Zhang Yuanshan hadn’t mentioned this matter to Fu Zhenzhen in advance, so when she heard it, she felt both surprised and touched, along with a hint of embarrassment. Warmth filled her heart, yet she also sensed she had become a burden to Zhang Yuanshan. Tears welled up in her eyes, uncertain whether she felt joy or sorrow: “Yuanshan, with so much merit, you should focus on improving yourself further.”
“I only need the Heaven-Scanning and Earth-Listening Pill. As for other resources, I currently lack nothing, and any extra merit points are temporarily useless to me. I might as well give them to you so you can exchange for the Sutra of Salvation and begin cultivating it as soon as possible. This will greatly enhance our team’s survival capability, and you yourself will experience significant improvement in all aspects,” Zhang Yuanshan replied, deliberately adding the last sentence.
The Sutra of Salvation was a core transmission of Yinghua Nunnery, not an ordinary primary cultivation method, and included a section on lightness techniques.
Fu Zhenzhen’s expression shifted slightly, as if recalling how her previous lack of lightness skills had resulted in her being ordered back to base. She pursed her lips and replied with a mix of gratitude, joy, hope, and longing: “Alright, if you ever lack merit points in the future, I’ll give them directly to you.”
Meng Qi covered his face and groaned, “Brother Zhang, hurry up and exchange your rewards so we don’t run out of time.”
“Alright,” Zhang Yuanshan said cheerfully upon seeing Fu Zhenzhen’s agreement. He transferred the Virtue Points to her and then exchanged for one Heaven-Scanning and Earth-Listening Pill and a Spirit-Calming Talisman, leaving him with twenty Virtue Points.
“The Spirit-Calming Talisman?” Meng Qi curiously looked at the black talisman covered in strange patterns.
It gave off a sense of peace and quiet.
Zhang Yuanshan smiled and said, “The incident with Su Yuanying made me realize how many bizarre techniques and methods exist within this cycle of reincarnation. At our current cultivation level, our protection of the primordial spirit is at its weakest. That’s why I exchanged for a Spirit-Calming Talisman as a precaution.”
Although his Form-Transformation Art had reached a certain level, his protection of the Primordial Spirit was still somewhat weak, as this technique had not truly opened the Mysterious Pass. Thus, a Spirit-Calming Talisman worth one hundred and fifty Virtue Merits was an excellent auxiliary item.
When it came to confronting enemies such as monsters, evil spirits, and ghosts, supreme martial arts like the *True Wu Seven Cuts Sutra* and the *Supreme Sword Sutra* contained specific methods and techniques for the acupoint-opening stage. These included harnessing one’s yang energy to vanquish vengeful ghosts and spirits, or employing inner alchemy to balance energies and ward off impurities. However, constrained by the limitations of the acupoint-opening stage, these techniques were not particularly potent. They merely ensured that disciples would not be left defenseless or bewildered, falling short of specialized defensive arts like the *Golden Bell Shield*. At present, aside from safeguarding the primordial spirit, few martial arts offered diverse defensive capabilities.
Zhang Yuanshan’s words made Meng Qi nod silently. If it weren’t for his confrontation with the formidable enemy An Guoxie, he would also consider how to guard against soul injuries. However, there was still a solution. Once his Form-Transformation Art reached perfection, his protection of the soul would significantly improve.
“What about you, Jiang Zhiwei?” After Fu Zhenzhen exchanged for the first volume of the Sutra of Salvation, Meng Qi asked with concern.
“Do you have any good sword techniques to recommend?” Jiang Zhiwei smiled and asked, eagerly seeking interesting sword techniques.
Everyone started brainstorming, and Meng Qi also proposed several sword techniques he was familiar with that were reasonably priced. After careful consideration, Jiang Zhiwei chose Meng Qi’s recommendation—the Thirteen Deadly Sword Techniques—which perfectly matched her sword style. It did not include the fourteenth or fifteenth sword techniques and was valued at only three hundred good deeds.
