Chapter 127: The Measure of Strength

Shen Zui’s heart sank. He himself had a well-earned reputation and a formidable battle record. For the opponent to come directly seeking him out, it meant he had absolute confidence in his own martial arts abilities. Of course, there was also the possibility he was a complete hothead—but could a hothead kill An Guo Xie, whose nine orifices were open?

Even if he had an ally of comparable strength, it still wouldn’t be possible!

At this moment, the other two resting bandits also emerged from the tent, one wielding a saber and the other a slender, narrow sword with two deep blood grooves.

After finishing his greeting, Meng Qi didn’t wait for Shen Zui to speak before charging forward like a war chariot. He lifted the Red Sun Subduing Evil Saber, enveloping Shen Zui and one of the bandits within his blade’s range. His saber technique rolled forth like surging waves, each strike faster than the last, alternating between fierce, bizarre, exquisite, and archaic forms, fully displaying the depth of his saber skills.

Gu Changqing stepped forward with his sword to engage the other bandit. His swordplay was refined and defensive, focusing first on ensuring his own invulnerability before seeking to defeat his opponent.

Among the two combatants, Meng Qi, the saber-wielding bandit was utterly overwhelmed by the relentless assault. It felt as though Meng Qi’s monastic blade could strike from any angle, leaving him no room to counter. The lethal techniques he had refined through real battles were rendered useless—he could only desperately fend off the attacks.

Fortunately, Shen Zui was beside him. Holding a seemingly ordinary longsword that appeared to contain a hidden layer of bloodstains, Shen Zui’s sword movements formed a perfect circle, defending with flawless precision—clearly derived from Tai Chi sword techniques.

Ding ding! After a series of continuous clashes, Shen Zui roughly figured out Meng Qi’s saber style. Suddenly, his sword flicked upward.

This seemingly slow strike, as though burdened by weight, concealed profound subtlety. Arriving late but striking first, it landed precisely on Meng Qi’s blade with a crisp ping, momentarily halting his momentum.

Shen Zui’s sharp eyesight and acute hearing were fully displayed in this single strike.

Meng Qi had initially planned for a swift conclusion, intending to break through Shen Zui’s defense using the Golden Bell Cover. However, Shen Zui’s every strike targeted common weak points in hard-body techniques—such as the eyebrows, eyes, throat, temples, and lower abdomen—clearly indicating his seasoned experience and proactive defense. Thus, Meng Qi’s carefully calculated strategy failed, and he instead calmed his mind, dispelling impatience to use Shen Zui as a whetstone for refining his saber techniques.

As his saber momentum was interrupted, Meng Qi saw Shen Zui’s sword technique shift, surging forward like rolling tides, continuously pressing him into a defensive stance.

No wonder he was a renowned Six Gates expert!

Internally praising, Meng Qi decided to eliminate the threat first. Facing Shen Zui’s longsword, he suddenly stepped left.

Shen Zui smoothly redirected his sword, slicing toward the left as if waiting for Meng Qi to impale his own forehead.

However, Meng Qi pivoted his left foot and slid his right, suddenly retreating out of Shen Zui’s sword range and directly colliding with the bandit attacking from behind with a saber.

The bandit had not anticipated Meng Qi would attack from his back. Unable to halt his downward strike, his saber sliced through Meng Qi’s robe, cutting into a layer of dark gold, leaving a shallow wound.

At that moment, he felt his saber seemingly clamped by Meng Qi’s muscles, unable to advance even a fraction. As a dark golden glow emanated outward, an overwhelming force surged forth, driving his own blade back into his chest—followed by Meng Qi’s ringed saber piercing through.

A flash of crimson blade, Meng Qi slid his feet, narrowly dodging Shen Zui’s relentless sword pursuit.

The four-orifice bandit clutched his chest and collapsed, blood gushing forth with his intestines spilling out.

Shen Zui watched, eyes bloodshot, and changed his sword technique again—not like continuous tides, but like crashing waves, one higher than the last. Meng Qi, displaying his fully integrated saber skills, could barely hold his ground. After all, aside from the refined variations derived from “Severing Purity,” his Five Tigers Saber and Blood Saber techniques were merely at the Qi Cultivation stage—though distinctive, they weren’t top-tier saber techniques among the Orifice Opening experts.

Thus, despite his integration, Meng Qi’s saber skills were still inferior to Shen Zui’s refined swordplay—Shen Zui’s techniques all seemed to be top-tier among Orifice Opening experts.

Meng Qi’s saber techniques, derived from variations of “Severing Purity” and incorporating slight changes from “Falling into the Red Dust,” grew increasingly mature under this intense clash. His horizontal sweeps and diagonal cuts exuded lingering charm, breaking through “wave-like” momentum. In time, Meng Qi might, like Jiang Zhimwei, touch the “principles” within saber techniques, transforming the mundane into the miraculous.

Of course, that was likely a distant future. Facing Shen Zui’s increasingly terrifying swordplay, Meng Qi abandoned his intent to “sharpen his skills” and decided to end the battle swiftly. Continuing like this, any slight mistake could expose vulnerabilities—either being severely wounded by Shen Zui or allowing him to escape would leave Meng Qi deeply regretful for not unleashing his full strength earlier.

Nonetheless, through this battle, Meng Qi roughly understood his current strength level. Without using ultimate techniques or auxiliary methods, he was roughly equivalent to a Six Gates expert with mediocre techniques, slightly inferior to someone like Shen Zui. However, with auxiliary techniques and ultimate moves, he could slay Seven Gates experts, while fighting an Eight Gates opponent would depend heavily on circumstances—most likely only wounding them before fleeing. After all, once six orifices were opened, the illusions created by the Phantom Shaping Method would become largely ineffective—especially against prepared opponents.

