Chapter 60

As soon as she finished speaking, she drew her long sword and thrust it at Meng Qi, completely ignoring the fact that he had not yet agreed to the duel.

Seeing that Meng Qi seemed even younger than herself, she was unwilling to believe that he could defeat the famous "Monkey of Shen" in the martial world.

Indeed, a pampered child... Meng Qi muttered to himself. He also wanted to hone his saber skills, so he drew his precept saber and slashed from a spot where Cui Jinxiu felt very uncomfortable, forcing her to withdraw her sword.

Cui Jinxiu, who had been praised for her martial talent by her father, elders, brothers, and senior disciples since childhood, now became even more competitive. Her swordplay unfolded, swift and agile like a dragon, with cold light darting like a shuttle.

Meng Qi's saber techniques were sometimes straightforward and majestic, and at other times bizarre and unpredictable, always cutting from the spots where Cui Jinxiu was most vulnerable, forcing her to struggle to keep up. She barely managed to stabilize herself.

Clang, clang, clang, the sounds of saber and sword clashing echoed continuously. Meng Qi's saber techniques flowed freely, whether it was the Five Tigers Interrupting the Gate Saber or the Blood Saber Technique, he could wield them with ease, pressing Cui Jinxiu to the point where she could hardly catch her breath, always feeling that her defenses might be breached at any moment.

The "Arhat Breaking Precepts Saber Technique" was, after all, an ultimate technique at the peak of the Outer Realm. Meng Qi, who had initially mastered the first saber intent and its variations, naturally had a more profound understanding of saber techniques. In practice, his comprehension of his other saber techniques deepened, surpassing many who had been obsessed with the saber path for a decade. However, he lacked practical combat experience and could not yet integrate them into a cohesive whole.

With a flick of the precept saber and a wave of the long sword, Meng Qi took the opportunity to step back a few paces and proclaimed a Buddhist chant: "Layman Cui, it's late and quiet, don't disturb others' peace."

"Who else is here?" Cui Jinxiu was both angry and amused.

Meng Qi teased, "All things have spirits, and plants are also living beings. Disturbing the flowers and grass is not good."

The people opposite were momentarily speechless.

After a while, Cui Jinxiu sheathed her sword and said softly, "I indeed cannot match your skills."

Meng Qi chuckled, "Amitabha, I yield to you."

"Um... Venerable Zhen Ding, how does my martial arts compare to that 'Monkey of Shen'?" Cui Jinxiu asked hopefully, wanting to verify her strength.

"Layman Cui's martial arts are exquisite. You have the strength of a seasoned expert even before reaching adulthood, comparable to the Monkey of Shen. However, the Monkey of Shen is cunning and experienced in the martial world, which is where you fall short." Meng Qi naturally saw that Cui Jinxiu had the strength of a fully accomplished Qi Accumulation practitioner, and her swordplay was excellent, far surpassing the Zhang Zongxian couple. But compared to the "Monkey of Shen," she was still far behind in terms of internal strength, technique proficiency, and martial world experience. If they met, she might lose her life. However, there was no need to say such harsh truths.

Cui Jinxiu's eyes and brows brightened, and she nodded gracefully, "I indeed lack experience in the martial world, and my family doesn't allow me to travel alone."

"Miss, the martial world is dangerous, nothing like the safety of home," the white-haired old man, who had been silent, said kindly.

Cui Jinxiu pouted, "Uncle He, martial artists should travel the world, eliminate evil, and uphold justice. Only then can they live up to their lifelong training. Besides, staying at home is too dull; there's nothing as exciting as wandering the martial world."

Having said that, she turned to the Li Xinyu couple, "Sister Xinyu, it's inconvenient to talk here. Let's go into the city first."

Both Zhang Zongxian, Li Xinyu, and Meng Qi agreed with this suggestion.

With the daughter of the city lord present, the guards at the gate naturally did not dare to be difficult. After checking the token, they opened the small gate and let them in.

