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

Chapter 214 Locking onto Shi Nanshan (1-word chapter)
“The information is absolutely genuine,” Song Danyang said. “Because this information was sent by my senior martial uncle. Well, Master Gu may not know who my senior martial uncle is, but Chief Constable Zhao should know.”

Zhao Congyue nodded and said, "Chunyang Temple originated from Longhu Mountain, the head of the three sects in our Qian Kingdom. Although we have been separated for more than two hundred years, Chunyang Temple still regards Longhu Mountain as its ancestral temple. Almost every generation of outstanding disciples is sent to Longhu Mountain to cultivate."

When Master Lingxu was young, he also spent many years cultivating at Longhu Mountain, where he met Zhang Daoyi, the current National Preceptor. Therefore, Master Song's grand-uncle is our current National Preceptor of the Great Qian Dynasty, and also the number one on our Qian Kingdom's Heavenly Ranking, revered by the world as the third in the world, but in reality, the second!

Gu Mo finally understood why Zhao Congyue had said that Chunyang Temple was not only too powerful to be touched by because of its strong background in the martial arts world, but also because of its powerful imperial court background.

That's a really strong background.

Celestial Master Zhang Daoyi is widely recognized as the number one martial arts master in the Qian Kingdom today. He is a Taoist priest, but he combined Buddhist Zen principles to create the Great Formless Calamity Skill, which is hailed as the most perfect martial art in the world today. It combines the realm of "no self, no person, no sentient being, no life span" with "formless form, formless image, seemingly existent yet not existent, seemingly nonexistent yet not nonexistent".

Zhang Daoyi is a figure of unparalleled strength in the Qian Kingdom's martial arts world, the only one to enter the World Martial Ranking. The World Martial Ranking is a comprehensive ranking that includes all the kingdoms under heaven, listing the ten most powerful masters in the entire world.

However, the contemporary martial arts ranking is somewhat unique because Su Qianqiu, the true number one in the world, only recognizes the second-best, forcing everyone else to drop a place. Therefore, Zhang Daoyi, who is ranked third on the martial arts ranking, is actually the second-best in the world.

Zhang Daoyi is very strong. He is the number one expert in Qian Kingdom and the third best in the world. He is also backed by Longhu Mountain, which is known as the ancestral home of Taoism in the world. He is the current Celestial Master, the leader of the Taoist sects in all countries in the world, and also serves as the National Preceptor of Qian Kingdom. He can meet with the emperor at any time.

Gu Mo asked in confusion, "Why would Zhang Tianshi pay attention to a mere heretical master?"

Song Danyang chuckled and said, "My senior uncle isn't concerned about that Madam Liu at all. He's concerned about you, Master Gu. He learned that you've been hunting down a group of evil people recently, so he specifically inquired about it for you."

Gu Mo asked in surprise, "Master Zhang is paying attention to me?"

Song Danyang said, "That's normal. Master Gu, you are a grandmaster of internal energy. At your age, to have reached such a level in internal energy cultivation is unprecedented, if not unparalleled in the past or future, at least no one in our time can surpass you. Everyone in the martial arts world knows that internal energy cultivation becomes more refined with age. My master uncle also followed the path of internal energy cultivation and understands this principle even better. There are rumors in the martial arts world that you may become the number one in the world in the future, and many people actually believe that!"

Gu Mo said, "If an ordinary person thinks I have potential value and tries to build a good relationship with me beforehand, I can understand. But Zhang Tianshi is the person who is closest to becoming the number one in the world. He himself has the hope of becoming the number one in the world. What reason would he have to deliberately befriend someone like me who is a junior? I have no value to him."

Song Danyang asked suspiciously, "Master Gu... couldn't it just be a senior's pure appreciation for a junior? The higher a martial arts practitioner's cultivation level, the more likely they are to encounter obstacles in their martial arts, which is why many martial arts masters in the martial arts world are very stubborn."

As for you, Master Gu, you are so young yet you have mastered profound internal skills, but you neither serve in the imperial court nor establish a martial arts force. You are single-mindedly focused on capturing wanted criminals and are fiercely opposed to evil. It is not hard to guess that your obsession, or rather your obstacle in martial arts, lies in punishing evil and upholding justice.

So, it's perfectly normal for your senior master to appreciate you and know which wanted criminals you're looking to apprehend. He's the Grand Preceptor of the Great Qian Dynasty and the Director of the Imperial Observatory; helping you find wanted criminals is just a side job. Why wouldn't he help a junior in the martial arts world he admires? Why does it have to be something valuable?

