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

Chapter 244 Su Qianqiu's Investiture as a God (A Long Chapter of 1 Words)
Early in the morning, a horse-drawn carriage appeared outside Zhuo Qingfeng's house.

It was Sima Kong, the seventh prince of the Southern Jin Dynasty, who personally came to welcome Gu Mo and Gu Chudong.

Zhuo Qingfeng saw Gu Mo and Gu Chudong off at the door, saying with great reluctance, "Brother Gu, you always come and go in such a hurry. There's only a little over a month left until the New Year, and you're going to Southern Jin again. I'm afraid you'll have to spend the New Year there."

Gu Mo chuckled and said, "People in the martial world call the whole world their home!"

Zhuo Qingfeng said, "Your martial arts are unparalleled, and Chu Dong's martial arts are now among the best in the world. I'm not worried about your safety, but I will miss you often. After the New Year, I will be transferred to the capital. When you come back, remember to visit me in the capital!"

Gu Chudong tilted her head and asked, "Oh, Brother Zhuo, are you getting promoted again?"

Zhuo Qingfeng quickly said, "No promotion, no promotion, it's just a lateral transfer. I'm just going to the Six Doors headquarters in Beijing to serve as a regional commander. There's no promotion involved. Don't talk nonsense, don't talk nonsense..."

Gu Chudong pursed her lips and said, "You're smiling so much your mouth is practically splitting open!"

Zhuo Qingfeng chuckled.

Gu Mo cupped his hands and said, "You're a high-ranking official in the capital, congratulations, Brother Zhuo. We'll definitely make time to visit you in the capital when we get back. I'm not a government official, so I can't help you much in terms of official matters. However, if you need any help when you go to the capital, you can go to Ye Jinglan."

You know Ye Jinglan, right? He used to be the "Knife King of Qingzhou," now nicknamed "Knife Official." He was recently a Lieutenant General in the Imperial City Guard, and now he's the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice. Like you, he belongs to the Prince of Jin's faction. If you need help with a fight or anything, you can ask him. We're good friends; just mention my name, and he'll definitely help you!

Zhuo Qingfeng chuckled and said, "In the martial world today, if I mention your name, who would dare to touch me? As for the government, you are a national hero personally appointed by His Majesty. Who in the government would dare to disrespect you? Do you know what people in the martial world are talking about you right now?"

Gu Mo asked in confusion, "What are they talking about?"

Zhuo Qingfeng said with a smile, "Everyone says that you are no longer worthy of being called a great hero. You should be called a national hero or a great hero. You should not be called the great hero of Yunzhou, but the great hero or the great hero of Qian Kingdom!"

Gu Mo chuckled and said, "I'm more comfortable being a ghostwriter!"

"I don't care what you want to do," Zhuo Qingfeng laughed. "Anyway, when I travel the world and encounter someone I can't beat, I'll just shout, 'The chivalrous Gu Mo is my brother!' Then, who will dare to touch me? Haha!"

Gu Mo laughed and said, "Aren't you afraid that someone I offend might beat you up?"

"You don't have that many enemies, do you?"

"That's hard to say!"

"..."

The two chatted and laughed for a while, without making any gestures of parting.

Then, Gu Mo walked towards the carriage outside the house.

Sima Kong, who was waiting by the carriage, quickly cupped his hands and said, "Hero Gu, Heroine Gu, is there anything else that needs to be done? If so, please feel free to give the order, and I will be happy to do it!"

Gu Mo cupped his hands and said, "If there's nothing else, Your Highness, please!"

"Please, Miss Gu, please!"

Sima Kong invited Gu Mo and Gu Chudong into the carriage, then cupped his hands in greeting to Zhuo Qingfeng who was standing at the door, before ordering his men to set off.

Soon, the carriage arrived at Yunzhou Wharf.

A large ship was moored at the dock.

Gu Mo and Gu Chudong got off the carriage and quickly boarded the boat.

There were quite a few people on the ship, but none of the envoys from Southern Jin; they were all Sima Kong's guards. The Southern Jin envoys had already returned to Southern Jin, only Sima Kong had come to Yunzhou.

However, on the ship, Gu Mo encountered an unexpected person—Su Ziyou.

As soon as Gu Mo stepped onto the deck, he heard Su Ziyou's voice: "Brother Gu, we meet again."

Gu Mo recognized Su Ziyou's voice and asked in confusion, "Brother Su, what are you doing here?"

Su Ziyou walked over, cupped his hands in greeting to Gu Mo, and then cupped his hands to Gu Chudong. He then said, "Invited by the Seventh Prince and ordered by His Majesty, I have come to Jin Kingdom to assist you, Brother Gu, in capturing the thief Wen Wangji!"

