Ge Chongshan, who had witnessed this sword technique from a close distance, shared the same expression of rigidity as the master of Yinhuang Fortress. His pupils, however, contracted violently, narrowing like needle points. Compared to the master of Yinhuang Fortress, Ge Chongshan could still whisper in disbelief, “Such swordsmanship, such swordsmanship…”
Even an immortal dancing with a sword could hardly surpass this!
This was his inner cry, and also the shared sentiment of the other experts outside the hall. This sword stroke was like a startling rainbow from the heavens, like a celestial dragon extending its claw—its form unseen, yet its might palpable!
They kept replaying the details of this sword stroke in their minds, but could only recall that dazzling, heart-piercing beam of sword light, and the sensation of heaven and earth themselves turning to gaze upon it.
For some reason, a sudden thought flashed through Ge Chongshan’s mind: “‘Heaven-Defying Divine Sword,’ ‘Heaven-Defying Divine Sword,’ with sword techniques like this, no wonder he bears the title ‘Heaven-Defying Divine Sword!'”
At this moment, with the master of Yinhuang Fortress dead, the black-robed men who had transformed into “poison beasts” became even more frenzied and decayed rapidly, causing the situation to spiral into chaos.
Ge Chongshan, a seasoned martial artist who had roamed the Jianghu for many years, quickly regained his composure. He summoned his full strength and shouted, “The demon has already been slain! The poison mist merely weakens us. Kill these ‘poison beasts’ before the numbness worsens, and we will be safe!”
“Everyone, I will assist you!” After stabilizing the group’s morale, he dashed forward, thrusting his iron fan straight into the back of a black-robed man, attempting to end the battle before the numbness intensified.
Meanwhile, a grand, solemn, yet cold and indifferent voice echoed in Meng Qi’s ears: “The master of Yinhuang Fortress has perished. The main mission is complete. Each person will receive fifty Virtue Points as a reward and will now return.”
Meng Qi’s vision darkened, as if he could not even see his own hand. His ears grew eerily silent.
Then, a streak of white light shimmered, and once again Meng Qi found himself standing in the white jade plaza with its ethereal pavilions.
“Sure enough, we’ve returned directly…” Meng Qi felt a slight joy. Being somewhat familiar with such a cycle world was a small advantage of his own. Otherwise, with his current weak martial arts skills, he would always feel somewhat inferior in front of his companions.
“Mission complete. You may receive one free treatment.”
A beam of milky white light fell upon Meng Qi, warming and comforting him as if he were soaking in a hot spring. All the fatigue and soreness from earlier vanished instantly, and his energy was fully restored.
“Wow, my injuries healed so quickly?” Qi Xia exclaimed in surprise, also basking in the milky white glow. Her left shoulder, previously a bloody mess, was visibly regenerating with each pulse of light. Within moments, it was completely healed.
Jiang Zhiwei, standing in another beam of white light, stood up and stretched her legs. She spoke with both delight and astonishment, “I’ve fully recovered too. Even the Great Healing Pill of Shaolin might not have such an effect.”
“Perhaps only a Celestial on Earth of the ‘Dharma Body’ level or a corresponding immortal pill could produce such miraculous results.” Zhang Yuanshan circulated his energy and discovered that the poison mist he had previously inhaled had somehow been removed without his notice. “Unfortunately, I’ve never seen such a celestial being in action, so I can’t compare.”
Meng Qi had heard from Xuan Xin that the major sects currently leading the martial arts world were all those that had once produced a “Dharma Body” level Celestial on Earth. However, attaining the Dharma Body was extremely difficult, and these sects did not always have such celestial beings at their disposal. In fact, most sects usually did not have such figures. For example, the current Zhenwu Sect, Xuanti Sect, Xijian Pavilion, and Da Jiang Gang all lacked such beings. This was why talented disciples like Zhang Yuanshan had never witnessed the power of a Dharma Body expert. Shaolin, which had a “Subduing Dragon Arhat,” had become the de facto leader of the Great Jin alliance.
Of course, even without a Dharma Body level Celestial, these long-established sects were still formidable. They each possessed certain sacred treasures—either left behind by predecessors who had attained the Dharma Body or obtained through extraordinary encounters. If a Grandmaster at the peak of the Outer Manifestation level fought desperately, these treasures could unleash power approaching that of the Dharma Body. For example, Xuanti Sect’s “Time Blade,” suspected to have been forged by the Celestial Emperor, was even ranked among the top ten divine weapons on the first page in the mysterious “Master of the Six Paths of Reincarnation” evaluation—utterly unfathomable.
