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

Chapter 248 On the Eve of the Decisive Battle (9.6k words)
After leaving Qianqiu Town, everything seemed calm on the surface, but this was only on the surface; beneath the surface, a storm was brewing.

Gu Mo and his group traveled quickly along the official road, heading towards the imperial city.

As they walked, Su Ziyou walked beside Gu Mo and couldn't help but reach out to touch the Heavenly Demon Harp on Gu Mo's back.

Gu Mo said softly, "If you touch it, you might lose your finger."

Su Ziyou shuddered in fright and quickly withdrew his hand, saying, "So ruthless? Aren't you wrapped in a layer of cloth?"

Gu Mo said, "Wrapping it in cloth is only to keep it from getting dusty, not to prevent its killing intent. This zither is very murderous."

Su Ziyou clicked his tongue and exclaimed, "I thought it was because you were bloodthirsty, but you said it was a zither? Where did this zither come from?"

Gu Mo said, "There's only one like it in the world!"

“Then you’d better hide it well,” Su Ziyou said. “Unique things are the most valuable, so you mustn’t let anyone steal it.”

Gu Mo thought for a moment and said, "In this world, apart from Miss Gu Chudong, there shouldn't be anyone else who could steal or rob something from me, right?"

Gu Chudong pouted and said, "This heroine always asks for things directly, okay? Why would I need to steal or rob?"

"That's true, I wronged Miss Gu!" Gu Mo said with a smile.

"Hmph," Gu Chudong said, "As punishment, you can only eat half a chicken leg next time!"

The three of them chatted as they walked.

They quickly entered the inner city and saw a large group of people approaching rapidly, numbering several hundred, carrying the banner of the Kyoto Prefectural Government.

Seeing this, Su Ziyou said, "It seems we have really captured the key person this time. First, the entire Qianqiu Town was mobilized to intercept him, and now the people from the Kyoto Prefecture have arrived."

Gu Mo said in a deep voice, "There should be more to come."

Su Ziyou said, "That's for sure. If the Kyoto government can't get the people, then a higher-level agency will come."

Just as Gu Mo was talking to Su Ziyou,
The officials from the Kyoto Prefectural Government had arrived. The leader was a middle-aged man who dismounted and bowed, saying, "I am Bai Lai, the Prefect of Kyoto, and I greet Master Gu and Minister Su!"

Su Ziyou cupped his hands and said, "So it's Prefect Bai. Are you on your way to handle a case? We'll make way for you right away."

Bai Lai hurriedly said, "Minister Su, I have heard that you have been committing massacres in Qianqiu Town. This has violated the laws of my Jin Kingdom. Therefore, I have come to ask you all to go to the capital prefectural government office to investigate!"

Su Ziyou said calmly, "If I remember correctly, Qianqiu Town is a place where the imperial power does not interfere and the law does not govern. Everything that happens there has nothing to do with the imperial court and government. The imperial court has no right to interfere, nor is it allowed to interfere. What, when did the capital prefectural government change the laws of Jin?"

Bai Lai said, "Minister Su misunderstands. The fact that the imperial power does not interfere and the law does not govern means that they are allowed to govern themselves internally, but ultimately the Ministry of Justice still needs to verify them!"

"You said it was the Ministry of Justice that was investigating, so what does that have to do with your capital city government?" Su Ziyou said. "Besides, I am an envoy of the Qian Kingdom. Hmm, right," he said, taking out a token and saying, "My investigation in Qianqiu Town is authorized by the imperial authority, the imperial authority of your Jin Kingdom!"

Bai Lai quickly said, "Minister Su, what I mean is..."

"Step aside!"

Su Ziyou immediately reprimanded him.

Bai Lai's face stiffened. He didn't speak, nor did he ask the constables from the Kyoto Prefecture behind him to make way.

And then,
Gu Mo stepped forward and walked straight toward the people from the Kyoto government office. He said calmly, "I know what your purpose is. You can take Hong Xu away, but you only have one way to do it, and that is to take him from me by force. So, from this moment on, anyone who stands in my way will be considered as someone who wants to use force against me."

Gu Mo's tone was very calm.

But Bai Lai was sweating profusely.

Meanwhile, as Gu Mo approached, the constables couldn't help but start to panic.