Gu Mo was slightly taken aback and asked in surprise, "It can't be that bad, can it?"

Su Ziyou smiled and said, "Brother Gu, you really shouldn't disbelieve me. I have now been transferred from the Imperial City Guard to the Court of Judicial Review as Vice Minister. If it weren't for His Majesty's decree, how could I leave the capital so easily, let alone go to a foreign land?"

Sima Kong, who was standing to the side, said, "Master Gu, this is what happened. I asked His Majesty the Emperor of your country for help because Wen Wangji is an elusive person, and there are people secretly helping him. Our Su family cannot find his whereabouts. Therefore, I asked His Majesty the Emperor of your country to send an expert investigator to help our Su family."

Originally, His Majesty the Emperor of your country had arranged for someone else to assist him. However, after learning that you, Hero Gu, had agreed to help my Su family capture Wen Wangji, he changed his plans and assigned Su Shaoqing to help me instead. Furthermore, he appointed Su Shaoqing as the ambassador of the Qian Kingdom to the Jin Kingdom. This will make it much easier for Su Shaoqing to act in Jin, and no one will dare to obstruct him. The reason His Majesty the Emperor of Qian attaches such importance to this is because of you, Hero Gu!

Su Ziyou nodded and said, "Brother Gu, there are some power struggles behind the theft of the Su family's Heavenly Craft Spirit Cage. Hmm, let the Seventh Prince explain this to you!"

The ship has already started moving.

Sima Kong instructed his guards to bring over tables and chairs. He personally poured tea for Gu Mo, Gu Chudong, and Su Ziyou before sitting down and slowly saying, "Hero Gu might wonder why I need to travel all the way to Qian Kingdom to ask for help in tracking down a notorious thief!"

Gu Mo nodded slightly and said, "Jin State should not lack experts in investigation and tracking, right? Given the Su family's status in Jin State, they can mobilize a great deal of national power. Surely they can find out the whereabouts of a master thief?"

Sima Kong nodded and said, "Under normal circumstances, our Su family would definitely be able to find out about Wen Wangji, a notorious bandit. What's more, he is currently in the capital of our Jin Kingdom."

However, these are extraordinary times. Surely, Master Gu is aware that Master Liansheng of the Great Bright Temple in Chu has challenged my great-grandfather to a duel at Tianji Plain, right?

Gu Mo nodded slightly.

Sima Kong said, "Our Su family's Heavenly Craft Spirit Cage was stolen after my great-grandfather accepted the challenge."

"Are these two things related?" Gu Mo asked.
Sima Kong nodded and said, "People only know that the Heavenly Craft Spirit Cage is a rare treasure bestowed upon the Su family by my great-grandfather, which can increase the cultivation speed of cultivators. But few people know that the Heavenly Craft Spirit Cage also has another identity: it is one of the most powerful defensive weapons in the world. If we only consider its defensive capabilities, it can even surpass the Taixu Divine Armor that you, Hero Gu, broke."

Hearing this, Gu Mo roughly understood the implication and said, "So, Wen Wangji's theft of the Heavenly Craft Spirit Cage wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision, but rather intentional, aimed at weakening your great-grandfather Su Qianqiu's strength?"

Sima Kong nodded and said, "More than ten years ago, my great-grandfather guarded the country's borders alone with his sword. He was able to fight for a full half month without suffering fatal injuries, largely because he relied on the protection of the Heavenly Craft Spirit Cage."

Gu Mo nodded slightly and said, "So, Wen Wangji stole the Heavenly Craft Spirit Cage because he wanted your great-grandfather to lose to Master Liansheng. But what does that have to do with your coming to Qian Kingdom for help? It can't be that your Jin Kingdom's court wants your great-grandfather to lose, can it?"

Sima Kong chuckled awkwardly and said, "That's really true!"

Sitting next to Gu Mo, Gu Chudong asked in surprise, "Why? Isn't your great-grandfather Su Qianqiu the guardian deity of your Southern Jin... your Jin Kingdom?"

Sima Kong said, "It is because my great-grandfather is a guardian deity that the court wants to break his myth. You don't know, ever since my great-grandfather guarded the border of the country, he has gradually been mythologized by the people of Jin. Now, almost every household in Jin worships my great-grandfather's longevity tablet and is revered as the Eternal Primordial Heavenly Venerable, saying that he is the reincarnation of the Eastern Emperor!"

Gu Mo: “…”

Gu Chudong said incredulously, "Isn't this a bit too much of a myth?"

Sima Kong said, "What can we do? Back then, when our Jin state had just moved its capital, the situation was turbulent. A large area in the north was occupied by the Chu state. It was from that time that our Jin state was called Southern Jin by various states. The 'South' in Southern Jin came from the fact that the capital was moved south."

