Daoist Sang: I have seen through the truth
Amidst the thick rolling smoke, many people were puzzled about what the shouting meant.
The northern dialect was quite different from the southern vernacular, and in his haste, Daoist Sang naturally couldn’t speak the official language.
Even those who understood were bewildered. “Imperial Teacher Meng?” they wondered. There was no Imperial Teacher in the Qi Dynasty, and the Wu Kingdom only had a few Daoist masters from the Taiji Temple. As for the Tianxiu Kingdom, it was notorious in the martial world. Where did this ‘Imperial Teacher’ come from? Could they have misheard?
As the smoke billowed, the visibility was poor, and only a few people could make out Daoist Sang yelling at the top of his lungs.
Yan Cen couldn’t discern the words clearly, but he sensed that Daoist Sang knew Imperial Teacher Meng, which made him more perplexed.
The head of the Shimo Stronghold had also caught on to some of the words, but he dared not be certain.
Among the ten Daoists in the world, at least nine coveted the title of “Imperial Teacher.”
Just imagine, being bestowed by the emperor, wearing a purple robe to preside over grand ceremonies, and gazing upon high points – it was indeed a pinnacle of fame and fortune.
Daoist Sang retreated several steps in terror, not rubbing his eyes or doubting why Imperial Teacher Meng appeared so young. He trembled all over and dropped his compass to the ground.
“How do you know me?”
Imperial Teacher Meng’s voice was light and airy, seemingly carrying a smile.
However, his expression betrayed otherwise, with an icy and intimidating gaze that exuded authority without anger.
With his back against a tree, Daoist Sang reached into his sleeve, as if clutching a protective object.
Having just used his full strength in an attack, which resulted in a minor internal injury from the counterforce, he was both shocked and furious. His subordinates were either rolling down the cliff or being knocked down by hidden weapons, leaving him in a state of panic and confusion.
Before understanding who this sudden newcomer was, Daoist Sang acted as if he had seen a ghost, shouting nonsensically.
What ‘Imperial Teacher Meng,’ where did this ‘Imperial Teacher’ come from?
“Daoist Sang, who is this person?” Qian Dacheng asked through gritted teeth.
Today, he had fallen, but falling into the hands of an unknown expert was much better than falling into the hands of a bunch of ordinary peasants.
Qian Dacheng, a prominent figure in the south, was well-known in the Green Forests of the Southern Nine Provinces. He knew that his reputation in the martial world would suffer greatly from this defeat.
At the moment, Daoist Sang was too preoccupied to care about what Qian Dacheng was thinking.
He was both anxious and ecstatic.
“Hidden Dragon Lair, there really is a Hidden Dragon Lair here! Otherwise, he wouldn’t be here…”
Daoist Sang muttered to himself in a nervous manner, then covered his mouth abruptly.
Meanwhile, Mo Li emerged slowly from the smoke, surprised that this person could recognize Meng Qi.
Regardless of the prestige of the former Imperial Teacher that might have frightened countless Daoists, Meng Qi now looked much younger. How did Daoist Sang recognize him?
General Liu Dan of the Qi Dynasty only learned the truth about Meng Qi after extensive investigations due to the consecutive mysterious deaths of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, but he didn’t really care about whether Meng Qi was old or young, only that Imperial Teacher Meng might come to kill him. His life was at stake, so how could General Liu not be concerned?
Daoist Sang was different; he didn’t accidentally consume the spiritual medicine raised by Meng Qi, nor did he know about the secret agents of the Embroidered Uniform Guard seeking their own deaths.
Emperor Chu Ling ruled for six years, and then the Qi Dynasty took over, which lasted for sixteen years now.
Meng Qi had disappeared from public view for twenty-five years. It was unlikely that many people remembered his elderly appearance, let alone his younger one.
This doubt puzzled Meng Qi as well.
Now that his memories were partially restored, he had never even heard of the name “Taiji Temple” before tonight, let alone the person Daoist Sang was referring to.
Seeing Daoist Sang cowering and not moving, Meng Qi’s gaze fell on the object he was tightly holding in his hand. Covered by a sleeve, Meng Qi couldn’t see it clearly, but he guessed it must be something like the Thunder Shock Fire, a type of hidden weapon that Daoists liked to use.
As a Daoist himself, Meng Qi was familiar with the tricks played by other Daoists.
