Chapter 725: The Importance of Experience

Without waiting for Du Huaishang and Meng Qi’s reply, Miao Hu continued, “With my son in the enemy’s hands, I’m restricted in many ways. I don’t dare to act recklessly for fear of sabotaging my son’s life. Master, since you can leave so easily after killing Lord of Shadows in the vicinity of a divine weapon and so many experts, surely you can save my son from the hands of some inferior expert. Please help me, Master.”

He confessed that he did not have the strength to recklessly save his son, which was why he was requesting the favor from Meng Qi, who had just completed an impossible task.

It was not that Miao Hu, a top-tier master, was unconfident in himself. It was just that the assassination of Lord of Shadows was just a difficult challenge that he would most certainly look up to anyone who could do it.

Meng Qi looked at Du Huaishang instead of immediately replying Miao Hu. He slowly nodded after seeing Du Huaishang’s pleading expression. “My companion has secret techniques that might be able to pinpoint Young Master Miao’s whereabouts.”

Back in their tent, Meng Qi communicated with his friends telepathically through his doppelganger. He filled them in on what happened and requested for Qi Zhengyan’s presence.

The void behind Qi Zhengyan shifted as if something was detaching from him. His body remained quietly seated, betraying no trace of anything unusual.

With the quiet deactivation of the protective spells inside the main battalion, a bloody light flashed on Meng Qi’s left before vanishing. Then, Qi Zhengyan appeared in its place with a breath so steady that one could not tell if he was the real thing or just a doppelganger.

He kept his speech short and directly said, “I do have a secret technique but I will need a relative’s blood as bait.”

“That can be easily done!” Noticing Du Huaishang and Meng Qi’s eyes on him, Miao Hu immediately put on an eager expression and agreed without hesitation. He immediately extended his left hand. The skin cracked and several drops of blood rose from the wound. They formed crystal clear spheres of red on their own accord.

Qi Zhengyan drew the drops of blood into his palm and held them firmly in his fist. Brilliant light flashed in his eyes as if there were countless blood-colored strands inside.

“The west side of the camp…” he said quietly.

“Army of Progenies? Liu Shunshui that bastard!” Miao Hu exploded in anger. He looked like he was prepared to rush over and confront “Great Heavenly King” Liu Shunshui.

“Keep calm, Duke Miao. Perhaps this is the spy’s work,” Du Huaishang said calmly.

Without waiting for Miao Hu’s reply, he turned to Meng Qi and Qi Zhengyan. “I will have to trouble you two Masters to pay Liu Shunshui a visit. Tell him that I am awake and am requesting his presence to discuss something important. Without their leader there, you can say that there is a spy and get the generals to help you search the camp.”

While speaking, he took out a brass token with engravings of a dragon on the top and a tiger on the bottom. This was the emblem of the Commander of the Revolutionary Army, imbued with Du Huaishang’s breath.

Though it was merely a technique for tracing blood lineage, Miao Hu was nevertheless an experienced grandmaster who had a decent control over his emotions. He calmed down and said sincerely, “I am depending on you two Masters.”

Meng Qi and Qi Zhengyan made slight alterations to their disguise, adopting the identities of lieutenants of the Red Coat Army, and walked to the camp of the Army of Progenies. There, they requested an audience with “Great Heavenly King” Liu Shunshui.

Liu Shunshui was a dignified and calm middle-aged man dressed in a black robe. Unlike Zhu Shou and Miao Hu, who unleashed their strength for all to see and wanted the world to know they were top-tier masters, he kept his buried.

“Foster Father, these are the people who requested an audience with you,” the man who escorted Meng Qi and Qi Zhengyan in said respectfully.

Liu Shunshui was flanked by young men and women looked either charming or imposing. Their breaths were linked to the Force of Heaven and Earth, indicating that they were of the Exterior realm.

These were Liu Shunshui’s foster children. There were seven in total, including those on patrolling duty outside.

Li Shunshui had a habit of adopting his young and talented followers as his foster children so he could use parent-child camaraderie to counter the enemy’s brotherhood camaraderie. Thus, his faction of the army was dubbed the Army of Progenies.

“Foster Father, Godfather…” The corner of Meng Qi’s mouth twitched. He then took out Du Huaishang’s token and said, “Great Heavenly King, our Heavenly King Du is now awake and recovering well. He invites you over for an important discussion.”

Beside Liu Shunshui, a pretty and well-endowed girl blurted out, “Heavenly King Du has recovered?”

Shock crossed the faces of Liu Shunshui’s other foster children. They did not expect that Du Huaishang, who had been on the brink of death just yesterday, would miraculously recover and wake up!

