Haha, Meng Qi chuckled dryly, pretending not to have heard anything, and walked away from the large boat by himself. He boarded a small boat and headed toward the shore. Wang Zai, understanding the situation, refrained from asking questions. Once they reached land, he sincerely said, “Thank you, Senior Brother Su, for helping me out back there.”
“Just a small favor,” Meng Qi replied, calming himself.
“Senior Brother Su, do you really have urgent matters? Can I assist you?” Wang Zai felt he should do something.
Meng Qi shook his head, not wanting to involve Wang Zai in the affairs of the “Mythos,” and replied, “That was just an excuse. I plan to visit the Sword Pavilion first, then return to Xingyun Manor for cultivation.”
Wang Zai nodded and said, “If that’s the case, this elder brother shall take his leave.”
They parted ways, and Meng Qi hurried along the Tianxiu River toward the Sword Pavilion. After walking for a while, he suddenly stopped and gazed at the river’s center.
This area was no longer the most bustling part of the river, with fewer large boats in sight. The water stretched wide and undulating. In the middle, a small boat drifted with the current. Sitting upright on it was a young man dressed in blue, facing the moon, with a large jar of wine in front of him, drinking heartily.
He appeared to be in his early twenties, of average looks but refined and elegant, with a bold and unrestrained demeanor. He drank as if it were water, occasionally singing aloud. His hair had a few premature white strands, giving him an air of aged sophistication, like an immortal, every movement exuding grace and freedom, as though a blue lotus blossoming in the vast heavens.
Although Meng Qi did not recognize the man, he had a vague suspicion about his identity. Originally, Meng Qi had planned to challenge him in Yingcheng, but circumstances had changed, and he had attended the Xingyun banquet first.
“Qinglian Gentleman” Liusu, a direct disciple of the Huanhua Sword Sect!
Turning his head, Meng Qi decided to head to the Sword Pavilion first.
“Friend, since we’ve met by the river, why not join me for a drink?” At that moment, Liusu, slightly drunk, called out with a cheerful laugh. He had noticed Meng Qi’s gaze and sensed his aura, knowing he was no ordinary person.
Meng Qi considered for a moment. This was a good opportunity to ask whether Senior Brother Qi had contacted the local representative of the Huanhua Sword Sect and to warn him about Old Zhong. So he laughed heartily, “How could I possibly miss the wine of the Qinglian Gentleman?”
He broke off two dry branches from a nearby tree, leaped into the air, and flew like a bird over the river, his posture elegant and graceful.
The Tianxiu River was wide, and the small boat was in the center. Meng Qi had already started descending halfway across.
As the ripples shimmered, he threw one of the branches forward. It floated on the water. He lightly stepped on it and soared again. After two such leaps, he swiftly landed on the opposite end of the boat from Liusu, sitting at the other end.
Beside the wine jar lay a clean empty bowl, as if Liusu had prepared it beforehand.
“Sir, were you expecting someone else?” Meng Qi thought it unlikely that Liusu was waiting specifically for him.
Liusu patted the wine jar, and a stream of wine shot out like a fountain, filling the empty bowl exactly to the brim, not a drop more or less. Meng Qi couldn’t help but admire his control.
“I brought the wine to duel someone, but he failed to show, so I had to drink alone. Fortunately, I met you,” Liusu said, raising his bowl in an elegant yet bold manner. “Though we are strangers now, after this drink, we shall be drinking companions.”
Meng Qi also lifted his bowl and found the wine fragrant, its color a light green, clearly no ordinary brew. “My name is Su Meng.”
They clinked their bowls together and drank them dry. Meng Qi felt the wine slide down his throat like fire, spreading warmth through his stomach, followed by a lingering sweetness. He exclaimed, “What excellent wine!”
“This is the Lvwailou’s Yanyu Brew, aged for thirty years. I had to beg shamelessly to get it,” Liusu laughed heartily, as if praise for his wine pleased him even more than praise for himself.
Meng Qi also tapped the wine jar, sending a stream of wine flying, splitting it evenly into two streams that filled their bowls completely.
His control was no less impressive than Liusu’s!
Liusu chuckled, “I heard from Senior Brother Qi that you once wanted to spar with me?”
“Yes, is Senior Brother Qi also in Yingcheng?” Meng Qi asked, already knowing the answer.
Liusu patted the side of the boat, “Indeed. If it weren’t for the upcoming banquet, we could each bring ten jars of wine and leisurely drink and discuss martial arts.”
“There will definitely be a chance in the future,” Meng Qi paused and added, “Please also inform Senior Brother Qi that Old Zhong, who has a grudge against him, has appeared in Yingcheng.”
Liusu nodded without asking further and raised his bowl to drink with Meng Qi again.
After three bowls, Meng Qi, without deliberately using his inner energy, slightly tipsy, asked, “May I ask whom you were supposed to meet earlier?”
Whoever could make an appointment with the Qinglian Gentleman must be extraordinary. Seeing the undercurrents in Yingcheng, Meng Qi couldn’t help but ask.
Liusu gazed at the river’s center and sighed, “‘Thief King’ Sikong Tu.”
