soon, they understood the meaning behind his words and felt both anxious and confused, asking, “Master, could we be recognized?”

They had heard Meng Qi mention factional conflict tasks before.

“With your current fame and strength, no one would pay attention. But as you grow stronger, rise in the rankings, and become famous, your techniques, your moves, your characteristics will all become objects of study. Some among them are cycle participants who may encounter you in cycle tasks and recognize you,” Meng Qi explained calmly, pouring himself more tea. The serene atmosphere gradually calmed the five’s fears.

“So, we need to disguise ourselves?” Yuan Yang, raised in the southern wilderness and skilled in witchcraft, poisons, and weapons, was no stranger to disguise.

“Disguise isn’t just about appearance—it’s also about techniques. Common moves are fine, but your signature techniques should have two versions—one for cycles and one for reality,” Meng Qi advised.

Though it would cost them good karma, it was indeed necessary for their safety. Learning more techniques was never a bad thing. The five quickly understood and stood to thank him.

Meng Qi accepted their gratitude calmly before asking, “What signature techniques have you each exchanged for?”

The five hesitated for a moment before Weng Lingyu stepped forward and bowed, “The ‘Swan Return to Zhurong’ from the Hengshan Five Divine Swords.”

“Show me,” Meng Qi said, expressionless.

Weng Lingyu took a deep breath and performed the technique, displaying a sword style of infinite variety.

Meng Qi nodded slightly and, without a word, drew his sword, executing four variations connected to but distinct from Weng Lingyu’s. Each was refined and powerful.

“Th—This is the other four forms of the Hengshan Five Divine Swords?” Weng Lingyu’s eyes widened in shock.

Had Master exchanged for this sword technique? Yuan Yang and the others felt joy for Weng Lingyu.

Meng Qi returned his sword to its sheath and said slowly, “I haven’t practiced this sword technique, but the principles of swordsmanship are universal. Observing your style and recalling the five peaks of Hengshan, I improvised and gained some insights. It should be close to the true Five Divine Swords.”

Creating sword techniques on the spot? Min Renlong, Yuan Yang, and the others exchanged glances, shocked.

To reach such a level, how profound must one’s sword cultivation be?

Hearing him speak so calmly and confidently, it seemed effortless!

Is Master an external manifestation master?

Weng Lingyu recalled what she had just seen and noticed that the tea water had drawn a sword manual on the floor at some point. Overjoyed, she bowed deeply, “Thank you, Master!”

Meng Qi waved his hand and proceeded to guide Yuan Yang and the others. Though he might not specialize in other techniques, his broad knowledge and high-level insights always found common ground.

“Alright, I hope we meet again,” Meng Qi said calmly, rising to his feet, opening the window, and suddenly vanishing.

Gone just like that? Min Renlong and the others couldn’t stop him in time. Looking out the window, they saw that the white mist had already vanished without a trace!

“Master must be an external manifestation master!” he declared firmly.

Indeed, Master was no ordinary person! All of them wore expressions of realization and reverence.

…

Meng Qi landed on the shore, his finger wrapped in a thread of purple qi, spreading blessings and merits!

Otherwise, even for an affiliated team, he wouldn’t go to such great lengths.

Next, it was time to deal with the matter of the Dongji Longevity Pill. Although Elder Chonghe was preoccupied with refining medicinal essences, there was still another powerful figure in Jiangdong to rely on!