Chapter 166

165. Chapter 165: The Meng Family's Elite

"Giddyap~!"

"Giddyap!"

Six steeds galloped forward, iron hooves pounding the earth.

Under the leadership of a Qi-Condensation powerhouse, five Meng family Qi-Refining experts raced hundreds of miles in a single day, arriving at San Yang City in Xingzhou before noon. They did not enter the city, but after confirming the direction, headed straight for the Great Green Mountain outside.

They had received word from the Fan family: the one who had killed the Ghost Messenger and seized the ghostly yang lifespan had agreed to a duel at the foot of the Great Green Mountain outside San Yang City to determine supremacy and life or death.

This was better—saved them time searching for the enemy.

"I'd very much like to see who dares steal the yin spirit's yang lifespan from our Qingzhou Meng family. Does this person not know what price they must pay? Or is this a trick by the Fan family, trying to probe our true strength?"

A man in his early thirties spoke coldly. His name was Meng Yuan, a Qi-Refining expert of the Meng family.

"This has nothing to do with the Fan family. According to Fan Zhizhou, the one who did this is a young expert named Li Yi—unknown origin, no background. We only know he suddenly appeared in San Yang City a few days ago and killed two, no, three Qi-Refining experts within a single day. Even the city's governor was defeated by him."

Another Qi-Refining expert spoke up.

"Killed three Qi-Refining experts? That's impressive. But Qi-Refining experts in San Yang City are mostly street fighters—barely refined three meridians. If a master who refined nine meridians did it, it wouldn't be surprising. But among the Four Seas and Eight Provinces, any warrior who refined nine meridians is always from a prominent clan. I've never heard of this Li Yi."

The speaker was a female warrior, around thirty, named Meng Cai—a master who had refined nine meridians, just one step away from Qi-Condensation.

"Whoever this person is, they die today. Not just because they stole our Meng family's yin spirit's yang lifespan, but because they defy heaven and earth, killing ghostly beings without a second thought. If we don't eliminate them now, they'll grow into a great enemy later. I don't know what the Fan family is doing—letting such a dangerous person fester instead of dealing with them quickly, forcing us to come all this way."

The warrior Meng Yuan spoke sternly.

"But our Meng family's yin spirit ancestor is overreacting. It's just a Qi-Refining opponent. I could handle it alone. Why send Elder Meng himself?"

Another Meng family Qi-Refining expert glanced at the tall, imposing figure ahead, his eyes instinctively filled with reverence.

The man everyone called Master Meng was named Meng Kuohai.

A Qi-Condensation powerhouse of the Qingzhou Meng family.

He had a tiger's back and bear's waist, stood nine feet tall, massive and towering, his muscles bulging like boulders, gleaming faintly under the sun. His huge hands were strong and powerful, as if capable of splitting mountains and cracking rocks. Merely sitting atop his horse, he radiated a suffocating pressure.

Most importantly, he was young—only forty-five—and his vital energy was at its peak. Combined with his innate godlike strength, any Qi-Condensation warrior in the Four Seas and Eight Provinces would avoid him.

"That Fan Qi-Refining expert, Fan Zhizhou, came too? Is he here to watch?"

Suddenly, as the group drew closer, Meng Cai noticed a lone carriage outside the city.

On the carriage stood a young man, accompanied by an old servant.

He was a young elite of the Fan family.

The Meng and Fan families of Qingzhou constantly competed and compared themselves, gathering intelligence on promising warriors.

When they saw Fan Zhizhou, he recognized them too, his expression hardening: "That's… Meng Cai, the so-called strongest under Qi-Condensation? And Meng Yuan, Meng Yanwei, and the Fang brothers, Fang Xiong and Fang Jin? The Meng family really took this seriously—every named expert is here. And the leader is… Meng Kuohai?"

When he saw the tall, imposing figure, Fan Zhizhou's eyes widened in shock.

Meng Kuohai, born with godlike strength, had dominated the Four Seas and Eight Provinces twenty years ago, undefeated in a hundred battles, losing only once. But even that loss wasn't truly a loss—rumor said the opponent had fought Meng Kuohai until both were drained of vital energy. Though he landed one winning punch, he died. Meng Kuohai survived, and a month later broke through to Qi-Condensation, shocking everyone.

Since becoming a Qi-Condensation powerhouse, Meng Kuohai rarely traveled the Four Seas and Eight Provinces. He mostly stayed at the Meng family, cultivating in seclusion, supposedly aiming to advance further—to reach Qi-Transformation and become an eternal yin spirit.

