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

Chapter 238 Human-Faced Monster Appears (9k words, requesting monthly votes)

Wuwei Mountain, the residence of the Imperial Preceptor.

In a small courtyard in the backyard, green tiles and white walls are hidden among bamboo groves, where the bamboo shadows sway and rustle. In the corner of the courtyard, the bamboo leaves are lush and green, and beside the fence, a few wild chrysanthemums quietly bloom.

Gu Mo was fishing in the courtyard. His fishing rod was very simple, just a bamboo pole, a line and a fishhook bent from an embroidery needle. He would sit there all day long and hardly catch any fish, but he enjoyed it and had been fishing there for several days.

After arriving at Wuwu Mountain on the tenth day of the ninth month, and learning about the struggle between the emperor and empress dowager from the Grand Preceptor Zhang Daoyi, he did not rush to leave. On the same day, Ye Jinglan and Su Ziyou came to the Grand Preceptor's residence. This time, Zhang Daoyi let Ye Jinglan in and personally received him.

After Ye Jinglan explained the situation to Gu Mo, Gu Mo immediately agreed to help, telling Ye Jinglan and Su Ziyou to investigate as they wished and to let him know whenever they needed assistance.

After that, Gu Mo lived in the Imperial Preceptor's mansion, eating and drinking for free.

Today is the sixth day since September 15th.

However, Gu Mo wasn't idle these past few days. He used his Tongxuan Martial Arts realm to slightly modify the Yi Jin Jing and Xi Sui Jing, using the powerful abilities of these two divine skills to transform Gu Chudong's meridians and cleanse her marrow.

The effect is very significant.

Gu Chudong was already close to the ninth level of Mingyu Gong, which was the eighth level of the state of "no one and no self, forgetting both self and things". Mingyu Gong can improve talent, and the higher the level of cultivation, the greater the improvement in talent.

Now, Gu Mo used the Great Completion of the Yi Jin Jing and Xi Sui Jing to transform Gu Chu Dong's tendons and cleanse her marrow with external force. In just a few days, Gu Chu Dong's cultivation level advanced by leaps and bounds, and she has reached the edge of a breakthrough.

then,

Zhang Daoyi noticed the situation and gave Gu Chudong another helping hand by reciting the most authentic Taoist purification mantra, the "Qingjing Jing," for her. As the leader of the Taoist sect, his understanding of Taoist realms was absolutely top-notch, and he successfully guided Gu Chudong into a state of harmony between heaven and man.

He was just one step away from mastering the Mingyu Skill.

So, Gu Chudong went into seclusion.

I have been in seclusion for a day and a night now.

Gu Mo knew that when Gu Chudong emerged from this seclusion, she would have mastered the Mingyu Gong and entered the martial arts realms of "Wuji Shura, Yijin Nirvana, and Danmeng Xiaoyao".

This speed is really fast. It has only been two years since Gu Chudong started cultivating Mingyu Gong, and he has already reached the Great Perfection stage.

But thinking about it,
With the support of various resources that are hard to come by in the martial arts world, and with a peerless master of internal energy providing one-on-one guidance almost every day, this speed is considered normal.

Originally, Gu Mo planned to go to Longhu Mountain to enter the Ascension Platform and borrow the power of the blessed land of the Ascension Platform to help Gu Chudong achieve great success in Mingyu Gong. Now, with the arrival of Yi Jin Jing and Xi Sui Jing, he has moved a step faster.

Two people entered from outside the courtyard; they were Zhang Daoyi and the young Daoist Huaisu.

The two approached Gu Mo's side. The young Taoist Huaisu bowed in greeting, while Zhang Daoyi patted his round belly and sat down on the rock next to Gu Mo, saying, "Didn't catch any fish again?"

Gu Mo said, "You ate all the fish in this lake, there isn't a single one left, how am I supposed to catch any?"

Zhang Daoyi said, "You know there are no fish, so why are you still fishing?"

Gu Mo chuckled and said, "Does fishing necessarily require fish? It's about a feeling, a state of mind. Old Master, you don't understand."

Zhang Daoyi curled his lip and said, "You're developing in the direction of Su Qianqiu now, huh? That's not good, it's really asking for a beating."

