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

Chapter 229 The Heavenly Will and the Four Symbols Technique (9.4k long chapter, please vote for me)
Linhai City, the backyard of the government office.

Gu Chudong was squatting under the eaves eating her meal, not because anyone was making things difficult for her and wouldn't let her sit at the table, but because she was bored eating alone. It was raining heavily outside, so she went outside to watch the rain.

It has been six or seven days since she returned from Yanluo County. In these few days, she could clearly feel that the Linhai government office was very oppressive, and Pei Yuanzhen was extremely busy.

However, it had nothing to do with her. She stayed in the courtyard every day and never went out. Apart from practicing her swordsmanship, she would check on the large silkworm cocoon in the house to see if Gu Mo had come out.

However, nothing has happened yet.

Fortunately, although Pei Yuanzhen was very busy, he still managed to handle the bounty matter for her. Although the bodies of the brute and Su Meiniang were taken away, there were many witnesses from the Six Doors at the time. Although the process was a bit complicated, she could still collect the bounty.

Therefore, Gu Chudong judged Pei Yuan to be a good person, and the standard for her evaluation was, of course, that he could help her collect money.

Because he knew that many people in the martial arts world who tried to impersonate others ended up wasting their time because there was no body to verify their identity.

In fact, she was already very wealthy, with tens of thousands of taels of silver in cash, more than most rich merchants had in cash. But she still loved money. The only thing that made her unhappy was that she couldn't share her joy of receiving the money with her brother.

The heavy rain was still falling.

Gu Chudong heard noisy footsteps outside the courtyard, but she paid no attention, because she had heard that a high-ranking official from the imperial court was coming today. But what did it have to do with her?

Even if the emperor came...

If the emperor were to come, one could still sneak a peek to satisfy their curiosity.

Gu Chudong was quickly shoveling rice into her bowl when she suddenly heard a woman's voice from outside: "Chudong, Chudong, Gu Chudong, Gu Chudong!"

Gu Chudong raised her head blankly and heard a group of noisy footsteps coming towards her. Soon, she saw a young woman walk in, followed by a large group of people.

The girl was none other than Princess Li Li of Chengyang, with whom she had spent a few days in the northern desert.

Li Li was wearing a light blue floral dress, with a maid holding an umbrella for her. She kept calling out "Gu Chudong" as she entered the room. Then, she saw Gu Chudong sitting on the threshold, holding a basin in her left hand and a pair of... chopsticks in her right hand.
"Early winter!"

Ignoring the maids chasing after her, Li Li ran towards Gu Chudong in three steps at a time. Then she saw that the "basin" in Gu Chudong's hand was actually filled with food. She asked in surprise, "Is this a bowl?"

"Mmm!" Gu Chudong nodded.

"Wow, you're amazing!" Li Li exclaimed, her eyes sparkling. "Chu Dong, you're incredible! Even eating is amazing! I want to learn from you!"

Gu Chudong swallowed the rice in her mouth and said, "You don't need to learn this. Just find a big bowl to serve the rice yourself."

"Oh, that's how it is!"

Li Li bent down and patted the dust off the threshold, then slowly sat down next to Gu Chudong.

The maidservant beside her quickly said, "Princess, you can't sit like that..."

Li Li pouted, rolled her eyes at the maid, and moved her buttocks to the side, getting closer to Gu Chudong. She muttered and complained, "Chudong, I've written you so many letters, and you only replied once at the beginning of the year!"

Gu Chudong buried her head in her food and ate quickly, saying without looking up, "I haven't been home since I left at the beginning of the year, and I haven't received the letters you wrote to me."

"Oh, okay, then I won't be angry anymore!" Li Li said.

Gu Chudong said with her head down, "It's no use getting angry. Um, by the way, what brings you here?"

“I came here specifically to see you,” Li Li said. “Your brother recently did something big, didn’t he? Now the whole court knows that a ruthless man named Gu Mo killed Mr. Dongjing.”

