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

Chapter 233 Killing a Four-Star Wanted Criminal (1.1-word long chapter, please vote!)

Ghost towns, underground cities, are characterized by a complex network of underground channels and winding passageways, making it easy to lose one's way if one is not careful. Furthermore, abandoned ancient cities lie hidden within, their crumbling walls exuding a desolate atmosphere. The underground rivers flow and intertwine, creating an extremely intricate network.

Within the capital city, there are numerous passages leading into the ghost city. Anyone who doesn't mind the filth can find their way into any drainage pipe. However, the ghost city is a labyrinth of interconnected passages, and legend has it that there are dozens of market towns within it.

Madam Song had always been buying Yunlu sandalwood from a man named Guishou San in a market town called Chenshadu.

As the saying goes, humans have their own way, and rats have their own way.

Although the Ghost City is a shadowy place, it is a huge market, and there is no shortage of people in the martial arts world who travel between the Ghost City and the capital for profit. As the Chief Censor of the Capital Prefecture, Su Ziyou can naturally find people in this field.

Su Ziyou found a small gang led by an old man named Fan. The gang had about twenty members and ran a ferry service, taking people into the Ghost City. Because the old man and his group knew a specific route and could enter the depths of the Ghost City without getting lost, and because he was well-connected and had made connections within the city, they could guarantee that they wouldn't be intercepted along the way, they did quite well despite their high prices.

After Su Ziyou found Old Man Fan, Old Man Fan naturally dared not neglect him. People from gangs like his were most afraid of officials like Su Ziyou. Although he was usually quite powerful, if he offended an official like Su Ziyou, he would have no choice but to hide in the Ghost City and never come out again.

Therefore, he personally came to row the boat.

The boat was small, carrying Gu Mo, Gu Chudong, Su Ziyou, Ye Jinglan, and Old Man Fan himself, a total of five people, making it feel very crowded.

The small boat first traveled along a small river and entered a dark cave. The cave was very dark, and we had to make our way forward with torches. The cave was a maze of paths with many forks, and it was easy to get lost if you weren't careful. The deeper we went, the narrower and more oppressive the cave entrance became.

But what's even more terrifying is that every now and then, one or two people would appear hidden in the darkness on those cold, damp, and dark riverbanks and on those winding pipes.

Hearing Gu Chudong's surprise, Old Man Fan explained, "In the ghost city, the vast majority of people are actually homeless beggars. The city government does not allow beggars to beg; if they are seen begging, they will be driven away, and sometimes they will even be arrested. These people have no choice but to hide in the ghost city. Once the heat dies down, they will secretly go out to beg or work."

Gu Chudong looked at Ye Jinglan and Su Ziyou and asked in confusion, "With the capital city being so prosperous, how can so many people not be able to afford to live?"

Ye Jinglan sighed and said, "Chu Dong, remember this: all prosperity is built on the blood of countless poor people. The more prosperous it is, the more bloody it is!"

Gu Chudong felt a heaviness in her heart and stopped speaking.

Afterwards, the group, led by Old Man Fan, traversed a tunnel that was more than ten times more complicated than the route they had taken by boat.

Until then,

Gu Mo and Gu Chudong finally understood why the imperial court was so powerless in the face of the ghost city, and it was no wonder that Song Zichu's determination to draw a complete map of the ghost city became a joke.

The distance they had traveled was less than one ten-thousandth of the complex passages of the ghost city, and they hadn't even glimpsed a corner of the ghost city. Yet, the complexity of this short section alone was already beyond their memory. They wondered how many troops would be needed to block off even this small stretch.

But this also proves that Song Zichu is a really amazing person. He almost perfected the ghost city map, which is truly remarkable!
After about an hour, they finally arrived at a market town.

This town is not a regular market town on the ground, but a labyrinthine settlement formed by natural karst caves and abandoned ancient city walls. The main road is about two zhang wide, with a blue brick arch supporting the top. Every ten steps or so, a tallow lantern hangs, casting a dim, yellowish light. The side alleys are narrow and cramped, with walls covered in moss and water stains, exuding the smell of rotting wood and silt. The streets are mostly occupied by entertainment venues such as casinos, brothels, and dens of iniquity; the other shops are not much different from those outside.

It is very lively and bustling. The difference between it and the commercial streets outside is that there is no sunlight here. All the light comes from fire.

Gu Mo and the others put on masks.

Old Man Fan was a man of good manners. He stopped outside the town and said to Su Ziyou, "Sir, I won't go in with you. I'll wait outside."

Su Ziyou waved his hand, and Old Man Fan quickly stepped aside.

Afterwards, Su Ziyou and the others headed towards the market town.

As they walked, Su Ziyou said, "This place is called Chensha Ferry. There are underground rivers branching out here around this town. The riverbed has been deposited with silt for hundreds of years, and there is hidden quicksand. If you are not careful, you will fall into the chaotic vortex, which is very dangerous. That's why it is called Chensha Ferry."

