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

Chapter 245 Killing Wen Wangji (1-word chapter)
The Imperial Study was very quiet.

Gu Mo didn't speak, and neither did Gu Chudong.

Su Ziyou bowed to the Emperor of Jin and said, "Your Majesty, is this the condition for informing us of the whereabouts of the thief Zong Wenwangji?"

Emperor Jin shook his head slightly and said, "It is a request. Whether you two agree or not, I will tell you about Wen Wangji's whereabouts. As for investigating the leader of the Qianqiu Sect, it is merely my personal request."

Su Ziyou thought for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, I need to discuss this with Master Gu."

Emperor Jin nodded.

Immediately afterwards, Gu Mo and the other two walked out of the Imperial Study and came to a long corridor.

Gu Mo said, "Let's talk here. I'll use my true energy to seal it off, so no one can hear us."

Su Ziyou asked, "Brother Gu, are you interested in investigating the Thousand Autumns Sect?"

Gu Mo smiled and said, "It's up to you, Brother Su. If you want to investigate, I'll accompany you. I'm not good at investigating cases, but I'm fine with fighting. You can leave your safety to me."

"Thank you, Brother Gu!"

Su Ziyou bowed to Gu Mo in thanks and said, "I want to investigate. To be honest, before I came here, I talked with our Emperor. Although we all knew that the Thousand Autumns Sect had a great influence in the Southern Jin territory, we did not expect that its influence would be so great that it could almost overthrow the foundation of the country."

Previously, His Majesty hadn't paid much attention to the affairs of Southern Jin. He thought that even if Su Qianqiu was defeated, he wouldn't be killed. As long as Su Qianqiu was still alive, Southern Jin wouldn't be in too much chaos.

But now it seems that with the Qianqiu Sect around, even if Su Qianqiu were to live, let alone lose, he would cause great chaos in the Southern Jin Dynasty. No matter how strong Su Qianqiu is, he is still just one person. He can guard the country's borders by himself, but that doesn't mean he can save a country that is in dire straits by himself.

If the Thousand Autumns Sect truly has a leader, then a nationwide rebellion is inevitable in Southern Jin. After all, the leader of the Thousand Autumns Sect already wields more influence in Southern Jin than the emperor himself, making Su Qianqiu, the true god of the sect, a mere imposter. At that point, if the other side doesn't plot for the throne, then their ambitions are far greater.

If the Thousand Autumns Cult doesn't have a leader behind it, then things are even more troublesome. In that case, I must inform His Majesty to prepare early. A cult sweeping across the country, even influencing the imperial court, yet lacking a unified administrator, means that independent regimes will spring up everywhere. Once the first person ignites that fire, everything will split, and the Southern Jin Dynasty will cease to exist.

Gu Chudong asked in confusion, "Brother Su, what does the Southern Jin have to do with you, a court official of the Qian Kingdom?"

Su Ziyou said, "Sister Chudong, if it were before the coup in the capital, the internal power struggle within our Qian Kingdom wouldn't have been resolved yet, so we really couldn't worry about so much. But now, the struggle between the Empress Dowager and the Emperor has come to an end."

In the short term, our Qian Kingdom will inevitably face internal turmoil. Although the Empress Dowager has passed away, her faction still holds sway, and Your Majesty will need time to suppress it. If Southern Jin encounters problems during this period, it will be troublesome, as Chu will march north without hesitation to attack our Qian Kingdom.

Why did the late emperor insist on paying reparations and handing over hostages to hold onto Jin Commandery? Logically, Jin Commandery belonged to the State of Jin; taking it back wouldn't have made a difference. But the late emperor refused to relinquish it because he needed Jin Commandery to separate the State of Qian from Southern Jin. Southern Jin then became a defensive line against the State of Chu, preventing Chu from launching a full-scale invasion of Qian.

However, if trouble were to break out in Southern Jin, Chu would undoubtedly seize the opportunity to use it as a route to wage war on three fronts. There's one front in the northern deserts, another in Jin Commandery, and a third at sea near the Tiansha Islands. Of these three fronts, Southern Jin blocks two: Jin Commandery and the Tiansha Islands. Therefore, the importance of Southern Jin is self-evident.

Gu Chudong asked, "Can't our Qian Kingdom defeat the Chu Kingdom?"

Su Ziyou said in a deep voice: "There are many factors to consider when fighting a war, so no one can directly determine who is stronger or weaker. However, one thing is certain: war is inevitably a war of attrition, and currently, our Qian Kingdom's treasury cannot support a full-scale national war."

If a full-scale war breaks out, taxes will inevitably increase. Alas, exorbitant taxes are like tigers! Our Qian Kingdom has only had ten years of recuperation, and the people's lives have only just begun to improve. If war breaks out now, countless people will be displaced, and the fields will be filled with the corpses of the starving!

