After drawing water and eating breakfast, Meng Qi eagerly grabbed his broom and headed for Chan Xin Courtyard, intending to find out from Jiang Zhiwei, Zhang Yuanshan, and the others why the bells had rung so urgently that morning.
Was it because Qing Jing's death had been discovered?
Had the Dharma Body Masters found any clues? How were the various Great Jin sects responding?
With these questions in mind, Meng Qi entered Chan Xin Courtyard and pretended to sweep the thin layer of snow that had accumulated again overnight.
As he worked, he quietly watched the disciples of the various sects coming and going through the courtyards. Most wore expressions of shock and confusion, but only a few looked grave, as if burdened by heavy thoughts.
"Junior Brother sweeping over there." Zhang Yuanshan's familiar voice suddenly reached Meng Qi's ears.
Meng Qi turned to look. Zhang Yuanshan stood in front of a guest room, beckoning him over. "Would you mind coming in to sweep, Junior Brother? I'm feeling unsettled and made a mess of the floor."
"Of course." Meng Qi knew Zhang Yuanshan was making an excuse to bring him inside. He immediately picked up his broom and dustpan and headed for the guest room.
Zhang Yuanshan waited there with impeccable manners, stepping aside to let Meng Qi enter first. Then he casually surveyed their surroundings.
The moment Meng Qi entered, a bright swath of goose yellow caught his eye. Jiang Zhiwei was here too.
To be safe, he lowered his head and swept up the stains and scraps on the floor.
Jiang Zhiwei chuckled. "Little Monk, it's you again?"
"This humble monk has been assigned to sweep Chan Xin Courtyard these past two days, Benefactor Jiang." Meng Qi could tell Jiang Zhiwei was pretending they had only met once yesterday, so he played along.
At the address "Benefactor Jiang," Jiang Zhiwei raised her right hand to cover her mouth, then lowered her expression into solemnity. When Zhang Yuanshan came back into the room, she said, "Senior Brother Zhang, Sister Qi and I fought yesterday, but became friends through it. Who would have thought she'd meet such a calamity today? I can't find peace. You were very close to her. Have you recalled any clues? I'll use the sword in my hand to win Sister Qi the justice she deserves!"
Yesterday, Qi Xia had been eliminated by her.
What? Qi Xia was dead? Shock crashed through Meng Qi like a raging storm, impossible to contain. How could Qi Xia have died? That clever, lovely Jiangnan girl who adored mechanisms and hidden weapons?
Clack. Though he fought to keep his composure, he still failed to hold on to his broom. This was nothing like any of the possibilities he had imagined!
The sound of the broom hitting the floor brought Meng Qi partly back to his senses. He hurriedly bent to pick it up, pretending to be flustered. "I-I'm sorry, this humble monk was careless."
His stammering wasn't an act. He was simply too shocked.
"It's all right. At the time, I was no less shocked than you. This is truly horrifying." Zhang Yuanshan offered Meng Qi the same reassurance he might have given an unfamiliar Shaolin disciple. Then he turned to Jiang Zhiwei. "I met Junior Sister Qi once in Maoling before the new year. Though we spoke frankly despite our shallow acquaintance, I noticed nothing unusual. It seems just as Grandmaster Kong Wen said: she was killed by the curse inside her when she tried to expose that secret. Alas, Junior Sister Qi was in the prime of her life. Who could have known she'd die so young? It's truly heartbreaking."
The grief and regret in his voice were genuine.
They couldn't openly discuss organizations like Immortal Trace, but Qi Xia and Qing Jing's deaths couldn't be kept under wraps. Soon everyone would know. So Zhang Yuanshan and Jiang Zhiwei had taken this opportunity to tell Meng Qi in advance, lest he give himself away when he first heard the news in front of the other monks.
So Qi Xia had been killed for trying to reveal the Reincarnation World... The Dharma Body Master must have been right there, yet she was still killed? Was the Lord of Six Paths Samsara truly so powerful? Meng Qi understood the reason for Qi Xia's death, but the storm in his heart showed no sign of calming. Given even the slightest chance, who would willingly be controlled? Who would willingly be forced into all sorts of dangerous missions in exchange for divine arts and immortal pills?
Was even the Dharma Body Master Dragon Subduing Arhat powerless to stop the Lord of Six Paths Samsara?
Jiang Zhiwei sighed. "Qing Jing's death was just as mysterious. The culprit behind it is truly despicable!"