Ghost towns are extremely chaotic, so those who enter are either highly skilled and daring, or they seek guidance from someone like Old Man Fan. However, the market towns are relatively safe, because each market town is controlled by one or more gangs. Private fights are not allowed inside, but once you leave the market town, even if you're only a step away, they won't interfere. Similarly, once you enter the market town, even if you've only taken one step, private fights are prohibited.

Gu Chudong looked around and saw many people gathered in groups at the entrance of the market town. She asked in confusion, "What are these people doing?"

Su Ziyou said, "Those who pick up bargains are the ones who specifically target easy targets at the various entrances to the market town. There are two types of people they don't mess with. The first type is those who have hired teams like Old Man Fan to escort them, because Old Man Fan and his ilk regularly offer bribes to powerful forces in Ghost City to buy the right to pass through this route. They don't mess with these people. The second type is the experts they feel they can't afford to offend, after all, they're in it to make money, not to die."

As they spoke, the group entered a stone gate that was one zhang high and two zhang wide. Suddenly, the view opened up before them, revealing a bustling city with many pedestrians coming and going. However, most of them were wearing masks.

Su Ziyou led Gu Mo and the others through the crowd to a pawnshop.

The shop wasn't big, but it was quite crowded and lively. There were more than a dozen pawnbrokers, some there to redeem items and others to pawn things. They were mostly people who didn't work in the legitimate world.

Ghost towns are the best places to sell stolen goods, whether stolen or robbed; whether obtained through murder, robbery, or fraud, the pawnshops in ghost towns are willing to accept and sell them.

As soon as Su Zi and his three companions entered the pawnshop, a servant immediately greeted them with a smile and asked, "Gentlemen, would you like to pawn, redeem, or buy?"

Su Ziyou waved.

Ye Jinglan very sensibly took off the bundle from his back and put it on the table with a "clatter," attracting the attention of many people.

Ye Jinglan opened it, and inside were large gold ingots, roughly estimated to be at least four or five hundred taels.

The waiter immediately realized this was a big business opportunity, and his smile widened as he hurriedly said, "Gentlemen, please come upstairs!"

The four of them immediately went upstairs.

It was quiet upstairs. The servant led the four of them into a room.

Su Zi sat down in a chair with an air of authority, while Gu Mo and the others stood by as guards.

The waiter respectfully poured tea for them and said, "Gentlemen, what would you like to buy?"

"Yunlu Sandalwood," Su Ziyou said. "I have six hundred taels of gold here, all of it to buy Yunlu Sandalwood. You're not qualified to talk to me. Call your boss, Ghost Hand San, over here!"

The servant quickly replied, "Sir, I can make the decision..."

"You want to talk to me? Ghost Hand Three looks down on me?"

Su Ziyou flew into a rage, smashing his teacup on the ground and saying, "This ghost city isn't just about Ghost Hand San doing business with Yunlu sandalwood!"

After saying this, Su Ziyou got up to leave.

The servant hurriedly said, "Sir, sir... please calm down. I'll go inform my master right away. Please wait a moment!"

The servant boy hurriedly went out the door.

A short, stout middle-aged man dressed in a brocade tiger-patterned robe descended from the third floor. His neck was covered with three layers of wrinkles, his face was fleshy and fleshy, and his eyelids were so swollen that they were only two slits, yet they revealed a sinister gaze like that of a venomous snake. His double chin drooped to his chest, trembling slightly with each step.

Behind him were seven or eight burly men, all with knives at their waists. The men exuded a menacing aura and looked quite imposing.

The short, stout man sat down opposite Su Ziyou and sized up the four of them. However, since they were all wearing masks, he couldn't make out anything, but he could tell that Su Ziyou was the leader. He smiled and cupped his hands towards Su Ziyou, saying, "I am Ghost Hand Three. May I ask your name, friend?"

Su Ziyou sneered and said, "What, do I need to identify myself to buy goods from Ghost Hand San now?"

Ghost Hand Three quickly replied, "That's not necessary. I just wanted to make friends. Since you're so straightforward, I won't beat around the bush either. Let's consider this our first transaction as making friends. The market price in Ghost City is currently forty taels, but I'll give you a 10% discount!"

Su Ziyou chuckled, "Ghost Hand Three truly lives up to his name; he's a straightforward man. Since he's so frank, before we make a deal, I have something I'd like you to identify first!"

Ghost Hand Three asked, "What is that?"

Su Ziyou took out a paper package from his pocket, slowly opened it, revealing white powder inside, which was Yunlu sandalwood.

Ghost Hand Three frowned slightly and asked in confusion, "Isn't this just Cloud Peak Sandalwood?"

Su Ziyou said, "This is Yunlu sandalwood, but Ghost Hand Three, you might want to take a closer look. Is something added to it? Hmm... let me remind you again... it's pollen from the Forgotten River Datura flower!"

