Chapter 203: Aftershock
Translator: Transn Editor: Transn
Master Ye Xiaojie looked towards “Hundred Flower Pavilion”, and said with a little fear, “It’s unexpected that Huanhua Swords Sect has deployed Qi Zhengyan as a secret chess piece with the trick of Half-step Exterior Scenery level. I almost thought that he was an ordinary Manager, who was honest and weak.”
Distant from “Hundred Flower Pavilion”, they failed to figure out what had happened inside, but only saw a beam of cold light radiating with the strength, which was not so strong but appalling enough.
Nevertheless, they had never considered the possibility that it was radiated by Qi Zhengyan himself. If he was of Half-step Exterior Scenery level, he would have robustly suppressed the tricky situation in Yi City. How would he get into such a mess?
Therefore, they speculated that Qi Zhengyan was a secret chess piece deployed by Huanhua Swords Sect for preventing the Manager from getting into trouble or something serious that the sect didn’t have time to react. He was given the talisman or wondrous item for sealing the trick of Half-step Exterior Scenery. Just as Ye family could also separate out the Sword Qi from “Purple Decease Sword” and sealed it in something that could bear it, and directly activated it when needed.
But in this way, the Precious Weapon would be damaged, and its strength would stop at the level of Half-step Exterior Scenery. It was far more simple, direct and peremptory to take out “Purple Decease Sword” and wield it towards Meng Qi. What’s more, it just depleted the user’s genuine Qi without damaging the Precious Weapon.
Normally, the strength from activating Sword Qi, which had been separated out and sealed, was probably equal to that of a casual blow of Half-step Exterior Scenery. The strength from the Precious Weapon directly used by a Nine Apertures Master equaled to that of a hard blow of Half-step Exterior Scenery. If the Precious Weapon was activated by itself and controlled by a Nine Apertures Master who was willing to consume his Energy, Qi, Spirit, Will and life, it could give a full play to its strength.
“It’s just as well. Huanhua Swords Sect can get the news within the shortest time.” Master Ye smiled to the person on the other side and said, “Well, I’ve got to kill Tang Sixun and Lin Mu.”
At the sight of Meng Qi running away by water, with his hands slightly trembling and sweat falling down from his face, the swordsman who held “Purple Decease Sword” directly jumped out of Flower Moon Tower in reverse, fell into the yard, rushed to the street and disappeared into the crowd.
With the strength of Nine Apertures level, he could only wave the sword one more time! If the horrible master counterattacked, it’s likely that both of them would be killed, which would just benefit others!
Participating in killing the relatives of Huanhua Swords Sect, the swordsman, the man with a spear and Tang Shu naturally didn’t dare to stay there. They also jumped off the Flower Moon Tower and sneaked into the crowd.
With numerous witnesses, they didn’t have the guts to go back inside to kill the Manager of Huanhua Swords Sect, because it would lead to Thunderclap and Six Fan School’s pursuit. What’s more, Tang Shu and Lord Tang the Fifth had made an appointment. They would directly run away after killing Meng Qi, while Lord Tang the Fifth copped out of it with the excuse that he didn’t know the Elder of his family was bribed by enemies. At last, he would bribe Manager Lin to stifle this issue.
However, they didn’t expect that Tang Mingyue had noticed it in advance and told Meng Qi about it at the thought that he was a chivalrous man with legendary deeds. So he struck first by making tremendous sounds which startled the three in Hundred Flower Pavilion. Lord Tang the Fifth and Manager Lin directly had a fight regardless of face, but unexpectedly they were suppressed by Qi Zhengyan within only one move!
And more importantly, Meng Qi was still alive!
Without “Purple Decease Sword”, would they stay here and wait for his counterattack?
In this fight, Meng Qi damaged the confidence of the four Nine Apertures Masters so badly that they even began to be suspicious of their lives.
Putting “Golden Dragon Stripe Sword” back in the scabbard, Qi Zhengyan turned around to look at Lord Tang the Fifth and Manager Lin, and walked up to Lord Tang the Fifth after a hesitation. He activated his strength to help him soothe meridians and defrost while hitting his acupoint.
“What, what do you want to do?” Lord Tang the Fifth was stunned, with questioning looks.
Qi Zhengyan glanced at him without any expression, looking like a cold-blooded butcher, which struck terror into Lord Tang the Fifth’s heart. Lord Tang the Fifth begged with his eyes. “I, I was deluded… ”
Qi Zhengyan was indifferent. Not until there was not any trace of Icysnow Genuine Qi left on Lord Tang the Fifth, did he draw the Long Sword carried by Manager Lin. He unlocked Lord Tang the Fifth’s acupoint while utilizing “Sword Art of Afterglow and Autumn Water” to pierce his throat with one sword.
