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

Chapter 215 The Real Culprit Appears (1.2-word long chapter)
"The legendary Puppet Pill? Qingye Hall actually has such a thing?" Zhao Congyue was shocked.

Gu Mo had never heard of the Puppet Pill before and asked in confusion, "Chief Constable Zhao, do you know about this?"

Zhao Congyue said, "More than 30 years ago, there was a once-famous evil master in the martial arts world called Gu Xian. He developed a kind of Gu pill called Puppet Pill. This pill can control others to become puppets. No matter how powerful or noble the other party is, once they eat the Puppet Pill, they will become the other party's puppet and be extremely loyal."

"That terrifying?" Gu Chudong asked in surprise, "Then, wouldn't that Gu Immortal be able to unify the world?"

"Uh……"

Zhao Congyue was taken aback for a moment and said, "No, in the end, the Gu Immortal was surrounded and killed by the whole Jianghu, leaving only three Puppet Pills to circulate in the world. Well, for so many years, people have been looking for those three Puppet Pills, and some people have been looking for the recipe for the Puppet Pills. I have never heard of anyone finding them. I didn't expect that Qingye Hall would have them."

"With your martial arts skills and prestige, Master Gu, if you were to fall into the hands of the Green Leaf Hall, it would be a catastrophe for the martial world. Fortunately, the Green Leaf Hall's operation failed."

Gu Mo frowned slightly, and suddenly thought of Song Danyang. This person was becoming increasingly suspicious.

As luck would have it, just as he was preparing to leave Cangzhou, he was lured to stay by Shangguan Shang at Qingye Hall. Then, Qingye Hall's operation failed, and Song Danyang coincidentally sent Lady Liu's clues to guide him to leave Cangzhou.

……

Just as Gu Mo was pondering what Qingye Hall was plotting against him, Zhao Congyue had already learned everything he needed to know from Lin Gu and his son Lin Xiangxi.

They immediately began arranging tasks: one team stayed at the Lin family home to guard Lin Gu and Lin Xiangxi, keeping it a secret for as long as possible; another team was sent to monitor Liu Sanyuan.

Zhao Congyue didn't have high hopes for Liu Sanyuan and didn't dare to arrest him directly to avoid alerting him. This kind of person was either a suicide squad member or a loyal follower of Qingye Hall, and would definitely cut ties with Qingye Hall at the first opportunity.

Therefore, the third team was led by Zhao Congyue to secretly investigate the Shi Nan Mountain, starting with the Taoist temples that Liu Sanyuan had cooperated with.

Gu Mo and Gu Chudong naturally went together, but to their surprise, Old Madam Lin also requested to come along.

However, sensing the barely suppressed anger of Old Madam Lin, Gu Mo and the others immediately understood why she had come along. Old Madam Lin probably wished she could grind Qingye Hall to dust.

After all, the Lin family has been declining with each generation. They barely managed to keep up with Lin Chuan and Lin Gu, but now, Qingye Hall has ruined them both.

Lin Chuan's reputation is already ruined because of his son Lin Xiangdong. As for Lin Gu's fate, it goes without saying. Even if Old Madam Lin can pull some strings, he may escape the death penalty but will not escape punishment. It is more likely that the Lin family will give up on Lin Gu and his son Lin Xiangxi.

The Lin family, already facing a period of transition, was dealt a severe blow, almost certainly sealing its fate of decline.

From Old Madam Lin's perspective, she truly hated it. The Lin family rose to prominence under her leadership, reaching its zenith. Although the younger generation couldn't keep up, they were still able to maintain stability. But in the end, she was old and nearing the end of her life, yet she had to watch the Lin family decline. The hatred in her heart was indescribable.

Therefore, Zhao Congyue and the others understood her decision to go along and did not stop her. After all, Old Madam Lin was a grandmaster, the third best martial artist in Cangzhou. Although she was old, her martial arts were still highly skilled. Gu Mo had witnessed this before when they went to capture the Scholar of Heavenly Secrets. Although she was over eighty years old, Old Madam Lin was not affected at all when it came to riding a horse or fighting.

Subsequently,

After Zhao Congyue arranged the affairs, a small team traveled light and headed ahead to Shi Nan Mountain. The rest of the team arrived slowly to avoid arousing suspicion.

……

Shi Nan Mountain is the most famous mountain in Cangzhou.

The Shi Nan Mountain range stretches across several counties in the northern part of Cangzhou. It is a very large mountain range with clusters of peaks, resembling surging waves that never end.

Chunyang Temple, the largest sect in Cangzhou, is located on Shishan Mountain.

Because Chunyang Temple is located on this mountain, it has attracted many Taoist hermits to establish temples here. Over the past few hundred years, countless Taoist temples have appeared on Shishan Mountain, and now there are more than a hundred existing at the same time, making it the second most famous Taoist mountain in the entire Qian Kingdom after Longhu Mountain. Some of the Taoist temples on this mountain are even considered first-class sects in the Cangzhou martial arts world, and they are not all unknown small Taoist temples. However, without exception, they all respect Chunyang Temple as the Taoist lineage.

There are many towns and villages at the foot of Shi Nan Mountain.

