634 The Saber Within Me

"They have deep interest in the affairs of the Blue-blooded People?" Meng Qi was reminded of how the Third Master of the Ruan Clan has skills that could hurt the Blue-blooded People. This implied that the Ruan Clan had long known of the Blue-blooded People's existence but have merely been secretive about the matter. Why then the sudden fanfare that even martial sects and the aristocracies were informed?

Yan Chong lifted his bowl and took another swig. "The Patriarch of the Ruan Clan, who has long removed himself from the daily affairs of the Jianghu, wrote to a number of martial sects and households of nobilities that command considerable power. In his letters, the Patriarch elaborated on the dangers these Blue-blooded People pose and expressed concern that these aliens have their sights set upon the city of Linhai. He fears that some foul designs which would be harmful to the human race are afoot, so he implored for assistance in a decisive assault to pre-empt it."

"There are merits to his claims." Meng Qi admitted. He would be puzzled if the incident of the Blue-blood People had not caused unease among these powerful factions. "But the Ruan Clan was the most concerned with the matter?"

Meng Qi decided that he should lend a helping hand if the Ruan Clan was indeed distressed by the appearance of the alien folk. He was confident despite not having powers beyond the level of the First Celestial Ladder because the Eight Nine Mysteries discipline of skills allowed him to nullify the ability of the Blue-blooded People to control water. This skill alone was sufficient for him to deal with Blue-blooded People at levels between the Fourth- or Fifth-fold Heaven.

Yan Chong broke into laughter. "Concerned? That would hardly matter. They know nothing about the Blue-blooded People. The strength of the enemies, the locations they frequent, and the site of their lair beneath the sea—nothing is clear yet. There is no point being distressed until the required information is divined."

Unknown monsters and treacherous terrains lurked beneath the sea. These dangers, and the fact that an underwater battle would greatly reduce humans' ability to attune with Nature, made this a very perilous and risky undertaking! Not even a great master of martial skills who was a Half-step from the Dharmakaya would be foolhardy enough to charge blindly. Searching for the lair of the Blue-blooded People in the vast sea was like looking for a needle in a haystack!

"I see. There is no need for me to hurry, then." Meng Qi replied and took another drink from his bowl. He would first meditate and train, assimilating his gains from his recent adventures while he slowly built the foundations for his leap into the Realm of the First Celestial Ladder.

He had earlier relayed to He Jiu, Huang Taichong and others the visions that he had seen from the memories of the Blue-blooded People. With the Ruan Clan's interest in the alien folk, Meng Qi was certain that the Eastsea Sword Village would also be invited to join their cause. Meng Qi did not need to worry about passing on what he knew.

Hearing this, Yan Chong asked nonchalantly, "You have other business at hand?"

His voice trailed off as soon as he spoke. Yan Chong remembered that he was merely an acquaintance to Su Meng. To ask such a private question was discourteous.

Meng Qi was unperturbed by the unintentional disrespect of his host. He lightly tapped the side of the urn. A column of wine flew out of the huge clay jar and into his bowl with a small splash. Meng Qi laughed gently as he said, "I might look for a quiet place to stay. I need to meditate and assimilate what I can on the Dharma and Logos of Nature."

"You are close to stepping into the Realm of the First Celestial Ladder?" Yan Chong blurted, slightly stunned.

Meng Qi smiled and did not answer. Instead, he said, "Initially, I wanted to stay near you, Brother Yan. But then I remembered the enemies that I have made, the anger that I have incurred. Perhaps it would be better for me to look for a place to hide."

He lifted his bowl and emptied it with a gulp. He turned, pushed open the door and stepped out into the rain.

Rain showered down on him, the beads of water rolling off him like beads of mercury that left no trace. Meng Qi's figure blended into the darkness and then he was gone.

Yan Chong watched his guest leave. He turned and looked at the flickering flame on the candle. He sighed heavily.

"A decade's thrills have come and gone; What awaits ere the next is done?"

......

Summer was at its peak, with the sun hanging cheerily in the sky. The day was bright and cool. The blue sea glittered and undulated in the rays of sun. The moist and salty sea breeze blew into the cabins of the ships at sea, indulging seafarers and passengers with an air of comfort and laziness.

A majestic junk ship cruised idly on the blue sea, bathed in the bright radiance of the summer sunshine.

Unlike most other ships, there was a huge bed laid on its deck. A bed that spoke of luxury and pleasure.

Meng Qi lay on the bed, his chest naked as he enjoyed the sunlight. Like a lazy cat, he basked in the lap of luxury with his eyes squinched.

Beside the bed were tables laden with grapes, watermelon, and other fruits. These were not summertime fruits—they were farmed and harvested by households specializing in such skills. Such specialization did not come cheaply.