“Hmph, just a junior,” Meng Qi sneered, sounding disdainful, and arrogantly said, “Do you really think that you can leave alive after discovering my secret?”
Qian Dacheng’s face darkened, glaring at Daoist Sang. He thought he had been greatly harmed by this cunning person.
Not only had he lost many of his subordinates, but now there was also a possibility of losing his own life.
Wasn’t it said that the Shimo Bandits were just a group of ugly and crude hill bandits? Then what were those attackers using just now? Rolling stones and wooden levers! Could it be that there was actually a rebel army hiding in this mountain?
“Who are you, and who am I? I am an elder of the Dongting Gang. I had no intention of offending you; I was deceived by this Daoist into entering the mountain…”
Qian Dacheng wasted no time in selling out Daoist Sang. His eyes kept examining Meng Qi, then noticed Mo Li standing behind him.
“Deceived? Is that so? There must be something in the mountain that you were after; otherwise, how could you be swayed by a Daoist?” Meng Qi smiled mockingly, his figure flickered, and he directly grabbed Daoist Sang. The latter’s expression changed drastically as he pulled out an item from his sleeve.
“Ah!”
Daoist Sang screamed in agony as his right hand broke, and a dark cylindrical object flew out from it.
Immediately after, a loud explosion of flames erupted, and Qian Dacheng’s men, who were struggling to survive near the cliff, suffered casualties.
Qian Dacheng’s eyes were filled with rage, and he shouted in anger, ready to attack fiercely.
“Stop!” Mo Li intercepted, blocking him.
Qian Dacheng’s fame in the martial world relied on his palm techniques, which were vigorous and domineering, capable of breaking tendons and bones with a touch.
At this moment, he seemed like a mad tiger, launching one attack after another, using offense as defense, attacking desperately toward Mo Li.
Mo Li’s brow slightly furrowed as he skillfully deflected these fierce attacks. Although he rarely employed direct offensive techniques in his martial arts, the rebounding force he redirected back was enough to make Qian Dacheng taste his own medicine.
Qian Dacheng grew increasingly alarmed as he fought. He wasn’t actually trying to fight to the death or avenge his men. He wanted to use this frenzy to dash toward the edge of the smoke and then escape into the woods.
However, all his wild and fierce strikes were effortlessly received by Mo Li, who didn’t budge an inch. Unable to find an opening, Qian Dacheng had no choice but to make a feigned attack and then flee for his life.
Mo Li didn’t pursue him, and Meng Qi remained motionless.
Qian Dacheng rushed into the thick smoke, not hearing any sound of pursuit from behind. Feeling relieved for a moment, he completely ignored the situation in front of him, and the leader of Shimo Bandits struck him with a palm directly to his chest.
Under normal circumstances, the leader would not be a match for this elder from the Dongting Gang.
However, Qian Dacheng was now in a state of chaos, having fought successively with Meng Qi and Mo Li, sustaining severe internal injuries. Being hit again at a vital point, he immediately spewed blood and collapsed to the ground.
“You….”
Qian Dacheng managed to say two words but kept vomiting blood.
Yan Cen walked over with a stern face and drew a dagger from under his cloak. He coldly said, “Elder Qian, nice to meet you.”
Without waiting for Qian Dacheng’s response, he brought down a ruthless blow, hitting the giant of the Green Forests in the forehead. Qian Dacheng struggled for a moment, as if trying to say something, but ultimately died without understanding anything.
“Tell the others to kill them all; leave no one alive.”
Yan Cen said in a low voice, “If it weren’t for the Stone Gully Maze blocking us, and if the doctor hadn’t happened to come to the bandit stronghold today if Qian Dacheng had rushed into the stronghold, we would all have died with nowhere to be buried.”
The leader of Shimo Bandits patted Yan Cen’s shoulder without saying anything.
He had heard of Qian Dacheng’s misdeeds, and killing him and his followers wouldn’t matter much.
Meanwhile, Daoist Sang lost his Thunder Shock Fire to save his life. He was now held by Meng Qi, who lifted him off the ground, his feet kicking wildly. His expression was filled with fear, and he mumbled incoherently, begging for mercy.
Mo Li’s ears twitched; he heard the commotion from behind the smoke and knew that Qian Dacheng was dead.