Zhao Congyue, Gu Mo, and others disguised themselves and arrived at a market town, where they booked a small inn for the night. Afterward, Zhao Congyue led his men up the mountain to investigate clues, eventually identifying three inconspicuous Taoist temples in the Shinan Mountains.

A few days later, news came that Liu Sanyuan of the Sanyuan Chamber of Commerce had started delivering goods up the mountain as usual.

In a small market town, at an inn.

After receiving the letter, Zhao Congyue immediately summoned Old Madam Lin, Gu Mo, and Gu Chudong and explained the situation.

“I have now identified three Taoist temples as suspects, and the location where Liu Sanyuan met with Master Qingye is one of them,” Zhao Congyue said. “Liu Sanyuan will be going up the mountain tomorrow. Will you wait here for news or go together?”

“Let’s go together!” Gu Mo said, “If Hall Master Qingye shows up tomorrow, I can’t miss this opportunity.”

Holding an ordinary cane, Old Madam Lin said in a deep voice, "Qingye Hall almost caused the decline of my Lin family, so I must go there."

Zhao Congyue said, "Alright, tomorrow you all will pretend to be ordinary worshippers with us. If Master Qingye shows up tomorrow, you will definitely not be able to escape."

After a brief discussion about tomorrow's arrangements, the group left to return to their respective rooms.

Gu Chudong followed Gu Mo and chuckled, "Brother, did you see that Chief Constable Zhao is probably preparing to attack Chunyang Temple? In the past few days, many experts from the Six Doors have been arriving and hiding in various places."

Gu Mo said, "That's normal. To be honest, after investigating the clues to this point, we've basically confirmed that Qingye Hall is backed by Chunyang Temple. If Chunyang Temple hadn't been providing cover, how could Qingye Hall have managed to hide on Mount Shi Nan for so long?"

Furthermore, the fact that Qingye Hall was able to control so many forces, although it was based on Qingye Hall's transactions with those people and then indirect control, also had a prerequisite: that Qingye Hall was very familiar with the various forces in Cangzhou and knew the inside story, which enabled it to silently plant their spies.

Another one is the Taixu Divine Armor. The Chunyang Temple embezzled and staged a play, which not only gained them fame but also allowed the Taixu Divine Armor to stir up trouble in the martial arts world in a legitimate way.

Therefore, in summary, it's now almost certain that Qingye Hall and Chunyang Temple are inextricably linked, and may even be the same force, one operating openly and the other covertly. If this is the case, Chief Constable Zhao won't be able to take down Qingye Hall without combining the elite forces from all sides of the Six Doors.

Gu Chudong nodded and said, "Brother, I think it's pretty much true that the leader of Qingye Hall is Song Danyang. He used Shangguan Shang to lure you into becoming his puppet. After failing, he was worried that you would ruin things, so he immediately used Madam Liu's clues to lure you away from Cangzhou."

Gu Mo shook his head and said, "But I feel it's going too smoothly."

"What do you mean?" Gu Chudong asked, puzzled.

Gu Mo frowned and said, "I have a feeling that someone is guiding me and Chief Constable Zhao. The various clues seem difficult to investigate, but they are all linked together, as if they are deliberately leading us toward Song Danyang. Hmm, maybe I'm just overthinking it."

"Brother, I think your concerns are valid."

Gu Mo chuckled and said, "You think everything I say is right."

Gu Chudong chuckled, scratched his head, and suddenly remembered something, saying, "Oh, right, brother, the medicine powder you asked me to refine using the Ice Silkworm's cold poison is ready. Do you want it now?"

"That's perfect," Gu Mo said. "Give it to me now!"

Gu Chudong rummaged through her book box and pulled out a porcelain bottle, handing it to Gu Mo and asking, "Brother, what do you need this for?"

Gu Mo took the porcelain bottle and immediately felt a bone-chilling coldness. He thought to himself that the ice silkworm he had refined for Gu Chudong had not been wasted.

“After I fought with the Taixu Divine Armor and it escaped, I thought about developing a powder that could also leave a trace,” Gu Mo said. “It will be very useful for catching wanted criminals when I travel the world in the future.”

Gu Chudong asked in surprise, "Brother, you can make medicine too?"

Gu Mo chuckled and said, "Top-tier level."

"boast!"

Gu Mo smiled but didn't offer any further explanation.

He possesses the ultimate secret manuals of both the Poison Classic and the Medical Classic, and coupled with his profound internal strength, his methods of applying the arts of medicine and poison far surpass those of the founders of the Medical Classic and the Poison Classic. It is no exaggeration to say that his medical skills are top-notch.

……

With the Dragon Boat Festival approaching, Shi Nan Mountain is becoming increasingly lively. Although it has been raining a lot lately and the sky has been gloomy, looking like it could rain at any moment, more and more people are going up the mountain to pray for blessings, and the various Taoist temples are packed with worshippers every day.

As usual, Liu Sanyuan, the president of the Sanyuan Chamber of Commerce, led a caravan of the chamber of commerce into Shinan Mountain, carrying a lot of incense, paper money, and some fruits and vegetables.

Don't underestimate these items just because they aren't particularly valuable. The profit margin is substantial, and the Sanyuan Chamber of Commerce partners with over a dozen Taoist temples, resulting in a huge volume of business. Liu Sanyuan travels every ten days, and in just a few years, he has become a well-known wealthy merchant in Beijun, established the Sanyuan Chamber of Commerce, and expanded his business to an ever-growing scale, wielding considerable influence in Beijun.

