Entering the Spiritual Void 138. The Two Overlords of North and South

Seated securely in the center of the main hall, the pale-faced elder raised his thick, unkempt eyebrows and said, "Hu Mengxiong has been waiting for a long time. Elder Hao, please come in!"

Hu Mengxiong's voice was not loud, but Hao Fu and his subordinates, stationed a full ten paces outside the temple, heard every word with crystal clarity.

Hao Fu immediately replied, "One should look at a scholar with new eyes after being apart for three days. It has been less than half a year since we parted ways, yet Elder Hu has already mastered the 'Nine Nether Profound Penetrating Skill'. Most auspicious and most celebratory!"

Hao Fu's voice was even lower, sounding like a casual conversation between old friends sitting face to face, yet to Hu Mengxiong and his subordinates inside the main hall, it sounded like a sudden spring thunder, ringing in their ears!

Standing in attendance to Hu Mengxiong's left, the Second Master transmitted his voice via inner qi: "Eldest Brother, you really should go out and welcome this old man! After all, once he steps in tonight, he won't be leaving!"

Hu Mengxiong nodded slightly and raised his voice: "The Overlord of the South, Elder Hao, has arrived. Follow me to greet him!"

Just as his voice fell, a crisp and resounding response echoed from outside the hall: "How could I dare? How could I dare? Hao Fu has been presumptuous, I am coming in!"

Following these words, a fierce gust of wind suddenly swirled through the hall, making the lamps sway, candles flicker, windows rattle, and doors creak. Right at the entrance of the main hall, a robust figure materialized. He possessed a face as dark as a soot-covered pot, a pair of fierce sweeping eyebrows, leopard-like protruding eyes, and hair like silver wire neatly bound into a topknot—a truly imposing sight!

Hu Mengxiong laughed heartily. "As expected of Elder Hao, your might is no less than it was in past years!"

Hao Fu cupped his fists in salute, but his gaze remained locked onto the young man lying unconscious on the ground. "What nonsense are you talking? Since Elder Hu has captured this living nemesis of ours, from now on, this entire territory will belong to Elder Hu!"

With a hearty laugh from Hu Mengxiong and a warm chuckle from Hao Fu, hands clasping and shoulders aligned, the two walked arm in arm, sitting down side by side in the center without distinguishing between host and guest.

Once seated, Hu Mengxiong asked, "Elder Hao, where are your fine brothers?"

Hao Fu smiled faintly. "Having acted as the 'Overlord of the South' for half a lifetime, how could I dare not understand the rules? Therefore, I instructed them to wait far outside the temple."

Hu Mengxiong shook his head and said with a solemn expression, "Elder Hao, you and I govern this region, one in the south and one in the north. We treat each other with respect and never cross boundaries, yet we have never truly joined hands in complete openness. Now that our nemesis has been captured and this great threat removed, this is precisely the moment for us to discuss our grand strategy!"

Without waiting for Hao Fu to respond, Hu Mengxiong swept his gaze toward the Second Master and commanded, "Second Brother, go personally and invite Elder Hao's good brothers inside. Tell them I invite everyone to discuss important matters together."

Hao Fu did not reply nor express any opinion, merely watching as the Second Master walked out of the temple. In a flash, the Second Master returned, casting a sinister gaze at Hao Fu as he said, "Elder Hao, you are being overly guarded!"

Hu Mengxiong frowned his thick, unkempt eyebrows. "Second Brother, what do you mean by that?"

Before the Second Master could answer, Hao Fu spoke up: "This is Elder Hu's territory. Since Hao Fu accepted your invitation, how could I dare violate even half a step? Therefore, along the way, I strictly ordered them to wait in place and forbade them from advancing recklessly."

Hu Mengxiong said, "Elder Hao, that makes it no wonder my Second Brother said you were being overly guarded. You really are—"

Hao Fu suddenly pointed at the youth on the ground and interrupted, "If Elder Hu harbors genuine warmth and a sincere desire to join hands, let us first deal with this person, and afterward I shall summon my men to come pay their respects and offer congratulations!"

Hu Mengxiong shook his head. "This nemesis is already a prisoner in our hands. With you and me here, resolving him is an extremely easy task. Your subordinates came tonight to protect you, Elder Hao, and you came in response to my invitation. Leaving your subordinates waiting by the roadside in this bitter wind and rain—would that not show a lack of courtesy on my part? I insist that my Second and Third Brothers go together to invite them."

