Chapter 1189: Meng Qi’s Request for Help

After bidding farewell to Meng Hanan, Ye Mo stayed at the Truth Treasure Alliance. He was still processing the news she had given him: the Twelve Pill King Steps were an immortal artifact. He hadn't expected cultivators in this realm to forge such items; the skill of the forger must be immense. He wasn't unskilled himself, however; he could already forge extreme-grade spirit artifacts. His concern was Meng Hanan's assurance that Yong Lanyi wouldn't harm him during the tournament. What about afterward? He didn't distrust her character, but he doubted her ability to protect him. In the cultivation realm, power was paramount. If Yong Lanyi sought trouble, even the Sea Cultivator Alliance leader couldn't guarantee his safety.

Meng Hanan had given him the jade slip readily, not fearing he would flee. He hadn't considered it anyway; escape was impossible. He'd asked her about leaving via the Qu Eighteen Disks. She'd explained that nobody had ever reached the top; twelve was the furthest anyone had gone, and he wouldn't be teleported out until he reached the eighteenth disk. Could he reach it? If he could, he wouldn't need her protection. His greatest asset was his level-eight formation skills, a secret he guarded carefully. Even a level-eight formation grandmaster was extremely rare within a century. Meng Hanan had emphasized the importance of formation skills in the Qu Eighteen Disks; perhaps he could use them to reach the top and leave at will. This thought reassured him somewhat.

Just as he was about to examine the jade slip about the Immortal Curl Flower, his spirit sense detected someone at the door—Meng Qi. He opened the restriction before she knocked and saluted, “Martial Sister Meng, what can I do for you?”

Meng Qi bowed, her voice soft, “Martial Brother Ye, I require your assistance with the Qu Eighteen Disks.” Her voice reminded him of birdsong. He thought of Yong Yuer, equally beautiful, yet so different.

Ye Mo smiled, putting away the jade slip. “I thank you for helping me obtain the Immortal Curl Flower’s location.” Meng Qi smiled, glancing at the restriction but saying nothing.

Ye Mo closed the restriction before asking, “Martial Sister Meng, is there something you need to discuss? Please, come in and sit.”

Meng Qi sighed. “Martial Brother Ye, if you’ve offended Yong Yuer, I advise against participating in the Qu Eighteen Disks. She won't let you go, and even my master can't help. The Tong Hai Cult lord dotes on her; he won't act against you before the competition, but afterward…he'll seek revenge, even kill you. Martial Uncle Wang from the Sea Cultivator Alliance won’t risk Yong Lanyi’s wrath for you. And you damaged Yong Yuer’s favorite flying cart.”

Ye Mo's heart sank. He knew Yong Yuer was dangerous, but he didn't understand why Meng Hanan had involved him, or why Meng Qi was warning him. He barely knew her.

Meng Qi continued, “A cauldron-filling state cultivator offended Yong Yuer—simply by calling her spoiled. He fled to the Cang Hai Three Islands, but the cult leader caught him and burned his soul.”

Ye Mo gasped. This was brutal; the cultivator had merely called her spoiled. What would she do to him for damaging her chariot?

“Why are you helping me?” Ye Mo asked.

“I have a way for you to escape, and I can help, but there’s a condition,” Meng Qi replied.

“Tell me,” Ye Mo said.

Meng Qi set up additional restrictions, though low-level ones. Ye Mo smiled. “Don’t worry; nobody will know what happens here. Remember, I’m a formation master.”

Meng Qi blushed, then bit her lip. “I’m not from Luo Yue continent or Ling Island. Ten years ago, I was rescued on a barren island in the Heartless Sea by my master. I stayed to thank her, and eventually settled there.”

Ye Mo wasn't shocked; he was also from another world. Her words implied she had a way to leave.

Meng Qi was surprised by his lack of reaction, but recovered quickly. “But last year, the Tong Hai Sect’s Young Master, Yong Wuzi, came to Ling Island and proposed to me, with my master and Alliance Leader Wang's consent. My master couldn't refuse, and the Alliance Leader remained silent.”

Ye Mo asked, surprised, “Yong Yuer has a brother?” If she was this cruel, her brother must be worse.

Meng Qi said pitifully, “He's like his sister; a demon. He raped his father’s concubine. His father, instead of punishing him, gave her to him. Even then, he killed her, saying it wasn’t exciting anymore.”

Ye Mo was stunned.

“There’s a Space Breaking Rune hidden in my dantian, but I lack the opportunity to activate it. It requires a place with dense spirit chi. I planned to find such a place when my cultivation was higher, but I can’t wait. After the Qu Eighteen Disks, I’ll be sent to the Tong Hai Sect.”

Ye Mo fell silent. Meng Qi said desperately, “I can use my identity to get you out of the island’s formation.”

Ye Mo asked, “How do you know I can help you escape? I'm only at the body condensation state. Ling Island is full of powerful cultivators. If it truly works, you could do it yourself.”

Meng Qi stared at him. “I can’t escape far, but you're different. You have an extreme-grade flying artifact. Without it, Yong Yuer’s cart would catch you.”

Ye Mo was impressed by her cunning. However, he shook his head. “Martial Sister Meng, you’ve oversimplified things. You wouldn’t be able to get me off the island, and neither would you escape. Even if you didn't help me, Wang Cang would be watching. Don't try; it'll only make things worse.”

Meng Qi slumped, dawning on her that she had been clinging to unrealistic hope.