Gu Chudong frowned and said, "But I remember that before, the head manager's official identity was the great Confucian scholar, Mr. Dongjing. He was a proponent of war and had the support of His Majesty. Isn't our His Majesty quite supportive of starting a war?"

Su Ziyou shook his head and said, "Supporting war doesn't necessarily mean wanting war. Countries can negotiate peace, but they can't be without the will to fight internally. Empress Dowager Yan's faction doesn't want to fight. Not only do they not want to fight, but they also keep talking down the country and suppressing the morale of the people. This is not acceptable. We should try our best to avoid fighting and war, but we cannot be afraid to fight. We cannot lose our morale, nor can we abandon our readiness for war at any time."

We must do everything in our power to prevent war from breaking out. However, we must also do everything in our power to raise the fighting spirit of our people and hold our ground. It is absolutely unacceptable to cede five cities today and ten tomorrow for a single night's peace. Therefore, His Majesty's support for war is not because he wants to fight, but because he wants to be prepared for war at any time!

Gu Chudong suddenly realized, "Oh, I see. I understand now. In other words, it's best if the Southern Jin doesn't fall before our national strength can support a full-scale war!"

Su Ziyou nodded and said, "That's right. So, I want to investigate this Qianqiu Sect. I really hope that there is a Qianqiu Sect Leader behind this sect, so that the problem can be solved at its root. If there isn't, then I'm really powerless, and the Emperor Jin is powerless too!"

Gu Mo patted Su Ziyou on the shoulder and said, "Don't worry, the Thousand Autumns Cult Leader is definitely there."

Su Ziyou asked in surprise, "Are you so sure?"

Gu Mo said, "I am the number one ghostwriter in the world. I have an extremely strong premonition about wanted criminals. You can think of it as a kind of metaphysics. It's like the saying that the wanted criminals I've been targeting have never escaped."

Su Ziyou laughed and said, "So, Brother Gu, you've got your eye on this Thousand Autumns Sect Leader now?"

"They're keeping a close watch on us," Gu Mo said.

Su Ziyou looked at Gu Mo and said in a deep voice, "Thank you, Brother Gu!"

Gu Mo chuckled and said, "I am the ghostwriter."

quickly,

The three then returned to the Imperial Study.

The Emperor Jin smiled and said, "It seems you've reached an agreement." As he spoke, he handed a token to Su Ziyou and said, "Whether you help me or not, I will tell you about Wen Wangji's whereabouts. Take this token to Qianqiu Town in the south of the city and find the owner of Donglai Gambling House, Three-Handed. He is my secret guard and will help you capture Wen Wangji. Yes, Wen Wangji is in Qianqiu Town."

Su Ziyou took the token and asked doubtfully, "Your Majesty, Wen Wangji isn't one of your men?"

"No," the Emperor Jin said, "Although I would like to dispel the myth surrounding Old Master Su in Southern Jin, I cannot do so voluntarily. To put it more bluntly, I do not have the ability. Although I still hold power in the court and no one is suppressing my imperial authority, the prerequisite is that I cannot touch upon any issues related to the Thousand Autumns Sect, nor can I involve anything related to Old Master Su. Once it comes to such matters, the entire court will oppose it in various ways. Therefore, I truly do not have the ability to target Old Master Su."

Su Ziyou frowned and asked in confusion, "Then why can't the Su family find Wen Wangji?"

Emperor Jin chuckled and said, "Initially, I did indeed protect Wen Wangji by going with the flow, but Wen Wangji did not trust me and ran into Qianqiu Town."

You can think of Qianqiu Town as a ghost town beneath the capital of your Qian Kingdom. However, while the ghost towns of Qian Kingdom rely on their underground environment to form a force that resists government control, Qianqiu Town relies on the people's faith in the Celestial Venerable Liji to resist the imperial court. It is a town formed by hundreds or even thousands of Qianqiu Temples founded by various followers of the Celestial Venerable Liji.

In our Southern Jin Dynasty, even government constables and soldiers have no right to trespass on any Qianqiu Temple. Forcibly entering would create a religious issue, potentially triggering unrest that could spiral out of control. Therefore, neither court officials nor government constables dared to take responsibility, and all chose to turn a blind eye to Qianqiu Town. Over time, the place became an officially forbidden zone; government officials avoided it, and if an ordinary fugitive escaped there, the pursuit was essentially over.

After listening, Gu Mo said, "Your Majesty, if we follow your logic, the Thousand Autumns Sect is quite easy to investigate. As long as we thoroughly investigate Thousand Autumns Town, we will surely be able to find out if there are people behind the Thousand Autumns Sect. If there are, we will also be able to find out who they are."

