Chapter 85

Meng Qi quickly composed his expression, turned around, and looked at Zhenhui with a serious face: "Brother, I just went downstairs to order dinner. Little Brother, you are at a critical stage of breaking through to the Qi Accumulation stage. How can you always think about playing? Hurry up and work hard!"

Zhenhui and the "Flower Plucking Finger" technique were indeed very compatible, and he was almost ready to break through again. This speed placed him in the top five among the monks who had practiced the "Flower Plucking Finger" throughout history.

Zhenhui nodded heavily and then looked at Meng Qi with pleading eyes: "Brother, I want to eat roasted lamb leg."

"Ha ha, there's nothing much here, but there are plenty of sheep and camels!" Meng Qi laughed in response. After Zhenhui resumed his meditation and practice, Meng Qi strolled to the corridor, turned around, and closed the door, silently thinking to himself, "Little Brother, I'm afraid I can't get you a roasted lamb leg this time. If we meet again in the future, I'll make it up to you with ten roasted lamb legs!"

He knew the chances of escaping from his master were very slim, but one must always have hope, and one must be optimistic. After so many attempts at escape, he felt he had gained a lot, equivalent to a rigorous training session. His master probably had this in mind and never warned him not to escape, playing this "game" with him.

Of course, if he could really escape, Meng Qi wouldn't give up. He seemed to have been targeted by the Discipline Hall and had the great secret of the Six Realms of Rebirth. The martial arts he practiced were special, and he could easily be discovered, which was very dangerous. It would be better to leave as soon as possible.

So, Meng Qi continued to spread his spirit, enveloping his entire body, and moved downstairs cautiously.

His steps were extremely careful, fearing that he might alert his master. At the same time, he optimistically imagined his life after escaping:

"Once I leave Liusha Town, I'll head back. As long as I enter 'Kanli City,' my master won't be able to find me. Then, I'll go to the Zhenwu Sect to find Brother Zhang. He is open-minded, values friendship, and won't mind me seeking refuge. Moreover, his family is one of the three major lay families of the Zhenwu Sect. Following him, I won't have to worry about the sources of spirit herbs and elixirs. Once I open four acupoints, I'll officially venture into the world, seek treasures, and make a name for myself."

"But the Zhenwu Sect is a major martial arts sect with many people and eyes. A slight slip could reveal my identity and bring a lot of trouble. Besides, living under someone else's roof is not good. I have my pride! Why not find Zhiwei at the Sword Washing Pavilion? She should be about to descend the mountain to travel and refine her sword intent. Hehe, when the golden boy and jade girl join forces to explore the world, it will be so beautiful, so pleasant, and so eye-catching!"

"No, being eye-catching doesn't feel right... Isn't this just asking to be caught and brought back to Shaolin? Sigh, I'll wait three or four years until I grow taller and mature, so that even those who know me well can't recognize me, and then I'll find Zhiwei to explore the world together."

"Um, I'll go to the Huahua Sword Sect to find Brother Qi first. After successfully opening his acupoints, he has applied to guard the sect's external assets, with no one to manage or pay attention to him. Ha ha, this is a pleasant decision. I'll enjoy delicious food and drinks with Brother Qi!"

Meng Qi's eyes sparkled, full of anticipation as he crossed the hall, about to rush out of the inn's door and toward a life of freedom.

At that moment, a voice suddenly sounded in his ear:

"Zhen Ding, order a dish of vegetarian chicken for your master."

Vegetarian chicken... Vegetarian chicken... Meng Qi's expression was blank, and it took him a while to suppress his disappointment, replying in a low voice: "Yes, Master."

Sure enough, Master was watching from behind...

He took a deep breath, turned around, and walked into the hall. At this time, many of the noisy guests had dispersed, leaving several empty tables.

"Little Master, what would you like to order?" The young waiter, with clear eyes and a pleasant smile, was nothing like Lady Qu Jiuniang, who acted as if she didn't care and treated guests as if they were her parents.

Isn't it said that the employees reflect the boss? Meng Qi thought with a smile, his mood improving. He said, "Roasted lamb leg, vegetarian chicken..."

"Coming right up!" The waiter shouted the dishes while wiping the table.

After ordering, Meng Qi hadn't even had time to mourn his 103rd failed escape attempt when Xuan Bei and Zhenhui came downstairs.

"Brother, did you order the roasted lamb leg?" Zhenhui licked his lips.

Meng Qi sighed inwardly but remained calm on the surface: "I did."

Xuan Bei still had his usual melancholic look and asked the waiter who came to pour tea: "Sir, have there been any recent news from the west?"

Since he couldn't escape for now, Meng Qi was also very interested in this question and looked at the waiter.

"Master, apart from the bandits robbing several caravans, there is only one major event. The long-missing Old Crying Man has reappeared, becoming the national teacher of 'Hale' and recruiting knife fighters and bandits, planning to unite the countries and oases west of the瀚Hai Sea and east of the God-Burying Desert, like the great Jin and Zhou dynasties in your Central Plains." The waiter had yellowish eyes and curly hair, a typical Western Region person.

"Quite ambitious..." Meng Qi praised. If he could achieve his goal, the Old Crying Man would have the same merit as the First Emperor in the Western Region.

In his praise, Meng Qi suddenly noticed that his master's expression was off. Normally, he was melancholic and gloomy except when praising himself and Zhenhui, but now his face was as cold as water, without a trace of melancholy.

"Master, do you know the Old Crying Man?" Meng Qi could only guess.

