Meister der Mehrdeutigkeit

Kapitel 144

Before Wen Jing could finish speaking, several Shenxiao disciples rushed forward. Wen Jing disdainfully raised his palm and killed the disciples. He sighed, flicked his wrist, and said, "Why did you all do this?"

The Shenxiao disciples ignored his words and continued their attack.

What followed was no longer fighting, but massacre.

Wen Jing looked at the scenery in front of him with great interest, his eyes filled with increasing delight.

At that moment, a Shenxiao disciple was wounded by a ninja's dagger and staggered backward. Unable to maintain his balance, he fell towards the alchemy furnace. Upon impact, the furnace shifted automatically, and the ground split open.

Seeing this, Wen Jing's lips curled into a slight smile. He then used his palm to finish off the last few Shenxiao disciples. Afterward, he descended into the underground chamber.

After descending the steps, Wen Jing was suddenly presented with an empty room. The room was completely empty except for a high platform, which was made of white marble and shaped like a nine-pointed star.

"A magic array?!" Wen Jing was overjoyed and stepped forward to examine it closely.

On the nine points of the nine-pointed star array, the names of the nine imperial artifacts were clearly engraved. And on the spot marked "Zhan Long," a weapon was already placed.

It was a whisk, the handle of which was carved from ebony, and the bristles were all snow-white, exuding an extraordinary aura.

Wen Jing's excitement was now completely undisguised. He said in a trembling voice, "Quickly, bring me those eight weapons!"

The ninja obeyed and respectfully presented the other eight weapons.

Nan Dou Yan Shou, Bei Dou Sha Guo, Wu Ling Ba Dao, Shuang Tian Lan Yue, Li Quan, Zhu Yang, Si Chen, Lan.

As the weapons were placed on the high platform one by one, Wen Jing stepped back a few paces, filled with anticipation.

However, after a short while, the magic array remained a magic array, and the weapons remained weapons, without any change.

"Why is there no response?" Wen Jing exclaimed angrily. "I've already collected all nine imperial artifacts, why hasn't the magic array activated?! Why?!"

At this moment, Wen Jing heard a cold laugh.

"Island Master Wen, I never expected that you would believe my casual remarks."

Upon hearing this voice, Wen Jing's expression changed instantly. "Wei Qi!"

The visitor was none other than Wei Qi.

"You didn't fall for the trap?!" Wen Jing exclaimed in surprise.

"The martial world is nothing but deceit and treachery. I was fortunate enough to win this round." Wei Qi slowly walked out from another corner of the dark room. He looked at the weapons arranged on the magic array, smiled, and said, "Thank you, Island Master Wen, for bringing the divine artifact here, which saved me a lot of trouble."

Wen Jing frowned, "So, you tricked me into handing over the Nine Emperor Artifacts I possessed..."

Wei Qi's expression suddenly turned icy. He said, "Wen Jing, you and I both want to possess the Nine Emperors and unify the world. It's just that you were too impatient and careless." He coldly added, "No one can threaten me, and no one can share the world with me. You're too old for that; you should just go to the underworld and enjoy your blessings!"

Wen Jing laughed, "You little brat, do you think you can beat this old man?"

Wei Qi lowered his eyes, looking at the small box of incense in his hand. The eerie blue smoke was terrifying. A large group of people appeared behind him. Upon closer inspection, they were all walking corpses. Their appearances were grotesque and utterly horrifying.

“I still…” Wei Qi began, a smile playing on his lips, “…only trust the dead.”

...

The Ultimate Dao [Part 2]

“I still…” Wei Qi began, a smile playing on his lips, “…only trust the dead.”

As soon as he finished speaking, dozens of zombies behind him staggered and attacked Wen Jing. Upon seeing this, Wen Jing's previous panic vanished, replaced by disdain, and he raised his palm to strike.

The zombies were numb and lacked the judgment of ordinary people, so how could they be a match for Wen Jing? In an instant, several zombies were struck by the power of the Nether Lightning Palm, fell to the ground, and could no longer attack.

