Chapter 377: The Trail of the Black Tortoise Jade Pendant
Translator: Transn Editor: Transn
Silence. Extreme silence.
The entire patio was soundless as if there was no one there. Only the cold wind in the winter morning proved that time wasn’t frozen at the moment.
The crimson plum blossoms in the corner of the wall and the cloud-like pure snow on the roof were static just like the people beneath them. It was as if they had all fallen into a dream.
How could an enlightened master defeat a Half-step Exterior Scenery master?
Had someone asked this question 15 minutes ago, he would be mocked as an idiot. How was it possible to contradict a common knowledge that had held true for thousands of years?
The sun doesn’t rise from the west, nor do humans fly unassisted. One who had opened the Hidden Latch in his mid-brows can easily defeat an enlightened master. No one would doubt the truthfulness of these common senses.
Yet they had just witnessed the good-looking Taoist, who didn’t even have nine Acupores, suddenly exhibit an incredible strength and defeat Green-blood Dragon King, the Half-step Exterior Scenery master who had made a name for himself for many years.
How could they not be shocked speechless? They drowned in their thoughts and felt their heads swell. They felt as if they had just dreamed the whole thing!
He was just like a God descending from heaven… This thought occurred to both Redline Lady and Holy Hunchback Beyond the Great Wall.
What a monster… Wen Hengshui’s pupils dilated. He looked stunned. He was considered as one of the strongest young masters under 30 and had worked hard at cultivating, despite his father’s status. This Taoist looked so much younger than him, yet he could easily defeat a Half-step Exterior Scenery master!
Was he still a human?
How could they differ from each other so wildly?
While others were still in astonishment, Meng Qi grinned and said, “Benefactor Wen, it appears that you haven’t succeeded in answering my challenge.”
Suddenly alarmed, Wen Hengshui planned to send two of his guardians to fight the Taoist. He rather continued with the wedding than save his face.
The Taoist didn’t give him the chance to speak at all. He said frankly, “I’ll have to talk to Lady Huangfu and Miss Huangfu and see if we should change our challenge lest there won’t be any wedding.”
“Benefactor Wen, please wait for a moment. I’ll go inside to inquire.”
He turned around, his tunic wafting through the air in a leisure manner.
If he had left Wen Hengshui like this, the latter would probably become furious and order his men to open the door and take the bride. However, since Meng Qi had defeated Saber King and a Half-step Exterior Scenery master, he became truly unfathomable to them. It felt as if Mr. Moon-washing himself had spoken!
In other words, this was an important figure who was stronger than a Half-step Exterior Scenery master.
Nobody would be stupid enough to ignore the words of a person like this!
Besides, his words seemed to indicate concern for Wen Hengshui. He didn’t try to stop the latter from proposing the marriage and was trying to find an easier way out of this after he failed to answer the challenge.
Wen Hengshui said gratefully, “Thank you, Taoist Qingyuan.”
Meng Qi almost staggered. He was actually just trying to buy time for him to recover from his exhaustion!
He opened the door and saw both Huangfu Fei and Madam Huangfu standing by the door. They looked absent-minded and shocked, excited and anxious.
Redline Lady and Holy Hunchback Beyond the Great Wall walked in behind him and closed the door.
To prevent Green-blood Dragon King from eavesdropping, Meng Qi waved his tunic to produce gusts of fierce airflow that howled beside the door. He consumed a spirit-recovering elixir and lowered his voice as he asked, “Madam Huangfu, Miss Huangfu, what’s your decision?”
They exchanged looks before saying decisively, “We’re willing to abandon the God-gathering Heights to ensure the safety of our impartation and disciples!”
Miss Huangfu trembled, restraining her excitement as she asked, “Taoist Qingyuan, what’s the jade pendant about? Have you seen my father?”
She subconsciously used honorifics to address Meng Qi, who could defeat a Half-step Exterior Scenery master.