At this moment, Zhang Zongxian leaned in and whispered to Meng Qi, "Venerable Zhen Ding, we did not reveal your martial arts secrets."

These were personal secrets, and Meng Qi was their savior, so he did not spread them.

Meng Qi was very satisfied with this.

The streets inside the city were wide, with few debris on the ground, making it very clean and refreshing. This gave Meng Qi a direct understanding of the city lord's governance.

After a few steps, Cui Jinxiu, with great interest, asked, "Venerable Zhen Ding, have there been any legends of immortals in the far west?"

"Legends of immortals?" Meng Qi looked at her in confusion.

Li Xinyu smiled and explained, "Sister Jinxiu loves to read strange and supernatural stories and enjoys talking about tales of immortals."

"It's not just stories," Cui Jinxiu immediately countered, her face slightly flushed, "Many major martial sects have records of their ancestors achieving immortality and ascending."

"Ha ha, everyone likes to embellish their ancestors. But tell me, where do they ascend to?" Li Xinyu asked in a teasing tone.

Cui Jinxiu had thought about these questions many times, and Li Xinyu's question hit a nerve. She said with enthusiasm, "Of course, to the immortal realm. I've even read the Snow God Palace's records of the immortal realm!"

She knew Meng Qi was unfamiliar with the Snow God Palace, so she paused and explained in detail, "The Snow God Palace always claims that their ancestors who ascended became divine beings, issuing many divine edicts, which include descriptions of the immortal realm. They say the realm is rich in primordial energy, allowing for extremely rapid cultivation, almost everyone can strengthen their body, and it is filled with spiritual herbs and immortal medicines. Demons and monsters serve as servants, and there are true immortals who can pluck stars and moons, move mountains and seas."

"This..." Meng Qi frowned slightly, not wanting to say that his abbot could probably move mountains and seas.

"The most recent and easiest to verify records are from the last sixty years. Has anyone ascended to the immortal realm?" Zhang Zongxian was skeptical about supernatural matters.

Cui Jinxiu sighed, "I know, so every time I read these records, I am always lost in reverie, thinking of the immortals of old who could summon wind and rain and freeze rivers. Unfortunately, such grandeur no longer exists. Is the path of martial arts limited to the three great secret treasures?"

"Sister Jinxiu, don't take stories too seriously. In the past few hundred years, have there been any official records of anyone breaking through the three great secret treasures and leaving behind corresponding methods?" Li Xinyu stroked Cui Jinxiu's long hair at the back of her head.

Cui Jinxiu shook her head, "The Snow God Palace once claimed to have found a way to break through the three great secret treasures and transcend the boundary between humans and gods."

"That's why they went mad and became the enemy of the world," Li Xinyu said, half in earnest and half to tease Cui Jinxiu.

Cui Jinxiu's expression darkened, "So I always want to see the records of the Snow God Palace's secret treasures, but they have long been buried by time, and there is no trace of them."

"It's not without a chance, Sister Jinxiu. Do you know why we were pursued by the Twelve Beasts?" Li Xinyu guided the conversation step by step.

"Why?" Cui Jinxiu, with her girlish nature, was interested again.

"Because we obtained a treasure map, the Snow God Palace's treasure map," Li Xinyu said through gritted teeth.

"Really?" Cui Jinxiu was both surprised and delighted, "Sister Xinyu, can I see it?"

"Miss, there are too many people around. Let's talk about this after we return to the mansion," Uncle He reminded, his eyes wary of Meng Qi.

Zhang Zongxian laughed, "Venerable Zhen Ding has known about this all along, but he is a transcendent being and has no greed."

Meng Qi had been observing coldly and did not want to continue this topic. He deliberately sighed, "Speaking of immortals who can summon wind and rain, I have indeed seen one."

"What?" Cui Jinxiu's eyes widened in surprise and excitement as she looked at Meng Qi.

