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

Chapter 216 Killing Master Ye (1.1-word chapter)
Zhao Congyue was renowned for his unparalleled leg techniques; his legs moved like phantoms, so fast that they were difficult to follow. Although Old Madam Lin had already flown several dozen feet ahead, Zhao Congyue caught up in a flash, like a ghost. His legs moved in a spinning motion, and before he even arrived, two gusts of wind struck, causing Old Madam Lin's white hair to stand on end.

When Old Madam Lin flew twelve zhang away, Zhao Congyue actually used the force in the void to step on it again. His right leg suddenly straightened like a heavy sword forged from refined iron. He twisted his body in mid-air, and his left leg was like a giant axe that split mountains. With a whooshing sound, he kicked hard at Old Madam Lin's back. Wherever the wind from the leg went, sand and stones flew up, and a huge footprint appeared in the void.

Grandma Lin calmly descended, her embroidered shoe tip lightly touching the eaves, and she drifted down to the roof ridge three zhang away like a withered leaf.

The moment she landed, she reached under her robe and took out a purple bamboo. As soon as she touched the bamboo, a blue light began to move between its joints, and in the blink of an eye, it grew into a three-foot-long umbrella.

Just then, Song Danyang's longsword arrived, its shadow transforming into twenty-four cold beams, each a sharp flying sword, like a sky full of stars, carrying a bone-chilling coldness, shooting towards Old Madam Lin. Wherever it passed, the air was slashed with white streaks, piercing twenty-four major acupoints around her body.

With a low shout, Old Madam Lin opened the umbrella. The umbrella, seemingly ordinary, actually concealed a secret. The instant it opened, an invisible force emanated, steadily blocking the countless flying swords. A series of crisp clanging sounds rang out as the swords struck the umbrella and were deflected, sparks flying and the metallic clanging as dense as a sudden downpour.

At this moment, Zhao Congyue and Song Danyang saw the Purple Bamboo Umbrella and secretly thought that something was wrong. There was a rumor in the martial arts world that Old Madam Lin had twelve kinds of peerless hidden weapons, and this Purple Bamboo Umbrella was one of them. The umbrella ribs were hollow and contained seventy-two kinds of hidden weapons.

Sure enough, she flicked the mechanism on the umbrella handle, and the umbrella suddenly spun open, sending out countless hidden weapons. Some were like twinkling stars, some like fluttering willow leaves, and some were like silver needles, all shooting towards Zhao Congyue and Song Danyang with sharp whistling sounds. The hidden weapons faintly emitted a chilling light, clearly indicating that they were coated with a deadly poison.

Seeing this, Zhao Congyue kicked repeatedly, his legs flashing as he formed an impenetrable defensive barrier, deflecting the projectiles aimed at him, but each time he narrowly escaped death. Song Danyang, on the other hand, brandished his longsword, his body radiating sword energy, shredding the approaching projectiles into fragments, sparks sizzling and emitting blue smoke as they landed on the blade.

Just as the two were in a flurry of activity, Master Lingxu's whisk finally swept over. This Taoist master's silver hair moved without wind, and the seventy-two black iron beads strung on the whisk's tassel suddenly buzzed. A surge of powerful true energy swept over the area, causing pieces of blue tiles to peel off wherever it passed.

The purple bamboo umbrella trembled violently in the shockwave, three of its ribs snapped with a "crack," and then the entire umbrella exploded into a shower of bamboo dust, like a piece of paper being crumpled by a giant hand.

Old Madam Lin groaned and flew backward, her clothes shattered by the aftershocks of her inner energy, revealing her dark gold chainmail underneath.

"You old geezer, you old scoundrel!"

Before her curses had even finished, the black ball in her palm had already smashed onto the roof.

The moment the thick smoke rose, Zhao Congyue kicked away the last hidden weapon, while Song Danyang slashed out with his sword, the sword energy swirling away. But there was no sign of Old Madam Lin. Only a half-tattered hem of her clothes could be seen floating on the roof in the distance, swaying gently in the wind.

Seeing that Old Madam Lin had vanished in an instant, Zhao Congyue was about to order the Six Doors constables to search the area when Master Lingxu suddenly moved. With a flick of his whisk, as if taking a leisurely stroll, he lightly touched the ground with his feet and, like a bird soaring through the air, landed on a rooftop in an instant.

Master Lingxu stood gracefully, whisk in hand, his gaze sharp as torches, staring intently at a seemingly ordinary pillar in the courtyard. He said loudly, “Younger sister, we’re both at an age where we should be buried. How can you still not see through this? Children and grandchildren have their own blessings. You’ve already given enough to the Lin family your whole life. In your old age, why do these things? Aren’t you afraid of ruining your reputation? It’s really not worth it!”

Before she finished speaking, the air beside the pillars suddenly seemed to be crumpled like silk, and Old Madam Lin appeared, holding a piece of cloth as thin as a cicada's wing and almost transparent. This was her top-level hidden weapon - the Heavenly Illusion Concealing Light Silk, which could conceal her figure by using light and appear and disappear without a trace.