Emperor Jin chuckled and said, "I am naturally aware of this, and I have considered investigating it. However, if I were to raise this matter in court, all the civil and military officials would oppose it, because touching the Thousand Autumns Sect would affect the foundation of the nation. Besides, all the civil and military officials are followers of the Thousand Autumns Sect, and so are the people working below them. How can I investigate? And what can I find out?"

Su Ziyou frowned and said, "Your Majesty, if your humble servant is willing to help you investigate the leader of the Thousand Autumns Sect, what assistance can you provide us?"

Emperor Jin shook his head slightly and said, "I can't offer much help, because I can't openly investigate the Thousand Autumns Sect. However, I can grant you the power to investigate other cases, which will prevent officials in the court from directly obstructing you."

In addition, I have secret guards who can provide you with necessary assistance in secret, help you with your investigation as much as possible, and create various reasons for you to enter Qianqiu Town openly, such as a wanted criminal entering Qianqiu Town.

However, if you are truly willing to help me investigate the Thousand Autumns Sect, you must remember: never admit or publicly state that you are investigating Thousand Autumns Town, otherwise, it will surely bring great trouble!

Su Ziyou cupped his hands and said, "Alright, I understand. I and Master Gu will do our best in this matter. However, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to find out the truth behind the Thousand Autumns Sect."

"I understand," Emperor Jin said. "I am already extremely grateful that Minister Su and Minister Gu are willing to help."

……

After the negotiations with the Emperor of Jin concluded, Gu Mo and his group immediately left the imperial city.

As soon as they arrived at the gate of the imperial city, they saw the Seventh Prince Sima Kong waiting outside. When he saw Gu Mo and the others come out, Sima Kong hurriedly went up to them, cupped his hands and said, "Hero Gu, Young Master Su, Heroine Gu, my father has prepared a banquet at home and asked me to invite the three of you to come in for a drink!"

The group returned the greeting with clasped hands.

Gu Chudong asked in confusion, "Your father? Is he the head of the Su family?"

Sima Kong nodded and said, "That's right."

Gu Chudong chuckled and said, "You're really lucky. It's said that the Su family is the richest family in Jin, and the head of the Su family is the richest man in Jin. You have two fathers, one is the richest man in Jin, and the other is the most powerful emperor!"

Sima Kong gave a wry smile and said, "Actually, from another perspective, I am neither a member of the royal family nor a member of the Su family. The royal family thinks that I have the blood of the Su family and it is impossible for them to accept me sincerely; the Su family thinks that I am a prince and my surname is Sima, so it is impossible for them to be very honest with me."

"This……"

Gu Chudong was at a loss for words.

Sima Kong suddenly smiled smugly and said, "However, on the other hand, as a prince, I have the right to establish my own government, command hundreds of private soldiers, and have officials serving me. This is something the young master of the Su family can't compare to. As the young master of the Su family, I also have tens of thousands of taels of silver in monthly allowance and various Su family businesses, making me much richer than other princes. Sigh, sometimes when I think about it, I don't even have a direction to strive for in my life. I was born with power in one hand and money in the other. No one suspects me in the royal family's struggles, and no one suspects me in the Su family's struggles either. They all have to take care of me. This kind of life is too corrupting to my mind!"

Just now, Gu Chudong felt that Sima Kong was a bit pitiful and deserved sympathy because he had been abandoned by both families.

At this moment, Gu Chudong's fists were clenched tightly!

Su Ziyou and Gu Mo were both speechless.

Gu Mo suddenly seemed to understand why Qi Miaoxuan, Zhang Daoyi, and others who had met Su Qianqiu wanted to beat him up so much. It was because Sima Kong was Su Qianqiu's direct great-grandson, and it was very likely that this irritating aura was inherited from Su Qianqiu.

quickly,

The group arrived at a mansion in the capital, which was the Su Family Manor.

Gu Mo couldn't see it, so it wasn't very shocking, but Gu Chudong and Su Ziyou could see it, and they were immediately shocked by the extravagance of the Su family manor.

The vermilion gate was studded with nine rows of gilded bronze nails, and a pair of white marble lions crouched before it, their paws resting on stone balls carved with lotus scrolls, even the bases inlaid with lapis lazuli. Passing through three layers of carved moon gates, the central courtyard's winding corridor was entirely crafted from golden nanmu wood, with coiled dragons on the pillars, their eyes wide open, each eye inlaid with a pigeon-blood ruby, and the luminous pearls hanging from their whiskers as large as fists.

The main hall features twelve pillars wrapped in gold leaf, each several meters long, and six bronze Boshan censers emitting wisps of smoke, their gold-inlaid decorations shimmering and glowing in the candlelight.