However, no matter how much the Sanyuan Chamber of Commerce expanded, Liu Sanyuan always insisted on personally delivering goods to Shi Nanshan, because he knew in his heart that the business in Shi Nanshan was the foundation of his livelihood.

His business not only needs the support of various Taoist temples in Shi Nan Mountain, but he also relies on the name of Shi Nan Mountain to get by in the martial arts world. Once he loses the Shi Nan Mountain connection, his Sanyuan Chamber of Commerce will definitely collapse.

Of course, there is also a secret that is not widely known.

He was an absolute high-ranking member of the Qingye Hall, directly communicating with the Hall Master. Within the entire Qingye Hall, his status ranked among the top five, and he was one of the few people who had ever met the Hall Master.

Today is another delivery day, and he is about to go to see Master Qingye to report on his work.

Liu Sanyuan meticulously delivered goods to various Taoist temples. He cooperated with more than a dozen Taoist temples, which were not far apart but not close either, and were located in the mountains, with many hills scattered around. He delivered goods for three days at a time.

It wasn't until the Dragon Boat Festival that things started to change.

Liu Sanyuan had just finished delivering goods to the eighth house when he arrived at the ninth.

Just as the goods were handed over, it was lunchtime. Liu Sanyuan and his men ate and rested at the Taoist temple.

Liu Sanyuan went to meet the abbot to express his gratitude in person and to ask for his blessings.

The abbot of the Taoist temple was a middle-aged man in his forties who was meditating in his room. When he saw Liu Sanyuan enter, he nodded slightly.

Liu Sanyuan closed the door, walked over, cupped his hands, and asked, "Is the Hall Master here?"

"We've been waiting for you for a long time."

Liu Sanyuan quickly walked to the corner of the room and gently tapped the wall a few times. Immediately, the wall parted slightly, revealing a hidden door about one foot wide.

Liu Sanyuan hurriedly went inside, and the hidden door closed instantly.

However, neither Liu Sanyuan nor the abbot noticed that someone on the roof was lifting the tiles and could see the situation inside clearly. Just as the hidden door closed, a silver needle suddenly flew out, and the abbot fainted before he could even react.

The person who made the move was none other than Old Madam Lin, a renowned master of hidden weapons in the martial arts world.

Zhao Congyue gave Old Madam Lin a thumbs up and exclaimed, "Old Madam's divine might remains undiminished!"

Old Madam Lin chuckled and said, "Don't waste time, important business is more important!"

Immediately, the two of them quickly flew off the roof. At the same time, two more figures flew in from outside the courtyard. They were Gu Mo and Gu Chudong.

Zhao Congyue used his internal energy to control the opening of the door without making a sound, and the four of them quickly entered the room.

Old Madam Lin stepped forward, gently touched the wall, and said, "This hidden door technique is very powerful. The way it opens is ever-changing, with thirty-six different methods."

"That's amazing?" Gu Chudong asked.

"Of course, it's specifically designed to prevent people from spying on and following us," said Old Madam Lin. "If I were to design it, I could even create hundreds of ways to unlock a single lock, with each use combining and changing the pattern. Only those who know the pattern can unlock it, and if one is used repeatedly, the mechanism will be triggered immediately, alerting the person inside."

Immediately, Old Madam Lin gently pressed her ear against the wall, and after a while, she began to tap the wall, in a completely different spot than where Liu Sanyuan had tapped before. As she finished tapping, the wall parted, revealing a hidden door.

For a moment, Zhao Congyue and the others secretly sighed, thankful that Old Madam Lin had arrived, otherwise they would definitely have been exposed.

Immediately, Zhao Congyue took the lead, followed closely by Old Madam Lin, with Gu Mo and Gu Chudong trailing behind. They quickly ran inside, passing through a narrow passage of about seven or eight zhang (approximately 33-40 meters), when suddenly the view opened up before them to a small underground palace, brightly lit.

Inside were a group of men in black and five or six pilgrims dressed in ordinary clothes like Liu Sanyuan. Among them, Zhao Congyue recognized two of them; they were renowned martial arts masters in Cangzhou.

Sitting at the head of the table was a person whose face was obscured by the Taixu Divine Armor.

As Zhao Congyue and his three companions burst in...
The atmosphere in the main hall suddenly became tense. The next moment, the men in black and Liu Sanyuan and several other worshippers attacked Zhao Congyue and his group.

A dozen or so men in black, all wielding sharp blades and exuding murderous intent, charged towards Gu Mo and his companions like a surging black tide, fearless and reckless. The five worshippers, including Liu Sanyuan, wore strange and resolute expressions on their faces, and also threw punches and palms, joining the men in the attack.

In the dimly lit passage, Zhao Congyue's figure suddenly flashed, shooting out like an arrow released from a bow. His steps were as swift as lightning, creating a gust of wind that instantly dispersed the dust that filled the passage.

As he sprinted forward, his right leg swept out with incredible speed, so fast that it was almost impossible to catch with the naked eye. It emitted a low and sharp whistling sound, and the shadows of his legs flickered and leaped in the air like black phantoms. Each appearance of a leg shadow was accompanied by a black-clad man being sent flying backward.