Xuan Bei looked at the teacup in his hand and said with a faint sigh: "The Old Crying Man, whose real name is unknown, is a peak Outer Realm master, active in the Longxi of the great Jin, the Death Sea, and the God-Burying Desert. He ranks 33rd on the Earth List and is proficient in the 'Mad Sand Power' and the 'Eighteen Grievances.' He is a notorious villain."

"So powerful..." Meng Qi was no longer a naive little monk. He didn't think the Old Crying Man was insignificant just because he ranked 33rd on the Earth List. After all, there were only ten Law Body experts on the Heaven List. Even if you included those in seclusion or with low profiles, the Old Crying Man was still one of the top 60 terrifying figures in the world.

Xuan Bei saw the waiter go to serve others and sighed softly, speaking in a low voice: "My face must have looked terrible just now, right?"

"Master, do you have a grudge with the Old Crying Man?" Zhenhui was straightforward and didn't try to cover for his master.

Meng Qi chuckled inwardly, grateful for his naive little brother, or he wouldn't have known how to ask.

Xuan Bei looked at the tea water with a few floating tea leaves, his melancholy deepening: "My secular name is Tang Zhan, a top expert in the Gansu-Liangdao region, just one step away from the Master level. Back then, I hated evil and once killed a rapist who had violated several female heroes while escorting a friend to the 'God-Burying Mountain' where the Vajra Temple is located."

"Who knew that the rapist had a good master called 'Heavenly Wasteland Elder.' He couldn't defeat me, but he was resentful about his disciple's death. He took advantage of my absence from the Gansu-Liangdao region and attacked my manor, killing all the old, weak, women, and children. Only an old servant managed to escape with my two young sons, heading west to find me. Unfortunately, they were caught before reaching the Hai Sea..."

He spoke calmly, without any emotional fluctuations, but Meng Qi somehow sensed the deep loneliness and intense hatred in his words.

"After I learned about this, I felt as if a 35-year-old dream had suddenly shattered. My hatred flared up, and the desire for revenge burned in my heart. However, the 'Heavenly Wasteland Elder' also had a good master."

"The Old Crying Man?" Meng Qi wouldn't have missed this if he hadn't read so many novels.

Xuan Bei nodded slightly: "I endured for several years and finally got my chance, killing the 'Heavenly Wasteland Elder' and his entire family. Then, I was pursued by the Old Crying Man all the way into the Central Plains. Fortunately, the Abbot favored me and led me into the Buddhist path, allowing me to settle down. So, if you encounter the Old Crying Man or his disciples in the future, be careful."

There were no dramatic twists or cruel scenes in Xuan Bei's story. He spoke as if recounting someone else's tale.

He was willing to share this painful story because he wanted to remind his disciples to be cautious and not reveal their identities carelessly in front of the Old Crying Man.

His voice wasn't deliberately lowered, but all the surrounding guests seemed oblivious, as if no one was speaking on this side.

This skill made Meng Qi secretly marvel. It was far superior to Duan Xiangfei's perfected Illusory Form Technique, with no trace of effort.

After Xuan Bei finished speaking, he fell silent, focusing on his vegetarian meal. Zhenhui, on the other hand, ate the lamb leg with large bites, seemingly unaffected by any worries.

The atmosphere became heavy and strange, so Meng Qi had to shift his attention, listening to the nearby guests' conversations for any special news.

Perhaps because the waiter had mentioned the Old Crying Man, a nearby table of guests was also discussing the topic.

"Who would have thought the Old Crying Man was still alive!" A "sand traveler" wrapped in a black robe and wearing a headscarf said, his waist adorned with a sharp, blood-stained curved sword.

Another "sand traveler" with a beard chuckled: "Yes, nine years ago, Su Wuming traveled west, and the Old Crying Man, overestimating his abilities, challenged him. He then disappeared, and everyone thought he had been killed by Su Wuming."

"According to rumors, Su Wuming's goal was a divine relic in the God-Burying Desert, and he had no intention of sparring. But the Old Crying Man forced his hand, and Su Wuming casually gave him a strike. After that, the Old Crying Man vanished for nine years." Another "sand traveler" with blue eyes laughed, as if he were Su Wuming, looking down on the Old Crying Man.

Meng Qi was captivated. Jiang Zhiwei's master was truly a master, casually striking down a notorious villain. In the future, I want to be like that!

"Sir, ten taels of silver." After dinner, the waiter smiled and came to collect the money.

Robbery! Meng Qi had a deeper understanding of the inn's true nature but, thinking of Lady Qu Jiuniang's frowning face and his master's likely lack of intervention, he obediently paid, after all, it wasn't his money!

"Follow me to a place." Xuan Bei suddenly spoke, walking out of the inn.

Meng Qi looked at Zhenhui with confusion, seeing his matter-of-fact expression, and had to suppress his surprise, following his master out of the inn.

As soon as the three left the inn, the always cold-faced Lady Qu Jiuniang suddenly looked up, watching Xuan Bei's back, tapping her fingers on the table in puzzlement.

The three "sand travelers" who had been discussing the Old Crying Man lowered their voices and whispered.

"Boss, there are no fat sheep to rob. Should we rob these three monks? They seem quite wealthy," the "sand traveler" with blue eyes asked.

The "sand traveler" with the curved sword shook his head: "It's best not to rob such monks."

"Why? Have you become a Buddhist, Boss?" The bearded "sand traveler" asked in confusion.

The "sand traveler" with the curved sword was angry: "Buddhist my ass! You two, open your eyes. Monks who dare to travel the Hai Sea with just a few people are usually not to be trifled with. Let's focus on that caravan. Although the guards are strong, we can team up with other bandit gangs."