Hearing Song Danyang's words, Gu Mo felt a little embarrassed and quickly said, "I'm sorry, Abbot Song, I was just being petty."

Song Danyang waved his hand and said, "That's normal. In recent years, the situation in various countries has been unstable, and everyone is pursuing profit in order to cope with future changes. Therefore, the atmosphere of the martial arts world has become increasingly bad. I remember when I was young, it was taken for granted that renowned figures and chivalrous heroes would uphold justice and punish evil. But I don't know when it started to change. If someone does good deeds and acts of chivalry without seeking anything in return, they will be suspected of having ulterior motives." At this point, Song Danyang looked at Zhao Congyue and said, "Chief Constable Zhao must feel the same way, right?"

Zhao Congyue nodded and said, "That's true. I remember when we were young, if you wanted to be respected in the martial arts world and be revered as a martial arts master, you had to do a lot of chivalrous deeds. But now it seems that anyone with decent martial arts skills can be called a martial arts master."

"..."

For a time,

Zhao Congyue and Song Danyang began to reminisce, talking at length about their youth and the atmosphere of that era.

After a long time,

As it grew increasingly late, Song Danyang handed Gu Mo a neatly arranged large envelope containing information and clues about Madam Liu.

Subsequently,

Song Danyang then left with his two disciples.

Gu Mo, Zhao Congyue, and others saw Song Danyang off as he left the county government office.

After watching Song Danyang and the others leave, Gu Mo and his companions returned. As they entered the courtyard, Zhao Congyue suddenly pointed to the large envelope in Gu Chudong's hand and said, "Master Gu, are you in such a hurry? Why don't you wait a few more days? Qingye Hall just got a lead and might be able to find the Qingye Hall Master soon. They're all wanted criminals, so arresting either one is the same, isn't it?"

Gu Mo knew that Zhao Congyue didn't want to let go of such a strong ally as him.

Although the Six Doors are very powerful, the Green Leaf Hall is obviously not easy to deal with, especially since the Green Leaf Hall Master is elusive and his strength is unknown. Moreover, he has the Taixu Divine Armor to help him. If they really find out, with Gu Mo's help, the casualties of the Six Doors will definitely be reduced a lot.

"I'll wait for Chief Zhao's good news about arresting you," Gu Mo said.

Hearing Gu Mo's words, Zhao Congyue nodded with satisfaction and said, "Don't worry, it will be quick." After saying that, Zhao Congyue suddenly added, "Well, Master Gu, you should carefully consider this favor from Master Zhang before deciding whether to accept it."

Gu Mo asked疑惑地问道, "Is there any particular reason behind this?"

Zhao Congyue said in a low voice: "Recently there have been rumors that the Imperial Observatory seems to be involved in the struggle for the throne. It is suspected that Zhang Tianshi has joined the ranks of a certain prince. So, whether Zhang Tianshi is just helping a junior in the martial arts world out of appreciation, or whether he is trying to recruit you for someone else, is hard to say!"
"Well, of course, these are just rumors and hearsay. I was just saying it casually, so Master Gu doesn't need to take it to heart. As Abbot Song said, not everyone does things with a purpose, hahaha!"

Listening to Zhao Congyue's contradictory words, Gu Mo understood that what Zhao Congyue said earlier was probably true. Zhang Tianshi had probably decided to side with a certain prince, and now his status was not easy to mess with.

As for what Zhao Congyue said later, it was merely a patchwork; people in officialdom are most averse to speaking too intimately with casual acquaintances. Zhao Congyue was only kindly reminding him because he remembered that Zhao Congyue had agreed to stay and help capture the Qingye Hall Master.

Gu Mo immediately cupped his hands in greeting, not wanting to embarrass Zhao Congyue further. He then changed the subject, asking, "Oh, by the way, what was the outcome of Abbot Song's pursuit of the traitor within the sect?"

“Of course it was a failure,” Zhao Congyue said. “Because those people from Qingye Hall were like frightened birds, and when they got into a fight with the disciples of Chunyang Temple, Xuancheng Daoist noticed something was wrong and ran away. Now we don’t know where they’ve gone, so I’m afraid Master Song will have made another wasted trip.”

Soon, Gu Mo and Gu Chudong returned to the courtyard where they were resting.

As they walked, Gu Chudong asked curiously, "Brother, do you think what Abbot Song and Chief Constable Zhao said was true? Was the atmosphere in the martial arts world really that good back then? There were heroes everywhere, and everyone pursued justice, not fame or fortune?"