Ghost Hand Three raised his head in confusion and said, "Sir, Wangchuan... what was that again? What does this thing have to do with Yunlu Sandalwood? I... go to hell!"

Suddenly, Ghost Hand Three threw a handful of white powder at Su Ziyou. He unleashed a level of agility beyond his physique, flying backward like a kicked ball, instantly retreating behind the burly men. He shouted, "Kill them all..."

however,
Before he could finish speaking, he felt a sudden heaviness all over his body, and a tremendous pressure came from his shoulders. He turned his head and saw that the man in blue with the knife on his back had appeared behind him at some point.

This person was none other than Ye Jinglan.

"Plop" sound,
Ghost Hand Three immediately knelt on the ground.

What terrified him even more was that his several skilled men were all standing still, clearly having been acupunctured at some point.

He immediately realized that he had encountered a true master, and he hurriedly asked, "Are you... from the government?"

Su Ziyou walked up to Ghost Hand Three and said coldly, "It seems you know what you've done. Confess honestly, and I will consider your case. Perhaps you still have a chance to live."

"Hey," Ghost Hand Three looked up at Su Ziyou, chuckled, and shook his head indifferently, saying, "To be honest, I never thought that the government officials would be so bold as to come looking for me with just four people. You guys are really bold!"

Su Ziyou asked in surprise, "From what you're saying, you're not afraid at all!"

Ghost Hand Three chuckled and said, "In this ghost city, if I were afraid, with your meager skills, how could I have shown myself to strangers like you without any verification? I know what kind of business I do, and I've offended quite a few people in the martial arts world."

But this is a ghost town. Unless someone's willing to trade their life for mine, no one dares to do anything to me. I just never imagined it would be government officials looking for me. Just four of you, heh heh, you guys really aren't afraid of death!"

Su Ziyou asked curiously, "Your life is now in my hands."

“I know,” Ghost Hand Three said, “You can kill me, but I guarantee that if you kill me, you won’t leave Ghost City alive. Hmm, you came to me with sandalwood incense mixed with pollen from the Datura flower of the River of Oblivion, so you must have found out that Song Zichu’s death was suspicious.”

Su Ziyou frowned and said, "It seems you really do know!"

Ghost Hand Three chuckled and said, "This is the thing I sold to that stupid woman, Song Zichu. I'm not afraid to tell you, I was just doing someone else's job!"

"For whom?" Su Ziyou asked.

"Judge Cui,"

Ghost Hand San chuckled and said, "You, as a government official, should be familiar with this person, right? He's the biggest distributor of sandalwood from Ghost City's Cloud Peak. He killed Song Zichu for no other reason than that Song Zichu was courting death."

What Song Zichu is doing is trying to uproot the entire Ghost City. Even without Judge Cui, someone else would kill him; no one can protect him. If he failed, so be it, but he actually seems to have a chance of succeeding. Which of the big shots in the Ghost City would tolerate him?

Su Ziyou said coldly, "But isn't it true that nobody believes he can succeed?"

Ghost Hand Three said, "No one believed it at first, but some time ago, Ye Jinglan from the Ministry of Justice went to Song Zichu to borrow a map, and the two even had a pleasant conversation. Afterwards, Song Zichu even made a bold statement that he would help Ye Jinglan capture the human-faced monster within six months, so the credibility increased. Although very few people still believe it, what if? So, let's kill it and be done with it!"

Su Ziyou couldn't help but look up at Ye Jinglan.

At this moment, Ye Jinglan clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

"Can you find Judge Cui?" Su Ziyou asked.

Ghost Hand Three exclaimed in surprise, "No way, sir! Who exactly are you? You're not really planning to arrest Judge Cui, are you? He's a real big shot in Ghost City, a ghost king! Who in Ghost City can catch him? He's not some nobody like me!"

Su Ziyou said coldly, "Enough with the nonsense. If you want to live, take us to Judge Cui!"

Ghost Hand Three chuckled, "Alright, alright, since you all want to go and die, I, Ghost Hand Three, am naturally happy to see you off. However, Judge Cui is not here at Chensha Ferry, but at Ghost Wind Pass. Do you dare to go there?"

At this moment, Ye Jinglan used acupressure to subdue Ghost Hand Three and said, "Judge Cui is not like Ghost Hand Three. This man has been entrenched in Ghost City for many years, his power is deeply rooted, and he has countless experts under his command. The government has tried to capture him many times but has failed. Many experts have come to him with the bounty, but most of them have perished in Ghost City. If we go directly to his lair, it will be like entering a dragon's den or a tiger's lair. You should not come with us. It is best for me to go alone."