Hu Mengxiong immediately signaled his two sworn brothers. Hao Fu, seeing no point in further persistence, smiled and said, "Then I must trouble the Second and Third Masters."

Fan Chong, the Second Master, and Xu Zhong, the Third Master, had already grasped Hu Mengxiong's intent from his words. Hearing Hao Fu say this, they naturally set off immediately.

As Fan Chong and Xu Zhong stepped across the threshold of the main hall, Hao Fu suddenly called out, "Trouble the two masters to tell my men that it is I who summons them to come sit with us."

Fan Chong smiled. "Naturally. Elder Hao, rest assured."

After Fan and Xu departed, Hu Mengxiong pointed to the unconscious youth on the ground and said, "I have sealed all four of his major meridians. At present, he is poisoned by python venom, has ingested my exclusive tranquilizing poison, his acupoints are sealed, and on top of that, he is tightly bound with steel chains."

Hao Fu frowned slightly. "To not deceive Elder Hu, I always felt there was something fishy about this matter, which is why I am quite uneasy inside!"

Hu Mengxiong raised his thick, unkempt eyebrows, let out a cold, light snort, and ordered Zhuang Quansheng, who was standing quietly nearby, "Administer the antidote to him and help him sit right across from me!"

Shortly after the antidote was administered, the youth awoke from his stupor. Sitting across from Hao and Hu, mere feet apart under the bright lamplight, Hao Fu saw him with absolute clarity. There was no mistake; it was indeed that living nemesis whom he hated to the bone!

Though the youth's four major meridians were sealed and he had regained consciousness, aside from being able to open his eyes to see and hear human speech, he could barely move. However, the agony throughout his entire body had become acutely palpable!

Hao Fu stared fixedly at the youth for a long time without blinking, still fearing he might be mistaken. He stood up from his seat, walked slowly over to stand before the youth, and scrutinized him once more.

Hu Mengxiong chuckled and asked, "Elder Hao, have you seen enough?"

From beginning to end, Hao Fu had harbored doubts about the captured youth before him. At this moment, however, he had to admit that the person Hu Mengxiong had captured was entirely correct.

"As for the person, it is indeed him. No disguise, no mask. Unless there is a second person in the entire world who looks exactly like him, there can be no mistake. Yet I still feel that his aura and physique have changed!"

Hu Mengxiong clapped his hands. "Brilliant! Elder Hao, you are truly brilliant. True, he is much more frail now. But Elder Hao must not forget: he was poisoned first, then subdued by tranquilizing drugs for a long time, and on top of that, he is suffering from alternating chills and fevers with his acupoints sealed. Put anyone through that, and no one would retain their former vigor!"

This made sense, and Hao Fu could not help but nod.

Hu Mengxiong continued, "Elder Hao, please return to your seat. I have an item I wish to show you!"

Hearing this, Hao Fu turned around. As he walked back to his seat, he asked, "What kind of item is it?"

Hu Mengxiong reached into his pouch. Hao Fu instantly halted, his gaze turning icy as he secretly channeled his inner qi into both arms, preparing to deal with any sudden emergency!

Hu Mengxiong saw this but pretended not to notice. He slowly withdrew his hand, a smile of extreme triumph on his face, and gradually opened his palm. "Take a look!"

Hao Fu glanced at the object in Hu Mengxiong's palm, his expression changing instantly as he cried out in shock, "Ah! The 'Moon Spirit Soul-Chaser'!"

Hu Mengxiong laughed heartily, continuous roars echoing through the hall. "This is the token I personally searched out from his pouch after he was captured!"

A look of envy appeared on Hao Fu's face. "Elder Hu, I must concede to you!" Though these words were spoken insincerely, the heart that Hao Fu had kept hanging in suspense until now finally settled for real.

Other things could be faked, but a person could not. Coupled with the fact that this "Moon Spirit Soul-Chaser" was an item the nemesis never parted with for even an inch, there could be no mistake!

At that moment, Hu Mengxiong smiled triumphantly, weighing the object in his palm. "To finally get a clear look at this thing today... What a 'Moon Spirit Soul-Chaser', humph! It is merely half a worthless copper coin!"