Almost simultaneously, Old Madam Lin also rushed out of the secret passage. Her figure was like a ghost, and her movements were so fast that no one could see her trajectory. Countless hidden weapons flew out like a rain of pear blossoms, accompanied by sharp whistling sounds, accurately attacking the men in black and the worshippers.

The men in black and the worshippers who were hit by the hidden weapons flew backward like kites with broken strings, spitting out blood as they crashed heavily to the ground, their cries of agony filling the air.

Gu Mo immediately prepared to rush towards the Taixu Divine Armor, but just like the last time they met, the Taixu Divine Armor showed no intention of fighting. The moment Gu Mo and the others appeared, it quickly retreated and stomped its foot slightly, triggering a mechanism.

In an instant, the entire underground palace shook violently, stones fell from the walls, and terrifying cracks appeared on the supporting stone pillars. Then, with a deafening roar, the palace exploded instantly, sending countless bricks and dust flying everywhere.

Huge rocks flew around like cannonballs, some smashing through the ground, others creating huge craters, billowing dust that enveloped everything.

Taking advantage of the chaos of the explosion, the Taixu Divine Armor shot into the sky and flew out of the ruins like a meteor.

Seeing this, Gu Mo did not hesitate to fly out and chase after him, suddenly spraying out dense spider silk from his hand. The spider silk quickly extended in the air, like a huge net, instantly entangling the Taixu Divine Armor.

Flying in the air, his arm muscles were taut, and he pulled hard, trying to drag the Taixu Divine Armor down.

At the same time, Old Madam Lin also flew out. She quickly made a move, throwing out a steel wire that coiled around the Taixu Divine Armor like a serpent.

Gu Mo gripped the spider silk, and Old Madam Lin gripped the steel wire. The two grandmasters pulled the Taixu Divine Armor with all their might, and the Taixu Divine Armor, which had already flown four or five zhang off the ground, was pulled down rapidly in an instant.

However, at the very moment of descent, the Taixu Divine Armor erupted with a powerful energy fluctuation, as dazzling as moonlight.

This energy instantly shattered the spider silk and steel wire, turning them into countless tiny fragments that drifted into the air.

Freed from its restraints, the Taixu Divine Armor, though slightly propelled by the earlier pulling, immediately drifted towards the cliff behind the Taoist temple. It traced a strange arc in the air before plunging down and disappearing into the rushing river below in the blink of an eye, leaving only ripples that quickly vanished.

"Chase!"

Old Madam Lin shouted and flew down first, followed closely by Gu Mo. However, neither of them dared to jump into the water, because they both knew that the Taixu Divine Armor had the ability to move freely in the water, and they would likely perish in the hands of the Taixu Divine Armor if they went down.

The two landed on the shore. Old Madam Lin flipped her hand, revealing a small, palm-sized disc, like a compass, with a pointer spinning wildly before finally locking onto a direction.

"This is our Lin family's Star Pattern Tracking Scroll," said Old Madam Lin. "It is made from a meteorite from outer space and has the same effect as a magnet, but while a magnet can only attract iron, the Star Pattern Stone powder can adhere to any object. When I was holding the Taixu Divine Armor with a steel wire just now, I placed Star Pattern Stones on it. Within a range of thirty miles, the Tracking Scroll could detect it. This is the strongest tracking weapon in all of my Lin family's collection, and it is undoubtedly one of the best in the world."

Although Gu Mo couldn't see it, he could roughly sense it and gave a thumbs up, praising, "The Lin family truly deserves to be the number one weapon-making family in the Qian Kingdom."

His praise was heartfelt; this stuff was far superior to his own tracking powder. His tracking powder couldn't lock onto targets within a few dozen miles. However, they did share a similarity: both were impervious to water. Just as the star-patterned stone would stick to objects, Gu Mo's powder wouldn't dissolve due to its extreme cold.

The effect is similar, but it's definitely not as good as the Star Pattern Stone, and its medicine powder has a limited shelf life.

Immediately,

Old Madam Lin then led Gu Mo to chase after them along the riverbank.

Soon, the sounds of battle on the mountain subsided, and Zhao Congyue and Gu Chudong flew down, quickly chasing after Gu Mo and Old Madam Lin. As he ran, Zhao Congyue marked the trailheads, waiting for the main force of the Six Doors to catch up.

Gu Mo and Old Madam Lin followed the trail, and after about half an hour, they arrived at the foot of a huge mountain. The mountain stood against the sky, with jagged rocks and palaces scattered among the peaks. Red walls and green tiles were built along the mountain's contours, and the peaks overlooked the clouds, creating a magnificent sight.

"Chunyang Temple!"

Old Madam Lin's face was solemn. The result she least wanted to see had occurred. She said in a deep voice, "Hero Gu, the other party is not moving. They are in Chunyang Temple."

Gu Mo had already guessed it in his heart, so he wasn't surprised. However, he felt a little regretful. Although he wasn't very familiar with Song Danyang during their few interactions, he had a good impression of her and she truly had the temperament of a cultivator.

quickly,

Zhao Congyue and Gu Chudong caught up, and soon two or three hundred elite constables from the Six Doors arrived.

Immediately, Zhao Congyue gave the order, and the large group headed towards Chunyang Temple.

