Faced with the furious National Preceptor Bomi, Meng Qi felt as if he were a small fishing boat on a vast ocean, tossed about by storms and towering waves, always on the verge of capsizing, yet utterly powerless against the mighty forces of nature, relying solely on effort and luck!
“Rubbish!”
Across all of Bomi, red mist churned violently. Hidden within it, yet simultaneously repelled and obstructed, waves of cold, damp, sinister intent surged and swelled. Occasionally, shadowy spirits materialized out of nowhere, sending chills down the spines of many ancient cultivators.
The Seven-Starred Evil Deity was trading items with the “Gatekeeper,” who was unable to leave the cave, when suddenly his brows furrowed, and his aura surged violently. Seven sinister stars rose around him, their eerie radiance descending to illuminate his physical form.
“How could such an anomaly occur?” the Seven-Starred Evil God murmured gravely.
The Gatekeeper’s aura remained restrained as he sighed deeply. “This is the second time I’ve sensed this surge of cold and dampness. I don’t know what strange change has occurred…”
His tone was filled with melancholy and weariness.
“The second time? When was the first?”
The Gatekeeper gave a bitter smile. “That was sixty years ago. Ever since then, I’ve been locked here, unable to escape. I had no choice but to cooperate with Ye Yuqi, hoping she could help me sever these chains.”
The Seven-Starred Evil God had long been curious about this matter but had never dared to ask, sensing it involved a profound secret. Now, hearing the Gatekeeper bring it up voluntarily, he seized the opportunity and inquired, “Brother, who exactly imprisoned you here? And what gate are you guarding? Why did those supreme experts who previously ventured deep into the cave vanish without a trace?”
The Gatekeeper exhaled bitterly. “After all these years, I’ve been asking myself the same question. Back then, I hadn’t done anything at all—I merely encountered a young Taoist priest who rambled on about strange things. He locked me beside the gate, instructing me to guard it faithfully and await a destined person. The disappearance of those supreme experts has nothing to do with me. The cave has countless branches, hidden dangers lurk everywhere, and it extends deep underground. Many areas still retain residual demonic energy, as if bound by formations. A single misstep could lead to utter disaster.”
“As for the gate I’m guarding—pah! That can’t even be called a gate! It’s just a door carelessly drawn on the cave wall by some child with a piece of charcoal! I’ve been carefully exploring it for an entire cycle of sixty years without gaining anything!”
The Seven-Starred Evil God was stunned. “Are you telling the truth?”
“Of course I am. If you don’t believe me, I can take you to see it myself. We can skip the extra items in our transaction.” The Gatekeeper felt his escape was finally within reach and no longer feared revealing the correct path. After all, he had already gathered nearly all the rare treasures within the cave, trading them for cultivation resources and longevity elixirs.
Remaining cautious, the Seven-Starred Evil God suspected the Gatekeeper might exploit the hidden perils of the cave to betray him. Yet his fascination with the enigmatic gate and the unknown beyond it intensified. Sensing a tremendous opportunity and extraordinary fortune, he paused briefly before replying, “Brother, you go first.”
“Humbug!”
A furious roar and terrifying pressure bore down on Ye Yuqi, but her expression remained unchanged, calm and composed:
“If you didn’t take a wrong path, why have you been asleep for so many years?”
“If you didn’t take a wrong path, why have you forgotten who you are?”
“If you didn’t take a wrong path, why did your carefully cultivated projection forget its original purpose and all memories of the Wuyou Valley, wandering for years without ever finding its way back?”
Each accusation struck like thunder, shaking the old man’s aura, leaving him speechless except for continuous roars:
“Humbug!”
“It was clearly the influence of the Wuyou flower!”
“No, it was the Yellow Spring Water! I cultivated using the Yellow Spring Water!”
Golden light shimmered around Meng Qi as he endured the surging pressure. It turned out the “King of the Netherworld” outside was merely a projection created by the old monster National Preceptor Bomi during a brief moment of lucidity. He had hoped this projection would grow independently and eventually awaken his true self to resolve future threats. However, the projection had also forgotten its past and only retained the vague memory of seeking the Wuyou Valley without understanding why.
No wonder the Doumu Yuanyun had failed to “detect” it at the time, reacting too late to prevent the King of the Netherworld’s escape. She was well-versed in such matters and likely had foreseen this, deliberately allowing it to happen.
