Chapter 1 Scarlet Moonlight

Beneath the scarlet moonlight, a white robe fluttered.

"Mingtang..."

An Qisheng's expression shifted slightly, but he wasn't surprised.

When he entered the dream of Iron Mountain, he had noticed that this Mingtang seemed to have a deep desire for the Soul-Seizing Demon Art.

However, he wasn't too concerned. Instead, he felt a surge of joy.

Mingtang's arrival allowed him to put his plan, interrupted by Huiguo, back on track. But today, he had to leave a deep impression on him...

"Mingtang, a third-rank chief constable from the Six Doors?"

Dongmen Ruo and Zhao Yanyan exchanged a look, their expressions changing.

The Six Doors had a long history, even longer than that of the Dafeng Dynasty. They were a great deterrent to martial artists living on this land.

Although in recent years, the inner court of the Dafeng Dynasty had launched the Eastern and Western Depots, diverting much of their power.

They were still the strongest violent agency that could be called equal to the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

And a third-rank chief constable must be a master who had condensed the seed of true qi!

"Dongmen Ruo of the Extreme God Sect, Zhao Yanyan of the Moon-Worshipping Villa..."

Mingtang glanced at the group, his eyes fixed on An Qisheng, especially lingering on his white hair.

White hair, black clothes...

Could it be this person?

"Chief Constable Ming, what brings you here?"

Dongmen Ruo asked warily.

Throughout the dynasties, the relationship between the martial world and the imperial court had been extremely poor. As a member of the martial world, he had a natural wariness towards the imperial court's dogs like the Six Doors.

Especially since this was a third-rank chief constable.

Within the Six Doors, constables were divided into nine ranks. Achieving the Blood Exchange realm meant the fourth rank, and condensing true qi meant the third rank.

Out of the nearly ten thousand constables in the entire Six Doors, there were only thirteen chief constables.

They held true power and authority.

"Dongmen Ruo, you're late. Kong San, the Extreme God Sect's abandoned disciple, was already executed a few days ago,"

Mingtang said casually.

The Six Doors monitored the martial world. Outstanding disciples from various sects were recorded. Kong San didn't have this qualification before his defection, but Dongmen Ruo was a rising star of the Extreme God Sect, an elite disciple who achieved the Blood Exchange realm in his twenties, so he naturally knew him.

"Kong San?"

Dongmen Ruo's eyes flickered, and he snorted coldly, "Good riddance."

He naturally didn't come for Kong San. He was still traveling the world when Kong San defected. He didn't come to Ronghua Prefecture to clean up the sect.

In fact, he only now learned that Kong San didn't escape to the frontier...

"It's a pity, but he wasn't killed by this official."

Mingtang expressed his regret.

"Heh, that's a real shame."

Dongmen Ruo's expression was indifferent.

He didn't care about Kong San's life or death. It would be better if he died; he was just an abandoned disciple.

"Chief Constable Ming seems to have ill intentions. Could it be that Zhao Shixiong and I have violated your laws again?"

Zhao Yanyan tightened the two moon-like short blades in her palms and asked calmly.

"That's not the case. Everyone has the right to kill rebels. Not only are you two innocent, but you can also go to the government to collect a reward. This official is not here for you."

Mingtang's eyes shifted, taking a deep look at An Qisheng, especially at his white hair:

"May I ask this friend's name?"

"Heh."

An Qisheng smiled faintly, ignoring Mingtang's inquiry, and instead looked at Dongmen Ruo:

"Gentlemen, I must bid you farewell."

"Brother An, you..."

Dongmen Ruo frowned. Was Mingtang's target An Qisheng?

Zhao Yanyan suddenly asked:

"May I ask Chief Constable Ming, which law has Young Hero An broken that requires your presence?"

"Hmm?"

Mingtang frowned, then replied expressionlessly:

"No comment."

The matter of the Soul-Seizing Demon Art must not be spread, otherwise, how many martial artists would come upon hearing the news.

Once Ronghua Prefecture became chaotic, it wouldn't be a good thing.

"No comment, or a fabricated charge? The Six Doors are becoming more and more domineering."

Dongmen Ruo slowly stood up, his expression vaguely unfriendly:

"When the Six Doors arrested my fellow disciples, you also said no comment, didn't you?"

"Your fellow disciples thought they could kill government officials just because they possessed martial arts skills. They deserved to die!"

Mingtang's expression was cold:

"Do you two want to try it too?"

"You!"

Dongmen Ruo was furious. He shook his sword and was about to attack.

"Dongmen Shixiong..."

Zhao Yanyan held his arm, shaking her head slightly.

The Six Doors were backed by the imperial court after all.

In recent decades, with the rise of the Dafeng's national power, the Six Doors had become increasingly dreaded by martial artists.

In recent years, they had been fabricating various charges to arrest martial arts masters.

If Dongmen Ruo made a move at this time, it would be exactly what they wanted.

"Brother Dongmen."

An Qisheng slowly stood up, the cold iron spear humming in his palm, emitting a vibration that sounded like a striking bronze bell:

"Let's say goodbye here!"

Clang~

Before his voice faded, the sound of cold iron violently rubbing against the air erupted.

Zhao Yanyan looked up and saw An Qisheng move. Instead of retreating, he stepped forward, and with a flick of the spear trailing behind him, he unleashed a sky full of spear shadows!

The humming sound of thousands of spear shadows being released simultaneously sounded like thunder, engulfing the power of overturning mountains and seas, and charging towards Mingtang.

It was clearly just a single person with a single spear, but it seemed like thousands of people were charging together.