Lord Tang the Fifth fell down on the ground, moaning. “I couldn’t believe that he killed me without asking anything! Wouldn’t he care why I betrayed Huanhua Swords Sect and defected to Wang family? Wouldn’t he care about the secret behind this?”
Qi Zhengyan said expressionlessly,
“You know too much.”
For him, even if Yi City was swallowed up by Wang family, it was less important than his secret being exposed. As for Snow Frozen Aurora utilized by him just now, he could make an excuse that it was the reserved trick of his “cousin” who came here for shelter due to his “cousin” getting into trouble. So his “cousin” gave it to him — Judging from the strength of “powerful nine Apertures” showed by Meng Qi, it was not so outrageous that Meng Qi got an one-off talisman or wondrous item of Half-step Exterior Scenery level. However, he used Icysnow Genuine Qi to restrain the two and waved the sword in their vision. If the matter got out, it would be impossible to explain.
He should have chosen to peregrinate first, in this way, he could rationalize “Book of the Chaos” with the excuse of adventure. But in that way, it was indispensable that such Peerless Godly Kongfu would be coveted by others. If his sect asked him to hand it out to exchange a Precious Weapon for reward, how should he reply? He couldn’t hand it out, even if he wanted to!
Therefore, in the situation where there would soon be someone coming in, Qi Zhengyan chose to kill them without asking anything else — He could take Lord Tang the Fifth and Manager Lin back for interrogation with the excuse of being attacked. But in this way, it was unavoidable for him to be suspected if they died. It would be safer to kill them on the scene and forge a conflict. Anyway, the situation here had completely deteriorated, so he had to ask experts of the Exterior of the sect to suppress it. They could make a robust investigation then.
He wiped the sword hilt and put it back in Manager Lin’s hand. Then he also sealed Manager Lin’s acupoint and helped him defrost.
Manager Lin’s eyes were filled with fear, but he could do nothing but be killed by Qi Zhengyan on the scene in the same way.
He had got an idea about how to explain it in the letter to his sect. “Manager Lin was bribed by enemies, so he deliberately betrayed the sect’s benefits and colluded with outsiders to hurt his relatives time and again. Afterwards, he took the opportunity of the banquet to assassinate Lord Tang the Fifth who was close to the sect and attempted to kill me and put the blame to me. I could do nothing but kill Manager Lin with the help of the reserved trick given by my cousin. Then I found that Lord Tang the Fifth had also defected long ago, and the banquet was a trap.”
All in all, in this moment, I’m the only Controller of Flower-washing Sword Sect in Yi City. What I say is the truth.
Even if the sect really made an investigation out of suspicion, Manager Lin had some obvious problems!
As the door was opened, the rest of Lord Tang the Fifth’s guards rushed in and saw Qi Zhengyan who looked serious.
Out of the corner of his eyes, Qi Zhengyan seemed to see that a figure flashed and immediately vanished.
In the next room, Wu Qinxin, Shangguan Han and Tang Mingyue was staring at Shangshui River, which occasionally swirled in a daze. It was not until a moment later that one of them said in a way which was half dreamy and half astonished. “He could, he could get away from the joint force of four Nine Apertures Masters! Besides, he stabbed one of them and repelled another!”
Such strength might be too outrageous!
Tang Mingyue winked and wistfully said, “Without ‘Purple Decease Sword’, I thought it would be the four Nine Apertures Masters who were defeated and killed.”
She was too shy to mention grandpa Shu.
“Right!” The legend of Meng Qi rendered these Young Masters, Childes and Misses consciously stand on his side. What’s more, what they said about the tactical situation was true. With the sword art which contained Dharma and Logos and the figure which was agile like shadow and demon, “Gentleman Sword” Young Master Meng suppressed four Nine Apertures Masters by himself, stabbed one and repelled aother. Without “Purple Decease Sword”, it was unknown who would be the winner!
“What’s more, around the world, there’re only a handful of Enlightened Masters who can stay alive under a hit of a Precious Weapon!” With increasing admiration of Meng Qi, Wu Qinxin said, “The name of ‘Gentleman Sword’ will definitely be listed in Ranking List of Young Masters and be well-known around the world!”
With a much more relaxed expression, Tang Mingyue joyfully looked towards a childe and said, “Brother Huang Yue, I’m wondering what Young Master Meng’s position would be in Ranking List of Young Masters after this fight?”
Huang Yue’s father Huang Zhiqing was the Governor Arrester of Six Fan School in Yi City, and was in charge of local Martial Artists Community. So he knew more about Ranking List of Young Masters than ordinary people.