Just then, a system notification sounded in Gu Mo's mind:
【New target detected】

[Wanted Target – Judge Cui]

[Mission Level—Four Stars]

[Quest Reward - Max Level Famous Sword Eight Styles]

……

The Eight Styles of Famous Swords is the ultimate technique of Famous Swords Manor. Its core lies in deriving eight moves from the characteristics of eight famous swords (Death Sword, Azure Nether Sword, Purple Lightning Sword, White Jade Sword, Mu Iron Sword, Glazed Glass Sword, Black Tortoise Sword, and Nameless Sword). Each sword corresponds to a different fighting style.

The ultimate form, Eight Swords Flying Together, represents the pinnacle of "controlling swords with internal energy." Once a practitioner has mastered all eight sword techniques, they can break free from the constraints of a physical sword and control the eight swords to form a sword formation solely through internal force.

Gu Mo was very interested in this Eight Sword Styles, or more precisely, in the final move, Eight Swords Flying Together. He was trying to create a "Sword Control Technique," and had been using the Dragon Capturing Skill and White Rainbow Palm Force in combination with Little Li's Flying Daggers, but the results were not satisfactory. This Eight Swords Flying Together technique, which uses Qi to control the swords, could provide him with valuable reference for his Sword Control Technique.

……

For a moment, everyone fell silent.

Gu Mo said, "How about this, I'll go with Brother Ye. In early winter, you and Su Tixing can leave first."

Gu Chudong wasn't the type to procrastinate. She knew very well that even Ye Jinglan was somewhat afraid of this place, and that her martial arts skills would definitely be a burden to Gu Mo if she went there. So she immediately nodded and said, "Okay, but you should take the knife with you."

Gu Mo took the Gouchen Demon Blade from Gu Chudong and carried it on his back. He said to Su Ziyou, "Chief Su, you don't know martial arts, so there's no point in you coming along."

"I see."

Su Ziyou was a sensible person and didn't say anything like "we'll face the danger together"—that's just nonsense.

However, Ye Jinglan frowned and said to Gu Mo, "Brother Gu, it's not that I'm being pretentious, but you may not understand Ghost City. This place is different from the outside world. Various underground rivers, quicksand, reservoirs, and so on can all be weapons for people like Judge Cui. Moreover, he is deeply rooted in Ghost City and has a large number of subordinates. Those people are very familiar with the environment of Ghost City, and all kinds of underhanded tricks are hard to guard against. I don't doubt your martial arts skills, but this place is really a dragon's den and a tiger's lair. Even the Night Guard doesn't dare to come in!"

Gu Mo waved his hand and said, "It's alright, aren't you going too?"

“Brother Song is my friend, so naturally I must avenge him,” Ye Jinglan said.

Gu Mo chuckled and said, "Unless this is truly a ghost town in the underworld, I don't believe that the two of us working together can be trapped here!"

Ye Jinglan then said, "Brother Gu..."

Gu Mo interrupted, "Alright, stop being so wishy-washy. You can't avenge Song Zichu, and then I'll come back alone to avenge you later, can I?"

Ye Jinglan was slightly taken aback. She looked at Gu Mo and opened her mouth slightly, but couldn't say anything for a moment. Her eyes changed repeatedly as she watched Gu Mo, and she swallowed back all the words that were on the tip of her tongue.

Gu Mo walked up to Ghost Hand Three, produced a pill, and forcefully stuffed it into Ghost Hand Three's mouth, saying, "This pill is called the Ten Thousand Ghosts Heart-Tearing Pill. It was made by me using forty-eight kinds of strange poisons. It is not too difficult to cure. However, you must take one antidote every incense stick's time, because a kind of poison will erupt every incense stick's time. As long as you can accurately identify which poison it is and there is a corresponding antidote, you can live."

Ghost Hand Three was quite straightforward, saying, "Alright, alright, I understand what you mean. Don't worry, I will absolutely not do anything underhanded and will definitely take you to Ghost Wind Pass to see Judge Cui."

"That's fine, I'll give you the complete antidote then."

……

Soon, Ghost Hand Three led Gu Mo and Ye Jinglan away. He did not disturb anyone and left Chenshadu Town quietly, just like an ordinary person with two guards.

Gu Chudong and Su Ziyou left directly after leaving Chensha Ferry and returned to the surface.

Ghost Hand Three was very familiar with Ghost City and arrived at Ghost Wind Pass in just over an hour.

Like Chenshadu, Guifengkou Town was built around a large karst cave and a dilapidated ancient city. However, unlike Chenshadu, which is surrounded by quicksand, Guifengkou is surrounded by the confluence of two underground rivers.

However, even from a distance, Ye Jinglan could sense that the Ghost Wind Pass town was not lively, and was even somewhat deserted.

"Why are there so few people?" Ye Jinglan said in a deep voice.

“Sir,” Ghost Hand Three said helplessly from the stern of the boat, “the towns in Ghost City are also different. For example, Chensha Ferry is a trading market where all walks of life are located, so there are naturally many people. But Ghost Wind Pass is different. This place is mainly where Judge Cui makes Yunlu Sandalwood. Apart from businessmen who come here to buy goods, very few people come here. It is mostly Judge Cui’s workers who are here, so there are naturally very few people.”

