Chapter 195: Passerby Meng Among a Crowd of Onlookers ###

Translator: Transn Editor: Transn

A few people were not far away from the dining hall, setting a fire for cooking on the frozen deck. Turning around slightly, Meng Qi slightly turned and saw what was going on inside through the half-open door. He immediately understood what the sailor had meant when he had said that there was something wrong.

In the hall, as the weather had suddenly turned cold, many boat passengers chose to stay in their rooms, wrapped in warm quilts, waiting for servants to serve them meals, wine, braziers and thick quilts. Therefore, there were not many people having meals in the hall. Only five or six tables were seated.

At a table, there sat a young childe with a dignified appearance. In spite of his slight baby face, he acted with utmost decorum. Except for the jade hairpin in his hair and the jade pendant at his waist, he did not have any other accessories on him. Beside him, there sat an old man dressed like a servant. He had deep wrinkles and seemed to be senile, but the twinkle in his eyes was exposed everytime he opened and closed them.

At another table, there sat a single woman dressed in plain clothes like an elegant fairy. There was a covered white sheath long sword on the table. She looked vaguely uneasy, constantly looking at the two tables next to her.

Next to her, there were a table sat by a fierce look man. He had normal features and hands as big as palm-leaf fans with bulging joints, which showed his hands were well-trained in matial art. At the other table, there sat a couple. The husband looked pale and repeatedly coughed, seeming like suffered from disease sickness. Whereas the wife had a charming appearance, full figure and lustrous skin.

The reason why the sailor felt there was something wrong was because of the expression of the single women and the big man vicious look. It is suspicious.

Besides them, there were two tables left. At a table, there sat a drunk who drank several jugs of wine but the dishes left untouched. His face was flushed, reflecting his tipsiness. At the table next to the door, there sat two young men who dressed like childes. The one with a sword wore an aristocratic hat and had a long and narrow face. The other one with a Long Knife maintained a subtle expression whether he was smiling or sighing.

“Something bad are about to happen. Go inform the shipowner and tell him to send guards here.” The leader also noticed the problem, and directed his order at the sailor who had whispered to him.

The sailor awared that during a fight amongst the swordmans heroes, there was nothing they could do unless they swarmed around to launch an attack in chaos. The sailor hurriedly got up and walked towards the rear of the ship to look for the shipowner.

Meng Qi picked up a piece of pork intestines and wrapped it up with dipping sauce while distract by the movements in the hall. As for the sight of injustice, he was willing to do all that he could within his capability.

Meng Qi walked over to the door and activated his deafness. The first thing he heard was the conversation between the two childes.

“Brother Tang, we haven’t seen each other for three years. Now you have already in Six Apertures and can be considered a decent master from the younger generation. We should have a drink to celebrate it!” The childe with the sword raised his cup and said with a smile.

Showing a bit of complacency, brother Tang picked up the cup to have a toast with him. He said with a sigh, “Brother Wan, I should give you a piece of advice. Traveling thousands of miles and experiencing different things are better than ten years of painstaking practice in your hometown. Three years ago, I was badly defeated by Master Ye. I felt so ashamed to meet other people that I had to go away with the excuse of roaming about to challenge myself.”

“During this journey, I realized that in this big world, there’re numerous masters from the world. Having suffered various hardships and bullies, I’ve been benefited a lot. In the last three years, I’ve learned four Apertures and made a great progress in bladesmanship. I’ve thoroughly changed compared to the past. Now upon returning home, I shall measure Master Ye’s progress!”

He said that with great confidence.

Childe Wan said with a laugh, “Master Ye and his companions are still idling in Yi City. He was four years old back then, and now, has justgrowing up to an adult. Brother Tang, no”Isn’t that the small city which Senior Brother Qi is in charge of?”w that you’ve returned, you should show your achievements. I really want to see their expressions.”

“Yi City…” Meng Qi slightly took in his breath and thought, “Isn’t that the small city which Senior Brother Qi is in charge of?”

Yedu of Zhou County was the capital of Huan Province, and Yi City was a small city near Yedu. One tenth of its farmland belonged to Flower-washing Sword Sect. Therefore, after Qi Zhengyan applied for leaving the mountain to guard outside assets, he was sent there to assist Uncle Master to manage villas, farmland, tenant farmers, affiliated stores and the like. Because there were plenty of assets which needed to be managed, he and Uncle Master basically managed their parts separately. He lived a carefree and unrestrained life, which made Meng Qi want to freeload food and drinks off him for a year or so. Then he could go out for adventuring in world after his features completely matured and his hair grew longer.

He stared at Brother Tang and reliazed that he was twenty-five and six years old and he was guilty, “Ye San’s words, in his words, should be similar to his age, and he has no experience of expedition. He is still in Yucheng but has already opened his six Apertures. He’s probably from an aristocratic famliy…”

Yi City was not a big city. Although backed by Yedu Capital, numerous merchandises coming and going, it could count as a flourishing place. However, it could just accommodate no more than five aristocratic families.