Seeing this situation, Wei Qi remained calm and composed. He slowly put down the "Gu Incense" in his hand. Smiling, he looked at the group of Japanese ninjas entangled by the walking corpses and slowly said, "Although Island Master Wen possesses excellent martial arts skills, it's a pity he's at his limit. The fate of the East Sea is sealed, so why should my Japanese friends be buried with him?"

The group of ninjas were seeing zombies for the first time. They were at a disadvantage in the battle and were already afraid. After hearing Wei Qi's words, they decided to retreat.

Upon hearing this, Wen Jing said, "Now that things have come to this, do you think I still care about being betrayed and abandoned by everyone?" As he spoke, he swiftly attacked, directly striking Wei Qi.

Wei Qi didn't hesitate either, raising his palm to meet the attack. The two instantly clashed, locked in a fierce and evenly matched battle.

Both Wei Qi and Wen Jing practiced the Nether Thunder Palm, and their martial arts skills were evenly matched. However, Wen Jing was a seasoned veteran with profound internal energy, allowing him to fight with ease, putting Wei Qi at a disadvantage. But this was the Shenxiao branch, giving Wei Qi the advantage of terrain.

Wei Qi calmly deflected Wen Jing's deadly attack and retaliated with a palm strike. Wen Jing naturally countered with his own palm. The two exchanged blows, forcing Wei Qi back. He steadied himself, smiled elegantly, and then turned to draw the weapon he had just stuck into the magic array.

The halberd "Sichen" was originally a divine weapon of Hero's Fortress. The moment Wei Qi gripped the halberd, he immediately swept it horizontally.

Wen Jing, wary of the divine weapon, retreated several steps. Being unarmed, he was naturally at a disadvantage and began to consider taking the weapon. However, Wei Qi clearly saw through his thoughts, relentlessly pressing forward with his attacks, giving Wen Jing no opening to retrieve the weapon.

Wei Qi had always used the Nether Thunder Palm Technique, only employing his own martial art during the battle for the throne at Hero's Fortress. However, on that occasion, he was focused on defeat and didn't unleash his true power. But now, his halberd was wielded with fierce and domineering force, clearly the result of long and arduous training.

Wen Jing retreated several steps, avoiding the sharp edge of the halberd. Although the underground chamber was spacious, it was still indoors, and the halberd's attack was relentless. Before long, Wen Jing had nowhere to retreat.

Wei Qi slung his halberd behind his back, then turned and struck Wen Jing with his palm.

Wen Jing had no choice but to take the blow head-on.

As their palms clashed, Wen Jing felt a surge of force coursing through his arms and striking his chest. The dull pain caused him to stagger to the side; this time, he was truly shocked.

“You…” Wen Jing’s breathing was erratic, and his eyes widened as he stared at Wei Qi.

Wei Qi smiled and said, "Island Master Wen, it seems that my internal strength is slightly superior."

The pain in Wen Jing's chest intensified. Looking at his arm, the veins bulged out, a truly horrifying sight. This condition was clearly caused by the Nether Thunder Palm. However, he never expected that Wei Qi's palm force could surpass his own.

“Impossible…” Wen Jing gritted his teeth and said, “You… how could you, a mere youth, possibly…”

Wei Qi glanced around. His words had already shaken the resolve of the Japanese ninjas, and now that Wen Jing was injured, the ninjas had all fled, no longer willing to fight.

He watched the situation gradually calm down and smiled quietly. He held his halberd horizontally in front of him and said, "Those who practice martial arts, if they have no talent, can only rely on hard work. Heaven rewards diligence, and that is indeed true."

Wen Jing also glanced at the halberd in his hand. Among the heirs of Hero's Fortress, the third son, Wei Ying, possessed the highest talent, a true martial arts prodigy. The other two sons, however, were mediocre. Half a year ago, Wei Qi was merely an unknown junior in the martial world. Yet today, he had managed to defeat his senior through sheer diligence. Such perseverance was truly terrifying.

