Chapter 89

A few clusters of green struggled to grow in the desert, but they could not escape the mouths of the hungry Gobi antelopes, disappearing in an instant.

In the Gobi, plants are scarce, and the animals that live here have strong limbs, powerful running abilities, and are adept at long-distance migrations. Otherwise, they would not be able to find enough food to survive.

Among them, the Gobi antelope is one of the best.

Meng Qi stood under a weathered rock opposite the few clusters of green, about to catch his breath and recover, when he suddenly felt a sense of unease, his brows deeply furrowed. He continued to stride forward, using the graceful and elegant Wind God Leg to sprint deeper into the Gobi.

After opening his acupoints, the Ancestral Aperture between his eyebrows seemed to have condensed even more, his primordial spirit grew stronger, and his mental energy radiated outward. Although it still did not match the grandmasters like Duan Xiangfei and Cui Xu, who had opened the mental secret repository, it was far superior to people like the Cold Envoy. He had a subtle sixth sense, which might be right or wrong, but he dared not verify it.

In this situation, Meng Qi did not dare to stop and wait to verify whether his premonition was correct. He could only repeatedly follow this feeling, change direction, and increase his speed to shake off "White-headed Vulture" An Guoxie.

Logically, the vast瀚Hai (desert) should have allowed him to shake off An Guoxie, who had not anticipated this, given his successful opening of acupoints and the significant increase in his strength, as well as his mental energy radiating outward. However, An Guoxie, like his nickname, seemed to be a vulture circling in the sky, pursuing him relentlessly from a high vantage point, impossible to shake off!

"Indeed, there are only wrong names, but no wrong nicknames," Meng Qi sighed inwardly. Over the past day, he felt An Guoxie getting closer and closer, leaving him no chance to catch his breath. He had also lost his way, not knowing where he was in the Gobi. If he stumbled into the lairs of monsters and demons deep in the Gobi, he would likely end up as nothing but bones.

Of course, Meng Qi had basic common sense. At night, he could use the stars to determine his direction and return to Liusha Town, as his master had taught him. The only problem was that he needed to shake off An Guoxie a bit more. That way, An Guoxie would be powerless to stop him, and once he returned to Liusha Town and headed east, An Guoxie, losing his "home-field advantage" in the Gobi, would not be able to follow him again—the combination of the Wind God Leg and the Illusory Transformation Technique was indeed an excellent choice for escape.

If he could not return to Liusha Town, Meng Qi had other plans. He could shake off An Guoxie a bit more and then hope for a common sandstorm in the desert. When the sand and stones flew, all traces would be erased, and An Guoxie would definitely not be able to follow him again. At most, he would mobilize the bandits under Zeluo Ju to cast a wide net, but for Meng Qi, ordinary bandits were not a threat. He just needed to be careful.

"How can I shake him off a bit more?" Meng Qi thought as he ran.

He also had a hidden worry: the only food he had left, which he had been using as snacks, was now gone. Starting a fire to cook meat would completely expose his position, so if he continued to run, he would have to eat the raw flesh and blood of antelopes and other animals, which would definitely not be a pleasant experience.

Meng Qi had a fierce and determined side to his character. During the Hidden Emperor Fort incident and when facing Cui Xu, he had been able to overcome his fear of death and fight with all his might. After much thought, he came up with a plan.

"I must turn around and give An Guoxie a fierce bite to make him stay far away, or even severely injure him, making him wary of mutual destruction and unwilling to continue the chase."

Setting up an ambush while fleeing and counterattacking was an effective way to deter pursuers. Meng Qi was not arrogant enough to think he could truly defeat or kill An Guoxie. After all, the gap between opening two acupoints and opening nine was significant. If Jiang Zhimi were here now, she might only be able to use the "Sword of No Self" to fight An Guoxie to a stalemate, perhaps with a slight advantage.

"Then, that's what I'll do. He doesn't know I've opened my acupoints, nor that I know the 'Self-Sacrifice Technique.' I'll definitely give him a 'surprise'... If I had the 'Rain of Pear Blossoms' needles, I might really be able to severely injure him and make him flee on his own." Meng Qi quickly made his decision and then mocked himself, "Sigh, I always thought I would be a wise strategist, using my intelligence to teach An Guoxie a lesson, but it turns out I still have to rely on martial arts and sword techniques. Am I really becoming a brute?"

Despite his self-mockery, he began to look for suitable terrain to set up his ambush and escape.

...

Gravel was everywhere, and ravines crisscrossed the area, where underground streams had eroded the surface and then flowed underground again.

In the center of these ravines, a large pool of water had formed from the overflow of the underground stream. Many Gobi animals came here to drink and eat the nearby plants, while predators quietly approached, planning to feast.

When "White-headed Vulture" An Guoxie arrived, he saw this peaceful scene. He frowned, his eyes glowing faintly as he surveyed the surroundings, carefully examining every detail through the obstacles. He found traces of Meng Qi's presence but could not locate him.

His ears twitched, and the sounds of the wind and water were clear. He could hear the movements of every creature, but the antelopes' calls and the sounds of other animals drinking and eating interfered with the weakest sounds, making it difficult for him to distinguish them quickly.

He sniffed the air, detecting the damp water, the fresh scent of plants, the musky smell of antelopes, and various other odors. Indeed, there was Meng Qi's scent, faint but present, as if he had stayed here for a while.

