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

Chapter 241 Slaying Through the Army and Killing the Empress Dowager (1 words, seeking monthly votes)

Gu Mo and Ye Jinglan both exerted all their strength, running out of the ghost city as fast as they could.

While running, Gu Mo opened the system to check his gains from this trip.

He had already acquired the Ambidextrous Technique from killing Sun Suniang at the Honglu Temple when he descended to Ghost City. He had used it multiple times in his battle with Yan Busheng, employing the Heavenly Blade Eight Techniques and the Yi Sword Technique to gain the upper hand. Later, he used the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms and the White Rainbow Palm Force to kill Mad Sword in a mysterious and unexplained manner.

After that, he killed the old scholar and obtained the Celestial Immortal Sword Technique, which he received directly. It was an extremely gorgeous and perfect sword technique.

Afterwards, he killed the Crying Ghost and obtained the Abyss Rainbow Sword.

Then came killing the Cold Pool Ancestor to obtain the Heavenly Water Divine Skill.

This Heavenly Water Divine Skill excels in its yin and soft nature, forming its own unique system. It is completely different from the martial arts of all other schools and sects in the world. It combines yin and yang, and its power is like water, which can be both soft and hard, and is ever-changing.

Those who achieve mastery will possess profound internal strength, powerful palm strikes, and many other enhancements.

However, for Gu Mo, the greatest advantage of this Heavenly Water Divine Skill lies in compensating for his weakness in water combat. This skill allows him to manipulate water flow, breathe through his skin, and theoretically remain submerged for extended periods. It can also control water flow for sonic interference and mental suppression, making it a top-tier water combat martial art.

The emergence of this martial art greatly compensated for Gu Mo's current shortcomings and weaknesses.

after that,

Gu Mo killed Zheng Laodao and obtained the Ecstasy Palm.

This martial art, purely based on its essence, isn't very powerful when used by Gu Mo because it requires a sorrowful emotion. However, Gu Mo's primary aim is to enhance his fighting spirit through the characteristics of the Ecstasy Palm.

However, he doesn't have time right now and can only take some time to study it after today's events.

The last of the Ten Villains, Mad Sword.
He is a master, a master anywhere, and can be considered a grandmaster.

His sword was fast and ruthless.
It's a pity that he couldn't break through Gu Mo's defense. In the face of innate qi, Mad Sword's sword was no different from a fire poker, so he was defeated very decisively and died a very hasty death.

However, he did provide Gu Mo with a second Qi cultivation technique—the Myriad Leaves Flying Flowers Flow.

The Ten Thousand Leaves Flying Flower Style is the ultimate martial art of the Wood Department of the Yin-Yang School in "Qin's Moon". This martial arts system is based on the power of nature and perfectly integrates the Taoist philosophy of "harmony between man and nature" with the five elements manipulation of Yin-Yang techniques.

It possesses three main techniques: Ten Thousand Leaves Sprout, Vine Whip Binds the Dragon, and Life and Death Transformation.

"Ten Thousand Leaves Unleashed" allows the user to channel true energy into surrounding plants, transforming leaves and petals into sharp blades that shoot forth with incredible speed and power. "Vine Whip Binding Dragon" allows the user to control vines for long-range binding, making the vines extremely resilient and impossible for ordinary people to break. "Life and Death Transformation" uses Yin-Yang techniques to reverse the life cycle of plants, causing withered trees to instantly bloom and release poisonous gas, or causing blooming flowers to wither and turn into corrosive acid—a technique that is difficult to defend against.

This is a wood-attribute Qi cultivation technique. If it is in the forest, its power can be maximized, gaining a great home-field advantage.

but,

Overall, the biggest gain today was slaying the human-faced demon beast and obtaining the Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique.

This martial art is comparable to the Innate Qi, but while the Innate Qi is mainly for defense, the Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique is powerful in terms of attack.

This martial art centers on the four natural forces of wind, fire, thunder, and lightning, pushing these forces to their limits. Strictly speaking, it belongs to the methods of Qi cultivators, yet it has not strayed from the true essence of martial arts. In particular, the final move, "Four Elements United," directly merges Qi cultivation techniques with the true essence of martial arts.

This martial art is the opposite of innate qi, one being the ultimate in defense and the other the ultimate in offense.

The Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique, consisting of four forms—Wind, Fire, Thunder, and Lightning—possesses powerful offensive capabilities. In addition to their offensive power, each form also has unique effects. Wind God's Wrath grants mastery of wind-based abilities, Fire God's Wrath grants mastery of fire-based abilities, and the Thunder and Lightning forms control the power of lightning.

……

Before breaking out of the ghost town
Gu Mo then claimed all the spoils from his trip to the Ghost City, except for the Yuanhong Sword.

The two returned by the same route, appearing from the Honglu Temple.