Mo Li didn’t like killing, and he didn’t believe that it could solve problems. However, he wasn’t naive, and he wouldn’t be moved by the death of an unworthy person. During their fight just now, Qian Dacheng’s every move was ruthless and brutal. Mo Li had already gauged his martial skills. If he and Meng Qi hadn’t come to Shimo Bandit’s hideout, Yan Cen would be too ill to stand up, and the leader would bring his men here, and they would have had to deal with Qian Dacheng’s subordinates as before.
In a fit of rage, Qian Dacheng would have caused countless casualties among those who couldn’t evacuate the Shimo Stronghold in time.
The leader wouldn’t be spared either.
Not to mention that Daoist Sang still had a Thunder Shock Fire in his hand, and this Daoist’s martial skills seemed quite formidable.
Mo Li didn’t want to think about it anymore. He turned around and went to find the people from Shimo Bandits to put out the fire.
In the dense smoke of the forest, the fire wasn’t too big yet, and it could still be controlled.
Yan Cen was forced to stay in place and coordinate manpower; he wasn’t allowed to run around.
Meng Qi kicked over one of Qian Dacheng’s subordinates who was trying to get up and looked interestedly at Daoist Sang. “Have you seen me before? Where? Let me think… It mustn’t have been too long ago. Have you been to Taijing?”
Of course, it wasn’t long ago, because Meng Qi didn’t look like his current appearance over twenty years ago.
Daoist Sang struggled and tried to persuade him, “Your Excellency, King Wu is wise and virtuous. If you are willing to help, I guarantee that you will gain even greater benefits than in the past! Emperor Yuan of Chu treated you as a minister, but King Wu reveres you as a deity, not daring to show the slightest disrespect.”
After Lu Zhang usurped the throne and proclaimed himself Emperor of Qi, not only was he illegitimate in name and lacked proper justification, he didn’t even have the Imperial Seal of the previous dynasty.
There were rumors that this seal was lost during the palace turmoil that night. However, there was another rumor that the Imperial Seal was with the former dynasty’s treasure, all in the hands of the Imperial Teacher, Meng Qi.
Daoist Sang’s persuasion was not only to save his life but also to have ulterior motives.
While Yan Cen listened, he became more suspicious, and his expression changed several times. However, he was young and hadn’t heard of the Imperial Teacher of the Chu Dynasty; he didn’t know about this person.
Meng Qi ignored Daoist Sang’s persuasion. He clenched his fingers and looked at the twisted and purplish face of the latter, smiling, “Although I live in seclusion in the mountains, I occasionally go out. Taijing is bustling, and it’s enjoyable to wander around in my spare time. Tell me, who is your master? Has he ever seen me before? In recent years, has he been to Taijing and unfortunately ran into me?”
Daoist Sang’s pupils contracted, showing extreme fear.
Meng Qi was right. There was once a Tai Chi Observance Master named Taoist Chang Feng who, when young, had joined many other Daoists in heading to the capital, hoping to find a way to settle down and prosper, to teach and preach. However, he ran into a tough character.
At that time, the Chu Dynasty had just been established, and Meng Qi, an old minister of Emperor Li, was inexplicably appointed as the Imperial Teacher.
There were many different opinions about this, some saying that he was not favored by the emperor, while others argued that the national sacrifices were the great ceremony of the country and couldn’t be handled by just anyone. But for ambitious Daoists, Meng Qi was indeed too much of an eyesore.
A martial artist like him, why should he hold the position of the Imperial Teacher?
Daoist Sang wasn’t the favorite disciple of Taoist Chang Feng, so he didn’t know much about the events from that time. However, he could deduce the outcome—the fact that Meng Qi comfortably occupied the position for many years and became a figure that terrified all Daoists in Taijing.
Taoist Chang Feng, who had avoided Taijing for sixty years, finally went to the capital after the establishment of the Qi Dynasty, accompanied by a group of disciples.
But what a coincidence it was! He suddenly saw someone in the crowd.
The elderly Taoist Chang Feng was so frightened that he fainted and lost his life before he even reached the inn.
Not only Daoist Sang but all those who had accompanied Taoist Chang Feng to the capital remembered Meng Qi’s appearance and the name they heard him shouting out in terror.
Although Meng Qi’s existence had been deliberately downplayed, and historical records contained only limited information, the Daoists of various sects had not forgotten about him.