Later, thanks to my great-grandfather's victory at the border, Jin barely managed to avoid total defeat. And thanks to your Qian state's attack on Chu, Jin finally had a chance to regroup. However, at that time, the situation in Jin was chaotic, and the entire nation had lost its will to fight. Under these circumstances, my great-grandfather's mythologizing served to boost morale, so even the court vigorously promoted and mythologized him. This was unavoidable; it was forced upon us by the circumstances at the time.”

Regarding that period of history
Gu Mo knew some of it.

Back then, the Qian Kingdom was also in a bad situation, beset by internal and external troubles. In the meantime, a descendant of Crown Prince Kangde kidnapped 10,000 children in Linhai County and eventually fled to the Tiansha Islands to hide and build the Seven Absolutes Tower. In order to maintain a friendly alliance with the Southern Jin, the Qian Kingdom did not dare to pursue and kill him at the sensitive border between the two countries, the Tiansha Islands.

It wasn't until recently, when Gu Mo killed the head manager in Linhai County, that the aftermath of that matter came to a close.

Later, the late emperor of Qian State seized the opportunity and launched an attack on Chu State. This not only gave Southern Jin a chance to breathe, but also seized a large piece of territory from Chu State. It was located on the border of Hongzhou State and named Jin County, because it was a part of the northern territory of Jin State that had been taken by Chu State.

The territory that Qian State conquered from Chu State was naturally not returned to Jin State. Later, when the states ceased hostilities, Qian State was forced to pay Chu State a considerable amount of money and even sent Li Zhongqing as a hostage. Qian State has kept that territory in its hands ever since.

Last year, Li Zhongqing, who was a hostage in the State of Chu, returned to the State of Qian and was then appointed King of Jin by the current emperor.

Sima Kong continued, "Back then, mythologizing my great-grandfather was necessary for the national situation, but now, it is no longer needed for the royal family and the court. Instead, it has led to a situation in Jin where people only know Su Qianqiu and not the emperor or the court."

Furthermore, it was exploited by those with ulterior motives who created the Thousand Autumns Cult, using my great-grandfather's name to amass wealth and deceive the people. In many places, even the local government had to obey the Thousand Autumns Cult's orders. However, this situation was inevitable, and even the imperial court couldn't stop it. Because as long as my great-grandfather remained the invincible sword god, the people of Jin would continue to believe in him, and there would always be those who used the Thousand Autumns Cult as a front to amass wealth and deceive the people!

Gu Mo understood and said, "In other words, your great-grandfather's defeat was actually something the Jin court very much wanted to see, because only by breaking his myth could the malignant tumor that is the Thousand Autumns Sect be eradicated in Jin!"

Sima Kong nodded and said, "Yes."

Gu Mo said, "However, your Su family is unwilling, so you spared no expense to hire me to capture Wen Wangji and retrieve the Heavenly Craft Spirit Cage, all so that Su Qianqiu could defeat Master Liansheng, continue his legend, and protect your Su family's interests."

Sima Kong said, "I don't deny that part of my motivation was for the Su family, but more importantly, it was for the Jin state."

The myth of my grandfather cannot be shattered. The Jin state is still facing a crisis, and the Chu state is still eyeing us covetously. They have even established a puppet Jin state in the north. Their purpose is simple: to suppress our Jin court on the grounds of righteousness and to shake the unity and solidarity of our Jin state.

The pseudo-Jin dynasty in the north has already affected the morale of our Jin people. If the myth of my great-grandfather is shattered, how much morale will our Jin people have left? If at this time, the Chu state manipulates the pseudo-Jin to march south, how will our Jin state resist the invasion?

The myth surrounding my great-grandfather led to the emergence of a malignant tumor like the Thousand Autumns Cult in the nation, which was certainly a great harm and might even one day become a scourge that shakes the foundations of the country. But now, the collapse of my great-grandfather's myth will bring even greater harm. The difference is that one is a harm that is imminent, and the other is a harm that will come in the future!

Gu Chudong asked doubtfully, "Then, according to what you're saying, it's an easy choice: one is a future calamity, the other is an immediate calamity. Of course, you should choose to resolve the immediate calamity and preserve the future one. Why did your Jin Kingdom court choose to break your great-grandfather's myth first? It might indeed be possible to resolve the malignant tumor of the Thousand Autumns Sect, but it's more likely that the country's gates will be breached before that day even arrives!"

Sima Kong chuckled lightly and said, "This... how am I supposed to answer that?"

Gu Mo explained, "Because of human nature, because everyone sees things from a different perspective. Jin has been peaceful for more than ten years, and many people have forgotten the pain of being invaded by other countries, while the harm caused by the Thousand Autumns Sect is right before our eyes and is more direct."