Madam Huangfu held her breath, making it difficult for others to know whether she was afraid of the result or expecting for a miracle.
“Yes,” Meng Qi answered plainly. “You’re probably aware that whoever who comes out of the mysterious mausoleum will go mad in old age and finally return to the mausoleum.”
Huangfu Fei’s face turned red with excitement and impatience. “Yes! Did… did you happen to meet him in the mausoleum? Is he okay?”
“It’s the work of an evil ghost hidden in the mausoleum. It can’t leave since it’s confined within. It can only try and find ways to escape through those who have entered the mausoleum.”
He didn’t answer her question directly. Instead, he explained, with some exaggeration, “Though Huangfu Heightslord and the others were delighted that they obtained the impartation, they weren’t aware that the ghost had possessed them. The evil ghost had to return after they reached old age. Hence, all of them transformed into zombies that guarded the mausoleum. No, some of them had been completely dead and their body had rotten after many years.”
Huangfu Fei felt disturbed after hearing that description as if there was a horrifying evil ghost behind her.
The same went for Redline Lady and Holy Hunchback Beyond the Great Wall. They didn’t expect an evil spirit to be the orchestrator of the most resounding and mysterious event in the Martial Artists Community.
What type of an evil spirit could control an expert of the Exterior?
They couldn’t help shivering just thinking about it.
Looking afraid and confused, Madam Huangfu’s breathing became rapid. “My husband merely is in his middle age. Why did the evil ghost take him in advance?”
Meng Qi said with certainty, “The heightslord was highly talented for being able to acquire the Five Thunder Skill and the Heavenly Night Spear Art from the thunderbolt mark. He became the strongest heightslord in history before reaching his sixties and was about to be the first one to break through the plateau. It’d be difficult for the evil ghost to control him if he succeeds. Therefore, he had to be taken in advance.”
“Comprehending the thunderbolt mark…” Both Huangfu Fei and Madam Huangfu murmured, “Taoist Qingyuan, you had indeed met my father/husband.”
People merely knew that Huangfu Tao progressed fast and became an Exterior after acquiring the impartation of the Thunder Execution. They didn’t know that he didn’t choose an available art, instead choosing to comprehend numerous arcanum from a thread of an ancient thunderbolt mark. He derived his Five Thunder Skill and Heavenly Night Spear Art from his impartation.
Only his wife and daughter knew this secret!
“Heh, please call me Detective Meng Qi…” Meng Qi thought, couldn’t help being cocky for a moment. Huangfu Tao had never told him his secret, but it wasn’t difficult for him to deduce it after putting together various clues.
The first clue was the loss of the Essence of the Thunderclap. The second was the tampering of the Tai-yin Devil-Rinsing Scripture, resulting in problems within. If he cultivated it, he would easily reach the Exterior but yet his later path could end up being twisted.
Hence, Huangfu Tao most definitely didn’t choose the flawed art since he broke the plateau and became the strongest heightslord in history. However, all of the available arts in the mausoleum had flaws. There was no other way except deriving arts from it.
Unfortunately, Huangfu Tao’s decision resulted in his madness in his middle age. It was impossible for the evil ghost to do nothing as he achieved a breakthrough!
As Meng Qi spoke, his spirit sank into his anterior yin Acupore point, which was also called the Acupore of spirit energy and the Acupore point of life.
A speck of divine light was undulating amid the chaos. Contained within itself was the vitality. Mingling with the Vital Qi, it continued to transform into spirit energy.
Meng Qi activated his Acupore point and cultivated the spirit energy. Spiraling upwards, it was soaked in water, developed by wood, steamed by fire, and restrained by metal. Mixed with the effect of the elixir, it transformed into a peculiar force and drilled into the Hidden Latch to nourish the soul and heal the spirit.
This restored his strength. Only his genuine Qi didn’t need any recovery since it was always fully loaded.
