"That poor monk won't say anything." Meng Qi chuckled and spoke to the old fox with ease, no need for further explanation.

  Duan Xiangfei, this old fox, had already composed his shocked and surprised emotions, put down the chopsticks, and pointed to the edge of the table: "Please sit down, Master."

  Then he turned his head and said to Duan Mingcheng who was stunned: "Don't you go make a good cup of tea yet?"

  On the table was a pile of broad beans and a jug of yellow wine, the latter being not quite suitable for entertaining Buddhist monks.

  "I wonder what changes will occur in the Heavenly Fate City after I, a poor monk, leave?" Meng Qi also didn't rush to mention the Phantom Shape Technique or the Round and Bright Master, but instead asked about the subsequent events of that time with an air of leisure.

  Duan Xiang picked up the fallen broad beans from the table, not minding the dirt, and put them in his mouth, smiling: "Old man saw through it quickly, told Luo Qing and others that you, the Dharma Master, killed one with a single knife, ascended to the Buddhist pure land, while Cui Xuan was the first of the twelve gods, the Dragon God of the hour, also the master of the Snow God Palace, plotted to eliminate other masters, but was seen through by you, the Dharma Master, and beheaded."

  "Perhaps it was the magnificent sight of your ascension that stunned everyone, but Luo Qing's proposal to seal away Fei Zhengqing and others was not opposed by the martial artists, and afterwards many pieces of evidence were found, all of which irrefutably proved that they were indeed the Twelve Divine Generals."

  "Although there was no clue that Tsui Kōshi was the master of Yuki-jinja, I provided a few suspicious things, and with the twelve gods confirmed, the matter of the master of Yuki-jinja was also 'confirmed'."

  He spoke eloquently with a smile on his face, as if Cui Xuan was the master of the Snow God Palace.

  Meng Qi didn't know the truth, but at this moment, he couldn't say anything true and would believe it himself. In his heart, he couldn't help but secretly praise him, wondering when he could lie as smoothly as an old fox, seemingly even convincing himself.

  "Fei Zhengqing and others were killed?" Meng Qi's expression remained unchanged, after all, these people had nothing to do with him.

  Duan Xiang nodded slightly: "All those who were found to be the Twelve Gods of Heaven were executed, and Yu Tong's family property was distributed to fellow Taoist relatives who had suffered from the calamity of the Twelve Gods of Heaven over the years. Cui Gui's position as city master came from the imperial court, so we couldn't deal with him, but we did execute Cui Jin Hua, who assisted in his evil deeds. Half a year ago, the Emperor issued an edict allowing Cui Jin Xiu to inherit the position of city master."

  In this world, the masters of the sects have not yet reached the point where they can challenge the imperial court, but after opening the spiritual secret repository, they can move freely within the palace, unless the emperor can invite other masters to guard it. Therefore, a delicate balance is formed between the Jianghu and the imperial court, and the masters will not recklessly confront the imperial power, after all, they have families, businesses, and mouths to feed, and the emperor will also not risk his life to eliminate the "blood-stained" martial arts masters.

  It's precisely because of this that they have evidence to kill Choi Seung without causing a backlash in the imperial court, but if they privately order the city master, they will touch the dragon's reverse scales. Of course, Choi Seung's family property has also been taken away by many good men from Jianghu as "funds for justice".

  "There's no selecting a man from the side clans to inherit the city lord position, I'm afraid the Emperor has been eyeing Tian Ding City for a long time." Meng Qi turned his prayer beads with his left hand, maintaining the image of a high-ranking monk.

  Duan Xiang slightly astonished looked at Meng Qi: "A monk with good insight."

  He originally thought that Zhen Ding Fa Shi was just a genius, so he could make rapid progress in martial arts at a young age and leave others behind. He didn't think his understanding of other things would be too strong, but now it seems that's not the case.

  "Amitabha Buddha, I've just read a lot of idle books." Meng Qi replied calmly and contentedly.

  Duan Xiang sighed and said, "The change in Tiandu City has caused a stir in the Jianghu world. However, as a master who is above worldly affairs, you probably don't care about these things. Hmm, your few little friends are doing very well, they have had experiences traveling with you, no matter where they go, they can receive proper treatment from the righteous path. If they're not stupid, they should be able to seize the opportunity to obtain better martial arts and improve their own strength."

  "It's all good." Meng Qi nodded slightly, having almost forgotten the names of those four little friends. But since it was fate that brought them together and apart, forgetting was also fine.

  Duan Xiang smiled slightly and looked directly into Meng Qi's eyes: "I don't know what the master has come for this time?"

  Meng Qi's mischievous expression suddenly appeared, and he smiled, saying: "Guess."

  Duan Xiang's face twitched slightly: "The Dharma Master is a person of the Pure Land sect who has ascended to Buddhahood, how could this old mundane mortal guess? However, I also have some ideas. The Dharma Master might be similar in origin to the person who cut off my right hand's five fingers, both appearing mysteriously, doing something big and then disappearing without a trace, I wonder if it's true?"

