Chapter 203: Aftermath

The third young master Ye San, Ye Xiaojie, glanced toward the “Baihuage” and said with lingering fear, “I never expected that the Huanhua Sword Sect had positioned Qi Zhengyan as a hidden agent and concealed a half-step beyond-scenery technique. I almost mistook him for an honest and timid regular director.”

They were far from the “Baihuage,” unable to understand what had happened inside, only seeing a cold ray shoot forth. Though its power wasn’t overwhelming, it was sufficiently formidable.

However, they never considered that it was Qi Zhengyan himself who unleashed it, for if he were half-step beyond-scenery, he would have already forcefully suppressed the mysterious situation in Yicheng. Why would he end up in his current predicament?

Therefore, they speculated that Qi Zhengyan was a hidden agent placed by the Huanhua Sword Sect, in preparation for problems with the director or major incidents that the sect couldn’t respond to in time. He had been granted a talisman or wondrous item sealed with a half-step beyond-scenery technique, similar to Ye Clan’s ability to split the “Purple Sorrow Sword” qi, sealing it within an object capable of withstanding it, and activating it directly when needed.

However, doing so would damage the treasure weapon itself, and its power would only reach half-step beyond-scenery, far inferior to directly wielding the “Purple Sorrow Sword” and unleashing a single sword strike against Meng Qi—simple, direct, powerful, and domineering. Moreover, it would only severely deplete the expert’s true qi and spirit without harming the weapon itself.

Generally speaking, the sword qi split for sealing and activation would be roughly equivalent to a casual strike at the half-step Beyond-Scenery level. If a Nine-Orifice expert were to wield the treasure weapon directly, it would equate to a full-strength strike at the half-step Beyond-Scenery level. Should the treasure weapon activate autonomously under the control of a Nine-Orifice master, who is willing to expend essence, qi, spirit, and lifespan, it could unleash its full potential.

“It’s better this way,” the person facing Ye San said with a smile. “Well then, I have to go kill Tang Sixun and Lin Mu to eliminate the witnesses.”

…

Seeing Meng Qi escape using water, the swordsman holding the “Purple Sorrow Sword” trembled slightly with both hands, sweat dripping from his face. He immediately leaped backward out of the Flowery Moon Building, landed in the courtyard, ran into the street, and disappeared into the crowd.

With his nine-orifice strength, he could only unleash one more sword strike! If that terrifying expert counterattacked, it would likely result in mutual destruction, benefiting others!

The swordsman, the knife wielder, and Tang Shu had participated in the ambush against the Huanhua Sword Sect’s relatives and naturally dared not remain at the scene. They also jumped down from the Flowery Moon Building and blended into the crowd.

There were many witnesses present, and they still didn’t dare to go back in and kill the Huanhua Sword Sect’s director, as that would provoke thunderous wrath from the sect and pursuit by the Six Gates. Besides, Tang Shu and the Fifth Master Tang had originally agreed on this plan: after killing Meng Qi, they would immediately flee, while the Fifth Master Tang would feign ignorance, blaming the elders for being bought by enemies and staying out of the affair. Finally, he would bribe Director Lin to suppress the matter.

However, what they hadn’t anticipated was that Tang Mingyue had discovered it in advance and, seeing that Meng Qi was a chivalrous figure with legendary deeds, had tipped him off. Meng Qi struck first, causing a massive commotion that alarmed the three people inside the Baihuage. The Fifth Master Tang and Director Lin had a falling out and directly attacked, yet were subdued by Qi Zhengyan in a single move!

Moreover, most importantly, Meng Qi was still alive!

Without the “Purple Sorrow Sword,” staying here would only result in being counterattacked and killed?

This battle had shattered the confidence of the four nine-orifice experts, even making them begin to doubt their life choices.

Qi Zhengyan sheathed his “Dragon Patterned Red Gold Sword,” turned back to look at the Fifth Master Tang and Director Lin, hesitated for a moment, then directly approached the Fifth Master Tang, exerted force to soothe his meridians and dissolve the frost, but simultaneously sealed the Fifth Master Tang’s acupoints.

“You, what are you planning to do?” The Fifth Master Tang was astonished, asking with his eyes.

Qi Zhengyan glanced at him, his face devoid of any expression, like a cold-blooded butcher, scaring the Fifth Master Tang’s heart to tremble. His eyes pleaded: I was bewitched…

Disregarding his plea, Qi Zhengyan waited until all traces of the chilling aura had dissipated from Fifth Master Tang before drawing the sword from Director Lin’s side. As he released the pressure points on Fifth Master Tang, he simultaneously executed the “Falling Autumn Water Sword” technique, delivering a fatal thrust straight through Fifth Master Tang’s throat.