"Yesterday, I had a question. I wonder if Junior Sister Jiang noticed it too?" Zhang Yuanshan pondered for a moment, then said, "When Junior Sister Qi's curse flared up, Grandmaster Kong Wen said he was a step too late, but he never revealed the power of his Golden Body. That's very unusual. I privately asked Martial Uncle Xuan Yuanzi about it, but he only said the rumors were true."
Jiang Zhiwei pursed her lips. "I noticed that too. When I returned to Chan Xin Courtyard, I asked my master. He only told me to gather information and draw my own conclusions."
He hadn't revealed his Arhat Golden Body? That meant they still couldn't prove the Lord of Six Paths Samsara far surpassed the Dharma Body realm and had reached the legendary heights of the Daoist Master and Buddha. Meng Qi felt slightly relieved, and grew even more curious about why Kong Wen hadn't revealed his Golden Body.
"In the end, our strength is still too low for us to reach the higher levels of these matters." Zhang Yuanshan sighed with heartfelt sincerity. He no longer had any trace of the pride he'd once kept hidden—at his age, his martial arts had been good enough.
Only by growing stronger, stronger, and stronger could they gradually escape the Lord of Six Paths Samsara and avoid dying in its cruel missions. Yet to grow stronger quickly, they seemed to have to rely on the Lord of Six Paths Samsara...
Jiang Zhiwei's five right-hand fingers moved over her sword sheath as if plucking a Seven-Stringed Zither, gently brushing its surface. Gazing at the faintly blue sky beyond the window, she spoke with solemn resolve. "Perhaps one day we'll face something similar. When that happens, we can only carve out a sliver of life with the long sword in our hands. I offer these words to encourage you, Senior Brother Zhang."
The two spoke as though Meng Qi were invisible, taking turns recalling what had happened that morning in Daxiong Baodian, except for the matters of Immortal Trace and Mythos.
They would have to wait until their next reincarnation mission to discuss those things on the White Jade Plaza. Otherwise, if the senior members of the various sects in the courtyard overheard them, they would certainly become suspicious.
Meng Qi slowly finished sweeping the floor. After Jiang Zhiwei left first, he returned to the courtyard and continued his "sweeping career," his thoughts churning and tumbling over one another, impossible to calm.
After lunch, Meng Qi followed the Iron Cloth Shirt manual and began circulating his True Qi, striving to turn what others had infused into him into something truly his own.
Just then, Xuan Xin struck the small bell in the courtyard and summoned everyone.
"Go at once and clean the plaza by the main gate. We're seeing off the benefactors from the various sects." Xuan Xin looked like he'd been woken from a sound sleep, and barked the order irritably. Then he muttered under his breath, "Has the Chief Monk's brain been eaten by a monster? Since when does Shaolin have to show such deference to the other sects?"
Meng Qi had a rough idea why. Heirs of both Xuantian Sect and the Great River Gang had died in the temple. Shaolin was in the wrong, so they had to make some kind of gesture.
Soon everyone carried their brooms, buckets, and other tools to the plaza near the main gate. They divided up the area and got to work in a flurry.
Having "mastered" the Iron Cloth Shirt and gained a rudimentary grasp of internal energy, Meng Qi found the work even easier. Several times, he was tempted to take the opportunity to practice Eight Steps of Divine Travel, but he knew there were countless experts among the visiting guests and the monks seeing them off. If anyone noticed that the Lightness Skill he practiced wasn't Shaolin's, the current situation would surely earn him a thorough interrogation.
Amid the tinkling of the wind chimes, Zhen Yan suddenly pointed into the distance. "Junior Brother Zhending, that's Benefactor Jiang Zhiwei, the Sword Washing Pavilion heir who came first in this martial contest."
He, Meng Qi, and Zhenhui were close, so they had naturally gathered together after finishing the cleanup.
At that moment, the experts and disciples of the various sects were heading toward the main gate, accompanied by several abbots and elders in red kasayas. Zhen Yan was pointing at Jiang Zhiwei, who walked behind a man in blue.
As if I need you to introduce her. We're practically old friends! Meng Qi grumbled inwardly in modern language, but outwardly pretended to be thrilled. "Oh, that young lady! She helped me once when I was sweeping Chan Xin Courtyard."
"Senior Brother, that doesn't seem right." Zhenhui gazed blankly at Meng Qi.
Curious, Zhen Yan asked, "Junior Brother Zhending, is Benefactor Jiang Zhiwei the kind of woman who's proud and cold? I heard that women with excellent swordsmanship and high martial skills are mostly like that."
Meng Qi had wanted to brag a little, but in the end he managed to hold back. "I wouldn't know. Judging by the way she helped me, she seems very easy to get along with. By the way, Little Junior Brother, what doesn't seem right?"
