A sudden gust of yellow sand spiraled around the weathered rocks. Yan Wuwo remained vigilant despite Qu Jiuniang’s genuine performance, continuing to scrutinize her with spiritual techniques. His eyes turned blood-red, verifying her authenticity. Qu Jiuniang, half-heartbroken and half-aware of the urgency, did not protest.
Meng Qi was relatively certain that the Jiuniang before him was real. After all, the revelation of her identity as the “Blessed Heaven Official” was purely coincidental. Without their chance encounter in Shen Du last year and Qi Zhengyan’s subsequent acquisition of mysterious techniques, there would have been no way to identify him. Thus, the “Mythos” could not have foreseen this and planned an ambush accordingly.
After a while, Yan Wuwo’s eyes returned to normal. He asked solemnly, “Jiuniang, how exactly did you fall into the hands of ‘Mythos’?”
Qu Jiuniang immediately snapped to attention, her beautiful phoenix eyes ablaze with fury. “It wasn’t ‘Mythos’—I’ve never seen any member of ‘Mythos’ employ such techniques. Maybe it was their real-world identity’s favored martial arts. I was caught off guard, and in an instant, they subdued me. When I woke up, my Jiezi Ring had already been taken. Damn those bastards!”
Her rage erupted, her words coarse, her account fragmented. Meng Qi, understanding the need not to provoke an enraged woman, listened quietly.
Yan Wuwo frowned slightly. “How did they attack? Could you see their face or sense their aura?”
Qu Jiuniang took a deep breath, her chest heaving with anger. “No. I was just about to close up shop when I suddenly saw a hand swinging diagonally toward me, radiating thick yellow light. The attack was so fast I couldn’t react. Even my emergency treasures were ineffective. I was struck directly and lost consciousness. When I woke up, I saw the ‘Purple Star Lord,’ and my Jiezi Ring was already gone. Those damned bastards must have taken it!”
Her anger flared again as she circled back to the Jiezi Ring. Although it didn’t contain all her possessions, as a Reincarnator, it held her most commonly used treasures, talismans, pills, and rare treasures. Losing it meant losing over eighty percent of her wealth, leaving only her accumulated merits and the glove weapon refined by Yun Zhongzi. How could she not feel heartbroken, furious, and devastated?
“A single strike powerful enough to neutralize emergency treasures suggests either an unusual martial art or an extremely high cultivation level. If the latter, it could only be one of the four Mythos leaders: the Celestial Emperor, Gouchen Divine Sovereign, Houtu Divine Mother, or the Purple Star Lord. If the former, it’s hard to say…” Yan Wuwo analyzed the situation at length.
Special martial arts, such as Meng Qi’s Three Treasures Ruyi Fist, varied depending on the Five Virtues Qi they condensed, each possessing unique properties like “Invulnerability to All Techniques” or “Progenitor of All Techniques.” Ordinary treasures and defenses would be ineffective against such techniques, as if pierced directly. If refined to the Dharma Body level, it would truly become a devastating weapon!
Meng Qi even suspected that the “Three Supreme Treasures of the Primordial Heavenly Lord” from the Fengshen legends might have been forged using this martial art or derived from it.
It was precisely due to such unique techniques that Yan Wuwo couldn’t be certain whether masters beyond the four Mythos leaders were incapable of achieving a one-strike capture. After all, even Meng Qi himself had once sealed Zhou Qiushan, the “Blessed Heaven Official,” with a single punch before ascending the first Celestial Ladder.
Yan Wuwo looked at Qu Jiuniang again. “Jiuniang, can you recall any features of that hand or the martial art used?”
Qu Jiuniang, hating the one who had attacked and stolen her Jiezi Ring, carefully recalled. “It was a very ordinary hand—fair-skinned, clearly defined joints, five fingers, neither fat nor thin…”
Her voice grew increasingly despondent. It seemed she had been subdued in an instant, with no further clues to offer.
“Perhaps the Celestial Venerable has insights into similar martial arts…” Yan Wuwo shifted the matter to Lingbao Tianzun before asking, “Jiuniang, did your Jiezi Ring contain anything related to our Immortal Traces or mission-related items?”
“There was one. I’ll remind everyone to avoid this mission to prevent ambushes by Mythos.” Qu Jiuniang’s phoenix eyes misted over, stirred by the memory of her lost treasures.
Yan Wuwo, a seasoned veteran of the martial world, though outwardly resembling a true corpse, was not entirely devoid of social awareness. Sensing the sensitivity of the topic, he tactfully changed the subject. “What are your plans next? I intend to first head to the secret location in the Gobi near Yuhai to rescue Chunyangzi from confinement.”