This matter has caused quite a stir, and the imperial court has dispatched an inspection team to investigate. The head of the team is Yang Yanqing, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, and the deputy is Ye Jinglan, the Director of the Arrest Bureau. Ye Jinglan is a good friend of my second brother; I learned of your presence from him, so I came with him.”

Gu Chudong looked up, puzzled, and asked, "Ye Jinglan?"

“Hehe,” Li Li grinned, “It’s that Ye Jinglan you know. He told me that he and your brother are friends, and you fought side by side in Qingzhou. Hmm, he got beaten up pretty badly back then.”

Gu Chudong asked suspiciously, "Is he really that honest? He even told me he was beaten."

Li Li nodded and said, "He is a very honest man. In less than a year since he came to the capital, he has offended countless people, but my second brother and the emperor both admire him. The emperor has repeatedly promoted him beyond the usual ranks. In less than a year, he went from a commoner to a fifth-rank official in the Bureau of Arrests."

"Wow, that's amazing!"

Gu Chudong didn't understand the hierarchy of officialdom very well, but through frequent contact with Zhuo Qingfeng, she knew a little bit about it. Even with Zhuo Qingfeng's powerful background, it still took him twenty years to become a fourth-rank official, which was considered quite fast.

Ye Jinglan has almost caught up with Zhuo Qingfeng in less than a year, and he is also a high-ranking official in the capital, so he must be very powerful.

"Hey, I heard your brother turned into an egg, is that true? Can you take me to see him?" Li Li asked expectantly.

Gu Chudong said irritably, "Your brother is the one who's turned into an egg. That's a very profound martial art. Forget it, you wouldn't understand even if I told you. I'm not showing it to you."

"Let me see it..."

"No."

"I'm a princess!"

"The princess won't let us see either; she says she won't let us see, and that's final!"

"..."

Li Li pleaded and begged for most of the day, but Gu Chudong still wouldn't agree to let Li Li see Gu Mo's silkworm cocoon state, which made Li Li stomp her feet in anger.

This also left the maids and guards who came with Li Li dumbfounded.

They couldn't believe that Princess Chengyang, who was usually the emperor's favorite, wasn't angry after being rejected. Instead, she tried to play the victim, but was still rejected.

……

That very night,

After sending Li Li, who was shamelessly trying to sleep with her, away, Gu Chudong went to the innermost bedroom.

Gu Mo's silkworm pupa was in this room, and she had been staying here for the past few days.

Just as Gu Chudong was sitting cross-legged, preparing to enter meditation, she suddenly heard a loud "thump-thump" heartbeat, and she immediately opened her eyes with joy.

Then you can see the silkworm pupa slowly disappearing, the silk that was wrapped around it becoming thin and pale like amber, melting away inch by inch from the tip of the pupa, like spring snow covering glass.

After about half a cup of tea's time, the silkworm threads completely disappeared. Gu Mo was sitting on the ground, still wearing the tattered clothes he had worn during the fight. However, all the wounds on his body were now gone. His skin was already very good due to his mastery of the Mingyu Technique, and now it seemed even smoother than before.

"Brother!" Gu Chudong asked excitedly, "How are you feeling?"

“Very good,” Gu Mo said.

"And your injury?" Gu Chudong asked.

"I'm completely healed," Gu Mo said. "Not only have my injuries fully recovered, but my skills have also improved considerably."

Gu Chudong's eyes lit up, and she said, "Wow, that's amazing! Brother, what kind of martial art is this? I've never seen you use it before... I remember now, you used it once when you fought against the Taixu Divine Armor."

Gu Mo nodded slightly and said, "This martial art is called the Heavenly Silkworm Divine Art. It can heal injuries, detoxify, cure diseases, and even regenerate broken meridians and diseased or necrotic internal organs."

"So powerful? Can I cultivate it?" Gu Chudong asked.

Gu Mo thought for a moment and said, "After you have mastered the Mingyu Skill, I will prepare another martial art for you, which is even better than the Heavenly Silkworm Divine Skill. As for the Heavenly Silkworm Divine Skill, the conditions for ordinary people to cultivate it are too harsh."

