The two hesitated at the same time, and then reacted simultaneously. Jiang Hengchuan protected himself with his left palm and thrust outward with his right. Meng Qi’s long blade was difficult to retract, so he drew his sword from its sheath at the “ziwu” timing. A flash of sword light, like lightning, cut across the void. Almost simultaneously, both launched attacks stemming from instinct and combat experience, before the thought had even fully formed in their minds.
Drawn by the qi, both entered a state where action preceded intent.
The sword struck Jiang Hengchuan’s right palm, wrapped in true energy, slicing diagonally and pulling along fierce and surging inner force.
Although the palm strike was deflected, it was only slightly so. The twisting energy and fierce wind coiled into a ball and exploded with a loud crack against Meng Qi’s left chest.
Clothes flew apart like dancing butterflies. Meng Qi’s left side was exposed, revealing the fish-scale inner armor protecting his chest and abdomen, while dark gold light flowed across the rest of his body, resisting the injury.
The glow dimmed, and a half-palm imprint appeared near Meng Qi’s left chest. Half was neutralized by the fish-scale armor, and half embedded into the bronze-like flesh, as if naturally formed, with a smooth edge.
Meng Qi shrank an inch, his feet sinking into the muddy ground of the courtyard, caused by the Undying Seal Method redirecting the force downward.
In close combat without any embellishment, Meng Qi was somewhat inferior to Jiang Hengchuan, as the latter was more skilled in martial arts and possessed greater strength. However, Meng Qi had the Eight-Nine Profound Art, the Golden Bell Shield, and the Undying Seal Method, making him more adept at direct, brutal fighting compared to Jiang Hengchuan, who relied on protective qi. This balance meant that Meng Qi’s Golden Bell Shield was damaged, while Jiang Hengchuan’s right hand bled, leaving them evenly matched.
Meng Qi also realized this was Jiang Hengchuan’s hastily executed move, not yet embodying the true essence of his martial techniques. If Jiang were to adjust and strike a few more times, Meng Qi would find himself in grave danger.
At this point, there was no room for hesitation. Facing such a powerful opponent, how could he hold back? Feeling several approaching experts, Meng Qi took a deep breath, resolved his inner hesitation, and directly activated the Self-Sacrifice Formula!
He had cultivated the “Heaven-Shaking and Earth-Shaking Great Law” for nearly three months, during which his spirit had grown rapidly. Under normal circumstances, he could sustain two and a half strikes of A-nan’s Breaking the Precept Blade or the Purple Thunder Blade. He could also activate the treasure weapon and use “Thunder Shocking the Nine Heavens,” but the consumption of spirit and physical strength was far from a simple addition.
In perfect condition, a single strike like this would drain his spirit nearly to exhaustion and deplete his physical strength entirely. After using “Cutting Through Purity” once, Meng Qi could only rely on the Self-Sacrifice Formula.
It was as if hot blood surged within him, rapidly boosting his spirit and eliminating all fatigue. Meng Qi’s essence, energy, spirit, and will all merged into “Heaven’s Wound.” With a loud shout, he slashed his long blade.
The night sky suddenly darkened as clouds gathered, obscuring the bright moon. A fierce wind rose, as if ascending to the ninth heaven, asking, “When will the bright moon appear?”
The wind was strong, stinging people’s cheeks. With a thunderous boom, a silver-white lightning bolt tore through the sky.
“Heaven’s Wound” met the lightning, shining brilliantly as if countless electric snakes coiled around it. Raindrops fell, enhancing the momentum of the blade.
Rain poured down around Guanjing Garden, accompanied by flashes of lightning—some silver-white, some bright-green—like wild snakes writhing and rushing toward “Heaven’s Wound.”
Heavenly Thunder guides my blade!
With the aid of the heavenly thunder, “Heaven’s Wound” transformed into a thunderous dragon, ferociously lunging toward Jiang Hengchuan.
One slash, two slashes, three slashes… Meng Qi clenched his teeth, rapidly unleashing nine strikes. Each strike summoned a purple thunder dragon, which coiled together to form a massive purple wheel, locking onto his opponent.
The fierce wind howled, tearing up the ground of Hefeng Xiaozhu and uprooting weeds and trees.
