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

Chapter 252 Thirteen Taboos (A long chapter of 1.8 words)
【New target detected】

[Wanted Target - Seven-Colored Peacock]

[Task Level - Seven Stars]

[Quest Reward - Limitless Immortal Pill *14]

……

The Limitless Immortal Pill, from the novel "The Legend of the Divine Land," consists of fourteen pills. It is a top-grade elixir, with each pill increasing one's internal strength by sixty years. It can also break through martial arts bottlenecks, resolve conflicts between different martial arts, and has the miraculous effects of being immune to all poisons and saving lives.

……

【New target detected】

[Wanted Target - Plague God]

[Mission Level - Eight Stars]

[Quest Reward - Max Level War God Illustration]

……

The War God Manual is the supreme martial art of ancient Taoism, engraved on forty-nine reliefs in the "War God Hall," with the ultimate realm being "Shattering the Void." Cultivators can absorb the energy of heaven and earth, reaching a state of yin and yang mutual exchange and endless circulation.

……

【New target detected】

[Wanted Target - Fire Kirin]

[Task Level - Seven Stars]

[Quest Reward - Max Level Tathagata Palm]

……

This is a top-tier Buddhist martial art, consisting of ten forms, each containing the true essence of Buddhist teachings. It can subdue demons and monsters and ward off natural disasters. The tenth form, Nirvana of the Tathagata, symbolizes the ultimate state of "proving enlightenment through death."

……

【New target detected】

[Wanted Target - Inner Demon]

[Mission Level - Eight Stars]

[Quest Reward - Max Level Magic Blade]

……

The Demon Blade, originating from the novel "Storm Riders," was created by the First Evil Emperor. Its creation stemmed from the pursuit of the ultimate in martial arts. To break through the bottleneck of swordsmanship, the Evil Emperor fused his own essence and blood with the demonic energy of heaven and earth, ultimately forging this "most perfect swordsmanship in the world."

……

Gu Mo looked at the wanted information in the system and felt a little emotional.

The thirteen taboos, plus Jiang Ruoxu who already had information about his wanted status, make up five of the criteria for being wanted.

Moreover, there are three eight-star stars and two seven-star stars.

According to the system's criteria for judging the level of wanted criminals, the proportion of force value is not high; the main consideration is the impact caused by the criminal's malicious acts.

For ordinary wanted criminals, seven stars is already the peak. Among all the wanted criminals in the entire Qian Kingdom, only Ye Nantian, the leader of the Moon Worship Cult, and Gongsun Jue, the ghost messenger, have reached the seven-star level. And the things these two did were extremely serious. Ye Nantian directly rebelled and massacred the city, while Gongsun Jue became a demon and secretly used his identity to sacrifice countless people. After being discovered, he killed a river of blood, causing a national sensation.

Even with all the commotion these two caused, it still doesn't reach eight stars.

But now, among these thirteen forbidden crimes, three out of the five wanted criminals have reached the eight-star level.

Although Gu Mo didn't know what they had done, he knew that Jiang Ruoxu had massacred the royal family of a country and then began indiscriminate killing in various countries, which led to a united front against him by all the nations of the world.

Just by looking at Jiang Ruoxu, one can imagine how big a commotion the other two eight-star wanted criminals caused.

……

The snow was falling heavily,

Gu Chudong asked Su Qianqiu, "Of the Thirteen Taboos, besides Jiang Ruoxu, I've only heard of Bai Yujing. What are they? Can you tell me?"

Su Qianqiu nodded slightly and said, "Of course I can talk about it. The legends about the Thirteen Taboos are a secret in the ordinary martial arts world, but for you siblings, if you are willing, you can easily find relevant documents. Those sects and forces with a little bit of influence all know about them. However, I only remember the general outline. For the specific years and events, you should go to the emperor. There should be relevant files in the imperial library."

The first taboo is the dragon vein in the human realm. Legend has it that the First Emperor, the first emperor to unify the world, gathered the world's fortune and gradually cultivated dragon energy. After his death, he transformed into a dragon vein, replenishing the world's fortune. It is said that whoever finds the dragon vein will be able to unify the world. According to legend, for thousands of years, all the unified dynasties have succeeded because they found the dragon vein.