Liu Shunshui narrowed his eyes, so focused on Meng Qi and Qi Zhengyan that his gaze felt almost tangible. “I have only seen Heavenly King Du yesterday. His injuries are strange and Immortal Wanshi is helpless against them. How can there be such a sudden improvement? Could there really be deities and demons pulling the strings or is the heaven blessing him?”

He was very protective of his Army of Progenies, which prompted the fear that this was a trap by the several other factions. If he fell into a trap there and got himself besieged by many masters, he would essentially be their puppet. Thus, he must clarify this matter.

Meng Qi said earnestly, “Yesterday, an eccentric character named ‘Shi’ came…”

Having said that, he felt ill at ease with the word like something was off with it.“The name ‘Shi’ doesn’t seem to sound that nice…” (T/N: “Shi” is the Chinese pronunciation for the word “shit”)

Realization hit him like a ton of bricks and he wanted nothing more than to slap himself. Even if he was thinking of Heavenly Primogenitor when he came up with the name, it was better to call himself “Yuan” than “Shi”. Otherwise, “Pan” and “Gu’ were all good choices as well. With a name like “Shi”, how could he go to the warfront and announce his name? Maybe he could hope to cause the enemies to die of laughter to sabotage their concentration!

Despite his tempestuous heart, Meng Qi’s expression did not change as he continued to say, “This eccentric character is an old friend of Heavenly King Du. He has tyrannical strength and means beyond our imagination. He managed to learn that Heavenly King Du’s injuries were the result of a cursed Gu Poison Bug haunting the Vital Spirit and headed for the camp of the Imperial Army on the same night to kill the master of the bug, Lord of Shadows. That was how Heavenly King Du recovered without medicine!”

“Headed for the camp of the Imperial Army on the same night to kill the master of the bug, Lord of Shadows…” Meng Qi spoke in such a matter-of-fact way that Liu Shunshui did not truly comprehend the gravity of his words at first. It took several seconds for the shock to sink in as his pupils shrank unnaturally.

“He killed Lord of Shadows?”

“Yes. Unfortunately, I don’t know the exact details.” Meng Qi’s expression remained unchanged.

Liu Shunshui’s foster children, fairly strong in their own right, exchanged looks. Disbelief was evident in their eyes. During the Jiangshan War, they had seen just what Lord of Shadows was capable of. How could he be so easily killed? Moreover, he was killed in the heavily-protected camp of the Imperial Army!

Liu Shunshui was momentarily silent as if he was secretly making deductions. He finally sighed after confirming Lord of Shadows’ death. With a complex mood, he said, “Heavenly King Du sure has the favor of heaven to have a strange master’s help while at the brink of death.”

When he was done leaving instructions for his foster children, Liu Shunshui stepped out of his tent without waiting for Meng Qi and Qi Zhengyan. In a flash, he reappeared at the main battalion camp.

Still inside the tent, Meng Qi saluted Liu Shunshui’s foster children. “Lieutenants, we have previously discovered a spy within our camp but he escaped into your camp during the night. We humbly request that you help us search for him.”

The “lieutenants” were still grappling with shock. The eldest foster son, Liu Chao, said, “Third Younger Sister, guide them around but don’t break any of the camp’s rules.”

They had adopted Liu Shunshui’s surname as well. This was an incredible honor within the Army of Progenies.

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The third eldest, Liu Yuntao, was the girl who had accidentally spoken earlier. She nodded in agreement and turned to Meng Qi and Qi Zhengyan. “Do you wish to search the tents one by one or do you have a clue?”

“We have a secret tracing technique,” Meng Qi replied.

“All the better.” Liu Yuntao turned around and flipped the flap of the tent open to lead them.

Qi Zhengyan, who walked alongside Meng Qi, suddenly said telepathically, “Don’t you feel ashamed for bragging about yourself so much earlier?”

He seemed very uncomfortable with the fact that Meng Qi was using the identity of a Red Coat Army lieutenant to compliment himself. “What tyrannical strength… what means beyond our imagination…”

Meng Qi laughed dryly. “I am just trying to boost their confidence. Making it look like we have mysterious and invincible reinforcements is the logical approach. Didn’t you see it? Liu Shunshui has obviously quelled some of his disloyal thoughts.”

Qi Zhengyan said nothing else, only speaking up from time to time for Liu Yuntao to take a different direction.

Some time later, he said telepathically to both Liu Yuntao and Meng Qi, “It is that tent in front. We must approach carefully.”

Liu Yuntao’s face suddenly reddened. “Nonsense! That is my tent!”

