Holding the fire starter, Meng Qi carefully searched the stone chamber but found nothing else. However, he felt quite satisfied. Obtaining the true inheritance of an external martial arts sword technique and comprehending the incomplete form of the first slash was already incredibly fortunate!
On his way back, Meng Qi hesitated whether to share this discovery with Jiang Zhiwei, Zhang Yuanshan, and others. Logically, in similar situations, anyone would choose to keep it a secret, treating the sword technique as a last resort for survival. This was understandable, and Jiang Zhiwei and others would definitely understand. However, in the future, they would still need to cooperate to complete the cycle tasks, and such secrecy would not help deepen their bond. Moreover, what he obtained was the true inheritance of sword intent; even if they wanted to seize it, they couldn’t. After all, he himself could currently only reproduce the incomplete form of the first slash.
However, doing so meant that if someone among them betrayed him in the future, all his martial arts would be clearly exposed to the enemy, leaving him with no hidden trump card.
“Disciple Zhen Ding, did you find any enemies?” When Meng Qi returned, Qi Zhengyan, who had been silent for a long time, finally spoke. Zhang Yuanshan and Jiang Zhiwei still kept their eyes closed, seemingly uninterested.
Meng Qi hesitated slightly before making a decision: “No enemies, but there was an incomplete form of the first slash of ‘Anan Breaking the Precepts Sword Technique’ on the mountain wall.”
He decided to conceal the true inheritance of sword intent while honestly revealing the sword technique he obtained, hoping that this attitude of trust would earn the trust of Jiang Zhiwei, Zhang Yuanshan, and Qi Zhengyan, laying a good foundation for future cooperative tasks.
“Anan Breaking the Precepts Sword Technique?” Jiang Zhiwei opened her eyes in astonishment, clearly showing that her previous indifference was all pretense. According to her habits and the martial arts world’s etiquette, she would not ask about others’ personal gains during solo actions to avoid conflicts. However, Meng Qi’s honesty shocked her greatly.
Similarly, Zhang Yuanshan and Qi Zhengyan could not remain calm either, looking at Meng Qi with great surprise.
“Yes, but it’s only the incomplete form of the first slash.” Seeing their shocked expressions, Meng Qi secretly nodded, achieving exactly the desired effect.
“Incomplete form doesn’t matter. I remember there’s an option to ‘complete the incomplete forms’ in the redemption list. The fewer the gaps, the less virtue points are required, probably less than a tenth of the original.” Jiang Zhiwei smiled lightly, “Little monk, you really didn’t need to tell us about such a rare encounter. Everyone has their own secrets. I have mine, and so do Senior Brothers Zhang and Qi.”
Can the incomplete form be completed? Meng Qi immediately became excited. The “Cutting Pureness” he had comprehended had very few gaps, so it probably wouldn’t cost much virtue points!
This greatly improved his mood, and he smiled happily: “We’ve been through life and death together, and we’ll definitely need to cooperate in the future. If I had hidden the sword technique, it would be easy to miscalculate our strength when planning ahead. Anyway, it’s just an incomplete move.”
He explained from both emotional and practical perspectives, emphasizing the importance of mutual recognition of “friendship.”
“Little monk, it’s really unnecessary. When planning ahead, you just need to tell me roughly what level of enemy my strength can handle. There’s no need to reveal all your secret moves.” Jiang Zhiwei’s smile bloomed like a flower. Although she thought it unnecessary, Meng Qi’s honesty still made her very happy, at least proving that he indeed regarded them as comrades-in-arms.
Meng Qi was momentarily stunned: “I didn’t think of that…”
Haha, Jiang Zhiwei’s laughter was like flowers swaying in the wind. Zhang Yuanshan couldn’t help shaking his head with a smile: “Disciple Zhen Ding, fortunately, it’s us. If there were treacherous people among us, your Anan Breaking the Precepts Sword Technique wouldn’t have the element of surprise. You’re still too young and lack experience in the martial arts world.”
His gaze was gentle, his smile genuine, clearly showing more approval of Meng Qi.