The second forbidden Reincarnation Mirror is a divine artifact born from the combined spiritual energy of heaven and earth. It is said that this mirror can explore the past and future, know past lives and present lives, and some even say that it can change the past and future.

The third taboo is the Jade Capital, which I won't elaborate on; it's a mysterious place. The fourth taboo is knocking on the Heavenly Gate. This is a legend and the ultimate pursuit of all Qi practitioners in the world. It is said to be the final hurdle to becoming an immortal. Knocking on the Heavenly Gate allows one to ascend to heaven.

The fourth and ninth taboos, the inner demons, originate from a legend. It is said that the ultimate hurdle in knocking on the Heavenly Gate is the inner demon, which is different from the inner demons that ordinary martial artists encounter when breaking through, where they are trapped in obsessions and cannot escape. The legendary forbidden inner demon is a real demon that guards the Heavenly Gate, waiting for a Qi cultivator about to ascend to immortality to lead them astray at the final stage, thus ruining their cultivation.

The fifth taboo is the Black Tortoise, a legendary auspicious beast. It is covered in tortoise shells, with its head and tail connected, its body as large as a mountain, and its tail resembling a snake. It dwells in the sea year-round. It is said that the founding emperor of the last unified dynasty, the Yu Dynasty, found the dragon vein with the help of the Black Tortoise, ultimately unifying the world.

The sixth taboo is the Fire Qilin, a mythical beast similar to the Black Tortoise. However, unlike the gentle Black Tortoise, the Fire Qilin is violent and cruel. It is said that every appearance of the Fire Qilin is accompanied by widespread destruction. Legend has it that its entire body is wreathed in flames, its scales are incredibly hard, and its breath can melt divine weapons. Even a drop of its blood or a piece of its armor is considered a rare and precious treasure.

At this point, Su Qianqiu pointed to the book box on Gu Chudong's back and said, "Isn't your Gouchen Demon Blade supposedly forged from a Qilin Armor?"

Gu Chudong said, "That's the legend, but I don't know if it's true or not."

Su Qianqiu said, "It should be true. When I fought your brother a couple of days ago, I felt the violent and demonic nature in that knife, which is indeed very similar to the characteristics of the legendary fire unicorn."

Gu Mo said, "According to the legend of the Gouchen Demon Blade, it should have been that the Fire Qilin was accidentally injured and left behind a drop of blood and a piece of armor, which was obtained by someone. In the end, it ended up in Lu Canyang's hands. The blood was absorbed by Lu Canyang, and the armor was melted into the Gouchen Demon Blade."

Su Qianqiu nodded slightly and continued, "The Seventh Forbidden Heaven is rumored to be a mysterious force, or some say it's made by immortals from beyond the heavens, like Kunlun in mythology. There are even rumors that the Heaven beyond the heavens is the celestial realm. There's no definitive answer, but by browsing through records and books, one can find some accounts of celestial messengers from the Heaven beyond the heavens coming to the mortal world. However, these are all just fragments; they're not in official history, only in unofficial accounts."

The Eighth Forbidden Great Sun Demon Art is said to be the progenitor of all demonic arts in the world. It is an extremely powerful martial art, divided into six levels. It is said that practitioners can become top-tier martial artists upon entering the first level, become grandmasters upon entering the second level, become the world's top grandmasters upon entering the third level, become invincible upon entering the fourth level, attain immortality upon entering the fifth level, and become immortal upon entering the sixth level!

The ninth taboo is inner demons, as I've already mentioned.

The tenth taboo, the Plague God, is the same person as Jiang Ruoxu. About three hundred years ago, a master of poison appeared in the martial arts world. It is said that his poison skills were so advanced that he could bring life or death at will. Because he was too obsessed with poison, he eventually turned himself into a poison man, becoming the most poisonous being in the world. Wherever he went, plagues would inevitably spread, causing endless harm. Therefore, he was called the Plague God.