“Plans.” Qu Jiuniang’s voice was distant. “With my Jiezi Ring gone, my treasures gone, my pills gone, my rare treasures gone, and my gems and jewels gone, the Hanhai First Shop can’t stay open. What plans could I possibly have?”
She looked utterly despondent.
Meng Qi and Yan Wuwo exchanged glances before Meng Qi quickly said, “Master Yan, I plan to seek out the lecherous monks of the Joy Temple, hoping to capture one alive and extract the secrets of the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination Rosary.”
“The Joy Temple? Lecherous monks?” Qu Jiuniang’s expression suddenly became animated, her gaze shining with a sacred solemnity. “Those lecherous monks have long deserved heavenly punishment! Su Meng, I’ll help you!”
She lowered her voice. “They should have a lot of wealth on them, right? Let’s split it sixty-forty. I take sixty, you take forty. How about that?”
In that moment, Meng Qi felt she had rediscovered the meaning of life!
Faced with the nearly frenzied Qu Jiuniang, Meng Qi wisely refrained from haggling. “Fine!”
Qu Jiuniang’s face broke into a radiant smile. “Let’s return to Biyou Heaven first and inform the Celestial Venerable. Then I’ll borrow some merits from the public treasury, add what I have left, and redeem two or three treasures. A craftsman must first sharpen his tools to do his job well!”
“Can you borrow merits from the public treasury?” Meng Qi asked in surprise.
“Of course, but you must agree on a repayment date. The maximum is one year. Before that date, you only pay the agreed interest. If you exceed it, the interest accumulates until you are eliminated…” As she spoke of interest, Qu Jiuniang’s face twisted with pain.
Meng Qi nodded. This could serve as an emergency measure.
After some contemplation, he said, “Jiuniang, you return to Biyou Heaven first. I’ll go to Yuhai and meet you here tomorrow at this time.”
He planned to exchange the Reincarnation Talisman with Jiang Zhiwei for the Senluo Myriad Doors. When facing the monks of the Joy Temple, if their numbers were small or their strength below the Master level, he and Jiuniang would handle them together. If they were stronger, he would open the door to summon the cloud crane!
This was a prudent measure!
Qu Jiuniang had no objections. Just as she was about to turn, Meng Qi suddenly called her back, producing a large pile of rare treasures, dazzling in their brilliance.
“How… How do you have so much?” Qu Jiuniang stammered, her eyes fixed on the treasures floating before Meng Qi—Sun God Stones and others.
Meng Qi smiled. “Just fortunate circumstances. Please, Jiuniang, take them back to the Immortal Traces and store them in Biyou Palace. Then post a list in the Immortal Traces Bazaar. Anyone possessing any of the following rare treasures can exchange them at eighty percent of the Six Realms’ valuation…”
As he spoke, he produced a list—half of the treasures provided by the Myriad Doors and Mo Palace, the other half from Jiang Zhiwei.
At this time, he quietly opened the Jiezi Ring of the “Blessed Heaven Official” and found three unused rare treasures inside, such as Solar Gold, along with a purple bead and a short purple dagger, but their functions were unclear. He would have to investigate further or identify them back at the Immortal Traces.
Yan Wuwo glanced at the treasures and said bluntly, “Many of these rare treasures can be used by my sect. Once this matter is resolved, I’ll directly exchange some from the Six Realms for what you need.”
“Great!” Meng Qi, seeing his first deal made, felt quite pleased and didn’t try to raise the price.
Yan Wuwo lent Qu Jiuniang a half-finished black storage bag to carry the treasures back.
As Qu Jiuniang gently touched the treasures and placed them into the bag, her gaze softened, filled with tenderness.
“Jiuniang, I trust your character,” Meng Qi added.
Qu Jiuniang clenched her teeth and nodded firmly.
She had a soul lamp with Yan Wuwo, so Meng Qi had no fear of her fleeing with the treasures.
…
Transforming back into the “Solar Scattering Immortal” Shen Bao, Meng Qi flew toward Yuhai. The night was deep, the stars numerous, the air clear and distant.
On the journey, he sensed an inexplicable oppression, as though some hidden peril lurked within the vast Hanhai Desert and the enveloping darkness—not aimed directly at him, yet the air carried an unsettling tension.
Deep into the night, Meng Qi returned to Yuhai. Just as he was about to enter the city, he suddenly spotted Xue Lengzhao patrolling nearby. In the distance, one could faintly see the Outer Scenery disciples of the Snow Mountain Sect, the Vajra Temple, and the Asura Temple. They seemed to have naturally assumed control of the city.
A thought struck Meng Qi. He reverted to his original form, sheathed Liuhuo, and flew toward Xue Lengzhao, wielding the Sword of Heavenly Wounds—Qinglei Shanshao—its blade shimmering with blue lightning.
