Blind Ghostwriter: Starts with the full level of Nine Yang Magic Skill

Chapter 209 The Four Illuminations Divine Skill Acquired (10k-word long chapter)

On the 29th of February, the sun was high in the sky.

A cloud of yellow dust rose from the official road as dozens of fine horses from the Western Regions shattered the spring silence and headed straight for Willow Creek Town. The town was already bustling with people coming and going, so this group of horses entering the town did not attract much attention.

However, as the group entered the town, someone suddenly shouted, "It's Qian Yue, the second master of the Qian family!"

"Master Qian has arrived? Doesn't that mean Gu Mo, the great hero of Yunzhou, has also arrived?"

"Which one of you is the great hero of Yunzhou?"

"Isn't it easy to recognize the hero of Yunzhou? Look at his eyes... isn't that extraordinary young man the hero of Yunzhou?"

"..."

Soon after Gu Mo, Qian Yue, and their group entered the town, the town began to stir. Especially after someone recognized Qian Yue and guessed that Gu Mo was with them, the town erupted in excitement. As if receiving some kind of signal, people from all directions began to converge upon the town.

Qian Yue led Gu Mo and Gu Chudong straight to a small courtyard in the very center of the town.

On his way here, Qian Yue had already received a letter from the Qian family. Various martial arts masters had gathered, mainly in the Cangyuan County area, because the Qian family's reputation was only strong enough in Cangyuan County to attract support and boost their influence. Outside of Cangyuan County, few people would be willing to pay them any attention.

Fortunately, thanks to the reputations of the Yunzhou Hero and the Chunyang Temple Master, rumors have spread throughout Cangzhou that many people want to come and join the fun. However, the Qian family doesn't dare to include those people, since whether they will actually come to help or even go with them is another matter.

Qian Yue, Gu Mo, and the others came from Rongcheng, which was a long distance away, so they were two days late. They waited for them to arrive before going to the Lin family to demand justice.

……

As Gu Mo and his group were about to reach the center of the town, they saw a large group of people rushing towards them, with a middle-aged Taoist priest in a Taoist robe at the front.

The Taoist priest wore a nine-ridged Taoist crown and a moon-white Taoist robe, the hem of which swayed gently in the wind. He was tall and upright, with a steady gait. Three long, neatly trimmed strands of beard adorned his chin. In his hand, he held a whisk, the white tip of which shimmered softly in the sunlight. Upon seeing him, one couldn't help but exclaim, "What a sage of Taoism!"

"It's Abbot Song of Chunyang Temple!"

Qian Yue told Gu Mo and Gu Chudong, then quickly dismounted and went to greet them.

Gu Mo and Gu Chudong also dismounted. Although they had never met Song Danyang, they had a good impression of her even just from hearing her name.

Song Danyang had an excellent reputation in Cangzhou, being the second-best martial artist there. However, he rarely fought with others. The reason he earned the title of the second-best martial artist was largely due to his role in quelling many conflicts in the martial arts world.

What's most remarkable is that Chunyang Temple, as one of the three sects and four factions, boasts two grandmasters who occupy the first and second positions on the Cangzhou Heavenly Ranking, respectively, and the former abbot, Ling Xuzi, is the fifth grandmaster in the Qian Kingdom. Such a powerful force, however, is solely focused on spreading its teachings in Shi Nan Mountain, guarding its own small territory, making a living by selling some pills, and has never expanded its territory or businesses outside for decades. Even its disciples primarily cultivate Taoism, with martial arts as a secondary pursuit.

A few years ago, in order to eliminate the notorious bandits, the Qingye Hall took the opportunity to demand the treasure, the Taixu Divine Armor. Song Danyang hesitated only slightly before handing over the Taixu Divine Armor for the sake of justice and fairness in the martial arts world.

It should be known that the Taixu Divine Armor is a legendary top-tier divine weapon. This armor is not forged from ordinary iron. It was formed six hundred years ago when a meteorite from beyond the realm fell into the extremely cold land of the Northern Wilderness and absorbed a hundred years of earth energy to solidify.

This armor boasts exceptional defensive capabilities; it is impervious to blades and spears, and water and fire cannot approach. Not only does it provide formidable protection, but it also draws upon the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to enhance the wearer's combat prowess. The armored individual is invulnerable to blades and spears, and impervious to water and fire, while continuously replenishing their internal energy, capable of exhausting their enemies to death.

It can be said that passing down a set of Taixu Divine Armor is equivalent to Chunyang Temple always having a top-level master in charge.

But such a treasure,
Song Danyang actually sent someone away just to save a complete stranger—it's utterly absurd.