"I see." Ye Jinglan nodded.

Soon, the ship docked.

After tossing some loose silver coins to the boatman, Ghost Hand San led Ye Jinglan and Gu Mo into the market town.

This place is indeed different from Chensha Ferry. There are guards at the entrance, but Ghost Hand San let them through after revealing his identity.

This town was much smaller than Chenshadu. Workers were everywhere brewing sandalwood, and they were all working very hard. They didn't even glance at anyone passing by. The whole town was filled with the scent of sandalwood.

We hadn't walked far after entering the town.
In the middle of the square, there was a high platform with three people hanging from it. All of them had their feet bound, their heads facing down, and blood flowing from their seven orifices. Below them was a basin to catch the blood, which dripped and dripped, making people shudder. The key thing was that the people hanging there were still alive.

"What are you doing?" Ye Jinglan asked.

“Punishment,” Ghost Hand Three said, “Those workers like to slack off. To prevent this from happening, Judge Cui set a rule for all the workers: every three people form a team to brew Yunlu sandalwood. When the work is finished, the team is counted. The team with the fewest pieces is punished.”

The punishment involved hanging him there, first making a small hole in his head, and then slowly letting him bleed until not a drop remained.

Ye Jinglan said coldly, "Kill three people every day?" Ghost Hand San laughed and said, "There are definitely more than that. There are always people who dream of escaping, but once they are caught, they will be punished the same way."

Ye Jinglan took a deep breath and said, "Then, if he kills people every day, who would dare to come here and work for him?"

Ghost Hand Three smiled and said, "This ghost city lacks everything, except people. If the ghost city isn't enough, isn't the ground enough? The Smiling Buddha isn't in the human trafficking business. As long as you can afford it, you can have as many men, women, and children as you want!"

As he spoke, Ghost Hand Three noticed that Ye Jinglan and Gu Mo's expressions were both unpleasant, and chuckled, "Gentlemen, this is Ghost City. Ghosts are in charge of the rules, and humans are the lowest of the low. Here, human life is worthless!"

After walking for a short while, a charming and alluring woman appeared ahead, holding a silk scarf in her hand and accompanied by several guards. She swayed her slender waist as she walked, her voice somewhat shrill: "Oh, Third Master Ghost, what wind blew you here? It's not time to deliver the goods yet!"

Ghost Hands chuckled and cupped his hands towards the alluring woman, saying, "Sister Winter Melon, it wasn't my idea to come here. These two officials forced me to. Song Zichu's matter has come to light, and these two are here to enforce the law!"

Gu Mo and Ye Jinglan were both stunned and surprised. They had thought that Ghost Hand San would make some underhanded moves, but they never expected that Ghost Hand San, who had been very cooperative all the way, would directly self-destruct in front of them, and without having obtained the antidote.

Gu Mo frowned slightly and said, "Ghost Hand Three, don't you believe my poison can kill you?"

“No,” Ghost Hand Three said with a chuckle, “I believe you. If I didn’t believe you, I would have run away halfway.”

"Then you still dare to betray us? Aren't you afraid of death?" Gu Mo asked doubtfully.

Ghost Hand Three chuckled and said, “Sir, it’s not that I’m not afraid of death, I’m terrified of dying, but I’m even more afraid of being unable to die. If I offend you two, I might just lose my life, but if I offend Judge Cui, that would be worse than death. So, tell me, what do you suggest I choose?”

"It seems you think Judge Cui has us cornered," Ye Jinglan said.

Ghost Hand Three chuckled and remained silent.

At this moment, the alluring woman smiled and bowed to Gu Mo and Ye Jinglan, saying, "My name is Donggua. May I ask how you two officials are addressed, what your positions are, and what case you are handling? If needed, I will certainly cooperate fully!"

Ye Jinglan said in a deep voice, "Can you make that decision?"

“In this windy place, I can usually make decisions,” Donggua said with a light laugh. “The two of you have come here alone, so you must be here to discuss business. You can’t just be here to arrest people, can you? Please reveal your identities and let’s be frank. We’ll pay whatever tribute is due to you, and my family will not shirk our responsibilities!”

Ye Jinglan sneered and said, "So after all this talk, you thought we were here to extort money from you using Song Zichu's murder case?"

Donggua's expression began to turn sour, but he still politely asked, "Could it be that you two officials are really here to arrest Judge Cui? Are you two officials from the Night Department?"

"What, only the Night Division is allowed to arrest Judge Cui?"

Donggua said, "Only the Night Division has ever dared to do that."

“Then I, from the Ministry of Justice, will give it a try today,” Ye Jinglan said.