Zhenhui frowned at Meng Qi. "Senior Brother, isn't it usually the hero who rescues the beauty?"
Get lost! Meng Qi wanted to shout at his foolish junior brother.
Zhen Yan couldn't help laughing. He knew Zhenhui was far too immersed in all the jianghu stories Meng Qi made up.
The servant monks around them began murmuring.
"Is that Zhang Yuanshan of the True Martial Sect? I heard from another Senior Brother that he's a famous young expert of his generation, and has a chance of making the Human Ranking."
"That's him. But I heard he lost to Jiang Zhiwei of Sword Washing Pavilion by half a move yesterday."
"That delicate little girl?"
"Don't underestimate a girl. My mother told me that the prettier a girl is, the more dangerous she is!"
The servant monks had ended up in the Servant Courtyard for one reason or another, and some of them were bound to speak crudely.
"Ah, what does it matter if she's a girl? In ten years, she'll probably reach the Exterior realm and become a true expert. With her looks and status, countless handsome young heroes of the jianghu will chase after her and exalt her as a fairy," Zhen Yan suddenly sighed. "Zhang Yuanshan is the same. He's a direct disciple of the True Martial Sect and highly regarded by his elders. His future is limitless. It's nothing like our lot—we're just monks who sweep and run errands, not even qualified to stand beside them!"
"Exactly. Forget standing beside them; I'd be satisfied if they even glanced at me. When I return to lay life, I'll have something to boast about to the neighbors: I once had a close acquaintance with some great hero or fairy of the jianghu." The other servant monks voiced similar sentiments.
For a moment, the Servant Courtyard monks were filled with envy, jealousy, and resentment.
Suddenly, Jiang Zhiwei and Zhang Yuanshan, who were walking along, both turned their heads toward them and nodded almost imperceptibly to Meng Qi.
"Haha, they're looking at me?"
"Are you satisfied now?"
"Who? Who are they looking at?"
The servant monks grew excited at once, chattering among themselves.
Meng Qi exhaled, soothing the peculiar feelings that had suddenly stirred within him, and watched Jiang Zhiwei and the others leave.
"They'll be mighty figures who dominate the jianghu in the years to come!"
With similar sighs, Meng Qi, Zhenhui, and Zhen Yan gathered their tools and headed back to the Servant Courtyard.
As they walked, Zhen Yan said sadly, "They're climbing a ladder to the heavens, while we can't even take the tiny step of leaving the Servant Courtyard. Alas, Junior Brother Zhending, Junior Brother Zhenhui, aren't you sad? Don't you despair?"
Meng Qi thought, I need to find a chance to leave Shaolin. With the Reincarnation World in the picture, my martial arts might suddenly soar, and staying here would surely arouse suspicion. But there's no need to rush. Right now, I urgently need to spar with experts. If I leave Shaolin, with my current strength it'll be hard to find a suitable opponent who won't take my life. My Iron Cloth Shirt is only at Minor Qi Accumulation, and it's an ordinary martial art, so I don't have to worry about being found out. There are plenty of excuses I can use.
Besides, if I can take this chance to apprentice myself to a master and learn one of the Seventy-two Unique Skills, my odds of surviving in the Reincarnation World will be much higher. I'll have to go down the mountain eventually anyway.
At that moment, Zhenhui answered foolishly, "Why should I be sad? When sweeping, focus on sweeping. When eating, focus on eating. When listening to stories, focus on listening to stories. When sleeping, focus on sleeping. Why would I be sad?"
"Huh?" Zhen Yan was stunned and didn't answer, but a surprised voice came from beside them.
Meng Qi didn't need to turn around. After opening his Dantian and greatly improving his ability to build up internal energy, his senses had already detected the fearsome Martial Uncle Xuanku and another monk in yellow robes approaching.
"Martial Uncle Xuanku, Martial Uncle Xuan Chi." Zhen Yan followed the voice and looked over, quickly pressing his palms together.
After Meng Qi and Zhenhui had also paid their respects, Xuanku nodded. "Zhenhui, go to the Warrior Monk Institute tomorrow."
Huh? Zhenhui himself still had no idea what was going on, but Meng Qi and Zhen Yan were both shocked.
Xuan Chi, whose skin glimmered faintly gold and whose bearing was lean and fierce, looked Meng Qi over. "You're Zhending?"
"This disciple is." Meng Qi felt completely bewildered.
Xuan Chi nodded slightly. "You're going to the Warrior Monk Institute tomorrow too."
Huh? Meng Qi was stunned.
Before you continue