Gu Mo smiled and said, "But in fact, it's usually Su Qianqiu who does the beatings, isn't it, Master?"

Zhang Daoyi rolled his eyes and said, "You really don't know how to talk." As he spoke, he turned his head to look at the room behind him and said, "Hey, Chu Dong's seclusion is about to end. She's now in the stage of adjusting her internal energy."

Gu Mo nodded slightly.

Zhang Daoyi clicked his tongue in amazement and said, "Heaven really loves you two siblings too much. You alone are the most talented person of your generation. And yet, even Chu Dong, whom everyone in the martial arts world thought was just your little follower, is also so talented. Is she even twenty yet?"

"Nineteen," Gu Mo said.

“Tsk tsk tsk, nineteen years old,” Zhang Daoyi said. “If I’m not mistaken, she also cultivates both internal energy and martial arts, but internal energy is the main focus. When she comes out of seclusion this time, her internal energy will have reached a state of perfection.”

Gu Mo nodded slightly.

When Mingyu Gong is cultivated to its peak, it reaches a state of perfect clarity and enlightenment, where internal energy is inexhaustible. However, Zhang Daoyi had not studied Mingyu Gong and was unaware of its characteristics. He only deduced Gu Chudong's internal energy level based on ordinary internal martial arts techniques, and indeed, it had reached a state of flawless perfection without any weaknesses or vulnerabilities.

"Nineteen years old, nineteen years old, what was I doing back then?" Zhang Daoyi said, "I was secretly watching female Taoist priests at the Taoist temple next door. It's true what they say, comparisons are odious!"

Gu Mo chuckled and said, "But you, Celestial Master, are now the third-best martial artist in the world!"

Zhang Daoyi patted Gu Mo on the shoulder and said, "How about I introduce a master to your sister?"

"Is it you, Master Celestial?" Gu Mo asked.

Zhang Daoyi shook his head and said, "My current status is special, and my seniority is too high, so I can no longer accept disciples. However, don't worry, the person I'm introducing to your sister is definitely one of the top figures in the Daoist sect. He will absolutely not waste your sister's talent, and she will definitely be able to learn the ultimate skills of Longhu Mountain!"

Gu Mo chuckled and said, "Old Celestial Master, who do you think would be more suitable for my sister to take as her master than me? Is there anyone who values ​​my sister more than I do?"

Zhang Daoyi was taken aback for a moment, then said, "That's true. With a grandmaster like you here, there's really no need to go to great lengths. However, I'm just too tempted. Someone so young and talented, I'm not willing to not join my Daoist sect. Why don't you become a disciple of my sect?"

Gu Mo asked, "It's not that I look down on the Taoist sect, but I just want to ask, Celestial Master, who in this world is qualified to be my master and accept me into their fold? It's still uncertain who will teach whom."

“How about this,” Zhang Daoyi said, “I will teach you a Taoist supernatural power, then take on disciples on behalf of my master, and then go to Longhu Mountain to guide them, announcing to the world that you are the new Celestial Master of Taoism, what do you say?”

"Is the Taoist sect so desperate for thugs?"

"I'm just worried that one day you might get fooled by those Buddhist guys and think you've achieved some kind of enlightenment, and then you'll become a monk!"

"..."

Zhang Daoyi said, "By the way, Ye Jinglan is here. There's been progress in the investigation over there. However, I think Chu Dong is about to finish her seclusion. I'll go greet her first. You can come later."

Gu Mo nodded and said, "Okay." Then, Gu Mo asked in confusion, "I remember you didn't like Ye Jinglan before, why are you being so polite now, and even going to greet him personally?"

“The situation is different,” Zhang Daoyi said with a smile. “First of all, I must state that if Ye Jinglan had not entered the imperial court as an official, I would still respect him as a martial arts master.”

"But the reason I didn't see him before was because he was a retainer of the Prince of Jin, and I... didn't want to participate in the struggle for the throne, nor did I take sides with any prince. I have always stood on the Emperor's side. Therefore, my not seeing Ye Jinglan wasn't targeting him; I was not seeing anyone who had clearly participated in the struggle for the throne."