Different perspectives lead to different conclusions. Perhaps, from the perspective of the Jin court, Jin's national strength has now recovered, its military is powerful enough to deal with external threats, and the existence of the Thousand Autumns Sect could very well cause internal collapse, leading to the downfall of the nation!

Upon hearing this, Gu Chudong found it quite reasonable and asked, "Then, which view is correct?"

Gu Mo thought for a moment and said, "Those who believe that individual power can defy the heavens will think that preserving Su Qianqiu's myth is the right thing to do. Those who believe more in the power of the imperial court will think that eliminating the Qianqiu Sect is the right thing to do. Therefore, it is impossible to judge whether these two views are right or wrong."

Gu Chudong suddenly realized and asked, "Brother, what do you think?"

Gu Mo chuckled and said, "I choose not to watch. I am just a ghostwriter. I only need to complete my task. The rest is none of my business. Besides, I am not a citizen of Jin. The affairs of Jin are none of my business as a citizen of Qian."

"Yes!"

……

On their journey to the State of Jin, Gu Mo and his group traveled by water for more than ten days, crossing the Tiansha Islands, and then traveled by land for about ten days before finally arriving at Quwo City, the capital of Jin.

The cold wind howled, causing the dragon flag of the Qian Kingdom to flutter in the wind.

The delegation from the Qian Kingdom, with its impressive ceremonial guard, marched grandly towards Quwo City.

Since logging in ten days ago,
Su Ziyou then had his envoy procession carry the Qian Kingdom's dragon flag high all the way, maintaining a very impressive pomp and circumstance. Although his main purpose in coming to Jin was to help Gu Mo capture the wanted criminal, he was, after all, an envoy sent to Southern Jin, and naturally could not embarrass the Qian Kingdom.

He sent someone to inform the Qian Kingdom court early in the morning.

The Qian Kingdom is now one of the two great powers in the world. Although the Southern Jin is not a vassal state in name, it pays tribute to the court every year and is equivalent to a vassal state. Naturally, it does not dare to put on airs in front of the Qian Kingdom delegation and has arranged for its ministers to wait outside the city early on.

When the Qian Kingdom delegation arrived at the Jin Kingdom city wall, Gu Chudong leaned out of the carriage and saw a huge stone statue standing on the city wall, at least five zhang tall, which was none other than the statue of Su Qianqiu.

Gu Chudong was speechless for a moment.
Because along their journey, in every city they passed through, there was a statue of Su Qianqiu enshrined on the city wall.

Then, not long after,
Gu Chudong then witnessed something even more outrageous.

Throughout Quwo City, there were statues of Su Qianqiu of varying sizes. Finally, after their group settled in the Honglu Temple, they were invited by the Emperor of Jin to a banquet at the palace, and Gu Mo and Gu Chudong were specifically invited.

Then, when they arrived at the palace,
Then I saw that there was a domineering statue of Su Qianqiu holding a sword at the gate of the imperial city.

Gu Chudong couldn't help but complain, "Brother, I'd heard about Su Qianqiu, the mythical figure of the Jin Kingdom, but I never imagined he'd be this mythical. It's outrageous!"

Unexpectedly, as soon as Gu Chudong finished speaking, an unpleasant voice came from the side: "Miss Gu, although you are not a citizen of our Jin Kingdom, you are now on our territory. Please respect our local customs and beliefs, and do not address the Heavenly Venerable of the Establishing Pole by name again!"

The speaker was Ma Zheng, the Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial of the Southern Jin Dynasty, who was responsible for leading the way for them.

Gu Chudong asked, puzzled, "What else should we call it if not a name?"

“I have already said it, call him Heavenly Venerable,” Ma Zheng said coldly.

Gu Chudong was speechless.

Just then, Su Ziyou suddenly spoke up: "What, Ma Shaoqing, your Southern Jin gods are now interfering with the people of my Qian Kingdom? Should we also have one of your damned Heavenly Venerables worshipped in the imperial city of Qian Kingdom?"

Ma Zheng's face immediately darkened. He looked at Su Ziyou and said, "Lord Su, you have gone too far. You must immediately and sincerely apologize to the Celestial Venerable Liji!"

Su Ziyou flicked his sleeves and turned to walk out of the imperial city, saying, "Since the State of Jin looks down on my State of Qian and openly insults it, then there is no need for the two countries to have any relations. If we are not friends, then we shall be enemies!"

Immediately, the Qian Kingdom envoys angrily pushed aside the Jin Kingdom officials from the Court of State Ceremonies and left with Su Ziyou.

Gu Mo and Gu Chudong naturally couldn't stay any longer and left as well.

Gu Chudong was completely bewildered, never imagining that her words would escalate into a matter of national importance. She quickly went to Su Ziyou's side and asked, "Brother Su, is this appropriate? Have I caused trouble?"