Beautiful maidens sat around Meng Qi, some fed him fruits while some peeled the skins off the grapes with their slender fingers and stuck toothpicks into the pieces of nicely-chopped watermelons.

Meng Qi laid on his back and opened his mouth to enjoy the pampering of the beautiful ladies.

The fresh summer sea breeze blew on the upper decks of the ship under the warmth of the sunlight. Meng Qi's lazy demeanor seemed contagious, infecting the servant girls with an intoxicating drowsiness. Even the steward bringing more refreshments could not fight the urge to yawn.

"We have served a great many guests and patrons, but never have we met anyone who knows more about indulgences than you, Young Master. Some would be fearful of the blistering sunlight while some would be too proud to fully enjoy themselves. Only you are different, Sir. You have made us envious and fascinated that even we would like to try and enjoy and bask in the sunlight while resting—a luxury that seems to make the days happy and free," said one of the maidens at Meng Qi's side. She sat barefoot beside him, the fair skin on her feet was smooth and unlined, as she gracefully peeled the skin off the grapes and exposed the succulent meat.

"I would rather you do not." Meng Qi replied with his eyes still shut. His voice rang across the deck with an infecting sleepiness. "You will blame me if your skin were to become dark and tanned."

Meng Qi had rented the junk ship after he completed his training. He thus began his journey to Langya via sea. His generosity and magnanimity, as well as his unique ways, had interested the stewards and servant girls greatly.

On his other side, another maiden giggled softly. "The Young Master has lain and enjoyed the sun for many days, but his skin does not seem to darken."

She knew that the Young Master was a proficient martial practitioner. His skin would not darken easily. She laughed and said, "We were all surprised when you ordered that a bed be placed on the deck. We thought that you were being ridiculous and strange, or that you were a lover of nudity. We did not expect such use."

She continued speaking as she received the refreshment from the steward—a bowlful of liquid dessert. The maiden gently stirred the liquid which gave off a dewy luster.

Meng Qi opened his mouth. The servant girl fed him a spoonful of the dessert and he tasted the myriad of refreshing flavors. With his eyes still closed, he said with a smile, "I am a person who knows how to enjoy myself to the fullest. I will not spare myself an ounce of indulgence and luxury when it is time for me to enjoy."

The sunlight touched his skin and glowed off his back like a sheet of gold.

"A guest once told me that we should seize the day and live life to the fullest. Are you one such man, Young Master?" It was another servant girl who had spoken.

The girl lifted a back-scratcher made of jade and scratched Meng Qi's back.

The atmosphere on the upper deck was slow and relaxed due to the cool breeze and the warm sun. The mood was suddenly broken by the loud call of a sailor.

"Man ahoy, Young Master!"

"Man ahoy? Shouldn't it be a ship that is coming our way and not a man?" The servant girls were bewildered.

Meng Qi maintained his peaceful idleness with his eyes still closed. He had already sensed the presence of the person from afar. "Leave him be." He answered flatly.

Far ahead, a small shallop cut through the rolling waves of the sea, leaving a foaming trail in its wake. Upon it stood a man clothed in white flowing robes. The person stood tall and proud with the air of a man who had sprung out from ancient tales and legends. He wielded a weapon that resembled a saber and a sword.

Despite his outwardly mundane appearance, he projected such an imposing presence that the sailor had not noticed the shallop he rode on!

The man in white sensed the presence of the junk ship and the large bed on the deck. With his spiritual senses projected, he saw a man lazing in the sunlight with his chest naked as he lay on the bed.

It was a scene that would leave anyone with the desire to unwind. Within his mind came a soft urge that beckoned him into the soft and velvety folds of the bed.

The man in white remained motionless. The small shallop steered gently toward the junk ship. Nearing the bow of the ship, he called out in the language of the Great Jin Empire.

"Is that a man of the Northern Zhou Empire or the Southern Jin Empire onboard?"

His tone was as cold and keen as steel. Even tens of meters away it resounded into everyone's ears.

Meng Qi remained on the bed, enjoying the fruit slices fed to him by the servant girls. He spoke lazily from the bed. "Southern Jin. May I ask where you are from? What would you like to know?"

The man in white lowered the weapon he held and his expression turned solemn as he answered. "I am Ning Tai, a swordsman from the island nation of Dong Sang. I have been traveling around my country for a long time, seeking out swordsmen of my level to duel with, but I have yet to meet anyone that I could not defeat. I have heard of the greatness of the talents of the Northern Zhou and Southern Jin empires. Therefore, I am on my way there to test my skills. Can you tell me the name of the greatest warrior below the level of the First Celestial Ladder?"

"Dong Sang?" Meng Qi had heard of the name. It was a far-off island country in the East Sea. The island continent was rumored to be immense, with an abundance of natural resources. Comparable to the district of River East, the growth of martial skills and disciplines prospered there, producing numerous promising talents. Yet, tales from the island of Dong Sang rarely reached the coasts of the mainland due to the dangers that lurked at sea and the scarcity of sea routes connecting the island.