When Gu Mo and Ye Jinglan flew out of the dried-up artificial lake at the Court of State Ceremonial, several minor officials from the Court of State Ceremonial came running over, both surprised and flustered.

"Lord Ye, Hero Gu, you two have finally emerged! Something terrible has happened, a great calamity has struck!" a servant hurriedly reported. "The imperial city has been sealed off!"

Ye Jinglan quickly asked, "Who locked it?"

The servant quickly replied, "It's His Highness Prince Ji. We heard there are rebels in the capital, and His Highness is leading troops to rescue the emperor by imperial decree. We don't know the specifics."

"How long?"

"It's been two hours! This happened not long after you entered the ghost city!"

Ye Jinglan quickly said to Gu Mo, "Brother Gu, don't be impulsive, the situation is still unclear..."

Before Ye Jinglan could finish speaking, he suddenly felt a gust of wind sweep up sand. When he waved his hand to brush away the sand, he found that Gu Mo had already flown far away. His posture was as graceful as an immortal, as if he were riding the wind, heading towards the imperial city. In the blink of an eye, he had disappeared from sight.

……

The Imperial City, Xingqing Palace.

Unlike the turmoil and bloodshed at Jiucheng Palace, Xingqing Palace, where Empress Dowager Yan resided, seemed to be in another world, extremely quiet.

In a large hall,

Empress Dowager Yan was standing in front of a high platform, on which was enshrined a memorial tablet—the memorial tablet of her beloved son, Li Chengyu.

Li Chengyu was the son of Empress Dowager Yan and the late emperor. He was later granted the title of Prince Duan. After the current emperor ascended the throne, he voluntarily resigned and went to his fiefdom of Hejian County, where he was very well-behaved. He had neither a good nor a bad reputation among the common people; to be precise, he had almost no reputation at all. Most people did not even know that a Prince Duan existed. He lived a secluded life, only coming to the capital to visit Empress Dowager Yan and Emperor Qian during the New Year. He would only stay for a day or two before leaving. He never met with ministers in private, had no intention of vying for the throne, and even argued with Empress Dowager Yan on several occasions on behalf of Emperor Qian.

now,

Looking at the memorial tablet, Empress Dowager Yan seemed to see Prince Duan in person. She said softly, "My son, don't blame your mother for being heartless. It's just that you've been too disobedient. Although you have the blood of the Li family flowing in your veins, don't you also have my blood in your veins? You always use the excuse of protecting the stability of the Li family's empire to oppose me. Do you know how much you've disappointed your mother? You've really disappointed me!"

Empress Dowager Yan pondered for a moment and said, "However, it doesn't matter. Since my son is disobedient and unworthy, I will take it by myself. I will definitely get what I want. It is you who have made up your mind to be the greatest emperor of all time!"
"No woman has ever been emperor in this world, so I will be the first to set this precedent for all ages. Rest assured, you have contributed to my eternal cause, and I will not forget you. Once that fool Prince Ji ascends the throne, it will be at most three years before I completely strip him of his power. At that time, the court will be in my hands alone, and I will become the Empress for all ages, the greatest emperor of all time! Then, I will posthumously honor you as Emperor."

Empress Dowager Yan gazed at the memorial tablet for a long time, then slowly turned around, walked to the door, looked up at the sky, and asked, "What time is it?"

Just then, an old eunuch stepped forward. It was none other than Eunuch Wei, the chief eunuch of Xingqing Palace. He walked to Empress Dowager Yan's side, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, it is already past noon!"

Empress Dowager Yan said in a deep voice, "Then, they should have already stormed into Jiucheng Palace, right?"

Eunuch Wei said, "A letter just arrived. His Highness Prince Ji and General Yan Run have breached the gates of Jiucheng Palace. However, more than 700 palace guards and soldiers from the Imperial City Guard are holding out in front of Jiucheng Palace. All the military officers in the court have also come out of the palace gates, ready to fight to the death. His Majesty has already donned his armor."

"Emperor Qian cannot be killed, but everyone else can be!" Empress Dowager Yan frowned and asked, "What's the situation with Su Ziyou now?"

Eunuch Wei said, "Su Ziyou and the Prince of Jin have mobilized the garrison of the southern city and led six thousand elite troops to attack. They will arrive at the capital in half an hour at most, and at Jiucheng Palace within an hour!"

Empress Dowager Yan asked in confusion, "Without the military tally, how could the Prince of Jin mobilize the garrison troops?"

"I don't know."

Empress Dowager Yan said in a deep voice: "Inform Yan Run that he must take control of Jiucheng Palace within half an hour, and then completely seal off the imperial city. As long as we take down the emperor and seize military power, then Su Ziyou and Prince Jin will be rebels, and we can mobilize all the garrison troops and the White Tiger Camp of Xishan to besiege them!"

……

The square in front of Jiucheng Palace in the imperial city has become a battlefield.