Old Madam Lin traced the subtle silver thread pattern on the corner of the silk with her fingertips, her sneer as cold as ice: "You old Taoist, you're obsessed with pursuing tranquility and inaction, while I'm determined to secure an everlasting legacy for the Lin family. The younger generation of the Lin family is so disappointing. If I don't pave the way for their future while I'm still alive, how will they stand on their own two feet?"

"What future can Qingye Hall's actions offer? No matter how much power you secretly control, it can't be brought into the light. Once you're dead, no one in the Lin family will be able to control so much. How can you possibly whitewash it all..."

Master Lingxu paused abruptly, his expression changing slightly as he realized that Old Madam Lin's creation of the Qingye Hall likely had a deeper purpose.

Given the Lin family's situation, with the death of Old Madam Lin, they could have barely managed to survive with the help of Grandmaster Lin Chuan, though it would have been a downward spiral. However, Old Madam Lin, in her attempt to destroy Chunyang Temple, employed a series of schemes, including a self-inflicted injury plot and a chain of schemes, which ruined Lin Chuan's reputation and effectively ended his career in the martial arts world.

From Old Madam Lin's perspective, there is only one possibility: the Lin family's long-standing desire to gain control of the imperial court has finally taken a turn for the better. Therefore, she is willing to pay the price of Lin Chuan's extinction from the martial arts world, which is tantamount to cutting off the Lin family's escape route in the martial arts world.

Therefore, this explains why, if Old Madam Lin's creation of Qingye Hall succeeds, the Lin family will rise to a higher level, successfully transforming from a martial arts family into a court family, and will no longer need the martial arts world.

Therefore, Qingyetang will never need to whitewash its image.

It's always a dark glove that never sees the light of day.

"It seems that my Chunyang Temple has blocked the path of your Lin family," said Master Lingxu.

Old Madam Lin understood that Master Lingxu had seen through the meaning behind Qingye Hall, and chuckled, saying, "It's a pity that it has now failed. It's just that you, this lazy old Taoist priest, have gotten away with it and made a wedding dress for your Chunyang Temple."

Master Lingxu frowned and said, "My Chunyang Temple only cultivates the Dao."

“You think this way, but your disciples may not think the same way,” said Old Madam Lin.

"Then I'll be more careful then." Master Lingxu asked, "Young lady, are you still going to resist? Today, not to mention the hundreds of experts from the Six Doors, and the hundreds of disciples from my Chunyang Temple, even with just Master Gu, Chief Constable Zhao, and the four of us—Danyang and I—we certainly won't let you get away."

Old Madam Lin sighed and said, "We shouldn't have been so ambitious. Originally, the plan was only to ruin Abbot Song's reputation and damage Chunyang Temple's name. But when Hero Gu arrived, we had a change of heart and wanted to use Hero Gu's help to get rid of Abbot Song directly to eliminate future troubles. But we didn't expect that this one wrong decision would lead to a complete defeat!"

now,

Gu Mo also appeared on the roof and said, "So, Lin Gu and his son Lin Xiangxi were actually part of your plan. They never won against Lin Chuan from beginning to end. They were just a part of your self-inflicted injury scheme."

Old Madam Lin sighed and said, "I am sorry for what happened to them, but for the sake of the Lin family's lasting legacy, sacrifices are always inevitable."

Gu Mo felt a pang of sympathy. The father and son, Lin Gu and Lin Xiangxi, were truly pitiful. From beginning to end, they were merely pawns discarded by Old Madam Lin and Lin Chuan. It seemed that they had cooperated with Qingye Hall to bring down Lin Chuan, but in reality, it was just a part of Old Madam Lin's plan to clear her name and successfully frame Song Danyang for Qingye Hall. They never won from start to finish; to be precise, they were never even at the table.

"So the Puppet Pill is fake too?" Gu Mo asked.

Old Madam Lin chuckled and said, "If I had that thing, why would I have gone through such a complicated process? Wouldn't it have been simpler to just control Song Danyang directly?"

At this point,
Gu Mo and the others have already sorted out the cause and effect of the matter.

The Lin family flourished under the leadership of Old Madam Lin, but the lack of successors prevented the family from transforming itself from a martial arts family to a court family, and it may even gradually decline.

It is likely that Old Madam Lin reached a cooperation agreement with a powerful figure in the imperial court, or rather, joined the ranks of that powerful figure. This led to the creation of the Qingye Hall, where she secretly controlled various forces in Cangzhou step by step, making them work for the Qingye Hall.

Those assassins must have been sent by that important figure to help. After all, such assassins are not something a martial arts family that has only been prosperous for a few decades could cultivate.

Now, Qingye Hall may have reached a critical stage in its development. Chunyang Temple, as the number one martial arts force in Cangzhou, has become an obstacle for Qingye Hall. Therefore, Old Madam Lin is plotting to bring down Chunyang Temple.

To avoid being discovered, she started with a self-inflicted injury, first causing Lin Chuan and Lin Xiangdong to fall from power, then using the Qingye Hall of Beijun as bait to expose Lin Gu and Lin Xiangxi, and then gradually leading the way to frame Song Danyang for the identity of the Qingye Hall.

This matter should have been planned for ten years, with Xuan Songzi being bribed. Of course, it is also possible that Xuan Songzi was an undercover agent planted in Chunyang Temple by Old Madam Lin from the very beginning.