"Give Way!"

Bai Lai dared not gamble on whether Gu Mo would actually dare to kill them, the people of the Kyoto government, because he knew that if Gu Mo killed them, there would be nothing they could do, since Gu Mo was a citizen of the Qian Kingdom and could simply run back to the Qian Kingdom. They wouldn't dare to go to the Qian Kingdom to arrest him, and besides, no one could stop Gu Mo except Su Qianqiu.

Upon hearing Bai Lai's order, the constables all breathed a long sigh of relief and hurriedly made way to both sides.

Gu Mo and his group continued forward.

Suddenly, Gu Mo turned back and said to Bai Lai, "Prefect Bai, please tell the others who have such intentions that if they are not prepared to fight me, Gu Mo, then they should not appear on my road ahead. I have limited patience and am easily angered."

Bai Lai's face turned pale and then flushed, and he cupped his hands and said, "I understand."

immediately,

Gu Mo and his group left.

Bai Lai watched Gu Mo and his group leave, clenched his fist tightly, and waved for an advisor to come over.

Bai Lai said, "Go and send a message to the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review right away, and tell them to think of other ways. Gu Mo's attitude is very tough, and it is impossible to take him away."

The aide asked, "What about the military?"

Bai Lai said, "Do you really think they have no reason to stop Gu Mo? At least the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review can argue about it under the pretext of investigating a case, but what reason does the military have? Unless Gu Mo fights with the people from the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review, the military doesn't even have a reason to intervene!"

……

Imperial City, Royal Study.

The commander of the secret guard battalion was reporting the situation in the city to Emperor Jin.

Emperor Jin couldn't help but exclaim, "A true man should be like this! To have personal martial prowess at the level of Gu Mo and Su Qianqiu is to be above imperial power and the law. It's no exaggeration to say that he's like a god!"

The Grand Commander said, "Your Majesty, the capital prefecture has been threatened by Master Gu, and the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review have been frightened away. The military naturally does not dare to take action to abduct people, but they will not let go. Next, the pressure will probably fall on you!"

Emperor Jin waved his hand and said, "Announce to the public that I am ill and will not attend court for the next two days. The affairs of the court will be handled by the two prime ministers."

“I’m afraid all the civil and military officials will come to kneel outside the palace to remonstrate.”

“Then let them kneel,” Emperor Jin said. “There are only two days left until the decisive battle. I want to see if they want to keep arguing with me here, or if they want to deal with the matters of the decisive battle.”

The Grand Commander hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Your Majesty, would you like to meet with Master Gu and Young Master Su? After all, this case..."

"no need."

The Emperor of Jin said, "This is all I can guide them to. They will soon find out the truth. As for whether they choose to save me or not, that is up to them."

Su Ziyou is a minister of the Qian Kingdom, and Gu Mo is practically a god-like figure. How could I possibly force them to help me? If I were to exploit their lack of knowledge to guide them to rescue me, what was meant to be a favor would ultimately turn into enmity. There's no need for that!

The Grand Commander of the Secret Guard bowed and said, "Your subject understands!"

……

The capital city, the residence of the seventh prince.

Sima Kong had just returned from meeting with friends when a trusted confidant rushed over, saying, "Your Highness, something terrible has happened!"

Sima Kong asked in confusion, "What's wrong?"

The confidant said, "Master Gu Mo has gone on a killing spree in Qianqiu Town. Currently, there are rumors that he has killed 24 of the 36 Heavenly Generals of the Qianqiu Sect, or 23; 45 of the 72 Earthly Fiends; and hundreds of other Qianqiu Sect members, or even thousands. An entire street in Qianqiu Town has been reduced to ruins!"

Sima Kong asked in surprise, "How did Qianqiu Town offend Master Gu?"

The confidant said in surprise, "Your Highness is not surprised that dozens of grandmasters, dozens of top experts, and thousands of Qianqiu Sect members were slaughtered by Hero Gu alone, leaving a bloodbath."

Sima Kong waved his hand and said, "What's so surprising about that? I've personally witnessed even more ruthless deeds by Hero Gu in the Qian Kingdom!"

Upon hearing about the events in Qianqiu Town, Sima Kong did not deny that it was a big deal. However, compared to the previous mutiny in the imperial city of Qian Kingdom, it was nothing. He had personally witnessed Gu Mo single-handedly defeat an army of ten thousand men.