Gu Mo asked in confusion, "But now, Ye Jinglan is still Prince Jin's man!"

“But he is working for His Majesty now, and once this matter is over, I will not see him again.”

"I see. So, are you siding with the emperor as a person, or with the title?"

Zhang Daoyi chuckled lightly, did not answer, and turned to leave with the young Daoist Huaisu.

Gu Mo stared thoughtfully at Zhang Daoyi's retreating figure.

After a while,
The fluctuations of internal energy in the room behind them subsided.
The door slowly opened, and Gu Chudong walked out. At that moment, the bamboo leaves that had accumulated on the green tiles seemed to freeze for a moment. She quickly walked towards Gu Mo as if riding the wind, exuding an inexplicable sense of intimidation and pressure.

This is because they have just broken through and have not yet adapted well, nor have they entered a state of introspection.

"elder brother!"

With barely suppressed joy on her face, Gu Chudong ran to Gu Mo's side, grinning broadly to reveal two rows of big white teeth. She looked quite naive and said, "Brother, I feel amazing right now! I'm full of energy, and I have a feeling that I can beat anyone!"

Gu Mo: “…”

Suddenly I understand why so many people I've met before always thought they were the best in the world. The sense of security that comes with that kind of power can easily make people arrogant. If you don't adjust your mindset in time, and if the people around you keep praising you, you might really become more and more arrogant.

then,

Gu Mo slowly reached out and placed a finger on Gu Chudong's shoulder.

At that moment,

Gu Chudong felt as if a mountain had suddenly fallen on her, and her body almost fell apart. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't move an inch.

"Okay, okay," Gu Chudong quickly shouted, "I'm not getting cocky anymore!"

Gu Mo slowly loosened his fingers and said, "I only used 10% of my strength."

Gu Chudong pouted, took Gu Mo's hand, and said, "Hey, brother, can't you let me be arrogant for once?"

Gu Mo chuckled and said, "No, you've just broken through, and your mind is unstable, making you prone to developing inner demons. If you don't adjust your mindset in time, it will be very difficult to correct it later."

“Alright,” Gu Chudong thought for a moment and asked, “Brother, tell me, what level would my current strength be considered in the martial arts world?”

Gu Mo thought for a moment, then shook his head slightly and said, "It's hard to comment."

It is indeed difficult to evaluate. Considering Gu Chudong's mastery of the Mingyu Gong internal energy cultivation, and with the Mingyu Gong's ever-renewing nature and the martial arts realms of "Wuji Shura, Yijin Nirvana, and Danmeng Xiaoyao," she is definitely superior to ordinary top-tier masters.

However, compared to a grandmaster, he is still a step below.

However, Gu Chudong possesses the Gouchen Demon Blade, a fact that even Gu Mo couldn't accurately assess. He was unsure of the extent to which Gu Chudong had mastered the Gouchen Demon Blade, as he could no longer sense its spirit, meaning that the Gouchen Demon Blade had completely established a spiritual contract with Gu Chudong.

Although he could use it, it was just an extremely sharp knife in his hands, not a divine weapon.

So, is Gu Chudong now considered a Grandmaster? Gu Mo couldn't answer that question either. However, it's undeniable that with the Gouchen Demon Blade in hand, Gu Chudong's strength is definitely at the Grandmaster level, even far surpassing that of ordinary Grandmasters.

However, even without the Gouchen Demon Blade, with Gu Chudong's current martial arts cultivation, if he went to Suzhou and Fengzhou, the two weakest martial arts regions in the Qian Kingdom, he would be roughly at the level of a grandmaster there. However, if Gu Chudong could master the Extinction Cross Blade Technique, he should truly possess the combat power of an ordinary grandmaster.

……

Ultimately, Gu Mo did not answer Gu Chudong's question about her strength level. Instead, he quickly helped Gu Chudong adjust her breathing and then took her to see Ye Jinglan.

After a while

Gu Mo and Gu Chudong arrived at a courtyard.

Ye Jinglan and Zhang Daoyi were chatting over tea when Gu Mo entered. Ye Jinglan immediately stood up to greet him, cupping his hands in greeting and saying, "Brother Gu, I've come to ask for your help!"