Gu Mo didn't really understand the concept when Qian Yue first mentioned it, so he didn't think much of it. It wasn't until the last two days, on his way here, that he heard Song Danyang had come down the mountain and made a special effort to find out more, and that's when he learned about the value of the Taixu Divine Armor.

After learning about it, Gu Mo could only sigh that Song Danyang was a true hero, whose level of chivalry had reached a level that was difficult for ordinary people to understand.

Therefore, both Gu Mo and Gu Chudong had a very good impression of this person. No one would dislike a selfless and compassionate hero.

at this time,

Qian Yue bowed to Song Danyang, who returned the bow very politely. Then, looking at Gu Mo, he asked, "I suppose this is the great hero of Yunzhou, Gu Mo?"

“Yes, yes, yes,” Qian Yue quickly introduced Gu Mo and Gu Chudong, saying, “This is Gu Mo, the great hero of Yunzhou, and this is his sister, Gu Chudong, the heroine.” Then, Qian Yue introduced Song Danyang to Gu Mo and Gu Chudong.

Song Danyang stepped forward first, bowed, and said, "This humble Taoist priest, Song Danyang, greets Heroine Gu and Heroine Gu. I have long admired Heroine Gu and admired her for a long time. Today, I finally meet you. Indeed, seeing you in person is better than hearing about you a hundred times."

Gu Mo returned the greeting with a cupped hand and said, "I have heard of Abbot Song's name many times, and it is an honor to meet you today."

Song Danyang chuckled and said, "Master Gu may think I'm just being polite, but that's not the case at all. Master Gu may not know that my master, Lingxu Zhenren, is a close friend of Headmaster Qi of the Canglan Sword Sect. Headmaster Qi often mentions you, Master Gu, in their correspondence."

Chunyang Temple is a school of internal energy cultivation, and my master is a grandmaster of internal energy cultivation. My master often inquires about the details of the major battles you fought after your debut, and is always amazed by the exquisite use of your internal energy. Afterwards, my master often uses your amazing performance in those battles to teach us disciples.

To be honest, Master Gu, I am intimately familiar with the details of your feats: fighting ten against one at Fengming Ferry, slaying Ju Jiuyin in Luoying Valley, killing the ghost in Cangshan Town, defeating Ren Tianqi withstanding the heavenly lightning, and killing the Qilin in Qingzhou City.

Many years ago, my master told me that the way of internal energy cultivation is different from other martial arts. This way not only emphasizes accumulation, but also application. It is not enough to have profound skill to be called a grandmaster. One must also have meticulous control over internal energy and be able to control it freely. Only when both are combined can one be considered to have achieved mastery of internal energy cultivation.

"And Master Gu, your mastery of internal energy cultivation is so refined that everyone in the Chunyang Sect admires you, even my master is full of respect for you!"

Hearing Song Danyang's words,

Gu Mo suddenly realized that the rumors in the martial arts world might be true. Song Danyang's trip down the mountain to get involved in the Qian and Lin family's affairs might really be aimed at him.

"Master Song, you flatter me," Gu Mo said. "I am merely a beginner in the art of internal energy cultivation. You and Master Lingxu are the seniors in this field, and I still have much to learn from you."

“No, no, no,” Song Danyang shook his head and said, “The path of martial arts is not judged by age. I cannot know who is ahead of my master and who is behind Master Gu, but compared to you, I am far inferior. For example, in the Phoenix Cry Ferry, Master Gu, you used Yin and Yang internal energies to fight against the ten masters, and at the same time you were able to use a third type of true energy to defeat your enemies. The three types of internal energies were not only harmonious but also complementary. Even now, I still cannot understand how you can use multiple types of true energy…”

Once the topic of internal energy cultivation came up, Song Danyang began to speak at length.

Gu Mo completely believed Song Danyang's words. This man was not just being polite; he truly knew the details of Gu Mo's several battles like the back of his hand. In fact, many details were things that Gu Mo himself hadn't even noticed, but Song Danyang understood them very well and kept bringing them up to discuss with Gu Mo.

The two walked and talked, and soon arrived at the courtyard, where they resumed their philosophical discussions as if no one else was around.

Song Danyang lived up to his reputation as a master of internal energy. Although he always adopted a posture of seeking advice from Gu Mo, he was able to offer some brilliant ideas when discussing the Dao with Gu Mo, and the two became more and more enthusiastic as they talked.

but,

They both remembered their business, and although they wished they could talk all night, they stopped after only a quarter of an hour.

This relieved the Qian family members, who were afraid that the two masters would get carried away with their discussion and dared not disturb them.

……

Qian Yue and several elders of the Qian family invited the various groups to start the meal. At the beginning of the 11 PM, the hundreds of people headed straight for Tang'an County. By the beginning of the 3 PM, they had arrived outside the Lin family manor.