Li Xinyu and Zhang Zongxian were both surprised and skeptical, their expressions mostly disbelieving.

Uncle He remained expressionless, as if Meng Qi were telling a story to amuse a little girl.

"I once saw an immortal who could summon wind and rain in the far west," Meng Qi repeated.

"Really? Venerable, what was it like?" Cui Jinxiu's face was flushed with five parts joy, four parts excitement, and one part doubt.

Meng Qi looked at the long street ahead, lit by lanterns, and said, "He had not yet ascended, so he was not a true immortal. But when he used his full strength, the wind howled, dark clouds gathered, lightning flashed, and rain fell. Each punch he threw was accompanied by a hurricane and lightning, with immense power, truly terrifying."

"This, this is similar to what I've read. So, there really are immortals..." Cui Jinxiu was so excited that she could hardly speak clearly, "Venerable Zhen Ding, did you meet the immortal at that time?"

Yes, I saw him being killed... Meng Qi muttered to himself, "No, but I have heard other legends of immortals, such as two immortals battling, turning a hundred miles of land barren and freezing a great river."

"A hundred miles of barren land, a great river frozen..." Cui Jinxiu imagined the scene, lost in thought.

Beside her, Zhang Zongxian and Li Xinyu had recovered their expressions, basically treating Meng Qi as a monk telling stories to please Cui Jinxiu. What was his purpose? Did he want to befriend the city lord's daughter?

After mumbling to herself for a while, Cui Jinxiu came to her senses and asked Meng Qi about the details of what he had seen and heard. Since these were Meng Qi's personal experiences, every detail was so real that Zhang Zongxian and Li Xinyu were skeptical. Could he really be making up such a convincing story?

Only Uncle He remained expressionless, as if he were watching a few young people boasting and fooling around.

"Are there really immortals... but why is there no path beyond the three great secret treasures?" Cui Jinxiu asked casually, also due to her family's deep knowledge. If it were someone else, they wouldn't know so much.

Of course, she didn't expect Meng Qi to answer this question.

"Perhaps it's the convergence of inner and outer realms," Meng Qi casually repeated the common knowledge he had heard from Jiang Zhwei and others.

"The convergence of inner and outer realms, an interesting concept..." Cui Jinxiu was stunned for a moment, then smiled. Zhang Zongxian and Li Xinyu couldn't appreciate the depth of the statement and just smiled in agreement.

Uncle He's expression changed slightly, and he muttered almost inaudibly, "The convergence of inner and outer realms... what is the inner realm, and how does it converge..."

He narrowed his eyes and quietly observed Meng Qi.

Cui Jinxiu continued with her favorite topic of immortals, "Venerable Zhen Ding, which direction did the immortal go?"

"He died and his path was extinguished," Meng Qi answered "honestly."

"What? Immortals can die?" Cui Jinxiu asked in shock.

Meng Qi smiled, "He had not yet ascended, so he was not a true immortal."

This was a point he had emphasized from the beginning.

"But, but..." Cui Jinxiu stammered for a while without saying anything, then composed herself and said with a smile, "Venerable Zhen Ding, a monk saying 'died and his path was extinguished' sounds a bit off."

This is a Daoist term!

Meng Qi smiled, "Layman Cui, you don't know, the current trend is wrong."

"The trend is wrong?" Cui Jinxiu blinked in confusion.

Meng Qi smiled and said, "It's like if you randomly scribble on a freehand ink painting, it would look out of place. Um..."

He paused and looked at a person coming out of a tavern, noticing the obvious lump on his forehead and his distinctive appearance. He then said with a smile, "Layman Cui, let me show you what it means for the trend to be wrong."

After saying that, he ignored the puzzled looks of Cui Jinxiu and the others and walked straight to the person coming out of the tavern. He clasped his hands and said solemnly:

"Amitabha, layman, I see your forehead is dark."