Xuan Songzi had already hidden the fake Taixu Divine Armor inside the statue back then, and it's also possible that he secretly hid the fake Taixu Divine Armor inside over the years, gradually finding opportunities to do so.

This was planned many years ago, probably even before Qingye Hall was established and had yet to make its mark on the martial arts world. Because of Chunyang Temple's status in Cangzhou, Qingye Hall would eventually need to destroy Chunyang Temple if it wanted to completely control the martial arts world of Cangzhou.

The plan is actually quite good.
If things proceed as planned, Song Danyang will be disgraced and universally condemned. Chunyang Temple will also be implicated and subjected to a thorough investigation by the Six Doors, losing its reputation and prestige. This would allow Qingye Hall's plan to control the Cangzhou martial arts world to advance further.

just,

Perhaps because things had gone too smoothly for so long, Old Madam Lin became somewhat arrogant and lost her sense of awe.

Upon seeing Gu Mo arrive in Cangzhou, they unexpectedly added a new plan: to use the lecherous Shangguan Shang as bait to lure Gu Mo to stay. The capture of Shangguan Shang was also part of Old Madam Lin's plan; if he wasn't captured, they would arrange for another surviving person, so it wouldn't affect the plan—they only needed to successfully keep Gu Mo there.

Taking advantage of Gu Mo's obsession with catching wanted criminals, they gradually led him to Shi Nan Mountain.

Meanwhile, the appearance of Xuancheng Daoist in Liucheng further complicated matters, as it was seen as part of Song Danyang's plan to sabotage the Six Doors, thus increasing suspicion against Song Danyang.

In Old Madam Lin's plan
Gu Mo is dispensable and won't affect her plans. After all, if she falls into the trap, he'll become a tool in her hands, helping her kill Song Danyang. She's very familiar with Lingxu Zhenren and knows he'll definitely protect Song Danyang. She and Zhao Congyue alone can't kill Song Danyang, but with Gu Mo's help, the chances of success are much higher.

If Gu Mo doesn't fall into the trap and leaves Cangzhou, it won't affect her plans. However, she's completely unsure if she can kill Song Danyang under Lingxu Zhenren's protection and still bring down Chunyang Temple.

However, what she never expected was that Gu Mo, whom she thought was insignificant and wouldn't affect the plan, would ultimately cause her plan to completely collapse.

If it weren't for Gu Mo, even if Song Danyang had escaped and sought the help of the Imperial Advisor Zhang Daoyi to protect her, even if she had been cleared of suspicion, no one would have suspected her. Who would suspect that the Lin family, which had almost fallen into ruin after losing two heads of the Qingye Hall, was actually controlling Qingye Hall from behind?
……

"Ugh!"

At this moment, Master Lingxu sighed again and asked, "Young lady, why don't you stop here? You have the Imperial Golden Mace; perhaps you still have a way out!"

Old Madam Lin shook her head and said, "You're already so old, you can't possibly go to the Six Doors to be humiliated again, can you? You old Taoist, if you were to end up like me, would you be willing to suffer the humiliation of imprisonment just to survive?"

Master Lingxu sighed softly.

Old Madam Lin chuckled softly, but there was no hint of amusement in her eyes. She said, "Old Taoist, we live in the same era, and for so many years you've always been one step ahead of me, which I accept wholeheartedly. In martial arts, I am indeed inferior to you, but I have studied hidden weapons for many years. Today, I want to see if my hidden weapons can bridge the gap between us in martial arts!" With that, she spread her hands, revealing two palm-sized bronze plaques in her palms, engraved with mysterious runes and faintly glowing. "This is called the Yin-Yang Fish Shuttle, my second most prized creation. Old Taoist, do you dare to take this attack?"

"please!"

Master Lingxu's expression was solemn. He gently waved his hand, signaling Zhao Congyue and the others, along with the Six Doors constables and many Chunyang Temple disciples, to disperse and retreat far away to avoid being caught in the crossfire.

Even the three grandmasters, Gu Mo, Song Danyang, and Zhao Congyue, took a slight step back, becoming extremely vigilant. After all, the name of Old Madam Lin as a grandmaster of hidden weapons was very renowned; for decades, only Master Lingxu in the entire Cangzhou had been able to surpass her.

The essence of a master of hidden weapons lies in the word "hidden." No one knows exactly how unpredictable or powerful their hidden weapons are, especially those that can be displayed openly. If they dare to show their hidden weapons even without the advantage of surprise, they must be extremely powerful.

Gu Mo never underestimated hidden weapons, because Gu Chudong had a hidden weapon called the Thousand Machine Box, which was known as the fifth best in the world. He had seen it before and knew that it was definitely capable of killing a grandmaster.

Modern people are not necessarily inferior to ancient people.

Although the Thousand-Mechanism Box is powerful, technology has been constantly advancing over the past few centuries. Especially for someone as brilliant as Old Madam Lin, who combines the wisdom of her predecessors to create something that surpasses theirs, it is quite normal.

Just like the martial arts of today, which are generally stronger than those of the past, because martial arts have been continuously optimized as they have been passed down, combining the wisdom and experience of generation after generation.