Though this half-moon copper coin was called a copper coin, it was definitely not cast from red or bronze metal, because it radiated a brilliant gleam; it was not of copper quality, nor did it resemble gold.

On the side facing him, the entire surface was covered in dense, intricate, and bizarre patterns. They looked utterly chaotic, and no matter who looked at them, it was impossible to decipher any meaning behind the markings!

As for the other side, Hao Fu could not see it, so he smiled at Hu Mengxiong and asked, "Elder Hu, could you please flip this coin over and let me see it?"

Hu Mengxiong smiled in return. "Why not?" With that, he flipped the half-moon-shaped ancient coin over.

This side was even stranger! It was covered in peculiar symbols—they looked like characters, yet consisted of only one or two strokes, failing to form complete words. No one could possibly assemble these scattered strokes into readable text!

Of course, they merely resembled character strokes; perhaps they were not characters at all. After taking in everything clearly, Hao Fu shook his head. "I find it strange. How could this thing ever be called the 'Moon Spirit Soul-Chaser'?"

Hu Mengxiong snorted. "It is both infuriating and laughable to speak of. Every time this nemesis appeared, he would always be toying with this object in his hand. Because it closely resembled a 'half-moon', it earned the name 'Moon Spirit Soul-Chaser'!"

"And as for the martial artists of the pugilistic world, whenever they encountered this nemesis, none could escape death. That is how the name 'Moon Spirit Soul-Chaser' came to be!"

Hao Fu furrowed his brow deeply. "The Moon Spirit Soul-Chaser... No wonder my subordinates repeatedly met with misfortune!" As he spoke, Hao Fu cast another glance at the "Moon Spirit Soul-Chaser".

He continued, "May I ask Elder Hu, does this strange half-coin serve any other purpose?"

Hearing this, Hu Mengxiong's heart suddenly tightened. He smiled cunningly and said, "Could it have any other purpose?"

Hao Fu glanced at Hu Mengxiong. "Then what was the reason he never parted with this item for even an inch?"

Hu Mengxiong replied, "Perhaps it is merely a memento?"

Though he said this, Hu Mengxiong very carefully placed the strange coin back into his pouch while speaking, and even rubbed it through the fabric to feel it.

Hao Fu pretended not to notice, but he knew the score in his heart.

At the right moment, Hu Mengxiong changed the subject. "Elder Hao, things have reached this point. I feel that you and I ought to have an open and honest talk!"

Hu Mengxiong chuckled merrily. "Elder Hao, shall we speak with complete candor and hide nothing, or shall we only discuss what is convenient to mention?"

Hao Fu let out a hearty laugh. "Either way is fine. I defer to Elder Hu!"

Hu Mengxiong pointed at the young scholar sitting across from him—who, though awake, could barely move—and said, "Let us handle matters one by one. Shall we dispose of him first?"

Hu Mengxiong smiled craftily. "I have no need to deceive Elder Hao about anything. To be frank, capturing him this time with heaven's blessing... my methods were not entirely upright or honorable."

Hao Fu put on a dismissive expression and interrupted, "You cannot look at it that way. When strength fails, rely on ingenuity—that is an ancient and established teaching!"

Hu Mengxiong chuckled twice. "Well said! You are just flattering me, Elder Hao!"

Hao Fu shook his head solemnly. "Elder Hu must not misunderstand. Take the struggle between Chu and Han, for example: everyone knows that when it comes to righteousness and heroism, it was Xiang Yu, the Overlord of Chu, but Liu Bang was the one who ultimately achieved great enterprise! Right now, this man is your prisoner."

How could Hu Mengxiong fail to catch the underlying intent of those words? Feigning ignorance, he said, "Let's put that aside for now. In any case, one word settles it: this nemesis is now in my hands. Whether he lives, dies, or whatever else happens to him, I have the final say on everything!"

Hao Fu nodded. "Please speak your mind freely, Elder Hu!"

Hu Mengxiong slanted his eyes and said, "This territory of Bayan is neither too small nor particularly large. The river and the stream divide the north and south very clearly. As the old saying goes, one mountain cannot tolerate two tigers. You and I, Elder Hu, are just like two tigers on the same mountain. Sooner or later, sooner or later, our gains and losses will ruin the brotherhood of the pugilistic world!"