The black-armored army surged past the white marble balustrade like a tide, with hundreds of heavy cavalrymen at the forefront whose iron hooves crushed the blue bricks, and the scarlet tassels on their lances swept away the embers of the palace lanterns.

The Imperial City Guard's gleaming armor shattered into pieces amidst the pile of corpses. Hundreds of palace guards and Imperial City Guard soldiers formed a human wall, back to back, with spears clashing. Blood was everywhere on the ground, and the undergarments beneath the armor were already soaked through.

The second wave of heavy cavalry charged, crushing the barricades. The lead knight's saber cleaved half of the Imperial City Guard's battle flag. The fallen captain used a broken arrow to prop himself up; the arrowhead had pierced his right cheek, revealing white bone, yet he still clutched his blood-stained waist token tightly.

The bronze incense burners at the four corners of the square were overturned, and the ashes mixed with brains meandered on the blue bricks. Behind the flesh wall formed by three hundred corpses, the sobs of palace maids could be heard through the cracks in the palace gate.

Hundreds of heavily armored cavalrymen pressed forward, followed by a dense, overwhelming army that filed in. Compared to the mere few hundred Imperial City Guards and palace attendants at the gates of the Nine-Tenths Palace, it was a completely overwhelming situation.

At this moment, in front of the Black Armor Army,
The current fifth prince, Prince Ji, Li Zhongde, was riding his horse as if in a frenzy, his face covered in blood. As he looked at the approaching Jiucheng Palace, he seemed to see the throne beckoning to him.

Next to Li Zhongde is Yan Run, the current General of the Army and the current head of the Yan family, the maternal clan of Empress Dowager Yan.

Yan Run glanced at Prince Ji, a hint of contempt flashing in his eyes, and said, "Your Highness Prince Ji, in this Jiucheng Palace, you cannot kill innocent people. If you really kill people indiscriminately, the court will be paralyzed. There are two people in particular who must not be killed. No matter what happens later, those two can only be captured, not killed!"

Prince Ji did not speak, but his neck began to twist strangely, and a ferocious look appeared on his face, clearly showing signs of going mad, with his eyes filled with violence.

Yan Run was startled and immediately took out a pill from his person and secretly handed it to Prince Ji, saying with displeasure, "Your Highness Prince Ji, did you take Yunlu Sandalwood again last night? I've told you many times that you should eat that stuff in moderation!"

After taking the pill, Prince Ji immediately regained control of his emotions. He glanced at Yan Run and said, "What does it matter? I can control myself anytime. What are you afraid of? Hmm, you just said that two people can't be killed? If my father can't be killed, then who else can't be killed?"

"Sima Kong, the seventh prince of the Southern Jin Dynasty".

Yan Run said, "This Sima Kong is nominally the seventh prince of Southern Jin, but in reality, his surname is Su, the Su of Su Qianqiu, the second most powerful man in the world. In order to curry favor with Su Qianqiu, the Southern Jin royal family has made the Su family the number one family in Southern Jin. In order to maintain friendly relations with the Su family, each emperor would choose a son from the Su family to be named a prince. In reality, this was to give the Su family a throne without violating the ancestral rules, because the ancestral rules of Southern Jin do not allow kings of different surnames."

This Sima Kong is the one from the Su family who has been named a prince in this generation, and he will be enfeoffed as a king in the future. He represents not only the Southern Jin royal family, but also Su Qianqiu. Yes, he is Su Qianqiu's direct great-grandson. If he dies, there will be big trouble.”

Prince Ji waved his hand and said, "I understand."

at this time,

Nine-tenths of the palace gates opened.

Emperor Qian, wielding a long sword and clad in heavy armor, stepped forward and, channeling his inner strength, said in a deep voice, "Li Zhongde, come out and speak!"

Prince Ji also saw Emperor Qian. He ordered the army to halt its advance and shouted to Emperor Qian: "Father, your son has come to rescue you and purge the court of treacherous officials. Your father, there are treacherous officials around you, such as Chancellor Wang Weili, Vice Minister of Rites Pei Buqi, etc., who incite the emperor, deceive the emperor's ears, arbitrarily decide state affairs, and cause chaos in the army. Your son has come specifically to purge the evil from the court of treacherous officials. May Heaven and the gods bear witness to your son's heart."

Upon hearing Prince Ji's words, the faces of many officials around Emperor Qian turned grim, because the so-called "treacherous officials" that Prince Ji had just mentioned were all leading figures of the Daoist faction in the court.

At this moment, Emperor Qianlong basically understood why the Imperial Clan Court had not reacted until now; they must have tacitly accepted the matter.

"Li Zhongde, you are courting disaster," Emperor Qian said bluntly, no longer holding back. "Even if you succeed in forcing the emperor to abdicate today, do you think you can secure your throne? How could you be so stupid!"