  "You guess." Meng Qi couldn't possibly answer this kind of question, and he stopped teasing Duan Xiangfei. Instead, he smiled and said, "This time I came to ask for your guidance on the Phantom Shape Technique. Secondly, I want you to take me to Changhua Temple. The small Jade Buddha has a secret connection with the Buddhist world, and I need to go pay my respects to Master Yuanmeng. Thirdly, my knife skills have become dull, and I'd like to find a master to exchange moves with."

  "It doesn't matter." Duan Xiang said after a moment of contemplation, "Just call me 'Old Duan', Master. It's not worth showing off that I have a friend who can kill with one slash."

  "Haha, Old Duan you're really humorous." Meng Qi also didn't hold back.

  At this time, Duan Mingcheng had already brought up a teapot and two tea cups, with hot air rising and the fragrance of tea wafting.

  "Good tea." Meng Qi praised and poured a cup of tea with ease, as if he were at home.

  "Master Fa is indeed a transcendent being." Seeing Meng Qi's slow and smokeless tea-pouring movement, Duan Xiangyi couldn't help but praise him, while Duan Mingcheng sat below his father, serving the two.

  Meng Qi took a sip of tea, and after the bitterness came the lingering fragrance: "Old Duan, I have some questions about the Phantom Shape Technique that I'd like to ask you."

  "I wonder how far the Dharma Master has cultivated his Shape-Shifting Great Method?" Duan Xiang saw that Meng Qi's knife method was extraordinary, and he knew that his origins were mysterious. Since he had already told him the entire Shape-Shifting Great Method, he didn't harbor any secret intentions.

  Meng Qi put down his teacup and said slowly: "I have already made some progress for a period of time."

  "It's only been a little over a year!" exclaimed Duan Mingcheng, "How can you have already made such great progress in the Shape-shifting Technique? Your martial arts skills are inferior, don't deceive me!"

  More than a year? Meng Qi calculated the time, and after leaving this world for himself, it was probably half a year. The flow of time is three to one? That's not right either. Last time I came here to complete the task, it was only a dozen breaths in the main world.

  Wasn't it the last time that the master of the six paths controlled the flow of time?

  Duan Xiangyi was also surprised, but he was extremely deep in the city, and immediately retracted his hand, smiled and said to Duan Mingcheng: "Zhen Ding Fa Shi is young and can cut through the void with one knife, what's the big deal about breaking through the void and achieving a small success in the fantasy of a year or two?"

  Meng Qi smiled but didn't speak, taking a sip of clear tea before saying: "The way of the world is one principle that clarifies all principles, please enlighten me, Master Duan."

  In this sentence, he didn't address Lao Duan directly, after all, it was a request for advice from the other party, and couldn't lose politeness.

  Afterwards, the two exchanged views on the Fantastical Shape Method. Duān Xiàng Fēi's rich experience helped Mèng Qí resolve many doubts that would have taken a long time to ponder, while Mèng Qí often casually mentioned something that made Duān Xiàng Fēi both astonished and perplexed, delighted and bewildered, as if he had directly pointed out the essence of the Fantastical Shape Method.

  "The Daoist's view on the Phantom Apotheosis Technique is truly ahead of what people can think, making one ponder deeply." After finishing their conversation, Duan Xiangyi let out a long sigh and said sincerely, "This is not something an ordinary person can come up with. Only a true immortal who has transcended the boundaries between humans and gods, looking down at the Phantom Apotheosis Technique from a lofty height, can have such insight! I, an old man, have cultivated the Phantom Apotheosis Technique for decades, achieving perfection many years ago, but only today do I realize that I am just a frog in a well, my understanding of the essence of the Phantom Apotheosis Technique is merely superficial!"

  This is a world with the accumulation of countless years of Taoist ancestors, and I am also borrowing flowers to offer Buddha... Meng Qi secretly said in his heart, revealing a hint of pride on his face, and he was pleased with Duan Xiangfei's praise.

  Next to him, Duan Mingcheng, who was also practicing the Xuan Xing Da Fa, listened with rapt attention, feeling that Master Zhen Ding had opened a new door for him. Beyond this door lay a world of colorful splendor, a realm of enlightenment that pointed directly to the boundary between human and divine. At this point, he no longer doubted Master Zhen Ding's original bold move!

  Meng Qi also made significant gains, with the help of Xiang Fei's experience, uninterrupted practice of "Easy Muscle and Bone Chapter", refinement of divine lightning energy, and a fundamental understanding. The day when his own shape-shifting technique is perfected won't be too far away, perhaps just two months' time will suffice.

  "Master, you're not proficient in the art of verbal sparring. You want to find a master to exchange blows with? I'm also a master, let's give it a try." Duan Xiangfei had gained a lot from their previous conversation and was eager to engage in another round to gain more insights.