Meng Qi slightly nodded his head, and intended to find a chance to talk with brother Tang and Childe Wan for making contacts. In this way, it could bring him some convenience when he lived in Yi City later. With more friends, he could have more options.

Brother Tang poured himself a drink and shook it in his hand. He said, “I must take revenge for the shame he brought me. When I’m done, I’ll travel far again and strive to learn with Nine Apertures opened or step into Half-step Exterior Scenery someday. Brother Wan, would you like to come along?”

Childe Wan nodded with a wry smile and said, “We’re about same age, but I’ve just opened the Eye Apertures with the help of elixirs. Thus, I’ve vanished the intention of practicing martial art and concentrated on running the family business now.”

“It’s just as well. If you go out for adventuring in world, you’ll never know when you’ll get beheaded, and your corpse will fall on the road and get devoured by wild dogs with no one knowing…” Brother Tang said in a deep voice with slight fear on his face as if his memories of the past had been evoked.

Meng Qi could count as a veteran in martial art world. Through observing brother Tang’s speech and expression, Meng Qi considered that except for “returning home to show his achievement”, the reason for his returning home may also be to avoid disasters.

During their conversation, the atmosphere in the central hall was finally erupted as well.

The vicious man slammed his hand down on the table, causing its break into two parts. Then he stood up and walked over to the woman in the plain dress. He said through clenched teeth, “B*tch, how dare you spoil our important affair. You must be living enough.”

It seemed that he finally threw caution to the wind and directly acted, ignoring everyone else in the vicinity and ready to pick fight with the plain dress woman.

At the same time, the coughing man and his gorgeous wife also stood up, approaching her from another direction to block her way to escape.

The woman in plain dress seemed to be twenty-three years old or so. With eyebrows shaped like distant mountains and a tall, shapely nose, she could be considered as a rare beauty as elegant as a fairy. Knitting her brows, she looked resolute. She drew her long sword and struck a defensive pose. “The sky is notorious. Even if I don’t spoil your affair, there will be swordsmen to do that!”

“Destruction Sect, the Destruction Sect in the Nine Evil Paths?” Meng Qi slightly raised his eyebrows and thought.

Suppressed by righteous aristocratic families, the Nine Evil Paths were not well known by ordinary fellows. Therefore, several sailors next to them stared at each other and said with puzzlement, “Destruction Sect?”

Meng Qi casually explained, “As one of the Nine Evil Paths, Destruction Sect takes destructing heaven, earth and the human world as their objective. They used to be powerful and planned several earthshaking plots. However, since ‘Evil Master’ Han Guang who had solidified Dharmakaya disappeared in the fight against Master Kong Wen, His Abbotship of Shaolin Temple, they have been badly discouraged and turned to conceal themselves. Their famous masters only include the 8 Skyscraping Devils and the 19 Devilmen.”

Oh, oh! The sailors suddenly realized that these villains had such horrible power and were such distinguished people.

After hearing Mengqi’s words and paused a whiile, the fierce look man did not attack but looked at the woman in plain dress with a grim smile. He said, “Shan Xiumei, since you’re doomed today, you might be better off having some fun with me.”

He attempted to make the woman impetuous by using filthy words to provoke her, thus to increase his chance of winning.

“Shan Xiumei? Red Sunglow Sword Shan Xiumei?” Meng Qi muttered to himself while gripping the sword hilt with his right hand and intending to help her.

“Shan Xiumei?” Surrounding sailors showed their puzzlement again.

Meng Qi fulfilled his duty as a passerby and explained, “She’s a famous female swordsman in Three Mountains and Four Waters, from Sword Sect of Zhou Mountain. She has Six Apertures opened and possesses outstanding sword art. No wonder the three from Destruction Sect have some hesitation.”

He had heard of this name during the chat with Wu Qinxin and Shangguan Han. They had also described her as a woman with a superior appearance and elegant temperament. The woman in front of him quite matched up as they described.

“Oh, I see… ” After knowing Shan Xiumei’s identity, the sailors seemed to have a bit of pity for her. They looked at the rear ship, expecting other guards to come to help.

After finished what he saids, Meng Qi relaxed his hand which held the sword, because he realized that the childe with a dignified appearance also pressed his hand on the sword hilt on hearing the name Shan Xiumei. It seemed that he wanted to rescue the beauty.

“If you want to rescue her, go ahead…” Meng Qi naturally didn’t want to do it himself if it wasn’t necessary, so he swiftly turned into an onlooker.

Shan Xiumei patiently said, “Iron Hand Devilman and Joy Devilman, if you want to kill me, do it now. Why are you so wordy?”

“Iron Hand Devilman? Joy Devilman?” Sailors glanced at Meng Qi in confusion again and asked.

Meng Qi shifted his gaze to the sick men and his gorgeous wife and said, “19 Devilmen from Destruction Sect are all masters with various talents in the enlightenment period. Among them, even the least able one has opened Seven Apertures. Iron Hand Devilman is one of them, and so is ‘Joy Devilman’. I’m wondering which one of them is… ”

The gorgeous wife said with a chuckle, “Sister Shan, I didn’t expect that you would recognize my identity. I intended to surprise you.”