Behind Ye Yuqi, stars transformed into a swirling blizzard, the void at its center growing deeper. Her voice turned icy as she spoke again:
“How could the Wuyou flower possess such potent effects?”
“If it were truly the Yellow Spring Water, you would have completely forgotten your past. How could you possibly recall anything?”
“You clearly suspected something was wrong but refused to admit it, making excuses and evading the truth!”
“Humbug!”
The old man’s reddish-brown eyes blazed with murderous intent. His snake-shaped hairpin shattered, white hair scattering like thin serpents, as if preparing to kill the infuriating woman before him.
Ye Yuqi raised the token in her hand, a slight smile curling her lips—half admiration, half confidence:
“He said he’d kill you with just one sword strike!”
“Kill you with just one sword strike…” Meng Qi was deeply impressed by those bold words.
“Humbug!”
The cold, damp, sinister intent across Bomi surged backward, countless shadow spirits extending like tentacles toward the old man. The dense murderous intent nearly caused Meng Qi’s Eight-Nine Art to collapse.
As the old man launched his attack, the token flew forth, tearing open the void, and a sword beam slashed out!
The chamber and the entire Wuyou Valley turned completely white. However, Meng Qi had already reached the Outer Scenery realm, his acupoints opened, vaguely sensing the trajectory of the sword beam.
It didn’t seem particularly powerful, nor did it carry any divine effects. Yet it appeared to embody the very essence of laws and principles, slicing through the thick layers of damp, sinister energy, striking at a crucial node where numerous shadow spirits converged.
Boom!
One node snapped, causing surrounding spirits to lose control and shriek in agony.
Such an assault would barely unsettle the National Preceptor Bomi, yet Meng Qi was stunned to witness the rampant spread of the out-of-control phenomenon—spirits infecting one another in a chain reaction, with nodes collapsing in rapid succession.
To describe it metaphorically, it was like the domino effect he had seen in his past life—when arranged properly, a single gentle push at the right spot could bring the entire structure crashing down.
The sword beam lacked overwhelming power, yet its timing was impeccable, and its judgment of the old man’s hidden flaws was nothing short of miraculous.
Boom!
The chain reaction continued. The old man struggled desperately to stabilize himself, but it was already too late. One by one, the shadow spirits broke free, revealing expressions of relief before dissipating into the air.
Boom!
The cold, damp malevolence completely collapsed, chaotic winds swirling wildly. If not for the lingering power of the sealing formation, the entire underground realm might have crumbled.
When the chilling winds finally dissipated, Meng Qi saw the old man standing dazed before the emerald jade coffin.
His expression was blank, muttering softly:
“How could this be…”
“How could there still be a Dharmakaya capable of tearing through this seal and exerting force here…”
“How could the spirit of all living beings be so fragile…”
Though his aura was weaker than before, it remained formidable, far surpassing Ye Yuqi’s. Each whisper sounded like a demon’s call, forcing Meng Qi to concentrate fully to steady his mind.
At that moment, the old man’s skin began visibly decaying, his primordial spirit energy rapidly fading.
(Note: “元神” is translated as “primordial spirit” in this context, which is a common term in Taoist and Xianxia cultivation concepts referring to one’s spiritual essence or soul energy. The translation maintains the mystical tone while making it understandable to English readers familiar with fantasy genres.)
Meng Qi suddenly understood. The old man was practically a contemporary of Patriarch Bodhidharma. Without the support of strange secret techniques, or the life force sustained by numerous shadow spirits and magical treasures, he must have long exhausted his lifespan, dying only now due to lingering power.
Normally, a Dharmakaya expert’s physical body wouldn’t decay unless they practiced a special technique. For instance, Buddhist Dharmakaya adepts would undergo Nirvana, their golden bodies forming relics. Therefore, Meng Qi wasn’t too surprised to see the old man’s body decaying alongside his primordial spirit.
“Did he… find the correct path?” the old man stared at Ye Yuqi as his aura faded.
“Throughout history, there have always been orthodox paths, though they require long periods of time.” Ye Yuqi paused slightly, then continued, “He has his own path, but he dare not claim it is correct. The only certainty is—you took the wrong path.”