Crack! Crack! Crack! Walls collapsed under the onslaught of electric snakes.
Boom! The side room where Jiang Tabo’s corpse lay collapsed entirely, everything inside charred by electricity.
This strike already possessed the power of an external scene!
Nine purple thunder dragons coiled into a massive wheel, crushing toward Jiang Hengchuan with the power of heaven and earth behind it, leaving him no way to evade.
As Meng Qi slashed, Jiang Hengchuan’s expression changed instantly. However, with his profound mental cultivation, he quickly regained composure. He raised both hands, neither attacking nor defending, as if plowing a field or pruning a tree, displaying a serene and content expression.
He began running rapidly, spinning in place, sometimes mimicking a bird in flight, sometimes resembling a tree growing. Though seemingly childish, every movement exuded a natural charm, as if depicting a night scene in a mountain forest within a small space, truly merging with the surrounding environment and becoming part of it, constantly changing roles!
Observing the situation through the blade, Meng Qi’s mind perceived Jiang Hengchuan as mysteriously unfathomable. At times, he seemed to merge with trees, lush and verdant; at other times, he embodied the earth itself, bearing all with great virtue. He soared like a bird, unrestricted, or hid like a dragon among insects. The “Thunder Shocking the Nine Heavens” that had locked onto him moments ago suddenly lost its target.
Not exactly lost, but impossible to grasp, unable to keep up with the changes!
Although “Thunder Shocking the Nine Heavens” combined with “Heaven’s Wound” indeed approached the power of an external scene, Meng Qi was not an external scene expert, and his control over this move was barely sufficient!
Hence, the power diffused, affecting the surrounding buildings, and the thunderclouds gathered over a wide area.
Therefore, when facing Jiang Hengchuan’s extraordinary state and footwork, Meng Qi could not pinpoint his exact location or keep up with his transformations!
The long blade slashed down, purple thunder forming a wheel, unstoppable and invincible.
At the critical moment, Jiang Hengchuan dodged the blade’s edge and avoided the direct impact, but the combined power of “Thunder Shocking the Nine Heavens” and “Heaven’s Wound” was terrifying. Simply avoiding the direct hit was insufficient!
He struck sideways at the blade with his right palm, exerting full force without holding back.
In Meng Qi’s vision, Jiang Hengchuan’s right palm grew enormous, fingers flexing unpredictably like blooming flowers, displaying infinite variations, as if containing all possibilities and encompassing every palm technique.
Suddenly, the fingers closed together, myriad changes condensing into five true meanings, refining into a fist, exquisitely indescribable!
Just as the fist was about to hit the front of the purple thunder wheel, Jiang Hengchuan’s index finger suddenly extended, transforming the fist into a finger strike. The five true meanings merged into one, revealing the unchanging essence within infinite variations!
This technique initially manifested as a palm strike, then morphed into a fist, and ultimately condensed into a finger thrust, evolving from boundless variations to a singular essence. Whether in terms of intent or the transformation of the technique itself, it embodied the principle of “white clouds turning into black dogs”—the impermanence of worldly affairs, yet the constancy of impermanence itself.
(Note: “白云苍狗” is a classical Chinese idiom describing the fleeting nature of life, often translated as “white clouds turning into black/gray hounds” to convey the concept of constant change. The translation preserves the imagery while adapting it for English readability.)
Puh!
Jiang Hengchuan’s index finger struck the side of the electric wheel, and it was as if someone had punctured a water bag, the water gushing out, instantly deflating.
Innumerable lightning bolts and transformations all returned to a single point, revealing the true form of “Heaven’s Wound,” resembling a massive wound.
“Unity Finger,” Jiang Hengchuan’s ultimate secret technique, which had repeatedly saved him from peril.
No one knew where he had learned this move, or perhaps he had encountered a rare opportunity. In any case, the Six Gates’ assessment was: if perfected, it would at least reach the peak of the external scene.
Jiang Hengchuan spat blood, retreating three steps, each leaving a deep footprint. His face turned pale, the serene expression fading, no longer able to maintain the natural charm and unity with heaven and earth.
He was still slightly short of perfecting the unity with heaven and earth.