The Lin family manor is very grand. The main gate of the manor stands on a high place facing the official road. A wide stone-paved road leads straight to the gate. On both sides, the green cypress trees are like canopies, with intertwined branches that filter the sunlight into fine light and shadow.

At the entrance to the manor, stone steps rise in layers, numbering at least several hundred, their edges carved with lifelike auspicious beast and floral patterns. Ascending the steps, a majestic archway stands tall, with four pillars and three gates, its eaves and brackets exuding an extraordinary aura. Above the archway, a huge gilded plaque hangs high on the lintel, bearing the two large characters "Lin Mansion," their powerful strokes gleaming in the sunlight.

Led by the Qian family, hundreds of martial arts practitioners carried Qian Duoduo's corpse and arrived in front of the Lin family manor in a grand procession. Dozens of Lin family disciples filed out of the manor, dressed in moon-white martial attire with ink bamboo patterns embroidered on their sleeves, and sharp swords gleaming at their waists. They marched out in perfect unison, displaying extraordinary momentum.

On both sides of the avenue, ancient trees were covered with lush foliage, their shadows swaying gently in the wind. In the blink of an eye, the Lin family disciples arrived beneath the archway, quickly forming a line and firmly blocking the way.

Seeing this scene,
Qian Yue and other high-ranking members of the Qian family all had very gloomy expressions.

At first, they had considered that they might be turned away when they came to the Lin family to seek justice. However, after Gu Mo and Song Danyang stepped forward, they were no longer worried about this problem. After all, no matter how powerful the Lin family was, they could not possibly turn away the Yunzhou hero and the Chunyang Temple Master.

But judging from the current situation, it seems that the other party is really prepared to keep them out of the door.

For a moment, they all thought of the recent rumors that the matriarch of the Lin family, Lin Qiniang, had come out of seclusion. This matriarch was known in the Cangzhou martial arts world for her iron-blooded and domineering nature. Although she was a woman, she was the second on the Cangzhou Heavenly Ranking in her youth, and she made the heroes of Cangzhou unable to raise their heads. She was extremely high in terms of both reputation and seniority. Even Song Danyang, the master of Chunyang Temple, was a junior in front of her.

As for Gu Mo, the great hero of Yunzhou, it's hard to rank him by seniority, since he's not from Cangzhou. But that's the problem. Since the great hero of Yunzhou isn't from Cangzhou, if Old Madam Lin throws a tantrum and makes a scene, even the great hero of Yunzhou can't do anything about it.

Qian Yue and the others knew that it was already a huge favor for the Qian family that Gu Mo had come all this way, and they couldn't possibly expect Gu Mo to actually fight the Lin family for their sake.

Just like at the beginning, Qian Yue didn't ask Gu Mo to come, but only knelt down to express his gratitude when Gu Mo said he was coming.

Unlike the others, most of the renowned figures in the martial arts world present had favors to the Qian family, but Gu Mo owed the Qian family no favors whatsoever.

Therefore,
Seeing the Lin family's imposing manner, the Qian family members felt heavy-hearted. If Old Madam Lin wanted to protect Lin Xiangdong, things would get very complicated today.

Immediately, Qian Yue stepped forward, ready to question him.

Just then, the group of Lin family disciples who were blocking the road made way for an old woman leaning on a cane. It was none other than the Lin matriarch of the Lin family, who ranked third on the Cangzhou Heavenly Ranking.

Old Madam Lin, dressed in a black brocade robe, walked slowly with the support of two maids, exuding an extraordinary aura. Her full head of silver hair was neatly tied up in a high bun. The veins on her hand, which was holding a cane, were prominent, yet the knuckles were distinct. Her fingers gripped the cane firmly, and the cane itself was carved with a coiled snake, the ruby ​​in the dragon's eye gleaming.

Her steps were steady, each one seemingly touching the hearts of everyone present. The surroundings were silent, except for the tapping of her cane on the stone path, the sound echoing in front of the manor. This caused the many martial arts practitioners present, including the Qian family, to lose their momentum, and some even involuntarily took a slight step back.

"On behalf of the Lin family, I respectfully welcome all fellow martial arts practitioners!" Old Madam Lin held her cane and bowed in greeting.

"Greetings, Madam!" "May Madam be well!" "..."

In a short time, many martial arts masters returned the greetings to Old Madam Lin.

Old Madam Lin slowly walked down to Qian Yue and said, "Second Master Qian, the murder of your family head was the fault of my Lin family. My Lin family acknowledges this and will never renege on our debt."

Hearing Old Madam Lin agree to the matter in front of so many martial arts figures, Qian Yue breathed a slight sigh of relief. It seemed that Old Madam Lin was reasonable, and this matter might not escalate into a major fight.