The Fifth Master Tang fell to the ground, gasping in disbelief that he had been killed without even being questioned! Didn’t he care why he had betrayed the Huanhua Sword Sect and sided with the Wang family? Didn’t he care about the secrets behind this matter?

Qi Zhengyan, expressionless, said one sentence: “You know too much.”

To him, even if Yicheng were to be swallowed by the Wang family, it would not be as important as the exposure of his secret. The previous frosty light could still be explained as his “cousin’s” ultimate technique, since he had come seeking refuge after causing trouble, so he had gifted it to himself—considering Meng Qi’s “strong nine-orifice” strength, receiving a half-step beyond-scenery talisman or wondrous item once wasn’t too shocking. However, using the icy Qi to subdue the two and delivering that sword strike under their gaze, if the technique were to spread, it would be indefensible.

He reflected that perhaps he should have opted to travel first, which would have allowed him to claim an extraordinary encounter and openly reveal the “Hun Tian Bao Jian.” However, such an ultimate martial art would inevitably attract external greed. If the sect demanded he surrender it in exchange for a treasure weapon as a reward, how should he respond? Even if he wanted to, he couldn’t hand it over!

Therefore, with people soon entering, Qi Zhengyan chose to eliminate the witnesses without inquiring further—although he could have taken the Fifth Master Tang and Director Lin back for interrogation under the pretext of an attack, but if they died later, it would inevitably raise suspicion. It was safer to kill them on the spot and fabricate a conflict.

He wiped the sword handle and returned the sword to Director Lin’s hand, then similarly sealed his acupoints, melting the frost within his body.

Director Lin’s eyes were full of terror, but he was helpless, only to be treated by Qi Zhengyan and killed on the spot.

He had already planned how to write the letter to the sect: Director Lin had been bought by enemies, intentionally betraying the sect’s interests, repeatedly colluding with outsiders to harm his own relatives, and later using the banquet as an opportunity to secretly assassinate the pro-sect Fifth Master Tang and attempt to kill him, framing him. With no choice, he could only use the ultimate technique given by his cousin to kill Director Lin, later discovering that the Fifth Master Tang had also betrayed, and that the banquet was a trap.

In short, at this moment, he was the sole authority of the Huanhua Sword Sect in Yicheng, and whatever he said was the truth.

Even if the sect doubted and investigated, Director Lin’s problems were obvious!

The door was pushed open, and the Fifth Master Tang’s other guards rushed in, seeing the solemn-faced Qi Zhengyan.

Out of the corner of his eye, Qi Zhengyan seemed to see a figure flash by, then vanish without a trace.

…

In the adjacent room, Wu Qinxin, Shangguan Han, and Tang Mingyue were staring blankly at the swirling Shangshui, occasionally breaking the silence.

After a while, someone half-dreamily and shockingly said, “He actually escaped despite being surrounded by four nine-orifice experts, even wounding one and driving another back!”

Such strength was simply too terrifying!

Tang Mingyue blinked her eyes, dreamily saying, “Without the ‘Purple Sorrow Sword,’ I feel like the four nine-orifice experts would have been defeated.”

She didn’t dare to mention her grandfather.

“Exactly!” Meng Qi’s legendary aura made the young knights and ladies, the young masters and misses, instinctively take his side. Moreover, the battle indeed unfolded that way. Young Hero Meng’s sword technique contained hidden martial principles, his figure shadow-like and demon-like, suddenly left, suddenly right, suddenly forward, suddenly back, single-handedly suppressing four nine-orifice experts, driving one back and wounding another. Without the “Purple Sorrow Sword,” the outcome was still uncertain!

“And how many opening experts can survive a treasure weapon’s strike?” Wu Qinxin increasingly admired Meng Qi, saying, “The reputation of the ‘Gentleman Sword’ will surely ascend the Human List, spreading far and wide!”

Tang Mingyue’s expression lightened considerably as she cheerfully looked at a young nobleman, “Brother Huang Yue, I wonder, after this battle, where will ‘Gentleman Sword’ Young Hero Meng rank on the Human List?”

Huang Yue’s father, Huang Zhiqing, was the chief investigator of the Six Gates in Yicheng, responsible for the martial arts world in the region. He knew more about the Human List than ordinary people.