The confidant said, "It is said that Master Gu and Young Master Su were sent by His Majesty to investigate the Thousand Autumns Cult. They captured a person in Thousand Autumns Town, but they broke the town's rules and were attacked. Then Master Gu went on a killing spree!"

Sima Kong nodded and said, "It seems we have captured the key figure."

The confidant said, "The Kyoto government went to demand the release of the man, but was threatened by Master Gu. The Court of Judicial Review and the Ministry of Justice didn't dare to intervene. Now, many civil and military officials have gone to His Majesty. This matter is not simple. The man they arrested is named Hong Xu, the abbot of Qianqiu Temple. I'm afraid the clues on him are not just about the Qianqiu Cult, but also involve many members of the Qianqiu Cult!"

Sima Kong nodded slightly, then suddenly paused, and asked, "Who did you just say you arrested?"

"Hong Xu," the confidant said, "What's wrong, Your Highness?"

Sima Kong's expression changed slightly, and he said, "You, go and organize all the account books in the accounting office and move them all to my study."

After all,

Sima Kong went straight to the stables, fetched a horse, and rode towards the imperial city. Upon arriving at the imperial city, he did not stop but rode directly inside.

Sima Kong was very favored. Riding a horse through the imperial city was something other princes dared not do, but it was commonplace for him. The imperial guards were used to it and none of them tried to stop him.

quickly,

Sima Kong arrived at the Imperial Study.

As soon as he arrived at the entrance, he saw a large group of court officials kneeling outside the Imperial Study.

Sima Kong asked in confusion, "What's going on?"

The eunuch leading the way whispered, "Your Highness, these officials have come because of what happened in Qianqiu Town today. Hero Gu went on a killing spree in Qianqiu Town, and these officials believe that Hero Gu disrespected the Heavenly Venerable of the Established Ultimate and are demanding that Your Majesty punish Hero Gu!"

"Crazy?" Sima Kong said, "Hero Gu is a national hero personally appointed by Emperor Qian, and he came with the Qian Kingdom delegation. Moreover, as far as I know, he went to Qianqiu Town on the orders of the Emperor to investigate the case."

"That's right!" the eunuch muttered, then fell silent.

Sima Kong glanced at them and found that they were all veteran officials of the court, the kind who were highly respected in both the common people and the court but did not hold real power.

He knew in his heart that these people were truly a headache for the Emperor of Jin. Their lack of power meant the Emperor couldn't control them, and they were all veteran officials, some even considered upright and honest by the people. If they continued to kneel, the Emperor couldn't pretend not to know; otherwise, his reputation would be ruined.

Sima Kong entered the imperial study with a heavy heart.

Emperor Jin was standing in front of a large bookshelf, flipping through a thick book.

"Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty!" Sima Kong bowed deeply.

Emperor Jin put the book back on the shelf, waved his hand to signal Sima Kong to rise, and then said, "Seventh brother, ever since Hero Gu led his men into the capital from Qianqiu Town, no fewer than fifty court officials and princes have come to request an audience with me. However, I have not seen any of them, except for you. Do you know why?"

Sima Kong said, "Your subject does not know."

Emperor Jin sat down in his chair and quietly looked at Sima Kong, saying, "No, you know that although you don't have much political skill, you have always been a very insightful person. You can't possibly not understand why I only see you."

Sima Kong bowed slightly and said, "Because I am a loyal subject, I will not participate in the struggle for the throne, nor will I participate in the factional struggles in the court."

Emperor Jin slowly said, "Seventh Prince, you entered the palace at the age of three and stayed by my side for twelve years until you left the palace to establish your own residence at the age of fifteen. Although you are not my biological son, I have always regarded you as my own son... No, my feelings for you are even stronger than for my own son."

Because all my sons are inevitably embroiled in power struggles; they compete with each other and with me. Their relationship with me is more that of ruler and subject than father and son. Only with you do the father-son bond prevail.

"Your subject is terrified!" Sima Kong said hastily.

Emperor Jin waved his hand and said, "Speak, what brings you to see me? You can't possibly be like those people outside, demanding punishment for Master Gu and Minister Su, can you?"