Prince Ji said loudly, "Father, I came here to purge the court of corrupt officials and save Your Majesty. Wang Weili and his associates plotted to assassinate you! Father, the court is now controlled by these treacherous ministers. You have been deceived by them. You do not know that Wang Weili and his associates have formed cliques, purged dissidents, and even... Uncle Duan was killed by them, as were his two elder brothers. Yet Wang Weili and his associates control the government. How could you not know about such a major event!"

Emperor Qian's expression changed slightly.

Everything became clear. No wonder the Imperial Clan Court believed Empress Dowager Yan, and no wonder Prince Ji believed Empress Dowager Yan.

Empress Dowager Yan had actually gone this far; even Emperor Qian himself began to believe that she was truly selfless.

"Protect the Emperor, purge the court of corrupt officials!"

At the command of Prince Ji, the army pressed forward. The leading cavalry, like a black torrent, trampled the bluestone slabs, raising clouds of dust. The gleaming lances, like a forest, exuded a chilling killing intent in the setting sun, rushing like the wind towards the defensive line of the Imperial City Guard and the Palace Attendants.

Imperial City Guard soldiers fired their crossbows furiously, but the arrows were deflected by the heavy armor of the cavalry. Warhorses neighed and crashed into the crowd, trampling the front-line palace guards into a bloody pulp, blood spraying from the slashing of their spears. The cavalry charged left and right, the defensive lines collapsing wherever they went, screams and the clash of weapons echoing through the sky.

The battle formation formed by the Imperial City Guard and the Palace Guards was easily torn apart like paper under the charge of the iron cavalry.

Emperor Qian was being dragged into the main hall by a group of ministers, but he unleashed a powerful burst of internal energy that shook them off. Holding a heavy sword, he shouted loudly, "My soldiers, reinforcements are on their way! Hold on! I am with you!"

In an instant, morale soared.
Many civil and military officials had no choice but to stand with the emperor.

at this time,

Inside the palace, many of the women huddled together, weeping. A few women who knew martial arts picked up weapons, but they were all trembling with fear. The most composed person present was Gu Chudong, who held the Gouchen Demon Blade in her hand, her face expressionless. On either side of her were Yunxiu and Li Li, both of whom were armed.

Yunxiu remained relatively calm, but Li Li was terrified. She clung tightly to Gu Chudong and whispered, "Chudong...aren't you afraid?"

Gu Chudong slowly said, "I was scared just now, but I'm not scared now!"

Li Li asked in confusion, "Why?"

"Because my brother came!"

"Huh?" Li Li asked in surprise, "Where?"

"Reaching soon."

“But it’s no use if he comes alone. There are tens of thousands of rebels outside. What use is your brother coming alone? Can he defeat tens of thousands of troops?” Li Li asked.

"I don't know," Gu Chudong said calmly, "but if my brother comes, I'm definitely not afraid!"

At this moment,
A zither melody suddenly appeared between heaven and earth.
"Zheng"

Everyone was shocked, because this zither music actually drowned out the sounds of fighting in front of the Nine Palaces.

Many people instinctively looked in the direction of the sound and saw a young man in black standing on the left palace wall, holding a zither and his eyes covered with a black cloth. His slender figure was shrouded in a halo of light on the sun-drenched palace wall, his clothes fluttering in the wind, and the seven-stringed zither in his arms gleaming with a cold, jade-like luster.

"Gu Mo!"

Yan Run, standing in the army, changed his expression slightly and muttered, "He shouldn't be here!"

Upon hearing the name "Gu Mo," Prince Ji was immediately filled with rage and roared, "He is Gu Mo?"

Yan Run nodded.

"Damn it!" Prince Ji roared, "I haven't even settled accounts with him yet, and he's already come here to die!"

Yan Run quickly said, "Be careful, this person's martial arts are unfathomable..."

Prince Ji said coldly, "No matter how high his martial arts are, can he single-handedly cut through my tens of thousands of elite soldiers? Today, I will surround him and kill him!"

At this time,
Gu Mo's robes billowed like ink clouds. He lightly touched the eaves with his toes, drawing a streak of ink-black meteor in the setting sun, and sped straight toward the main hall of Jiucheng Palace.

Prince Ji's pupils constricted sharply, and he swung his sword fiercely, roaring, "Shoot!"

Dozens of crossbows trembled simultaneously, and a dense rain of arrows tore through the air, but when they reached three feet in front of Gu Mo, they struck a transparent barrier that shimmered with a blue light.

The aura spread out like ripples, and the jingling arrows exploded violently against the invisible barrier. The arrows, carrying the force of the aura, rebounded back towards the army formation at several times their original speed. Screams erupted as front-line soldiers, shield and all, were pinned to the ground, their splattered blood forming a crimson rain in the air.

Gu Mo calmly floated down to the entrance of the Nine Palaces.

Prince Ji's expression darkened. He looked at Yan Run and asked, "Can we form a battle formation?"