The same martial art will inevitably become stronger and more perfect over time. Of course, this doesn't apply if it is lost or its lineage is interrupted.

At this moment, as Old Madam Lin was about to unleash her hidden weapon, everyone became alert and focused.

Master Lingxu accepted the challenge at the very front.

Gu Mo and the others didn't go too far, especially Song Danyang, who was ready to provide support at any time. After all, although Master Lingxu accepted the duel, it didn't mean that he would have to fight to the bitter end if he lost.

In an instant, many disciples of Chunyang Temple and constables from the Six Doors retreated.

Gu Mo was about to remind Gu Chudong, but when he sensed her presence, he couldn't find her. Just then, he heard Gu Chudong transmit her voice: "Brother, don't worry about me. I've already run to the gate of Chunyang Temple. Even if you destroy the whole mountain, I'll be fine!"

Gu Mo: “…”

There's no need to worry. My sister has always been very conscientious and never holds me back.

……

In an instant, Old Madam Lin moved. She suddenly raised her hands, and the Yin-Yang Fish Shuttle transformed into two streams of light, one black and one white, shooting out with a whistling wind.

Wherever the black shuttle passed, the air seemed to be cut by a sharp blade, making a "sizzling" sound, the surrounding temperature dropped sharply, and everything it touched instantly condensed into a layer of frost.

The white shuttle, carrying with it a wave of heat, shone brightly, like a rainbow under the blazing sun. Along its path, flames roared, turning the bricks and stones on the ground red-hot and sizzling with heat.

The two shuttles intertwined in the air, their trajectories unpredictable, sometimes merging into one, sometimes moving left and right, making it impossible to predict their attack routes. Wherever the Yin shuttle passed, the air within three zhang condensed into ice mist, and even the copper bells on the eaves were covered in frost; the Yang shuttle, however, was wrapped in crimson flames, melting the tiles upon contact. The two light shuttles overlapped in the air, creating the illusory image of a yin-yang fish, which actually locked the area within ten zhang around Lingxu Zhenren into a dead zone.

Lingxu Zhenren's expression finally changed. He flicked his whisk, and seventy-two silver threads stretched straight like zither strings. Each thread was wrapped with translucent true energy, which was the "Zhou Tian Fu Xue Jin" that made him famous.

Immediately, Old Madam Lin made a hand gesture.
As soon as the silver net caught the yin-yang shuttle, a "sizzling" sound was heard. The yin shuttle froze, causing the silver threads to turn blue, while the yang shuttle burned, causing the silk tail to emit blue smoke.

Master Lingxu's pupils contracted slightly, and he took a step back. Then, with a flick of his whisk, it transformed into thousands of silver threads, resembling a magnificent waterfall cascading down from the heavens, completely blocking his path. The moment the silver threads of the whisk touched the Yin-Yang Fish Shuttle, a series of dense metallic clanging sounds rang out, sparks flying everywhere.

The black shuttle collided with the silver thread, and frost spread rapidly, attempting to freeze the whisk; the white shuttle, on the other hand, rubbed fiercely against the silver thread, flames licking at each strand.

Master Lingxu's expression was solemn, his true energy surging and continuously channeling to his whisk to resist the new and fierce attack of the Yin-Yang Fish Shuttle. After a moment of stalemate, Master Lingxu suddenly roared, and his true energy erupted like a raging tsunami.

The silver threads of the whisk shone brightly, and with a sudden jolt, they abruptly halted the Yin-Yang Fish Shuttle's attack. Immediately afterward, the silver threads, like nimble long snakes, swiftly coiled around the Yin-Yang Fish Shuttle and twisted it forcefully.

With two crisp "clicks," the yin-yang fish shuttle instantly dimmed.

Old Madam Lin felt a tightness in her chest, spat out a mouthful of blood, and was sent flying backward like a kite with a broken string. Seeing this, Master Lingxu didn't hesitate. He lightly touched the ground with his toes and rushed towards Old Madam Lin like a ghost, intending to capture her in one fell swoop. Suddenly, he felt the air pressure above his head drop sharply. Looking up, he saw a huge red shadow pressing down—a tall, red-armored iron man. A dark red light leaked from the gaps in his armor. Before his feet even touched the ground, spiderweb-like cracks appeared on the earth.

"The Divine Armor of the Void!"

Before Lingxu Zhenren could think, his whisk transformed into a shield of light to meet the attack. In an instant, the heavens and earth seemed to tremble, and a deafening roar, like thunder, exploded in their ears. The shockwave surged and churned, spreading wildly outwards from the two of them, shattering the bricks and stones on the ground and turning the blue tiles into dust that flew up into the air.

Under the powerful impact, Master Lingxu was sent flying backward several feet like a falling leaf. When he regained his footing, he found that the whisk in his hand had been smashed to pieces, leaving it in tatters and a mess.

The red-armored iron man stood firmly on the spot, the mechanical clicking sound coming from his chest cavity, and two ghostly lights in his eye sockets slowly turned towards the fallen Old Madam Lin.

Old Madam Lin leaned against the broken wall, coughing, and looked at the red-armored iron man, saying, "Lin Chuan, why... haven't you left yet?"