The Eleventh Forbidden Blade, the Reverse Scale Blade, is the number one divine weapon, fierce weapon, demonic weapon, and holy weapon in the world. It is undoubtedly the number one weapon in the world. Legend has it that it was forged from the reverse scale of a dragon and can cut through any object in the world. Nothing can stop the sharpness of the Reverse Scale Blade.

The twelfth taboo is the Seven-Colored Peacock, a mythical beast similar to the Black Tortoise and the Fire Qilin. It is said to be ten zhang long and three zhang tall, with seven colors swirling around its body. It is said to devour humans, possess incredible speed and strength, and its feathers are impervious to water, fire, and swords. Among the various taboo beasts, only the Seven-Colored Peacock has a clear historical record. Over five hundred years ago, it attracted countless powerful figures to hunt it down. Those who escaped were eventually woven from its feathers into the Seven-Colored Celestial Craft Spirit Cage Robe.

I won't go into detail about the thirteenth taboo, Jiang Ruoxu; it's absolutely true. I even fought him once. Although I didn't participate in the battle to wipe him out, I saw many survivors of that battle—it was so brutal that few people wanted to talk about it again.

After listening,

Gu Chudong exclaimed, "These all sound so amazing, just like the stories I heard from elders when I was a child."

Su Qianqiu chuckled and said, "It's just a story, which may only appear every few hundred years and can't be verified, so you don't need to take it too seriously."

Gu Chudong nodded.

Gu Mo smiled slightly but remained silent. He couldn't simply dismiss these as stories or legends; after all, with the system's prompts, he was certain that at least five or six of them were true.

“However, Bai Yujing truly exists,” Su Qianqiu said. “Although I haven’t seen its full form, I have indeed witnessed it, and it is indeed incredibly wondrous. My martial arts have reached their current level, and I have reached the limit of progress. If I want to see a broader path in martial arts, the only way is to see Bai Yujing again!”

Gu Chudong asked curiously, "Can Bai Yujing really help people improve their martial arts skills?"

Su Qianqiu said, "It's not just about martial arts. The most important thing is that Bai Yujing can help people develop higher levels of martial arts based on their existing skills. For example, when I first entered Penglai Island, my Thousand Autumns and Ten Thousand Worlds Sword Technique had already reached the eighth sword. At that time, I traveled around the country, visiting and challenging many masters, but I was always a little short of the ninth sword."

Later, I was invited by the envoy of Penglai Island to go to Penglai Island, where I discussed martial arts with many masters, including Jiang Ruoxu, Zhang Daoyi, and five of the top ten masters in the world at that time. There were also reclusive masters on Penglai Island who provided us with martial arts manuals to study. In the end, I created the Ninth Sword.

I thought the ninth sword was already perfect, the pinnacle of the Eternal Sword Technique. But to my utter surprise, after entering the Jade Capital, I completed three more swords, bringing the Eternal Sword Technique to its twelfth. But it wasn't over yet; it also pointed me in a direction to move forward.

So, after returning to the State of Jin, I gradually created the thirteenth sword technique, the final sword strike I used in our duel that day. I named it "Guardian of the Gate." To be honest, since I created "Guardian of the Gate," my martial arts have stagnated for many years.

Now, if I want to take this further, after much thought, the only solution is to see Bai Yujing one more time.

After saying that, Su Qianqiu looked at Gu Mo and said with emotion, "Gu Mo, you have already reached such a level at such a young age. If you were to receive Bai Yujing's help, I really cannot imagine what level you would reach. I'm afraid you would truly reach a realm that is unprecedented and unparalleled in history!"

Gu Mo: “…”

He really didn't know what the point of meeting Bai Yujing would be. He couldn't very well ask Bai Yujing to help him deduce the system, could he? He didn't think Bai Yujing could be more powerful than his system.

As for deducing martial arts techniques, he possesses so many that he can hardly remember them all. Which one should Bai Yujing deduce? He can't possibly deduce the Wuji Guiyuan Qi, can he? Theoretically, his Wuji Guiyuan Qi has no upper limit. If he ever reaches that limit, he can simply replace the original seven martial arts techniques that make up the Guiyuan system with a few more advanced ones.