"Nonsense," Gu Mo laughed, "It's the same in every era. You can say there are many heroes, and you can say everyone is pursuing fame and fortune. It just depends on where you stand in the martial arts world."

Master Song and Chief Constable Zhao were talking about their early days in the martial arts world when they were teenagers or in their early twenties. At that time, they were both newcomers to the martial arts world, with mediocre skills and simple minds. They were still full of longing for the martial arts world and would believe any rumors they heard.

Just like we were a couple of years ago, where wouldn't we hear stories of chivalrous heroes upholding justice and punishing evil wherever we went? Wouldn't we all feel admiration, thinking that the mainstream of the martial arts world still pursued righteousness and chivalry? That's because back then, we were too far removed from those legendary figures. But in the last two years, as we've come into contact with more and more renowned figures in the martial arts world, once we delve deeper, how many true heroes are there?

Lingyun Manor in Linjiang County? The Four Directions Sword Sect and the Nine Righteous Men of Qingzhou in Qingyang County, Bai Qiliao, the leader of the Northern Desert, and so on—weren't they all renowned martial arts masters, famous for their chivalry? And what happened? A whole bunch of ridiculous and disgraceful things."

Gu Chudong thought for a moment and said, "That's true. Now that Abbot Song and Chief Constable Zhao are at a higher level, they know the inside story, so they think the current atmosphere is bad. In fact, they are ignoring it. It was the same before."

"Let's not talk about this anymore," Gu Mo waved his hand and said, "Take a look at Madam Liu's information first."

Gu Mo knew the basic information about Madam Liu. She was a wicked woman with strange quirks. She liked to pretend to be a weak and pitiful woman to seduce men, and then marry them after they were completely infatuated with her. On her wedding night, she would kill the entire family and then abscond with their money.

He committed twenty or thirty major crimes.

As for why this person is known as Madam Liu in the martial arts world, it's because his surname is Liu, but he always likes to dress up as a woman when he travels around, so he is jokingly called Madam Liu. In reality, he is a handsome man!
of course,

Gu Mo wasn't interested in whether the person was a handsome man or a beautiful woman; what interested him was the system reward for capturing this person, which was the Tai Chi Divine Skill.

He will use this martial art in the harmonizer of his Guiyuan system.

Strictly speaking, compared to the many martial arts Gu Mo has mastered, Tai Chi Divine Skill is not particularly powerful. However, the philosophy and realm of this martial art are extremely profound. It embodies the concepts of "yin and yang in balance, non-action yet nothing is left undone," "before Tai Chi but not high, below the six extremes but not deep," and "Tai Chi without limit," making it virtually limitless.

The harmonizer of the Guiyuan System needs to harmonize various internal energies, meaning it must withstand immense pressure. The Tai Chi Divine Skill is the most suitable for this; theoretically, as long as the user's cultivation level is sufficient, the Tai Chi Divine Skill can continuously increase its upper limit. This has nothing to do with the inherent strength of the martial art itself, but rather with the level of mastery it represents!
……

The next day, early in the morning.

The Six Doors team set off once again, escorting Shangguan Shang to Cangyuan City, accompanied by more than two hundred county soldiers led by the county magistrate of Liucheng.

On the afternoon of the second day, we arrived at Cangyuan City.

Zhao Congyue arranged for Gu Mo and Gu Chudong to stay at his house, but Gu Chudong, who didn't like interacting with strangers, declined. After all, although Zhao Congyue held a high official position, he received a salary from the imperial court, unlike wealthy merchants who could easily arrange for Gu Mo and Gu Chudong to live in secluded courtyards without being disturbed.

Zhao Congyue's entire family lived in the same courtyard.

So, Gu Mo and Gu Chudong found an inn to stay at. Although the inn was crowded, it was mostly filled with strangers, so there was no need for contact or greetings, which didn't bother Gu Chudong much.

After staying at the inn for two days
Gu Chudong gained another friend, Yunxiu, who had returned from handling matters related to the clothing exhibition in Tongtai City. Yunxiu had her own small manor in Cangyuan City, and at her warm invitation, Gu Mo and Gu Chudong stayed at her house.

Yunxiu really liked Gu Chudong, and no matter how busy she was, she would always make time to take Gu Chudong out to play. Their relationship progressed rapidly, and they became good friends.

Cangyuan City is the second most prosperous city in Qian Kingdom after the capital. There are many things that Gu Chudong did not have the opportunity to see in Yunzhou. Every time she went out, she would excitedly share a lot with Gu Mo after returning.

They stayed in Cangyuan City for seven or eight days.

