Breaking through the roof, Meng Qi stepped on the tiles and sprinted toward the side courtyard. Behind him, several experts, including Ruyi Monk, leaped out in pursuit.
“Capture the assassin!” the other experts shouted, attempting to mobilize the guards stationed throughout the Crown Prince’s mansion to intercept and surround Meng Qi, determined to chop the short-haired demonic monk into mincemeat.
Meng Qi activated “Catching Wind and Grasping Shadows,” moving as swiftly as a wisp of smoke. Occasionally, he used the steps of the “Godlike Body Movement,” dodging the hidden weapons and cold arrows shooting from behind.
While running, he kicked tiles toward the approaching guards and simultaneously channeled the “Thunder Words,” roaring loudly:
“The Crown Prince committed patricide and regicide, a crime deserving death, and today I have beheaded him with my sword!”
“The Crown Prince has fallen by my sword!”
His voice thundered like rolling storm clouds, shaking the guards’ minds and bodies. Was the Crown Prince truly dead? If so, why should they risk their lives?
Even most of the pursuing experts were momentarily stunned. If the Crown Prince was dead, why should they continue fighting? They might as well seek wealth early and pledge allegiance to another prince.
These martial artists had been recruited by the Crown Prince, and while he lived, they were naturally loyal. Now, with the throne becoming an unreachable dream and the promised future unattainable, why should they remain loyal?
Especially at this critical juncture of imperial succession, they could no longer afford to entertain any illusions.
Consequently, most of the experts, aside from the guards, scattered like birds and beasts, taking valuables with them. Chaos reigned in the Crown Prince’s mansion, providing Meng Qi with the perfect opportunity to weave his escape.
If Chancellor Lü Ling had still been alive, he would have surely stopped them, presenting the Crown Prince’s legitimate heir, the true eldest grandson of the Emperor, to stabilize the situation. After all, with the current circumstances, whether the Crown Prince or the eldest grandson ascended the throne made little difference. Unfortunately, Meng Qi’s final act of spitting blood had been intentional, specifically targeting Lü Ling, the scheming chancellor with inferior martial skills.
—Great scholars often possessed extraordinary martial skills, but not all chancellors were great scholars, especially not corrupt ones. Lü Ling excelled at reading people’s minds, was skilled in strategy and decision-making, and adept at flattery when necessary. He was ruthless when required, which naturally earned him the Emperor’s favor—his specialty lay in his unique skills. However, precisely because of this, he was unable to utilize his strengths against the unreasonable Thunder Saber Monk, and was struck down before he could utter a single word, his face blooming with peach blossom-like bruises.
With chaos erupting in the Crown Prince’s mansion, Meng Qi darted past the battlefield where the Sword Emperor confronted the National Preceptor, rushing toward the mansion’s exit. Only Ruyi Monk, disciples of the National Preceptor, and a few loyal experts still pursued him.
Under the starry sky and amidst the dazzling rainbow lights, the two Grand Masters were locked in fierce combat. At the edge of the battlefield, sword energy sliced through the air, and palm winds lashed out violently. Meng Qi wielded both sword and saber, channeling the core essence of the “Qi-Breaking Form,” striving to deflect the attacks without slowing his pace.
In this situation, the pursuing experts gradually fell behind as they had to divert attention to defend themselves. Ruyi Monk led the chase, followed by several disciples of the National Preceptor and one loyal expert, while the others fell behind, attempting to intercept Meng Qi by taking alternative routes.
The outer courtyard wall of the Crown Prince’s mansion appeared in Meng Qi’s sight when suddenly a group of guards emerged ahead, brandishing swords and charging forward.
This area had always been heavily guarded against intrusions.
Meng Qi inhaled deeply, accelerating instead of hesitating. He charged into the guards, swinging his sword, the tip vibrating, and a flash of sword light erupted.
Aaaaah!
Amidst the screams, weapons clattered to the ground—some guards clutched their hands, others their eyes. Though Meng Qi’s body bore numerous wounds from sword and blade, his thick skin and tough muscles prevented serious injury, leaving only superficial cuts.
Without pausing, Meng Qi leaped onto the wall’s summit, ready to escape when Ruyi Monk arrived. A massive palm print, seemingly slow yet heavy, struck Meng Qi’s temple.