As for deducing the other martial arts techniques...
He should try to kill more wanted criminals instead.

As Bai Yujing is a taboo subject, he couldn't be sure whether there was anything wrong with it.

Therefore,
Gu Mo wasn't particularly interested in going to Penglai Island to see Bai Yujing; he was more curious about something mysterious.

Su Qianqiu noticed Gu Mo's lack of interest in Bai Yujing and asked, "Aren't you planning to go to Penglai Island?"

Gu Mo thought for a moment and said, "We'll see when the time comes. If Bai Yujing's only purpose is to raise the upper limit of martial arts, then I'm really not very interested. I, Gu Mo, have reached this level entirely through my own efforts... Hmm, I don't think Bai Yujing can bring me any help!"

Su Qianqiu said, "You said it yourself, to raise the upper limit of martial arts. When you are stuck at the bottleneck and cannot break through, you will know how powerful Bai Yujing is."

"A bottleneck is indeed a difficult thing, but you have to have the talent to be difficult!" Gu Mo said seriously.

Su Qianqiu's lips twitched violently as he recalled that the person in front of him was someone who had already become the number one in the world before the age of thirty, the youngest number one in the world and the youngest grandmaster of internal energy in the world from ancient times to the present!

Why do I suddenly feel like I'm acting really low-class?

……

Gu Mo stayed on Qianqiu Mountain for four days.

Although Su Qianqiu was defeated by him, it cannot be denied that Su Qianqiu is the one in the world whose martial arts are most similar to his. Moreover, Su Qianqiu is knowledgeable and has a very deep understanding of martial arts. The two have many topics to discuss.

Until the fifth day,
In front of everyone, Su Qianqiu once again used illusion magic to perform a scene of a celestial being descending to earth, and announced the establishment of the Qianqiu Sect in public.

Afterwards, Gu Mo took Gu Chudong and left Qianqiu Mountain because Su Qianqiu needed to go into seclusion to heal her injuries. Of course, Gu Mo felt that Su Qianqiu's seclusion was not primarily for healing her physical injuries, but mainly for recovering from the wounds she had suffered.

Zhang Daoyi is right. Su Qianqiu always pretends to be indifferent to his reputation on the surface, but in reality, he cares more than anyone else. He used to call himself the second best in the world in order to show off his class, but now that he has actually become the second best in the world, he is unhappy!

The martial arts rankings changed twice in a short period of time, but then returned to normal. A while ago, because Gu Mo became the new third in the world, everyone except Su Qianqiu dropped one place. Now that Gu Mo has become the number one, everyone's ranking has been restored; for example, Zhang Daoyi is now third again!

……

After leaving Qianqiu Mountain

Gu Mo then took Gu Chudong back to the Honglu Temple.

As soon as they arrived at the courtyard gate, Su Ziyou rushed over and pulled Gu Mo to a corner, whispering, "Brother Gu, tell me honestly, you really didn't seduce the Princess of Chu, did you?"

Gu Mo looked bewildered and asked, "What? Why would I flirt with her?"

Su Ziyou said, "These past few days, the Princess has been coming to see you every day, asking if you've returned yet. You just appeared outside the Honglu Temple gate, and she came as soon as she smelled you. She's waiting for you in that courtyard right now."

Gu Mo asked in confusion, "Don't you all have a lot of opinions about the people of Chu? Why don't you just drive them away?"

“Oh dear, even in war between two countries, one shouldn’t kill the envoy,” Su Ziyou said. “Moreover, our Qian Kingdom and the Chu Kingdom are still fighting and making peace at times. Unless it’s truly a matter of national extinction, we can fight each other, but we still have to maintain appearances.”

Gu Mo nodded slightly and said, "I have nothing to do with her. She must have come to me about the matter of arresting Ye Nantian that we talked about last time. We are about to return to China now. If she doesn't come to talk now, we will miss our chance."

“I see,” Su Ziyou said. “Brother Gu, I support your cooperation with Xiao Ziyin on this matter. Ye Nantian is not only someone that Chu wants to kill, but we in Qian also want to get rid of him as soon as possible. This guy is a troublemaker, always stirring up trouble everywhere. He is also the number one wanted criminal in our Qian!”

