CHAPTER 61: CHAPTER 58 MENG DE

"System, I want to challenge Dongfang Bubai."

"The Guardian BOSS challenge has begun..."

When Qingyu opened his eyes again, he found himself in an exquisitely designed little garden, with red plum blossoms, green bamboo, verdant pines and cypresses—all arranged with great craftsmanship. Several pairs of mandarin ducks swam leisurely in the pond, with four white cranes standing nearby. Not far away, there was a large flower bed filled with dark red and pink roses, emitting bursts of strong fragrance.

"This is... Heimu Cliff..."

The Guardian BOSS’s standards were high; previously, the people Qingyu had challenged were in an empty, white Inheritance Space, but to challenge the Guardian BOSS, he was in the secluded dwelling of Dongfang Bubai.

Just as Qingyu was searching for Dongfang Bubai’s figure, a red shadow flashed before his eyes. He felt a sharp pain in his forehead that penetrated his brain, and he became momentarily disoriented.

When he regained consciousness, Qingyu heard the naive braying of a donkey and had already left the space for challenging the Guardian BOSS. He had failed the challenge; in that instant, Qingyu had already died at the hands of Dongfang Bubai.

"The gap is really big," Qingyu rubbed his sore forehead.

The challenge had failed, and though it did not physically injure him, the sensation of pain lingered. For a moment, Qingyu thought he had truly died.

"I had just advanced to the Postnatal Ninth Layer, and this time, I didn’t expect to succeed in one try, I just wanted to see the strength of the strongest BOSS in the Postnatal Realm. I didn’t expect the gap to be so huge."

He had only seen a flash of red, and then he was dead, without even facing him directly. This was the gap between "Exorcism Swordsmanship" and the "Kuihua Treasure," as well as the huge gap in strength between Qingyu and Dongfang Bubai.

"It seems I still have a long way to go in the Postnatal Realm."

In the martial world, nothing is indestructible; only speed is unbeatable. Without matching Dongfang Bubai’s speed, he had no right to confront Dongfang Bubai.

"If I could draw Yang Lianting’s Character Card, I might be able to disguise myself as him and trick Dongfang Bubai."

However, that would defeat the purpose of the Guardian BOSS. Challenges were unlimited, and Qingyu had countless opportunities to challenge Dongfang Bubai. If he did not even have the confidence to defeat Dongfang Bubai and become the strongest BOSS in the Postnatal Realm, Qingyu felt he would be mediocrity personified.

"After I receive Ouyang Ke’s inheritance, I will challenge Dongfang Bubai again."

Two months had passed, and Qingyu had once again obtained two random Postnatal Realm Character Cards.

Name: Ouyang Ke

Realm: Postnatal Ninth Layer

Item: "White Camel Poison Scripture"

Martial Arts: "Instantaneous Thousand Miles," "Divine Camel Snow Mountain Palm," "Spiritual Snake Fist"

Evaluation: A lustful and daring ghost who is doomed to die under the peony flowers; seeking benevolence and achieving it, he died content.

Ignoring the critique full of sarcasm, Ouyang Ke’s inheritance was quite substantial. Both "Divine Camel Snow Mountain Palm" and "Spiritual Snake Fist" were superior martial arts of the Postnatal Realm, and "Instantaneous Thousand Miles" could further boost Qingyu’s speed, his reliance for the next challenge against Dongfang Bubai.

"White Camel Poison Scripture" could also enrich Qingyu’s knowledge of poisons. After all, Ping Yizhi was a doctor and not as specialized in poisons as the old poison master, Ouyang Feng.

The only regret was that Ouyang Feng had not mastered his uncle’s (father’s) Toad Skill; otherwise, it would have been a huge gain.

As for the other Character Card...

Name: Long Xiaoyun

Realm: Postnatal Fifth Realm

Item: "Lianhua Treasure Book" (already drawn)

Martial Arts: "Long Family Silver Spear"

Evaluation: My house was a gift from my junior brother. My wife was a gift from my junior brother. My son, he wishes my junior brother had given him...

Long Xiaoyun, a famous investment mogul, his most successful investment in life was rescuing Li Xunhuan. Afterward, money, houses, and women all came to him, and he instantly transformed from a loser to a wealthy and handsome man.

Unfortunately, though he became wealthy and handsome, he could never change his loser’s heart. Instead of caring for his wife and teaching his children, he spent his days worrying about everything, fearing that one day his junior brother would descend from the skies and take back all the money, houses, and women, leaving him restless day and night.

This man was utterly worthless. The valuable "Lianhua Treasure Book" had been extracted by Qingyu, leaving only the "Long Family Silver Spear," which made Qingyu just want to scoff.

The moment he obtained the card, Qingyu activated the Character Card and instantly killed Long Xiaoyun.

At this point, he ceased his thoughts. Thinking any more would only bring back the headache. The embroidery needle of Dongfang Bubai had pierced Qingyu’s brow, its accompanied Inner Strength penetrating his brain—that pain still lingered.

However, this also proved that Dongfang Bubai was only a hair’s breadth from the Innate Realm. If not for the environment not allowing it, with the world beginning the End of Martial Era and Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi becoming sparse, Dongfang Bubai would have definitely broken through to the Innate Realm.

"Clip-clop, clip-clop..."

The urgent sound of horse hooves came, mixed with the noise of rotating carriage wheels, as a luxurious double-horse carriage sped past by the roadside.

"Stop, stop, stop..."

The coachman pulled the reins tightly, stopping the galloping horses.

"Hey, that gentleman over there, gentleman..." A head poked out from the right window of the carriage, along with a vigorously waving hand.

Gentleman, is he calling me?

Qingyu touched his own cheek, slightly startled.

Unlike his time in Yang City where others impersonated him, now, he was impersonating someone else. Using Inner Strength to stimulate his muscles and slightly shifting them made Qingyu appear like a young man of eighteen or nineteen, no longer bearing his original delicate features, but instead, a somewhat immature face. Along with Qingyu’s tall and straight stature, he looked spirited and vigorous.

He lightly squeezed his legs, urging his little donkey to walk faster and catch up with the carriage that had stopped ahead.

"What is it that you call me for?"

Upon a closer look, this so-called Qingyu was also a young man under twenty. A golden crown rested on his head, with two strands of hair carelessly falling over his forehead, his face full of frivolousness, looking quite insouciant.

"Young man, are you also heading to the Divine Capital Mountain River Academy to study?" the golden-crowned young man asked playfully.

"Indeed."

Mountain River Academy was precisely the destination of Qingyu’s journey, going there to study as a scholar. This was the only information Qingyu had obtained two months ago from Yunlai Inn in Mingyang City of Ling Province.

The next steps would have to be decided after Qingyu entered the academy.

"That’s great. Not to hide from you, young man, I am also going there to study. In that case, we will be future classmates. Come on in and chat; these past few days, I’ve almost died of boredom. The carriage is fast which can spare you some trouble on the road." The golden-crowned young man was extremely enthusiastic, inviting him right away.

"Since that is so, it would be impolite of me to refuse." Qingyu thought for a moment, then responded.

He dismounted from the donkey, took his package, and patted the donkey’s back, "Go on, you are free now."

The donkey stood blankly by the roadside, eating grass.

"Young man, my name is Jin Mingxuan. May I have your esteemed surname?" the golden-crowned young man asked before boarding the carriage.

"No need for formalities, the surname is Meng, given name is De, Meng from Kong Meng, and De from morality."