"Hahahaha..." Donggua seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world, and said, "Back then, idiots came from the Night Department, and now, the Ministry of Justice is producing idiots too?" Donggua actually laughed so hard that he bent over, held up two fingers, and laughed loudly, "Just the two of you? Who do you think you are? The Imperial Advisor Zhang Daoyi?"

After saying that, Donggua waved slightly.

In that instant, the rustling of fabric could be heard from all directions, from the alleys and rooftops. Arrowheads suddenly gleamed from the shadows of the eaves, and crossbows in the darkness of the alley entrances emitted the metallic hum of turning gears.

More than two hundred killing intents condensed into an invisible net, firmly enveloping the two people in front of him.

Donggua rubbed his face, which turned cold, and said in a deep voice, "Gentlemen, this is your last chance. If you don't reveal your identities now, you'll be wrongly killed and there will be no way to seek justice!"

Ye Jinglan said calmly, "You are not qualified to talk to me. Let Judge Cui come and talk to me in person."

"Looks like he really was a fool!"

Donggua took a step back, and immediately, the guards behind her stepped forward to protect her.

Donggua gave a nonchalant smile, then turned and left.

At that very moment, a sharp, piercing sound tore through the silence. The first arrow, like a venomous black snake, hurtled straight at Ye Jinglan's face. Immediately afterward, thousands of arrows, accompanied by sharp whistles, poured down from the sky, turning the gloom into a chilling torrent.

Ye Jinglan was about to draw his sword when Gu Mo stopped him.

In an instant, a silver light emanated from Gu Mo's body, instantly forming a protective aura around him, which swirled and danced like a dragon.

The moment the rain of arrows struck the light barrier, it unleashed a deafening roar like firecrackers exploding, as if the entire space had been stirred by an invisible hand. The originally fierce rain of arrows strangely changed its trajectory, the silver arrowheads drawing tiny sparks across the surface of the light barrier, then turning away as if drawn by a magnet, flying backward with the force of a thunderbolt.

"what!"

The first scream ripped through the sky. The archer on the left rooftop was pierced through the chest by three heavy arrows, and he fell to the ground like a kite with a broken string, his crimson blood splattering all over the gray tiles.

Immediately afterwards, screams rose and fell.

The sounds of arrows piercing flesh filled the air, accompanied by cries of agony as archers fell to the ground one after another.

Blood mist filled the air, the metallic stench of rust assaulting the nostrils. Arrows lay scattered like thorns, some still trembling as they were embedded in the brickwork, others deeply embedded in the walls, only their fletching remaining. The two hundred-odd archers who had been so imposing just moments before now lay strewn about in pools of blood, severed limbs strewn everywhere, groans and sobs mingling.

Donggua and Guishousan, who had only taken two or three steps, were suddenly jolted and turned around. They saw a terrifying scene, and their faces turned deathly pale.

As Gu Mo and Ye Jinglan strode over,

Donggua's pupils contracted slightly, and her expression was extremely grim. There was a trace of blood on her face; she had just been hit by an arrow, and if she hadn't dodged it quickly, the arrow would have pierced the back of her head.

Ghost Hand Three took a deep breath, cupped his hands, and said, "Both of you are from the Ministry of Justice, possessing such methods and connected to Song Zichu. May I ask which one of you is Lord Ye Jinglan? I have long admired you..."

"Snapped"

Ye Jinglan slapped Ghost Hand Three across the face with her backhand, and Ghost Hand Three was spun around by the neck, his head spinning completely before bouncing back, his face turned towards his back, his eyes bulging out and staring at Winter Melon, before he fell to the ground with a "thud".

"Right under the emperor's nose, with bows and crossbows everywhere, are you planning a rebellion?" Ye Jinglan walked over, grabbed Donggua by the neck, and said, "Donggua, right? I heard that Judge Cui has four melons under his command: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. You don't want your head to turn into a watermelon, do you?"

Donggua's face flushed red, and he stammered, "I...I can take you to see Judge Cui..."

"lead the way!"

Ye Jinglan drew his knife and held it to Donggua's neck.

Then, Donggua led Ye Jinglan and Gu Mo to a building. She tapped a pillar a few times, and the floor tiles immediately separated, revealing a passageway.

Winter Melon said, "Judge Cui has many enemies, and the government has been hunting him down. He usually hides in this underground palace and orders the four of us—Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter—to do whatever he needs to do. He's inside right now, believe it or not!"

“Continue leading the way,” Ye Jinglan said.

Donggua was also decisive and was the first to go down, followed closely by Ye Jinglan, while Gu Mo was at the very back.

The passage was quite long, about ten zhang (approximately 33 meters), leading to a spacious hall. There were various passages in all directions, and in the very center was a large bed where a bald, burly man was lying in the arms of several beautiful women, playing around.

"Boss," Donggua called out.

The bald man looked up at Donggua, then at Ye Jinglan and Gu Mo, and said, "Lord Ye, name your price..."

"call out"

In that instant, Gu Mo threw a flying knife, which instantly pierced the bald man's forehead, killing him instantly.