Gu Mo nodded slightly and said, "I was indeed prepared to agree."

Su Ziyou then said, "However, I suggest you don't go immediately. As the saying goes, one should not have the heart to harm others, but one should not be without the heart to guard against others. Brother Gu, you should know that with your current status as the most powerful force in the world, you are no different from an army that can move around freely and without restrictions to the State of Chu. It is hard to guarantee that they will not have any intention of dealing with you."

Of course, neither Xiao Ziyin nor Emperor Xiao Zhaolin of Chu are fools; their primary aim is to win you over. However, it's hard to guarantee that they won't set an ambush for you if given the opportunity. Although you possess unparalleled martial arts skills, the combined power of an entire nation, coupled with a calculated attack on an unsuspecting opponent, is extremely dangerous.

Therefore, I suggest you return to our country with us first. Then I will petition His Majesty to send you as an envoy to the Jiang Kingdom, just like this time. This has one advantage: the Emperor and officials of the Jiang Kingdom are not fools. Although they are a vassal state of the Chu Kingdom, it doesn't mean they will actually risk their lives for the Chu Kingdom.

With the Qian Kingdom's delegation present, the Jiang Kingdom's court will be hesitant to act rashly, fearing a conflict between the two nations. They would definitely not dare to join forces with Chu against you, and even if pressured by Chu, they would secretly leak information. Therefore, if Xiao Ziyin truly has other intentions, without the Jiang Kingdom's court's assistance, it would be very difficult for him to set an ambush against you in Jiang.

Gu Mo nodded slightly.

Su Ziyou continued, "Of course, I definitely have my own selfish motives. Given Ye Nantian and the Moon Worship Cult's character, their presence in Jiang Kingdom must mean they intend to rebel. Our Qian Kingdom delegation might be able to take the opportunity to plot something while visiting Jiang Kingdom. After all, Jiang Kingdom is a vassal state of Chu Kingdom, so weakening Jiang Kingdom is equivalent to indirectly weakening Chu Kingdom. Or, we could even create some discord between Jiang Kingdom and Chu Kingdom, which would be a win-win situation."

Gu Mo nodded slightly and said, "Okay."

After exchanging a few words with Su Ziyou,
Gu Mo then led Gu Chudong away, and soon they arrived at the courtyard where they lived. As soon as they entered, they saw Xiao Ziyin sitting by a stove, warming himself by the fire.

As snowflakes rustled against the window paper, the courtyard with its red walls and black tiles was already covered in silver. Xiao Ziyin held a cup of hot tea in her hand, and the steam from the tea wafted around her plain veil.

She turned her head and saw Gu Mo and Gu Chudong appear at the door. She quickly stood up, cupped her hands and said, "Hero Gu, Heroine Gu."

Gu Mo and Gu Chudong returned the greeting upon entering.

Xiao Ziyin personally poured tea for the two of them, and then went straight to the point: "Master Gu, I know that you people in the martial arts world like to be straightforward, so I'll just ask directly: what do you think about my invitation to go to Jiang Kingdom to hunt down Ye Nantian? Of course, things are different now. You are now the best in the world, so I can accept the increased price."

Gu Mo waved his hand slightly and said, "The price doesn't need to be changed, but is Your Highness in a hurry? I need to go back to Qian Kingdom."

Xiao Ziyin said, "There's no rush. Hero Gu can go back and enjoy the New Year. He can go to Jiang Kingdom in February or March after the New Year. Ye Nantian's appearance in Jiang Kingdom is most likely because he is preparing to rebel. He won't be leaving anytime soon."

“That’s fine then,” Gu Mo nodded.

Xiao Ziyin continued, “Master Gu, the Jiang Kingdom is, after all, a vassal state of my Chu Kingdom, while you are from the Qian Kingdom. We have never cooperated before, and there is a lack of trust. Therefore, to be on the safe side, and to make our cooperation more transparent, I suggest you tell Emperor Qian about this matter. He will definitely send an envoy to the Jiang Kingdom, both to protect you from my schemes and ambushes, and to prevent you from being lured to the Chu Kingdom by me.”