Sima Kong shook his head slightly and said, "This is definitely impossible."

Emperor Jin said in a deep voice: "But they want me to do something impossible. The powerful court officials are writing petitions to put pressure on me, while these old ministers are using their status and reputation to put pressure on me directly."

Their true intention wasn't to get me to punish Master Gu and Shaoqing; they wouldn't dare, and neither would I. They wanted to force me to abandon my investigation of the Thousand Autumns Sect!

Sima Kong said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, I have come for this very reason. I would like to ask you, Father, are you investigating the Thousand Autumns Cult or the Thousand Autumns Sect itself?"

"Is there a difference?" Emperor Jin asked.

"The Qianqiu cult should be investigated, arrested, and executed!"

Sima Kong said, “Yes, the Thousand Autumns Sect is exactly what our Jin Kingdom needs. Without the Thousand Autumns Sect, our Jin Kingdom would not be able to unite as one. Especially now that the pseudo-Jin Kingdom has been established in the north, its pseudo-emperor is a descendant of the former emperor. They claim to be the legitimate royal family of Jin Kingdom. Many of our people in Jin Kingdom originally came from the north, and they are easily bewitched into wanting to return to their hometown.”

Under such circumstances, although the Thousand Autumns Sect has many drawbacks, for our Jin Kingdom, the benefits outweigh the disadvantages. The Thousand Autumns Sect cannot collapse, and the myth of the Supreme Celestial Venerable cannot be shattered. Father, I believe that imperial power comes second, and the nation comes first!

Emperor Jin chuckled and said, "I do not deny your point of view, so I did not blame you for going to the Qian Kingdom to ask Emperor Qian for your help and using the Qian Kingdom to put pressure on me."

"Your Majesty, I thank you for not blaming me," Sima Kong said.

Emperor Jin continued, “But the truth is that you have wronged me. It was not I who instructed Wen Wangji to steal the Heavenly Craft Spirit Cage. Wen Wangji stole it first, and I simply helped him evade capture. That’s all. I know you don’t believe me, but that is the truth.”

Sima Kong remained silent.

Emperor Jin waved his hand and said, "Forget it, that matter is in the past, let's not talk about it. Let's talk about today's events. I asked Hero Gu and Minister Su to investigate the Thousand Autumns Cult. Do you think I want to take this opportunity to launch a crackdown on the Thousand Autumns Cult?"

Sima Kong nodded slightly.

Emperor Jin shook his head slightly and said, "Do you really think that Old Master Su will lose the decisive battle in two days?"

Sima Kong shook his head and said, "No."

“That’s it,” Emperor Jin said. “As long as Old Master Su doesn’t lose, and the people’s faith in him continues, then the Thousand Autumns Sect will not collapse. On the contrary, if Old Master Su loses, the faith in the Thousand Autumns Sect will collapse, and it will naturally fall. I have no need to do anything futile.”

Therefore, my investigation will only focus on the Qianqiu Cult, or more precisely, the person behind it who is manipulating it. In fact, the distinction between the Qianqiu Cult and the Qianqiu Evil Cult is not so clear-cut. A Qianqiu Cult without organization or unified management is a Qianqiu Cult, but one that is manipulated by someone behind it is a Qianqiu Evil Cult.

Once the person behind it is dealt with, the Thousand Autumns Cult will disappear. Therefore, the real Thousand Autumns Cult actually refers to that person or force behind it. The Thousand Autumns Cult will not overthrow the foundation of the nation; it will rely on faith to unite people and guard the country's borders. The Thousand Autumns Cult, on the other hand, is like a leech, exploiting the people's faith in Old Master Su to suck the blood of our Jin Kingdom!

So, Seventh Brother, do you understand now?

Sima Kong nodded and said, "Your subject understands. If I may be so bold as to ask, is someone manipulating the Thousand Autumns Sect behind the scenes?"

Emperor Jin nodded and said, "Indeed, someone is manipulating things."

Sima Kong remained silent.

The Emperor of Jin asked, "Is there anything else you wish to ask?"

Sima Kong shook his head slightly.

"Then you may leave!" Emperor Jin waved his hand. "Your subject takes his leave."

Sima Kong bowed respectfully and slowly withdrew.