Immediately, Old Madam Lin bowed to Gu Mo and Song Danyang, saying, "Hero Gu, Abbot Song, fellow martial artists. I have been out of the world for many years, but upon hearing that my juniors had made a mistake, I rushed here to deal with it. Since you have come from afar, please come into my humble abode for a drink. I will certainly give the Qian family and the martial arts world of Cangzhou an explanation!"

Immediately, everyone followed Old Madam Lin into the Lin family manor.

The Lin family had clearly made preparations, arranging numerous tables and chairs in the courtyard to entertain martial arts figures from all walks of life. Of course, the courtyard was used to accommodate ordinary martial arts practitioners, while Gu Mo, Song Danyang, and a host of renowned martial arts masters were seated at the very front as VIPs.

After everyone was seated, Lin Chuan, the head of the Lin family, and many other high-ranking members of the Lin family came out to greet them before taking their seats.

Qian Duoduo's coffin was placed in the open space at the very front.

Once everything had settled down, Old Madam Lin coldly ordered, "Bring him up!"

A short while later, under the watchful eyes of everyone, Lin Xiangdong, the eldest son of the Lin family, was brought up bound hand and foot.

"Your Majesty!"

Old Madam Lin gave a reprimand, and Lin Xiangdong immediately went limp and knelt on the ground.

Old Madam Lin said in a deep voice, "Today, in front of Abbot Song, Master Gu, Master Qian, and all the martial arts practitioners present, you shall tell them everything you have done, without hiding anything!"

Lin Xiangdong slowly raised his head, his face ashen, and said in a deep voice, "It was my greed that led me to this. I saw that the Qian family's Datong Money Shop was thriving and making a fortune every day, and I became greedy. I wanted to take advantage of my position and forcefully buy shares in Datong Money Shop, but Qian Duoduo refused."

To force him to submit, I hatched a wicked plan. Through a friend's introduction, I met the notorious thief, the scholar Ye Xiao, and asked him to rob the silver carts of the Datong Money Exchange multiple times, causing the Qian family to run into financial difficulties, so that I could then buy the Datong Money Exchange.

Qian Yue said in a deep voice, "Young Master Lin, we know about all the things you've said. However, your Lin family is powerful, and my Qian family has no choice but to swallow our anger. Our Qian family has indeed been driven to a dead end by you. But why would you go to such lengths to wipe us out?"

"I didn't kill Qian Duoduo!" Lin Xiangdong said. "I never intended to kill Qian Duoduo. Second Master Qian, think about it carefully. If I really wanted to kill him, why would I do such a thing in public?"

That day, I met with Qian Duoduo, intending to negotiate an investment in Datong Money Exchange. However, the talks broke down, and Qian Duoduo mocked me. We ended up fighting, but I didn't intend to kill him.

It was Ye Xiao at the time; he was disguised as one of my bodyguards and was following me around. I had no idea my bodyguard had been replaced. I also don't know why Ye Xiao wanted to kill Qian Duoduo. I swear to God, I never intended to kill Qian Duoduo; it was really Ye Xiao who did it. I never asked him to kill Qian Duoduo!

Qian Yue said coldly, "That's nothing but your sophistry. At that time, in full view of everyone, dozens of eyes watched your guard kill my Qian family patriarch. You just put the blame on Ye Xiao, who can't even be brought out to prove it?"

Lin Xiangdong remained silent.

At this moment, Old Madam Lin stood up and said, "Second Master Qian, fellow martial artists. After I came out of the mountain, I investigated this matter. It is indeed as Lin Xiangdong said. Ye Xiao disguised himself as his bodyguard and killed the Qian family head."

Qian Yue's face was very ugly. He said, "Grandma, are you trying to exonerate Lin Xiangdong?"

Old Madam Lin shook her head and said, "There's no way to exonerate him. Although he didn't kill the Qian family head, it's an established fact that he colluded with evil forces and robbed the Qian family's silver cart. He acted unscrupulously and betrayed the righteous path of the martial arts world. Today, I will kill this boy in front of everyone. Afterwards, I will compensate the Qian family for all their losses and provide them with consolation money."

Furthermore, Lin Chuan, the head of the Lin family, has failed in his duty to educate his son. Effective immediately, he is hereby dismissed from his position as head of the family and ordered to return to the Lin family ancestral hall to reflect on his mistakes. He is not to leave without my order.

After saying that, Old Madam Lin raised her snake-head cane and smashed it down on Lin Xiangdong's head.

Just then, Lin Xiangdong shouted, "I can redeem myself through meritorious service!"