At noon that day

Zhao Congyue, whom we haven't seen for many days, has returned.

In Yunxiu's home, in a small courtyard.

Gu Mo poured Zhao Congyue a cup of tea and asked, "How did it go?"

Zhao Congyue shook his head and said, "The result was not satisfactory. The Qingye Hall in Beidou County was completely eradicated in one fell swoop, which was much more complicated than we expected. The Qingye Hall had infiltrated very widely, especially in influential places such as government agencies, martial arts forces, and chambers of commerce. These people were only caught by the Qingye Hall with their hands on them. Basically, the Qingye Hall did not ask them to do anything. On the contrary, they secretly provided a lot of support, all through transactional means."

For example, the current head of the Beidou Chamber of Commerce once made a deal with Qingye Hall. The deal was that he would become the head of the Beidou Chamber of Commerce, and the price he paid was to be at Qingye Hall's beck and call at all times. But for five whole years, he has only done one thing for Qingye Hall. With such a limited number of actions, it is impossible for him to be exposed.

Most of the forces controlled by the Qingye Hall were in the same situation, sometimes receiving orders from them only once every few years. However, this further demonstrates that the Qingye Hall's ambitions are far greater; it's impossible for them to invest so much and control so many forces without seeking anything in return.

Gu Mo asked, "Then, have you found any clues about the leader of the Qingye Hall?"

Zhao Congyue said, "Qingye Hall was too decisive. All nine people Shangguan Shang mentioned, as well as Chen Yu, the commander, are dead. There is no evidence of murder; they all committed suicide. Qingye Hall directly abandoned its deployment in Beidou County, cutting off operations cleanly!"

Gu Mo said in surprise, "No wonder we couldn't find any clues. You didn't hesitate at all and made a decisive move. You're very capable."

Zhao Congyue nodded and said, "This isn't the first time. Although our investigation into Qingye Hall hasn't been very successful in recent years, we have made some progress. But every time we discover even the slightest clue, they cut off all contact immediately, very decisively."

Gu Mo said helplessly, "In other words, the clues have been completely cut off, and we can only wait for the right opportunity later."

“No,” Zhao Congyue leaned closer and whispered, “Although the other party has cut ties very cleanly, we really can’t find any clues about the Qingye Hall from there. However, based on Chen Yu’s activity trajectory, we discovered something: Chen Yu is the superior of Tianji Shusheng Ye Xiao.”

Then, through this investigation, we uncovered a shocking fact: Ye Xiao had contacted Lin Xiangxi before contacting Lin Xiangdong, the eldest son of the Lin family!

Gu Mo was slightly taken aback and asked in surprise, "You mean... the reason why Ye Xiao suddenly tried to kill Qian Duoduo, causing Lin Xiangdong to be involved in the incident, and ultimately leading to Lin Xiangdong being deposed and Lin Chuan being removed from his position as head of the Lin family, was actually manipulated by Lin Xiangxi, or rather, Lin Xiangxi and Lin Gu. The real ones cooperating with Qingye Hall were not Lin Xiangdong, but Lin Gu and his son Lin Xiangxi!"

Zhao Congyue nodded and said, "Based on what we have found out, and combined with the turmoil in the Lin and Qian families, the final winners are Lin Gu and his son Lin Xiangxi. Lin Gu and Lin Chuan have always been rivals, and when they were young, they were evenly matched in the Lin family. However, Lin Gu was defeated later because he was a step behind in martial arts talent."

Afterwards, Lin Gu devoted himself entirely to studying weaponry, presumably to compensate for his shortcomings in martial arts. However, in this recent turmoil involving the Lin and Qian families, Lin Chuan and his son Lin Xiangdong were ultimately disgraced, while Lin Gu and Lin Xiangxi reaped a huge advantage. Now it seems this advantage wasn't a free lunch, nor was it luck, but rather an inevitable result of behind-the-scenes manipulation!

Gu Mo asked, "So what are you planning to do?"

Zhao Congyue said, "Lin Gu is now the head of the Lin family, and his status is extraordinary. If he really has a cooperation with Qingye Hall, then he will definitely be watched by Qingye Hall. If we make a move openly, it will definitely arouse the vigilance of Qingye Hall, and they may immediately cut ties again."

Furthermore, the Lin family's status is special. Although our Six Doors has the authority to arrest them directly, if anything goes wrong, we will bear enormous responsibility. This is because the Lin family is a family of master craftsmen personally bestowed the title of "God of Craftsmen" by the Emperor Shenzong. The repeating crossbow and war chariot created by Old Madam Lin greatly enhanced the military strength of our Great Qian Dynasty; she is a national hero, possessing an imperial golden mace. If we don't appease her, we'll be in serious trouble!