As Sima Kong reached the door, the Emperor of Jin suddenly said, "Seventh Prince, remember, your surname is Sima, and you are my son!"

Sima Kong's body stiffened slightly. After a moment of stunned silence, he bowed deeply to the Emperor of Jin and turned to leave.

Emperor Jin stared at the doorway for a long time, then muttered, "Can someone else's son be raised properly?"

……

The incident in Qianqiu Town was a major event, yet it didn't cause a huge uproar in Kyoto. This was because an even bigger event was approaching: the decisive battle between Su Qianqiu and Master Liansheng was about to begin.

In the Southern Jin region, anything related to Su Qianqiu is magnified many times over; even a small matter becomes the talk of the town. This time, however, it's no small matter—the decisive battle between the Buddhist holy monk and contemporary leader, Master Liansheng, and Su Qianqiu. For the people of Southern Jin, nothing is more important than this.

In the Southern Jin Dynasty, no one believed that Su Qianqiu could possibly lose, but no one could refuse the opportunity to witness Su Qianqiu's actions firsthand—it was truly the descent of the Celestial Venerable Liji.

Therefore, long ago, many martial arts practitioners and ordinary people from all over the Southern Jin Dynasty rushed to Mingyue Plain.

Mingyue Plain was a plain located twenty miles outside the capital of the Southern Jin Dynasty. Its open terrain led the court to designate it as a royal pasture. Because there was a mountain in the middle of the plain, which, when viewed from a distance, resembled two crescent moons joined together, it was named Mingyue Plain.

In these few days,

The Southern Jin court deployed a large number of troops to maintain order at Mingyue Plain because there were simply too many people coming to watch the battle. Moreover, Mingyue Plain was relatively close to the capital, and many ordinary people came to join in the excitement. The court had no choice but to deploy troops to isolate Mingyue Mountain.

Almost the entire imperial court was busy with this matter.

Instead, the matter of Gu Mo's rampage through Qianqiu Town was suppressed, and it seemed that not many people cared about it.

However, regardless of what the outside world says,
Su Ziyou, however, was still actively investigating the case, running around for two consecutive days, searching for clues based on the account book he found in Qianqiu Temple that day, and had not returned to Honglu Temple for the past two days.

However, Su Ziyou did not allow Gu Mo to come along.

Because Gu Mo is too conspicuous, although he can provide protection, he is watched by various forces wherever he goes, because they are worried that Gu Mo might suddenly go on a killing spree again, making it impossible to investigate the case.

Therefore, Su Ziyou simply told Gu Mo to stay in the Honglu Temple.

Gu Mo was happy to have some free time.

As long as Su Ziyou doesn't go to Qianqiu Town, he isn't worried about Su Ziyou's safety, after all, the Emperor Jin's secret guards are with him.

Therefore, Gu Mo has been staying at the Honglu Temple for the past two days to instruct Gu Chudong in martial arts.

In the courtyard of the Honglu Temple.

Gu Mo sat in a chair and fought with Gu Chudong.

Gu Chudong, on the other hand, held a knife in each hand and used different moves to fight Gu Mo.

This is a practical application of the ambidextrous fighting technique.

"bang bang bang"

There was a sudden knock on the door.

Gu Mo and Gu Chudong stopped.

Immediately afterwards, a woman's voice rang out: "Master Gu, I am Xiao Ziyin from the State of Chu. May I have the pleasure of meeting you?"

Gu Mo was somewhat puzzled. He had never met this Princess of Chu before, except for a chance encounter a couple of days ago when he went to Qianqiu Town, and it was all in a hurry.

"Brother?" Gu Chudong asked.

Gu Mo nodded slightly.

Immediately, Gu Chudong walked to the door, opened it, and saw Xiao Ziyin, her face veiled. She was still the same as when they last met, wearing a long, moon-white dress, her figure exceptionally tall. Even with the veil covering her face, she was still a breathtakingly beautiful sight. A fleeting glance, like a sword drawn from its sheath; stunning in form, yet possessing an aloof and unparalleled spirit.

"Miss Gu!" Xiao Ziyin bowed.

Gu Chudong looked at Xiao Ziyin, returned the greeting with a cupped hand, and said, "You must be the most beautiful woman in the world!"