The red-armored iron man spoke in a deep voice: "Grandma, if you go to the capital alive, the Lin family can still be saved. If I live, the Lin family will be just me, and that will be meaningless."

Old Madam Lin sighed and didn't say anything more. After all, Lin Chuan had already appeared wearing the Taixu Divine Armor, so there was no point in saying anything more.

The red-armored iron man spoke again: "Grandma, leave these people to me, and you can find a chance to leave."

At this moment, on the rooftop,
Gu Mo hurriedly said to Zhao Congyue, "Chief Constable Zhao, immediately order your Six Doors men to prepare the Fish and Dragon Battle Formation. Under no circumstances should this Taixu Divine Armor be allowed to escape again!"

As soon as Gu Mo finished speaking, the red-armored iron man stepped forward, pointed a huge iron finger at Gu Mo, and said, "Gu Mo, if I hadn't been thinking of using you before, would you really think I couldn't beat you and that's why I ran away from you twice?"

Gu Mo did not speak.

The red-armored iron man beckoned to Gu Mo with his finger and said, "Come here, let me kill you!"

For a moment, the atmosphere was very oppressive and somber.

Zhao Congyue gave a signal, and many of the Six Doors constables took out the fish-dragon iron chains they had prepared beforehand and quickly surrounded the area from all sides, ready to activate the fish-dragon battle formation at any time.

Master Lingxu threw away the tattered whisk in his hand, then reached out and pulled a sword enshrined on a statue several feet away into his hand. This was the Chunyang Sword, a famous divine weapon in the martial arts world, passed down for two hundred years by the Chunyang Temple.

Lingxu Zhenren's sword was the first to strike. He twirled his longsword into a flourish, aiming straight for the red-armored iron man's throat. The sword strike was fierce, accompanied by a whistling sound.

The iron man seemed oblivious, his iron hands like pincers, neither dodging nor avoiding, and firmly grasped Lingxu Zhenren's sword.

In an instant, sword energy surged forth, crisscrossing and surging, sending sand and gravel flying. He gripped the blade directly, letting the sword energy explode in his palm, cracking the bluestone slab inch by inch, yet he remained as steady as an iron tower, even letting a few sparks escape from between his fingers. Song Danyang followed closely behind, his longsword thrusting diagonally towards his waist. The Iron Man flipped his left wrist, gripping the sword like a straw. The master and apprentice each exerted their strength, and the blade trembled with a buzzing sound between their iron hands, yet ultimately could not penetrate even an inch.

The air suddenly tore apart.

Zhao Congyue appeared like a ghost, his right leg taut like an iron whip, kicking the iron man in the chest with immense force. As the wind from his leg swept past, the copper bells on the eaves rang in unison—this master of legwork truly lived up to his reputation; the red-armored iron man was sent flying several feet backward, his iron body crashing into a pillar, scattering rubble everywhere, yet leaving two deep gashes as he landed.

Gu Mo descended from the sky at that very moment.

The Gouchen Demon Blade was enveloped in raging crimson flames, its blade patterned as if alive. Even before the blade arrived, the heat was already searing one's face. This strike had been brewing for a long time; the blade's light cleaved through the void, leaving a scarlet trail in the air. The Iron Man dodged to the side, but the blade struck his shoulder heavily. Sparks flew onto the blue bricks, hissing and emitting white smoke, and a foot-long gash was cleaved into his Taixu Divine Armor.

The red-armored iron man brought his arms together, his iron palms clamping the blade like vises, and kicked Gu Mo in the stomach. Gu Mo, his blade restrained, did not retreat but advanced, gripping the blade with both hands and flipping backward in mid-air, his clothes billowing like sails.

In that split second, the demonic blade shattered into a stream of fire as if it were alive. Thousands of fragments tore through the void and then suddenly condensed in front of Gu Mo. The blade's momentum did not decrease but increased. The second strike had already cleaved into the iron man's chest, exploding into a series of sparks. This strike was powerful and heavy. The red-armored iron man was cleaved and staggered backward. Long scratches appeared on his chest.

Lingxu Zhenren and Song Danyang seized the opportunity to pounce.

Although their longswords couldn't pierce the divine armor, they specifically targeted the openings Gu Mo had created, their sword tips like serpents flicking their tongues, aiming precisely at the wounds. Zhao Congyue was like a persistent, insidious affliction, his body shifting left and right, his leg shadows falling like a torrential downpour, kicking the iron man back repeatedly, each step leaving a crater in the ground. Gu Mo's blade strikes grew increasingly fierce, each strike chasing the iron man's weaknesses, each strike faster and more ruthless than the last. The flaws and blade marks on the red-armored iron man multiplied, and the cracks in the divine armor spread like a spiderweb.

Under the siege of the four grandmasters, the red-armored iron man gradually became only able to parry, with no power to fight back.

Just then, copper eggs suddenly flew out from Old Madam Lin's sleeve. Five objects, each the size of a walnut, landed in the five wells, causing the water to boil instantly, with water columns shooting into the sky and exploding into a rain of water in mid-air.

Water droplets fluttered and fell, and the Iron Man suddenly seemed to change his appearance. His already slow movements suddenly accelerated. Just as Zhao Congyue kicked out from the side, he saw the Iron Man swing his iron arm horizontally, and the wind from his fist brought a sharp whistle. With a muffled bang, Zhao Congyue's chest armor shattered, and blood mixed with rainwater splashed everywhere. He was smashed through the carved window.

