Chapter 84

"Riversand Town," the last town before entering the "Sea of Death" to the west, where beyond the town one can see the vast expanse of sand, desolate and gloomy. The few clusters of tenacious yet twisted greenery do not bring the pulse of life but instead highlight the vast, bleak silence of the desert.

"Xiyu" is a general term for the vast western regions of the Great Jin and Northern Zhou, not a unified concept. After exiting the "Jade Gate," hundreds or even thousands of countries stand, with deserts and wastelands scattered everywhere. Among them, the vast deserts and wastelands include the "Sea of Death," "God-Burying Desert," and "Western Extremity Desert," and within their interiors, there are oases and hidden rivers, forming a unique and exotic landscape.

In the past, a master who had traveled through Xiyu once said, "Xiyu can be described as deserts and wastelands surrounding oases and countries, or as countless countries interspersed with deserts and wastelands. The only exception is the Great Snow Mountain to the north, which stretches from the 'Endless Abyss Sea' to the 'Jade Gate,' spanning countless miles and spanning the entire Xiyu."

Deep within the Great Snow Mountain, it is rumored that the tombs of the nine Immortal Respects from the ancient mythological era are located, suppressing the "Endless Abyss Sea." The "Snow Mountain Sect" of the Six Sword Schools is said to have grown from generations of tomb guardians.

The wind, mixed with sand, pierced like ice, blowing towards "Riversand Town," enveloping the town in a cloud of dust, making it impossible to see beyond three yards and hear from all directions.

"Is this a sandstorm...?" Meng Qi, who had never experienced it, tightened his thick monk's robe. He was not afraid of the cold but felt that being covered in dust and sand made him lose his graceful and elegant demeanor, looking like an old shepherd.

Since leaving Shaolin in the autumn, Xuan Bei had been traveling at a leisurely pace, giving the monks who went to other sects to explain the matter ample time. By March, the three master and disciples finally arrived at "Riversand Town," where March in Xiyu was still as cold as mid-winter.

Zhen Hui, with wide eyes, curiously looked at the sand and dust around him, the trees that appeared withered and dark, and the camels with jingling bells, occasionally exclaiming in amazement.

The town was sparsely populated, with most residents having returned to their homes to avoid the wind and sand. Only merchants, knights, and travelers were still braving the wind and sand to head towards the only inn in the town.

"Senior Brother, you look different from us!" Zhen Hui finally couldn't help but ask.

Many passersby had high noses and deep-set eyes, with different hair and eye colors, unlike the people of Central China. Some even had horns on their heads and a third eye on their foreheads, resembling demons.

Meng Qi was captivated by the sights but didn't know how to answer Zhen Hui.

"Amitabha, the land shapes the people, and some in Xiyu claim to be descendants of gods and demons, hence their unique appearances," Xuan Bei said calmly.

The former referred to normal Xiyu people, while the latter referred to those with horns and a third eye.

"Descendants of gods and demons, do they have special abilities?" Meng Qi asked with great interest. Could it be that the "Six Realms Master" exchange list also includes options for "descendants of gods and demons"?

As the wind and sand blew, Xuan Bei remained spotless, smiling and saying, "Of course they do."

As they spoke, the three master and disciples arrived at the inn, a three-story building with a weathered exterior, bearing the sign "First Home of the Sea of Death."

Stepping into the inn, Meng Qi first saw the counter, cluttered with papers, brushes, and account books.

The innkeeper was a woman in a black dress, around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, dressed as a housewife, with willow-like eyebrows and phoenix-like eyes, her face as beautiful as a blooming flower, exuding a womanly charm that attracted the attention of the guests, who either openly or secretly ogled her.

She propped her chin with her right hand, lazily looking at the account book, her face cold and distant, as if the entire inn owed her a hundred taels of silver.

"Amitabha, innkeeper, we need a room and a meal," Meng Qi said, as the more reliable disciple. He really wanted to call her "madam," but his master was watching.

The woman in black didn't even look up, saying indifferently, "Five taels per night, meals are extra."