Xiao Ziyin was stunned, unable to keep up with Gu Chudong's train of thought. After a while, he chuckled and said, "Miss Gu, there are probably very few girls in the world more beautiful than you, so I feel very honored to receive such praise from you!"

"You complimented me on my looks, you're such a kind person," Gu Chudong said sincerely.

Xiao Ziyin was stunned again. She really couldn't quite grasp Gu Chudong's train of thought. She kept thinking about whether Gu Chudong's words were hiding some kind of secret.

Because Gu Mo was so famous and so amazing, most people in the martial arts world wouldn't notice Gu Chudong, only knowing her as "Gu Mo's sister." However, Xiao Ziyin had specifically investigated Gu Chudong and knew that she was a martial arts master who had done many things for Gu Mo, and was definitely not just an ordinary follower that people in the martial arts world thought she was.

"Indeed profound!"

After a brief exchange with Gu Chudong, Xiao Ziyin felt a little heavy-hearted. If Gu Chudong was already so profound and unfathomable, then the world-renowned Gu Mo would probably be even more difficult to get along with.

"Do you need to see my brother for something?" Gu Chudong asked.

Xiao Ziyin said, "I have long admired the name of the chivalrous hero Gu Mo, and have come to pay him a visit."

"Please come in!"

Gu Chudong led Xiao Ziyin into the courtyard.

Xiao Ziyin cupped his hands towards Gu Mo, who was sitting in a chair, and said, "Great Hero Gu."

Gu Mo cupped his hands and said, "Your Highness, what brings you here?"

Xiao Ziyin carefully examined Gu Mo and said, "I have long admired the name of Hero Gu and thought that since we are both staying at the Honglu Temple, I would like to come and meet you. I would also like to ask if Hero Gu has any plans to go to Mingyue Plain to watch the battle tomorrow? If so, would you like to come with me?"

Gu Mo said, "I will go, but I will not go with you. As a citizen of Qian Kingdom, if I were to travel with Your Highness, it would likely cause unnecessary trouble if someone with ulterior motives saw us."

At this moment,
Gu Chudong brought over a stool and invited Xiao Ziyin to sit down, then poured him a cup of tea.

"Thank you, Miss Gu." Xiao Ziyin bowed in thanks.

"You're welcome," Gu Chudong said.

Xiao Ziyin then looked at Gu Mo and asked, "Master Gu, what are your thoughts on the current state of the world? Since the Qin dynasty lost its power seven hundred years ago, the various states have been divided for seven hundred years, resulting in seven hundred years of chaos and constant warfare. Master Gu, how many more years do you think it will take before the world can be unified again?"

Gu Mo lay back in the chair and said calmly, "I'm sorry, Your Highness, I am just a martial artist from the Jianghu, and I haven't read many books. I really can't understand the general trend of the world. I haven't thought about the question you asked, and it's not my place to think about it as a Jianghu person."

Xiao Ziyin then asked, "So, Master Gu, who do you think has a better chance of winning this challenge between Master Liansheng and Sword God Su Qianqiu?"

Gu Mo said slowly, "Your Highness, why don't you just say what's on your mind? Let's not make small talk and make things awkward for each other."

Xiao Ziyin chuckled and said, "Master Gu is a man of few words, so I will get straight to the point. It is widely rumored in the martial arts world that no wanted criminal you have your eye on can escape. Therefore, I have come here to ask for your help in capturing one of these wanted criminals."

Gu Mo asked in surprise, "Which wanted criminal could make Your Highness have to call for outside help?"

Xiao Ziyin said, "In a sense, he can be called the most wanted criminal in the world, the leader of the Moon Worship Cult—Ye Nantian!"

Immediately,

Gu Mo then looked through the wanted information for Ye Nantian in the system:

[Wanted Target - Ye Nantian]

[Task Level - Seven Stars]

[Quest Reward - Max Level Dragon God Skill]

……

Dragon God Skill is the family secret technique of the Dragon Clan in "Water Moon Cave". The practitioner can transform into a dragon and possess most of the attributes of a dragon. He can fly, summon wind and rain, and is indestructible.

……

Gu Mo was extremely envious of the Dragon God Skill. This skill had surpassed the transformation and true qi simulation of ordinary martial arts, and the Dragon God Skill could truly transform into a dragon.