The snake-headed cane stopped an inch from Lin Xiangdong's head. Old Madam Lin scolded, "How can you atone for your crimes?"

Lin Xiangdong hurriedly said, "I can find Ye Xiao, find the real culprit who killed Qian Duoduo." Lin Xiangdong swallowed hard, looked at Qian Yue, his forehead covered in cold sweat, and said, "Second Master Qian, I did something wrong, I accept the punishment. But, Ye Xiao is the real culprit, right? You must want to kill Ye Xiao to avenge Qian Duoduo, right?"

I...I...can provide clues about Ye Xiao, I guarantee you'll be able to catch him, really. Ye Xiao, you know, even the Six Doors can't find him...Without my clues, you definitely won't find him or get your revenge. I'll help you get your revenge...I only ask to atone for my crimes and spare my life, how about it?"

Qian Yue frowned and looked at Gu Mo and Song Danyang.

Gu Mo said, "Master Qian, this is a matter for your Qian family, and I cannot make the decision."

Song Danyang also said, "What Master Gu said is absolutely right. This matter should be decided by your Qian family."

Immediately afterwards, Qian Yue and several elders of the Qian family began to discuss the matter.

A moment later, Qian Yue came over and said, "If the information you provide is true and can really help us find Ye Xiao, we can agree to your proposal. However, the information must be true."

"It must be true," Lin Xiangdong said with a sigh of relief.

"You may be spared the death penalty, but you cannot escape punishment!" At this moment, Old Madam Lin spoke up, "I can spare your life, but you must also give an explanation to the righteous martial arts world!"

After saying that, Old Madam Lin swung her snake-head cane and smashed it down on Lin Xiangdong's knees. In the blink of an eye, she smashed it twice in succession. There were two "crack" sounds, and Lin Xiangdong's two legs were broken.

Lin Xiangdong lay on the ground, wailing and screaming in agony.

The way many martial arts practitioners looked at Old Madam Lin changed. Many people were thinking to themselves that this old lady really didn't show any favoritism at all!
Gu Mo felt a surge of emotion, finally understanding why Old Madam Lin, as a woman, had been able to bring the Lin family to its current level and remain standing for decades. Such decisiveness was truly unmatched by ordinary people.

This incident has now thrust the Lin family's reputation into the spotlight. If Old Madam Lin shows any favoritism or cover-up, the Lin family's reputation will crumble overnight. This event could very well be the beginning of their decline. Ordinary people rely on martial arts to survive in the martial world, but a powerful force is different. Mere force is not enough; they also need a good reputation. This is something invisible and intangible, yet extremely important—so important that it can truly determine the rise and fall of a force.

Even if Old Madam Lin dies, the Lin family may not be greatly affected. However, if the Lin family's reputation is ruined, the Lin family will definitely suffer a sharp decline and never recover.

Old Madam Lin may seem ruthless, but she is actually decisive.

Lin Xiangdong was dismissed, Lin Chuan was removed from office, and the Qian family was compensated for all losses.

Given the size of the Lin family, one of the seven great families of the martial arts world, the fact that they could do this against a mere Qian family would essentially eliminate the impact of Lin Xiangdong's actions. In fact, if the publicity is done well, the Lin family might even gain a reputation for being righteous and not abusing their power.

At this moment, Lin Xiangdong was groaning on the ground, almost fainting from the pain. Old Madam Lin said in a deep voice, "If you're going to die, don't die now. Tell us where Ye Xiao is first."

Immediately, Old Madam Lin bent down to listen to Lin Xiangdong's stammering words through gritted teeth. No one could hear what Lin Xiangdong was saying. After he finished speaking, Lin Xiangdong fainted.

Gu Mo chuckled.

Most people might just think it was too noisy and Lin Xiangdong's voice was too soft to hear, but Gu Mo heard it clearly: Lin Xiangdong hadn't said a word at all.

Old Madam Lin, however, acted as if she had heard everything.

This scene suggests that it was a pre-arranged performance. Lin Xiangdong must have already informed Old Madam Lin of Ye Xiao's whereabouts in exchange for her life, and Old Madam Lin cooperated with the performance today.

However, Gu Mo saw through it but didn't say anything.

To be precise, many people present could guess that the Lin family had probably planned long ago to use Ye Xiao's whereabouts as leverage to save Lin Xiangdong's life. However, while everyone knew the truth, they still had to put on an act.

Gu Mo didn't believe that the old guys from the Qian family and Qian Yue couldn't see through it, but they were just playing along.

For the Qian family, the explanation given by the Lin family was more than enough. The Qian family was willing to pay full compensation, remove one of their patriarchs, cripple Lin Xiangdong, and even help catch the real culprit, all in exchange for Lin Xiangdong's life.