Clang!
The sound of battle pierced the air, a sharp gale aimed directly at Ruyi Monk’s throat, swift as thunder.
Ruyi Monk prepared to withstand it with his protective qi, but a series of clangs rang out, and two more bursts of force targeted the same spot.
He dodged sideways, his palm technique momentarily delayed, allowing Meng Qi to parry with his saber, sparks flying, slightly numbing him.
Spitting another mouthful of blood, Meng Qi used the palm force to propel himself airborne, landing at the entrance of an alley and vanishing inside.
Ruyi Monk slowed his pace and ceased pursuit. First, the distance had widened, and Meng Qi’s lightness skill was exceptionally fast. Second, the night was deep, making tracking difficult. Third, he was uncertain how many hidden allies might still be lurking, and reckless pursuit might lead him into a trap.
“Unexpectedly, ‘Sword of Astonishment’ Xiao Meng excels most in protective hard techniques and the Lion’s Roar… He’s a monk who broke his vows…” sighed Ruyi Monk.
Darting through several alleys, Meng Qi reached the rendezvous point with Ruan Yushu.
Faint starlight bathed her, her white dress seeming to glow faintly as she quietly bent to tune her zither, a scene poetic and picturesque.
Spitting out stagnant blood, Meng Qi felt much better. He took out the remaining Yuanhun Body-Replenishing Pill, swallowed it, and dispersed its medicinal power. He still needed to wait a while before completing the main mission, and could not afford carelessness that might allow someone to exploit his untreated injuries.
“Let’s go. We need to meet Lao Luo,” Meng Qi changed his way of addressing Luo Shengyi.
Ruan Yushu nodded gently, holding her ancient zither and walking beside Meng Qi, her expression serene but her eyes flickering, always glancing at the top of his head when Meng Qi wasn’t looking.
“I know my wig fell off!” Meng Qi said helplessly. “If you want to look, just do it directly.”
Ruan Yushu nodded firmly and stared openly at Meng Qi, finally saying, “I thought it shouldn’t grow that fast. Now it looks like Mang Jingang…”
“I’ve already returned to secular life,” Meng Qi was too exhausted to argue.
“Okay, now you can eat meat,” Ruan Yushu said with a very serious expression.
“That’s not the point of our conversation…” Meng Qi focused on refining the medicinal power, nourishing his body, and healing his wounds.
Ruan Yushu gazed ahead and suddenly said, “Your voice was loud enough for me to hear it outside.”
Meng Qi decided to concentrate on healing.
The two did not return directly to the Fourth Prince’s mansion but instead went to a nearby alley to wait for Luo Shengyi at the designated spot.
This was the most likely time for the tragedy of “discarding the hound after the hare was caught” to occur, especially if they appeared severely injured and weak. Therefore, Meng Qi planned to return only after stabilizing and mostly recovering his injuries with the help of medicinal pills.
After a while, Meng Qi’s injuries stabilized, and aside from his tattered clothes, there were no visible abnormalities. At that moment, heavy footsteps approached, and Luo Shengyi staggered in.
A penetrating sword wound ran through his right chest. Although he had stopped the bleeding by sealing acupoints, a little blood still seeped out, staining his chest dark red.
“Are you okay, Lao Luo?” Meng Qi asked.
Lao Luo… Luo Shengyi’s mouth twitched slightly before he smiled: “I took a sword strike from Xiyue Zhenren, but finally managed to kill the Third Prince.”
His expression turned slightly grim as he continued: “However, Cao Zhan was hacked to death by the Third Prince’s other subordinates before we could save him.”
In others’ eyes, the two of them were a team. When he attacked the Third Prince, Cao Zhan naturally became a target too.
One new recruit died, and why haven’t I received any notification? Right, the only new recruit I brought was Ruan Yushu. The other two were Lao Luo’s…
Meng Qi didn’t know Cao Zhan well and merely felt a slight pang of regret at his death. Previously, he had thought Cao Zhan was thriving and would gain great rewards upon returning.
“Where is Ge Huai’en?” Meng Qi asked about the other new recruit while helping Luo Shengyi bandage his wounds.
Luo Shengyi took some healing pills and smiled bitterly: “He was lucky. I sent him on another errand and he escaped the disaster. He should be able to return safely.”