Gu Mo chuckled and said, "Tell me in detail."

Ye Jinglan said, "These past few days, Brother Su Ziyou and I have conducted a comprehensive investigation of the Sihai Chamber of Commerce. Brother Su is indeed a master investigator, and we have already grasped some clues about the collusion between the Sihai Chamber of Commerce and Ghost City."

However, as you know, our most important task right now is the signing ceremony of the four-nation trade agreement, so we are focusing on investigating how Empress Dowager Yan plans to sabotage the ceremony.

Gu Mo nodded slightly, slowly sat down, and asked, "Did you find out?"

"We've found half of it," Ye Jinglan said. "Brother Su, based on clues from various sources, we deduced that Empress Dowager Yan may have made two preparations. One was to directly ambush the heads of the four chambers of commerce chosen by His Majesty. If any of the four chambers of commerce made a mistake on the day of the signing, Empress Dowager Yan could use that as an excuse to have the Sihai Chamber of Commerce take over and directly steal His Majesty's achievements. His Majesty would even have to thank her for saving the day."

Secondly, and this is what we are most worried about, is that if Empress Dowager Yan is pushed too far, she might directly attack the three-nation delegation. If something happens to the three-nation delegation, then the signing of the agreement will naturally be null and void.

Gu Mo asked, "Since you have a direction, why have you only found out half of it?"

Ye Jinglan said, "Because there are still two days and one night before the signing ceremony, we dare not act rashly. The delegations from the three countries are staying at the Honglu Temple, and the four major merchant guilds are staying at the Royal Inn. Brother Su has already secretly found out which assassins were arranged by Empress Dowager Yan and has been keeping an eye on them."

We plan to stall for time, waiting until Empress Dowager Yan is too late to make a second preparation before we seize the person. Acting now would give Empress Dowager Yan time to prepare a second response.

Gu Mo said, "Are you sure you're confident? Let's not have any mishaps."

Ye Jinglan said, "The people arranged by the Grand General of the Imperial City Guard should be fine. Besides, that's why I came to invite you—to be on the safe side in case of any unforeseen circumstances."

Gu Mo asked, "What are the specific arrangements for Empress Dowager Yan?"

Ye Jinglan said, "First, we bribed people inside the Court of State Ceremonial and the Royal Inn. Well, you could say we bribed them, because those people were originally the Empress Dowager's people, but they were very well hidden. If it weren't for Brother Su's meticulousness, we wouldn't have been able to find out. Second, we noticed some unusual activity in Ghost City. It seems like they're planning an inside-outside operation. So far, we've confirmed that the Ten Villains, Turtle Grand Duke Zheng Laodao and Iron Abacus Sun Su Niang, are involved."

"Then which way should I go?" Gu Mo asked.

"The Court of State Ceremonial, relatively speaking," Ye Jinglan said directly, "is more important than the delegation from the Three Kingdoms. So, I feel more at ease knowing that you are going, Brother Gu."

"it is good."

Gu Mo nodded in agreement. He was very interested in Zheng Laodao and Sun Suniang. He knew these two. Zheng Laodao was a gambling den owner who would stop at nothing to ruin people's lives. Rumor had it that he owned many gambling dens in the capital. Because he practiced a top-tier defensive martial art, he was known in the martial arts world as Turtle Tai Sui.

Iron Abacus Sun Su Niang was a partner of Zheng Lao Dao. One ran a gambling den, and the other lent money. Sun Su Niang was most famous for her "live person collateral". The pawner had to leave organs such as eyes, tongue and kidneys as collateral. Those who failed to repay on time were made into "living dead puppets" for amusement.

Since arriving in the capital, Gu Mo has collected wanted information on the top ten villains in the system, including Sun Su Niang and Zheng Lao Dao:

[Wanted Target - Zheng Laodao]

[Mission Level—Four Stars]

[Quest Reward - Max Level Ecstasy Palm]

……

[Wanted Target - Sun Suniang]

[Mission Level—Three Stars]

[Task Reward - Ambidextrous Technique]

……

Gu Mo was still somewhat interested in those two martial arts. Although they weren't particularly outstanding among the martial arts he currently knew, both of them had very distinct characteristics and were quite valuable for reference.