Given the Qian family's stature, the fact that the Lin family could achieve this is truly beyond reproach for the Qian family.

……

Instead of revealing Ye Xiao's whereabouts in public, Old Madam Lin invited Gu Mo, Gu Chudong, Song Danyang, and the Qian family to a side hall.

Old Madam Lin said, "That scoundrel Lin Xiangdong isn't completely hopeless. When he cooperated with Ye Xiao, he was wary of him. During their contact, he secretly placed a hidden weapon technique unique to my Lin family on Ye Xiao."

They secretly tracked down Ye Xiao's hidden identity. Ye Xiao was a doctor who ran a small clinic in Xiaojia Town, Tongjiang County. His disguise skills were unparalleled, and he had been hiding his identity for several years, which was why he hadn't been caught.

Qian Yue asked, "Is anyone still keeping an eye on the Lin family?"

Old Madam Lin nodded and said, "Lin Xiangdong has been keeping an eye on things. Now we can confirm that Ye Xiao hasn't noticed and is still hiding in that small town." She then added, "Second Master Qian, rest assured, this matter is our Lin family's fault to your Qian family. We will do everything in our power to help kill Ye Xiao. I will personally go and lead the charge, ensuring that the Qian family suffers no further casualties!"

In comparison, Qian Yue was completely convinced and bowed, saying, "The old lady is very wise and righteous; Qian Yue admires her!"

Old Madam Lin, who also admired Gu Mo and Song Danyang, cupped her hands and said, "Great Hero Gu, Abbot Song, do you have any guidance?"

Song Danyang chuckled and said, "The old lady is known for her great wisdom and righteousness, and for her fair dealings. I admire her greatly."

Gu Mo cupped his hands and said, "I came to Cangzhou this time to capture Ye Xiao. I want to go with you."

Old Madam Lin said, "That would be perfect. With Hero Gu's help, the capture and killing of Ye Xiao will surely be a success, eliminating a scourge from the martial arts world."

Song Danyang's eyes lit up, and he said, "I'll go with you, I'll go with you. It's a rare opportunity to witness Hero Gu's skills, I must go."

Gu Mo chuckled and said, "Does Abbot Song mean that I should take the lead in dealing with Ye Xiao, while you watch the show from the sidelines?"

"To hold the line, to hold the line!" Song Danyang said with a smile.

Gu Mo smiled and didn't say anything more about the topic. After all, it didn't matter to him who made the move; he would always try to get the kills.

Tongjiang County is not far from Tang'an County, separated only by one county. It would only take two days to reach them by official road. Therefore, to avoid any unforeseen complications, the group set off that day with minimal travel.

Despite being over seventy years old, Old Madam Lin rode a tall horse at breakneck speed, no less than a young man. The Qian family had one group of people, the Lin family had another group, plus some disciples from Chunyang Temple, a total of more than a hundred people, who sped through the night.

Finally, at noon on the third day, we arrived at Xiaojia Town.

……

Liu's Medical Clinic in Xiaojia Town.

Although there were only two or three clinics in the town, Liu's clinic did not do well because Dr. Liu's medical skills were not very good, and he could not cure even slightly serious illnesses. It was only because he collected herbs in the mountains himself that his costs were relatively low, so the price of his medicine was lower, which attracted some poor people to buy medicine and allowed him to barely make a living.

At noon that day, Dr. Liu's clinic was as deserted as ever, and he even lay down on the counter, dozing off.

At a certain moment, two figures appeared at the door. Doctor Liu immediately perked up and straightened his back to look. A young man was with a girl of about seventeen or eighteen years old. Both had fair skin and delicate features, and their temperament was extraordinary. They didn't seem to be from this small town.

The two men were dressed rather strangely; the young man had a black band over his eyes, making him appear blind. The word "appear" is used because he moved freely, yet didn't seem to be blind.

The little girl was carrying a large book box that was almost as tall as her. She was already thin and small, and looked very pitiful.

"Which of you two is seeing a doctor?" Dr. Liu asked.

The young man said, "I'm not here to see a doctor, I'm here to find someone."

Doctor Liu asked, "Who are you looking for?"

The young man said, "The notorious bandit, the scholar Ye Xiao."

Doctor Liu's smile vanished, his pupils contracted slightly, and he said, "I've heard that Gu Mo, the great hero of Yunzhou, has come to Cangzhou."

“It’s me,” Gu Mo said.

Doctor Liu smiled and said, "I don't understand. I've never been to Yunzhou, and I shouldn't have offended you in any way. Why would you travel thousands of miles to kill me?"

"I'm the ghostwriter; do I need a reason to hunt down a wanted criminal?" Gu Mo said.