The Iron Man's figure flashed and disappeared.

Song Danyang's longsword missed its mark, and just as Lingxu Zhenren was about to withdraw his attack, a strong gust of wind arrived from behind.

The two men spun around and unleashed both palms simultaneously, striking the iron man's iron fist. Their internal energy collided like surging waves, causing the roof tiles to fall in a flurry. Even though both were masters of internal energy with profound inner strength, they were still sent flying several steps backward, their backs slamming against the screen wall, where spiderweb-like cracks appeared on the blue bricks.

As Gu Mo's blade cleaved through the air, the iron man was already behind him. Just as the fist's wind reached his body, Gu Mo swung his demonic blade horizontally, and the dragon-shaped true energy in his other palm suddenly erupted. With a dragon's roar, the crimson dragon and the iron fist collided with a deafening crash.

The shockwave ripped off the roof tiles, sending both of them flying backward. Gu Mo crashed into the courtyard wall, but as he landed, he used the momentum to spin around, his demon sword flashing with fiery colors in his hand, and the cracks on the blade slowly healing in the firelight.

Rain poured down on the iron armor, trickling down the deep and shallow knife marks. Unbeknownst to them, this seemingly battered iron body was now emitting the clicking sounds of its mechanisms turning, as if some slumbering ferocity was being awakened by blood and war.

Song Danyang and Lingxu Zhenren exchanged a glance, both seeing the doubt in each other's eyes.

Because the Taixu Divine Armor was originally a treasured heirloom of their Chunyang Temple, they were very clear about its power and knew it couldn't possibly be so fast.

"No, it's this water!"

Lingxu Zhenren realized that Old Madam Lin wouldn't do something meaningless. Just now, the Red Armor Iron Man was already at a disadvantage and about to fail, but the moment the artificially created rain fell, the Red Armor Iron Man suddenly became extremely agile and fast.

"Sister Lin, you truly are a genius," Master Lingxu sighed and said, "The Taixu Divine Armor with its five elements of metal and earth is already very strong, yet you have managed to add the water element to it!"

Old Madam Lin's lips curved into a slight smile, as faint as a raindrop about to fall from the eaves. She didn't speak, but simply rested her head on the shoulder of the red-armored iron man and gently tapped the back of the iron man's neck armor with her fingertips.

The heavy rain pounded on the divine armor, creating a shower of silver sparks. Suddenly, the red-armored iron man transformed into a streak of iron-gray light, skimming across the bluestone slabs. In the instant he passed by, he left a half-inch deep skid mark on the ground. When he looked up again, he was already twenty feet away, moving with lightning speed.

"Formation!"

Upon seeing this, Zhao Congyue made a decisive decision and gave an order.

The constables who had been lying in ambush on the rooftop simultaneously shook their hands, and dozens of fish-dragon iron chains burst out of the wind. The red copper tiger heads at the ends of the chains opened their mouths wide and intertwined in mid-air to form a net-like ancient array. The black iron talismans embedded in the array's eye gleamed coldly, actually condensing the rainwater within a radius of ten feet into mid-air.

With a flick of his iron arm, the red-armored iron man stretched the iron chains into a straight line, each chain bursting with tiny sparks. The blue bricks on the ground cracked like a spider web, forcefully expanding and stretching the fish-dragon battle formation cage. The iron chains were stretched taut, making creaking sounds, as if they would break at any moment.

But the next moment, Song Danyang and Lingxu Zhenren acted quickly. The instant their palms were placed on the center of the formation, the cage burst out with dazzling golden light. The inner force of the two grandmasters flowed along the iron chains, actually reducing the expanding cage by three feet.

Master Lingxu, his white hair flying, cried out hoarsely, "Hero Gu, this Taixu Divine Armor has a major weakness: its energy storage has an upper limit. At this moment, the armor's power must be almost exhausted. Let's attack together and deplete its power. Otherwise, given its strength and speed, breaking through the armor will be as difficult as ascending to heaven, Hero Gu!"

His palm rested on the iron chain, and the flowing golden river pattern was faintly visible beneath his clothes.

The art of internal energy cultivation emphasizes a slow and steady flow. At this moment, the two rivers of true energy flowing into the battle formation are even more enduring and profound than when fighting alone.

Internal energy cultivation and the true essence of martial arts each have their own merits and demerits. Internal energy cultivation emphasizes long-term sustainability, like a gentle stream that flows continuously, but relatively speaking, it lacks explosive power.

Just like Song Danyang and Lingxu Zhenren, they were able to fight against this armor for several days and nights, but it was extremely difficult to break through the armor quickly.

If Qi Tianshu were here, with his profound understanding of the true meaning of martial arts, he could break through this divine armor in just a few moves if he found the right opportunity to strike.

However, this does not mean that the true essence of martial arts is entirely superior to the path of internal energy cultivation. The true essence of martial arts emphasizes a single, decisive strike; if one fails to seize the opportunity, one can only passively endure attacks. If one fails to kill the enemy in a burst of energy, or is surrounded, then the situation becomes extremely dangerous.