The Daoists from Tai Chi Observance meticulously investigated and soon understood the truth: there indeed existed someone who appeared to defy aging!
Wasn’t that the legendary immortal being?
Except for a few Daoists who knew they were being deceived, most of them firmly believed in the quest for immortality, alchemy, Feng Shui, and the interpretations of good and bad omens. They had written many books on these subjects and were thoroughly convinced themselves.
Now suddenly, they had encountered a seemingly divine figure who had even frightened their master to death. It was no wonder that Daoist Sang was terrified.
The increasing fame of Qingwu Ancestor in the north had also become a reason for Tai Chi Observance not daring to venture northward.
When Daoist Sang came to Yongzhou this time, he thought that as long as he avoided Taijing, he would be safe. Yet, he ended up encountering Meng Qi in this remote mountainous area, and his fear was now overwhelming.
He had tried to invoke the name of King Wu, but it was useless. He felt hopeless, as he knew deep down that Meng Qi was far more powerful than himself.
As soon as Meng Qi let go, Daoist Sang fell to the ground and coughed for a long time before recovering.
His eyes turned, and he believed more and more that this was the hidden dragon’s lair, and if he broke it, he could end the Qi Dynasty.
Daoist Sang knew in his heart that Qingwu Ancestor’s abilities should be higher than his own.
The books of his sect only mentioned the concept of “severing the dragon veins,” whereas the other party could not only sever the dragon veins but also redirect them to serve others, creating momentum for the Heavenly King. How much more powerful could Meng Qi, the Imperial Teacher, be?
Peng Zu was also an Earth Immortal, and he died at the age of eight hundred.
So what the venerable Imperial Teacher Meng truly values and desires–
Seeing an opportunity, his eyes lit up, and he quickly pleaded, “Master, spare my life, and I will help you obtain the Dragon Vein!”
Author’s note:
Daoist Sang: The truth has been revealed to me. Meng Qi wishes to possess the Dragon Vein!
Mo Li: …
Meng Qi: …
Meng Qi: Should I applaud for you? Indifference.jpg
Author: Well, the cannon fodder didn’t say anything entirely wrong.
Daoist Sang: I have seen through the truth
Amidst the thick rolling smoke, many people were puzzled about what the shouting meant.
The northern dialect was quite different from the southern vernacular, and in his haste, Daoist Sang naturally couldn’t speak the official language.
Even those who understood were bewildered. “Imperial Teacher Meng?” they wondered. There was no Imperial Teacher in the Qi Dynasty, and the Wu Kingdom only had a few Daoist masters from the Taiji Temple. As for the Tianxiu Kingdom, it was notorious in the martial world. Where did this ‘Imperial Teacher’ come from? Could they have misheard?
As the smoke billowed, the visibility was poor, and only a few people could make out Daoist Sang yelling at the top of his lungs.
Yan Cen couldn’t discern the words clearly, but he sensed that Daoist Sang knew Imperial Teacher Meng, which made him more perplexed.
The head of the Shimo Stronghold had also caught on to some of the words, but he dared not be certain.
Among the ten Daoists in the world, at least nine coveted the title of “Imperial Teacher.”
Just imagine, being bestowed by the emperor, wearing a purple robe to preside over grand ceremonies, and gazing upon high points – it was indeed a pinnacle of fame and fortune.
Daoist Sang retreated several steps in terror, not rubbing his eyes or doubting why Imperial Teacher Meng appeared so young. He trembled all over and dropped his compass to the ground.
“How do you know me?”
Imperial Teacher Meng’s voice was light and airy, seemingly carrying a smile.
However, his expression betrayed otherwise, with an icy and intimidating gaze that exuded authority without anger.
With his back against a tree, Daoist Sang reached into his sleeve, as if clutching a protective object.
Having just used his full strength in an attack, which resulted in a minor internal injury from the counterforce, he was both shocked and furious. His subordinates were either rolling down the cliff or being knocked down by hidden weapons, leaving him in a state of panic and confusion.
Before understanding who this sudden newcomer was, Daoist Sang acted as if he had seen a ghost, shouting nonsensically.
What ‘Imperial Teacher Meng,’ where did this ‘Imperial Teacher’ come from?
“Daoist Sang, who is this person?” Qian Dacheng asked through gritted teeth.