Qi Zhengyan, who had just been rambling about his own thoughts, nodded at Meng Qi’s honesty: “Sometimes, if your companions know you have a trump card, they’ll be less panicked and more composed, making enemies cautious and losing the element of surprise. So as long as the intention is good, we won’t mind your appropriate concealment.”
He was also somewhat explaining his previous concealment of the “Mother-and-Son Separating Soul Dart.”
After this open and honest conversation, everyone’s relationship indeed seemed much closer.
“Senior Brother Qi, you really have become talkative after being injured.” Meng Qi teased, then quickly changed the subject before Qi Zhengyan’s face darkened: “Besides that, there’s also a stone door embedded in the mountain wall, with the words ‘Sentiment, Righteousness, Benevolence, and Kindness, Do Not Enter This Door’ on both sides…”
He fully described the other findings, hoping Zhang Yuanshan, Jiang Zhiwei, and others might have clues.
…
Dorchad’s gaze shifted downward, looking at the traces left by the hasty departure into the forest, and he snorted lightly: “Indeed, these are mere fledglings.”
Following the faint traces left by Meng Qi and others, Dorchad walked slowly forward and soon reached the vicinity of the red boulder.
“Huh?” He noticed the traces ended here, so he cautiously looked around.
His body was still trembling, and sweat dripped from his forehead, indicating it wasn’t easy for him.
After confirming no one was around, Dorchad frowned in confusion. They couldn’t possibly have the ability to fly or vanish into the earth; how could they just disappear?
Could it be that they discovered the remaining traces and deliberately erased the clues?
Dorchad paced back and forth a few times, then observed the nearby traces again, finding one disappearing behind the red boulder and another stopping in front of the cliff wall.
He stood silently for a moment, then expressionlessly walked behind the boulder, extended his right hand, and began searching for the hidden mechanism.
Such situations couldn’t fool others; how could they fool him, who had roamed the martial arts world for years?
Isn’t it just a secret passage?
The traces they left were too obvious; they didn’t look like disciples of a renowned sect allowed to go down the mountain, but rather like martial arts novices!
However, these novices’ strength was surprisingly formidable…
…
“‘Sentiment, Righteousness, Benevolence, and Kindness, Do Not Enter This Door’… I’ve never heard of it.” Zhang Yuanshan frowned in thought for a while, then shook his head.
Just as he finished speaking, a sudden “zazaza” sound echoed. The four of them looked in shock to see Dorchad, his face crisscrossed with scars, standing quietly outside, waiting for the secret passage entrance to fully open.
“How could he have found it!” Meng Qi was greatly alarmed.
While Qi Zhengyan was shocked and full of regret, he spoke: “We forgot to deal with the traces…”
At that time, thunder and lightning flashed, winds rose, and clouds gathered. He and Meng Qi were in a panic to take shelter. Having no prior experience with such situations, they had temporarily forgotten to erase the traces.
Hearing Qi Zhengyan’s words, Meng Qi’s heart slowly sank. Was this a case of self-inflicted doom?
No, he couldn’t give up!
Meng Qi rushed forward while the entrance was not yet fully open, trying to twist the internal closing mechanism to shut the entrance again and defend their position. At the same time, he carefully observed Dorchad, thinking about how to respond if he couldn’t stop him.
“He has lost his left hand, arm, and shoulder, with bones exposed. He is trembling all over, indicating a severe injury and greatly diminished strength…” As Meng Qi’s right hand touched the mechanism, he made a preliminary judgment of Dorchad.
Dorchad gently waved his right hand, and a gust of wind arose, directly blowing Meng Qi, who was rushing forward in panic and had not yet stabilized his footing, backward several steps, preventing him from closing the entrance.
Meng Qi felt pain in his chest and abdomen, his breath momentarily stopped, and his mind raced:
“Even if his strength is greatly diminished, he is still not someone I and Senior Brother Qi can resist. What should I do?”
“My strongest martial arts skill is the Anan Breaking the Precepts Sword Technique, but it’s only an incomplete form!”
“Ah, the incompleteness is only in the latter part; the earlier part is complete and can form a complete sword intent before launching an attack…”
“Can I bluff him away?”
