“I think all of you are curious about what happened to you. To be honest, we are also victims, of course, beneficiaries too.” Luo Shengyi looked at them, smiling.
In Meng Qi’s eyes, Luo Shengyi was not only a bossy and overbearing man, who was always trying to control other people, but also a born leader. When he was the first to speak, Meng Qi was not surprised and quietly listened to him. He talked about the main stories of Dominator of Samsara in Six Realmsa and World of Samsara.
The three new comers were carefully listening to him without any suspicion. After he finished, they all wore a thoughtful expression.
“The qualities of the newcomers are quite good ah… “ Meng Qi secretly praised.
The silent girl holding a Seven-string organ between them slightly nodded and said, “The one who can secretly take me away from my home is bound to have big powers of Celestial Rankings. But I’m not certain that he is in the World of Samsara until the next task. Let me first have a look at the Exchange List.”
Then, she elegantly walked to the center of the light pillar.
The thirty-year-old shrewd man stunned for a moment, smiled to them and also went to the light pillar in the center.
The gentle but indifferent scholar-like man said with a bitter smile, “My intentions in learning Kung Fu is to be able to protect myself during travels and broaden my horizon. Never could I imagine that one day I will be involved in a life and death wrestle. I am Ge Huai’en. May I have your names please?”
Ge Huai’en was very calm and seemed to be easy to get along with. Meng Qi was about to speak when Luo Shengyi introduced himself, “Now that we are teammates sharing weal and woe with each other, we should be honest. I am Luo Shengyi. I have opened Eight Apertures, and boxing is my forte.”
“Are you the Invincible Ironfist Luo Shengyi, ranked the 31st on the Ranking List of Young Masters?” The shrewd man just reaching the center of the light pillar looked back in astonishment. He did not expect that the man in front of him was a pro on the Ranking List of Young Masters.
Luo Shengyi slightly nodded, pointed to Meng Qi and said, “And this is Thunder Blade Furious Monk, Zhen Ding.”
“X! Who allowed you to tell others my sobriquet?” Grinding his teeth, Meng Qi gazed at Luo Shengyi and quickly added, “It is a false statement from Jianghu. My real nickname is the ‘Sword-breaking Galaxy’. You can call me Meng.”
I’m reluctant to tell a bunch of strangers my real name, I still need it for Jianghu!
The silent girl and the shrewd man both looked at Meng Qi’s posture: a sword in his left hand and a blade in his right. They slightly nodded, no longer doubting his identity.
“It turns out that you are two martialists on the Ranking List of Young Masters. I am chieftain Cao Zhan from Dajiang Gang at the level of Four Apertures.” the shrewd man said with great humility.
“Xiang host from Dajiang Gang?” Meng Qi suddenly thought of Qi Xia and Yan Wujiang with some regret.
The silent girl flatly said, “I’m Ruan Yushu of Family Ruan in Langya.”
“Are you the daughter of the head of the Ruan family?” Luo Shengyi asked without revealing his surprise.
However, Meng Qi thought of the “Zither of Limbo” from Family Ruan, whose scripts was complete without losing any Chinese characters.
Just then, darkness came over his eyes, and he heard Dominator of Samsara in Six Realms’ voice.
“Since the West Invaders have entered our territory, wars have never stopped and the imperial court is in a mess. The civil and military officials are divided in their opinions: some advocate peace while others promote violence. The warmongers have recommended Lu Guan as the commander in chief, who created the ‘Iron Mountain Army’ on his own. He would be appointed to command the country’s armed forces to defeat the West Invaders.
“If Lu Guan were the commander in chief, some senior officials would be upset and dispatch their top-level martialists to intercept them midway and assassinate him. Besides, the demon slan also will take the opportunity to mess up the situation and plot an uprising.
“Since Lu Guan is placed high expectations on, a lot of Jianghu men have come to his aid.
“The first main task is to safely escort Lu Guan to the capital city and then join Luo Shengyi’s team. Through finishing the task, each of you will gain 200 Karma points. But if not, you’ll be deducted the same Karma points and there will be no chance for you to start the second main task.
“The first side task is to accomplish the task with the newcomers. If every newcomer is still alive then, you will be rewarded 200 Karma points with no penalty for failure.”
“The second side task is to kill the evil ‘Yuexi Tiger’ Gao Tong to gain the trust of Lu Guan’s guard leader. A reward of 50 Karma points will come to everyone without punishment for losing.”