Gu Mo chuckled and said, "Aren't they martial arts families? How come they have such a great influence in officialdom? The Chunyang Temple is the same, and so is the Lin family!"

Zhao Congyue said, "Martial arts families ultimately have only two fates: either they will decline after reaching their peak, or they will move into the imperial court after reaching their peak and become powerful families in the court. Think about it, the seven major martial arts families have already reached the top of the martial arts world through the family model. They have reached the pinnacle of their prosperity. If they do not move towards the imperial court, they can only wait for their decline."

Gu Mo suddenly realized, "So, in fact, the Yun and Su families in Cangzhou, like the Lin family, are also deeply involved with the imperial court?"

Zhao Congyue nodded and said, "However, they are far inferior to those true aristocratic families of the imperial court. Currently, among the Yun, Su, and Lin families, it is very difficult for the Yun and Su families to transfer into the imperial court. They are still developing towards the Cangzhou government. As for the Lin family, it is truly a pity. Old Madam Lin was a woman and could not enter the imperial court. Otherwise, she could have led the Lin family into the imperial court back then."

In recent years, the Lin family, though seemingly prosperous, has actually declined with each generation. They've lost sight of entering the imperial court, and are even struggling to maintain their existing martial arts roots. If the Lin family can produce one or two talented individuals while the matriarch is still alive, that's fine. But once the matriarch dies, the Lin family's path to the court is severed. It's highly unlikely that they will produce another person with the same talent as the matriarch.

Over the years, both the Yun and Su families have developed quite well, especially the Yun family. The middle generation boasts two grandmasters, firmly establishing their foundation in the martial arts world, while the younger generation is also brimming with talent. Especially Yun Xiu, a woman—who would have thought she could actually control half of Cangzhou's garment business? Her talent in martial arts and literature is equally remarkable; she's practically a new generation's Old Madam Lin. Speaking of which, Old Madam Lin also greatly admires Yun Xiu. A few years ago, she even personally went to propose marriage to Lin Xiangdong, but Yun Xiu refused.

Gu Mo said, "In other words, the Lin family, though seemingly glorious, is actually declining and is only being supported by Old Madam Lin alone?"

Zhao Congyue nodded and said, "More or less. The Lin family has lost its talent. On the surface, there are two grandmasters, but Old Madam Lin is already over eighty years old. And Lin Chuan was implicated by Lin Xiangdong and has now been removed from the position of family head. However, as long as Old Madam Lin is alive, the Lin family will not fall and will always be the number one martial arts family in Cangzhou."

Gu Mo smiled and said, "But Old Madam Lin is already over eighty years old."

Zhao Congyue shrugged and said, "Who cares if she's over eighty or ninety? Even the governor of Cangzhou Prefecture would have to respectfully address Old Madam Lin, who wields the imperial golden mace, as 'Old Madam Lin,' wouldn't he? I'm a third-rank official, and if I want to touch Lin Gu, I'd have to ask Old Madam Lin's permission first. Hero Gu, I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to come with me; it'll make things easier."

Gu Mo asked in confusion, "What do you mean?"

Zhao Congyue said, "The Lin family is ultimately a martial arts family, with its foundation in the Jianghu. If the Six Doors intervene, and if Old Madam Lin is truly determined to protect Lin Gu, I really won't be able to do anything about it if she throws a tantrum. I'll have to take forceful action. If Old Madam Lin finds fault and writes a letter to the court impeaching me, I'll definitely cause a lot of trouble. It won't be serious injury, but it will still be a headache."

However, if you come with me, Old Madam Lin will absolutely not throw a tantrum, because you represent the martial arts world. The Lin family hasn't entered the imperial court yet, and Old Madam Lin may not care about government officials, but she won't let the Lin family disappear from the martial arts world.

"Of course, I guarantee you won't clash with Old Madam Lin. You won't need to say anything; just show your face. Old Madam Lin is a smart woman. If she makes the right choice, she'll remove Lin Gu and Lin Xiangxi from the Lin family. Not only will she not obstruct it, she'll also help us. Of course, this is the best outcome, and what I want most. I don't want to make a big fuss unless absolutely necessary, otherwise, it'll be troublesome if Qingye Hall becomes alert and quickly cuts off the leads."

Gu Mo nodded.