Yan Run nodded and said, "Yes, but the space in the imperial city is limited, so the effect won't be very good."

Prince Ji said, "All we need to do is restrict his lightness skill so he can't fly too fast or too high. Bring the God-Slaying Crossbow. I don't believe he can still fly. Once he can't fly, surround him and kill him. Don't let him escape!"

Yan Run nodded and said, "That can be done. If he flies again, we can use the Fish-Dragon Formation to pull him down!"

Having said that, Yan Run immediately waved the command flag.
The soldiers began to form ranks, and the charging cavalry also stopped and began to form ranks in coordination.

At this moment, Gu Mo landed at the entrance of the main hall.

"Brother!" Gu Chudong shouted excitedly, ran out quickly, and threw herself into Gu Mo's arms, saying, "Brother, let me tell you, I was amazing today! I killed two of the twelve commanders of the Night Division, one named Xiu Niang and the other named Mei Po... and Sister Yun Xiu was there too..."

Gu Chudong began to share her thoughts with Gu Mo in a very detailed and engaging manner.

Gu Mo smiled and patted Gu Chudong's head, saying, "It's good that you're alright. I'll take you out in a bit!"

Gu Chudong sniffed and said, "Brother, I miss my little turtle a little!"

"Okay, we'll go back to see your little turtle tomorrow."

Gu Mo immediately agreed.

Because he could clearly sense that Gu Chudong was frightened today, but was just pretending to be calm so as not to show her fear.

"Brother, I'll be waiting for you!"

"Ah."

Gu Mo nodded slightly.

Gu Chudong slowly backed away.

At this moment, at the entrance of Jiucheng Palace, the deep rumble of bronze war drums tore through the deathly silence, and the air in Jiucheng Palace Square suddenly became thick and sticky. The black-armored army stood in formation like an iron-cast city wall, their long spears piercing the twilight like a forest; the sound of leather rubbing against metal seemed to freeze the wind itself. The armor of five hundred heavy cavalry gleamed with a cold, eerie blue light, and their layered shield formations pressed down like dark clouds, crushing the last rays of the setting sun at their corners.

At the forefront of the formation, the scarlet battle flag fluttered without wind, the swirling sand striking the soldiers' faceplates with a crisp, crackling sound. The entire square seemed to be gripped by an invisible giant hand; even the bronze bells on the eaves of the distant palace forgot to shake. Only heavy breathing rolled in throats, solidifying into a tangible sense of oppression, causing the sky to darken by a third, and the aura of battle was raging.

Yan Run, carrying a long spear, walked to the front, pointing the spear tip at Gu Mo, and said, "Gu Mo, I know you are a peerless martial artist, but I have five hundred heavy cavalry, two thousand light armored soldiers, three thousand crossbowmen, and eight thousand spearmen here, all of whom are elite. Moreover, my army has no less than ten masters of the Night Division and masters of the army's external martial arts. Even if Su Qianqiu were here, he would surely die!"
I have no intention of being your enemy. You may leave now with your sister; I will not stop you, and I will never mention today's conflict again.

Upon hearing Yan Run's words, Emperor Qian and many other civil and military officials were secretly pleased. While Yan Run's words demonstrated the strength of his army, they also indirectly revealed his fear of Gu Mo.

Although Emperor Qian and the others didn't quite understand why Yan Run's more than 10,000 elite troops and heavy cavalry would be wary of Gu Mo, it did bring them real hope. If Gu Mo was willing to help, they might actually be able to hold out until reinforcements arrived.

"Hero Gu!" Emperor Qian hurriedly bowed to Gu Mo and said, "I beg you to help me. I will never forget your kindness. Reinforcements will arrive in less than an hour..."

Gu Mo gently waved his hand to interrupt Emperor Qian, saying, "Your Majesty need not say more, I have no plans to leave for the time being!"

Emperor Qian and his entourage were overjoyed.

Yan Run's expression turned grim. He knew about Empress Dowager Yan's plan and her arrangements to keep Gu Mo and Ye Jinglan occupied in Ghost City. He couldn't understand why Gu Mo was here. He could guess that a major battle must have taken place in Ghost City. Gu Mo's ability to appear here unharmed meant that his strength was far greater than they had imagined.

Although he had great confidence in the army, he really didn't want to cause any unnecessary trouble.

The Yan family had been planning this coup for a very long time, calculating all the experts who could potentially influence the war situation. Those who could be lured away were lured away, and those who couldn't were kept in check by skilled individuals. For example, in the capital city at this moment, the Grandmaster of the Secret Guard, the Grandmaster of the Imperial Observatory, and the Imperial Preceptor Zhang Daoyi were all kept in check by various arrangements.

Those who could neither be lured away nor restrained were currently around Emperor Qian, but they were all planned in advance. They knew what they were good at and how to deal with them. Those who could be restrained were dealt with by skilled fighters, and those who could not be restrained were crushed by a large army. Everything was arranged.