In fact, the Heavenly Silkworm Divine Skill has some very good characteristics. Theoretically speaking, as long as the body remains intact, it can even bring the dead back to life under certain conditions. The most outrageous thing is that every time one dies, one will greatly improve one's power after being resurrected and continuously enhance one's potential.

However, the reason why Gu Mo did not intend to pass on the Heavenly Silkworm Divine Skill to Gu Chudong was that the difficulty of cultivating it was too harsh for ordinary people.

First, one must dissipate or have no internal energy left. Second, one must have Heavenly Silkworm Internal Energy within the body, but not yet be able to use it. Third, one must experience the brink of life and death, but not actually die; one must comprehend the state between life and death before one can suddenly transform and master the technique.

Even if those three conditions are met, success is not guaranteed; it varies from person to person and from time to time, and there is no fixed rule.

Although this martial art is quite good once mastered.
But Gu Mo didn't think this martial art was worth Gu Chudong risking those harsh conditions for.

His plan was for Gu Chudong to cultivate the Tai Xuan Scripture after she had mastered the Ming Yu Gong.

The extraordinary effects of the Tai Xuan Scripture are no less than those of the Heavenly Silkworm Divine Skill, and it is extremely comprehensive. After mastering it, one can reach a state of complete freedom, without any obstacles, without any trace, and without any resistance.

Another crucial point is that the Tai Xuan Scripture cultivates attribute-free true qi, which will not clash with any other true qi.

Gu Chudong doesn't have a system, but cultivating the Tai Xuan Scripture doesn't require considering the issue of harmonization, allowing him to possess two types of true energy simultaneously.

of course,

It's not that the Heavenly Silkworm Divine Skill is bad.

The Heavenly Silkworm Divine Skill is very good. This time, he personally experienced the wonders of the Heavenly Silkworm Divine Skill. It was very miraculous. Although he did not experience resurrection, he simply experienced growth by breaking out of the cocoon.

That's why he stayed inside for so long; if it were just about healing, he would have recovered long ago.

The Nine Yang Divine Skill, Bright Jade Skill, Heavenly Silkworm Divine Skill, Innate Qi, and Tai Xuan Scripture he possesses all have extremely strong healing effects. Unless he is killed on the spot, he does not need to recover for so many days.

The reason he stayed inside for so long this time was simply because he sensed there was no danger outside, so he hid inside to experience the wonders of the Heavenly Silkworm Divine Skill.

but,

His injuries were indeed very serious.

Forcibly unleashing the Limitless Returning to Origin Qi came at a great cost. Because of the lack of transformation from the Lesser Formless Skill, the missing connection point caused them to collide directly, resulting in a clash between the various true energies during their fusion. This nearly tore his body apart, severely damaging his meridians and internal organs.

This demonstration made him realize that the six characteristics of the Limitless Returning to Origin Qi are indeed indispensable; if any one is missing, every use will result in severe injury. More importantly, he was unable to unleash its full power. For example, this time, he didn't even manage to unleash 50% of its power, and he hadn't even fused with the strongest innate Qi.

……

"Brother, what kind of martial art are you going to pass on to me? Is it very powerful?" Gu Chudong asked.

Gu Mo nodded and said, "The Tai Xuan Scripture is a comprehensive martial art that combines internal energy, swordsmanship, palm techniques, and lightness skills. After mastering it, one can even fly through the air and reach a level where one can do whatever one wants without any difficulty."

Gu Chudong's eyes lit up, and she said, "Soaring through the air, just like when you fought the head manager at Tongxia Post Station?"

Gu Mo nodded and said, "More or less!"

It can only be said to be close, because although the Tai Xuan Scripture can achieve the ability to cross the void, it is definitely impossible to reach that level by relying solely on the Tai Xuan Scripture.

"That's amazing!" Gu Chudong gave a thumbs up and said, "Brother, that's like something out of a legend!"

Gu Mo smiled slightly, slowly stood up, patted his tattered clothes, and said, "Find me a change of clothes first."

"okay!"

Gu Chudong quickly took out a set of clothes from her large book box.

Gu Mo frowned slightly and said, "Early winter, next time when you buy me clothes, don't buy gray ones. They're neither good-looking nor make me look old."