Gu Mo's pupils contracted slightly.

If he hadn't been certain that his previous conversation with Su Ziyou couldn't have been overheard by anyone else, he would have suspected that Xiao Ziyin had eavesdropped on their conversation.

However, upon closer reflection, Xiao Ziyin was, after all, someone who could navigate the court at such a young age. He must be meticulous and naturally able to anticipate the Qian Kingdom's response. Therefore, it would be better to take the initiative to speak up and gain favor through honesty.

"Alright." Gu Mo nodded and said, "However, Your Highness, aren't you afraid that your people will say you're cooperating with the Qian Kingdom?"

Xiao Ziyin chuckled and said, "That guy Ye Nantian is notorious. Whether it's our Chu Kingdom's court or your Qian Kingdom's court, there are many people who want him dead. We've even tried to kill him before, but we failed."

“Alright, I’ll go to Jiang Kingdom then,” Gu Mo said.

Xiao Ziyin took a sip of tea and said, "I will pay a deposit of 100,000 taels first. Since Master Gu wants to return to Qian Kingdom first, I will arrange for our royal merchants in your country to send someone to deliver the money to your home. There will be no need to buy rare and precious materials to make a round trip."

Gu Mo nodded slightly.

Although the two countries are in a standoff and at war, they still maintain trade relations. Many things between nations are complex and difficult to define. While the military confrontation is fierce, it doesn't prevent the exchange of goods and services, as many areas are mutually beneficial.

Therefore, Chu would have royal merchants in Qian, and Qian would also have royal merchants in Chu. Besides trade, they also engaged in information gathering. Of course, this information gathering was different from espionage. The information exchanged between royal merchants was basically information that was publicly available to both parties, and they would even exchange information proactively.

"Oh, right,"

Xiao Ziyin beckoned, took a small sandalwood box from the female official beside him, placed it on the table, and said, "Master Gu, this is a treasure of the Great Bright Temple—Buddha's relic—that Master Liansheng entrusted to me to give to you!"

Gu Mo frowned slightly. Last time in Qianqiu Town, Master Liansheng had already given him something, but he hadn't accepted it. He hadn't expected Master Liansheng to be so persistent, even going so far as to keep offering him good things.

The previous Master Dingchan was one example, and now Master Liansheng is another.

No wonder the two are master and disciple.

“I have already declined Master Liansheng’s offer before,” Gu Mo said.

“I know,” Xiao Ziyin said. “Master Liansheng has already told me that he gave you a gift once before in Qianqiu Town. He is giving you a gift this time to apologize. He stopped you from doing so on that day at Mingyue Mountain because of his position.”

Although the matter is over, Master Liansheng has been unable to eat or sleep properly these past few days. Therefore, this is to atone for his sins, hoping that you, Master Gu, can forgive and forget.

Gu Mo asked doubtfully, "It was made clear before the fight started that day that we were all acting from our own standpoints and that we would stop when we had a chance to fight. So naturally I would not have any complaints about him."

Xiao Ziyin pondered for a moment and said, "Master Gu may not know this, but Master Liansheng created the Lotus Thirty-Two Heavens Sutra, which includes a Sutra of Cause and Effect and a Sutra of the Future. The Sutra of the Future can help him deduce future events, while the Sutra of Cause and Effect can help him explore the reasons why future events occur."

Master Liansheng said that he saw himself being beaten by you again in the future. After investigating the cause and effect, he discovered that the cause lay in his intervention at Mingyue Mountain. It wasn't that you would retaliate against him because of this incident, but rather that because this matter had a cause and you had a resolution, various unforeseen circumstances led to him being beaten by you again.

Gu Mo: “…”

Xiao Ziyin chuckled and said, "Master Gu, please accept it. Master Liansheng is very timid. If you don't accept this, he will probably worry so much that he won't be able to sleep at night."

Gu Chudong, standing to the side, exclaimed in surprise, "It can't be that bad, can it? He's the fourth-best martial artist in the world!"