The Heartbreak Palm technique is guided by "love" and powered by "sorrow." Every move is imbued with the obsession of "unrequited love and unbearable longing." Only those with profound inner pain can unleash its power.

The power of this palm technique depends on the user's emotions; the more sorrowful the user, the stronger the power. It also has the special effect of "a heart full of sorrow and a resonance with the pathos of things," which can pull the enemy into the user's emotions.

Of course, given the characteristics of this martial art, Gu Mo's power would be greatly reduced when he used it, because his state of mind is very profound and he is unlikely to be in a state of excessive sorrow. However, this martial art still has great reference value.

Overall, the Ecstasy Palm, like Little Li's Flying Dagger, belongs to the martial arts direction of martial will. Little Li's Flying Dagger's spirit lies in upholding justice and bringing faith, while the Ecstasy Palm lies in the fighting will driven by emotions.

In particular, its special effect of "heartbreaking sorrow and the resonance of all things with sorrow" also carries a sense of domain.

Gu Mo thought he should refer to the concepts of fighting spirit and special effects to improve his own. Because in battles between experts of the same level, fighting spirit can play a decisive role in determining victory or defeat.

The most typical example of someone with a terrible fighting spirit is Zhang Wuji. Despite having all the divine skills, he could still be injured by a hastily learned Nine Yin White Bone Claw.

The second martial art, Ambidextrous Fighting Technique, is also of great reference value.

This martial art breaks the conventional understanding that "one cannot do two things at once." Through extreme focus and mental purity, it enables independent control of the left and right limbs, and has the remarkable effects of "attacking the enemy and defending oneself" and "integrating different martial arts."

Once mastered, one can attack from both sides, multitask, or combine offense and defense.

Simply put, it means you can use two martial arts without them interfering with each other, which is equivalent to one person becoming two people. In terms of pure moves, it can be called the strongest martial art that can be learned quickly. The day you learn it, your martial arts skills will immediately double.

The concept of the Ambidextrous Fighting Technique is not very profound, but it is very difficult to master. Only those with pure minds can learn it. The more complex one's mind is, the less likely one is to succeed.

In general,

Gu Mo was quite interested in both the Ecstasy Palm and the Ambidextrous Technique, especially the Ambidextrous Technique. He was very enthusiastic about it because this martial art could catch enemies off guard by taking advantage of their mental inertia.

He wondered if he could pass it on to Gu Chudong, because this martial art was truly the most advanced and quickest to learn. As long as one could get the basics down, one could achieve great success very quickly. However, the requirements for getting started were too difficult. If you could do it, you could do it; if you couldn't, you couldn't. There was no way to force it. The most direct way to verify this was to draw a circle with your left hand and a square with your right.

……

Soon, Gu Mo and Ye Jinglan reached an agreement, and Gu Chudong returned to their courtyard to pack their things.

As soon as I entered the courtyard,

Gu Mo then said to Gu Chudong, "Sis, try drawing a square with your left hand and a circle with your right hand?"

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

Gu Mo reached out and took two bamboo sticks, handing them to Gu Chudong. Pointing to the ground, he said, "It's about drawing a circle with one hand and a square with the other, simultaneously, and it has to be very..."

Gu Mo didn't finish speaking.

Gu Chudong started drawing, and finished it in an instant.

Gu Mo didn't open his eyes, but he could sense that Gu Chudong's drawing was indeed accurate and precise.

For a time,

Gu Mo was somewhat stunned.
In his mind, Gu Chudong was a little money-grubber. Although she wasn't particularly cunning, she was definitely not naive either, because she was always scheming in her mind.

“Brother,” Gu Chudong pouted and said, “It’s very simple, okay? You forgot, the eighth level of Mingyu Gong is the state of no self and no other, forgetting both self and things. Once you enter this state, it will be very easy for you to draw a square with your left hand and a circle with your right hand!”