After Wei Qi finished speaking, he looked up at Wen Jing, then reached out and swung his halberd fiercely.

Wen Jing's internal energy had already been damaged by the Dark Thunder Palm, but he still managed to strike out with a palm, forcing Wei Qi away, driven by a surge of resentment.

Wen Jing staggered into the magic array and drew his twin swords, "Zhu Yang." With his weapons in hand, Wen Jing's confidence immediately increased. However, at this moment, the walking corpses moved again and pounced on him.

Seeing this, Wen Jing had no choice but to respond. However, he was still outnumbered and gradually began to show signs of defeat.

In the midst of the fierce battle, Wei Qi seized an opening and launched a swift attack.

In his haste, Wen Jing had no time to dodge. The halberd's sharp edge flashed and pierced his chest. Wen Jing froze instantly. He slowly lowered his eyes, looking at the halberd, his expression instantly filled with dejection.

Wei Qi released his grip, his brows furrowed with satisfaction.

Wen Jing stiffened, slowly kneeling down, blood streaming down his halberd, staining the white marble magic array crimson. With difficulty, Wen Jing raised his head to look at Wei Qi.

Wei Qi looked down at him, his expression already like that of a monarch.

With all his might, Wen Jing raised his hand and hurled the weapon in his hand at Wei Qi.

Wei Qi didn't dodge; the blade narrowly grazed Wen Jing's cheek, severing a few strands of hair. Wei Qi stared silently at Wen Jing until Wen Jing's pupils gradually dilated and he became lifeless.

Wei Qi smiled coldly and muttered to himself, "I won't see you off now, and we'll never meet again."

The underground chamber fell silent instantly, with the walking corpses swaying and standing on either side of Wei Qi, adding to the eeriness of the place.

Wei Qi walked up to Wen Jing, drew his halberd, and reinserted it into the magic array. Then, he retrieved the knife Wen Jing had thrown. After everything was in place, he stood in the center of the array and declared loudly, "If you can collect all nine divine artifacts, I will tell you the secret of the Nine Emperors."

As he spoke, he stomped heavily, causing the nine points of the magic array to sink, and the walls of the underground chamber to slowly rise, revealing a prison cell. The cell was made of refined steel, each steel bar as thick as a bowl. The cell was furnished like a traditional Chinese chamber, complete with a desk and bed. Sitting in the cell was a man with a full head of silver hair, dressed in a cloud-patterned robe, dressed as a Taoist priest. He was thin and wiry, a zither resting on his lap, and despite being in a prison cell, he exuded an air of composure.

Wei Qi looked at the Taoist priest and continued, "Now that I have brought all the divine artifacts, can you tell me the answer now, Celestial Master?"

The man in the cell looked up, revealing a youthful face despite his white hair; he showed no signs of aging. He was none other than Wang Wenqing, the leader of the Shenxiao Sect and the Master of Chongxu Miaodao!

Wang Wenqing looked at Wei Qi and smiled calmly. Then, he raised his hand to play the zither.

"It seems you still can't figure out the secret of the Nine Emperors, and in the end, you've returned to this humble Taoist priest." Wang Wenqing spoke, accompanied by the sound of the zither.

Wei Qi looked at him and remained silent.

Wang Wenqing shook his head, sighed, and said, "There are always those who scheme and plot, believing they understand destiny, but alas, it's all in vain. Everything is preordained..."

Upon hearing this, Wei Qi frowned and said, "Why does the Celestial Master need to be so mysterious?"

Wang Wenqing pressed down on the strings, stopping the music, and laughed, "Back then, you plotted against me but didn't kill me. Firstly, you used my name to command the Divine Firmament, and secondly, it was for the sake of the Nine Emperors' secret. In today's situation, if I were to reveal the secret, wouldn't I be doomed?"

Upon hearing these words, Wei Qi's brows furrowed even more, and he said, "Now that I have obtained the Nine Emperor Artifacts, I am entitled to rule the world! This is the mandate of heaven! Why should the Celestial Master defy the will of heaven?!"