When hundreds of Six Doors constables appeared outside the Chunyang Temple gate, the Chunyang Temple disciples immediately tensed up and rushed to inform them. No one dared to stop the Six Doors people from entering.

This is Cangzhou, not some small place like the northern desert. In the northern desert, Gu Mo had indeed seen disciples of martial arts sects openly obstruct the Six Doors from handling cases, showing absolutely no respect for the Six Doors—the more ignorant, the more fearless. But Cangzhou is different, especially Chunyang Temple, which, as the site of three sects and four factions, holds a high position in the martial arts world. Naturally, no disciple would be unaware of the significance of the Six Doors.

Therefore, led by Zhao Congyue, two or three hundred constables from the Six Doors stormed into Chunyang Temple and headed straight for the main hall.

"Chief Constable Zhao!"

Just as the Six Doors team arrived outside the Sanqing Hall, Song Danyang, the abbot of Chunyang Temple, arrived with a group of Chunyang Temple leaders. Song Danyang hurriedly came forward, cupped his hands, and asked, "Chief Constable Zhao, why did you come in such a hurry without informing us beforehand? Is there some important case?"

As he spoke, Song Danyang bowed to Gu Mo and Old Madam Lin and said, "Old Madam Lin, Master Gu, you've come too. What happened?"

Zhao Congyue stared intently at Song Danyang, his face cold, and said, "Master Song, do you truly not know what happened, or are you trying to evade the question?"

Song Danyang frowned and asked in confusion, "I don't understand what Chief Constable Zhao means by this?"

Zhao Congyue said in a deep voice, "Master Song, I have known you for many years and deeply admire your character. I also sincerely hope that this matter has nothing to do with you."

Song Danyang's doubts deepened, and he asked, "Chief Constable Zhao, what exactly happened?"

Zhao Congyue said, "We tracked down the whereabouts of Qingye Hall Master and followed him all the way to your Chunyang Temple, where he disappeared."

"What? Master Qingye!" Song Danyang exclaimed in shock. "I will immediately gather my disciples to conduct a screening. By the way, Chief Constable Zhao, what was the exact time period? There were quite a few worshippers in my temple today. Of course, everyone in the temple is a suspect now, and I will definitely be investigated as well."

Zhao Congyue turned to look at Old Madam Lin and asked, "Old Madam, can you find out the exact location?"

Old Madam Lin nodded and pointed in one direction.

Immediately,

The group quickly gave chase and soon located a small courtyard. Old Madam Lin looked at the Shadow Chaser in her hand and said, "It's inside!"

Zhao Congyue immediately waved his hand, and a group of Six Doors constables immediately surrounded the courtyard.

"Who lives in here?" Zhao Congyue asked.

Immediately, many people from Chunyang Temple looked towards their abbot, Song Danyang.

Song Danyang stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "It's me."

"Search!"

Zhao Congyue ordered a search, and immediately, numerous constables from the Six Doors swarmed in. Song Danyang opened her mouth as if to ask something, but hesitated and didn't ask, only following them inside.

The courtyard is not large, with a main hall and two side rooms on the left and right. The furnishings are very simple, making it very easy to discover if one wanted to hide a Taixu Divine Armor.

Everyone was looking at Old Madam Lin.

Meanwhile, Old Madam Lin carried the Shadow Chasing Slip and walked forward until she reached the main hall, where a tall statue of a deity was enshrined.

Grandma Lin pointed to the statue and said, "It's right here."

Zhao Congyue understood perfectly well.
The Taixu Divine Armor was over ten feet tall, and it would be very easy to spot if it were hidden normally. However, if it were hidden inside a stone statue, it would remain undetected.

Immediately, Zhao Congyue stepped forward and gently slapped the statue. The statue immediately shattered, revealing that it was hollow. As the stones scattered, a tall, red iron armor was revealed inside – the legendary Taixu Divine Armor.

A commotion erupted, and everyone involuntarily turned to look at Song Danyang.

Song Danyang looked bewildered and said, "I don't know what's going on? This statue has been here for ten years. I didn't even live here back then!"

“Yes,” just then, a Taoist priest with gray hair stepped out from the crowd of Chunyang Temple and said, “This humble Taoist priest, Xuan Songzi, greets everyone. I can testify on behalf of the abbot that this stone statue has been here for ten years. I personally went to purchase it back then.”

Zhao Congyue glanced at Xuan Songzi and said, "The Taixu Divine Armor is hidden inside. What does that have to do with when the stone statue was bought? Does that mean the stone statue could only be hollowed out before it was bought? Now that it's here, it's truly protected by immortals, and mortals can't destroy it?"

Xuan Songzi was momentarily embarrassed and stunned.

Zhao Congyue turned and stared intently at Song Danyang, asking, "What was Abbot Song doing between 1:30 PM and 3:45 PM?"

Song Danyang thought for a moment and said, "During that time period, I was always reading books in this courtyard. The whole Chunyang Temple knows this. It's been my habit for many years. I would read or annotate the Daoist Canon in my room during the Wei and Shen hours every day."

"Are there any witnesses?" Zhao Congyue asked.

“Yes,” Song Danyang said, “The disciples in the sect usually know my habits. Unless there is something important, they will not bother me. But today, my junior brother Xuan Songzi came to me for help because he was having some questions about reading the Yin Fu Jing. We discussed it together for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.”

