Chapter 80: Meng Hao’s Scheming
“Fellow Daoist, there’s no need to lose your temper,” said Lord Revelation, smiling. “As far as these trifling issues amongst the junior generation, why don’t we just watch on?”
As these words were exchanged between the two of them, Liu Daoyun let out another miserable cry. Meng Hao stepped forward, and with the slice of a sword, sent Liu Daoyun’s left arm flying off from his body. Blood sprayed everywhere. More flying swords flew out from Meng Hao’s bag of holding. One after another, they stabbed into his opponent. Blood spread out everywhere. In the space of an instant, Liu Daoyun’s body was penetrated by a dozen swords.
Leaning up toward him, Meng Hao quietly said, “If I say that you will die this day, then die you shall.”
Despair filled Liu Daoyun’s wide eyes. Blood seeped out of his mouth.
The four Foundation Establishment Cultivators watched in shock as the scene unfolded. They were especially astounded by Meng Hao’s vicious expression.
“Enough!” said one of the Core Formation Eccentrics from the Cold Wind Sect, his face extremely unsightly. He waved his finger, and suddenly the spiritual energy in the area seemed to churn into motion and race toward Meng Hao. It wrapped around his body, leaving his own spiritual energy untouched, but pulling him away from Liu Daoyun.
As Meng Hao drifted away from him, hope gleamed within Liu Daoyun’s eyes, despite his severe wounds.
“Boom!” said Meng Hao coolly, the killing intent in his eyes flashing.
At the same time as the word left his mouth, the dozen flying swords impaled in Liu Daoyun’s body suddenly detonated. A blood-curdling scream echoed out in all directions. Liu Daoyun’s body was torn to pieces. Not even his head was left intact as chunks of flesh flew out in all directions.
As for the four Foundation Establishment Cultivators, the pupils of their eyes shrank to dots. They stared at the gore, and then at Meng Hao, whose face was expressionless. They would never forget this moment for the rest of their lives.
Especially memorable was the speed with which Meng Hao attacked, and the decisiveness in his voice. It revealed that his way of thinking was anything but ordinary. He had turned everyone who was not a member of the Cold Wind Sect into his assistants. The grisly result revealed how stubborn he truly was.
Anyone else might be able to think of such a plan, but few people would have the gall to pull it off. As of this day, they had witnessed Meng Hao’s first true kill!
“He’s dead, you can release me now,” said Meng Hao, his voice indifferent.
The Core Formation Eccentrics floated in the air, staring down at Meng Hao. His resoluteness to kill left a deep impression in their hearts.
Even Lord Revelation took a long look at him. Everything that had happened just now gave him a glimpse of the cruelty Meng Hao was capable of.
The Core Formation Patriarch from the Cold Wind Sect who currently held Meng Hao bound had a grim look on his face. Meng Hao had killed Liu Daoyun right in front of him, even after he had intervened. He had lost face because of this. With a mere thought, he could rip Meng Hao to pieces in much the same fashion as Liu Daoyun had died. But considering the expressions on the faces of the surrounding Cultivators, that was not an option.
With a cold snort, he flicked his sleeve, and the invisible bonds around Meng Hao disappeared. But he still hit Meng Hao with an invisible attack, causing him to spit out a mouthful of blood. Meng Hao looked at him, his face pale, but his eyes shining with a dark look.
“Liu Daoyun constantly ridiculed me and swore to kill me,” said Meng Hao, looking at the Core Formation Eccentric who had injured him just now. “I of the junior generation had no choice but to attack first. I request that you members of the senior generation preside over manners in an impartial manner. At the moment, I am somewhat worried that the Cold Wind Sect will withhold their antidote pill. Could you please produce the pill so that I of the junior generation can rest at ease when I open Patriarch Reliance’s Immortal’s cave?”
The eyes of the four Foundation Establishment Cultivators flashed as they suddenly seemed to comprehend how cruel and treacherous Meng Hao was.
The Core Formation Eccentrics had been around a long time, and their eyes flickered upon hearing Meng Hao’s words. They instantly understood what he was thinking, and they frowned as they looked toward the two Cold Wind Sect Core Formation experts.
Their faces were as cold as ice.
“With a scheming heart like yours, you will find it hard to stay behind in the State of Zhao,” said Lord Revelation. “I have an opening for a servant, Meng Hao. You should consider it.” His eyes twinkled as he looked at Meng Hao. His smile seemed as grim and mysterious as the decoration on his long robe, a solitary eye set in the middle of a mystical square.