It was precisely because these sects possessed such treasures that they were not easily conquered or declined in the absence of Celestial-level experts. However, if these sects decayed internally and failed to produce Grandmasters at the pinnacle of the Outer Manifestation level for several generations, their sacred treasures would inevitably attract the covetous gaze of outsiders. Over the past two to three thousand years, countless sects had perished or declined in this very manner.
From conversations with Xuan Xin, Zhang Yuanshan, Jiang Zhiwei, and others, Meng Qi roughly pieced together the cultivation hierarchy of this world: After “Hundred Days of Foundation Building” came the “Energy Accumulation and Body Tempering” stage (Meditation and Energy Cultivation). Once all the hundred meridians were fully opened and energy cultivation was successful, one would advance to cultivating the internal organs and acupoints, opening the nine innate apertures, which marked the “Aperture Opening” stage.
Following that was the “Outer Manifestation” stage, which Meng Qi didn’t fully understand yet. Beyond “Outer Manifestation” was the “Dharma Body” stage, the level of Celestials on Earth, with different forms such as the Arhat Golden Body, Tathagata Golden Body, Bodhi Golden Body, Supreme Dao Body, Taiji Dharma Body, and others. It was said that the gap between different levels of Dharma Bodies was as vast as the heavens and earth, but to those below these stages, all were equally miraculous and unfathomable.
As for whether there were other stages beyond this, Meng Qi was uncertain.
The milky white light gradually faded, and once again the “Master of the Six Paths of Reincarnation” spoke in a cold, majestic voice: “In future reincarnation missions, if the main mission is completed, no matter how severe your injuries, as long as you are not dead, you may receive treatment without spending Virtue Points. However, if the main mission is not completed, aside from the corresponding punishment, you must pay the corresponding Virtue Points for treatment. The more severe the injury, the more Virtue Points required. You may check the Miscellaneous Rankings for specific prices.”
“That’s fair enough…” Qi Zhengyan murmured softly, his usually quiet demeanor showing a hint of excitement.
Meng Qi nodded in agreement. Indeed, injuries sustained during missions should be considered “work-related injuries.” If the mission was completed, compensation was only appropriate.
As he thought this, he suddenly felt a chill: “The ‘Master of the Six Paths of Reincarnation’ must be immensely powerful. Could he have detected those strange, otherworldly thoughts in my mind? If my identity as a ‘transmigrated soul’ is exposed…”
The more he thought, the more he sighed. The Master of the Six Paths of Reincarnation was undoubtedly immensely powerful. He had been brought here unknowingly, so it was possible his soul had already been searched and his memories examined.
“Ah, perhaps the ‘Master of the Six Paths of Reincarnation’ already knows everything…” Meng Qi resigned himself to this grim fate with a touch of dark humor: “To people like Ge Chongshan, we’re all ‘transmigrated souls.’ What’s so strange about that?”
“‘Yinhuang Fortress’ mission evaluation: Except for Jiang Zhiwei, who received ‘Medium,’ all others received ‘Ordinary,’ with no additional rewards. Jiang Zhiwei also did not meet the criteria for a lottery draw, receiving only ten Virtue Points as a reward.” This statement from the Master of the Six Paths of Reincarnation left everyone momentarily stunned. So, there were additional rewards and lottery opportunities beyond the Virtue Points?
Meng Qi’s lips twitched slightly. Was this considered passing the evaluation?
Suddenly, a jade tablet appeared before each of them.
“This is a copy of the redemption catalog, which also records the number of Virtue Points you possess. After selecting the items you desire, go to the central light pillar to redeem them. Except for these jade tablets, which must remain here, you may freely choose whether to store the items here or take them back to your original world.”
As the Master of the Six Paths of Reincarnation finished speaking, five white jade gates suddenly appeared beyond the statues of divine beasts and celestial birds, each inscribed with the names of Meng Qi and the others.
“Is there no item, uh, magical treasure for carrying things?” Meng Qi asked based on his “experience,” referring to a personal space for storing items.
“You must redeem it yourself. It’s in the miscellaneous catalog.” As the Master of the Six Paths of Reincarnation spoke, Meng Qi’s jade tablet flipped open by itself, stopping directly on an item like this:
“Jade Ring of the Mote, a wondrous object, the simplest space item. Redemption price: 3,000 Virtue Points.”
Meng Qi glanced at the number displayed in the upper-left corner of his jade tablet—”Eighty”—and could only respond with a helpless chuckle.
“Now you may begin attempting to redeem items.” After saying this, the Master of the Six Paths of Reincarnation fell silent, and the entire white jade plaza became eerily quiet.
Hearing this, Meng Qi felt excitement surge in his heart. Finally, he had the chance to redeem profound martial arts techniques!
His previous life as a temple servant had heightened his desire to learn martial arts, and he was far from content with spending his life as an ordinary temple servant.