The only exception is Gu Mo's appearance now, which is unplanned.

but,

With over ten thousand elite troops present, Yan Run wasn't afraid of Gu Mo. However, not wanting to cause any unnecessary trouble, she said, "Gu Mo, do you really think you can withstand an army of thousands by yourself? Gu Mo, do you really want to be our enemy?"

Gu Mo said calmly, "It's not that I want to be enemies with your Yan family, it's that your Yan family is my enemy. This enmity was formed from the moment you captured my sister. I've said before that I have no intention of getting involved in court disputes, and you brought this upon yourselves."

Yan Run quickly said, "Gu Mo, we were wrong in this matter, I admit it, and we will definitely make amends to you afterwards, how about it?"

"It's no use!"

Gu Mo carried the zither and walked slowly forward, saying as he walked: "If you offend my sister today, you can apologize and that's it. If you offend my sister tomorrow, you can apologize again and that's it. Then in the future, won't anyone in the world be able to step on me, Gu Mo?"
Today, I'll use your Yan family as a warning to the world: don't mess with me, especially don't mess with my sister. If you do, even the Emperor himself... will die!

"furious!"

Knowing that negotiations were impossible, Yan Run brandished his spear and shouted, "All troops, listen to my command! Kill!"

In an instant, the battle aura surged, like waves rippling in the void, and the army pressed forward, with hundreds of heavy cavalry charging at the forefront, in a mighty and imposing manner.

Two or three hundred Imperial City Guards and Palace Attendants were still advancing to prepare for battle when Gu Mo shouted, "All of you, retreat!"

Amidst everyone's astonished gazes,
Gu Mo walked down the high stone steps in front of the palace gate alone, carrying a zither.

"What is he doing? Is he going to fight alone?"

"Hero Gu!"

"He's gone mad, taking on an army of ten thousand men all by himself?"

At that moment, everyone was stunned, and an uproar ensued.
Everyone understood Gu Mo's intention: he was going to face this army of ten thousand men all by himself!
The dark clouds, like ink blocks shattered by an invisible giant hand, swirled and rolled across the sky.

Gu Mo stood alone on the stone steps, his robes fluttering in the wind.

Below the stone steps, a massive army pressed in. The five hundred cavalry at the front trampled the ashes with thunderous hoofbeats. Their heavy iron armor reflected a cold light, and the bronze beast masks covering their horses' faces bared their fangs. The pebbles kicked up by their iron hooves condensed into dust in mid-air, like a black tide pressing down.

Gu Mo held the Heavenly Demon Zither upright, pressing it down with one hand and plucking the strings with the other.

The moment his fingers touched the strings, a blue light burst forth from Gu Mo's body, flowing around him and outlining his figure as even more aloof and cold. As his hair flew, the sound of a dragon's roar could be faintly heard.

The blue bricks paving the hundred-zhang-wide square emitted a piercing friction sound under the pull of the sound waves. Then, countless blue bricks rose into the air as if they were alive. They spun rapidly in mid-air, their sharp edges polished to a cold gleam by the sound waves, and in the blink of an eye, they condensed into a rain of blades that blotted out the sky.

These blue bricks, carrying an overwhelming momentum, rushed down towards the heavy cavalry formation. Wherever they passed, the air made a sharp tearing sound, as if even space itself was being cleaved apart by this terrifying attack. The heavy cavalry at the forefront fell one after another.

The tremors of the Heavenly Demon Harp intensified, and a crimson thunderclap exploded in the clouds. The warhorses at the forefront suddenly reared up, blood seeping from the gaps in their armor, their leather-clad bodies being shredded into pieces by invisible blades. The heavy cavalry behind them, their black armor shattered as if struck by a giant hammer, were sent flying metal fragments faster than arrows, pinning the riders behind them to their saddles.

The dark patterns formed by the sound waves spread across the ground, and wherever they passed, the bluestone-paved square cracked like a spider web. Heavy cavalrymen and their horses fell into the abyss, and the crisp sound of bones breaking and the dying screams echoed in the air.

Amidst the crimson mist, blood seeped from Gu Mo's fingertips, yet the strings of his zither were plucked faster and faster. The piercing shriek emitted by the Heavenly Demon Zither tore through the clouds, turning the entire world into a death knell.

The screams of the heavy cavalrymen mingled with the music, creating a lament for a living hell.

In an instant, the square was filled with corpses and severed limbs.

In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, more than half of the heavy cavalry had died, all of them intercepted below the stone steps.

Yan Run's face was pale, his heart trembled, and he shouted, "God-Slaying Crossbow, fire!"

Yan Run's roar made the iron feathers on his helmet tremble violently.

In an instant, a thousand powerful crossbows fired in unison, their dark arrows swirling densely, gleaming coldly in the sunlight, instantly weaving into an impenetrable net of death.