With a relaxed expression, she put her delicate hand on the men’s shoulder and slowly advanced, while the men was coughing.

“Even the least able is Seven Apertures? But Lady Shan has just opeaned Six Apertures. So, she’s in great danger, isn’t she?” The sailors said after making a simple comparison.

Meng Qi nodded gently and said, “The 19 Devilmen all have their own specialities, and are far superior to ordinary Enlightened Master Pro. Against two Devilmen, even if Lady Shan has outstanding sword art, I’m afraid that she’s doomed.”

While making the explanation dutifully, he identified that Iron Hand Devilman had opened Seven Level and Joy Devilman had opened Eight Level through their movements.

After hearing what Meng Qi said, Shan Xiumei took a deep breath and looked more resolute. She said, “Do it. Either one of us is going to die today.”

“Such a staunch lady. I wish I could recruit you and train you well.” Joy Devilman stretched her right palm to grab Shan Xiumei’s Long Sword, while her body was bent into an extremely seductive arc.

Facing a fierce palm of Iron Hand Devilman, Shan Xiumei felt the hot wind blowing in her face.

Shan Xiumei stretched her Long Sword which was flexible and steadfast like a leaping fish.

“Thirteen Swords of Fish Leaping over the Dragon Gate. Lady Shan does master well, but Joy Devilman and Iron Hand Devilman are stronger.” Meng Qi told the sailors.

“Stop!” Suddenly, a yell exploded and it was from the impetuous son.

He pulled out his long sword from his waist and said in a deep voice, “Heterodox Doctrines, veryone is deceitful. Lady Shan, let me help you.”

Sailors said in amazement, “There’s someone coming to help. How’s his strength?”

Meng Qi smiled. There was still an old servant even if the childe could not rival them. Thus, he intentionally provoked him by saying, “It can be seen from this childe’s move that he has opened Six Level as well. I’m afraid that he is no match for Joy Devilman.”

“Normally a man would burst out on hearing such a comment from an onlooker…” Meng Qi interestedly waited to see what would happen.

Immediately, with soaring momentum, the childe grew so righteous and awe-inspiring that no one could watch him intently. He forced Joy Devilman to retreat with only one move.

“Noble Spirit, Wang family from Zhou County… ” Since Meng Qi intended to enter Huan Province, he should certainly inquire about Huan Province from Zhang Yuanshan. As one of fourteen aristocratic families, Wang family from Zhou County would be the first thing he wanted to know about.

The glorious skill of their family was “Noble Spirit”.

Being conscious of onlookers being shocked by him, the childe from Wang family from Zhou County swiftly utilized his sword art which was majestic and upright, forcing Joy Devilman and her husband to retreat repeatly.

Shan Xiumei also fully utilized her sword art in the fierce fight against Iron Hand Devilman.

Joy Devilman and Iron Hand Devilman had the intention to retreat after realizing that the childe was from Wang family from Zhou County. They were not afraid of the childe, but were concerned about the old servant who was next to the childe but had not made a move.

At this moment, the drunkard at another table stood out. He jumped right beside brother Tang and Childe Wan with bamboo chopsticks in his hand, and ferociously inserted them.

He chose an appropriate and unexpected timing, and didn’t show his homicidal intention. Even Meng Qi who was close to them didn’t have time to save them.

There were two bamboo chopsticks. One was poke through Childe Wan’s neck, while the other one was pointed towards Childe Tang’s throat.

It seemed that Childe Tang had been alert all the time. Even though he was attracted by the fight among Shan Xiumei and others, he also paid attention to his surroundings. Under such an emergency, he directly leant backward to knock down the wooden wall, and flied backward into the river.

With a splash, a burst of blood appeared where he fell. In the end, he seemed to be a little late. The wooden chopstick had already been poke through his throat.

The drunkard who assassinated them not stay still and take chances to runaway through wooden wall hole and jumped into the water through the big hole knocked by Childe Tang, and ran away via the river.

Failing to save them, Meng Qi slightly frowned. This assassin appeared to be “professional” in every respect. He was possibly from a famous assassin organization “Unrelenting Tower” among the Nine Evil Paths.

Of course, besides them, there were two or three forces who would work as part-time assassins, such as Life-changing Sect among the Nine Evil Paths and Iron Clothes Tower among Six Giants.

On the other side, Joy Devilman who intended to retreat got the chance to push back the childe from Wang family from Zhou County. She also knocked down the wooden wall and jumped into the river with her husband.

The old servant not moving and kept stood still. It seemed that he would not act until his childe was in danger.

Iron Hand Devilman had already forced Shan Xiumei to retreat. He ran out of the door and stepped on the deck, about to jump into the river to escape.

When passing by Meng Qi, he frowned and realized that it was this guy who had been so wordy and annoying just now!

Thus, during the ran he had tried to kick Mengqi.