Chapter 41

Holding a firebrand, Meng Qi carefully searched the stone room but found nothing else. However, he was still very satisfied. Being able to inherit the true meaning of an external landscape-level sword technique and to comprehend the incomplete form of the first move was already a great fortune!

On the way back, Meng Qi was hesitating whether to share his discovery with Jiang Zhwei, Zhang Yuanshan, and others. In similar situations, anyone would choose to keep it a secret and use the sword technique as a last resort for survival, which was understandable, and Jiang Zhwei and the others would certainly understand. However, they would still need to work together to complete the cycle tasks in the future, and this approach would not help deepen their bonds. Besides, what he had obtained was the true meaning of the inheritance, which they could not take even if they wanted to, as he could only reproduce the incomplete form of the first move.

However, if he did this, if any of them betrayed him in the future, all his martial arts skills would be clearly known to the enemy, leaving him with no trump card.

"Junior Brother Zhen Ding, have you found any enemies?" Seeing Meng Qi return, Qi Zhengyan, who had been silent for a long time, asked. Zhang Yuanshan and Jiang Zhwei still had their eyes closed, seemingly uninterested.

Meng Qi pondered for a moment and made a decision: "No enemies, but there is the incomplete form of the first move of the 'Arhat Breaking Precepts Saber Technique' on the rock wall."

He decided to keep the true meaning of the inheritance a secret and honestly share the sword technique, using this attitude of trust to gain the trust of Jiang Zhwei, Zhang Yuanshan, and Qi Zhengyan, laying a foundation for future cooperation in the cycle tasks.

"Arhat Breaking Precepts Saber Technique?" Jiang Zhwei opened her eyes, surprised, clearly pretending to be indifferent earlier, just following the habits and rules of the martial world to avoid conflict. Meng Qi's honesty shocked her greatly.

Similarly, Zhang Yuanshan and Qi Zhengyan could not remain calm, looking at Meng Qi with surprise.

"Yes, but only the incomplete form of the first move." Meng Qi nodded inwardly, seeing their surprised expressions, which was the effect he wanted.

"The incomplete form is fine. I remember the exchange list has an entry for 'completing an incomplete form.' The less incomplete it is, the fewer good deeds are required, probably less than one-tenth of the original." Jiang Zhwei smiled, "Little monk, you don't need to tell us about such encounters. Everyone has their own secrets, I do, and so do Senior Brother Zhang and Senior Brother Qi."

Can the incomplete form be completed? Meng Qi became excited immediately. The "Severing Purity" he had comprehended was not very incomplete, so it would probably not require many good deeds!

This made him feel very good, and he said with a smile, "We have shared life and death, and we will need to work together in the future. If I hide the sword technique, it will be easy to miscalculate our strength when planning. After all, it's just an incomplete form."

He explained from both the perspective of friendship and practical needs, emphasizing the recognition of "friendship."

"Little monk, it's really not necessary. When planning, you just need to say what level of enemy you can handle, there's no need to reveal your ultimate moves." Jiang Zhwei smiled, although she thought it was unnecessary, Meng Qi's honesty still made her very happy, at least proving that he truly considered them as comrades-in-arms.

Meng Qi was taken aback: "I didn't think it could be like this..."

Ha ha, Jiang Zhwei laughed, and Zhang Yuanshan also couldn't help but laugh and shake his head: "Junior Brother Zhen Ding, it's a good thing it's us. If it were someone with ulterior motives, your Arhat Breaking Precepts Saber Technique would lose its element of surprise. You're still too young and lack experience in the martial world."

His gaze was gentle, and his smile sincere, clearly showing more recognition of Meng Qi.

Qi Zhengyan, who had just finished recounting his inner journey, nodded at Meng Qi, who had been honest: "Sometimes, if your companions know you have a trump card, they will be less panicked and more calm, which can make the enemy more cautious, losing the element of surprise. As long as the intention is good, we won't mind your appropriate concealment."

He was also explaining his previous concealment of the "Mother and Son Soul-Parting Dart."

After being open and honest, their relationship seemed to have improved significantly.

"Senior Brother Qi, you've become more talkative since you were injured." Meng Qi teased, then quickly changed the subject before Qi Zhengyan's face turned black, "In addition, there is a stone door embedded in the rock wall, with the words 'Righteousness, Benevolence, and Kindness, Do Not Enter This Door'..."

He recounted his other discoveries, hoping Zhang Yuanshan, Jiang Zhwei, and others might have some clues.

...

Duo Er Cha's gaze moved down, looking at the traces left in the forest, and he snorted: "Sure enough, they are just beginners."

Following the traces that Meng Qi and the others had not had time to erase, Duo Er Cha walked slowly and soon reached the vicinity of the red boulder.

"Huh?" He found the traces disappearing here and looked around cautiously.

His body was still trembling, and sweat dripped from his forehead, showing that he was not at ease.

After confirming no one was around, Duo Er Cha frowned in confusion. They couldn't have the ability to fly or disappear, so how could they vanish into thin air?

Perhaps they noticed the traces and deliberately erased them.

Duo Er Cha paced back and forth, then observed the nearby traces again, finding one disappearing behind the red boulder and another stopping before the cliff wall.

He thought for a moment, then walked behind the boulder with a blank expression, extending his right hand to search for a mechanism.

A situation like this could fool others, but not someone who had roamed the martial world for years.

Isn't it just a secret passage?

Your traces are too obvious, not like those of disciples allowed to leave the mountain by prestigious sects, but more like those of martial world novices!