With a faint sigh, the old man’s aura collapsed inward, his body turning into blood and flesh as a blood-yellow glow illuminated the space.
Indeed, just one sword strike was enough to kill him… Meng Qi didn’t know whether the attacker was Master Lu or Lingbao Tianzun, but regardless, he was deeply impressed. Such imposing presence, such elegance—it was truly awe-inspiring!
I must achieve that someday too…
The blood-yellow glow faded, the emerald jade coffin crumbling into dust. On the ground lay a blood-yellow pearl, its surface lifeless and cold, yet faintly pulsing with infinite vitality within. Meng Qi recalled the many treasures previously “absorbed.”
A Dharmakaya expert’s condensed pearl… Meng Qi’s heart pounded, but he instinctively glanced at Doumu Yuanyun, the fleeting thought of “killing for treasure” flashing through his mind.
Of course, the one being killed would clearly be himself!
Recalling his earlier carelessness in failing to retrieve items from Lao Zhongtou’s possession, Meng Qi couldn’t help sighing inwardly at his “unlucky year”—judging from Jiang Hengchuan’s death, the Contract should not have destroyed the cinnabar ring, or at least could have separated it in time unless it contained myth-level secrets. But if that were the case, opening the cinnabar ring would have destroyed it immediately. Therefore, he had deliberately left Lao Zhongtou’s items untouched, hoping to soften his heart for interrogation. Unfortunately, the cinnabar ring had additional restrictions, and upon his death, it vanished before anything could be salvaged.
Ye Yuqi’s face remained serene as she gazed at the blood-yellow pearl. “This item is useful to me. Why don’t I take it, and everything else here will be yours. If they aren’t valuable, I’ll compensate you.”
Phew! A true heroine, a grand sect’s “patriarch,” and a high-ranking immortal figure—indeed righteous and honorable, never exploiting others in the shadows… Meng Qi let out a sigh of relief and nodded in agreement.
Watching Ye Yuqi pocket the blood-yellow pearl, Meng Qi’s curiosity stirred. “Miss Ye, was the one who acted just now Master Lu or…”
He intentionally omitted the name Lingbao Tianzun.
Ye Yuqi nodded slightly. “It was my brother-in-law.”
Gazing at the token in her hand, Meng Qi’s eyes sparkled with admiration and envy. “How marvelous to have a Dharma Body ready to assist at any moment.”
He also thought of Cui Qinghe, who could act remotely from Pingjin using his sword.
“Such artifacts require constant nurturing by Dharma Body experts and mental communication. In short, it’s very complicated. After one remote strike, they must be nurtured again for a period of time. Moreover, ordinary Dharma Body adepts can only forge one such item. My brother-in-law has at least two.” Ye Yuqi gazed tenderly at the token, her tone filled with pride. “As for ancient sages, they could strike remotely through any object bearing their essence, without quantity limits or the need for nurturing…”
So that’s how it is… Meng Qi no longer worried about Luo Jiao or Shaolin having Dharmakaya-level assistance readily available. However, that demoness Gu Xiaosang might possess something similar…
After carefully storing the now-dimmed token, Ye Yuqi casually added, “After completing another death mission, you’ll inevitably encounter various ancient ruins. Some might harbor Dharma Body experts barely clinging to life, but they’ve all paid a heavy price and possess severe flaws. Don’t be intimidated just because they’re Dharma Body adepts.”
“Yes.” Meng Qi nodded solemnly. No wonder Doumu had been so calm before—she had anticipated this all along.
Suddenly, he furrowed his brows. “Calling Bomi National Preceptor’s path wrong does sound like Master Lu’s words. But who said ‘killing him with just one sword’? That doesn’t sound like Master Lu’s character…”
Master Lu was gentle and humble, focused and sincere—not the type to utter such arrogant and ruthless words. Su Wuming would be more likely, but no—if it were Su Wuming, he wouldn’t even bother speaking, just slashing his sword directly.
Ye Yuqi replied indifferently, “That line was my own guess. Any problem with that?”
“No, no problem at all.” Meng Qi realized he had asked a foolish question. He glanced around, searching for treasures, his gaze settling on a recess where the tortoise-snake image met a crack in the door.
He patted the Xuanwu pendant, feeling its size was just right…
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