Who would have thought this matter would draw such a figure here?

Twenty years ago, he was already a Qi-Condensation powerhouse. Now, after twenty years, how strong would he be?

Impossible to imagine.

"Could Meng Kuohai have sensed something? Does he believe this mission is his chance to break through to Qi-Transformation? Or did the Meng family's yin spirit want to avoid complications and send their strongest warrior to eliminate Li Yi outright?" Fan Zhizhou's eyes flickered, his mind swirling with thoughts.

But none of it mattered now. The Meng family's elite had arrived, reaching the foot of the Great Green Mountain, less than four li from Li Yi, who stood in the pavilion. They were about to enter the range of the first colored flag.

Yet at this moment, the group slowed their pace, eyeing the scattered flags ahead with caution.

"The enemy knew we had a Qi-Condensation warrior coming, yet still dared to challenge us. Either they're foolish, or they have some advantage. These flags were planted today—they seem unusual…" Meng Cai's gaze sharpened. She rode past and yanked up a flagpole wrapped in red cloth.

She glanced at it briefly, then tossed it aside.

A burst of force sent the wooden pole like an arrow deep into the soil beside her.

"Just ordinary branches and rags. Nothing special," Meng Cai said. "Is the enemy just putting on a show?"

"No. These flags are for measuring distance. Each is about two hundred and fifty steps apart. Three flags total seven hundred and fifty steps—roughly three li. The man we're hunting stands in that pavilion, waiting for us. But it's strange: if someone sets up distance markers like this, they'd likely use powerful bows or crossbows. Yet he has no heavy bow, no powerful crossbow, and no eight-ox crossbow capable of threatening a Qi-Condensation warrior."

A seasoned Qi-Refining warrior named Meng Yanwei spoke gravely. He had years of experience and spotted subtle clues—but could not guess the enemy's intent.

"And this is open ground, fully exposed. No possible ambush. Though the enemy stands with the Great Green Mountains behind, they're still far from the hills. Even if something hides in the mountains, it couldn't reach in time… Master Meng, I don't understand. This challenge seems careless—no preparation at all."

Though they felt victory was certain, caution was still necessary.

So after stepping past the first flag, they all slowed their horses, advancing slowly while watching their surroundings.

After brief observation, they realized they'd overthought it. The enemy used no trickery—simply stood calmly in the pavilion, waiting for them.

"It seems we judged him too harshly. He challenged us openly, on this wide field, seeking a fair fight. Honestly, I feel a touch of respect for such an opponent. But pity—he must die today. Otherwise, Master Meng wouldn't have come himself."

Meng Yuan couldn't help but sigh.

"If so, Master Meng, I request to fight him. Let me face him one-on-one. I hope he's strong enough to be the stepping stone for my breakthrough to Qi-Condensation."

The woman named Meng Cai bowed respectfully to the towering man before her.

Only then did Meng Kuohai slowly open his eyes atop his horse, like a tiger waking from deep sleep. His voice was low and heavy: "Agreed."

"Thank you, Master Meng."

Meng Cai's face lit up. She clearly hoped to replicate Meng Kuohai's path—using a powerful enemy to forge herself, seeking the path of the upper realms through life-or-death combat.

"You got there first," Meng Yuan muttered inwardly. "I also wanted to fight this unknown warrior. After all, he defeated a young elite of the Fan family—he can't be ordinary. Worth a duel."

But now that he faced Meng Cai, he could only pray for his luck. After all, she was someone who might break through to Qi-Condensation.

As they chatted, their horses had unknowingly drawn near the second flag.

The second flag was one kilometer from Li Yi.

A kilometer was the ideal range for a post-evolution sniper—extremely high hit probability at this distance.

"Perfect. The enemy is exactly as I predicted—completely unprepared. They have no idea about the killing range of a sniper rifle. And yet they're still chatting casually."

Li Yi's vertical pupils glowed faintly, locked onto the tall, muscular man at the front.

From their demeanor, that man must be the so-called Qi-Condensation warrior.

Though he felt no danger from over a thousand meters away, and his spiritual sense gave no warning, it didn't matter—so long as the target was confirmed.

"If I eliminate that Qi-Condensation warrior, I win this battle. The remaining five Qi-Refining experts are no threat." Li Yi thought, then began preparing.

He dropped to the ground, set up his rifle, and aimed his scope at the Qi-Condensation warrior a kilometer away.