“I have one hundred and twenty good deeds left,” Jiang Zhiwei suddenly blushed slightly, “I plan to exchange them for a pair of boots.”
“Ah, boots?” Meng Qi blurted out.
Jiang Zhiwei looked composed as she replied, “During the battle at the Demon Mountain, I fought at my utmost under harsh conditions, and my boots were destroyed. Considering the various strange environments we may encounter in the future, I think I should plan properly for my clothing and such.”
Even though one could wrap oneself in qi, one often focused entirely on battle and might not have time to take care of other things. Moreover, the clothing and accessories provided by the Master of the Six Dao Cyclic Reincarnation had various mystical properties, making them excellent auxiliary items.
“That’s very reasonable,” Meng Qi thought fleetingly about how, if he were to grow to a giant size during battle without special clothing, he might end up running around naked afterward.
Jiang Zhiwei quickly selected a pair of Ice Silkworm Boots. They were lightweight and elegant, providing not only some resistance to various environments but also enhancing lightness techniques to a certain extent. As a Treasure-level item, they were worth one hundred and ten good deeds.
After everyone had finished exchanging their rewards, Luo Shengyi approached. Without hesitation, he directly entered the central beam of light. After a while, he stepped out steadily and said to Meng Qi and the others, “Fellow cultivators, we shall meet again for the next mission. I hope we can understand each other better.”
Without waiting for the Master of the Six Dao Cyclic Reincarnation to urge him, he chose to leave on his own.
As they watched Luo Shengyi disappear into the beam of light, Meng Qi and the others remained silent for a moment. Companions who did not join from the beginning always carried a sense of distance and caution. They could only hope things would change in the future.
“Next time, let’s exchange for some disguise masks or makeup techniques. Otherwise, enemies from faction tasks might transfer to the main world, which would be very troublesome,” Meng Qi suddenly remembered this issue. For example, now, Su Yuanying and Yun Tingfeng might not be in their true appearances, but they themselves were not disguised. If they encountered each other in the main world, they might face life-threatening danger. As for someone like Gu Xiaosang, she was a female demon from the Nine Evil Dao sect, with countless enemies wanting her dead, so adding a few more wouldn’t matter.
The reason they hadn’t prepared before was that in ordinary tasks, everyone was on the same team, so there was no need for disguises. This time, the Master of the Six Dao Cyclic Reincarnation only revealed at the last moment that it was a faction confrontation task, leaving no time to exchange for such items.
Zhang Yuanshan nodded seriously, “Indeed, next time I will bring some disguise masks with me.”
“Alright, I’ll prepare some too,” Jiang Zhiwei and Qi Zhengyan said simultaneously.
“Alright, you all leave first. I need to prepare to use the Reincarnation Talisman,” Meng Qi smiled at his companions.
“Be careful,” Jiang Zhiwei nodded without hesitation, while the others gave him a few words of advice before leaving.
In an instant, the entire Reincarnation Plaza became empty and desolate, with only Meng Qi left among the statues of divine beasts and celestial birds.
White clouds floated in the sky, and thick mist gave the place a feeling of ancient serenity.
Affected by the atmosphere, Meng Qi’s mood became serene and peaceful. He returned to his room, changed into a white monk’s robe, took the necessary items, and crushed the Reincarnation Talisman.
A burst of green light enveloped Meng Qi completely, and his ears rang with the Master of the Six Dao Cyclic Reincarnation’s voice: “Choose the world you wish to return to.”
Before his eyes appeared a series of scenes: Hidden Emperor Fortress, the corpse of Dorchad, Tianding City, and also Fengyun Manor.
Meng Qi had already made his decision. He directly chose the scene of Tianding City.
This time, he not only aimed to refine his acupoints but also sought guidance from Duan Xiangfei on the Form-Transformation Art. Additionally, he planned to investigate “Master Yuanmeng,” uncover clues to the secret of the small jade Buddha, and challenge the remaining Grandmasters with his blade—using combat to hone his skills and open his ear acupoints!