"It's fake." Gu Mo made a quick decision.

Although Ye Jinglan didn't know what Gu Mo was so sure of, he had no doubts and immediately prepared to attack the winter melon. However, at that moment, the ground suddenly softened and turned into quicksand, and the winter melon sank and disappeared into the quicksand.

Ye Jinglan and Gu Mo dared not sink directly like Donggua, as they were unsure whether the sand below was real or fake quicksand. Immediately, they used their internal energy to break free from the quicksand and fly up. However, before they could even breathe a sigh of relief, they discovered that all the floor tiles in the entire hall had shattered at that moment, revealing quicksand beneath.

"go!"

Ye Jinglan shouted, and the two immediately returned to the entrance of the passage, only to find that the entrance they had come from had collapsed. As they were about to run to other entrances, they heard a rumbling sound. Rolling sand surged from those entrances, filling the entire hall in an instant.

……

A sudden, muffled thunderous roar erupted over the town of Guifengkou. The gray building in the center of the storm suddenly collapsed with a sickening crack, cracks spreading like a spider web. The building then sank rapidly, the surrounding bluestone paving stones splitting open, revealing shifting quicksand beneath.

About twenty feet outside the sandy mouth, a woman slowly crawled out of a ditch; it was Donggua.

She was covered in wet mud and sand, her hair a mess. She lay on the ground, looked up at the sinking building, sneered, then got up and walked to a small factory in the town. There, a bald, burly man was using a spatula to boil sandalwood in a large iron pot.

This bald, burly man was very similar to the bald man who had been killed by Gu Moyi's flying knife in the underground hall, but their temperaments were clearly different. The bald man exuded ferocity, while this bald, burly man was very gentle, and even had a touch of refinement in his every move.

"Boss!"

Donggua walked into the small factory and bowed to the bald, burly man, saying, "One of those two was Ye Jinglan."

It is obvious that this person is the real Judge Cui.

Judge Cui slowly stirred the thick white liquid in the pot and calmly said, "The other one has an even bigger background."

Donggua was slightly startled and asked, "Who is it?"

Judge Cui chuckled and said, "The capital is in an uproar right now. Ye Jinglan has hired a helper to help capture the human-faced monster. That helper is Gu Mo, the fifth-best expert in Qian Kingdom and a great hero of Yunzhou."

Donggua was slightly startled and asked, "Was that Gu Mo wearing the monkey mask just now?"

"It can only be him," Judge Cui said. "I've heard that when Gu Mo first came out of retirement, he demonstrated a skill of using the enemy's own methods against them. Wasn't that the way he just killed the archer?"

Donggua pondered for a moment, then burst into laughter and said, "Boss, so what if Ye Jinglan or Gu Mo are the fifth-ranked in Qian Kingdom? They still died at your hands, Boss!"

Judge Cui nodded slightly and said, "That's settled then. Arrange for people to repair that muddy river..."

Judge Cui stopped abruptly at this point, his face suddenly stiffening as he stared straight at the doorway.

Seeing this, Donggua was puzzled. He turned around and was immediately terrified.

Because she saw Gu Mo and Ye Jinglan, whom she had already sentenced to death in her heart.

"You...you...aren't...sinking into the quicksand river..."

Ye Jinglan walked slowly forward, and walked up to Donggua, who was trembling all over. He reached out and lifted Donggua's chin. Although there was mud and sand in his hair, it did not prevent his face from still being so exquisite.

"Just kidding," Ye Jinglan gently wiped the dirt off Donggua's cheek and said, "Otherwise, why would you have taken the initiative to lead us to find the real Judge Cui?"

Donggua said in a deep voice, "You... were plotting against me from the very beginning? How were you so sure you could find me? Even if you put some tracking powder on me, it would have been dealt with in the quicksand long ago."

Gu Mo raised a finger and pointed to the scar on Dong Gua's cheek, saying softly, "The medicine powder on his body can be cleaned, but we can't replace all his blood, can we?"

Winter melon trembled all over.
She understood immediately that the arrow wound on her face was not an accident, but a pre-planned act by Gu Mo.

In fact, this was indeed a plan Gu Mo had made at the time. The fact that Ghost Hand San Ning would rather die than betray Judge Cui reminded him that he wasn't confident he could coerce Dong Gua into betraying Judge Cui. Therefore, rather than forcing the other party to lead them to Judge Cui, it was better to let the other party go to find him on their own initiative.

So, when he used his innate qi to deflect the arrow earlier, he deliberately aimed it at Donggua. During that time, he sent his specially made tracking powder into Donggua's wound as ice shavings.

Hearing Gu Mo's words, Dong Gua trembled all over. She knew she had messed up this time, and the thought of Judge Cui's punishment filled her with fear.