Su Ziyou waved his hand slightly and said, "There are no trivial matters when diplomatic missions are between countries. Every word and action represents a country's attitude. The Jin State's esteemed Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial actually dared to impose their beliefs on our Qian State delegation in such a matter. This is an act of provocation. As an envoy of Qian State, I represent the face of Qian State when I am abroad, and I absolutely cannot tolerate any provocation!"

"So, are we really just going to leave like this?" Gu Chudong asked doubtfully.

"of course."

Su Ziyou said, "If the Emperor of Jin doesn't send someone of sufficient importance to apologize and give an explanation before we return to the Court of State Ceremonial, then we'll just go back to our country. At that time, our Great Qian will have a large army to make them realize their place. They've really given us too much face; they don't know their own limitations!"

The Emperor of Jin reacted much faster and with far greater importance than Su Ziyou had anticipated.

Not long after they left the capital, he personally came out to apologize.

When they saw the imperial carriage, Su Ziyou and his entourage were all surprised. Although they had guessed that the Emperor of Jin would definitely come to persuade them to return, and that he would not allow this matter to escalate into a diplomatic incident between the two countries, they did not expect that it would be the Emperor of Jin himself who came out.

"Your humble servant Su Ziyou pays his respects to His Majesty the Emperor of Jin!"

Su Ziyou bowed to the Emperor of Jin, and then all the envoys from the Qian Kingdom bowed in return. Gu Mo and Gu Chudong were not officials of the court, so they had no interest in performing any grand ceremony and simply cupped their hands slightly.

"Minister Su, esteemed envoys," the Emperor of Jin said, pulling Su Ziyou to rise and gesturing for the others to dispense with formalities. "I am aware of what just happened. It was Ma Zheng, the Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial, who was in the wrong. I have dismissed him from his post. This man has become foolish from studying too much and has offended many people. Please do not take it to heart, and do not let his personal behavior damage the friendship between our two countries!"

Su Ziyou certainly didn't really intend to break ties with the Jin state. He was sent on a mission to the Southern Jin, but if he ended up causing a rift between the two countries that had maintained close relations for many years, then he would be in big trouble.

Now that the Emperor of Jin is so sincere in coming to apologize in person, he naturally took the opportunity to back down, saying, "Your Majesty, it is not that the foreign ministers are intentionally making things difficult, but rather that your ministers are simply too arrogant and do not take my Great Qian seriously."

As he spoke, he introduced Gu Mo, saying, "This is a national hero personally appointed by our emperor, and the spiritual leader of the martial arts in our Qian Kingdom. He doesn't even need to pay homage to the emperor. Your country's minister actually wants hero Gu to pay homage to a martial arts figure from your country. Even in the entire martial arts world, Su Qianqiu is only of the same level as hero Gu. What qualifications does he have to make hero Gu pay homage to him?"

"Yes, yes, yes," the Emperor of Jin quickly replied, "What Minister Su said makes sense." He looked at Gu Mo, took two steps forward, grasped Gu Mo's hand, and said, "I have heard so much about the name of Gu Mo, the chivalrous hero of Qian Kingdom, recently. Meeting him today, I am truly impressed by his extraordinary presence. Such a brilliant talent is a blessing for Qian Kingdom and for all mankind. I took an instant liking to Minister Gu. Since you are in Jin Kingdom, please spend more time with me!"

The Emperor of Jin was far too enthusiastic, making Gu Mo feel extremely uncomfortable. Moreover, for an emperor to be so obsequious, trying to flatter a mere martial artist like himself, was quite greasy and obsequious. This left Gu Mo, the third-ranked martial arts master in the world, utterly bewildered!

Subsequently,

Emperor Jin actually intended to hold Gu Mo's hand and drag her into the palace.

Gu Mo quietly used a little martial arts technique to withdraw his hand, and then retreated behind Su Ziyou.

Emperor Jin seemed oblivious to Gu Mo's aloofness, constantly moving closer to Gu Mo and asking him all sorts of questions until they reached the main hall of the palace.

At this moment, inside the main hall,
A grand banquet was being prepared, and many officials of the Jin state were present. The banquet began under the arrangement of the Jin emperor.

The ministers of Jin naturally came forward with wine cups to toast Su Ziyou and the other envoys of Qian, exchanging pleasantries, praising each other, and making polite remarks about the enduring friendship between the two countries. The atmosphere was very pleasant.

Gu Mo and his sister Gu Chudong sat together, and with Su Ziyou covering their identities, no one tried to get them to drink, so they were quite happy to have some peace and quiet.

However, Gu Mo sensed that there were always some people in the hall who had been watching him since he entered; to be precise, they were scrutinizing him.