He stepped forward to examine the traces more closely, and the Gobi animals, including the antelopes, were startled, neighing and scattering, disrupting his senses.

"If I had opened my Ancestral Aperture and had mental energy radiating outward, I wouldn't have startled these fools!" An Guoxie cursed inwardly, his desire for the secret manual of divine techniques from the little monk growing even stronger.

Taptaptap, a few antelopes ran past An Guoxie.

Suddenly, a blade of light appeared from under the antelope's belly, slashing toward An Guoxie!

Only then did the intense killing intent erupt, filling An Guoxie's eyes.

It's not just family ties, romantic love, or brotherly loyalty that can break one's purity; greed, fear, anger, and hatred can also destroy it irreparably!

Meng Qi, "sacrificing himself," burned his essence and blood, giving "Breaking Purity" a different meaning.

He did not hold back but revealed all his trump cards. If An Guoxie knew about this sword technique, he would not be severely injured unless Meng Qi used his full strength, even though he had opened his acupoints. The gap in strength was too great, and An Guoxie had opened his eye, ear, and nose acupoints. Meng Qi could only rely on the Illusory Transformation Technique to deceive him for a moment, but once he attacked, An Guoxie would sense it and react in time.

Therefore, a normal "Breaking Purity" would not severely injure An Guoxie, and a second strike after using the "Self-Sacrifice Technique" would also fail. If he was going to do it, he had to do it thoroughly!

He stared intently at An Guoxie, his eyes filled with a determined and relentless spirit!

The blade was severe, full of murderous intent.

"Those who haven't opened their acupoints by the age of twenty, feed them to the wolves!"

"Those who lose in combat, cut off their own arm."

"Those who can't kill their relatives, end their own life."

"Those who dare to question me, the old ancestor, throw them into the pit of venomous snakes to enjoy the pleasure of being bitten by thousands of snakes."

Scenes he had once witnessed suddenly flashed before his eyes, like arrows of fear piercing An Guoxie's heart, making him afraid and willing to do anything to please the old ancestor!

In the endless fear, An Guoxie saw his brother's eyes, pure like blue gems, as if saying, "Brother, I don't want this nightmare of a life. You live on in my place."

"Ah!"

An Guoxie screamed, half from the fear of the old ancestor's shadow in his nightmares, half from the intense pain from his neck to his chest and abdomen.

His bones crackled, and his body twisted strangely, like a boneless creature, a sand demon formed by the wind, gathering and dispersing with the wind.

This was the "Mad Sand Divine Technique," which he had just mastered!

The戒knife sliced through An Guoxie's neck and chest, but it felt like cutting through sand, offering no resistance.

An Guoxie blocked the fatal blow, raised his right hand, and slapped Meng Qi's戒knife.

Clang!

The戒knife, made of refined steel, broke into two pieces, flying away. Meng Qi, holding the remaining half, somersaulted and landed in front of a ravine.

"Politeness demands reciprocation!"

Meng Qi smiled and, to An Guoxie's astonishment, fell backward into the ravine.

An Guoxie, regaining his composure, saw that the ravine led to an underground stream, the water clear and flowing into the ground. The bald monk had already disappeared with the water.

"He actually opened his acupoints!" An Guoxie gritted his teeth, the blade's intent invading his body, the wound deep and severe.

This was not something a Qi Accumulation stage practitioner could do!

The bald monk had actually opened his acupoints while fleeing, which was unexpected, and he had even practiced techniques like the "Self-Sacrifice Technique"!

An Guoxie looked at the flowing underground stream, not daring to jump in to pursue. The ravine's end turned underground, with complex terrain, narrow spaces, and proximity to water, making it easy for the monk to ambush and weakening An Guoxie. With his current injuries, he did not know how long the monk's essence and blood could sustain him. If he pursued recklessly, he might end up dead in the underground tunnel.

For a grandmaster with all nine acupoints open to die at the hands of a novice who had just opened his acupoints, and for a third-sixth ranker on the Human List to die so miserably, would be a laughingstock!

"Hmph, don't think you can escape!" An Guoxie said with hatred, "I know the terrain here well. Do you?"

He pressed several major acupoints, took a pill, and after a brief rest, began to sprint toward the next exit of the underground stream.

"I don't believe I can't intercept you! If you don't come out there, you'll die underground. The next exit is very far away!"

The underground stream was winding and tortuous, and the monk's essence and blood would not last long. He would run in a straight line on the surface and might not fall behind!

This was the advantage of terrain in the "Three Harmonies"!

...

Meng Qi floated in the water, constantly bumping into protruding rocks. If not for the Golden Bell Cover protecting him, he would have been bruised and battered.

But he was not in good shape either. After the "Self-Sacrifice Technique" wore off, he felt a deep cold and weakness, as if he were about to fall ill.

As light gradually entered the darkness, Meng Qi knew he had reached the next exit and struggled to climb out of the underground stream.

He did not dare to continue downstream, as his current condition would not allow it, and he would die underground.

Meng Qi, shivering, climbed out of the ravine, wiped off the water, and ran toward the nearby weathered rocks, planning to rest for a moment before returning to Liusha Town.

He had just sat down when he heard the sound of clapping.

"You are very strong, the strongest I've seen among those who have just opened their acupoints. You almost killed me just now." An Guoxie's face was pale, a smile on his lips, the wound on his chest and abdomen still not fully healed.

"And you are very smart. The only problem is that this is the瀚Hai (desert), my Gobi."