Damn, are you robbing us! Meng Qi wanted to teach her what "the customer is king" means, but his master was watching.

Thinking that this was the only inn in town, with no broken temples, a "monopoly," Meng Qi glanced back at his master, who nodded slightly. He then took out the silver and placed it on the counter, "Fifteen taels, three rooms."

"Only two rooms are available," the woman in black said indifferently.

Meng Qi thought it was fine; his master could take one room, and he and Zhen Hui could share, as they had often slept outdoors on the journey. "Alright, here are ten taels, for two rooms."

He reached out to take back the five taels.

The woman in black glanced at Meng Qi, "Charged per person."

Meng Qi's lips twitched, wanting to teach her how to treat people, but his master was watching.

With his master's approval, Meng Qi nodded, "Fifteen taels, two rooms."

The woman in black slowly gathered the silver, not even lifting her eyes, "Second floor, west side, the two unlocked rooms, go on your own."

Don't think you're a beauty, and I won't dare to hit you! Unfortunately, his master was watching... Meng Qi thought this many times, a subconscious thought formed on the journey.

In the inn's main hall, there were over twenty tables, all filled with people. Some were playing drinking games, some were having loud conversations, some were whispering, creating a lively and noisy atmosphere.

These guests included those in tight-fitting clothes, clearly martial artists, some with a weathered appearance but a hint of wealth, some in scholar robes, maintaining a scholarly demeanor amidst the noise, and some in head wraps and long robes, dressed as "sand travelers" — people who made a living by traveling through the deserts and wastelands of Xiyu, including bandits and robbers.

As Xuan Bei led his two disciples through the main hall, many guests discreetly glanced at them, then, seeing nothing special, returned to their noisy activities:

"Five, five, five!"

"Ha ha, three sixes! Drink three bowls!"

"Damn, how did I lose again!"

In this noisy environment, a young man, who looked quite young, took a sip of wine, frowned, and slammed his bowl, standing up and shouting, "Innkeeper, your wine isn't strong enough, did you water it down?"

Instantly, all the noise in the main hall stopped. Those playing drinking games, throwing dice, talking, drinking alone, and eating all froze in their actions.

The woman in black, who could be the innkeeper or the madam, raised her head, her willow-like eyebrows inverted, and her almond eyes wide open:

"Drink it if you like, or get out!"

Meng Qi almost spat out his saliva, this madam really has a personality!

The young man, who complained about the watered-down wine, was completely taken aback and stood there dumbfounded.

"Ha ha." The crowd burst into laughter, as if they had expected this treatment for the young man.

"Ha ha, I'm dying of laughter, someone actually dared to yell at Jiu Niang."

"Don't talk to me, I'm almost crying from laughter, where did this greenhorn come from?"

"Jiu Niang doesn't water down the wine, she... mmm, don't cover my mouth."

"If I don't cover your mouth, do you want to be kicked out, or drink a basin of Jiu Niang's foot washing water?"

The young man, probably a first-time traveler, faced this situation with a red face, neither angry nor able to bear it...

Fortunately, an experienced traveler who was his companion stood up, whispered a few words in his ear, and persuaded him to sit down again.

The young man buried his head, gritting his teeth, but dared not act out, which surprised Meng Qi.

As they walked up the stairs, Xuan Bei, walking ahead, suddenly spoke, his tone unusually light, "Jiu Niang, her background is unknown. She opened the 'First Home of the Sea of Death' inn ten years ago. Initially, she was alone and very beautiful, which caused a lot of trouble. But all those who dared to have designs on her, whether lightly or severely, ended up dead outside the town or naked and hanging from the inn's flag. No one dared to mess with her after that, and it's suspected she is an outer realm expert."

"Outer realm? How old is she?" Meng Qi was shocked, secretly criticizing his master for not showing compassion when mentioning the dead outside the town, indicating he still had worldly desires.

Xuan Bei stepped onto the last stair, "Around thirty-five or thirty-six, I haven't used the Heavenly Eye to see, so I'm not sure."

Hmm, she must take good care of herself, but for an outer realm expert, she might look the same even ten years later... Meng Qi nodded lightly.