Zhao Congyue pointed at Xuan Songzi and said, "So, he's your only witness?"

Song Danyang nodded and said, "Yes."

Zhao Congyue chuckled and said, "He can't be your witness."

Song Danyang asked in confusion, "Why?"

Zhao Congyue beckoned, and immediately a constable from the Six Doors brought over several sheets of Xuan paper. At the same time, several experts from the Six Doors quietly approached Xuan Songzi.

Zhao Congyue held up the sheets of Xuan paper and said, "Liu Sanyuan, the president of the Sanyuan Chamber of Commerce, is a mole of the Qingye Hall. This man was supported by Xuan Songzi, and Xuan Songzi has always received a share of the profits behind the Sanyuan Chamber of Commerce. Therefore, take him down!"

At Zhao Congyue's command, several Six Doors experts who were already prepared suddenly attacked Xuan Songzi.

But at that moment, to everyone's surprise, Xuan Songzi, who was not usually known for his martial arts prowess, suddenly changed his aura, and a different kind of energy seemed to flow around him. He remained calm and composed, and with a light flick of his whisk, the seemingly casual movement contained an overwhelming and unstoppable force.

Those experts from the Six Doors were struck as if by a tremendous force, and involuntarily staggered back several steps.

At the same time, Xuan Songzi stretched out his figure, his movements as agile as a bird flying in the forest or a fish swimming in the water, and soared into the distance.

But in that split second, before Gu Mo and the others could even make a move to intercept, a whisk flew out of the void like lightning without warning.

The whisk came with unimaginable speed, like a thunderbolt streaking across the sky. Xuan Songzi was hit hard by the flying whisk and fell straight to the ground, stirring up a cloud of dust.

After the whisk struck Xuan Songzi, it flipped in the air and bounced back like a serpent. At the same time, a faint ripple appeared in the void, and a figure slowly emerged. The newcomer was an old Taoist priest, dressed in a moon-white Taoist robe, his clothes fluttering and spotless, as if he had stepped down from a celestial realm above the nine heavens.

He was none other than Lingxu Zhenren, the number one expert in Cangzhou and the fifth-ranked Grandmaster on the Qian Kingdom's Heavenly Ranking.

Master Lingxu's white hair was as white as snow, neatly combed and held in place with an antique wooden hairpin. His long eyebrows reached his temples, with the ends slightly upturned, resembling two lively ink strokes, giving him a very ethereal and otherworldly air. The only thing that slightly detracted from his image was his pair of eyes, which were far too small, like two mung beans.

The scene became very quiet.

Song Danyang bowed respectfully to Master Lingxu and said, "Master, I was framed."

"Master knows."

Master Lingxu nodded slightly, then looked at Zhao Congyue and cupped his hands, saying, "Chief Constable Zhao, I know my disciple. He was definitely framed."

Although Zhao Congyue was the chief constable of the Six Doors in Cangzhou, he dared not put on airs in front of Master Lingxu, because Master Lingxu was not only the fifth best expert in the Qian Kingdom, but also a leader-level figure in the Taoist sect, second only to the national teacher Zhang Daoyi.

Now that the emperor values ​​the Dao, Master Lingxu has been summoned by the emperor many times.

Immediately, Zhao Congyue cupped his hands and said, "Master, whether Abbot Song has been framed or not, I cannot say for sure right now. However, rest assured, I will uphold the law impartially and will never wrong Abbot Song. But, every country has its laws and every family has its rules. Abbot Song is highly suspicious now, and he needs to cooperate and come with me to the Six Doors."

Master Lingxu shook his head slightly and pointed at the half-dead Xuan Songzi, saying, "You can take Xuan Songzi away, but not Song Danyang. However, I can guarantee that he will stay in Chunyang Temple. If you find irrefutable evidence, I will no longer stop you, but he cannot go to your Six Doors now."

Zhao Congyue frowned, pointed at the Taixu Divine Armor, and said, "Isn't this irrefutable evidence?"

“No,” said Master Lingxu.

"Then, what do you think constitutes irrefutable evidence?" Zhao Congyue asked.

“I don’t know, that’s your business,” said Master Lingxu.

Zhao Congyue took a deep breath to calm himself and said, "Master, now, all the evidence clearly points to Abbot Song. In addition, Abbot Song was intentionally or unintentionally observing Master Gu's actions in Tang'an County. Not long after, Qingye Hall began to plot to control Master Gu with the Puppet Pill and to lure Master Gu with Shangguan Shang."

After the failed operation, Abbot Song immediately provided a clue about the wanted criminal, Madam Liu. His intention was clear: knowing he had underestimated Master Gu's martial arts skills, he wanted to lure Master Gu out of Cangzhou. Given such a coincidence, would you believe Abbot Song himself if he said it was purely coincidental?

In Liucheng, Qingye Hall broke into the prison cart. By sheer coincidence, Abbot Song appeared again, and by sheer coincidence, he ruined our Six Doors' plan. Then, as we investigated, by sheer coincidence, Abbot Song was framed. Someone actually managed to place the Taixu Divine Armor, weighing several thousand kilograms, in his courtyard right under Abbot Song's nose to frame him.
And yet, Master Song usually reads and annotates scriptures here undisturbed, and today there just happens to be a witness who can prove he's been here the whole time? With so many coincidences, do you think Master Song would believe it himself?