"hey-hey!"

Gu Chudong grinned and then went out the door.

After a while

Gu Mo changed his clothes and came out, while Gu Chudong ran to the kitchen to get some food.

“Brother, Ye Jinglan is here. I just found out that he actually became an official,” Gu Chudong said.

“I know,” Gu Mo said while eating. “Although I’ve been in the cocoon for the past few days, I’ve been conscious. I heard what you said to Li Li outside during the day.”

Because Gu Mo did not come back to life, he was only hiding in the cocoon to test the wonders of the Heavenly Silkworm Divine Skill, so he remained conscious throughout.

In the past few days, he also received the Tianlong Bayin from the system.

The Eight Sounds of Heavenly Dragon is a sonic technique.

It is not very powerful on its own, but once it is used in conjunction with the Heavenly Demon Harp, it can unleash the full power of the Heavenly Demon Harp and become extremely powerful instantly. Its sound waves can even control people's seven emotions and six desires, and it has eight functions: sticking, killing, seizing, capturing, pulling, spinning, and hammering.

but,

Gu Mo has not yet claimed the Heavenly Demon Harp.

If there's no immediate need for it, just store it in the system.

This system has a feature where rewards that aren't claimed will remain stored there indefinitely, whether they are physical items or martial arts skills.

...In the room,
Gu Chudong went to get another set of chopsticks and started eating. She had already eaten dinner and was planning to rest, but seeing Gu Mo eating, she felt obligated to eat with him so that he wouldn't be lonely, so she ate very quickly.

While eating, Gu Chudong asked, "Brother, after we receive our reward in a couple of days, will we go back to Yunzhou?"

Gu Mo thought for a moment and said, "You can go to Longhu Mountain. You forgot, Prefect Pei promised to find a way to let you go to the Ascension Platform to comprehend the Dao. You are currently at the peak of the eighth level of Mingyu Gong, and you lack such an opportunity to help you comprehend the Dao."

The Mingyu Gong is extremely difficult for ordinary people to cultivate. However, with Grandmaster Gu Mo providing daily, hands-on instruction, Gu Chudong's progress was remarkably rapid. Moreover, as Gu Mo's martial arts realm deepened, his previous belief that the Mingyu Gong could no longer be taught beyond the seventh level was shattered. The reason he couldn't offer shortcuts was simply because his own realm at that time was insufficient.

Therefore, in less than a year, Gu Chudong went from just breaking through the eighth level to being one step away from achieving great success. Her accumulated power was already sufficient. Not only had Gu Mo guided her with his true qi for a long time, but she had also been consuming elixirs like candy at Chunyang Temple recently. Her internal energy was already almost overflowing.

The Ascension Platform of Longhu Mountain is a famous and precious place in Longhu Mountain. Legend has it that immortals ascended to heaven there and left their mark. Later, the sages of Longhu Mountain in successive generations would go there to seek enlightenment. It is said that the true immortals of Longhu Mountain ascended to heaven there, leaving behind endless Taoist wisdom. Gradually, it became a sacred place for martial artists all over the world to seek enlightenment.

As for what actually happened, Gu Mo didn't know, but he guessed that there must be some special spiritual treasure there that could help people enter a state of enlightenment.

"That!"

Gu Chudong nodded and continued eating.

The meal ended quickly. Gu Chudong did most of the eating, as Gu Mo didn't have much of an appetite since it was all cold food. Furthermore, since Gu Mo achieved the Profound Realm of Internal Energy, although he hadn't reached the level of abstaining from grains, his need for food was indeed almost nonexistent.

After finishing her meal, Gu Chudong cleared away the dishes and prepared to return them to the government kitchen. Just as she reached the door, she suddenly felt as if she had been struck by lightning, her whole body trembled, and she quickly turned around to stare at Gu Mo.

At this moment, in the dimly lit room,
Gu Mo was sitting on a stool with a gentle smile on his face.

Gu Chudong slowly walked back, stood in front of Gu Mo, and gently raised her hand, trembling slightly, to stroke Gu Mo's cheek.