Today, he had fallen, but falling into the hands of an unknown expert was much better than falling into the hands of a bunch of ordinary peasants.
Qian Dacheng, a prominent figure in the south, was well-known in the Green Forests of the Southern Nine Provinces. He knew that his reputation in the martial world would suffer greatly from this defeat.
At the moment, Daoist Sang was too preoccupied to care about what Qian Dacheng was thinking.
He was both anxious and ecstatic.
“Hidden Dragon Lair, there really is a Hidden Dragon Lair here! Otherwise, he wouldn’t be here…”
Daoist Sang muttered to himself in a nervous manner, then covered his mouth abruptly.
Meanwhile, Mo Li emerged slowly from the smoke, surprised that this person could recognize Meng Qi.
Regardless of the prestige of the former Imperial Teacher that might have frightened countless Daoists, Meng Qi now looked much younger. How did Daoist Sang recognize him?
General Liu Dan of the Qi Dynasty only learned the truth about Meng Qi after extensive investigations due to the consecutive mysterious deaths of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, but he didn’t really care about whether Meng Qi was old or young, only that Imperial Teacher Meng might come to kill him. His life was at stake, so how could General Liu not be concerned?
Daoist Sang was different; he didn’t accidentally consume the spiritual medicine raised by Meng Qi, nor did he know about the secret agents of the Embroidered Uniform Guard seeking their own deaths.
Emperor Chu Ling ruled for six years, and then the Qi Dynasty took over, which lasted for sixteen years now.
Meng Qi had disappeared from public view for twenty-five years. It was unlikely that many people remembered his elderly appearance, let alone his younger one.
This doubt puzzled Meng Qi as well.
Now that his memories were partially restored, he had never even heard of the name “Taiji Temple” before tonight, let alone the person Daoist Sang was referring to.
Seeing Daoist Sang cowering and not moving, Meng Qi’s gaze fell on the object he was tightly holding in his hand. Covered by a sleeve, Meng Qi couldn’t see it clearly, but he guessed it must be something like the Thunder Shock Fire, a type of hidden weapon that Daoists liked to use.
As a Daoist himself, Meng Qi was familiar with the tricks played by other Daoists.
“Hmph, just a junior,” Meng Qi sneered, sounding disdainful, and arrogantly said, “Do you really think that you can leave alive after discovering my secret?”
Qian Dacheng’s face darkened, glaring at Daoist Sang. He thought he had been greatly harmed by this cunning person.
Not only had he lost many of his subordinates, but now there was also a possibility of losing his own life.
Wasn’t it said that the Shimo Bandits were just a group of ugly and crude hill bandits? Then what were those attackers using just now? Rolling stones and wooden levers! Could it be that there was actually a rebel army hiding in this mountain?
“Who are you, and who am I? I am an elder of the Dongting Gang. I had no intention of offending you; I was deceived by this Daoist into entering the mountain…”
Qian Dacheng wasted no time in selling out Daoist Sang. His eyes kept examining Meng Qi, then noticed Mo Li standing behind him.
“Deceived? Is that so? There must be something in the mountain that you were after; otherwise, how could you be swayed by a Daoist?” Meng Qi smiled mockingly, his figure flickered, and he directly grabbed Daoist Sang. The latter’s expression changed drastically as he pulled out an item from his sleeve.
“Ah!”
Daoist Sang screamed in agony as his right hand broke, and a dark cylindrical object flew out from it.
Immediately after, a loud explosion of flames erupted, and Qian Dacheng’s men, who were struggling to survive near the cliff, suffered casualties.
Qian Dacheng’s eyes were filled with rage, and he shouted in anger, ready to attack fiercely.
“Stop!” Mo Li intercepted, blocking him.
Qian Dacheng’s fame in the martial world relied on his palm techniques, which were vigorous and domineering, capable of breaking tendons and bones with a touch.
At this moment, he seemed like a mad tiger, launching one attack after another, using offense as defense, attacking desperately toward Mo Li.
Mo Li’s brow slightly furrowed as he skillfully deflected these fierce attacks. Although he rarely employed direct offensive techniques in his martial arts, the rebounding force he redirected back was enough to make Qian Dacheng taste his own medicine.
Qian Dacheng grew increasingly alarmed as he fought. He wasn’t actually trying to fight to the death or avenge his men. He wanted to use this frenzy to dash toward the edge of the smoke and then escape into the woods.