The rain of arrows, like a swarm of locusts, covered half the sky, howling and tearing through the air. Sharp whistling sounds rose and fell as they pressed down on Gu Mo at the stone steps. Wherever they passed, even the sunlight was swallowed up, leaving only a suffocating shadow.

The civil and military officials in front of the palace retreated one after another, and the guards in front of the palace quickly raised their shields.

Gu Mo remained standing alone, expressionless, with a tangible silver aura rising around him. The air within ten feet suddenly distorted, and the arrows that flew towards him froze the moment they touched the aura shield, as if they had hit an invisible copper wall.

The next moment, the innate qi suddenly reversed, and thousands of arrows flew back with the force of thunder. The sound of them tearing through the air was sharp like the wailing of ghosts. The shield soldiers in the front row were shot into pincushions along with their shields and bodies. Blood mist sprayed onto the faces of the soldiers behind them, causing screams to rise and fall. A large number of soldiers fell on the square.

"This is impossible!"

Yan Run staggered back half a step, his legs trembling uncontrollably beneath his armor. He roared and waved his command flag: "Shield formation! Form ranks! Heavy cavalry, flank from both sides!"

Immediately, the army changed formation and set out.

Gu Mo snorted coldly, picked up the Heavenly Demon Harp and soared into the air, charging towards the army. He lightly touched the stone steps with his toes and flew out. The qi around him circulated, and wherever he passed, the flying arrows suddenly froze in mid-air, and then exploded into fine dust. The remaining hidden weapons in mid-air were crushed into stardust by the invisible qi wave before they could even touch his clothes, turning into a vortex of silver light around him.

“Clang, clang, clang…”

In his hands, the Heavenly Demon Harp transformed into a blood-red weapon. As the strings vibrated, the air within a ten-foot radius seemed to be stirred, twisted, and churned by an invisible giant hand, gradually condensing into a scarlet vortex with fine cracks appearing at its edges, as if space itself was being torn apart.

At the center of the vortex, the sound waves solidified into a blood-red blade, frantically shredding everything it touched. The floor tiles shattered inch by inch, and the flying pebbles were swept into the vortex and pulverized before they could even leave the ground.

Under the terrifying pressure, the soldiers who approached were torn to pieces, and even their screams were swallowed up by the distorted space. Only the increasingly intense killing sounds of the Heavenly Demon Harp echoed in the blood-red vortex.

Wherever they went, blood turned into mist!

The square in front of Jiucheng Palace was instantly transformed into a living hell.

that moment,
At the entrance of Jiucheng Palace, the emperor and the civil and military officials of the Qian Kingdom witnessed a scene they would never forget.

One person, one instrument.

The massacre of an army of tens of thousands was a massacre, a crushing massacre!

"Is this...is he even human?" A minister asked, his teeth chattering.

As Emperor Qian looked at the scene in the square, his heart trembled.
He had thought that Gu Mo might be able to withstand a massive army, but he never expected that it would be done in such a massacre-like manner!
"Can human power really be this powerful?"

"Gu Mocai is fifth in Qian Kingdom?"

"This list is clearly problematic!"

"..."

Inside Jiucheng Palace, everyone was terrified.
The square was filled with wails of agony and rivers of blood.

With each pluck of the strings, dozens of sonic blades tore through the air, severing many soldiers in half at the waist, their severed limbs, shield fragments, and internal organs flying everywhere.

Before the heavy cavalry's lances could even touch the protective energy, they were shattered by the sonic waves. The warhorses' forelegs were thrown into the air, their iron hooves being shredded into pieces in mid-air. The riders, along with their armor, were torn into bloody, mangled pieces by an invisible force.

The stench of blood was overwhelming; the Heavenly Demon Harp was no longer playing music, but rather a death dirge.

Gu Mo was surrounded by a crimson mist, leaving a trail of corpses and blood in his wake. The soldiers' wails and the music of his zither intertwined to create a chilling symphony. Thick rivers of blood flowed between the cracks in the blue bricks, and broken armor, severed limbs, and entrails littered the square, filling the air with a nauseating stench of decay.

"Back off! Back off!"

Yan Run was terrified, only to find that her escape route was blocked by a mountain of corpses.

Gu Mo approached step by step like the Grim Reaper, each step leaving a footprint on the ground burning with blue light. The final roar of the Heavenly Demon Harp shattered everyone's eardrums. Yan Run felt a darkness before his eyes, and in the next instant, his head was sliced ​​off by the sound blade, drawing a scarlet arc in mid-air.

They retreated, they were killed and forced to retreat.
Ten thousand elite soldiers, a well-equipped force of heavy cavalry, crossbowmen, spearmen, and shieldmen, were slaughtered by one man who killed nearly three thousand of them and beheaded the enemy general amidst the chaos of battle.