Gu Mo was slightly taken aback, then smiled.
But I forgot that this characteristic of Mingyu Gong gave my sister a huge advantage; the Ambidextrous Fighting Technique was practically tailor-made for her.

"Good boy, I'll teach you a martial art in a while!"

Gu Chudong scratched his head, looking quite bewildered. How did things suddenly get so complicated about teaching martial arts?
……

Soon, Gu Mo and Gu Chudong followed Ye Jinglan to the capital. The three of them went directly to the Court of State Ceremonial.

The Court of State Ceremonial was an official government agency responsible for receiving foreign envoys and coordinating national ceremonial activities. However, the Court of State Ceremonial is now heavily guarded by soldiers from the Imperial City Guard.

Gu Mo didn't deal with the officials of the Court of State Ceremonial, nor did he meet with the foreign envoys. It was meaningless to him; he was just there to help out and provide backup in case anything went wrong.

Ye Jinglan naturally wouldn't bother taking Gu Mo to meet those people. Instead, he led Gu Mo and Gu Chudong directly to a tall building in the Honglu Temple and instructed people to prepare two rooms.

"Where is Lord Su?" Gu Mo asked.

Ye Jinglan opened the window and looked down at the construction of half of the Honglu Temple. He said, "Brother Su went to investigate another case. He felt that His Majesty's repeated failures in his struggle with the Empress Dowager for control of the Imperial Treasury were very strange. The first two times, he failed at the last minute, and the last three times, the person in charge of the case betrayed him. He found it strange that all three people in charge of the case had betrayed him, so he went to investigate."

Gu Mo asked, "Have you found out the problem?"

Ye Jinglan said, "I don't know the specifics, but he discovered a common point: those people all liked to visit brothels, especially Wan Hua Lou."

Gu Chudong continued, "Is it the Wan Hua Lou where the Blood-Handed Qin Master Shang Wujiu used to work?"

“Yes,” Ye Jinglan said.

Gu Chudong said, "Well, isn't that normal? Anyone who likes to visit brothels, as long as they have money, who wouldn't want to go to Wan Hua Lou? The top courtesan of Wan Hua Lou, Su Qingyu, is the number one courtesan in the capital, possessing both talent and beauty. Even a ruthless and evil master like Shang Wujiu was willing to disfigure himself just to stay by her side. Many civil and military officials in the court like to go to Wan Hua Lou. Su Qingyu's dancing is so beautiful, truly captivating!"

Gu Mo asked in confusion, "How do you know Su Qingyu dances well?"

Gu Chudong said, "Li Li took me sightseeing in the capital before. When we passed by the Wan Hua Lou, I remembered that Shang Wujiu left a letter before he died. I thought about it and realized that although he was a bad person, he was also a devoted lover. So I gave the letter to Su Qingyu, and then chatted with her for a while. On a whim, she danced for me and Li Li. If Li Li weren't a princess, she would have wanted to become her apprentice. It was really beautiful!"

Ye Jinglan chuckled, "You know what, Su Qingyu's dancing is indeed beautiful. Brother Su went to investigate the Wan Hua Lou a few days ago and saw Su Qingyu dancing. He hasn't been able to forget her since he came back. However, he's becoming more and more certain that something's wrong with the Wan Hua Lou, so he's been going there every day to investigate. The expenses are enormous, and the Imperial City Guard and the Internal Affairs Department are already complaining!"

Gu Mo: "Visiting a brothel on company money?"

"Yes, he even spent a lot of money to buy the opportunity to be Su Qingyu's patron. It was incredibly expensive, costing over a thousand taels of silver for one night. And it wasn't just about having money; you also had to have talent to impress Su Qingyu. Fortunately, Brother Su is exceptionally talented. A few of his poems delighted Su Qingyu, and he made him his patron for several days in a row. Brother Su's talent is truly remarkable. He's worked so hard to solve the case!" Ye Jinglan exclaimed in admiration.

Gu Mo: “…”

Gu Chudong: “…”

"Hey, Brother Ye, do you think it's possible that Lord Su isn't working hard at all, and that he's actually quite happy to do so?"

"Huh?" Ye Jinglan was taken aback and said, "Willing to do what? Isn't he putting himself in danger?"