However, those people didn't speak or make any threatening or provocative moves, so Gu Mo didn't know what to do and just pretended not to know, enjoying the dishes of Jin State with Gu Chudong.

It was quite ordinary; compared to the cuisine of the Qian Kingdom, the Jin Kingdom's dishes were clearly inferior. Of course, it's also possible that he wasn't used to the food.

Just as the banquet was more than halfway through,
Among those who had been scrutinizing Gu Mo, one finally couldn't hold back any longer. It was a burly man with broad shoulders and a thick waist, and dark skin. He was the Assistant General of the State, one of the four great generals of the Jin Kingdom, named Helian Tieyi.

The man suddenly stood up, cupped his hands in greeting to the Emperor of Jin, and said, “Your Majesty, sitting here and just drinking isn’t very interesting. I have a suggestion,” he said, pointing to Gu Mo, “I’ve heard that this young man is the number one expert in the Qian Kingdom. Why don’t I have a martial arts match with him to liven things up for everyone? It would also be a martial arts exchange between our Jin Kingdom and the Qian Kingdom!”

Emperor Jin hurriedly said, "General Helian, this suggestion is inappropriate. The arrival of the Qian Kingdom delegation today is a symbol of peace between the two countries. It is not advisable to resort to force, it is not advisable to resort to force!"

Helian Tieyi said, "Martial arts practitioners can learn from each other and discuss martial arts, which is more conducive to exchanges between the two countries." He looked at Gu Mo and said, "Young man, as the number one expert in Qian Kingdom, you are not afraid to fight an old man like me, are you?"

Su Ziyou, who was sitting at the table next to Gu Mo, had a very unpleasant expression. As a civil official, he could better understand the provocation in Helian Tieyi's words. He said that Gu Mo was the number one expert in Qian Kingdom and kept calling him a young man. His words implied that Qian Kingdom's martial arts were inferior to those of Jin Kingdom.

He immediately said in a deep voice, "General Helian, our Qian Kingdom is a country that pays great attention to etiquette. In our country, only when people of the same level discuss the Dao is it called 'exchanging ideas'. When people of a lower level seek to discuss the Dao with people of a higher level, it is called 'seeking instruction,' and they need to perform the rite of kneeling and bowing."

As the third-best martial artist in the world, Master Gu is a figure whose skill can rival even a handful of others. Therefore, if you wish to seek his guidance, you must adhere to the etiquette of my Qian Kingdom. If you do not understand, you may learn and ask questions at your own pace!

Helian Tieyi sneered and said, "The third in the world... I remember that the Qian Kingdom once had a third in the world who only lasted twenty moves against the Great Jin Liji Tianzun and was hit nineteen times. This third in the world... Hahaha!"

"I am unworthy, but I once received guidance from the Celestial Venerable Liji, and could barely withstand two or three moves from him. Although my martial arts are mediocre, I am still far stronger than your country's so-called third-best. This is a good opportunity for me to see if your country's number one expert has the talent to receive instruction from the Celestial Venerable Liji. Even a few casual pointers would be immensely beneficial!"

Su Ziyou could easily tell that this person was actually standing up for Ma Zheng, the former Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial.

Emperor Jin, seated on the dragon throne, also realized what was happening and his expression immediately turned sour. He said, "General Helian, you are drunk. Step down!"

However, as soon as the Emperor of Jin uttered these words,
Surprisingly, a large group of ministers responded to Helian Tieyi's call.

"Your Majesty, you have no idea how much alcohol General Helian can drink; he can drink a thousand cups without getting drunk!"

"Your Majesty, I think General Helian's suggestion is quite good. Martial arts exchanges are also a way for two countries to communicate!"

"..."

The Emperor's face turned very gloomy.

Gu Mo suddenly understood why the Emperor of Jin wanted to break Su Qianqiu's myth.

at this time,

Su Ziyou was about to speak when Gu Mo stopped him.

"Helian Ironworks, is that it?"

As soon as Gu Mo spoke, everyone in the hall fell silent.

Gu Mo continued, "It's fine if you want to spar with me, but after hearing you say that you can only parry Su Qianqiu's moves a few times, I'm a little worried. After all, my martial arts are too high. I'm afraid you won't be able to withstand even one move and will be killed or crippled by me, which would affect the peace between the two countries!"

Helian Tieyi said in a deep voice, "Young man, if you can kill me in one move, then I, Helian Tieyi, am a piece of trash. You deserve to die! I can sign a life-or-death agreement right here and now. After all, in a martial arts competition, it's normal to sometimes make a mistake!"

Gu Mo nodded slightly and said, "Sure, I suppose that in front of the Emperor of Jin and all the officials of Jin, no one will deny it afterward, right?"

“Of course not!” Helian Tieyi said.