“What should I redeem?” Meng Qi knew too many martial arts techniques, and his mind was in a whirl as he eagerly browsed the martial arts catalog.
“The Six-Meridian Sword,” complete version, redemption price: 1,300 Virtue Points.
“The Lesser Emptiness Art,” complete version, redemption price: 1,200 Virtue Points.
“The Northern Nether Art,” complete version, redemption price: 1,500 Virtue Points.
…
“The War God’s Illustration,” complete version, redemption price: 2,100 Virtue Points.
…
Perhaps due to a momentary daze, Meng Qi only saw martial arts techniques familiar to him.
After being shocked by these numbers, Meng Qi gradually regained his composure and smiled bitterly, “How come I’m looking at Outer Manifestation-level martial arts directly? I don’t have nearly enough Virtue Points!”
At the same time, he flipped through the catalog and saw “The Absorbing Star Palm” listed among Aperture-Opening martial arts, priced at 500 Virtue Points. He also noticed many other familiar martial arts techniques and began to speculate inwardly: “Most of the martial arts from the Jin sect are at the Aperture-Opening level, with only a few like the Xiaoyao sect’s techniques and the ‘Six-Meridian Divine Sword’ listed among the Outer Manifestation level—and even those are among the cheapest options. As for the Huang sect, most of their top-tier martial arts fall into this category. It seems the defining feature of the Outer Manifestation level is the ability to commune with heaven and earth…”
The Shaolin martial arts of the Jin sect were marked with “(Ordinary),” while those of this world were not, although they were noted as capable of evolving from “Ordinary” to higher levels.
“What should I redeem?” Meng Qi muttered again. Influenced by the martial arts he had just seen, an image of his “future self” slowly formed in his mind.
Yes, he must wear robes as white as snow, wield a sword as radiant as light, ride a noble steed, be bathed in moonlight, walk upon water as if on solid ground, and vanquish mighty foes with a single stroke. He would be as dashing and handsome as one could imagine!
Meng Qi was so lost in his fantasy that he almost drooled. He secretly decided to develop in this direction. Suddenly, a crisp, melodious voice rang in his ears: “Little monk, have you decided what to redeem yet?”
“No.” Meng Qi immediately sat up straight, looking solemnly at Jiang Zhiwei. “Miss Jiang, what about you?”
“I haven’t decided either.” Jiang Zhiwei shook her head. “What I can redeem now isn’t very useful to me, and what I want to redeem still requires twenty more Virtue Points.”
Ah, she’s here to borrow money—or rather, Virtue Points? Meng Qi’s heart wrestled violently. If he lent her, he would only have sixty Virtue Points left, limiting his options. If he refused, he and Jiang Zhiwei had shared hardships, their friendship was deep, and she had often helped him. He would feel guilty. Moreover, if he pleased her, he might have more protection in the next mission. But if she were angered, she could easily make things difficult for him in the next mission, leading to his demise.
Indeed, borrowing money was a timeless dilemma! Meng Qi sighed softly. Initially, he decided to “play dead” and see how things developed. But then he thought of Jiang Zhiwei’s character, martial arts skills, and sect background since they had met, and finally blurted out: “Nine out of thirteen!”
Jiang Zhiwei couldn’t help but laugh: “Little monk, where did you learn such nonsense at your age?”
Then, smiling brightly, she playfully bowed: “I appreciate your kindness, but I couldn’t possibly ask this poor monk for alms. I came to guide you, so you don’t choose the wrong martial arts.”
“Please guide me, Miss Jiang.” Relieved that he wouldn’t have to lend “money,” Meng Qi happily bowed.
“Little monk, you really should act more like a monk.” Jiang Zhiwei mimicked the gesture of clasping hands in prayer. “Frankly, you need to redeem a lot before you can stand on your own. Even if we combined all our Virtue Points, it would probably still be insufficient. You must take it step by step.”
“You haven’t learned any techniques for movement. In the future, if enemies attack, you won’t even be able to dodge. And if we have to travel long distances, climb mountains, or pass through forests, you definitely won’t be able to keep up. If things become urgent, we may not be able to wait for you. Therefore, you must learn a lightness martial art.”
“Secondly, you should redeem an external martial art, such as Iron Shirt, which will greatly enhance your survival abilities.”
“These two are the most important. If you still have Virtue Points left, redeem a basic saber technique. Saber techniques are easier to learn than sword techniques and will help you improve your combat skills in the short term. After all, none of us knows when the next reincarnation mission will begin.”
Iron Shirt, saber techniques… Suddenly, an image of a broad-shouldered, bear-like man wielding a long saber with iron-black skin appeared in Meng Qi’s mind. Could this be his future self? This doesn’t match my “ideal” at all! The style is completely off!
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