Zhao Congyue said, "Then you should make preparations. The sooner the better. We should act as soon as possible. Given Lin Gu's level, Chen Yu is not qualified to represent Qingye Hall in cooperating with him. Therefore, Lin Gu must have clues about the Qingye Hall Master."

……

That afternoon, after Gu Chudong and Yunxiu returned from shopping, Gu Mo bid farewell to Yunxiu.

As the owner of the manor, Yunxiu must have known that Zhao Congyue had come at noon. She could immediately guess that Gu Mo's sudden departure must be due to some cooperation with the Six Doors. Therefore, she neither asked any further questions nor lingered.

He talked with Gu Chudong for a while before bowing and seeing her off.

When Gu Mo brought Gu Chudong to the Six Doors, Zhao Congyue had been preparing for a long time and was just waiting for him. He immediately brought good horses for Gu Mo and Gu Chudong, and with a command, he led a group of people to Tang'an County.

This group consisted entirely of skilled men handpicked by Zhao Congyue. Traveling light, their speed was naturally remarkable. After a three-day journey, they arrived in Tang'an County. They immediately split into three groups: one went to Tang'an County to request assistance from the county government and soldiers; another went to monitor the Lin family manor to prevent news from leaking and Lin Gu from escaping; and the third group, consisting of Zhao Congyue, Gu Mo, Gu Chudong, and several renowned constables from the Six Doors, rode at full speed to Lin Family Manor to see Old Madam Lin.

Lin Family Village looks like an ordinary little village, but it is heavily guarded. Although there are not many people living here, they are all elders of the Lin family, each with a very high status. The real head of the Lin family, Old Madam Lin, is also here.

In an old courtyard

While Old Madam Lin was eating, a young disciple of the Lin family came to announce her arrival, bowing and saying, "Old Madam, Chief Constable Zhao Congyue of the Six Doors and the great hero Gu Mo of Yunzhou have come to visit you!"

With a blank expression, Old Madam Lin slowly put down the bowl and gently beckoned. The maidservant serving nearby immediately understood and brought over the Old Madam's snake-head cane.

The old lady gripped her cane, sighed softly, and said, "What's meant to happen will happen."

Immediately, she strode outside and soon arrived at the courtyard. There she saw Gu Mo and his group, and she said loudly, "Chief Constable Zhao and Hero Gu, please forgive my lack of hospitality!"

Zhao Congyue hurriedly ran forward, cupped his hands and said, "Grandma, why did you come out? Please let us know so we can go in."

Gu Mo, Gu Chudong, and several other famous constables also bowed and paid their respects to Old Madam Lin.

Old Madam Lin ushered the group into the courtyard and instructed someone to bring over several stools, the most common kind in the countryside, which suited the old and dilapidated courtyard perfectly.

Zhao Congyue sat next to Old Madam Lin, chatting like an ordinary junior visiting an ordinary old lady, gossiping about this and that.

Gu Mo leisurely sipped his tea, while the Six Doors constables occasionally chuckled and joined in the conversation between Old Madam Lin and Zhao Congyue.

After chatting for a while, Old Madam Lin said with a smile, "Chief Constable Zhao, you are so busy with official duties. You didn't come here today just to chat with this old woman, did you? Just say what you need!"

Zhao Congyue quickly replied, "Yes, that's true, but it's also true that I came to visit you."

"It's good that you mean it." Old Madam Lin said with a smile, "Just say it directly. Although I am old, I am still reasonable. Since Chief Constable Zhao has come in person, it must be that a junior member of the clan has committed a crime."

Zhao Congyue slowly said, "Grandma, then I will tell you the truth. The current head of the Lin family, Lin Gu, and his son Lin Xiangxi are suspected of colluding with Qingye Hall. I have already obtained conclusive evidence that it is Lin Gu and Lin Xiangxi who are truly cooperating with Qingye Hall. Previously, when Qian Duoduo, the head of the Qian family, was killed, it was nominally because Lin Xiangdong was cooperating with Tianji Shusheng, but in reality, it was just a scheme set up by Lin Gu and Lin Xiangxi to bring Lin Chuan down."

To Zhao Congyue's surprise, he had expected Old Madam Lin to be shocked and angry, but she was unexpectedly calm, very calm, without any emotion.

Old Madam Lin slowly fiddled with the Buddhist prayer beads in her hand and said gently, "Actually, I have also noticed something and have been secretly investigating recently. Since Chief Constable Zhao has evidence, then arrest him. I will not stop him, but I only hope that Chief Constable Zhao will be fair and not implicate others. The Lin family is very large and has many people. Not everyone is colluding with the Green Leaf Hall."