“Very well,” Gu Mo bowed to Emperor Jin and said, “Your Majesty, I am willing to compete with General Helian. I ask that you be my witness!”

"This..." Emperor Jin hesitated, then asked, "Is this alright?"

Gu Mo reached out his hand to Gu Chudong.

Gu Chudong immediately understood and took out the Heavenly Demon Harp and handed it to Gu Mo.

Gu Mo sat down in a chair, placed the zither in front of him, and said, "General Helian, please!"

Helian Tieyi had a horse spear brought over.

Emperor Jin immediately ordered his men to remove the tables and chairs to make room.

Gu Mo waved his hand and said, "No need for trouble, it's just one move!"

"furious!"

Helian Tieyi swung his lance and charged towards Gu Mo. Dazzling golden light rose around him, and the black iron lance seemed to flow like light in his hands. Fine golden scales appeared on his body, and his powerful qi transformed into golden waves that surged and even cracked the surrounding tables and chairs.

At that moment, Gu Mo lightly plucked the strings with his fingertips, and the instrument suddenly hummed. Three cyan sound blades tore through the air, striking Helian Tieyi, who was protected by golden light, like arrows released from a bow.

In an instant, the golden light and the azure light collided violently, the explosion so loud it hurt everyone's eardrums. Helian Tieyi grunted, his burly body flying backward, landing on the ground a few steps back.

"Humph, that's all!"

Helian Tieyi scoffed and was about to charge at Gu Mo again when, in that instant, his protective aura shattered inch by inch.

A series of muffled thuds suddenly resounded within his body, as if thunder had exploded in his meridians. Blood gushed from the corner of his mouth, his pupils contracted sharply, and he collapsed to the ground with a thud.

"General Helian!"

"General, what's wrong?"

"..."

Immediately, several military officers rushed over to check on Helian Tieyi's condition, only to be horrified to find that Helian Tieyi's internal organs had been shredded into pieces.

"General Helian...is dead!"

An uproar erupted in the hall.

Gu Mo put away the zither and handed it to Gu Chudong. He sneered and said, "It seems that General Helian, who could withstand three or four moves from Su Qianqiu, couldn't withstand one move from me. Hey, tell me, is it that Su Qianqiu is no good, or is General Helian just bragging?"

"you……"

"Don't be so arrogant!"

"..."

All the ministers glared at Gu Mo, their anger barely contained. But this time, no one dared to stand up and provoke Gu Mo. Although they were all furious, not a single one of them uttered a harsh word.

now,

Emperor Jin said, "Quickly, quickly, send General Helian to the Imperial Hospital to see if he can still be saved. Sigh, why did they have to make a martial arts contest at such a nice banquet?"

Immediately, several officials carried Helian Tieyi's body away, and the atmosphere at the scene instantly became very oppressive.

Emperor Jin simply said, "Let's end this banquet here today. All my beloved ministers, please go home. Oh, by the way, Minister Su and Minister Gu, didn't you say that you had some words to say to me on behalf of my brother, Emperor Qian? Why don't you come with me for a stroll in the Imperial Garden?"

Upon hearing the invitation from the Emperor of Jin,
Gu Mo and Su Ziyou readily agreed. Even if the Emperor of Jin hadn't invited them, they would have taken the initiative to speak with him. Their purpose in coming was to capture and eliminate the thief sect, and based on what the Seventh Prince Sima Kong had said, the Emperor of Jin was the biggest obstacle.

Soon, Gu Mo, Su Ziyou, and Gu Chudong followed Emperor Jin to the Imperial Garden.

The Emperor of Jin led the three of them to a study and said, "I know the purpose of your visit. You have been invited by Sima Kong to investigate the theft of Zong Wenwangji!"

Gu Mo and Su Ziyou were both puzzled, never expecting that the Emperor of Jin would be so direct.

Immediately, Su Ziyou cupped his hands and said, "To be honest, Your Majesty, this is indeed true!"

Emperor Jin chuckled and said, "This seventh prince is quite a man of ideas. He thought of using the Qian Kingdom to pressure me. He guessed that Wen Wangji was definitely hiding in my palace, and no matter how he investigated, he couldn't come here to arrest him. So, he invited the Qian Kingdom delegation. After all, if the Qian Kingdom delegation found out that Wen Wangji was in the capital, I wouldn't be able to stop him."

Gu Mo and Su Ziyou had already guessed the meaning behind the Emperor Jin's words regarding the Seventh Prince, Sima Kong.

Emperor Qian was naturally aware of this. The reason he helped Sima Kong was that Emperor Qian did not want the Jin state to be destroyed at this time. The Qian state still needed the Jin state, which was not a strong ally, to join forces to resist the Chu state.

Su Ziyou asked, "Your Majesty, is Wen Wangji really in the capital?"