However, if he disregarded losses and consequences, unleashing a brief burst of power would be another matter entirely.

Moreover, once he completed the fifth gate’s full closure, his weak points would decrease by one or two, making him even more formidable in battle!

Just as Meng Qi decided to activate the Phantom Shaping Method for a swift conclusion, Shen Zui also seemed to make a decision. A faint redness flashed across his face as his sword thrust forward sharply, his swordplay suddenly becoming ferocious and swift—three consecutive strikes, soul-seizing and life-threatening, like vengeful spirits.

Such a lethal sword technique was something Meng Qi had only encountered in “Yama’s Edict” and “Sword Without Self.” Fortunately, he had already witnessed these moves before. Keeping his composure and mind undisturbed, Meng Qi swung his monk’s knife along an uncanny trajectory, radiating the allure of worldly affairs.

Clang! Clang! Meng Qi parried two of Shen Zui’s attacks, but his monastic saber was deflected, leaving him vulnerable to the third thrust!

Shen Zui’s sword aimed directly at Meng Qi’s throat, fierce and unyielding, covering all possible escape routes. It seemed the only option was to rely on the Golden Bell Cover to endure the blow, though the throat was a weak point—how much damage reduction it could provide remained uncertain.

Just then, Meng Qi’s left hand snapped out, a flash of swordlight ringing out as it deflected Shen Zui’s blade sideways, redirecting it into his shoulder.

Dark gold surged, the sword striking like rotten wood with a dull thud, not penetrating deeply.

Meng Qi felt his wound’s blood rushing toward the blade, his blood boiling, nearly failing to evade Shen Zui’s follow-up palm strike. Fortunately, the Divine Steps excelled precisely in such nimble evasions.

Stepping back, Meng Qi swung his saber to counterattack Shen Zui—after all, it was impolite not to return the favor!

His third eye throbbed, his spirit projecting outward like a sharp spear, piercing into Shen Zui’s mind.

Shen Zui knew he had killed An Guo Xie, so Meng Qi would certainly remain fully alert against him. As a Six Gates expert, the Phantom Shaping Method couldn’t create illusions—An Guo Xie’s first fall was entirely due to underestimating Meng Qi, the unopened monk.

However, the Phantom Shaping Method wasn’t limited to illusions; it also included concealment and direct spiritual attacks.

Of course, it couldn’t compare to the effects of Su Yuanying’s Evil Eye, at best causing slight dizziness. Yet, in a near-even confrontation, even slight dizziness could be decisive!

Although Shen Zui’s desperate attack failed to achieve the expected result, he remained composed in the face of Meng Qi’s approaching sword, intending to seize another opportunity to escape.

He swung his sword to block the scimitar, but suddenly, a sharp pain struck his forehead, his mind spinning, his movements hesitating slightly.

As expected, Meng Qi’s precept knife instantly altered its trajectory, deflecting his sword away.

Shen Zui’s vision momentarily darkened before clearing, but everything had already changed. Without his sword, his strength plummeted, while Meng Qi, growing more powerful with each strike, wielded his monk’s spade aggressively.

Soon, Meng Qi realized that his palm techniques and strength were no match for his swordsmanship. Therefore, he intentionally left an opening, enduring a palm strike to his relatively less vital acupoint—the Danzhong. Seizing the opportunity, he swiftly pressed his precept blade against Shen Zui’s throat. Had it been a sharp sword, Meng Qi wouldn’t have dared to risk exposing even this nearly non-vital point.

Taking advantage of Shen Zui’s hesitation between surrender and self-sacrifice, Meng Qi’s left hand retrieved his sword, fingers flicking as he activated the Snow-Melting Acupoint Striking Technique, sealing all major acupoints on Shen Zui’s chest.

Meanwhile, the other opened bandit was already at a disadvantage. Seeing Shen Zui captured only intensified his panic, allowing Gu Changqing to seize an opening and pierce him through the heart.

In a flash, Meng Qi’s monastic blade swung out, dislodging Shen Zui’s upper teeth to stop him from biting his tongue and committing suicide.

Smiling, Meng Qi asked, “Senior Bandit, where did my junior apprentice go after passing through the Chelie Gorge?”

To depict Zhen Hui’s appearance, temperament, and demeanor with such precision, this group of bandits must have encountered Zhen Hui before. However, at that time, there was no bounty on the邪刀, and robbing a young monk who still relied on alms made no sense.

“If I talk, will I survive?” Shen Zui asked, his words slurred through missing teeth.

Meng Qi expressionlessly replied, “No, Senior Bandit. When you ambushed the caravan, did you offer them any chance to live?”

Shen Zui remained silent.

Meng Qi suddenly chuckled, “Actually, I’m not that righteous. It’s just that if you live, my location will be exposed, so you must die.”

He shifted tone, “However, death comes in many forms—some painless, others humiliating. Which would you prefer?”

His sincere words carried strange persuasiveness. After all, he honestly admitted he would kill him, making his subsequent words seem genuine rather than deceitful.

Pointing toward the alert Gu Changqing, Meng Qi grinned oddly, “My friend here prefers men. Senior Bandit, you’re barely past forty, maintain a fine physique, and possess a refined demeanor. He’s been itching for this. Would you be willing to give it a try?”

Shen Zui’s face turned pale. He had enjoyed half a lifetime of pleasures—how could he endure such humiliation at death’s door? He hesitated, “I… I’ll talk.”

Gu Changqing, overhearing, first glared fiercely at Meng Qi for fabricating such lies to scare the enemy.

But as he listened, he glanced at Shen Zui… then turned away, covering his mouth as he dryly heaved.

This guy couldn’t handle psychological pressure—fortunately, Shen Zui was lying down and couldn’t see… Meng Qi cast a cheerful glance at Gu Changqing.