However, all his wild and fierce strikes were effortlessly received by Mo Li, who didn’t budge an inch. Unable to find an opening, Qian Dacheng had no choice but to make a feigned attack and then flee for his life.
Mo Li didn’t pursue him, and Meng Qi remained motionless.
Qian Dacheng rushed into the thick smoke, not hearing any sound of pursuit from behind. Feeling relieved for a moment, he completely ignored the situation in front of him, and the leader of Shimo Bandits struck him with a palm directly to his chest.
Under normal circumstances, the leader would not be a match for this elder from the Dongting Gang.
However, Qian Dacheng was now in a state of chaos, having fought successively with Meng Qi and Mo Li, sustaining severe internal injuries. Being hit again at a vital point, he immediately spewed blood and collapsed to the ground.
“You….”
Qian Dacheng managed to say two words but kept vomiting blood.
Yan Cen walked over with a stern face and drew a dagger from under his cloak. He coldly said, “Elder Qian, nice to meet you.”
Without waiting for Qian Dacheng’s response, he brought down a ruthless blow, hitting the giant of the Green Forests in the forehead. Qian Dacheng struggled for a moment, as if trying to say something, but ultimately died without understanding anything.
“Tell the others to kill them all; leave no one alive.”
Yan Cen said in a low voice, “If it weren’t for the Stone Gully Maze blocking us, and if the doctor hadn’t happened to come to the bandit stronghold today if Qian Dacheng had rushed into the stronghold, we would all have died with nowhere to be buried.”
The leader of Shimo Bandits patted Yan Cen’s shoulder without saying anything.
He had heard of Qian Dacheng’s misdeeds, and killing him and his followers wouldn’t matter much.
Meanwhile, Daoist Sang lost his Thunder Shock Fire to save his life. He was now held by Meng Qi, who lifted him off the ground, his feet kicking wildly. His expression was filled with fear, and he mumbled incoherently, begging for mercy.
Mo Li’s ears twitched; he heard the commotion from behind the smoke and knew that Qian Dacheng was dead.
Mo Li didn’t like killing, and he didn’t believe that it could solve problems. However, he wasn’t naive, and he wouldn’t be moved by the death of an unworthy person. During their fight just now, Qian Dacheng’s every move was ruthless and brutal. Mo Li had already gauged his martial skills. If he and Meng Qi hadn’t come to Shimo Bandit’s hideout, Yan Cen would be too ill to stand up, and the leader would bring his men here, and they would have had to deal with Qian Dacheng’s subordinates as before.
In a fit of rage, Qian Dacheng would have caused countless casualties among those who couldn’t evacuate the Shimo Stronghold in time.
The leader wouldn’t be spared either.
Not to mention that Daoist Sang still had a Thunder Shock Fire in his hand, and this Daoist’s martial skills seemed quite formidable.
Mo Li didn’t want to think about it anymore. He turned around and went to find the people from Shimo Bandits to put out the fire.
In the dense smoke of the forest, the fire wasn’t too big yet, and it could still be controlled.
Yan Cen was forced to stay in place and coordinate manpower; he wasn’t allowed to run around.
Meng Qi kicked over one of Qian Dacheng’s subordinates who was trying to get up and looked interestedly at Daoist Sang. “Have you seen me before? Where? Let me think… It mustn’t have been too long ago. Have you been to Taijing?”
Of course, it wasn’t long ago, because Meng Qi didn’t look like his current appearance over twenty years ago.
Daoist Sang struggled and tried to persuade him, “Your Excellency, King Wu is wise and virtuous. If you are willing to help, I guarantee that you will gain even greater benefits than in the past! Emperor Yuan of Chu treated you as a minister, but King Wu reveres you as a deity, not daring to show the slightest disrespect.”
After Lu Zhang usurped the throne and proclaimed himself Emperor of Qi, not only was he illegitimate in name and lacked proper justification, he didn’t even have the Imperial Seal of the previous dynasty.
There were rumors that this seal was lost during the palace turmoil that night. However, there was another rumor that the Imperial Seal was with the former dynasty’s treasure, all in the hands of the Imperial Teacher, Meng Qi.
Daoist Sang’s persuasion was not only to save his life but also to have ulterior motives.