"Undefeated against opponents below the Realm of the First Celestial Ladder?" Meng Qi laughed and replied, his tone still lazy. "There are many talents and prodigies of martial skills everywhere. But how is one to know who reigns over them when they have not fought against each other before? Who is there to say who wields the strongest power? Still, none will ever dispute the names of He Jiu of the Eastsea Sword Village and Wang Siyuan of the Wang Clan of River East. They are among the greatest warriors in the land, both of whom have leaped over the barriers of the earlier Realms of the Exterior."

"They leaped over the Realms of the Exterior?" The eyes of the man in white twinkled with anticipation. A sudden thirst for victory hemmed with pride in his own skills began to surface. "Where are they now?"

"Wang Siyuan resides in his ancestral residence in Maoling of River East. He Jiu would most likely be in the city of Linhai..." Meng Qi pointed him in their direction hoping to watch an interesting drama unfold.

Ning Tai listened intently to Meng Qi's counsel. His fingers grazed the sheath of his sword lightly. With a whisk of his white flowing robes, the small shallop turned abruptly and began to glide over the lapping waves, heading toward Linhai.

He had opted not to fly in order to preserve his energy and condition, hoping to save the best for his much-awaited battle ahead!

"The man from Dong Sang is a very arrogant and haughty person, Young Master. Why did you not teach him some humility, since you are also a powerful martial practitioner yourself?" It was a servant girl who asked. She had noticed that Meng Qi wielded considerable powers of his own.

With his eyes half-closed, Meng Qi giggled and explained. "I would have gladly jumped into a fight if such a man had come forward with such arrogance a few months ago. But now I am assimilating and meditating on the laws and orders of Nature, the spectrum of my thoughts harmonizing with the Dharma and Logos of Nature. Everything follows the course of its nature. And from Nature comes peace and serenity. From whence come my will to fight come from now that I have only peace and tranquility?"

"Spoken like a man of the cloth..." The servant girl gasped.

Meng Qi opened his mouth and took a gulp of the liquid dessert fed to him before he continued speaking. "Nay. This is only a mandatory process in the course of my training. One can liken it to the absolute and eternal course of Nature like the calm before a storm or the buildup of water before a dam breaks. Once I am fully acclimated to the sensation of the attunement, I shall be able to break through all barriers and achieve greater heights.

"Here sits saber within me. The flames of my Vital Spirit burns its steel as the hammer of my Gist of Trueness pounds on it. The Dharma and Logos of Nature will provide the finishing touches to refine its edges to perfection. The blade bides its time patiently until it musters enough strength. Once the time is right, the blade will sing and the gleam of its steel will shine once more with cold fury as the saber dispenses justice with shock and awe."

The maidens around him nodded their heads blankly as if in a trance.

The junk ship continued its idle cruise. Meng Qi remained sprawled on the bed, enjoying the indulgence and pleasure as he was enticed into a slumber of comfort and relief.

Time passed swiftly. Before long, the port of Langya, the largest seaport in River East and all lands, could be seen from afar. The masts and spires of the many ships docked nearby filled the unfolding cityscape. Hordes of people walked around and the pungent scent of seawater and fish filled the nostrils of everyone.

Meng Qi suddenly opened his eyes, his belly still exposed to the sunlight. His gaze was dark and distant, impossible to read.

He slowly got up and extended his arms. The servants beside him knowingly draped his robes on his shoulders, dressing him in tight black clothes.

One by one the articles of his clothing were worn. Slowly, Meng Qi felt all drowsiness and laziness diminishing. From within rose an air of supremacy and power. All around him, the servants could feel the excess of pride and majesty radiating strongly.

With misty eyes, the servant girls beheld the huge changes in the man before them. "The Young Master has turned into a completely different person..."

Meng Qi drew his saber. He had his arms crossed before his chest while he held the saber in his left hand. His arms flailed wildly as if he had broken from an imagined confinement. His body shone with dazzling radiance and his aura rose sharply. He stood silently, still as stone, the entirety of his grandeur and the greatness of his valiance on display.

Some distance away, a small shallop cleaved the undulations of the waves with Ning Tai steadily steering it in his white flowing robes.

He sensed a familiar presence that made his head turn in the direction of the junk ship. The strange sword in his hand shuddered and rang softly.

"I see you have not gone to Linhai." Meng Qi said with a smile.

Ning Tai replied sourly in the tongue of the Great Jin Empire. "He Jiu has come to Langya."

His gaze bore straight into Meng Qi. The sword he held tilted close to his body like a snake preparing to strike!

The girth of the junk ship and the little shallop was a huge contrast.