“The third side task is to slaughter ‘Evil Prince’ Guan Ying and to prevent the Immortal Pressing Art from spreading, for one of the Samsara travellers died in this world but his script of the Immortal Pressing Art was obtained by an unknown man, who turned Evil Prince through it. If you are successful, you’ll win 300 Karma points as a reward and the scrip of the Immortal Pressing Art.”
When the light recovered, Meng Qi looked a little dull. Because the last task was completely out of his expectation—The death of the Samsara traveller should bring a chance for an unknown man to become one of the few pros in this world.
This made Meng Qi realize that the World of Samsara was closely connected with the Samsara travellers for the first time. The fact was not as he once thought they could freely leave only if they finished the task.
“I have just possessed the Heaven Blade through my karma points and then I will soon get the Immortal Pressing Art. Will my Heaven Blade really become invincible?” Meng Qi actively thought.
“… Time and again, ‘Yuexi Tiger’ Gao Tong wants to kill General Lu who lives in seclusion here. We cannot manage to assassinate him because he is so cunning that he will hide with any sign of disturbance. Do help us to behead this scoundrel, and we’ll escort General Lu to the capital city with the rear secure.” A middle-aged man with a square face was telling Meng Qi and the silent girl about Gao Tong’s story.
They found three men hiding in a shabby house, and nobody else nearby. It was obvious that Lu Guan wasn’t there. Only if they could gain the trust from his guard leader, they might find Lu Guan and begin their main task.
Meng Qi looked around and only saw the silent girl, Ruan Yushu remain with him. He knew that Ge Huai’en and Cao Zhan joined Luo Shengyi and they would assemble in the capital city.
“General Lu is a most respected hero in this world. Will you please tell us where Gao Tong is? We’ll behead him at once.” Meng Qi said with the “Actions speak louder than words” attitude.
From the beginning, I should build a good image, a nice one in others’ eyes, which will contribute to my unexpected behavior. An indifferent master devoted to the sword and blade is just the suitable one by Jianghu standard.
According to the sum of the rewarded Karma points, Meng Qi figured out that Gao Tong’s strength was not very powerful, so the difficulty of this task might be something else.
The guard leader satisfactorily nodded and said, “Gao Tong is grandmaster of Yuexi Clan who is surrounded by some Top Class Master Pros day and night and his strength is so powerful that he nearly reaches the top class too. What’s more, he is timid and adept at Lightness Skill and hiding. When his guards block you for a moment, he’ll flee. Yuexi is his region. If he hides in someplace, I’m afraid even grandmaster can’t find him too.”
“That is to say we’d better to kill him with only one strike.” After saying this, Meng Qi looked at the guard leader but did not ask him the standard of Top Class Master Pros, avoiding the exposure of his identity. He could tell their strength level through observing Gao Tong and his guards’ actions.
“Yes.” The guard leader told Meng Qi and Ruan Yushu about Gao Tong’s appearance, martial art style and places for his activities for their assassination. He added that he was a son of Family Lu, called Lu Zhongqi. Since he was older than them, they could call him brother Lu.
After they both told him their names, Meng Qi and Ruan Yushu walked out of the house and set foot on the street.
Compared to the climate of the late spring and early summer of the main world, it was apparently already an autumn day, and the evening was so cool and slightly cold that Meng Qi could not help taking a deep breath.
“At this moment, if nothing else, Gao Tong will certainly go to his Yuexiu Restaurant to have a dinner with several prostitutes or talk about something important. Let’s wait for him there.” Though Meng Qi was confident in his strength, he would not boast he would kill him who was closely guarded within only one move before he did not completely make sure of the opponents’ strength.
Ruan Yushu slightly nodded and politely smiled to Meng Qi. But her attitude obviously outpoured a sense of alienation, which made her very cool and beautiful.
They did not talk much and quickly entered Yuexiu Restaurant. Coincidentally, in front of them were Gao Tong and his men.
Gao Tong looked special with a few sarcomas on his forehead, which shaped like the Chinese character “Wang” at the first sight, making him gain the sobriquet “Yuexi Tiger”, so Meng Qi recognized him as soon as he saw him.
He was surrounded by four agile men in an inside circle and many others of Yuexi Clan in an outside one, which was well structured and in order.