“Ah, Su, Su Gongzi.” Xue Lengzhao recognized Meng Qi’s aura and, recalling how he had once toyed with the Red and White Mani Pearls, flushed with embarrassment.
This artifact, forged from the Yin essence of numerous women and the Jing essence of the Ten-Hearted Ascetic, was employed for cultivation purposes and proved rather discomfiting.
—Reflecting later, Xue Lengzhao had largely confirmed Meng Qi’s identity. After all, “Crazy Blade” Su Meng was the most prominent young male figure in the past two or three years, with distinctive features!
Meng Qi clasped his hands in greeting. “Miss Xue, I have a question to ask.”
“Master Su, please go ahead and ask. As long as it doesn’t involve my sect’s secrets, I will answer truthfully.” Xue Lengzhao took a deep breath, feeling deeply grateful for the life-saving grace.
Meng Qi asked solemnly, “Miss Xue, you previously warned us to leave quickly, lest something unforeseen occur. I’ve pondered it repeatedly but still don’t understand—what kind of change were you referring to?”
He asked directly, knowing that even if Xue Lengzhao didn’t answer, he could glean something from her reaction.
Xue Lengzhao pursed her lips. “I don’t know either. My seniors in the sect simply warned me. Three days from now, we won’t be patrolling Yuhai anymore—we’ll return directly to the Snow Mountains. Judging from their expressions, I fear something is amiss.”
The information appeared to be confined to the higher circles… Could it be connected to the bizarre murder and dismemberment of an Outer Scenery realm cultivator within the Hanhai? As Meng Qi contemplated, he expressed his gratitude to Xue Lengzhao and proceeded to ask more about the Joy Temple. After all, the Snow Mountain Sect was a dominant force in the Western Regions and likely possessed extensive knowledge of the Joy Temple, which would assist him in his pursuit.
After parting ways with Xue Lengzhao, Meng Qi reverted to his identity as Shen Bao and cautiously approached the encampment of the Washing Sword Pavilion. If only Jiang Zhiwei was present, he would meet her directly. However, if other Outer Scenery disciples of the Washing Sword Pavilion were there, he planned to leave a discreet mark and arrange to meet at the courtyard on Guangling Street the following morning.
Approaching the courtyard where the Washing Sword Pavilion was stationed, Meng Qi sensed the aura of Jiang Zhiwei and “Kumu Ronghua.” He then turned to the agreed corner, left a hidden mark, and retreated to a secluded courtyard to rest and meditate, refining the “Yuanhai Xuanshi.”
As the night deepened, the Xuanshi in Meng Qi’s hand emitted streams of heavy, nearly invisible “black” qi, slowly merging into his palm’s acupoint.
Suddenly, a powerful sense of danger surged in Meng Qi’s heart. His left hand clenched, and his right drew Liuhuo.
At this moment, he held nothing back—neither his aura nor his martial arts. The sword suddenly blazed with light, as if a great sun had descended!
Clang!
The sword clashed with a long blade wreathed in purple lightning. The force sent Meng Qi flying.
Flames spread, lightning striking the void, but from above, it seemed as if a black veil fell, sealing off this area from the outside—no sound could escape!
The Realm Divide!
Familiar blade, familiar technique, familiar aura—Meng Qi instantly knew the identity of the attacker:
Nine Heavens Thunder God!
The masked “Nine Heavens Thunder God” loomed in the “half-air,” like a deity, his eyes filled with deep hatred and killing intent:
It’s really you!
“Crazy Blade” Su Meng!
Upon learning from the Xuan Nu that you had appeared in the Hanhai, I’ve been searching for you!
You change forms constantly, making it hard to track you. So I secretly watched Jiang Zhiwei, following every unknown Outer Scenery cultivator who approached or contacted her, observing their movements!
Other members called my method clumsy, but it’s the only clumsy method I have!
Fortunately, with the help of my brother “Howling Moon Divine Hound,” this plan could proceed smoothly. Without his keen sense of smell, I couldn’t have followed so many people!
Meng Qi retreated rapidly, drawing the Sword of Heavenly Wounds. Without time to switch hands, he wielded sword in the right and blade in the left.
Beside the “Nine Heavens Thunder God,” another figure emerged—dog-headed, human-bodied, clad in black armor, wielding a long staff, radiating powerful aura!
The corner of the “Nine Heavens Thunder God’s” mask curled into a cruel, delighted smirk:
I crossed the first Celestial Ladder two months ago, and with the assistance of my fifth-Stage Outer Scenery brother Howling Moon Divine Hound, and using the Realm Divide treasure to prevent escape, Su Meng—you’re doomed!
The inheritances of the Thunder God and the Overlord belong to me alone!
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage