174 The Cooperation

On a moonlit evening, through a stone bridge over the gurgling water quietly camped several groups of their opponents.

Hearing Ghost King calling the Meng Qi's title, Jing Shao was shocked to know that he was the overnight famous "God-petrifying Sword", Meng!

He felt delightful because Xiao Meng, a chivalrous swordsman, escorted General Lu covering thousands of miles to the capital city nearly on his own and making countless well-known pros dead under his sword, which made the title of "God-petrifying Sword" well-known in every corner of the capital city.

His righteous spirit was worthy of their trust!

As a folk proverb said, a man's fame was like the shadow of a tree. Escorting Lu Guan, such a general living up to the world's expectations to the capital city made Meng Qi a big hero in the eyes of those chivalrous Jianghu men.

With a good friend from an alien race on his back, he slowly got close to Meng Qi. Making sure that he had no intention of forcing them, he cooled down and regarded Meng Qi as a true swordsman who would never take advantage of another's perilous state.

Stone bridge, running water, cold moon, swordsman were in perfect harmony, even integrated as one to exclude anything else, which made Monk Ruyi, Ghost King and Violet Blade three did not dare to act rashly. It seemed that as long as they took a step out, it would lead the thunderbolt to attack them and cause a dramatic invasion.

With Meng Qi slowly pulling his sword, which looked as if countless identical movements superimposed together and Dharma and Logos were reserved in his movements, Monk Ruyi and Ghost King's pupils were slightly contracted, as they thought of somebody at the same time.

Yes, Meng Qi's moves reminded them of Sword Emperor, who forgot what he gained and gained only through forgetting.

"Has 'God-petrifying Sword' Meng reached this level? Could it be that he had skipped the realm from Skillful Tactics to Void Tactics and in turn from Void Tactics to Skillful Tactics and really grasped the essence of the sword art? Or is it possible that he did not limit himself to the sword arts but regards everything in the world and the genuine Qi from himself as the sword levels which return to the essence of the sword art?" They speculated.

What was a sword? Why was it called a sword? These were questions every swordsman would repeatedly ask when they cultivated their sword art to the extreme. Of course, different answers would result in different directions the swordsmen would choose.

Sword Emperor's answer was only four words— It was just itself!

Facing Meng Qi, whose sword style was somewhat alike to Sword Emperor's, Monk Ruyi and Ghost King would not want to make the first move. But if only they were alone, being proud of their strength, they would probably give it a shot. However, since two other experts were present, why not let them first rush on the hostile ranks?

Furthermore, if Monk Ruyi, Ghost King and Meng caused destruction to both sides, the third party would benefit from the tussle.

The result was as the old saying suggested, "One boy is a boy, two boys half a boy, three boys no boy." Especially when they, these three men belonged to individual sects, it was impossible for them to team up.

Out of fear, neither of these two men took action: one stood on the prow with his frock fluttering, seemingly out of this secular world; the other looked very terrible with his face hidden in the shadow and his palms drooping.

Yet, Violet Blade had to attack, because it was his responsibility to behead these two fellows to ruin all the evidence.

Besides, he had never met Sword Emperor and knew little of Meng Qi's sword art except for its long lasting appeal, whose characteristic was a kaleidoscope of change hidden in the immutability yet not invincible.

He strode forward and every step was as measured by the same length.

"Arrogant!" His sabre rose up. The moonlight was reflected by his sabre, like the burning sunshine.

"Who will challenge my sword?" This sentence sounded extremely conceited. Since nearly everyone at present was a well-known martialist, who could bear such a disdainful attitude?

However, Violet Blade did not get angry because he had heard such similar words when they fought before.

He was very calm. The further he walked, the stronger his momentum was, rising up high in the sky.

Meng Qi looked at the demon-like Violet Blade, suddenly put his sword into its scabbard and hung it again at his waist, indifferently saying, "The flaw of your soul is too large to deserve my sword."

His black saber jingled out of its sheath like wisps of electric light leaping.

The flaw of your soul is too big to deserve my sword... the flaw of your soul is too big to deserve my sword...  Meng Qi's words set fire to the anger in Violet Blade's heart, making his eyes wide open and his teeth ground.

Push me too far! Push me too far!  Violet Blade spluttered to himself.

The first half of the sentence targets my taboo. As the old saying goes, "Don't hit somebody in the face." Why must Meng Qi let out my shortcoming in public? What's more, the contemptuous tone of his second half sentence is beyond my patience, for he regards me as nothing but the useless clay chickens and pottery dogs and can defeat me with any common weapon instead of the sword which helped him to win his fame!

Who could remain calm?

At this moment, Violet Blade could not remain calm anymore, and the anger in his heart was surging.

Much to their surprise, the spectators like Monk Ruyi and Ghost King thought if they wanted to defeat Violet Blade, who lost heart with big the flaw of your souls, it was not very difficult, but if they employed other weapons instead of the ones they were adept at, there would nearly be no chance for them to win. Even "God-petrifying Sword" Meng's bladesmanship was outstanding, could it be compared to his sword art somewhat similar to Sword Emperor's?

Besides, he was always using his sword and famous for it.

Carrying his friend on his back, Jing Shao had come behind Meng Qi. He could not believe what he heard because Violet Blade was one of the only limited pros in the martial world, but "God-petrifying Sword" Meng was so conceit that he badly underestimated Violet Blade. Could it be that he had the absolute-winning strength and confidence?

Since he started his Jianghu career, Meng Qi was always known as a swordsman, a stern-faced swordsman. Therefore, no one could expect his bladesmanship was better at the high level than his sword art but he should employ his blade instead of his sword this time.

This was the benefit of establishing a swordsman image!

With a flash of the blade light, Jing Shao's eyelid leapt for he saw Meng Qi pulling out his blade.

The moon shining on the "Evil Ordeal" was as cold as the frost while the sound of the surging water like his blade chimes beating on Violet Blade's heart and the path of his blade coincided with the arc of the stone bridge, which was very mysterious.

Apart from Jing Shao, as experts of bladesmanship, Monk Ruyi and Ghost King saw the blade light just like fish in the water: Sometimes, they jumped out of the water and sometimes fell into the water. These uncertain changes let them gain the fun of nature as if the disquieting thoughts in their mind appeared, which were difficult to control and defend.

Was his bladesmanship this powerful too?

The waves in their hearts grew far fiercer!

Though this cut Meng Qi did through a move of "Mortal Dust Fall" did not operate the soul or activated the blade will, the bladesmanship changes of "Mortal Dust Fall", as a set of the Exterior, were bound to conceal some Dharma and Logos and procured some gist of the blade theory, which coincided with the "Essentials of Heaven Blade".

Thus, having grasped a little of Heaven Blade, Meng Qi displayed "Mortal Dust Fall" through this gist of it and connected his will with the surroundings, making his blade light perfectly changeable in harmony with nature.

His blade light leaping into the eyes of Violet Blade was more horrible.

He had a psychic sensation not from the light of Meng Qi's blade movements but from his heart, and it changed with his thoughts.

As long as he thought of changing the move in his mind, Meng Qi's moves would really alter. No matter what he did, it was impossible for him to overcome this psychological.

Who could beat his soul? So this blade was irresistible for him!

This was the feeling in the heart of Violet Blade, as if he went back to where he had challenged Living Buddha, he felt the oppression from the heaven and the earth, the Samsara of his soul and the collapse of his will, making him desperate to the extreme.

He stepped back time and again but the flicker of Meng Qi's blade which seemed to be not fast was like a shadow that never left him, making him unable to get rid of it, just as he could not get rid of the fear in his heart to make up for the flaw of his soul.

When the blade light beat his body, Violet Blade roared with fear and fought back with his sabre to put up his deathbed struggle.

When the light scattered, Meng Qi again stood on the stone bridge with wisps of blood gathered together, slowly dripping along his long blade which pointed to the ground. The moon was the same eternal moon and the water was the surging water.

There was not a deep cut in Violet Blade's chest and abdomen with silver snake-like electro-optics jumping, which scorched his skin and evaporated his blood.

Yet he did not die and his injury was not serious either, because he had opened the Nine Apertures and his genuine Qi could naturally give out and form the Protective Upstanding Qi to isolate or severely weaken the ordinary injuries.

If he wanted to kill him by one move, Meng Qi would have to cast "Mortal Dust Fall" or "Peace Quietude Split", causing him to be sluggish and the Upstanding Qi to slow down, just as what he had done with An Guoxie and Evil Prince.

However, if he did so, he would completely expose the unknown background of his bladesmanship and only through the Sacrifice Formula could he give another cut but there were two other more powerful enemies to fight with.

Of course, hit by his "Evil Ordeal", Violet Blade became paralyzed. Even if he had the Protective Upstanding Qi, he would be defeated by a second cut. Yet, as for Meng Qi, he would lose his demeanor of "peerless master", which was bad for him to "scare off" Monk Ruyi and Ghost King.

At this moment, there were frightful billows and terrible waves in Monk Ruyi and Demon King's hearts. "Meng Qi's bladesmanship was so mysterious and horrible as if the nature truth had hidden in it. Then what about his more powerful sword art? Could it be that it had nearly reached the level of Sword Emperor? Since the posture of pulling out his sword was so similar to that of Sword Emperor, what was the relationship between them?"

Meng Qi returned his blade to the scabbard and indifferently looked at Violet Blade.

He said, "Just as I said, the flaw of your soul is too big to win me."

"And my bladesmanship is made for attacking the heart weakness."

In a daze for a moment, Violet Blade suddenly shouted as a lonely wolf howled on a moonlit night, indignant and perplexed. He turned around and crazily rushed away as if to escape from everything there.

Seeing Violet Blade and his men retreating, Monk Ruyi and Ghost King were more vigilant.

Meng Qi turned around to look at them, removed his sword again and made a posture of pulling out his sword.

He said, "Are you worthy of my sword?"

Just then, a cold hum which seemed not to exist came into their ears yet was very familiar.

"It is Sword Emperor!" Ghost King was shocked and made his mind to retreat in the darkness after he had recalled Meng Qi's occult posture of pulling out his sword.

"Donor Meng has the righteous spirit of integrity and takes pity on all human beings. I feel relieved to present these two donors to you. Amitabha!" With these words, Monk Ruyi left by boat.

Meng Qi put his long sword into the scabbard and stood there with his hands at the back, looking very cool but smirking,

"She indeed belongs to Ruan Family from Lang Ya. Her ability to simulate the voice of others is so strong."