The Persian velvet carpet underfoot is woven with golden phoenixes, each feather adorned with pearls, making it feel like stepping on shattered stars. The artificial lake in the backyard draws water from Jade Spring Mountain, with an emerald base, and the twenty-four solar terms on the white jade bridge are all outlined in gold leaf. Even the cracks in the stones are inlaid with pearls, making it the epitome of extravagance.

The delicacies on the table were many of which Su Ziyou and Gu Chudong had never seen or heard of before.

For a time,

Gu Chudong suddenly felt a bit emotional. She used to think that 200,000 taels of silver was too greedy, but now she finally understood why Sima Kong asked for so much more than the market price. In the eyes of the Su family, there was not much difference between 200,000 taels, 20,000 taels, and 2,000 taels.

"Hahaha……"

A hearty laugh came from outside the door, and a chubby middle-aged man walked in, saying, "Hero Gu, Young Master Su, and Heroine Gu, your presence at my humble abode is an honor! It is truly an honor!"

The newcomer was short and stocky, with a round belly like Maitreya Buddha. His jade belt was adorned with thumb-sized pearls that jingled as he walked. He wore a long robe embroidered with peacock gold thread, with diamonds embedded in the cuffs. Around his neck hung three strings of red gold dragon-patterned necklaces, layered down to his chest, giving him an air of great wealth.

Sima Kong quickly introduced him to Gu Mo and the others, saying, "This is my father."

The man introduced himself: "Gentlemen, I am Su Wanguan, the head of the Su family!"

Normally, a name like "Wan Guan" (万贯) is chosen for good luck, implying immense wealth. However, this name is completely inappropriate for Su Wan Guan; it feels like a malevolent curse.

Gu Mo and the others returned the greeting with clasped hands.

Su Wanguan warmly invited them to sit down and said, "I am deeply grateful that you have come from afar to help me. However, I am neither good at literature nor martial arts. I have not read many books and have not learned many martial arts moves. I really do not know how to express my gratitude. So I prepared some small gifts for you as a greeting gift. They are a bit vulgar, but please do not find them offensive!"

As he spoke, Su Wanguan waved his hand, and immediately three servants came in carrying three boxes each, placing them in front of Gu Mo and the other two.

Su Ziyou and Gu Chudong opened the package with puzzled expressions, and then saw a lump of gold weighing at least twenty pounds inside, with a rare silver note of the largest denomination—ten thousand taels.

Su Wanguan said, “Gentlemen, our Su family has only been around for a short time, just over twenty years. We have a weak foundation and nothing of note. I know you are all refined people, so please don’t misunderstand and think I’m trying to humiliate you. It’s just that our Su family has a very weak foundation. We don’t have any decent calligraphy, paintings, or rare treasures!”

Looking into Su Wanguan's sincere eyes,
For a moment, Gu Chudong and Su Ziyou were unsure whether he was faking it or speaking from the heart.

However, when they saw the lump of gold and the ten thousand taels of silver notes, they both felt that Su Wanguan, such a generous and enthusiastic person, must be very sincere in what he said.

For a time,

The atmosphere became very pleasant, and the meal was enjoyed by both host and guests.

While eating, Sima Kong asked, "Master Gu, I heard that you killed General Helian Tieyi, the Assistant General of the State, at the palace banquet today?"

Gu Mo nodded slightly and said, "He insists on courting death, so I have no choice but to grant his wish."

Sima Kong chuckled awkwardly and said, "Helian Tieyi's identity is not simple. He is not only one of the four great generals of our Jin Kingdom, but also the current head of the Helian family. You..."

Gu Mo said, "Today in the palace, in front of all the civil and military officials of Jin and the emperor, he himself made a life-or-death promise to me. Would the Jin military still deny it?"

"It's not that bad..."

"So the Helian family wants revenge on me?" Gu Mo asked.

Sima Kong said awkwardly, "I was just saying it casually, please don't take it to heart."

Gu Mo waved his hand and said, "It doesn't matter. Whether the military wants revenge or the Helian family wants revenge, they better have a way to get tens of thousands of iron cavalry and then be able to sneak up on me and surround me. Otherwise, as long as they dare to take revenge, I will kill as many as they come, and then I will go and kill them."

Gu Mo spoke very calmly.

However, it made Su Wanguan and his son Sima Kong, as well as the Su family servants serving in the hall, feel a chilling pressure.

After a moment of silence, Su Wanguan broke the silence and asked, "Let's not talk about Helian Tieyi anymore. When you gentlemen were summoned by His Majesty, did you discuss Wen Wangji? What did His Majesty say?"