Gu Chudong couldn't help but complain, "Seeing the courtesan on official pay? This is a dream come true!"

Ye Jinglan pursed his lips and said, "It's not like I would abandon my personal life for a woman. I've met Su Qingyu; she can't possibly be that charming."

Gu Chudong and Gu Mo both fell silent for a moment.

It also explains why Ye Jinglan didn't suspect that Su Ziyou was using public funds to visit brothels; after all, Ye Jinglan genuinely wasn't very interested in women.

"Brother, you must never be like Brother Ye in the future," Gu Chudong whispered. "That won't do. We still need to learn to appreciate girls. After all, we still need to find a few wives!"

Gu Mo: “…”

……

Gu Mo and Gu Chudong stayed at Honglu Temple that very day.

Ye Jinglan led Gu Mo and Gu Chudong on a two-way tour of the Honglu Temple to familiarize them with the surroundings.

Gu Mo originally thought that the Empress Dowager's faction would make their move tomorrow. After all, if they made their move just before the signing ceremony, even if the operation failed, there was a high chance that it would disrupt the signing ceremony.

But, unexpectedly,

On the night of September 15th, the Empress Dowager's faction made their move.

However, because the Imperial City Guard was well-prepared, the assassins planted by the Empress Dowager's faction in the Court of State Ceremonial were captured by the Imperial City Guard as soon as they made their move, with only a small number putting up a stubborn resistance.

Gu Mofei flew to the rooftop and sensed the situation in the Honglu Temple, mainly focusing on the direction where the three kingdoms' delegations were staying.

Everything was under control and no unexpected events occurred.

The experts from the Imperial City Guard lived up to their reputation as the best of the best, completely overwhelming the assassins in battle.

but,

Just when everything was about to calm down,
Outside the Honglu Temple, a strange commotion arose, with shouts of battle shaking the heavens. More than a hundred men in black were forcibly charging into the temple. The martial arts skills of these men in black were clearly superior to those of the assassins hidden inside the temple.

However, when faced with the interception of the Imperial City Guard's elite troops, they all stopped at the side gate.

In the midst of the chaotic battle, Gu Mo received a telepathic message from Ye Jinglan: "Brother Gu, Old Dao Zheng and Sun Su Niang have appeared!"

Gu Mo immediately swooped down and flew over, arriving on a rooftop in the side courtyard in just a few leaps.

At this moment, chaos reigned below, but overall, the Imperial City Guard's army was completely suppressing the black-clad assassins.

at this time,

Ye Jinglan slashed out with his sword, sending a white-haired, masked man flying.

However, that person's defensive methods were truly strong. Even though he took Ye Jinglan's knife head-on, he was only knocked away and was not injured.

"That man is Zheng Laodao!" Ye Jinglan shouted.

Gu Mo immediately pointed his finger, and an invisible sword aura shot out. But at that very moment, in a corner, an old woman with white hair holding an abacus flicked her hand, and seven or eight beads flew out, just in time to meet Gu Mo's invisible sword aura.

The abacus beads were broken; eight beads were broken in a row.

In the void, plumes of surging dust erupted.

Ye Jinglan cleaved a man in black with a single slash and transmitted his voice to Gu Mo, "That person is Iron Abacus Sun Su Niang!"

Even without Ye Jinglan saying it, Gu Mo had already guessed it. He transmitted his voice and said, "Brother Ye, these two are probably using a diversionary tactic. I'm afraid the Court of State Ceremonial has a backup plan."

Ye Jinglan transmitted his voice, "Brother Gu, don't worry, everything is as expected. General Lu Changyun, the Left General of the Imperial City Guard, is lying in ambush with his experts. We just need to focus on killing these thieves!"

"In that case, I'll get started!"

At that moment,

Gu Mo's figure suddenly disappeared, and in the next instant, he appeared like a ghost a dozen feet away, above Zheng Laodao's head. His six-meridian sword energy condensed into a sword array, and his true energy coiled like a silver dragon, transforming into a sharp longsword in his palm.

Old Zheng's pupils shrank suddenly, and a fierce wind howled above his head. Before he could react, the chilling sword light, carrying the force to shatter mountains, slashed down on him!