The red-faced old man from the Cold Wind Sect harrumphed. The three great Sects didn’t usually get along, and at the moment, he was well aware that the surrounding Cultivators were gazing at him with flashing eyes. He didn’t want to cause further complications, but in his heart, he had marked Meng Hao for death. He waved his right hand, and a white-colored medicinal pill appeared and shot toward Meng Hao.
It emitted a fragrant aroma. From his study of the ancient jade slip, Meng Hao could tell at a glance that this was the antidote for the Frigid Corpse Pill.
He grabbed it. He didn’t eat it, though, but put it into his bag of holding. Then he took a breath and headed toward the peak of the East Mountain.
As for the experts from the three Great Sects, they watched him closely, ready to make a move in an instant if he tried to do anything out of the ordinary. Lord Revelation floated next to them, eyes glittering as he gazed at the East Mountain.
Meng Hao didn’t soar directly up to the top of the peak. The Eccentrics would just have to be patient. Meng Hao walked the path up to the East Mountain, passing Wang Tengfei’s Immortal’s Cave. He also caught sight of Elder Brother Chen’s and Elder Sister Xu’s caves. Images from the past coalesced in his mind, and he let out a sigh.
Finally, he stopped in front of the Immortal’s Cave that had belonged to him. He looked at it quietly, then moved on, eventually reaching the peak of the East Mountain, and the Reliance Sect’s main temple hall.
The setting sun shone onto the hall, making it look very dignified. Taking broad steps, Meng Hao strode inside. His gaze swept over the statues inside, coming to rest on the statue of Patriarch Reliance.
The day that Patriarch Reliance had frightened off the Cultivators from the other Sects, he had told Meng Hao of the secret method to open the way to his Immortal’s Cave. Now, over a year later, Meng Hao had finally returned.
The appointed year had already passed, actually. As Meng Hao approached the statue of Patriarch Reliance, the experts from the State of Zhao watched him from behind.
He took a deep breath, then lifted his right hand and pushed his finger against a spot on the statue. Every few seconds, he would push his finger against the same spot. Again and again he pushed, until he had pushed it one hundred seventy-nine times. Suddenly, the temple hall began to shudder. The statues shook violently, then shattered, causing the entire hall to collapse into pieces. Then, a brilliant light shined out from the statue of Patriarch Reliance, sweeping away all the debris and rubble, leaving only the statue itself.
Underneath the statue was a stone platform. When the surrounding Cultivators caught sight of this, their eyes shone with anticipation.
The statue radiated an incredible power, and its eyes shone as if they were alive. This caused the Cultivators to be even more excited, although none of them dared to approach the statue.
Meng Hao took a few steps back, then cupped his hands and bowed deeply. “Disciple Meng Hao wishes to disturb the Patriarch’s slumber. Patriarch, can you please open the door to your Immortal’s Cave?” He lifted his head, and his eyes glittered. His back to the State of Zhao experts, his lips moved as he murmured some complicated sounds.
“Converge!”
The instant the word left his mouth, the statue began to vibrate, and an even more brilliant light shone from its eyes. The light grew intensely bright, and a fierce wind kicked up. Looks of astonishment covered the faces of the State of Zhao experts.
Cracks appeared on the surface of the statue, more and more. Within the space of a few breaths, it exploded with a bang, sending pieces flying around in all directions. Now, the stone platform which the statue had stood on began to issue a blinding light.
The blinding light issued by the rotating spell caused the State of Zhao experts to breath heavily. Anyone familiar with spells like this could tell that it was a sealing spell which was being unbound.
A thunderous roar echoed out, and a wide beam of light shot up into the sky. Then the beam began to twist around until it formed a giant ring.
The inside of the ring grew blurry, and then transformed into a vortex, a passageway to another location.
As soon as the ring of light formed, Meng Hao leaped into the air and shot forward. He disappeared into the ring. Behind him, the experts from the State of Zhao hesitated, their faces twisting.
“Foundation Establishment disciples, you go first,” said Lord Revelation. The six Core Formation Cultivators nodded their agreement, and the dozen or so Foundation Establishment Cultivators gritted their teeth and flew forward. They disappeared into the vortex.
After the space of ten or so breaths, Lord Revelation and the Core Formation Eccentrics exchanged glances. One member from each of the three great Sects went next. After they entered, the remaining Eccentrics as well as Lord Revelation followed.
Upon entering the vortex, their minds spun, and they began to breathe hard. Looking around, the first thing they caught sight of was an enormous stone stele. Golden characters were inscribed onto the stele. The characters at the very top instantly sent their eyes shining.
“Sublime Spirit Scripture!!”