At the door of their room, Xuan Bei turned to Meng Qi and Zhen Hui, "I need to do my evening prayers, don't slack off."

"Yes, Master." The two respectfully answered and entered their room.

The room had only one bed, one table, and two chairs, old but not dirty. Meng Qi and Zhen Hui didn't say much, sitting on the chair and bed respectively, and began to meditate.

Meng Qi didn't practice any other skills but focused on the ancestral acupoint, guiding the true qi upward to slowly stimulate this crucial point.

In the past half year, Meng Qi had completed the remaining three acupoints in the eye acupoint, and now he just needed to adjust his body and mind before taking the "Heavenly Wisdom Pill" to break through.

His "Wind Catching and Shadow Chasing" technique had already reached the initial stage, and he had completed the first few sections of the "Muscle Tendon Transformation." Even without breaking through, his Golden Bell Shield and Arhat Fist had increased in power by thirty percent. More importantly, after practicing the "Muscle Tendon Transformation," Meng Qi found it easier to condense acupoints, even the elusive and vague eye acupoint seemed more graspable.

Therefore, Meng Qi did not hastily take the "Heavenly Wisdom Pill" after completing the acupoints but continued to practice the "Muscle Tendon Transformation" patiently. Recently, as he felt more and more able to grasp the eye acupoint, he began to prepare for the breakthrough.

This time, Meng Qi felt confident.

As for the "Illusory Form Technique," when Meng Qi first practiced it, there was no response, and he felt very tired and drowsy after each session. However, with time, daily persistence, and the gradual improvement from the "Muscle Tendon Transformation," Meng Qi began to feel a swelling sensation in his forehead, as if something was brewing.

This was a good sign, but also a bad one, as it was an illusion caused by the stimulation of the ancestral acupoint. If he became too engrossed, he might go into a mental breakdown. However, the appearance of this illusion also meant that Meng Qi had entered the initial stage of the "Illusory Form Technique."

Thus, Meng Qi reined in his spirit, ignoring the illusion, and continued to practice systematically.

In the darkness behind his closed eyes, like a state of chaos, Meng Qi, in a half-awake state, suddenly felt a thread of true qi seep in, and the chaos instantly split open. A round, golden object slowly rose, emitting a bright light.

As the light appeared, Meng Qi felt a swelling in his forehead, and a vague image of the surroundings appeared in his mind: a table, a bed, two chairs, his junior disciple sitting on the bed, a teapot and teacup on the table...

This feeling was fleeting, and Meng Qi felt a throbbing pain in his forehead, forcing him to stop practicing and open his eyes. This time, although he saw the same scene, he had a completely different feeling, seeing mountains as not mountains, and water as not water.

"Ha ha, the 'Illusory Form Technique' has reached the initial stage." Meng Qi was quite pleased. This was the level of a cold envoy, who could sense the surroundings through the ancestral acupoint and slightly interfere with others' senses.

A cold envoy's martial arts were not high, and it took him seven or eight years to reach the initial stage of the "Illusory Form Technique." Meng Qi achieved it in half a year, naturally feeling proud. Moreover, once he reached the initial stage, with the subsequent cultivation chapters, Meng Qi was confident he could achieve perfection in the "Illusory Form Technique" within a year. If he used corresponding elixirs to assist, it could be even faster, possibly in three or four months.

"Practicing in the main world is indeed much faster than in Lao Duan's world..." Meng Qi, puzzled, stood up and looked around, preparing to make his 103rd attempt to escape.

Now that his "Illusory Form Technique" has reached the initial stage, it should make his master's mental lock less effective, right?

He activated the "Illusory Form Technique," feeling a swelling in his ancestral acupoint, his spirit spreading out and enveloping himself. Then, he carefully walked towards the door.

"Senior Brother, if you want to go out to play, why didn't you call me?" Zhen Hui's voice suddenly sounded behind him.

Meng Qi's smile froze on his face.

PS: Updates have resumed, please click, recommend, and vote for the Three Rivers!