“Returning to the Tianding City world for a period of two months, you may choose to teleport to the vicinity of any familiar person.”
“Can it be done that way?” Meng Qi was quite delighted, as he had been most worried about wasting time searching for people.
“Teleport to the vicinity of Duan Xiangfei.”
Without hesitation, he made the decision.
A hazy green light surrounded Meng Qi. This time, he did not faint, but he could see nothing.
In the changing light and shadows, he saw himself standing before a thatched cottage.
“Xian Yin Retreat…” Meng Qi read the plaque above the thatched cottage, and he could guess with his toes that this must be one of Duan Xiangfei’s residences.
At this moment, the night was hazy, stars were twinkling, trees were lush, and the atmosphere was peaceful and serene. Meng Qi smiled as he walked to the front door and gently knocked with his fingers.
Knock knock knock, knock knock knock. The sound was light but echoed far in the quiet night. Meng Qi couldn’t help but think, could this be the scene of birds resting by the pondside tree and a monk knocking at the door under the moonlight?
After a short while, a young man came out of the thatched cottage, crossed the courtyard, and approached the gate.
Meng Qi held his prayer beads in his left hand, gently moving them, his face filled with a smile. His white robe fluttered in the wind, showing no sign of impatience as he waited for the young man to approach, exuding the demeanor of a cultivated monk.
“May I ask the name and purpose of the esteemed monk?” the young man asked with a puzzled look at the unfamiliar monk before him. Judging from his appearance, he should be only about fourteen or fifteen years old, but his demeanor was quite mature.
The young man was handsome and outstanding, with a somewhat refined air in his words and actions. However, his eyelids were swollen, with noticeable dark circles, and his face was yellowish, as if he often indulged in wine and women.
Meng Qi naturally recognized him as Duan Mingcheng but did not reveal it, joining his palms and bowing, “Amitabha, I am Zhen Ding, a friend of Master Xian Yin. Please announce my arrival.”
“Zhen Ding, cough cough cough.” Duan Mingcheng choked on his own saliva. Wasn’t Master Zhen Ding the one who had ascended to immortality after a single slash? How could he be standing alive before him!
Over the past year, Master Zhen Ding had become a benchmark in the martial arts world, a supreme master among masters, a legendary figure who had broken the boundaries between mortals and deities. Yet, such a figure should not appear in the mortal world but only exist in legends!
“Has Master Xian Yin gone out?” Meng Qi turned his prayer beads with a smile, watching Duan Mingcheng.
Although the monk before him looked young, his monk’s robe, shoes, and socks were spotless, his appearance handsome and elegant, not resembling an ordinary person. Duan Mingcheng could not be sure whether he was a fraud, so he nodded, “My father is in the cottage. Please, Master, come inside.”
His own father had perfected the Form-Transformation Art and was an outstanding master among masters. How could he fear a fraud?
Meng Qi was not at all nervous, following Duan Mingcheng through the courtyard with a composed demeanor, stepping into the main entrance of the thatched cottage, and immediately seeing Duan Xiangfei holding chopsticks and picking up a soybean.
Meng Qi suddenly felt playful and loudly said, “Amitabha, Master Duan, I hope you have been well.”
Duan Xiangfei’s movements immediately froze, his entire body seemingly frozen in place. With a slap, the soybean fell onto the table.
He turned with difficulty, looking at Meng Qi in his spotless white monk’s robe and that familiar yet seemingly more matured handsome face, almost doubting if he was dreaming.
“Master Duan, have you forgotten me already?” Meng Qi said with a smile.
Duan Xiangfei swallowed hard and struggled to say, “You, you didn’t pass away, no, ascend to immortality?”
“If I told you it was an illusion, would you believe me, Master Duan?” Meng Qi said with a half-smile.
Duan Xiangfei took a light breath and gave a faint bitter smile: “I won’t believe you. No matter what you say, I won’t believe it.”
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