Today, Gu Mo's eyes were not covered by the black cloth.

Although Gu Mo has not often covered his face with a black cloth in recent months, Gu Chudong has gotten used to it.

But at this moment, her voice trembled slightly as she asked, "Brother...you...your eyes...can see...right...otherwise...how...how would you know the clothes were gray?"

Gu Chudong's thin body trembled.

Gu Mo reached out and gently wiped away the tears streaming from Gu Chudong's eyes. He didn't answer directly, but said, "Chudong, your skill is so profound that you can even sense colors."

Gu Chudong said in a deep voice, "No, no, brother... you just said that the Heavenly Silkworm Divine Skill can regenerate internal organs, then... then eyes... brother, have your eyes already recovered!"
Gu Mo chuckled and said, "Early winter, the world is vast. When you travel the world in the future and encounter any enemy, do not easily believe the weaknesses that the other party has made public. Perhaps it is just that the time has not yet come for them to give up their weaknesses. Just like me, it is just that the time has not yet come for me to open my eyes."

Gu Chudong quickly asked, "When will that be?"

Gu Mo took out a piece of black cloth and slowly covered his eyes again, smiling as he said, "The moment I open my eyes should be the moment I become the number one in the world!"

……

The next day, just as dawn broke, Princess Li Li of Chengyang arrived. When she saw Gu Mo, she was immediately overjoyed.

The surprise wasn't because Gu Mo had recovered, but because she could finally take Gu Chudong shopping.

Gu Chudong wasn't too keen on going out shopping, but she couldn't resist Li Li's persistent pleading, and Gu Mo also felt that Gu Chudong needed to get away for a while, since she had been staying in the courtyard for several days. So, in the end, Gu Chudong went out with Li Li.

Gu Mo certainly had no interest in going shopping with two girls.

Besides that, he was also thinking about the battle with the head manager that day.

That was the first time he had ever truly fought against a Qi cultivator, and he deeply felt the uniqueness of Qi cultivators. They truly deserved to be called the most mysterious and rarest martial arts group in the world.

After that battle, Gu Mo also gained some understanding of the ways of Qi cultivators.

Overall, it shares similarities with the state of harmony between man and nature pursued by martial artists who practice conventional internal and external martial arts and those who follow the true meaning of martial arts.

However, the unity of man and nature pursued by ordinary martial artists is generally a state of mind at a certain stage. For example, sword cultivators will gain insights and merge with nature when they reach a certain level.

But Qi practitioners are different; from the very beginning, they pursue finding the laws of nature and utilizing them in accordance with the general trend.

There is no distinction between superior and inferior.

The difference lies in their focus. Conventional internal and external martial arts emphasize stability and have a low entry difficulty, while the true essence of martial arts emphasizes explosive power and has a relatively high entry difficulty. Qi cultivation, on the other hand, emphasizes profound mystery and has an extremely high entry difficulty.

Each has its own characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages, and they lead to different goals: one focuses on self-cultivation, another on cultivating the mind, and the third on cultivating destiny.

Just as Gu Mo was mentally reviewing that battle,

Footsteps sounded outside the door, and someone called out, "Brother Gu, I am Ye Jinglan, and I have come to pay you a visit."

Gu Mo immediately got up, opened the door, and walked into the courtyard, cupping his hands in greeting, "Brother Ye, it's been a long time!"

Ye Jinglan walked in, cupped his hands in greeting to Gu Mo, and said, "The last time we met was in Master Qi Miaoxuan's Spring God Valley. It's been more than a year since we last met. However, I often hear news about you, Brother Gu. You are now famous throughout the world."

"Brother Ye, please don't make fun of me."

The two chatted as they went inside to drink tea.

In truth, the two of them didn't spend much time together, but they had fought side by side in Qingzhou. In that battle, they faced the almost demonic Lu Canyang, and both of them were utterly defeated. Gu Mo could be considered Ye Jinglan's savior.

So, the two met in Spring God Valley and had a very pleasant conversation, discussing the Dao together for quite some time. Therefore, although they didn't spend much time together, they became quite familiar with each other and there was no sense of unfamiliarity.