The momentum was incomparably grand!

"It really is you."

Feeling the familiar qi energy, Mingtang's pupils constricted.

As the sky full of spear shadows swept towards him, a short blade suddenly appeared in Mingtang's hand.

The blade was only two feet long, and its color was restrained, but it wasn't straight, as if it were curved.

Zheng~

Amidst the wind and thunder-like sound of the spear shadows breaking through the air, the sound of the blade was melodious and lingering, like an old man singing on a stage.

With a single slash, a light seemed to suddenly bloom.

As the blade light rose, a sense of heat seemed to rise in the world. As the air violently rubbed against the blade, a layer of light red was actually coated on the short blade.

Zheng! Zheng! Zheng!

The sound of metal clashing instantly overwhelmed all other noises.

The sky full of spear shadows seemed to instantly dissipate in the sky, and in the rolling air currents, the long spear trembled and lashed out, as straight as an angry dragon.

Beneath the sky full of spear shadows, there was only a single, direct thrust!

Bang!

A loud noise.

Mingtang's white clothes fluttered backward, and the dust beneath his feet kicked up.

In front of him, the spear tip and the blade faced each other, rippling layers of air waves.

The night wind was very small, but the air currents at this time were very large. The surrounding dust scattered, and pebbles of soil and sand scattered in all directions. Further away, old trees rustled, shaking off residual snow and yellow leaves.

"True qi..."

After the collision, An Qisheng's figure surged like a swimming dragon, and the ten-foot-long spear moved around him, like a ferocious black dragon coiled around his body, occasionally launching a fierce blow.

At the same time, he frowned secretly.

He had already discovered when fighting Huiguo that after condensing the seed of true qi, true qi was far more destructive than inner force. The feeling was very different from when he fought Kong San.

Kong San's inner force was extremely thick, but after the impact of the inner force spread out, its lethality to him was extremely limited.

But true qi was different. With his current physique, even with the ten-foot-long spear between them, it could still shatter his inner force.

Moreover, after each collision, there was a needle-like stinging pain in his arms, which would spread throughout his body as the number of collisions increased.

With his physique, and with the long spear as an extension, he wouldn't be severely injured in one blow.

But he was still at a disadvantage.

"His inner force is very thin, but his physique is extremely astonishing. Is this person practicing a hard-training technique? He doesn't seem to have learned the Heaven One Soul-Seizing Scripture... That's right, it's only been a few days, he couldn't have learned this demonic art!"

Mingtang was clear in his heart, knowing that this was his best opportunity.

With this person's physique, even more powerful than his own, once his inner force increased, condensing true qi would be as simple as eating and drinking.

By then, he might not be his opponent.

Immediately, his movements became more urgent, wielding the blade light like a storm, and the true qi in his body surged endlessly.

"Want to end this quickly?"

Amidst the spear shadows, An Qisheng sneered in his heart.

Short blades and long spears each had their own advantages and disadvantages, but in this open mountain forest, his advantage was undoubtedly greater. It would be equally disadvantageous for him to use a short blade to clash with a long spear.

It wouldn't be easy for him to win quickly, and it was impossible for Mingtang to want to win quickly either.

Zheng zheng zheng~~~

The sound of blades and spears colliding rose and fell, and the two engaged in a fierce battle in front of this mountain stronghold. Wherever they passed, the earth shook, soil and rocks flew, and smoke billowed.

For a time, beneath the scarlet moonlight, only the light of blades and spears and the shadows of people flashing could be seen, the air currents whistling and surging, gradually moving away.

"Just who in the world is this An Qisheng?"

Before the mountain stronghold, Dongmen Ruo and Zhao Yanyan looked at each other, both seeing the astonishment in each other's eyes.

Whether it was the evil monk Huiguo or the third-rank chief constable of the Six Doors, Mingtang, both were masters who had condensed the seed of true qi and had been famous for a long time.

This An Qisheng had no sect or faction, and no deeds had been passed down, yet he was able to fight these two to a standstill?

"The world is so big, it's common for senior experts to live in seclusion in the mountains and pass down their martial arts."

Zhao Yanyan shook her head slightly.

"We can only wait until the next time we meet to ask. I believe such a person will soon be known throughout the world."

Dongmen Ruo frowned slightly, recalling An Qisheng's martial arts techniques.

But he still gained nothing.

He only felt that besides his great strength, his spear skills were not sophisticated, unlike any of the martial arts he knew. Each move was just the foundation of spear skills...

"It's just that the Six Doors are becoming more and more domineering, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard wants to collect all the weapons in the world. I'm afraid the martial world will be in chaos in the future..."

Zhao Yanyan was worried:

"Perhaps what Villa Master Baiyue Zhenren once said might really happen..."

"Shimei, don't worry too much."

Dongmen Ruo shook his head slightly:

"Baiyue Zhenren is indeed a top grandmaster in the world, but his predictions may not be accurate. Who can say for sure about the future? If you say that the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Six Doors alone can kill the martial world in the future, I absolutely don't believe it..."

"What Shixiong Dongmen said also makes sense."

Zhao Yanyan twirled her hair, saying no more.

After a moment of silence, Dongmen Ruo sighed softly:

"Shimei Zhao, rest for a moment, I'll go into the mountain stronghold to clean up..."

He couldn't help but sigh.

Cleaning up the battlefield had always been a dirty and tiring job. He had pulled An Qisheng along the way mostly to have him help him clean up the battlefield.

Who would have thought that in the end, he would still have to clean up the battlefield himself?

Not only that, but the spoils of this mountain had nothing to do with him...