Even the most elite troops would crumble under such circumstances.

At this moment, the Black Armor Army completely collapsed.

Prince Ji, Li Zhongde, was fleeing madly on his horse when he suddenly heard the sound of a zither passing by.

The next instant, he was shocked to see his own body riding a horse in front of him, which turned out to be a headless corpse. Then, he lost consciousness.

A head fell to the ground and was trampled by the fleeing Black Armor Army soldiers behind it, soon turning into a pile of mud.

at this time,

Before the gates of the Nine-Tiered Palace, Emperor Qian, along with his civil and military officials and the women of many ministers' families, were still in a state of shock.

Everyone felt like they were dreaming.
The slightly gaunt figure still stood amidst the corpses scattered everywhere, stepping on the mountain of bodies, yet there wasn't a single drop of blood on his body.

Gu Mo put away the zither, slowly slung it over his shoulder, and then leaped away into the air.

Emperor Qian thought Gu Mo had finished his business and was about to shout for him to stay, but Prime Minister Wang Weili suddenly changed his expression and whispered, "Your Majesty... Gu... the great hero Gu went in the direction of... Xingqing Palace!"

Emperor Qian's expression also changed slightly.

Although Empress Dowager Yan was behind the Prince Ji's rebellion, she did not actually appear in person, so she could not be killed. For the sake of court stability and the face of the royal family, the only option was to use the opportunity to place him under house arrest and seize power.

"Quickly, stop them..."

Emperor Qianlong blurted out the words instinctively, but then stopped abruptly. Looking at the mountain of corpses and sea of ​​blood in the square, he sighed and said, "Immediately send men to capture a few of Prince Ji's Black Armor soldiers and send them to Xingqing Palace... Afterwards, say that Prince Ji caused a rebellion and that the rebel army ran rampant and killed Empress Dowager Yan!"

Wang Weili said, "Your Majesty, many civil and military officials are here watching, and many of them are Empress Dowager Yan's cronies. This matter cannot be hidden. If the Empress Dowager dies, the court will surely be in turmoil!"

Emperor Qian said helplessly, "How could I not know? But what can I do now? Who can stop Gu Mo now? The court is destined to be in turmoil, so I can only consider the face of the royal family!"

"Your Majesty, I understand!"

……

Xingqing Palace, inside the main hall.

Empress Dowager Yan was being served by a group of palace maids as she prepared her attire for a grand appearance to celebrate her victory. Standing in the main hall, she could hardly contain her joy.

From this day forward, she will begin to rule the court alone.
Three years later, she will become an emperor for all time, the first female emperor in history, setting a precedent for all ages and leaving a lasting mark on history.

"Your Majesty...Your Majesty..."

Just then, Eunuch Wei rushed in, disheveled and covered in blood. He staggered and collapsed to the ground, spitting blood, and cried out, "Your Majesty, run! Gu Mo... Gu Mo single-handedly fought off the Black Armor Army and is coming towards you! This old servant fought him and was severely injured in three moves! You must leave now, or it will be too late..."

Empress Dowager Yan trembled, exclaiming incredulously, "One person? Who repelled the Black Armor Army? That's impossible! What nonsense are you spouting? You must be lying to me!"

"Go...Your Majesty, go quickly...Gu Mo...is not human..." Blood gushed from Eunuch Wei's mouth as he collapsed to the ground, stammering, "The General is dead, Prince Ji is dead...Your Majesty, go quickly, as long as people are alive, there should be...hope..."

Two mouthfuls of blood gushed from Eunuch Wei's mouth, his body twitched twice, and then he fell silent.

Empress Dowager Yan took a deep breath. Although she still did not believe that the Black Armor Army could be driven back by one person, she was still somewhat worried when she saw Eunuch Wei die in front of her. She immediately got up and walked towards the back door.

however,
At that moment,

A loud crash came from the roof, and a figure descended from the sky.

Empress Dowager Yan recognized the man as Gu Mo at a glance, for she had seen his portrait before. Startled, she took two steps back, nearly falling, and took a deep breath, saying, "Gu Mo, I am the Empress Dowager of Qian Kingdom. If you kill me, the court will be in turmoil, the people will suffer, and it could even lead to internal strife, weaken the nation, and invite invasion from enemy states. You cannot kill me, please don't kill me! I am willing to relinquish imperial power and remain in the inner palace from now on..."

"You shouldn't have touched my sister!"

Gu Mo reached out and grabbed Empress Dowager Yan by the neck.

Empress Dowager Yan panicked and hurriedly shouted, "I didn't mean to hurt your sister..."

With a crisp "crack," Empress Dowager Yan's neck snapped.

Gu Mo threw Empress Dowager Yan's body on the ground and muttered, "Some things can't be set as precedents. As for the fate of the world... the sun rises and sets the same no matter who's missing. Why take yourself so seriously!"

(End of this chapter)