Wang Wenqing raised his hand, calculated with his fingers, and said, "He who obtains the Nine Emperor Artifacts will rule the world. It is indeed the will of Heaven. However, the one who obtains the divine artifacts today is not you."

Upon hearing this, Wei Qi looked around. Inside the underground chamber, besides himself, there were only a group of walking corpses and the unseeing Wen Jing; there was no one else. Puzzled, he then looked at the nine weapons on the magic array.

Wang Wenqing lowered his hands and continued playing the zither, then said, "Telling you this secret won't hurt..."

Wei Qi suddenly turned around and looked at Wang Wenqing. His expression showed a hint of nervousness.

With a calm smile, Wang Wenqing slowly said, "Did you hear me clearly...?"

...

...This is a dividing line indicating that the following section is for debate and discussion = =+...

At dawn, only the morning star shines brightly in the sky. All is silent, awaiting that first ray of sunlight.

Upon arriving at the Shenxiao branch in Nanfeng City, Xiao Xiao looked up and glanced at the morning star. With each breath, the air felt slightly cool, seeping into her blood and giving her a chill.

Upon seeing the arrival of the allied forces, the advance party emerged from their hiding place in the Taoist temple and recounted Wen Jing's surprise attack that day, as well as reporting Wei Qi's whereabouts. After hearing this, the group prepared to launch a general attack.

Helan Qifeng said, "Since Wen Jing launched a surprise attack, this branch must have suffered heavy losses. And since Wei Qi betrayed Shenxiao, he must not have many subordinates around. There is no need to mobilize a large force to capture these two. However, we need to leave some manpower to guard against reinforcements."

Xiao Xiao was merely a figurehead leader, and since Helan Qifeng had spoken and no one around objected, she readily agreed. A moment later, the group decided on the people to enter the Taoist temple. The leaders of the Divine Arrow Lian Family, the Southeast Two Seas Alliance, Hero's Fortress, Taiping City, Xiufeng Village, Xuanling Dao, and Yuelan Sword Sect, each leading several elites, were personally led by the alliance leader to the temple. Outside the temple, Helan Qifeng and Bajitian remained in command, overseeing the situation.

At this moment, Xiaoxiao felt a sense of duty. She got out of the sedan chair, looked at the Taoist temple in front of her, and felt calm and fearless.

Just as Helan Qifeng had said, there were hardly any Shenxiao disciples left in the temple. The occasional obstacles on the way were all walking corpses. Bizi, who served Xiaoxiao, naturally stayed by her side at all times. She carried a lantern in front, burning incense to drive away the walking corpses. The journey inside was naturally without any difficulty.

After walking for a while, the group still couldn't find Wen Jing, Wei Qi, and their companions. Just as they began searching, suddenly, a faint zither melody drifted from the depths of the Taoist temple.

Xiao Xiao was momentarily stunned by the sound.

Beside him, Wen Su frowned, deep in thought. Wei Ying also found the music familiar, and after a moment's thought, exclaimed in surprise, "Leader Zuo, this..."

Xiao Xiao looked in the direction from which the music came and whispered, "Alas, the vicissitudes of time, the wars that have raged across the land, the blood staining armor. Grand ambitions and hegemonic achievements, in the blink of an eye, turn to white hair. They cannot withstand the fleeting moments of success and failure, leaving only a desolate scene of fleeting glory. Awake from wine and broken dreams, half a lifetime of ups and downs, who is there to care for me?"

This piece was the one her master played most often. At first, it filled her with helplessness, but over time, it acquired a sense of detachment and playfulness. This was the piece she knew best, yet she played it the worst. What she lacked was something she would probably never learn in her lifetime.

Today, this piece, played on the guqin, lacks the somber and desolate feel of the sanxian, but possesses a more serene and ethereal quality.

She steadied herself and quickly walked towards the direction of the music.

Inside the Taoist temple, there was an alchemy room. When the group entered the room, they saw that the alchemy furnace had been moved, revealing a secret passage.