“That’s for sure,” Zhao Congyue said. “Grandma, I can offer Patriarch Lin a way to redeem himself and preserve the Lin family’s reputation. The Qingye Hall has been a menace for many years. If Patriarch Lin is willing to help us get rid of the Qingye Hall, I can arrange for him to be arrested on a different charge to preserve the Lin family’s reputation.”

Old Madam Lin cupped her hands and said, "Then thank you very much, Chief Constable Zhao."

After saying that, Old Madam Lin stood up and said, "Then let's go. I'll go with you now."

Zhao Congyue was overjoyed and quickly got up to help Old Madam Lin.

He breathed a deep sigh of relief, not expecting that Old Madam Lin was more sensible than he had imagined. However, upon reflection, this made sense; if it weren't for Old Madam Lin's decisive actions and long-term vision, the Lin family would still be a second- or third-rate family, and would never have achieved its current glory.

Between protecting Lin Gu, Lin Xiangxi, and preserving the Lin family,
For someone as decisive and efficient as Old Madam Lin, it was not a difficult decision.

……

Lin Family Manor, Tang'an County.

Supported by a maid, Old Madam Lin led Gu Mo and his group into the Lin family manor. Zhao Congyue didn't bring many people, only the constables who had gone to Lin Family Village with him earlier.

There's no need to bring too many people; it might just arouse suspicion.

Upon entering the Lin family manor, Zhao Congyue and the others witnessed the extent of Old Madam Lin's control over the Lin family. Although she had stepped down as the head of the family many years ago and no longer lived in the Lin family manor, not a single person dared to inform Lin Gu, the true head of the family, with just a glance from her.

And so, Old Madam Lin led her entourage directly to Lin Gu's study. At that moment, Lin Gu was in his study reviewing account books and had not received any news of Old Madam Lin's arrival.

When Lin Gu saw Old Madam Lin and her entourage appear at the door, he was slightly startled. He quickly got up and ran over, asking, "Old Madam, why did you come? Why didn't you send someone to inform me?"

Then, he bowed to Zhao Congyue and Gu Mo and said, "Greetings, Chief Constable Zhao, and greetings, Hero Gu."

As the chief constable of the Six Doors, Zhao Congyue was in charge of managing matters of the martial arts world. Lin Gu, now the head of the Lin family and formerly a high-ranking member, naturally had a lot of dealings with Zhao Congyue. As for Gu Mo, he had visited the Lin family before because of Qian Duoduo's matter and had exchanged greetings.

Zhao Congyue and Gu Mo both returned the greeting with clasped hands.

Lin Gu hurriedly went to help the old lady to a seat, but the old lady waved her hand and pushed him away, saying, "Stand here and wait."

Lin Gu asked in confusion, "Grandma, what are we waiting for?"

Old Madam Lin said in a deep voice, "Wait for someone."

"Who?"

Old Madam Lin did not speak.

Lin Gu's face remained expressionless, but he was beginning to feel uneasy. To be precise, when he saw Old Madam Lin appear with Gu Mo and Zhao Congyue, he had some suspicions.

The atmosphere in the study was very oppressive.

A moment later, footsteps sounded outside the door, and Lin Xiangxi walked in, saying, "Father, you wanted to see me... oh..."

Lin Xiangxi was startled to see Old Madam Lin sitting in the chair. He quickly stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Old Madam, you've arrived... Chief Constable Zhao, Hero Gu... what brings you here?"

"Kneel down!" Old Madam Lin shouted coldly.

Lin Xiangxi trembled with fear, his legs went weak, and he knelt on the ground with a thud.

Old Madam Lin then looked at Lin Gu and said, "You kneel down too."

Although Lin Gu was the head of the Lin family and was already in his fifties and a grandfather, he knelt down on the ground without any hesitation upon hearing the old lady's words.

Old Madam Lin said in a deep voice, "Will you confess yourselves, or will I interrogate you personally?"

In fact, when Lin Xiangxi was summoned, Lin Gu's heart sank, but adhering to the principle of not admitting anything until the very last step, he said, "We don't know where we went wrong, please enlighten us, Madam!"

"If you're unwilling to explain, then let's wait a little longer!" said Old Madam Lin.

The atmosphere remained cold and oppressive.

In the study, everyone remained silent, while Lin Gu and his son Lin Xiangxi knelt on the ground, cold sweat pouring down their faces.

After a short while,
Several Lin family disciples appeared at the entrance, carrying in a corpse and gently placing it beside Lin Gu.