Su Ziyou shook his head and said, "His Majesty didn't say much, only that we should investigate." Su Ziyou looked at Sima Kong and said, "Seventh Prince, I'm afraid your guess is correct. Wen Wangji is very likely hiding in the palace. We must have enough evidence to force His Majesty to give up on Wen Wangji. Otherwise, it will be impossible to capture Wen Wangji and retrieve the Heavenly Craft Spirit Cage!"

Sima Kong nodded and said, "Then I'll leave this matter to you. If needed, I will do my best to cooperate!"

"My Su family will fully cooperate!" Su Wanguan said. "Young Master Su, please be sure to retrieve the Heavenly Craft Spirit Cage before the fifteenth of the twelfth lunar month!"

Su Ziyou cupped his hands and said, "We will do our best!"

……

After a meal,

Gu Mo and his companions then left the Su family and returned to the Honglu Temple.

Of course, they didn't forget to bring the lump of gold and ten thousand taels of silver notes that Su Wanguan had given them, and they all planned to buy valuable rare and precious materials to take back to Qian Kingdom when they returned.

Southern Jin's silver notes are unusable in Qian Kingdom, and exchanging them directly for cash to take back is highly impractical. For Su Ziyou, as an official, doing so would only bring him trouble. As for Gu Mo, there's simply no way he could bring back over 200,000 taels of cash.

Back at the Court of State Ceremonial, Gu Chudong asked Su Ziyou the question that had been bothering her: "Brother Su, why did you keep it from Sima Kong and Su Wanguan just now? Did you suspect them of something?"

Su Ziyou laughed and said, "No, we were invited by the Su family. It would be crazy to doubt them. The reason I didn't say anything is because the matter was done in secret. There were also Su family servants present at the time."

Furthermore, and most importantly, this information was obtained from the Jin Emperor through our identity as the Qian Kingdom's envoy. If we tell the Su family directly, they might feel that 200,000 taels of silver is too much of a loss. If they themselves arrest Wen Wangji, how will you siblings collect your bounty?

Gu Chudong suddenly realized, and then asked, "Then, Brother Su, when do we make our move?" "The sooner the better, let's do it tonight," Su Ziyou said. "We'll go out to the night market later tonight, and then head straight to Qianqiu Town."

After nightfall,

Gu Mo and his group then went out to stroll through the night market as planned.

As soon as they stepped outside, Gu Mo sensed that someone was following them. To be precise, it was inside the Court of State Ceremonial, where those people had been secretly watching them.

This is perfectly normal. It would be strange if the Southern Jin court didn't assign someone to monitor them around the clock, given that they were part of a foreign mission. Just like when the Southern Jin mission went to the Qian Kingdom, they were also monitored throughout.

Quwo City, as the capital of the Southern Jin Kingdom, was a very prosperous city, even though it was a small country less than two states in the Qian Kingdom. The night market was brightly lit and bustling with people.

Gu Mo, Gu Chudong, and Su Ziyou were strolling around when, at Su Ziyou's signal, Gu Mo grabbed Su Ziyou with one hand and Gu Chudong with the other and disappeared in the blink of an eye. The Southern Jin experts who were secretly monitoring them looked at each other in surprise and immediately sent someone back to report. At the same time, the others hurriedly began to search for them.

Meanwhile, Gu Mo had already brought Su Ziyou and Gu Chudong to Qianqiu Town in the south of the city.

Qianqiu Town is located in a relatively remote part of the southern city.

After leaving the night market

Gu Mo and his companions walked through a long stretch of quiet land, and then at a certain moment they suddenly heard the sound of chanting.

As night falls, the wondrous town unfolds like a slowly unfurling scroll. Along the streets, almost every few feet, a temple stands, large or small, all with its doors wide open. The gilded robes and mottled stone bodies reflect each other's brilliance. Some statues, draped in red silk, seem about to descend on clouds in the flickering candlelight; others have solemn faces and hold long swords.

Without exception, all of these Qianqiu Temples enshrine Su Qianqiu, the Heavenly Venerable of the Establishment of the Ultimate in the Jin Kingdom.

Incense smoke wafted from the various temples, transforming into a thin veil of mist that enveloped the entire town. Within the swirling smoke, the aromas of sandalwood, agarwood, and mugwort intertwined, and within the temples, followers of the Qianqiu sect chanted scriptures passed down by the Celestial Venerable Liji, whose authorship was unknown.

The streets were bustling with people and filled with shops, making it feel like another night market. However, in this night market, every shop had at least one stone statue enshrined in it, and almost everyone in the town was a follower of the Thousand Autumns Sect.

Walking through the town,
A sense of absurdity arose in the hearts of Gu Mo and the others.