“Right! He is severely injured and will definitely choose to temporarily retreat when facing an opponent and move he’s not confident about, allowing us to complete the main task!”
In an instant, countless thoughts raced through Meng Qi’s mind, and he swiftly reached a decision. His feet planted firmly in a neutral stance, his right hand gripping the jiedao (a type of sword) tightly.
The entrance fully opened, but Dorchad did not attack directly. He silently walked toward the mountain wall.
His silent approach, without uttering a word or making a move, exerted tremendous pressure on Meng Qi and the others. Jiang Zhiwei and Zhang Yuanshan halted their healing and barely managed to stand up, bracing themselves for a desperate battle.
“You shall die.” Dorchad declared solemnly, raising his right fist. Meng Qi visualized the fragmented form in his mind as he slowly extended his ringed blade, the sword intent on the verge of eruption.
But at that very moment, Dorchad suddenly flew backward, redirecting his right fist toward a giant tree.
Amidst the gust of wind, a silvery, bell-like laughter abruptly arose. A white figure darted out from behind the tree, its movements ethereal, like a celestial being or a song, dodging the punch.
Crack! The giant tree snapped into two, leaning backward with a heavy sound.
The white figure stopped not far away, revealing a breathtakingly beautiful young girl dressed in a simple white dress.
“Just a slight surprise at seeing the secret passage, and you noticed me.” The girl smiled, “I was planning to wait until you killed them before I acted.”
Seeing this girl, Meng Qi was so surprised that he blurted out: “Xiao Zi?”
This girl’s appearance was indeed Xiao Zi!
Indeed, the previous Xiao Zi was merely pretty, but now her features had matured, exuding a more ethereal and elusive charm, instantly transforming her into an incomparable beauty, rivaling Jiang Zhiwei.
“Xiao Zi? Don’t mention that fool.” The girl’s beautiful eyes sparkled as she smiled faintly, “I am Gu Xiaosang.”
Gu Xiaosang? Meng Qi had heard Xiao Zi mention this name before. Seeing the almost identical appearance now, it felt particularly eerie.
As she spoke, Dorchad kept attacking, but this time without the dark clouds, heavy rain, thunder, or lightning—only the howling wind.
However, Gu Xiaosang remained calm, her clothes fluttering like dancing in the wind, and she even found time to speak to Meng Qi.
“Gu Xiaosang, it’s really her.” Zhang Yuanshan whispered solemnly. Jiang Zhiwei also bit her lip slightly, while Qi Zhengyan instinctively took a step back.
Gu Xiaosang’s reputation was indeed formidable!
After dodging for a while, Gu Xiaosang smiled and said: “Great General, if you keep attacking me, I won’t be polite anymore. Why don’t you kill them first, and then I’ll kill you. How about that?”
“Just you?” Dorchad snorted coldly and intensified his attacks.
“If you were at your peak, even two of me might not be your equal. But now, with your left eye blinded, your mind tormented by sword energy, and having endured a devastating Vajra Palm and Flower-Picking Finger from Monk Xin Ji in his dying moments, how much strength do you truly have left? Thirty percent? Twenty? Or perhaps barely ten?” Gu Xiaosang chuckled softly, effortlessly flipping backward to dodge Dorchad’s lethal blow.
“Even so, killing you would be like killing a chicken.” Dorchad remained solemn, but his figure suddenly changed direction, fleeing toward the forest’s edge.
He actually fled without hesitation!
No wonder he was considered a formidable warlord from the barbarian tribes!
Gu Xiaosang’s figure was like a ghost or a fairy, somehow blocking Dorchad’s path in an instant. She extended her delicate hand, her index and middle fingers together like a short sword, elegantly pointing toward Dorchad’s forehead.
At the same time, she slightly opened her mouth, chanting softly. Suddenly, an ethereal voice echoed around:
“Red dust is like a prison, all beings suffer, the cycle never ends, worries and troubles never cease. Pity the people of this world, a god descends from heaven, the Eternal Mother, the Pure Void Homeland!”
“The Eternal Mother, the Pure Void Homeland!”
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