When Lin Gu saw the corpse's face clearly, he was utterly devastated, because this person was a member of the Qingye Hall who had disguised himself as Lin Xiangxi's servant a few days earlier to contact him and his father.

Each time this person appeared, he would disguise himself as a different person and act with extreme caution. Logically speaking, the father and son should not know his true identity, but because they wanted to break free from Qingye Hall's control and were tracking down Qingye Hall's clues, they learned that this person's identity outside was that of an ordinary shoemaker in the city.

Now, this person has been killed and placed next to the father and son by Old Madam Lin, the significance of which is self-evident.

A sense of despair rose in the hearts of both Lin Gu and his son Lin Xiangxi.

They realized that their collusion with Qingyetang had been completely exposed.

"Are you going to drag the entire Lin family down with you, or will you confess willingly?" Old Madam Lin asked calmly.

Lin Gu knelt on the ground and kowtowed to Old Madam Lin, saying, "Old Madam, Lin Gu knows his mistake. He was bewitched by Qingye Hall and cooperated with them to seize the position of family head. From beginning to end, only my father and I were involved in this matter. No one else was involved."

Old Madam Lin sighed and looked at Zhao Congyue, saying, "Chief Constable Zhao, please ask whatever you want to ask!"

Zhao Congyue nodded slightly, looked at Lin Gu, and said, "Patriarch Lin, although the person who connected you with Qingye Hall was Chen Yu, the wife of Xiao Lie from Beidou County, Chen Yu is absolutely not qualified to cooperate with you given your status. You must have had contact with the leader of Qingye Hall. I hope you can tell me all the relevant clues. I promised the Old Madam that if you actively cooperate with our Six Doors to destroy Qingye Hall, I can change the charges against you and your son, which will preserve the reputation of the Lin family and the dignity of you and your son."

"Thank you."

Lin Gu said, "I have indeed met Master Qingye, but he was wearing the Taixu Divine Armor, so I couldn't see his true face. When we met, he used a special sedan chair to deceive my senses and vision, and led me to a small house."

However, he didn't know that our Lin family has two tracking weapons: one that can record direction and the other that can leave a special scent trail. When used together, they are invincible in tracking, and I found the place where the Qingye Hall Master appeared.

Later, I also went through Cheng San…

Lin Gu pointed to the corpse next to him and said, "This is the person. We traced him back several levels and identified the person behind him as Liu Sanyuan, the president of the Sanyuan Chamber of Commerce. In the process of monitoring Liu Sanyuan, we discovered the pattern of his meetings with the head of the Qingye Hall."

Zhao Congyue quickly asked, "Where is the location? What's the pattern?"

Lin Gu pondered for a while before saying, "A place you could never imagine—Shi Nan Mountain!"

Zhao Congyue's expression changed slightly, and he said, "You mean, the Chunyang Temple is behind the Qingye Hall?"

Lin Gu shook his head and said, "I don't know. It's hard to say whether it's a specific person from Chunyang Temple or the entire sect. Besides, Shi Nan Mountain is very large. There are dozens of Taoist temples on the mountain, not just Chunyang Temple. It's also possible that Qingye Hall is deliberately hiding in Shi Nan Mountain. As the saying goes, the most dangerous place is the safest place."

Zhao Congyue frowned, realizing the situation was getting tricky.

Lin Gu continued, "The Sanyuan Chamber of Commerce has many collaborations with the Taoist temples in Shi Nan Mountain. They basically send goods to Shi Nan Mountain every ten days. The place where I met Qingye Hall Master was in a Taoist temple. That Taoist temple is one of the ones that has long cooperated with Liu Sanyuan."

After saying that, Lin Gu suddenly looked at Gu Mo and said, "By the way, Master Gu, there is something else that concerns you. It seems that the Qingye Hall has some ulterior motives towards you?"

Hearing Lin Gu's words, Gu Mo asked suspiciously, "Trying to harm me?"

“That’s right.” Lin Gu said, “Qingye Hall intended to kidnap Yun Xiu, the eldest daughter of the Yun family. In this matter, Qingye Hall deliberately sought out the lecherous Shangguan Shang to lure you there.”

Their aim is to use Shangguan Shang's lightness skill to lure you into a trap and capture you alive. Their Qingye Hall possesses a Puppet Pill, capable of turning anyone into a puppet.

Clearly, they overestimated Shangguan Shang's lightness skill and underestimated your martial arts prowess, Master Gu. Ultimately, not only did they fail, but this whole affair became the Achilles' heel.

(End of this chapter)