……

At this moment, with the addition of Song Danyang and Lingxu Zhenren, the Red-Armored Iron Man was completely suppressed. If Gu Mo were to join the battle, the Red-Armored Iron Man would likely only be able to struggle like a trapped beast.

Seeing this, Old Madam Lin's face showed despair.

Unexpectedly, a bolt of purple lightning suddenly flashed across the sky, and the already gloomy sky was instantly engulfed in a torrential downpour. Large raindrops pounded on the bluestone slabs, splashing up a mist that was about an inch high.

"Hahaha... even God is on my side!"

The red-armored iron man let out a wild laugh, the sound carrying far through the rain.

Old Madam Lin also showed a happy expression.

Upon seeing the heavy rain, Song Danyang and the others' expressions changed drastically.

They knew exactly what the rain meant for the Red Armor Iron Man, so they worked even harder to channel their inner energy, trying to trap him completely.

As expected, the mere artificial rain had already greatly increased the Red Armor Iron Man's combat power, let alone the torrential rain that was now falling from the sky.

In an instant, the red-armored iron man unleashed terrifying power. It roared to the sky and pulled hard with both arms. Suddenly, the iron man's arms burst with light that was about a foot high. The golden light on each iron chain was shattered. With a "crack" sound, dozens of iron chains flew like broken strings. Some constables could not dodge in time and their shoulder armor was directly dented by the iron chains.

Song Danyang blocked Iron Man's punch with both palms, but felt as if his palms had hit a galloping horse. He flew backward, plowing five deep furrows in the ground. Zhao Congyue's leg shadow slashed at Iron Man's waist and abdomen like a knife, but he was hit in the chest by an elbow hammer instead. He coughed up blood mist and tasted sweetness in his throat.

The red-armored iron man, carrying Old Madam Lin on his back, turned to leave, only to see Gu Mo already standing in the rain, the Gouchen Demon Blade hanging by his side. Within three feet of the blade, the rainwater evaporated into white mist before it even reached him, and the crimson flame patterns on the blade seemed to move like living things, making half of his body glow red.

"You can't stop me." Iron Man's voice was tinged with hysteria.

Gu Mo shook his head slightly and said, "I've already discovered a weakness in this armor, so it's time to break it!"

When Gu Mo looked up, raindrops were sliding down his forehead.

The veins on the back of his hand holding the knife bulged, but his knuckles were white and shiny. The blade suddenly emitted a buzzing sound, which was even clearer than the sound of rain.

Before the sword was even moved, the scabbard trembled.

Gu Mo's toes dug into the cracks in the bricks, his waist suddenly twisting in a strange arc. As the demonic blade was drawn, it brought with it a spiraling force, turning the rainwater within three feet into a fiery dragon. The moment the blade cleaved through the rain, the ground cracked open with a gap about an inch wide. The fire energy followed the blade's momentum and seeped into the blue bricks. The entire ground sank half an inch as if its sinews had been removed. The iron man's left foot, which had been stepping forward, suddenly lost its footing, and his armor emitted a piercing scraping sound.

His figure moved like lightning, his blade flashing, each strike containing boundless power and exquisite swordsmanship.

The Eight Techniques of Heavenly Blade consist of ten strikes each, totaling eighty strikes.

At this moment, Gu Mo's sword moved like a celestial being riding the wind, amidst rosy clouds and shadows, displaying countless expressions.

When the sword strikes, the heavens and earth seem to shrink by three-tenths.

The Gouchen Demon Blade danced in Gu Mo's hands like an inverted Milky Way. Sparks flew three feet high as the back of the blade struck the seams of his armor. Each strike was as smooth as an old tea drinker warming a teapot, or as boiling water being poured over a porcelain surface. Yet, each strike carried a ruthless intent to cleave through the eight wastelands.

The gilded patterns on the red-armored iron golem shattered into dust in the wind of the blades, the sound of armor plates clashing mingling with the clang of the swords. When the blade cleaved through the rain and mist, it was as if a galaxy had been sliced ​​apart, even causing the morning light filtering through the gaps in the armor to condense into the shape of a blade.
The armor is broken!
The world was silent, save for the sound of swords clashing like the roar of a dragon.

Where the blade flashed, half of the Taotie pattern on the iron man's armor was gouged out, and molten gold flowed down the blade mark, making it look like the iron man was bleeding.

As Gu Mo sheathed his sword, he shattered half a brick. The sword energy hadn't dissipated yet, and the sword strikes flowed seamlessly, one after another.

The blade light seemed to pierce through time and space, surging towards the red-armored iron man with a world-destroying momentum.

At that moment, it seemed that only the glint of swords remained between heaven and earth.

It felt like a long time had passed, yet it also felt like only a moment had gone by.

at this moment,
No one could see how many times Gu Mo stabbed.

But Gu Mo knew that he had made eighty cuts.

In fact, he had another strike, the ninth strike above the Eight Heavenly Blade Techniques. That strike was earth-shattering and awe-inspiring; no one had ever seen it, hence the name Supreme Heavenly Blade.

However, this red-armored iron man was clearly not qualified to witness that strike!