The two sat together and chatted for a long time, talking about Lu Canyang, Old Madam Lin, and the head manager. Finally, Gu Mo steered the conversation to Ye Jinglan, asking, "Brother Ye, why are you considering entering the imperial court as an official?"

Ye Jinglan smiled and said, "The matter of Xuan Nu Palace, and Lu Canyang's scheming, to be honest, I'm a little disheartened, and I really don't know how to face Lin Qixia, the heroine."

Back when we met in Spring God Valley, the Qingzhou Martial Arts Alliance had already been established. I appointed my junior brother Chu Tianqing as the alliance leader, and at that time I already had the intention of leaving Qingzhou. Later, after staying in Spring God Valley for a long time, Elder Qi Miaoxuan introduced me to the Second Prince…”

At this point, Ye Jinglan paused for a moment and said, "Speaking of which, Brother Gu is somewhat involved in this matter. Back in the Northern Desert, it was you who saved the Second Prince."

Gu Mo chuckled and said, "It was just a coincidence; it doesn't really matter whether I save you or not."

Ye Jinglan said, "At that time, Mr. Qi was invited to treat the Second Prince's injuries. He felt that the Second Prince was a good person and had the appearance of a wise ruler. Coincidentally, I was eating and drinking for free in his Spring God Valley and had nowhere to go, so he recommended him to me. Later, after observing him for a period of time, I felt that the Second Prince was indeed a good person, so I joined his ranks."

Gu Mo said, "This is also a great path to success. I wish Brother Ye a smooth and prosperous future!"

Ye Jinglan smiled and said, "It's completely different from the martial arts world. When I was in the martial arts world, I was like a fish in water, but now I'm blocked at every turn. My original intention was to join the army, but when the Second Prince... well, that is, the current Prince Jin, introduced me to the Emperor, I don't know what the Emperor was thinking, but he arranged for me to go to the Ministry of Justice."

Gu Mo thought for a moment and said, "Although I don't know what the situation is in the court, I have been in contact with Prince Jin before. He was a hostage for ten years, far away from the capital, the center of power. Now that he has returned, whether by choice or by force, he will participate in the struggle for the throne. He has no one under his command, and it is rare to have a talent like you, Brother Ye. Staying in the capital will be of much more help to Prince Jin than going to the army. For the next year or two, things seem relatively peaceful. There are not many opportunities for promotion in the army."

Ye Jinglan nodded and said, "We have also thought about this, but it doesn't matter what His Majesty is thinking. Since I have chosen to enter the court, I will obey the imperial decree."

Some time ago, arrangements were made for me to come to Linhai County. I heard then that you were here, Brother Gu, and I was thinking of coming to see you. I didn't expect that before I even set off, I would hear that you had caused a major incident here. This time, the matter is no longer limited to the martial arts world. Brother Gu, you have now reached the ears of the Emperor; even the Emperor knows about you.”

Gu Mo waved his hand slightly and said, "I'm not going to be an official, so it wouldn't mean anything to me if the Emperor knew about me... Hmm, Brother Ye, you wouldn't be thinking of recruiting me for the Prince of Jin, would you?"

"No, no, Brother Gu, please don't misunderstand." Ye Jinglan quickly said, "Back in the northern desert, Prince Jin knew that you had no interest in the court and didn't have any expectations of recruiting you. Later, after learning that we had become friends, he inquired about it many times. However, I also know that you are straightforward and unrestrained, have no interest in the court, and cannot stand the restrictions of rules and regulations. I also made it clear to Prince Jin that I would not be a lobbyist!"

Gu Mo nodded and said, "I have no interest in the imperial court. However, I enjoy catching wanted criminals. If you have any needs in this regard, Brother Ye, you can always contact me."

"Don't even mention it, you really shouldn't say it!" Ye Jinglan grinned and said, "I do have a big case I'd like to ask you for help with, Brother Gu. But before I help, let me give you a specific tip about the Blood Hand Musician."

“Tell me more about it,” Gu Mo said.