Ye Xiao was slightly taken aback and said, "I had forgotten about that."

Gu Mo asked, "Why did you kill Qian Duoduo?"

"Lin Xiangdong instigated it!" Ye Xiao said.

Gu Mo shook his head slightly and said, "Everyone knows this is impossible. Lin Xiangdong isn't that stupid."

Ye Xiao nodded and said, "I am a member of the Qingye Hall, and I am just following orders."

"I see. Then, could you tell me something about Qingye Hall?" Gu Mo asked.

Ye Xiao shook his head slightly and said, "Master Gu, have you ever heard of any members of the Green Leaf Hall betraying the Green Leaf Hall?"

There are always exceptions, aren't there?

"But I am by no means an exception."

Before he finished speaking, Ye Xiao suddenly drew a soft sword from under the counter. Before the blade even arrived, the chilling sword energy split into seven afterimages, stabbing towards his throat from seven directions like a green snake spitting its tongue.

The soft sword, originally like a three-foot-long piece of snow-white silk, suddenly straightened like refined steel the moment it was thrust out. Its sword light shattered gold and tore silk, and within twenty paces, one could feel a chilling aura, as if one's life force had been locked by the cold air of the deepest hell. In the blink of an eye, it was a foot away from Gu Mo.

Just as the sword shadow was about to touch Gu Mo's clothes, it seemed to have hit an invisible wall, hissing a few times before instantly dissipating and unable to advance even an inch further. It turned out that Gu Mo's inner energy spontaneously circulated, steadily blocking the fierce sword move.

At the same instant, Gu Mo slightly extended his middle finger, and a fierce, piercing sword aura burst forth from it, like a shooting star chasing the moon, heading straight for Ye Xiao's brow. This sword aura carried powerful internal force, and wherever it passed, the air seemed to be sliced ​​open by a sharp blade, emitting a "hissing" sound.

However, to Gu Mo's surprise, Ye Xiao seemed to have known the timing and location of his finger strike in advance. As soon as the sword energy was released, Ye Xiao had already raised his sword to block it. The moment Gu Mo pointed his sword energy, his sword was perfectly positioned in front of him, blocking the fatal blow with unparalleled precision.

"The Heavenly Secret Sword Technique: Anticipate the enemy's moves!"

Gu Mo thought to himself, Ye Xiao's Heavenly Secret Sword Technique has indeed become famous in the martial arts world, it is quite remarkable. It is similar to the Dugu Nine Swords in that it can anticipate the opponent's moves and strike after the opponent has made a move. Both can see the flaws in the opponent's moves and respond cleverly.

Gu Mo immediately circulated his internal energy, his aura surging and churning. In an instant, he moved both hands simultaneously, his index, middle, ring, and little fingers flicking out. In a flash, six sword energies crisscrossed, weaving into a sword array in the air, completely sealing off Ye Xiao's escape routes. Within this sword array, sword energies whistled and weaved, each containing immense power; anyone struck by even one would either die or be severely injured.

Unexpectedly, Ye Xiao, like a ghost, suddenly turned around, his footsteps unpredictable, and found a gap in the impenetrable sword formation, easily avoiding all the sword energy.

Seeing this, Gu Mo frowned and thought to himself that Ye Xiao's Heavenly Mystery Sword Technique seemed to be even more peculiar than he had imagined.

Although the Dugu Nine Swords can anticipate the enemy's moves, it requires the opponent to make the first move in order to find a weakness and strike back. However, the Heavenly Secret Sword Technique can calculate everything before one even makes a move, which is truly unbelievable.

Just as he was pondering, a loud "boom" was heard. Ye Xiao suddenly swung his longsword with all his might, and the sword exploded in mid-air, releasing a massive cloud of poisonous mist. The mist was bluish-black and had a pungent stench. Wherever it went, it corroded black marks.

Gu Mo suddenly struck out with his palm. This palm strike, carrying immense power, swept towards the spot where Ye Xiao had just stood, like a tidal wave. But when the palm strike landed, it missed its target, only causing the wall to collapse.

Suddenly, a hidden passage appeared beneath Ye Xiao's feet. The moment Gu Mo struck, Ye Xiao fell into the passage and vanished.

"Brother, there's a secret passage down there!" Gu Chudong quickly reminded him.

Gu Mo immediately ran out through the collapsed wall hole. Behind him was a narrow alley of residential houses. He walked slowly, turning left and right, and finally leaped into an abandoned old house.

Just then, Ye Xiao climbed out of a dry well. As soon as he came out, he saw Gu Mo standing in front of him. He smiled helplessly and said, "I cast a divination for myself this morning. It was a death divination. It seems that I can't escape it."