The moment Gu Mo sheathed his sword, the whole world seemed to fall silent, except for the rain. Rainwater dripped down his scarred forehead, scalding shallow pits into the ground.

The red-armored iron man stood frozen in place as rainwater seeped in through the cracks in his armor. First, the armor plates on his shoulders fell to the ground with a clatter, and then the cracks on his chest, arms, and legs spread like a spider web. With a "boom," the entire divine armor exploded into hundreds of burning iron pieces, scattering like falling petals.

Lin Chuan curled up amidst the shattered armor, blood gushing from a hole in his chest, his eyes filled with resentment as he looked at Gu Mo: "You... your martial arts essence... is actually... this strong..."

"I didn't use my full strength!" Gu Mo said calmly.

Lin Chuan's eyes widened in disbelief. Rain washed away the shattered armor on the ground, and his vision gradually blurred. Before he died, he only saw Gu Mo's back as he sheathed his sword. That back was more desolate than the green mountains in the rain, and colder than the embers on the sword.

At this moment,
A system notification sounded in Gu Mo's mind:

[Slaying a six-star wanted criminal (1/2)]

……

Immediately,

Gu Mo turned his gaze to Old Madam Lin, who was lying in a pool of blood.

Although his Heavenly Blade Eight Techniques were mainly used to break the Taixu Divine Armor, even the mere impact was enough to leave the already severely injured Old Madam Lin on the verge of death, unable to move. She looked at Zhao Congyue and said weakly, "Zhao... Chief Constable Zhao... the Lin family... only Lin Chuan and I are connected to the Qingye Hall. Others... even Lin Gu and Lin Xiangxi don't know anything about it, not even my mute servant who has been pretending to be deaf and dumb for decades to monitor the Lin family... could you... give the Lin family a way out?"

Gu Mo and the others believed what Old Madam Lin said.

For Old Madam Lin to have made Lin Gu a pawn without his knowledge, she must have kept it extremely well-hidden. It's unclear whether only the two of them were involved, but the number was definitely small. Old Madam Lin would also act like she had a split personality, constantly putting on an act, even in front of the most loyal people. Because her stakes were the entire Lin family, she dared not slacken her guard; anyone could become her pawn.

Previously, when Gu Mo and Zhao Congyue investigated Lin Gu, Old Madam Lin, in order to make her self-inflicted injury scheme seem plausible, claimed that she had some suspicions and took Zhao Congyue to meet her loyal mute servant who had been pretending to be deaf and mute for many years. That person had been monitoring the Lin family's movements for her.

If such loyal people are kept in the dark, then naturally not many people know the truth. Otherwise, it would have been impossible to hide it so well, keeping both the Six Doors and the righteous path of the martial arts world in the dark.

At this moment, Zhao Congyue wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, walked over slowly, and said calmly, "Everything is to be judged by the law, not by me. The laws of the Great Qian Dynasty will not wrongly kill the innocent, nor will they let the guilty go free."

Old Madam Lin gave a bitter smile, her mouth slightly open as if she wanted to say something, but no words came out because her mouth was blocked with blood. Her eyes held no desire to live, only pleading. After a long while, she finally managed to utter a faint sound towards Gu Mo: "Kill me...please...kill me..."

They are all people at the top of the martial arts world.

Gu Mo understood what Old Madam Lin meant.

No one who has been a prominent figure in the martial arts world for decades can accept being judged before their death.

However, given the current situation, Zhao Congyue, as a government official, had to follow the rules. For someone like Old Madam Lin, he could only arrest her, not kill her. As for Song Danyang and Master Lingxu, both cultivators, they would never kill someone who had lost all power and couldn't even move.

Therefore, Gu Mo is the only one at the scene who is most likely to help her leave with dignity.

Because Gu Mo had no scruples, and was originally the ghostwriter.

Gu Mo did not hesitate and swung his knife directly.

A bloody gash appeared on Old Madam Lin's neck, and she instantly lost her life.

At this moment,
The system notification sounded in Gu Mo's mind once again:
[Slay a six-star wanted criminal (2/2)]

[Received a six-star reward - max level innate qi]

[Whether to receive it]

……

In an instant, Gu Mo's sea of ​​consciousness gained more knowledge about innate qi, as if he had cultivated for many years, step by step, to the point of perfect mastery of innate qi.

This is a martial art that is almost perfect.

It is considered perfect because it possesses an absolute protective aura in defense, leaving no flaws in any direction; ordinary swords and blades are shattered upon contact with the aura, and there is also an energy rebound, with the rebound effect being greater the stronger the attacker; it is also immune to the environment and can resist special attacks such as the Golden Silkworm Gu poison and the dual heaven of ice and fire.

Secondly, it possesses both perfect defense and formidable offensive power. Its qi can be released externally, using palm force to generate shockwaves with a diameter of over ten zhang (approximately 33 meters); this qi can also transform into physical qi blades capable of piercing armor and injuring people.

Besides being a combination of offense and defense, innate qi also possesses many special abilities. When cultivated to a high level, it can transform the natural qi of heaven and earth into its own, and can also be used to protect the body, expel poison, promote tissue regeneration and stop bleeding, heal injuries and cure diseases. When injured, it can quickly heal itself and stop bleeding instantly.

(End of this chapter)