“Thief King?” Meng Qi was no stranger to the name. He was a notorious figure on the Six Fan Gate’s wanted list, a seasoned martial artist proficient in lightness kung fu, stealth techniques, and mechanical traps. He had plundered numerous households and even grave robbers, incurring the wrath of countless victims.
“Earlier, when I was traveling in Jiangdong, I encountered Sikong and tried to capture him, but in the end, I could only match him evenly. He also loves wine, so we often bet on drinking duels. If I win, he retires; if I lose, I help him with one task that doesn’t violate my sect’s rules. To this day, we’ve had five such duels, all ending in a draw,” Liusu drank another bowl and reminisced. “Sikong had agreed to fight me here today, but he didn’t show up. Perhaps something else held him back.”
Meng Qi nodded. The “Thief King” was also in Yingcheng. This place was truly a place where experts might appear at any moment.
After drinking seven or eight bowls with Liusu, Meng Qi, eager to reach the Sword Pavilion, stood up to take his leave and glanced at the small boat, looking for something to use as a stepping point.
“Why go through all that trouble? Let me send you on your way,” Liusu, still slightly drunk, drew his long sword, his expression solemn as he recited, “A waterfall descending three thousand feet…”
With one slash of his sword, the river suddenly roared, waves surging into the air and then turning downward, powerfully pushing the small boat to the shore. The precision and cleverness of the technique made it seem as if Liusu could command the forces of heaven and earth itself.
Without bothering to see Meng Qi off, Liusu turned his head, patted the boat, and steered back toward the river’s center, loudly reciting, “A pot of wine among the flowers, drinking alone with no companion…”
Meng Qi looked back, sighing. Those who had achieved unity with heaven and earth each had their own unique aura and presence.
Arriving at the Sword Pavilion, after going through several layers of scrutiny and announcement, Meng Qi finally met Jiang Zhiwei and told her everything about Old Zhong.
Details couldn’t be hidden, as Mizijing and Bai Wenyuan would definitely spread the word.
Jiang Zhiwei barely suppressed a laugh and nodded, “I’ll be careful, by the way, Senior Master Hong of our sect has arrived in Yingcheng.”
Meng Qi felt relieved. Hong Qian of the Xijian Pavilion, known as “Star-Shattering Sword,” was a genuine master of the External Manifestation realm, and a senior brother of Su Wuming.
After leaving the Sword Pavilion, he followed the Tianxiu River, planning to return to Xingyun Manor.
As he walked, he saw the large boat of the Xiuyue Pavilion again.
“Has it really sailed this far?” Meng Qi was slightly surprised. This area was near Yue Lake and Yanyu Mountain, rarely visited by large boats.
The boat was docked at the shore, its lights dim, as if there were few guests or they were all asleep.
Suddenly, a thought struck Meng Qi, and he darted behind a tree.
He watched intently as a window opened and a man in black robes leaped out, followed by Mizijing closing the window behind him. His face was serious, completely different from his previous carefree demeanor.
The black-robed man had a distinctive red, pockmarked nose and seemed extremely cautious, changing his posture repeatedly as he gradually melted into the darkness.
Meng Qi sensed someone attempting to follow him.
He did not take action, unwilling to meddle in others’ affairs. He already had enough troubles of his own. Mizijing was acting mysteriously, possibly related to Prince Jin, Zhao Yi.
Silently, Meng Qi passed through the area and returned directly to Xingyun Manor, where he sat in meditation, cultivating and contemplating martial techniques.
…
At dawn, the first rays of sunlight shone into Meng Qi’s courtyard.
He awoke accordingly, feeling refreshed and cheerful, as if the events of the previous day had already become distant memories.
This clarity of mind allowed a sudden inspiration to arise:
“Senior Brother Qi wasn’t killed by the ‘Blessed Heaven Palace,’ and the ‘Mythos’ people couldn’t have failed to realize he would come to warn me?”
“I’ve already met with Zhiwei, and this news must have reached the Xijian Pavilion…”
“With Senior Master Hong of the Xijian Pavilion arriving in Yingcheng, judging from Liusu’s attitude, it seems the Huanhua Sword Sect’s experts might also be coming…”
“Would the ‘Mythos’ really come after me?”
As he thought, Meng Qi’s eyes narrowed slightly. Since the Mythos had failed to silence him and the matter had already been exposed, would they risk such danger again out of mere anger and resentment?
If it were him, he would probably lie low for now and wait for another opportunity. After all, it wasn’t that important.
“But Old Zhong still appeared in Yingcheng…”
“Was he merely hiding there, or did the ‘Mythos’ have another scheme?”
As he pondered, a servant from Xingyun Manor brought a letter, saying it had been delivered by a local child.
Meng Qi felt puzzled but first inspected the letter before opening it. Inside, in neat, elegant handwriting, it read:
“Twenty miles east of the city, in the Valley of the Scattered Graves at Longpan Mountain, traces of the Tianmo Sect.”
Gu Xiaosang’s letter? A clue to Old Zhong’s whereabouts? Meng Qi couldn’t help but tighten his grip on the letter.
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