“Are you saying that I am colluding with the spy?”

Meng Qi’s hand was already at the handle of his saber as he focused his attention on Liu Yuntao.

Without any change in expression, Qi Zhengyan bluntly said, “Even if Miao Cong is not hiding inside, there must be something related to his blood there.”

Liu Yuntao’s face shifted from red to white and back to red again. It took her some time to recover and ask, “Why are you looking for Miao Cong?”

“Someone kidnapped him. Didn’t you notice the commotion yesterday?” Meng Qi replied, giving a brief explanation when he noticed something odd about this matter.

Liu Yuntao shook her head in puzzlement. “I thought it was Zhu Shou and Immortal Wanshi having a conflict. I thought we would reap the benefit once they exhaust themselves, but who knew it was him getting kidnapped…

“No wonder I didn’t see him…”

Qi Zhengyan stared into her eyes and said in a low voice, “Are you two having an affair?”

“What in the world… Senior Brother Qi, you are making this interrogation too shameful for her. You need to be tactful, you know? Tactful!” Meng Qi mocked Qi Zhengyan continuously in his mind.

Li Yuntao was momentarily silent before finally nodding. “We met in the Jianghu a long time ago and secretly got married. The day before yesterday, we were supposed to meet at the West Hill of Jiang’an at night. I didn’t see them no matter how long I waited. I thought Miao Hu forbad him from going out due to the increasing hostility… The item inside my tent that bears his blood lineage ought to be the silk pouch that contains strands of our hair.”

She led Meng Qi and Qi Zhengyan into her tent and began searching for the silk pouch that was a token of her and Miao Cong’s love.

Qi Zhengyan did not look embarrassed at failing to find their true target. “You were supposed to meet him near the West Hill? Indeed, there is a clue of his connected blood lineage there.”

“Considering his strength and status, there is no way anyone in the camp can suppress him without anyone knowing! He is definitely kidnapped while at a certain faction’s camp!” Liu Yuntao became agitated as she grappled with guilt.

Meng Qi and Qi Zhengyan exchanged a look. Then, they turned around at the same time and headed straight for the West Hill. For a moment, Liu Yuntao was stunned but soon recovered and went after them.

The West Hill was pretty far away from the camp of the Revolutionary Army. Using Du Huaishang’s token, Meng Qi and Qi Zhengyan exited through the gate without a problem and arrived in the West Hill.

Devil Qi polluted the many caves in the oddly-shaped hill by the river all year round. Meng Qi and Qi Zhengyan followed the odd connection of Miao Cong’s blood lineage without waiting for Liu Yuntao, entering deep into the hill.

“It is just right ahead,” Qi Zhengyan said as he continue walking.

Meng Qi nodded. “I will disguise myself and go check it out first.”

Qi Zhengyan said expressionlessly, “Be careful.”

Meng Qi grinned. “Don’t worry. It is not like I haven’t experienced something like this.”

He morphed into a flying insect and quietly bypassed the mound. He noticed a hidden spot where the ground was caved in, where he found two black-robed men were secretly on guard.

Behind them, the young man wearing the Nine Mountains Army uniform had his eyes closed and breath sealed as he leaned against a rock. His face resembled Miao Hu’s.

Back in their tent, Jiang Zhiwei, Ruan Yushu, and Zhao Heng were sitting in meditation with their eyes closed as they waited for the outcome of Meng Qi and Qi Zhengyan’s rescue mission. Suddenly, Xu Wei walked in with a grin. “Lord of the Naval Conquests invites you all over for a meeting.”

Jiang Zhiwei abruptly opened her eyes like a famed sword unsheathing from its scabbard. Her gaze was so sharp that Xu Wei could not stop himself from taking a step backward.

Meng Qi and Qi Zhengyan made a quick discussion. Concerned that the enemy might silence Miao Cong through death in a moment of desperation, Meng Qi hid somewhere nearby to prepare to launch a pincer ambush while Qi Zhengyan strikes directly.

A river of purple stars suddenly appeared, charging toward the two black-clothed men. Meng Qi abruptly regained his original form and exerted force in his lower back. With a thrust in both feet, he left behind only residual shadows as he flew through the gateway that the two men were guarding. In a flash, he had arrived next to Miao Cong.

He had just turned around, prepared to stop the two black-clothed men from killing when a palm silently charged at him from behind.

“Whack!”

The palm landed on the void. Before anyone knew it, Meng Qi had already moved away.

Behind him, Miao Cong looked stupefied as his breath exploded.

Meng Qi smiled at him, looking unsurprised.

“Even I know to guard against the hostage after Jiuniang’s incident!”