The Dragon God Skill allows one to fly in the air and transform into a dragon to attack enemies. This skill can be used to expel poison, heal wounds, seize objects, and protect the body. It is versatile and incredibly powerful. It also possesses the near-supernatural ability to summon wind and rain, which perfectly matches the Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique's ability to summon lightning.

He did consider capturing and killing Ye Nantian, but Ye Nantian, as the leader of the demonic path and the leader of the Moon Worship Cult, was notoriously mysterious. Like the head manager of the Seven Absolutes Pavilion, he always wore a mask when appearing in public, and even few people within the Moon Worship Cult knew Ye Nantian's true identity.

Previously, Ye Nantian was the fifth best martial artist in the world. Now that Gu Mo has become the third best, everyone on the martial arts ranking list except Su Qianqiu has moved down one place, and Ye Nantian has become the sixth best.

As for Ye Nantian's nationality, there's no definitive answer; many countries are after him. This is because he is the leader of the Moon Worship Cult, the ancestral home of demonic cultivation, holding a position in the demonic path equivalent to Longhu Mountain or the Great Bright Temple. The Moon Worship Cult has branches and influence in many countries.

The Moon Worship Cult is a very mysterious force. For hundreds of years, it has been dedicated to rebellion, but it has never had a fixed direction. It always acts haphazardly, joining wherever there is excitement. After hundreds of years of going around in circles, it has never had a successful rebellion, yet it still enjoys it.

In fact, the location of the Moon Worship Cult's headquarters is not mysterious; it lies in the Ten Thousand Mountains, at the junction of the Chu, Qian, and Western Qin kingdoms. It's not because its location at the border of three kingdoms would easily trigger border conflicts, but rather because of the unique geography of the Ten Thousand Mountains. The mountains are continuous and undulating, with countless peaks and ridges winding and precipitous cliffs, dense forests blocking out the sun, and miasma pervading the area.

Simply put, the Ten Thousand Mountains are a place that no one wants to go to. The headquarters of the Moon Worship Cult is located inside, but no one is willing to go in and attack it. They can't even find it, let alone attack it.

Therefore, the Moon Worship Cult has been causing trouble everywhere for hundreds of years and has never been eradicated.

……

"Your Highness, do you have any information about Ye Nantian's whereabouts?" Gu Mo asked with some suspicion. "It's not that your country is preparing to attack the Ten Thousand Mountains, is it? I have no interest in that!"

Xiao Ziyin shook his head slightly and said, "I have received definite news that Ye Nantian has appeared in Jiang Kingdom."

"Jiang Kingdom?" Gu Mo asked, "Ye Nantian's appearance in Jiang Kingdom must mean he's going to do something there. Your Highness, as a princess of Chu, how can you possibly manage the affairs of Jiang Kingdom?"

“The State of Jiang is a vassal state of my State of Chu,” Xiao Ziyin said. “What’s wrong with it?”

"Then you don't have to call me a person from the Qian Kingdom, do you?" Gu Mo said.

Xiao Ziyin chuckled and said, "Ye Nantian is the sixth strongest in the world. There are very few people in the entire world who can deal with him. Su Qianqiu and Zhang Daoyi will not pay any attention to me. I will tell you the truth that Master Liansheng stepped forward to fight Su Qianqiu this time because he was invited by our royal family. It will be difficult to ask him to do it a second time in a short period of time. Under such circumstances, is there anyone more suitable than you, Master Gu? Moreover, among the top ten martial arts masters in the world, you are the only one who has written the script."

Gu Mo thought for a moment and said, "What you said makes sense, but I'm very expensive!"

Xiao Ziyin said, "I heard that the Su family spent 200,000 taels of silver to hire you. I can offer the same price, and then exchange it all for equivalent rare and precious materials, plus I'll owe you a favor. What do you say, Master Gu?"

Gu Mo waved his hand and said, "I'll think about it. I'll get back to you before I leave."

"it is good."

Xiao Ziyin stood up and said, "Then, I won't bother you any longer. Farewell!"

Gu Chudong saw Xiao Ziyin off at the door.

Shortly after Xiao Ziyin left.

Su Ziyou rushed in from outside.

He sat down next to Gu Mo and asked in confusion, "I think I just saw the Princess of Chu pass by here?"