"Don't be afraid, I'm here." Although Ye Jinglan's voice didn't have much emotion, it gave Donggua a strange sense of security. She looked up at Ye Jinglan and felt a strange feeling in her heart.

then,

She saw Ye Jinglan open his huge hand and slap it towards her.

There was a "bang" sound,
Donggua's head was smashed by Ye Jinglan, and brain matter and blood splattered everywhere.

He curled his lip and said, "I told you before, if you try anything funny, I'll turn your head into a watermelon. So don't be afraid, you won't have to wait for Judge Cui to punish you!"

"Good good,"

Just then, Judge Cui remained unfazed, slowly stirring the white liquid in the pot, and said, "Ye Jinglan truly lives up to the title of Sword Emperor. Although you revoked the title after entering the court to avoid any taboos, you still can't shake off your江湖 (jianghu, the martial arts world) spirit!"

Ye Jinglan looked at Judge Cui with curiosity and said, "You seem to be very confident. May I ask why?"

Judge Cui chuckled and said, "Because you dare not really kill me, I am naturally not afraid."

"Why do you think I wouldn't dare kill you?" Ye Jinglan asked.

Judge Cui said, "There are two reasons. First, if you kill me, you will never be able to leave Ghost City. Half of Ghost City will hunt you down. Even if you manage to escape today, you will face endless pursuit."

Secondly, Ye Jinglan, do you really not realize I have powerful backers? Since you're in officialdom, you should understand the value of Yunlu Sandalwood and the value of my connections. If you didn't have anyone behind you, do you think you could have expanded so effectively? You want to kill me? You'll find no place to hide in either the legitimate or underworld!

So, Ye Jinglan, you've killed enough people today, and vented your anger enough. Let's call it a day. I'll discuss with the big boss whether you two will each get one share of the monthly profits!

Ye Jinglan's pupils contracted slightly, and he slowly asked, "Then can you tell me who the big boss is?"

"No, just take the money."

Ye Jinglan asked, "If I were to torture you right now, would you reveal the identity of the big boss?"

Judge Cui glanced at Ye Jinglan and said, "No."

"Oh, that's how it is."

Ye Jinglan nodded, then suddenly said, "Then what value do you have in living?"

Then he suddenly drew his sword and slashed.

Judge Cui's body instantly split in two, his once tall figure transformed into two dwarfs who fled in opposite directions at incredible speed.

However, at the same time,

The throwing knife that Gu Mo had been holding ready to throw flew out of his hand at this moment, and then split in two. The two throwing knives flew in two different directions, and the two black dots pierced into the back of the heads of the two dwarfs, bringing two light splashes of blood.

At that moment, a system prompt sounded in Gu Mo's mind:

[Slaying 2/2 four-star wanted criminals]

[Received a four-star reward - Max level Famous Sword Eight Styles]

[Whether to receive it]

……

In that instant,

Gu Mo then obtained the max-level Eight Styles of Famous Swords.

To his surprise, this Sword Eight Styles technique had an unexpected bonus.

This Eight Sword Styles uses eight swords as its core, each sword representing a different martial art, which the practitioner must comprehend.

As Gu Mo had predicted, the first seven moves focused on different aspects: some on attack, some on defense, and some on speed. However, the eighth move, the Eight Swords Flying Together, combined the sword intent of the previous seven moves, summoning the sword spirits of the eight swords to form a sword array, attacking the enemy with invincible power.

Gu Mo was pleasantly surprised by this Sword Eight Style's method of controlling qi with a sword, which he had originally thought was simply a technique of controlling a sword with internal force.

As a result, at the moment when he mastered the Eight Forms of the Famous Sword, he realized that the Eight Forms of the Famous Sword emphasized "unity of sword and mind". The eight swords flying together in the eighth form is not fixed, but is based on the practitioner's own will and understanding of the pursuit of the way of the sword.

For example, Yi Tianxing comprehends "Obsessive Sword," using emotion to control the sword and breaking through boundaries to be reborn; while Yi Jifeng comprehends "Sword Formation," separating mind and spirit, with the sword as the main focus.

The eighth form is a realm of freedom, which means to comprehend it on your own, without any fixed moves.

Yi Tianxing's sword intent incorporates his infatuation with his beloved and his alienation from the Famous Sword Manor, forming a unique artistic conception that is both resolute and compassionate, thus comprehending the "obsessed sword"; while Yi Jifeng is trapped in the shackles of "being bound by the sword", he is obsessed with the perfection of the moves and the glory of his family, so he comprehends the "sword formation".

Gu Mo has a broad and unrestrained mind. His martial arts realm includes various profound martial arts realms and artistic conceptions such as "Limitless Asura", "Yi Jin Nirvana", "Dan Meng Xiao Yao", "Martial Saint", "Dao Fa Zi Ran, Sui Xin Suo Yu" and so on. The eighth form he comprehended was naturally what he wanted - sword control.

Control the sword with your mind, and wield the sword with your energy!
(End of this chapter)