Full of emotion, Huang Yue glanced at Shangshui River and said after a hesitation, “If Young Master Meng calmly left after killing the four Nine Apertures Masters, he may be listed in top fifteen. Nevertheless, such an achievement is good enough to enable him to be listed in top twenty-five… How he could have this strength at this age without eminent impartation?”
“Killing four Nine Apertures Masters could only enable him to be listed in top fifteen?” Wu Qinxin said in astonishment.
Huang Yue chuckled and said in a way of showing off his knowledge, “After all, there’s a certain distance between the four Nine Apertures Masters and the one listed in the bottom of Ranking List of Young Masters. Among the top ten of Ranking List of Young Masters, who isn’t extraordinary?” For example, ‘Demoness of Grand Luo’ Gu Xiaosang encountered Seven Heavenly Fairies who were subordinate to ‘Evil desire Bodhisattva’ from the Sect of Plain Lady in Three Mountains and Four Waters. The strongest ‘Flowers-spreading Fairy’ was in the twenty-ninth place of Ranking List of Young Masters, and the other six were slightly stronger than the four Nine Apertures Masters.”
Because the new Ranking List of Young Masters hadn’t been published yet, this matter hadn’t been spread. However, Huan Province was close to Three Mountains and Four Waters, so senior staff of local Six Fan School had almost heard of it.
“What’s the result?” Tang Mingyue, Wu Qinxin and Shangguan Han asked. They were waiting for the result, with their eyes opening wide and holding their breath.
Huang Yue said in a deep voice with a little fear and excitement,
“Seven Heavenly Fairies were delisted due to a fight.”
There came incessant sounds of taking deep breaths.
Upon arrival at “Flower-washing Rice Shop”, Qi Zhengyan saw Meng Qi staring at the tea with a heartbroken expression.
“Cousin, are you seriously hurt?” Qi Zhengyan asked with concern.
Meng Qi shook his head. After layers of obstruction, the Sword Qi which had entered his body was dissolved by the Immortal Pressing Art and stimulated to generate waves. There were just some deep small holes on his back, and his meridians were wounded. Under Golden Bell Shield and Eight Nine Mysteries, now he had almost recovered.
Considering the uncanny matter and the opposite side might use the Precious Weapon once or twice, he gave up counterattack.
“Then what’s your expression for?” Qi Zhengyan quizzically asked.
Meng Qi said with clenched teeth, “My Ice Portal. A real man is sure to take the revenge!”
Qi Zhengyan’s face briefly looked glassy and immediately returned to normal. He said, “I’ll immediately write a letter back to the mountain to report this matter to my sect and ask for reinforcement.”
“Well.” Meng Qi gave a casual reply. When Qi Zhengyan was writing the letter, Meng Qi suddenly frowned and said, “It’s a little uncanny… In spite of what kind of excuse they have, killing the relatives of Disciples of Huanhua Swords Sect is like declaring war on them! Is Wang family so confident? Or is Manager Lin so confirmed that he could suppress it and guarantee that you wouldn’t rebound?”
Manager Lin and his companions definitely didn’t want to kill Qi Zhengyan if they didn’t have to. Killing a Manager would certainly draw the attention of Huanhua Swords Sect.
“I also sense the uncanniness of the matter. That’s why I send a letter back to my sect just in case.” Qi Zhengyan nodded and said.
Thinking for a while, Meng Qi said, “How long does it take to send the letter back to the mountain?”
“Our sect has domestic birds which are in the villa outside of the city. If I send it tomorrow, it can reach the gate of the mountain in two days.” Qi Zhengyan honestly answered.
“Along with the time for experts of the Exterior coming here, it would probably be three days. I hope that there won’t be any accident.” Meng Qi nodded and said.
During these days, should I “practice” with the Elders and Foreign Officials from four aristocratic families?
In the next morning, when they had just finished practicing and Qi Zhengyan was about to head to the villa, a waiter came in to deliver a message in a hurry,
“Manager Qi, something serious happened! Old Master Tang fell into a complete coma, and Wang Zai from Wang family went to Tang family in person. They will decide on the appointment of Master!”
“Wang Zai? ” Meng Qi and Qi Zhengyan stared at each other with their moods being agitated. “This person was a son of concubine of the eldest branch of Wang family. With brilliant talent in Kung Fu, he just turned twenty, but had opened Eight Acupores and been listed in the twenty-third place of Ranking List of Young Masters, with the sobriquet ‘Right-guarding Sword’ “.
Taking a breath, the waiter continued saying, “Manager, there’s another news. It’s said that the elders of Tang family are going to marry Miss Tang the Ninth to Master Ye for alliance!”