There are many people in this world who worship gods. For example, in Qian State, Taoism is prevalent, and there are various Taoist temples throughout the country that enshrine Taoist deities. The deities worshipped are mostly legendary figures, or patriarchs who have ascended to heaven countless years ago.

In the Southern Jin Dynasty, the entire nation worshipped a living person. It wasn't just about erecting a longevity tablet; temples were built for him everywhere, scriptures were annotated, and he was granted a divine title. Crucially, his incense offerings were extremely prosperous, and he had practically become the only deity in the Southern Jin Dynasty.

Subsequently,

After walking around the town for a long time, Gu Mo and his companions found the Donglai Gambling House in a small alley, based on the clues provided by Emperor Jin.

The layout of Qianqiu Town is very interesting. The streets that lead in all directions are almost entirely lined with Qianqiu Temples, while behind the main street are all kinds of shops, including brothels, brokerage firms, and so on.

The three men entered the gambling den and immediately demanded to see the owner, Three-Handed.

Seeing that the three of them were all imposing, the waiter did not dare to refuse their request and went to inform the Three-Handed Gangsters.

Soon, the waiter returned and invited Gu Mo and the other two upstairs to a private room. There, they saw a burly man with a full beard and a centipede-like scar on his face, toying with two iron balls in his hands. He said in a deep voice, "The three of you look unfamiliar. Which way did you come from? What can I do for you?"

"Could you please do me a favor? The price is negotiable."

Su Ziyou subtly revealed his token.

Immediately, a fierce glint flashed in the eyes of the three-handed man. He waved his hand and said to the servant, "Go and guard the stairwell. No one is allowed to disturb us."

The servant obeyed and left.

The three-handed man immediately knelt on one knee and said, "Greetings, sir. May I ask if you have a mission?"

Su Ziyou said, "We are here on His Majesty's orders to arrest Wen Wangji. Do you know where he is?"

A hint of doubt flashed in the eyes of the three-handed man, then he looked at Su Ziyou and his companions and asked, "Are you gentlemen from the Qian Kingdom?"

Su Ziyou nodded slightly.

Three Hands nodded and said, "You all arrived very quickly. You've only just entered the city today, right? I was thinking it would be a few more days."

Su Ziyou said, "From what you're saying, you guessed we'd come all along?"

Three Hands said, "Earlier, when His Majesty heard that the Qian Kingdom delegation had returned to the country with the Seventh Prince, and that the number one swordsman in the world, the Qian Kingdom hero Gu Mo, was also with them, he knew that the Seventh Prince intended to use the Qian Kingdom to exert pressure. He knew that there was no need to protect Wen Wangji anymore, and at that time he had already instructed me to help you capture Wen Wangji when the Qian Kingdom delegation came looking for him!"

Su Ziyou asked, "Where is Wen Wangji?"

Three Hands said, "He's at Cuihua Restaurant tonight. Wen Wangji should be waiting for someone in Qianqiu Town. However, he loves wine and can't stand the loneliness. Lately, he's been changing his appearance and frequenting various restaurants in Qianqiu Town. Tonight, he's going to Sanhua Restaurant."

"Who is he waiting for?" Su Ziyou asked.

“I don’t know,” said Three Hands. “However, there are only two possibilities: either the person behind the theft of the Heavenly Craft Spirit Cage, or the buyer.”

"Lead the way!" Su Ziyou said.

Three-Handed quickly asked, "Do you need me to call some men?"

"Ok?"

Su Ziyou looked at Gu Mo with a puzzled expression, then at the three-handed man, her eyes filled with confusion.

The three-handed man was momentarily embarrassed, only then realizing that the person in front of him was the world's number one swordsman.

In addition, although Gu Mo has no reputation in Southern Jin for the time being, and his title as the third in the world has not yet spread widely, the Three Hands, as the royal secret guards, must know about him.

So he immediately realized he had misspoke and quickly said, "I misspoke!"

quickly,

Led by the three thieves, the group walked through the night, becoming increasingly secluded, until they finally found the place called Cuihua Restaurant deep in a quiet alley.

Actually, this place is more like a small tavern than a restaurant. It's just a small shop with four or five tables and only a few customers, all of whom are ordinary people. It's clearly the kind of small tavern that targets the local neighborhood and is the least profitable.

The restaurant owner was a woman who looked to be around forty years old. Although her complexion was not good, she was quite beautiful and had a well-maintained figure. Every move she made was quite elegant. She must have been a famous beauty in the surrounding villages when she was young.

When the female shopkeeper saw Gu Mo and his group appear at the door, a hint of panic flashed in her eyes—the kind of fear that ordinary people have when facing martial arts practitioners. But she still mustered her courage, stepped to the door, and asked with a smile, "Gentlemen, would you like to drink or buy wine?"