“He’s not here,” Emperor Jin shook his head and said, “but I know where he is!”

Su Ziyou frowned and asked, "Your Majesty, are you here to discuss some conditions?"

"No."

Emperor Jin sighed and said, "Since I have summoned you here, I will naturally tell you the clues about Wen Wangji. However, before that, I need to make things clear. It is not that I am short-sighted and do not know the benefits of the legend of Old Master Su to the Jin Kingdom. It is simply that I have no other choice."

At this point, Emperor Jin sighed and said, "Just now at the banquet, Minister Su and Minister Gu, you saw it yourselves. The court is no longer under my control, but under the control of the Thousand Autumns Sect."

Gu Mo asked, "Is it Su Qianqiu?"

Emperor Jin shook his head and said, "If the Thousand Autumns Sect were controlled by Old Master Su, then I would be happy to be idle. Since I can't fight against him anyway, I might as well be a puppet emperor. But the reality is that although the Thousand Autumns Sect worships Old Master Su, it does not actually obey him."

My power has long been usurped. Whether my decrees can even leave the capital depends on the approval of the Thousand Autumns Sect. As for who is behind the Thousand Autumns Sect, it's impossible to find out, because the entire country is filled with followers of the Thousand Autumns Sect. I, the emperor, have long ceased to exist.

The Thousand Autumns Sect has too many followers, from ordinary people to high-ranking officials. Even I, the Emperor, am a follower, so it's impossible to investigate, simply unacceptable!

Gu Mo asked, "It doesn't matter if you don't have the authority, as long as Su Qianqiu is willing to investigate, he can find out, right?"

Emperor Jin shook his head slightly and said, "Even Old Master Su couldn't find anything. He's killed quite a few people, but he always insisted that there was no one behind him. It's purely because they believe in the Heavenly Venerable of the Established Ultimate, and everything is based on the doctrines of the Thousand Autumns Sect. But the doctrines of the Thousand Autumns Sect weren't set by Old Master Su, and the doctrines are different all over the country. After all the investigations, it turns out that they were all set up by people in various places who wanted to make money, and there's no one behind it all."

Su Ziyou nodded and said, "I understand. Either it's pure faith with no one behind the scenes, or the entire Jin Kingdom's people are the masterminds, or the whole country and all the officials are protecting this mastermind, the true leader of the Thousand Autumns Sect!"

Emperor Jin nodded and said, "Therefore, I would like to ask Minister Su and Minister Gu to help me capture the leader of the Thousand Autumns Sect. I know that you, Minister Gu, like to capture wanted criminals. If the leader of the Thousand Autumns Sect really exists, he is also a wanted criminal."

A few days ago, Old Master Su went on a killing spree, but failed to find out who was behind it. In order to give an explanation, Old Master Su killed many villains who used the name of Qianqiu Sect to make money, and established a Qianqiu Evil Sect to distinguish it from the real Qianqiu Sect. The leader of the Qianqiu Evil Sect is now the most wanted criminal in our Jin Kingdom.

"I can't get anyone in my court to investigate because they're members of the Thousand Autumns Cult; no matter how hard I investigate, I won't find anything. But you two aren't members of the Thousand Autumns Cult, and you're part of the Qian Kingdom's delegation, so no one dares to openly obstruct you. Therefore, you are the most likely to uncover the truth. Of course, if even you can't find out who's behind it all, then it's only right that I become the ruler of this doomed kingdom!"

at this time,

A system notification was playing in Gu Mo's mind:

【New target detected】

[Wanted Target - Leader of the Thousand Autumns Cult]

[Mission Level - Six Stars]

[Quest Reward - Max Level Vertical and Horizontal Sword Technique]

……

The Vertical and Horizontal Sword Technique, originating from the Guigu School in "Qin's Moon," is divided into Vertical Sword and Horizontal Sword, emphasizing the sword philosophy of Yin and Yang.

Vertical Sword (or Closure): Centered on "momentum," it pursues ultimate penetrating power for a single, fatal strike. Its signature move, "Hundred-Step Flying Sword," is known as "a single blade severing the throat, a hundred-step flying sword," its sword intent subtly aligning with the Taoist principle of "extreme emptiness and stillness," achieving ultra-long-range precision strikes through compressed sword energy.

Horizontal Sword (捭): Based on "skill", it emphasizes area damage and power suppression. Its representative move is "Horizontal Sweep in All Directions". It integrates the Legalist concept of "dominance", and its moves are fierce and unparalleled.

Overall, in addition to the two typical and powerful sword moves, Hundred Steps Flying Sword and Horizontal Sweep, the Vertical and Horizontal Sword Technique also has special effects such as predicting the opponent's attack trajectory, mental intimidation, long-range surprise attack, and group control.

(End of this chapter)