702 Counsel (2/2)
”Come here,” Meng Qi beckoned with his left hand stretched forward.
The Peach hopped out of its hiding spot and leaped onto Meng Qi's hand, rubbing himself against his palm.
Meng Qi could barely react, and it disappeared in a sudden flash. It had fused itself with the purple mark of a thunderbolt on his hand!
The mark began to change as if fattening after a heavy meal, from its former appearance of a thunderbolt, it transformed into a streak of lightning!
But Meng Qi felt nothing, aside from the change in the shape of the mark. Feeling bewildered and loss for words, he could only sigh,
”And here is one more thing to add to the list of items I need to investigate!”
It was a beautiful day in the sixth month of the year. Lotuses blossomed beautifully with their leaves in cheerful green around the Jade Emperor Mountain. Despite being a mountainous region, different types and varieties of lotuses and other water lilies found in abundance, strewn upon the surfaces of the lakes and ponds nearby.
Meng Qi, clad in green and the Heaven Inflicted Pain hanging by his side, walked uphill like a wanderer who was enjoying the picturesque sceneries nearby. He came to the gates to the stronghold of the Xuan Tian Sect and met the disciples who stood guard at the entrance.
Standing at the banks of a pond filled with lotuses of pale pink, the disciples were all of different fashion. Some had sabers hanging from their belt while some held in their grasp swords of sharp blades. Some were dressed like Taoists while some looked like ordinary people of the common folk.
At the banks of the pond was a stone stele. Engraved upon which were three large words,
”The Pond of Disarmament!”
The Xuan Tian Sect worshipped the Heaven Sovereign. As was the custom of the Celestial Court, none entered the stronghold bearing weapons and no one was allowed to fly within the boundaries of the fortress. Arms were to be left in the safekeeping of the Sect or one's Space Ring or storage bags before passing the Pond of Disarmament.
Meng Qi broke into a smile and bowed gently, ”My name is Su Meng. I would like to request an audience with Brother Qing Yu.”
”Su Meng?” A disciple dressed in Taoist garb uttered as his eyes widen with surprise as curiosity and admiration filled him.
Meng Qi was, in fact, the most heavily-regarded amongst the younger generation of warriors in the Jianghu. But it was not only due to his fame. The Xuan Tian Sect was famous for having the Blade of Timeshadow as its regalia; it was no wonder that they have different potent disciplines of the saber of their own. Thus the disciples of the sect could not help but look up to Meng Qi who was renowned for his use of the saber and compared themselves to him.
Unfortunately, the most prominent of the younger crop of the Xuan Tian Sect, Qing Yu, had lost to Meng Qi by a mere hair's breadth. As time passed, the divide between their skills and powers widen significantly to the point that they were not comparable as equals anymore!
”That is right.” Meng Qi nodded softly.
One by one, the glances of the disciples turned to him. Meng Qi basked in the glimpses and stares of admiration and awe. ”Surely I must indulge myself in my greatness when there is time for it. We have but only one life after all.”
As he waited and enjoyed himself, soaked with the stares of wonders, a disciple had returned to the stronghold of the Sect with news of his arrival. It did not take long for word to reach Qing Yu, who swiftly appeared at the gates. As always, his big eyebrows and thin lips hinted the concealed proudness that belied his warm demeanor. His blade, the Time Sword, hung by his side. A standard blade it could seem from a simple glance, yet within its sheath, it anxiously waited to be unleashed.
He has now reached the Realms of the Exterior.
”What business does Master Su has with me?” Qing Yu regarded his guest, first with confused stares which then subsided as he regained composure.
Meng Qi's eyes twinkled with a smile while he spoke, ”I have a matter which I require your counsel. Please, walk with me.”
Qing Yu followed him, trusting that Meng Qi would never be up to no good in the vicinity of the stronghold.
Meng Qi produced three pieces of papers. With a giggle, he asked, ”I trust Brother Qing Yu you have heard of the incidents in the ruins of the Ninth Heaven? I was able to enter into the domain as well, and I have seen a few things which were peculiar to me. Thus I am here to seek your counsel on them.”
It would surely be an absolute fact that Han Guang would never help him withhold the news of his entry into the Immortal Realm. Han Guang might even promulgate about his co-operation with the cunning demoness Gu Xiaosang and possibly hint that they both share a romance. Hence Meng Qi elected to be forthcoming in dealing with others in respect to the matter.
Qing Yu listened attentively, ”What were they?”
Meng Qi handed him some papers, ”I have illustrated them here.”
On the papers, Meng Qi had drawn the massive and mysterious tree, the green fruit and the sapling that grown from its seed, and the Animated Peach.
Qing Yu read at the descriptions Meng Qi had added: ”connects to all other levels of the Immortal Realm,” ”All will be the same in the future as it is in this lifetime.” and the others. The edges of his lips twitched. ”The illustrations are terrible, and your descriptions are not helpful enough in helping me to understand. Why the hassle? You could have just directly transmitted parts of your memories to me directly using your spiritual powers. Surely you know how to do so?”
”My illustrations are terrible?” Meng Qi could hardly believe his ears, feeling stung by Qing Yu's words. From his forehead, he drew his memories in the form of a golden flash and directed them to Qing Yu.
Qing Yu assimilated Meng Qi's memories and replayed the images in his mind. At length, he frowned, apparently unfamiliar with the things that Meng Qi had pointed out. ”I am well-versed with the lores of our ancient books and records, but I have come across nothing of the three items you mentioned.”
Meng Qi prodded skeptically, ”You might be too young to know everything, Brother. How about seeking counsel from your Elders?”
It was a purposeful sneer in return for his earlier remark about his illustration!
Qing Yu snorted defiantly, ”I am an accomplished scholar in the lore and ancient records of my order. Nobody in the Xuan Tian Sect will have seen them if I have not.”
Meng Qi chortled and steered the subject away from the three unknowns, answering instead a few questions that Qing Yu has about the Immortal Realm. At length, he took his leave and walked downhill and lodged in an inn nearby for the night.
The night came and passed peacefully until dawn. The morning sun reared its head from the East. Meng Qi fingered the Ancient Space-breaching Talisman and sighed,
”It seems that even the Xuan Tian Sect have no idea on what they were...”
He had visited the Sect openly and had done nothing to hide his presence during his stay in an inn nearby. It was a deliberate design by Meng Qi to verify if anyone from the Xuan Tian Sect knows the three unknowns. Somebody would have come and seek him out, or even test him if anyone from the Sect had identified the three items. Nothing had happened through his entire night of waiting!
”Where should I go next...” Meng Qi murmured, wondering on his next step. With the restrictions imposed upon him for his next Death Task, it was imperative that he strengthen himself. Still, it was a perpetual undertaking that he had never once neglected; a practice which he regularly maintained to pursue improvements. To him, methods of hermetic training would be of no use for now.
His thoughts wandered back to the Death Task which was afoot. He began to study the upcoming Task and analyzed the perils that he might face. Finally, he decided upon one of his most pressing issues: the matter of the Blood Sea Rakshasa!
”Should I venture a trip into the Southern WIlderness and ascertain the powers and strength of the Blood-robed Cult as part of my preparations?”