While Yan Cen listened, he became more suspicious, and his expression changed several times. However, he was young and hadn’t heard of the Imperial Teacher of the Chu Dynasty; he didn’t know about this person.
Meng Qi ignored Daoist Sang’s persuasion. He clenched his fingers and looked at the twisted and purplish face of the latter, smiling, “Although I live in seclusion in the mountains, I occasionally go out. Taijing is bustling, and it’s enjoyable to wander around in my spare time. Tell me, who is your master? Has he ever seen me before? In recent years, has he been to Taijing and unfortunately ran into me?”
Daoist Sang’s pupils contracted, showing extreme fear.
Meng Qi was right. There was once a Tai Chi Observance Master named Taoist Chang Feng who, when young, had joined many other Daoists in heading to the capital, hoping to find a way to settle down and prosper, to teach and preach. However, he ran into a tough character.
At that time, the Chu Dynasty had just been established, and Meng Qi, an old minister of Emperor Li, was inexplicably appointed as the Imperial Teacher.
There were many different opinions about this, some saying that he was not favored by the emperor, while others argued that the national sacrifices were the great ceremony of the country and couldn’t be handled by just anyone. But for ambitious Daoists, Meng Qi was indeed too much of an eyesore.
A martial artist like him, why should he hold the position of the Imperial Teacher?
Daoist Sang wasn’t the favorite disciple of Taoist Chang Feng, so he didn’t know much about the events from that time. However, he could deduce the outcome—the fact that Meng Qi comfortably occupied the position for many years and became a figure that terrified all Daoists in Taijing.
Taoist Chang Feng, who had avoided Taijing for sixty years, finally went to the capital after the establishment of the Qi Dynasty, accompanied by a group of disciples.
But what a coincidence it was! He suddenly saw someone in the crowd.
The elderly Taoist Chang Feng was so frightened that he fainted and lost his life before he even reached the inn.
Not only Daoist Sang but all those who had accompanied Taoist Chang Feng to the capital remembered Meng Qi’s appearance and the name they heard him shouting out in terror.
Although Meng Qi’s existence had been deliberately downplayed, and historical records contained only limited information, the Daoists of various sects had not forgotten about him.
The Daoists from Tai Chi Observance meticulously investigated and soon understood the truth: there indeed existed someone who appeared to defy aging!
Wasn’t that the legendary immortal being?
Except for a few Daoists who knew they were being deceived, most of them firmly believed in the quest for immortality, alchemy, Feng Shui, and the interpretations of good and bad omens. They had written many books on these subjects and were thoroughly convinced themselves.
Now suddenly, they had encountered a seemingly divine figure who had even frightened their master to death. It was no wonder that Daoist Sang was terrified.
The increasing fame of Qingwu Ancestor in the north had also become a reason for Tai Chi Observance not daring to venture northward.
When Daoist Sang came to Yongzhou this time, he thought that as long as he avoided Taijing, he would be safe. Yet, he ended up encountering Meng Qi in this remote mountainous area, and his fear was now overwhelming.
He had tried to invoke the name of King Wu, but it was useless. He felt hopeless, as he knew deep down that Meng Qi was far more powerful than himself.
As soon as Meng Qi let go, Daoist Sang fell to the ground and coughed for a long time before recovering.
His eyes turned, and he believed more and more that this was the hidden dragon’s lair, and if he broke it, he could end the Qi Dynasty.
Daoist Sang knew in his heart that Qingwu Ancestor’s abilities should be higher than his own.
The books of his sect only mentioned the concept of “severing the dragon veins,” whereas the other party could not only sever the dragon veins but also redirect them to serve others, creating momentum for the Heavenly King. How much more powerful could Meng Qi, the Imperial Teacher, be?
Peng Zu was also an Earth Immortal, and he died at the age of eight hundred.
So what the venerable Imperial Teacher Meng truly values and desires–
Seeing an opportunity, his eyes lit up, and he quickly pleaded, “Master, spare my life, and I will help you obtain the Dragon Vein!”
Author’s note:
Daoist Sang: The truth has been revealed to me. Meng Qi wishes to possess the Dragon Vein!
Mo Li: …
Meng Qi: …
Meng Qi: Should I applaud for you? Indifference.jpg
Author: Well, the cannon fodder didn’t say anything entirely wrong.