Su Ziyou patted his pockets, took out a silver ingot, and handed it to the female shopkeeper, saying, "Shopkeeper, I'll cover all your drinks tonight."

"what?"

The female shopkeeper was at a loss for what to do, looking at the silver ingot but not daring to accept it.

Gu Chudong took the silver ingot from Su Ziyou's hand, then took the female shopkeeper's hand and placed it in her hand, saying, "Please forgive me if I break your things later!"

The female shopkeeper swallowed hard and didn't dare to say anything more.

Gu Mo walked over to a middle-aged man drinking alone at a table in the corner. The man was dressed very plainly, like an ordinary person who was tired from working all day and came out to have a drink to relax at night.

But that wasn't actually the case, because Gu Mo could clearly sense that this person had strong internal energy fluctuations, enough to be considered first-rate in the martial arts world. However, it didn't reach the super-first-rate level, because those who reach the super-first-rate level of internal energy have already reached a state of perfection, their internal energy is self-contained, and their depth cannot be discerned by others.

"Wen Wangji" (文忘机).

Gu Mo sat down opposite Wen Wangji and slowly said, "Can you tell me why you stole the Heavenly Craft Spirit Cage?"

Wen Wangji looked up, downed the wine in his cup in one gulp, and said with a hint of lingering enjoyment, "You've mistaken me for someone else. Farewell!"

After saying that, he got up and prepared to leave.

Gu Mo suddenly reached out and grabbed Wen Wangji's shoulder, but unexpectedly, the moment he grabbed the shoulder, Gu Mo felt as if he had grabbed a ball of cotton, which was very soft.

At the same time, Wen Wangji's body took on an extremely bizarre twisted state, instantly transforming into a giant mudfish that skimmed across the ground and flew away at a speed too fast for the naked eye to detect.

But just as he floated to the doorway, his body was suddenly pulled back by a tremendous force, and he was sent flying backward. He turned his head and saw that it was Gu Mo who reached out a hand and pulled him back.

He was immediately terrified, his body swaying in a bizarre, twisted posture, managing to break free from Gu Mo's Dragon-Capturing Technique and swim in another direction. But, in that instant, he suddenly felt his body freeze, unable to move while lying on the ground, and the world before his eyes turned black and white.

Before Wen Wangji could react, he saw a pair of boots appear in front of him. He rolled his eyes and saw Gu Mo standing in front of him.

Gu Mo slowly squatted down and said, "My name is Gu Mo. I don't know if you've heard of me before. I'm known in the martial arts world as the number one swordsman."

Wen Wangji chuckled and said, "Then I am truly honored that you have gone to such lengths to travel all the way from Qian Kingdom to hunt me down!"

Gu Mo said, "It seems you've heard of me. In that case, let's get straight to the point. I'll make things easy for you, and you'll have a quick and painless experience, how about that?"

“Okay,” Wen Wangji said.

"Who gave you permission to steal the Heavenly Craft Spirit Cage?" Gu Mo asked.

“The pseudo-Jin emperor,” Wen Wangji said, “promised me 300,000 taels of silver, plus a first-rank official position in the pseudo-Jin regime, guaranteeing me a life of wealth and honor.”

"Then what are you doing here? Why don't you leave?" Gu Mo asked.

Wen Wangji said, "I can't leave. The Su family is hunting me down all over the world, and the Qianqiu Sect is also searching for me everywhere. I can only hide here by hiding in the dark. Fortunately, the Emperor of Jin is covering for me. I have already made contact with the pseudo-Jin side. On the fifteenth of the twelfth lunar month, the day Su Qianqiu and Master Liansheng have their final battle, the Chu Kingdom will send an envoy to take me and the Tiangong Linglong away."

Wen Wangji said, "Since you were able to find me, you couldn't possibly not find where I live, could you? It's right where I live."

"it is good."

Gu Mo nodded slightly, then pointed a finger, and a bloody hole appeared on Wen Wangji's forehead. His body trembled, and he stopped breathing.

At that moment,

A system notification sounded in Gu Mo's mind:
【Kill the five-star wanted criminal】

[Achieve a five-star reward - Max level and blend in with the world]

[Whether to receive it]

……

In an instant,

Gu Mo has mastered the "Harmony with the World" technique at its peak.

Like the "Colorless Heaven and Earth" technique, this is a supreme cultivation method of the Taoist Heavenly Sect. While "Colorless Heaven and Earth" creates a domain to suppress enemies, "Harmony with Light and Dust" allows the user's form and aura to completely blend into the environment, achieving invisibility and annihilation of their aura. It also possesses the ability to break through the limitations of physical space, enabling short-distance teleportation.

"To blend in with the world" is a perfect match for "the world losing its color."