Ye Jinglan said, "To be honest, Brother Gu, I wanted to find you half a year ago. At that time, I had just entered the Ministry of Justice and encountered a major case. To be precise, it wasn't that I encountered it, but that it was a major case that had been unsolved in the Ministry of Justice for more than ten years. The Emperor ordered that whoever could solve this case would be promoted three ranks."

Gu Mo asked in surprise, "More than ten years? The murderer still hasn't been found?"

Ye Jinglan shook her head and said, "No, I've always been certain about who the murderer is."

"Then why is it still an unsolved case?" Gu Mo asked, puzzled.

Ye Jinglan said in a deep voice, "Because the murderer is not human, but a demon."

Gu Mo was full of doubt and asked, "Demon? Is it the demon or monster I understand?"

Ye Jinglan nodded and said, "This case of the human-faced monster is known to almost everyone in the capital. This human-faced monster is a very strange and ferocious beast. According to rumors, it has the body of a tiger with nine tails and a human face, and it likes to eat people. Since it appeared more than ten years ago, there have been frequent cases of the human-faced monster eating people in the capital. Over the years, thousands of people have been eaten by the human-faced monster, and every time it appears, it causes widespread panic."

This case has been pending in the Ministry of Justice for over ten years, with rewards ranging from gold and silver at the beginning to official positions now. Yet, to this day, no one has been able to solve it.

Gu Mo asked doubtfully, "You mean this human-faced monster is in the capital?"

Ye Jinglan chuckled and said, "I know that you think with so many experts in the capital, and even the Imperial Preceptor Zhang Daoyi, who is among the top experts in the world, how could you possibly let a ferocious beast run rampant, right?"

Gu Mo nodded and said, "Surely it's not like all the experts in the imperial court combined can't defeat them?"

Ye Jinglan chuckled and said, "How could that be? It's not that we can't beat it. A few years ago, the boatman among the twelve commanders of the Night Division fought against the human-faced monster, but the human-faced monster escaped."

Because the capital city has underground drainage channels, which are wide and deep, and have been continuously expanded over the centuries, they are now a complex network of channels, like the intertwined roots of an ancient tree. The entrances are extremely difficult to find, and that human-faced monster emerges from within them. After each attack, it hides inside, making it impossible to locate.

"Can people go into that underground tunnel?" Gu Mo asked.

Ye Jinglan nodded and said, "The legendary ghost city is there. The underground drainage channels are deep and wide, and people can live in them. Many fugitives hide there and engage in various criminal activities, such as trafficking women and children, making banned drugs, etc. Many villains also hide there after committing murder and arson. Therefore, it is called 'ghost city,' which means a ghostly place that is free from human laws and unrestrained."

Gu Mo asked, "Can't the imperial court handle this?"

Ye Jinglan shook his head and said, "It's very difficult to handle. There are five difficulties. First, the suspects have lived here for a long time and are very familiar with the terrain. They are well-versed in the 'when the enemy comes, I run; when the enemy retreats, I return' tactic, so the government officials simply cannot find them."
The second difficulty is that the capital city is located above, and there is a concern that the criminals might resort to explosives in desperation. If a collapse occurs, the capital city would suffer great losses, and who knows how much chaos it would cause. The subsequent restoration of the drainage canals would also be a costly and labor-intensive process.

The third challenge is that, in addition to the underground drainage channels, there are also ancient city ruins from a thousand years ago, which undoubtedly increases the difficulty. The fourth challenge is that, although there are many criminals in the ghost city, there are even more homeless and impoverished people. In a sense, they are the suspects' hostages, and the government is hesitant to push them too hard.

The fifth challenge is, if the suppression is successful, what will happen to the civilians inside? The sudden appearance of so many people, if the imperial court cannot or is unwilling to manage their basic needs, will create an even greater security crisis.

After saying that, Ye Jinglan sighed and said, "Therefore, the court can only let it be. Of course, there is also a major reason, which is that the main gangs in the ghost city are all very sensible and have not become so arrogant as to offend the big shots they can't afford to offend."

Gu Mo chuckled and said, "So, the lives of ordinary people don't count as lives?"