Master Lingxu didn't know how to defend himself, so he could only bite the bullet and say, "I can confirm that Song Danyang was framed. However, since the other party has made such a plan, they must have a backup plan. So, once Song Danyang goes to the Six Doors with you now, he will have no chance to clear his name. Next, the person behind the scenes will definitely send a series of evidence that can prove Song Danyang's innocence to your Six Doors."

Zhao Congyue said in a deep voice, "Master, do you think that our Six Doors will be used by others?"

"Isn't it now?"

Zhao Congyue was barely containing his anger and said, "Master, you are being unreasonable. We have multiple pieces of evidence to prove that Song Danyang is the leader of Qingye Hall, while you have no evidence to prove his innocence. Today, no matter what, I will take him away. Master, have you thought it through? Do you really want to challenge the laws of the Great Qian Dynasty?"

Master Lingxu sighed and said helplessly, "Alas, Chief Constable Zhao, I will not make things difficult for you. I know from your perspective, it is impossible not to arrest Song Danyang. However, as a teacher, I cannot remain indifferent to the fact that my disciple has been wronged."

After saying this, Master Lingxu looked at Song Danyang and said, "I will stop them for you. You should go down the mountain to the capital to find your senior uncle."

"Master..."

"Stop being so wishy-washy," Master Lingxu said. "I'm almost in my grave and won't live for many more years. You're still young, and the future of Chunyang Temple rests on your shoulders. I know you've been wronged, but I can't prove it for you now, nor can I send you to your death at the Six Doors. Go to your senior uncle; that's the only way you'll have a chance to prove your innocence."

Hearing Master Lingxu openly plotting, Zhao Congyue's face darkened. Old Madam Lin, who had remained silent until now, roared in fury, "You stinking old man, do you really think I'm invisible? I'll see how you protect him today!"

Master Lingxu said helplessly, "Sister Lin, I know my own disciples well, and there is absolutely no way they would collude with Qingye Hall."

Old Madam Lin retorted angrily, "Nonsense! Do you know that your disciple has ruined two generations of the Lin family's patriarchs? My Lin family is about to be destroyed by him! You old fool, you're so protective of your own, aren't you? Today I'll test whether you've improved at all over the years!"

As soon as Old Madam Lin finished speaking, she slammed her cane on the ground, unleashing a surge of powerful internal energy. She said in a deep voice, "Chief Constable Zhao, Hero Gu, leave this old Taoist priest to me. You two go and capture Song Danyang, shall we?"

“I’m fine with it!” Zhao Congyue immediately agreed, then asked, “Master Gu, you… um…”

He turned his head and found that Gu Mo, who had been beside him, was gone. He quickly looked around and saw that Gu Mo and his sister Gu Chudong had gone to the Taixu Divine Armor to study it.

"Master Gu, a fight is about to break out!" Zhao Congyue shouted.

At this moment, Gu Mo was squatting on the ground, gently stroking the fallen Taixu Divine Armor, and said, "We must fight, but it's still uncertain who we should fight!"

Everyone was puzzled.

Zhao Congyue quickly asked, "What do you mean, Master Gu?"

Gu Mo slowly said, "Chief Constable Zhao, do you think there might be two sets of the Taixu Divine Armor in the world?"

Everyone was shocked when Gu Mo said this.

Zhao Congyue quickly said, "Impossible. Since its birth, the Taixu Divine Armor has been imitated for hundreds of years. But it is impossible to imitate it. Not to mention that the materials for making the Taixu Divine Armor are very difficult to obtain, no one has mastered the crafting technique."

Gu Mo said, "But that's the problem. The Taixu Divine Armor is very complex. Even the people of Chunyang Temple don't understand its specific structure. So, if a master forger obtains the same hard material and makes a Taixu Divine Armor with the same appearance, and imitates the interior, as long as he can achieve the functions of the Taixu Divine Armor in a short time, no one will be able to tell the difference between the real and fake."

Zhao Congyue said in a deep voice, "Master Gu, do you mean this is fake?"

Gu Mo slowly stood up and said, "Actually, I have another identity that people in the martial arts world don't know. I am also a master of medicine. I have developed a tracking powder that can temporarily protect against water and fire, and is colorless, invisible, and odorless."

Previously, when I fought the Taixu Divine Armor, I applied my special medicinal powder to that piece of armor, but now, there's none on this piece of armor.

Gu Mo took out the powder and handed it to Zhao Congyue, saying, "Chief Constable Zhao, you can test whether my powder is genuine."

Everyone began to whisper among themselves, while Master Lingxu, who was already preparing to make a move, watched the unfolding events with a delighted expression.

Old Madam Lin said, "Master Gu, I am not questioning your medical skills, but if the other party is very careful, they could have simply disposed of your medicinal powder. It is difficult for you to prove that the Taixu Divine Armor is fake based on this alone."

Gu Mo nodded slightly and said, "That's true." Then, he slowly squatted down and gently stroked the chest area of ​​the Taixu Divine Armor, saying, "There is a scratch here, the only scratch on the Taixu Divine Armor. Do you all know how it got there?"