Huang Yue, his heart surging, looked at the Shangshui outside, hesitated for a moment, and said, “If Young Hero Meng had killed the four nine-orifice experts and left calmly, he might have entered the top fifteen. However, with this current achievement, it’s enough for him to rank within the top twenty-five… At his age, with such strength, yet without a prominent lineage?”

“Killing four nine-orifice experts only gets him into the top fifteen?” Wu Qinxin was astonished.

Huang Yue smiled, showing off his knowledge, “After all, these four nine-orifice experts are still far from the bottom of the Human List, and who among the top ten of the Human List isn’t a prodigy? Like half a month ago, ‘Great Luo Demon Girl’ Gu Xiaosang encountered the Seven Heavenly Maidens of the Su Nu Sect’s ‘Desireful Bodhisattva,’ with the strongest, ‘Flower-Scattering Heavenly Maiden,’ ranking twenty-ninth on the Human List, while the remaining six were slightly stronger than the four nine-orifice experts just now.”

Since the new Human List hadn’t been released yet, this incident hadn’t spread widely, but Huanzhou was near the Three Mountains and Four Waters, and the local Six Gates’ upper echelons had basically heard of it.

“What happened then?” Tang Mingyue, Wu Qinxin, Shangguan Han, and others widened their eyes, holding their breath and waiting for the result.

Huang Yue, somewhat fearful yet excited, solemnly said, “The Seven Heavenly Maidens were all eliminated in that battle.”

Gasps of cold air being sucked in followed one after another.

…

When Qi Zhengyan returned to the “Huanhua Rice Shop,” he saw Meng Qi looking at the tea with an expression of profound grief.

“Cousin, are you seriously injured?” Qi Zhengyan asked with concern.

Meng Qi shook his head. After the multiple layers of obstruction, the sword qi that had entered his body was dissipated by the Deathless Seal Art, rebounding as waves. He only had a relatively deep small hole in his back and some meridian injuries. With the Golden Bell Shield and the Eight-Nine Mystical Art, he was almost fully recovered now.

Considering the strangeness of the incident and the possibility that the opponent might still be able to use the treasure weapon one or two more times, he didn’t counterattack.

“Why do you have such an expression then?” Qi Zhengyan asked in confusion.

Meng Qi clenched his teeth and said, “My Ice Que, I won’t be a gentleman if I don’t settle this score!”

Qi Zhengyan’s expression was momentarily blank before returning to normal, “I’ll write a letter back to the sect immediately, report this matter to our sect, and request reinforcements.”

“Good.” Meng Qi casually replied. As Qi Zhengyan wrote the letter, he suddenly furrowed his brow, “This matter feels a bit strange… Regardless of any pretext, killing the relatives around a Huanhua Sword Sect disciple is tantamount to declaring war on them! Is the Wang family so confident? Or is Director Lin certain he can suppress it and guarantee you won’t retaliate?”

Unless forced by necessity, Director Lin and his group definitely wouldn’t want to kill Qi Zhengyan, as the death of a director would inevitably alarm the Huanhua Sword Sect.

“I also feel that something is off, so I’m sending a letter to the sect to prepare for any contingencies.” Qi Zhengyan nodded.

Meng Qi pondered, “How long will the letter take to reach the sect?”

“Our sect has tamed spirit birds kept in the manor outside the city. If we send it tomorrow, it should reach the sect within two days.” Qi Zhengyan honestly replied.

“Adding the time for an expert beyond-scenery to arrive, it’ll take about three days. I hope nothing unexpected happens.” Meng Qi nodded.

During these few days, should he find four elders or guests from the four great families to “practice” with?

The next morning, just after the two finished their cultivation, as Qi Zhengyan was preparing to head to the manor, a servant hurried in with news:

“Director Qi, something terrible has happened! Old Master Tang has fallen into a complete coma, and Wang’s eldest son, Wang Zai, has personally arrived at the Tang residence as a guest. Today, they will decide the new family head!”

Wang Zai? Meng Qi and Qi Zhengyan exchanged glances, their hearts slightly stirred. This person was the concubine-born son of the Wang family’s main branch, with outstanding martial talent. At just twenty years old, he had already opened eight orifices and ranked twenty-third on the Human List, known as the “Upright Sword.”

The servant caught his breath and continued, “Director, there’s another piece of news. It’s said that the Tang elders plan to marry the Ninth Miss Tang to the Third Young Master Ye, forming an alliance through marriage!”