"You can tell fortunes?" Gu Mo chuckled.

"Otherwise, how do you think I dodged your invisible sword energies, Master Gu?" Ye Xiao retorted.

"is it?"

Ye Xiao nodded, then his expression suddenly changed: "Throwing knife..."

A chill came without warning, like the first snowflake of December landing on his neck, or the gentle touch of a lover's fingertips tracing his veins. He tried to turn around, but found his limbs pinned to the spot by some invisible force. In the sunlight, he saw his shadow suddenly sliced ​​in two by the outline of a knife.

Can't hide.

The moment those three words exploded in his mind, the knife was already in his heart.

Ye Xiao couldn't describe the speed of the knife; it seemed to have sprung from the cracks in his own heart. He hadn't even seen the knife clearly; he only felt a warm sensation spreading from his chest—the throwing knife was now embedded in his third rib.

"You can foresee it, but you can't escape it..." His voice was as soft as a candle flickering in the wind.

He suddenly laughed, and the laughter startled the crows roosting on the eaves.

Gu Mo was genuinely surprised.

He was certain that he had only just begun to consider using the throwing knife the moment Ye Xiao mentioned it.

Ye Xiao can actually predict his opponent's next move!
"You really can predict that?"

"Really..."

Ye Xiao's body went limp and he collapsed to the ground. As he fell, his eyes closed naturally, and he closed them quite peacefully.

And in that very instant,

A system notification sounded in Gu Mo's mind:

Kill a four-star wanted criminal

[Received a four-star reward - Max level Four Illuminations Divine Skill]

[Whether to receive it]

……

At that moment,

Gu Mo felt a surge of immense internal energy within his body, a unique internal energy from the Four Illuminations Divine Skill. But the most wondrous thing was the martial arts realm brought about by the Four Illuminations Divine Skill. It was a realm where true energy was used to an extremely subtle degree, which actually allowed his already profound understanding of internal energy to reach an even higher level.

It's not that the internal energy of the Four Illuminations Divine Skill is stronger than that of the Bright Jade Skill or the Blazing Sun Skill. In terms of explosive power, it is far inferior to the Blazing Sun Skill, and in terms of mystery, it is also inferior to the Bright Jade Skill. However, the Four Illuminations Divine Skill has something that the Bright Jade Skill and the Blazing Sun Skill cannot match, and that is its meticulousness and the application of every bit of true energy. Simply put, it is pure, pure to an extreme.

this moment,
Gu Mo finally understood why the Four Illuminations Divine Skill could allow people to float in mid-air. This was because the application of true qi had reached an extreme level, even the profound level. It was so meticulous that not a single bit was wasted.

Gu Mo didn't care about the issue of the Four Illuminations Divine Art not being able to break through one's body. Because this limitation was meaningless to him. The reason why the Four Illuminations Divine Art couldn't break through one's body was that its twelve-stage cultivation system would completely reshape the operation trajectory of the meridians and acupoints.

However, he didn't cultivate this skill; it was directly bestowed upon him by the system, and his meridians and acupoints didn't change their operational trajectory. Furthermore, while the Mingyu Gong and Nine Yang Divine Skill are inexhaustible, he values ​​the realm and martial arts essence brought by the Four Illuminations Divine Skill more; the internal energy required isn't that important.

……

At this moment, not far from the abandoned house,

Numerous members of the Lin family, the Qian family, and disciples of Chunyang Temple formed an encirclement around the area, while Song Danyang and Old Madam Lin stood on a rooftop observing the scene.

Old Madam Lin chuckled and said, "Is Abbot Song a little disappointed? The dignified Scholar of Heavenly Secrets is not worth Gu Daxia's serious attention at all. You think you can get a glimpse into the profound mysteries of Gu Daxia's internal strength? You've probably miscalculated."

Song Danyang chuckled, "The invisible sword energy in the clinic, the throwing knife just now, and the techniques used to track Ye Xiao in the tunnel—all of these are worth learning. Old Madam Lin, don't forget, Ye Xiao's Heavenly Mystery Sword Technique originated from the Heavenly Evolution Great Method of the Heavenly Mystery Immortal!"

Old Madam Lin frowned and said, "That old bastard Tianji deserves to die. He raised such a scourge, and then he just walked away. Over the years, our Cangzhou has suffered a lot from Ye Xiao. So many righteous people have died under his sword."

Song Danyang chuckled and said, "Be thankful, it's fortunate that the Celestial Mystery Immortal didn't pass on the complete Heavenly Evolution Technique to Ye Xiao. Otherwise, it would have been a truly endless disaster. The Heavenly Evolution Technique calculates all the secrets of heaven without missing a single detail, and no one could find it!"

(End of this chapter)