The world loses its color, forming a domain that suppresses enemies; the ability to teleport and kill in an instant, combined with light and dust, makes it difficult even for top experts to defend against.

……

After killing Wen Wangji, the group did not linger at the scene and left immediately. Three hands carried Wen Wangji's body and led them to Wen Wangji's residence. Sure enough, after searching the place, they successfully found the Heavenly Craft Spirit Cage.

It's just an ordinary-looking iron box, square and about the size of a washbasin.

"Is this what the Heavenly Craft Spirit Cage looks like?" Su Ziyou asked in surprise, "Could we have gotten the wrong one?"

“It’s true.” Gu Mo placed one hand on the iron box and said, “I sensed a tremendous energy inside, it’s definitely not an ordinary object.”

Three Hands explained, "The Heavenly Craft Spirit Cage was originally called the Seven-Colored Heavenly Craft Spirit Cage Treasure Robe. Legend has it that more than five hundred years ago, a seven-colored bird demon appeared in the world and caused havoc. It was surrounded and killed by many experts, but eventually broke through the encirclement and escaped, leaving behind many feathers on the ground."

Later, the world's greatest tailor used celestial silk to sew it into a garment, named the Seven-Colored Celestial Craftsmanship Robe. It was lost two hundred years ago, until it was found by the Celestial Venerable of the Established Ultimate a little over ten years ago. He wore this robe to guard the nation's gates, and later gave it to the Su family.

Su Ziyou suddenly realized and said, "So, this is a piece of clothing!"

The three hands nodded and said, "If it were something really large, it wouldn't have been stolen."

The group immediately left Qianqiu Town.

Three-Handed also followed. As a bodyguard, his role in helping Gu Mo and the others capture Wen Wangji meant that his identity had been exposed, so there was no need for him to stay any longer. For him, this was a kind of accomplishment.

Generally speaking, missions that expose the identities of bodyguards are extremely dangerous, and nine times out of ten they do not have the chance to survive and be brought to light.

Therefore, the three hands are somewhat dazed now.

Even while carrying a corpse, he still moved with light steps.

Gu Chudong was also somewhat dazed. She walked beside Gu Mo and whispered, "Brother, isn't this a bit too easy? We traveled thousands of miles and the Su family spent 200,000 taels of silver to hunt down this wanted criminal, and he was killed just like that?"

Gu Mo nodded slightly and said, "It is somewhat relaxing."

"Actually, it wasn't easy either," Su Ziyou said. "What the Su family bought with 200,000 taels was actually the Qian Kingdom's attention. It's not that Wen Wangji was that hard to find. The main reason was that the Jin Emperor initially protected him, which made the Su family think that Wen Wangji was in the capital. So, what they bought with 200,000 taels was the power of the Qian Kingdom, which made the Jin Emperor give up protecting Wen Wangji."

Although Wen Wangji's whereabouts were guessed incorrectly, the essence was not. Emperor Jin's tacit acceptance of Wen Wangji's presence in the capital was a form of protection. Now that we've arrived, Emperor Jin has abandoned his protection, and Wen Wangji should naturally die.

Gu Mo smiled slightly and said, "It sounds reasonable, but the 200,000 taels of silver came too easily, and I'm a little uneasy."

Su Ziyou smiled and said nothing more.

Soon, the group returned to the Court of State Ceremonial and sent someone to inform the Su family.

The head of the Su family, Su Wanguan, rushed over overnight with a great commotion, bringing many people with him. Upon arriving at the Honglu Temple, he did not immediately take the Heavenly Craft Spirit Cage. Instead, in front of everyone, he bowed to Sima Kong, who was nominally the Seventh Prince, and said, "The Celestial Venerable Liji is currently in seclusion preparing for war. My Su family is powerless to protect the Heavenly Craft Spirit Cage. Therefore, I implore Your Highness to petition His Majesty to bring the Heavenly Craft Spirit Cage into the Imperial City for His Majesty to keep it safe until the Celestial Venerable emerges from seclusion!"

For a moment, many people were stunned.

However, Gu Mo and the others who knew the inside story understood that Su Wan Guan was putting Emperor Jin in a difficult position. They knew that Emperor Jin was protecting Wen Wang Ji, and even suspected that Wen Wang Ji was acting on Emperor Jin's orders. With only five days left until the decisive battle, it was hard to guarantee that there wouldn't be a second theft.

Therefore, the Heavenly Craft Spirit Cage was directly handed over to Emperor Jin.
In this way, Emperor Jin could no longer have anyone steal the Heavenly Craft Spirit Cage; instead, he had to do everything he could to ensure that the Heavenly Craft Spirit Cage was not lost.

(End of this chapter)