But these novices are surprisingly strong...

...

"'Righteousness, Benevolence, and Kindness, Do Not Enter This Door'... I've never heard of it." Zhang Yuanshan frowned in thought, then shook his head.

Just as he finished speaking, a rustling sound suddenly came from outside, and the four of them looked in shock to see Duo Er Cha, with a face full of scars, standing quietly, waiting for the secret passage entrance to fully open.

"How could he find it!" Meng Qi was shocked.

Qi Zhengyan, shocked and filled with regret, said: "We forgot to erase the traces..."

At the time, with lightning and thunder, and the wind and clouds, he and Meng Qi were in a panic, and without similar experience, they forgot to erase the traces.

Hearing Qi Zhengyan's words, Meng Qi's heart sank. Was this his own fault?

No, I can't give up!

Meng Qi took advantage of the entrance not being fully open, rushing forward to try to turn the mechanism inside and close the entrance, defending the position, while carefully observing Duo Er Cha, thinking about how to deal with him if he couldn't stop him.

"He has lost his left hand, left arm, and left shoulder, with bones exposed, and his body is trembling, indicating severe injuries and almost no remaining strength..." Meng Qi's right hand touched the mechanism, and he made an initial judgment about Duo Er Cha.

Duo Er Cha lightly waved his right hand, and a strong wind blew, directly pushing the unsteady Meng Qi back several steps, preventing him from closing the entrance.

Meng Qi's chest and abdomen ached, and his breathing was stifled. His mind raced:

"Even if he has almost no remaining strength, he is still beyond what I and Senior Brother Qi can handle. What should I do?"

"My strongest martial art is the Arhat Breaking Precepts Saber Technique, but it's an incomplete form!"

"Ah, the incomplete form is only incomplete at the end, but the beginning is complete, forming a complete saber intent before the move..."

"Can I bluff and scare him off?"

"Yes! He is severely injured, and if he encounters an opponent and move he is unsure of, he will definitely choose to retreat. Then the main task will be completed!"

In a split second, Meng Qi's mind flashed with various thoughts, quickly making a decision. He stood firmly, his right hand gripping the precept saber.

The entrance was wide open, but Duo Er Cha did not attack directly, silently walking towards the rock wall.

His silence and lack of attack put great pressure on Meng Qi and the others. Jiang Zhwei and Zhang Yuanshan stopped healing and barely stood up, preparing to fight to the death.

"You shall die." Duo Er Cha spoke with authority, raising his right fist.

Meng Qi recalled the incomplete form in his mind, slowly extending the precept saber, the saber intent about to burst forth.

But at that moment, Duo Er Cha suddenly flew backward, his right fist striking a giant tree.

In the strong wind, a silver bell-like laugh suddenly rang out, and a white figure darted out from behind the tree, ethereal and graceful, dodging the punch.

Crack! The giant tree broke into two, falling backward with a heavy thud.

The white figure stopped not far away, a beautiful girl in a simple white dress.

"Just a slight surprise when I saw the secret passage, and you noticed it." The girl smiled, "I was planning to wait until you killed them before making my move."

Seeing the girl, Meng Qi exclaimed in surprise: "Xiao Zi?"

The girl's appearance was indeed Xiao Zi!

Indeed, the previous Xiao Zi could be considered pretty, but now her features seemed to have matured, with a lively and ethereal charm, instantly becoming a beauty, not inferior to Jiang Zhwei.

"Xiao Zi? Don't mention that fool." The girl's eyes twinkled, smiling, "I am Gu Xiaosang."

Gu Xiaosang? Meng Qi had heard Xiao Zi mention this name before, and now seeing the almost identical appearance, he found it particularly eerie.

As she spoke, Duo Er Cha's attacks continued, but without the dark clouds, heavy rain, thunder, and lightning, only the howling wind.

Gu Xiaosang, however, was unhurried, her clothes fluttering as if dancing in the wind, still able to chat with Meng Qi.

"Gu Xiaosang, it's really her." Zhang Yuanshan's expression was solemn, and Jiang Zhwei pursed her lips, while Qi Zhengyan subconsciously took a step back.

Gu Xiaosang must have a great reputation!

After dodging for a while, Gu Xiaosang smiled and said, "General, if you keep attacking me, I won't be polite. Why not wait until you kill them, and then I'll kill you?"

"Based on you?" Duo Er Cha snorted, his attacks becoming even more fierce.

"If you were in perfect condition, two of me might not be your match, but now, with your left eye blinded, your head invaded by sword qi, and receiving a deadly blow from Heart Tranquilization Monk's Great Vajra Palm and Finger of the Flower, how much strength do you have left? Thirty percent, twenty percent, or ten percent?" Gu Xiaosang laughed and flew backward, dodging Duo Er Cha's fatal blow.

"Even so, killing you is like killing a chicken." Duo Er Cha remained authoritative, but his figure suddenly changed direction, rushing towards the forest.

He actually decided to flee!

Truly a formidable tribal hero!

Gu Xiaosang's figure was like a ghost or a fairy, somehow blocking Duo Er Cha's path. She extended her slender hand, her index and middle fingers forming a short sword, calmly pointing at Duo Er Cha's forehead.

At the same time, she opened her mouth, chanting, and a mysterious voice descended:

"The mortal world is a prison, all beings suffer, the cycle of rebirth never stops, and troubles never cease. Pity the world, a divine being descends, the Unborn Mother, the True Void Homeland!"

"The Unborn Mother, the True Void Homeland!"

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