“Judging from their pace and their control, they are at the level of Four Apertures.” Since he learned the Nine Strategies Beyond the Swords, Meng Qi had a more outstanding eyesight.
Then he looked at Ruan Yushu and said, “You go to the back of the street to prevent Gao Tong from jumping to escape, I am sure to solve the problem within half a minute.”
Of course, this was based on the worst case. With his Lightning Changes, Golden Bell Shield and Nine Strategies Beyond the Swords, Meng Qi would cut a bloody path through his guard ring to slay him within a much shorter time, maybe only between 10 and 15 seconds.
Ruan Yushu slightly frowned and said, “I think there’s no need to trouble you.”
“Huh?” Meng Qi doubtfully looked at her.
“Please reserve the room next to Gao Tong’s.” Ruan Yushu calmly said.
Meng Qi wanted to witness her ability and did as she asked with a large sum of money.
After entering the room, Meng Qi casually ordered eight dishes and then sat down, listening to the sound from the next door. There was some light orchestral music but not any bawdy songs or jokes.
“It seems Gao Tong is holding a reception.” Meng Qi judged.
Gao Tong was cautiously sitting far from the wall to avoid being slew by Magical Arms or the Refined Weapons through the thick planks.
With her ears strangely moving, Ruan Yushu slightly nodded, and then put down her Seven-string organ to play it.
“At such a moment, it is strange that she should be in the mood for playing her organ… “ Meng Qi felt weird.
Her music for a moment was low and heavy, for another moment was high and sharp, which was like lofty mountains and flowing water, and obviously was magnificently conceived.
With Ruan Yushu’s slim fingers lifting, the music suddenly became high-pitched but not harsh.
Gao Tong and his men sat at both sides of the table, elegantly listening to the prostitutes playing pipa.
When her music came into the next door, Gao Tong did not feel disturbed by the weakening sound. As he did not know much of music, he felt her music more beautiful and it keep the pace with the rhythms of his own body, which was supposed to be a masterpiece.
Suddenly, the sound of her music became loud and sonorous, Gao Tong only felt his heart acutely beating.
The music was more and more sonorous and much more rapid, making Gao Tong’s heart beating to it.
With the blood rushing to his brain, he wanted to say something but he could not and his vision blurred.
Clank!
Her ancient organ made a crack-like sound of killing with the force to penetrate the stone.
Boom!
Gao Tong seemed to hear his heart breaking. Blind in no time, he slowly fell down on the table, knocking over the glasses. The wine flowed over with its aroma filling the room.
“Grandmaster!” the guards around him all rushed to him, only to find that he was dead with his eyes widely open and his mouth bleeding. The blood from his mouth was not black but bright red.
The grandmaster was dead without any reason. How strange it was!
All was normal in the room except for Gao Tong.
Ruan Yushu stopped playing with a little sweat on her forehead and said to Meng Qi, “OK!”
Meng Qi’s mouth twitched a bit. Family Yuan in Langya was indeed one of the fourteen biggest aristocratic families and really extraordinary with its own uniqueness.
Just then, an errand boy sent dishes to them. The next door and the outside were noisy in a mess. Someone came to check their room and found they were having a lovers tryst. Besides, there was no trace of approaching the wall, the inspector had to quit.
They did not yet figure out the cause of Gao Tong’s death, naturally difficult to troubleshoot the murderer.
Compared to Meng Qi and Ruan Shuyu in the next room, errand boys, cooks and others were more suspected of slaying the grandmaster.
“The second side task has finished, each is rewarded 50 Karma points.”
The Dominator of Samsara in Six Realms’s voice entered their ears. After checking the dishes, Meng Qi leisurely enjoyed his meal.
After a few mouthfuls, he found Ruan Yushu intently staring at him but not moving her chopsticks. She glanced at the dishes on the table now and then.
“Why not begin? I treat you!” A little puzzled, Meng Qi said with a smile.
Ruan Yushu gently nodded and picked up her chopsticks to pick up a piece of chicken.
Her behavior was elegant but her speed was so fast that she finished nearly half of the dishes when Meng Qi had just taken seven or eight mouthfuls.
“Ah, you… ” Meng Qi amazedly stared at Ruan Yushu and could not believe that a silent glamorous girl would have such a performance.
“Ruan Yushu’s face was a little red. Raising her head, she said, “You said you treat me this time, and I accept it through my immediate action.”