However, this incredible Dharma Access capable of reviving the dead and always maintaining the genuine Qi at peak form had countless ties with the acupoint of spirit energy. It was a profound art in another level and was related to the energy of heaven and earth.
While Meng Qi made use of the time to recover, he said, “The heightslord also took an item from deep inside the mausoleum, indirectly empowering the evil ghosts. Therefore, it was able to successfully control him and drive him mad.”
The former was true and the latter was false. Meng Qi intended to probe deeper by doing this.
Huangfu Fei’s face instantly paled as if she had thought of something. She stammered as she asked, “Taoist… Taoist Qingyuan, what is that item?”
“It seems to be a jade pendant with a tortoise mark,” he replied expressionlessly.
Huangfu Fei took two steps backward, looking shocked and terrified. “I… I’ve given it to Senior Brother. Will he be fine?”
How… how could this token be a token of love? Zhenwu Great Emperor would sigh if he knew this! How disappointing! Meng Qi smiled cunningly as he said, “This jade pendant hid the secret to destroying the evil ghost. Without a certain power, the wearer would be cursed by the evil ghost.”
He was feeling relieved because, as he had predicted, it was Huangfu Tao who took the Black Tortoise Jade Pendant.
Before Huangfu Fei could speak, he added, “I’ve entered the mausoleum, found the thunderbolt mark, and acquired the Thunder Execution as well. Nevertheless, I wasn’t powerful enough to master it. Fortunately, I encountered Heightslord Huangfu. Though the evil ghost possessed him and turned him into a zombie, he occasionally regained his consciousness as he was extremely powerful. He advised me on bladesmanship using his comprehension and gave me the jade pendant. He entrusted me with the task of finding you two and take the Black Tortoise Jade Pendant to eliminate the evil ghost and free him.”
His last sentence was the truth, and a promise, too. They could destroy the evil ghost after they continue the interlinked task was continued and uncover the Zhenwu Great Emperor’s mystery. If Meng Qi took the pendant from Huangfu Fei and her mother, he would no doubt bear the corresponding karma.
“My husband is still alive?”
“My father is still alive?”
Madam Huangfu and Huangfu Fei were excited and happy, showing no concern for the Black Tortoise Jade Pendant. They were only concerned about Huangfu Tao occasionally regaining his consciousness.
They were so excited that their voices became high-pitched, nearly breaking through Meng Qi’s barrier and escaping the room.
Redline Lady and Holy Hunchback Beyond the Great Wall were both sincerely happy because their benefactor was still alive and curable!
Meng Qi nodded. “He’s a zombie controlled by the evil ghost at the moment but he can be revived if he is rid of the ghost. However, the lifespan of an Exterior master is less than 180 years. I’m afraid he’ll be incurable if he stays this way for another 60 years.”
“Thank you kindly for telling us this. Some hope is better than no hope!” Lady Huangfu’s face was flushed from her excitement.
Huangfu Fei added, “The next time I see Senior Brother, I’ll ask him to hand the Black Tortoise Jade Pendant to you.”
She had seen her father examining the pendant with care, thus considering it as something precious. It was partially because she considered it a token of love and partially because she was worried about Mr Moon-washing taking it. So she gave it to her Senior Brother, He Canshang. She had hoped he would uncover the mystery and master the Peerless Godly Kungfu in a hidden, faraway place. However, now that she knew that it was related to the evil ghost, she wouldn’t risk her lover’s life on it.
In all honesty, she didn’t trust Meng Qi completely because no one could prove these secrets were true. No one really knew if the pendant was truly related to the evil ghost. It was also likely that he had entered the mausoleum and encountered Huangfu Tao. Discovering the importance of the pendant, he came to the God-gathering Heights to deceive her into giving him the pendant by saying it was related to the evil ghost?
In the same way a patient suffering from an incurable disease would hold firm onto the last straw, Huangfu Fei and Lady Huangfu became feverish after hearing that Huangfu Tao was curable. They looked as if they were willing to give up everything.