However, aside from significant energy consumption, his injuries were not severe, and his strength remained largely intact, with no other losses. Even the Unity Finger could be used once more!
Meng Qi’s remaining spirit began to wane, his body fatigued, though his true energy remained at its peak. The effect of the Self-Sacrifice Formula could not last long, placing him in a worse condition than Jiang Hengchuan. However, with his utmost effort, he finally seized an opportunity. Taking advantage of Jiang Hengchuan’s retreat, he leapt forward, seemingly advancing but actually retreating, swiftly crossing the ruins like a wisp of smoke.
The rain continued to fall, the dark clouds had not yet dispersed, and in the darkness of night, Meng Qi’s figure was like an illusion or a demon, escaping the encirclement before nearby experts could arrive.
Jiang Hengchuan planted his feet firmly, coldly snorted, and with a palm strike filled with killing intent.
As the right palm struck, the left followed, the two palm forces rising and falling like waves, the latter pressing upon the former, surging rapidly, unimaginably fast, instantly crossing the void to strike Meng Qi’s back.
Meng Qi’s back clothes tore, the fish-scale armor clattered, and the bronze-like flesh dimmed once more.
However, his figure did not slow but instead quickened, like a sail catching the wind, using the palm force to propel himself toward the Jinshui River.
Jiang Hengchuan intended to pursue but was unexpectedly surprised by Meng Qi’s ability to use the force to accelerate, leaving him behind. He could only watch as Meng Qi disappeared into the darkness caused by the storm and rain.
With a splash, the river was silent once more.
The rain ceased, the lightning vanished, the dark clouds dispersed, and the bright moon reappeared.
The water rippled, the cold moonlight spilled onto the river’s surface, illuminating shimmering waves. Meng Qi’s figure had vanished, leaving behind a sense of tranquility.
It was like watching the river flow eternally, indifferent to the passing of time.
…
Against the current of the Jinshui River, Meng Qi swam upstream, changing direction several times to avoid being pursued by Jiang Hengchuan.
After a while, the effect of the Self-Sacrifice Formula wore off, and he began to shiver, nearing complete exhaustion, relying solely on his inner energy to keep going.
At this moment, he noticed a large boat anchored on the river and swam toward it, grabbing the gaps between the planks, hiding in the shadowed area, swallowing pills to recover and evade detection.
When he regained a bit of strength, although still feeling weak, Meng Qi finally exhaled in relief. If Jiang Hengchuan hadn’t caught up by now, he truly wouldn’t be able to catch him. Once Jiang calmed down, with his temperament and abilities, he would not fail to notice the peculiarities, allowing for an explanation later.
Jiang Hengchuan had reached his current status as a solitary cultivator, and he certainly wasn’t someone who acted purely on impulse. Occasionally being controlled by anger was normal, but if he were constantly controlled by it, he would have died long ago.
Dong! Dong! Dong!
Suddenly, there was a knocking sound from the part of the boat Meng Qi was leaning against!
His pupils slightly constricted, he instinctively grabbed the Wheel Symbol behind his back, then held his breath and focused, waiting for what was to come.
“Young master, it should be safe outside now. My senior sister invites you to meet her in the cabin,” a sweet, youthful voice spoke.
Meng Qi questioned in confusion, “Do I know your senior sister? Or does she know me?”
“Not at all. My senior sister says that meeting is having a connection,” the little girl earnestly explained.
This is really strange… Meng Qi thought with a grimace.
His strength was less than a tenth of his peak, and whatever danger he faced, he could only rely on the Wheel Symbol. Therefore, he had no choice but to proceed cautiously, at least for now, the other party had not shown any hostility.
Soon, a rope ladder was lowered from the bow of the boat. Meng Qi gathered his remaining strength and quickly climbed up. Before him stood a young girl, wearing a fresh green dress, exuding a refreshing charm.
“May I ask your name?” Meng Qi tried to prolong the conversation.
Pouting, the girl said, “Can just any man know a girl’s name? Hurry up and follow me. My senior sister is waiting.”
Meng Qi’s lips twitched slightly, “May I know which sect you belong to?”
Since she mentioned a senior sister, she must be from a sect.
“I don’t know either…” The girl clearly hesitated, “My master said that’s not important.”
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