Gu Mo said, "She wasn't just passing by; she just came to see me."

"Looking for you?" Su Ziyou asked doubtfully, "Could it be that they want to recruit you into the Chu Kingdom as a prince consort?"

Gu Mo pursed his lips speechlessly and said, "Call me to catch wanted criminals."

"What kind of wanted criminal would warrant the request for foreign aid from the dignified Princess of Chu?" Su Ziyou asked doubtfully.

"Is Ye Nantian, the leader of the Moon Worship Cult, worth it?" Gu Mo asked.

Su Ziyou paused for a moment, then said, "We definitely need to find outside help."

Gu Mo chuckled and said, "Why don't you tell me about your situation? You came all this way, there must be some progress, right?"

Su Ziyou sighed and said, "It's not just progress, it's a closed case. The leader of the Thousand Autumns Sect has been captured."

"Ok?"

Gu Mo was taken aback and subconsciously checked the system, only to find that the mission to apprehend the leader of the Thousand Autumns Sect was still in effect.

Su Ziyou said, "Through those procurement ledgers, I traced several money transfer lines, and in the end, it all came down to someone you would never have expected—the Seventh Prince, Sima Kong!"

Gu Mo frowned and said, "It is indeed unexpected."

Su Ziyou said, "Actually, I don't quite believe this result. At this time, news also came from the Imperial Guard that Hong Xu could not withstand the torture and confessed. He had been working for Sima Kong all along and also revealed a lot of evidence."

We immediately went to Sima Kong's residence, and to our surprise, Sima Kong readily confessed. He said that he had been using his position to recruit many members of the Qianqiu Sect, secretly forming a powerful force. He then recruited the families of many court officials by developing their own followers, and finally used mutual benefits to bind those officials to him.

Gu Mo said, "Then, how does Wen Wangji explain stealing the Heavenly Craft Spirit Cage?"

Su Ziyou said, "He said that he colluded with the pseudo-Jin state, and the pseudo-Jin state, on behalf of the Chu state, promised him that as long as they helped him destroy the myth of Su Qianqiu, they would support him to become the emperor of Southern Jin after the army marched south and controlled Southern Jin. He could not resist the temptation and agreed."

However, he didn't expect that Wen Wangji's whereabouts would be discovered by the Emperor of Jin. Fearing exposure, he pretended to be focused on capturing Wen Wangji, sacrificing him to clear his name.

After listening,

Gu Mo said speechlessly, "This excuse is full of holes, can't you see that?"

Su Ziyou said, "Of course I can see it, but it's no use. Sima Kong is determined to take the blame for someone else, and all the civil and military officials of the Southern Jin court do not want to continue the investigation. At this time, Sima Kong stepped forward, and all the evidence points to him. With witnesses and physical evidence, and the person involved confessing, even the Emperor of Jin cannot continue the investigation. What can I, a citizen of Qian, do? I can only end it here!"

Gu Mo said, "Actually, given the current situation, the facts are quite clear. There are only three places where Sima Kong would willingly take the blame and bear the infamy of treason."

First, the Imperial Palace; second, Qianqiu Mountain; third, the Su family. The Imperial Palace is impossible; unless Emperor Jin is insane, he wouldn't rebel against himself. Qianqiu Mountain is also impossible; if Su Qianqiu wanted to overthrow the royal family and seize power, he could do it with a single word. Therefore, it can only be the Su family.”

Su Ziyou said, "That's my guess too, but I can't understand the Su family's purpose in doing this. If they wanted to overthrow the royal family and seize power, shouldn't they be more focused on preserving the myth of Su Qianqiu? Why would they steal the Heavenly Craft Spirit Cage?"
If they didn't really want to send the Heavenly Craft Cage away, but were just putting on a show, then what was their purpose? Was it simply to get the Heavenly Craft Cage into the palace?

If there were other schemes involved, how could it be guaranteed that Su Qianqiu would cooperate? If Su Qianqiu was willing to play along, why not just say one thing and easily get the Sima family to abdicate in favor of the Su family? Why go through all this trouble?

Gu Mo thought for a moment and said, "If you can't figure it out, then don't think about it anymore. Everything will be clear tomorrow!"

(End of this chapter)