At this moment, Song Danyang picked up the conversation and said, "Recently, there have been rumors in the martial arts world that when you fought against the Taixu Divine Armor in Liucheng, your divine sword, the Gouchen Demon Blade, was an unparalleled divine weapon. You successfully left a mark on the Taixu Divine Armor, which had not been damaged for hundreds of years."

Gu Mo said, "That's true."

Grandma Lin asked, "Isn't there a scratch here? Could it be something different?"

"No,"

Gu Mo said, "The scratches are exactly the same. But the opponent only imitated the scratches, but doesn't understand the Gouchen Blade. To be precise, people in the martial arts world only know that my blade is called the Gouchen Demon Blade, but they don't know why it's called a demon blade. Therefore, the opponent can only imitate the scratches, but cannot imitate the demonic power of the demon blade!"

After all,

Gu Mo took the Gouchen Demon Blade from Gu Chudong and then slashed down, leaving another mark on the Taixu Divine Armor in full view of everyone, exactly the same as the previous one.

However, as Gu Mo gently brought the Gouchen Demon Blade closer, a faint, indistinct wisp of strange, blood-red demonic fire appeared on the scratch he had just made.

Immediately, an uproar erupted.

Gu Mo continued, "I could sense the presence of the Taixu Divine Armor I encountered in the Taoist temple before, so that one was real and this one is fake. So, I have a question now."

Gu Mo said to Old Madam Lin, "Old Madam, could you explain to me how you managed to use your Lin family's Shadow Chasing Scroll to track down this fake Taixu Divine Armor when you sprinkled Star Pattern Stones on the real one? And yet, this fake Taixu Divine Armor also has Star Pattern Stone powder on it?"

Old Madam Lin said in a deep voice, "You say it's fake, but that's just your side of the story. The one I tracked down is the real one. How can you prove it's fake? How can you prove there are two Taixu Divine Armors in the world?"

“Actually, it’s not difficult to prove,” Gu Mo said. “Chief Constable Zhao, immediately send a message by carrier pigeon to the people in Tang’an County to find out which important high-ranking member of the Lin family is missing. Given the importance of the Taixu Divine Armor, it’s impossible for just anyone to use it.”

Song Danyang said, "Yes, although the Taixu Divine Armor can fly, it can't fly from here to Tang'an County, nor does it dare to openly appear on the main road. If it really was the Lin family framing me, then the person controlling the Taixu Divine Armor couldn't possibly have arrived in Tang'an County before the Six Doors' flying pigeons."

Furthermore, the Taixu Divine Armor itself is very cumbersome and complex. Only those who have reached the pinnacle of internal energy cultivation can freely control and use it. Such individuals are both high-ranking and masters of internal energy cultivation; no organization has many like them. The Lin family likely has no more than ten, making them easy to trace. Even if they are out on business, their whereabouts will be traceable.

Gu Mo added, "Focus on investigating the other grandmaster of the Lin family, the former patriarch Lin Chuan."

Zhao Congyue nodded and said, "Alright, I'll send the message back now."

Gu Mo said to Old Madam Lin, "Old Madam Lin, would you mind waiting a while?"

"Just wait!"

Old Madam Lin's attitude was very firm. She walked directly up to Gu Mo, completely unfazed, and said angrily, "I'd like to see what tricks you can pull..."

Seeing Old Madam Lin's attitude, many people present began to doubt whether Gu Mo's speculation was wrong.

However, at that moment,

Suddenly, the cane in Old Madam Lin's hand trembled violently, and in an instant, countless silver threads shot out from the cane like serpents emerging from their holes, rushing towards Gu Chudong. The speed of those silver threads was astonishing, like a dense rain of pear blossoms, leaving no room for escape.

Those silk threads, like fishing nets cast by an invisible hand, twisted and turned in the air, creating several arcs that blocked all escape routes within three feet in all directions.

The silver threads made a very soft sound as they cut through the air, yet they carried a sharp, shimmering sound as if they were tearing the air apart. They gleamed with a cold, bluish light, and upon closer inspection, each thread was etched with a grain of gold foil. It was a variation of the "Rain of Pear Blossoms" technique, specifically designed to break through the protective inner energy of a martial artist.

Gu Chudong was defending with all her might, her protective aura shimmering, when countless threads, like serpents, surged towards her with overwhelming force. These threads were sharp and piercing, and in the blink of an eye, they pierced through Gu Chudong's protective aura with a crisp "sizzle".

In that instant, Gu Mo flew over, his long arm reaching out to firmly grab Gu Chudong's shoulder, using the momentum to retreat rapidly.

At the same time, he drew his sword with a backhand, let out a loud shout, and with a flash of light, an incomparably powerful flame surged forth like a raging tide, instantly engulfing the countless silk threads. The flame, carrying rolling heat waves, burned the silk threads with a sizzling sound, turning them into ashes in moments.

Seeing the situation was dire, Old Madam Lin acted decisively, hurling her cane at Gu Mo and the other man. The cane exploded in mid-air with a thunderous sound, kicking up a cloud of dust. She used the recoil to leap back ten zhang, skimming over the roof tiles and the eaves, her toes barely touching the surface before she soared into the air like a night owl.

At that moment, three grandmasters, Lingxu Zhenren, Song Danyang, and Zhao Congyue, surrounded and attacked.

(End of this chapter)