Ye Jinglan shrugged helplessly and said, "Brother Gu, do you believe in the concept of equality for all?"

"I don't believe it," Gu Mo said. "Forget it, I don't have the power to change anything. Let's continue talking about that human-faced monster!"

Ye Jinglan said, "That human-faced monster not only wreaks havoc on the ground, but also in the underground ghost city. However, the ghost city is too complicated, and the human-faced monster is extremely ferocious and fast. Most importantly, it can crawl on land and swim in water. Every time it is surrounded and attacked, it escapes. Even if you chase it into the ghost city, you can't catch it. It will hide in the underground river."

Gu Mo chuckled and said, "No, Brother Ye, according to what you're saying, even the imperial court can't do anything about that human-faced monster. Do you really think I'm more powerful than the imperial court?"

Ye Jinglan chuckled and said, "I won't talk about other things, but when it comes to capturing and killing wanted criminals, everyone knows that Brother Gu has a bit of mystical knowledge about you. If the imperial court can't catch them, Brother Gu, you definitely can!"

Gu Mo asked in surprise, "Is that human-faced monster also a wanted criminal?"

Ye Jinglan said, "It was also decided by the Ministry of Justice. He is a top-level wanted criminal, on the same level as the head manager of the Seven Absolutes Pavilion, with a reward of ten thousand taels of silver."

At this moment,
A system notification sounded in Gu Mo's mind:
【New target detected】

[Wanted Target - Human-Faced Monster]

[Mission Level - Six Stars]

[Quest Reward - Max Level Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique]

……

Upon hearing the system notification and seeing the reward, Gu Mo suddenly felt a pang of regret. If he had obtained the Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique and then fought the head manager again, it would have been quite a spectacle.

This Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique is quite similar to the Grand Manager's Heavenly Abyss Return to Silence Seven Killings Ode, except that the Seven Killings Ode has seven kinds of natural power, while the Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique only has four.

The Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique and the Innate罡气 both originate from "The Demonic Sword and the Chess of Life and Death," and are martial arts of the same level. They are divided into four forms: Wind God's Wrath, Fire God's Wrath, Thunder God's Wrath, and Lightning God's Wrath, which correspond to the four natural forces of wind, fire, thunder, and lightning, respectively, representing different cultivation levels.

Cultivators must have a pure mind and the mental cultivation method from the authentic "Dream of Limitless". When cultivation reaches its peak, the four elements can be unified, drawing upon the power of heaven and earth to achieve a perfect state of integrated offense and defense.

Gu Mo was curious whether the combination of the Four Symbols or the combination of the Seven Killings was more powerful.

But think about it carefully,
Ultimately, which is better or worse depends on the user!
……

Ye Jinglan looked at Gu Mo, who was lost in thought, and asked in confusion, "Brother Gu, are you not interested? If you are not interested, it doesn't matter. This matter is mainly for me to pursue fame and fortune. If you are not interested or it is inconvenient for you, you don't need to take it to heart."

Gu Mo smiled slightly and said, "Brother Ye and I hit it off immediately, and capturing wanted criminals has always been my passion. Since you invited me, I certainly wouldn't refuse. Hmm, but you mentioned the Blood-Handed Musician earlier? What's the connection between that and the human-faced monster?"

Ye Jinglan said, "It's like this, although I've wanted to ask Brother Gu for help for a long time, I'm really embarrassed. After all, Brother Gu is my savior, and I haven't even repaid this huge favor yet. It would be really... disgraceful of me to ask for help again!"
As luck would have it, I soon heard that you, Brother Gu, had named several wanted criminals for arrest, so I immediately started searching for them. However, Brother Gu, you were too fast, and in no time, only the Bloodhand Musician was left.

Through analysis of various clues from the Ministry of Justice, I finally found the Blood-Handed Musician's whereabouts. Coincidentally, he was right there in the capital.

"What a coincidence?" Gu Mo asked in surprise.

Ye Jinglan nodded and said, "It's such a coincidence. I can confirm that it is definitely the Blood Hand Qin Master, Shang Wujiu!"

(End of this chapter)