In that instant, Zheng Laodao's body surged with mysterious light, and a tortoise-shell-shaped protective aura suddenly appeared, with dark golden patterns flowing around it, resembling the phantom of the legendary Xuanwu.

Gu Mo's sword energy struck the shield, unleashing a deafening roar. Cracks spread across the surface of the shield like a spider web, and it crumbled inch by inch in an instant.

The True Qi Sword slashed down on Zheng Laodao's shoulder, sparks flying amidst the clang of metal against metal. Beneath the seemingly ordinary robe on Zheng Laodao's body lay a shimmering tortoise shell, its hardness having withstood Gu Mo's sword strike, leaving only a mark.

Before Zheng Laodao, who was being thrown backwards by the force of the impact, could regain his footing, Gu Mo's fingertips shot out a wisp of cold light, tearing through the air and aiming straight for his throat.

At the critical moment, the sound of wind breaking came from afar. Sun Suniang, who was being chased and fleeing in all directions by Ye Jinglan, suddenly turned around, and twelve iron abacus beads slid out from her sleeve. When she threw them out, they were arranged in the nine palaces in the air, which shattered the invisible sword energy. Seven sword holes appeared on the tree next to her, arranged in the shape of the Big Dipper.

Gu Mo frowned slightly, his aura suddenly surged, and he struck out with his palm.

A bright blue light shone from his palm, and the wind from his palm surged like angry waves, seemingly aimed directly at Sun Suniang.

In an instant, Sun Su Niang's abacus beads formed an array in front of her chest. In a flash, the light intertwined into a net, forming a cage of light that shimmered with a mercury-like luster and stirred up layers of arithmetic ripples, attempting to intercept Gu Mo's palm strike.

However, as the palm strike approached, it suddenly and strangely changed direction, making several turns in the air before appearing behind Sun Suniang and striking her directly on the back of the head.

With a muffled thud, blood mist filled the air.
Sun Suniang's head exploded.

A system prompt sounded in Gu Mo's mind:

Killing a three-star wanted criminal

[Achieve 3-star reward - Max level Ambidextrous Technique]

[Whether to receive it]

……

At this moment, Ye Jinglan, who was chasing after the body with his knife in hand, looked at the corpse whose head had been blown up like a watermelon and felt helpless.

Gu Mo laughed and said, "Brother Ye, you need to practice your lightness skill!"

Ye Jinglan: "..."

Just then, Gu Mo charged at Zheng Laodao once again, and at that very moment, a terrifying howl of a wild beast suddenly echoed from the Honglu Temple.

"Roar……"

The sound came from the west corner of the Honglu Temple. It was a sharp shriek, like tearing silk. The sound was like someone grabbing a rusty iron chain and scraping it hard on people's hearts. It was very penetrating and terrifying. Even Gu Mo felt his temples throbbing when he heard it.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Zheng Laodao rolled half a circle behind the artificial hill. The half of the tortoise shell on his waist scraped against the ground, and sparks splashed onto the soles of his shoes, burning a hole in them. He then instantly burrowed into the ground.

At this moment, in the huge artificial lake of Honglu Temple, thousands of bubbles suddenly rose on the surface, as if someone had smashed a whole box of luminous pearls at the bottom of the lake. With a "boom", a wall of water shot into the sky, the white marble railing carved with twin lotus flowers shattered, and a striped tiger broke out of the water.

The tiger's body was three zhang long and one zhang tall, but its skin was wrapped with several circles of faded red silk. Each tiger whisker dripped with lake water mixed with mud and sand, which would create a dent the size of a bowl when it hit the blue bricks.

The most horrifying thing was the tiger's head—it wasn't a beast's head at all, but clearly a swollen human face. The eye sockets were empty. The face was distorted, the corners of the mouth stretched to the ears, revealing gleaming white fangs, and two clusters of eerie green flames burned in the empty eye sockets. The wet, long hair clung to the face, and with each shake of the head, countless drops of blood were flung out, dripping onto the bluestone slab with a sizzling, corrosive sound.

It is the legendary human-faced monster!

(End of this chapter)