  "The poor monk had this intention." Meng Qi laughed and floated down to the courtyard, with his Red Sun Suppressing Evil Knife turned over, using the back of the knife to face Duan Xiangfei, showing no intention of harming him.

  Duan Xiangfei followed him floating in the courtyard, raising both palms: "Please, Master."

  "Amitabha, guests follow the host's convenience." Meng Qi made a one-handed salute, then raised his sword and slashed towards Duan Xiangfei, although it was an unexpected change, but there was a dignified and upright momentum, with a lingering flavor.

  This is one of the knife moves derived from Mèng Qí's integration of Wǔ Hǔ Duàn Mén Dāo Fǎ and Xuě Dāo Dāo Fǎ, evolved from the first move of ānán Pò Jiè Dāo Fǎ, representing a small step in his own knife technique fusion.

  Duan Xiangfei didn't slack off, his body suddenly transformed into seven figures, pouncing on Meng Qi from all sides.

  At this moment, Meng Qi suddenly lost his lock on him, knowing that he was affected again by the sensory hallucination. His brow burst forth with energy as he countered the illusion with the Great Illusion Technique, and his eyes shone brightly, exercising his ability to dispel hallucinations.

  However, Meng Qi's Phantom Technique was ultimately one level lower than Duan Xiang's, and he could only open two apertures, barely making out that one of the three human silhouettes in front, to the left, and to the right was Duan Xiang's true body.

  He then sheathed his sword and changed his swordsmanship, slashing horizontally and pointing directly at Duan Yu in front of him, while covering the left side's Duan Yu.

  Puff, the person on the right slapped his palms together, striking Meng Qi's side. Meng Qi, who had been prepared, slid his foot back and forth, dodging Duan Xiangfei's attack.

  Although a bit disheveled, Meng Qi's mood was quite pleasant. After Duan Xiangnan's true body was confirmed, his ability to dispel illusions had indeed made great progress. Now, he only needed to face the three enemies' siege as if it were a normal battle, without having to be flustered and at a loss.

  With a broad mind, Meng Qi's exquisite knife skills were continuously displayed. Sometimes they were strong and fierce, fully revealing the usual side of his knife skills. Sometimes they were strange and unpredictable, with each knife being mysterious and unpredictable. Sometimes the trajectory was profound and obscure, with changes that were difficult to describe.

  Duan Xiang's defense was fully open, but even with such an outstanding swordsmanship as Meng Qi's, he found it difficult to break through the defense, and several times almost cut his true body.

  A figure fluttered about, a sword light formed a ball, the two men fought to a thrilling point, Duan Xiangnan let out a long whistle: "Master, look at my palm!"

  He split into seven figures again, each pinched his palm and decided to pat out together. The surrounding air suddenly became cold and frosty, as if it had come from the scorching summer to the severe winter in an instant.

  Meng Qi had seen this Snow God Palm before and didn't dare to be slow, using the most satisfying move of his evolved knife technique, the Red Sun Suppressing Evil Knife made a slanted slash in front of him, as if it encompassed the entire sky and earth in front of him.

  Under the knife light, seven figures were damaged one by one. Duan Xiangfei suddenly appeared above Meng Qi, striking down from mid-air and hitting Meng Qi's left shoulder.

  Dark gold splendor, cold intent piercing to the bone, the sword of restraint returns, Duan Xiangfei flies out in a backflip, while Meng Qi's left shoulder gains an additional palm print, yet it fails to penetrate the dark gold.

  Meng Qi's blood and energy fluctuated, with a slight chill, as if his blood had been frozen stiff, but the true energy circulated and he quickly recovered. He realized that even Snow God Palm would need two or three palms to penetrate the fifth pass and harm himself. Of course, it was also possible that Duan Yuening had held back some of his strength due to their sparring match. In any case, even if Duan Yuening went all out, he could at most hurt himself, and there was no way he could break through Meng Qi's Golden Bell Shield within seven or eight palms.

  Next to him, Duan Mingcheng was watching very intently because he wasn't specially affected by the Illusory Shape Technique. On one hand, he was admiring True Void's knife technique, which was indeed extraordinary. On the other hand, he was secretly muttering to himself that no matter how extraordinary it was, it was still only at the mortal level and couldn't compare to his own father's skills, let alone the legendary "One Knife to Communicate with the Gods".

  Isn't "Mo Fei Yi Dao Tong Shen" a collaborative work between him and his father?

  As his thoughts were turning over in his mind, he suddenly heard Zhen Ding Fa Shi burst out laughing:

  "Coming but not going is impolite, Old Duan looks at his sword!"

  A sword flashed out, a gleam of light burst forth, and ten feet of red dust swirled around.

  Duan Mingcheng's eyes widened in shock, staring blankly at the knife.