Originally, he didn’t know the old Emperor had died and still needed to prepare for his possible awakening. Without an imperial heir ascending the throne, he had dispatched Ge Huai’en to seek a position as a palace guard. If the Demon Queen couldn’t infiltrate the palace, he would have to use this channel.
—His original plan was that if the Emperor awoke, the situation would settle, and the princes who had committed taboos would be severely suppressed. The successor would be clear, and he would no longer need the Right Chancellor to stay in the inner palace for protection, nor would he constantly remain in the Taiji Hall without going out. Opportunities for assassination would increase. Unlike others, they didn’t need to consider escape routes. If the Emperor died, the Master of the Six Paths would naturally pull them back.
“Good thing you didn’t encounter the Demon Queen,” Meng Qi noticed the storm in the imperial city starting to dissipate, realizing that the Demon Queen and the Right Chancellor had ceased their fight due to external changes.
After Luo Shengyi’s injuries stabilized, the three of them returned leisurely to the Fourth Prince’s mansion.
The Fourth Prince had already returned, pacing back and forth with his hands behind his back, full of confidence, clearly things had gone smoothly.
Looking at the three of them, he smiled slightly: “I have already received the news. Both my eldest and third brother have been executed. You have done well. Such a great feat deserves a reward. What titles, positions, or fiefs do you desire?”
He had already begun to feel like an emperor.
“We are just wandering hermits who do not crave wealth or worldly matters. If Your Highness wishes to reward us, please honor your previous promise and give us all the swords in your study,” Meng Qi said with a “clear” gaze, unswayed by riches and power as he looked at the Fourth Prince.
Why didn’t he mention requesting martial arts manuals? This guy apparently had no interest in collecting them. If he waited for him to gather them, it would already be dawn!
The Fourth Prince was momentarily stunned, not expecting them to resist the lure of wealth and power. Were there truly people in the world who valued righteousness over riches?
He sighed: “You may choose freely. Except for Tengxiang Sword and Tiemu Sword, which were gifted by my master, the rest are yours.”
“Your Highness, what about General Lu?” Meng Qi finally asked, having spent much time with Lu Guan.
The Fourth Prince smiled: “General Lu is stationed at the capital camp, enforcing the curfew.”
Led by palace attendants into the study, after the attendants removed the sword once owned by the Sword Emperor and closed the door, Meng Qi chuckled: “This is the result of everyone’s joint efforts, and also thanks to your assistance previously. Please choose first.”
Nearly thirty swords hung on the walls, with nine remaining as treasures, including Chiyue Sword, Shaohua Sword, Chengren Quyi Sword, and Baishou Xiangzhi Sword.
“What a huge amount of good karma. Xiao Meng, your tongue truly blossoms like a lotus,” Luo Shengyi praised, changing his address since he noticed Meng Qi disliked being called by his monk name.
Without hesitation, he took Shaohua Sword and another fine long sword.
Ruan Yushu nodded coolly and picked up Chiyue Sword and another fine weapon.
They both understood etiquette and restraint, leaving Meng Qi five treasures, including Chengren Quyi Sword and Baishou Xiangzhi Sword.
The remaining eighteen refined swords were divided equally among the three, each taking six.
Afterward, they healed their wounds, ate some snacks, and waited until dawn broke and the sky brightened when they finally heard the voice of the Master of the Six Paths: “The second main mission is complete. Each person receives four hundred units of good karma.”
“The first branch mission, with one new recruit surviving, rewards Zhen Ding and Luo Shengyi each with two hundred units of good karma.”
“Returning.”
The Fourth Prince, upon receiving the eunuch’s report that the three martial heroes had vanished after dawn, finally believed they had no interest in wealth and power. Later, he gazed at the empty walls of his study, noticing nothing else was missing, and couldn’t help but sigh: “True heroes indeed!”
…
Beams of light descended, healing everyone, and Meng Qi’s Iron Bell Cover quickly recovered.
He counted the number of light beams and realized everyone was safe, which immediately calmed his heart.
At that moment, the cold and majestic voice of the Master of the Six Paths echoed again: “Beyond the novice stage, deeper into the cycle, the next mission will be a death mission, commencing one year from now. Prepare accordingly.”
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