Xiao Ziyin shook his head slightly and said, "But he only made a move seven or eight times in his life. Because his future can be predicted, he only made a move when he was absolutely certain of success. As for the eighth time, which was the fight with Master Gu a few days ago, he was only forced to fight. Well, he fought, but he was so scared that he gave me this relic that very day and ran back to Chu!"

Gu Mo: “…”

Gu Chudong: “…”

Finally, after hesitating for a while, Gu Mo accepted the Buddha's relics.

They've gone to such lengths to give me this, and it's a priceless treasure, presented as an apology. It would be quite inappropriate to refuse it.

Of course, most importantly,

This Buddha relic is very helpful to Gu Chudong's cultivation.

After receiving the Buddha's relics...
After chatting for a while, Xiao Ziyin took his leave, and Gu Chudong saw him off.

After exchanging greetings, Xiao Ziyin left, but then suddenly turned back to Gu Chudong and said, "Miss Gu, there is something I don't understand."

Gu Chudong asked in confusion, "What is it, Your Highness?"

Xiao Ziyin chuckled and said, "I've heard that Miss Gu has a great hobby: she likes to make friends with beautiful girls. It's said that her purpose is to find a sister-in-law for herself. Is that true?"

Gu Chudong flashed a bright white smile and giggled.

Xiao Ziyin continued, "You clearly said I was pretty before, so why didn't you try to set me up with your brother?"

Gu Chudong quickly shook her head and said, "That won't do. A royal consort can only marry one wife. I want my brother to marry more wives so that they can have a lot of children and continue the Gu family line!"

Xiao Ziyin said, "Normally, a person can only marry one member of the royal family, but your brother is different. He's the most powerful man in the world, and a princess's status has no advantage over him. Go tell your brother to marry me, and I'll help you find more sisters-in-law. There are plenty of beautiful girls in our Chu Kingdom. Besides, my dowry is very generous; I could easily support your family and raise a hundred children!"

"Really?" Gu Chudong's eyes lit up.

“Really,” Xiao Ziyin said.

"You're such a nice person!" Gu Chudong looked at Xiao Ziyin and said, "Then can you let me see what you look like?"

"Of course."

Xiao Ziyin immediately lifted her veil. As the wind and snow swirled, the white veil fluttered down, snow covered her dark hair, ice crystals adorned her eyelashes, and a frosty clarity settled between her brows. Her eyes shone like the moon reflected in a cold pool, and her lips were like plum blossoms, a blend of paleness and vibrant color.

She stood alone in the snow, like a celestial being untouched by worldly affairs, breathtakingly beautiful, making the wind and snow of heaven and earth merely a backdrop to highlight her.

"Wow!"

Gu Chudong stared at Xiao Ziyin, her eyes wide, and gave him a thumbs up, saying, "Your Highness, you are truly the most beautiful girl I have ever seen!"

Xiao Ziyin smiled and said, "Then, do I meet the requirements to be your sister-in-law?"

"It's perfect, nothing could be more perfect!" Gu Chudong said.

Xiao Ziyin covered his face with the veil again and said, "Then I'll wait for your good news!"

"Okay, I'll take care of it!" Gu Chudong patted his chest and sat down to promise.

Subsequently,

The two exchanged a few more words, and then Xiao Ziyin left.

Gu Chudong returned to the courtyard, walked up to Gu Mo, and said, "Brother, it's a pity you weren't outside and didn't see it. Xiao Ziyin is so beautiful. This is the first time I've met a girl even more beautiful than Nangong Yuexi from Qingzhou. She's just like a fairy described in a book!"

Gu Mo chuckled and said, "I overheard your conversation. What, do you really want Xiao Ziyin to be your sister-in-law?"

“Then forget it,” Gu Chudong said. “I was just saying that. Although Xiao Ziyin is very beautiful, she is really not suitable to be a sister-in-law. She is too scheming. She definitely wants to use this method to tie you to the Chu royal family and make you their henchman.”

Gu Mo chuckled and said, "Oh, you actually thought of these things?"

Gu Chudong rolled her eyes and said, "Brother, I'm not stupid. I know very well who can be a sister-in-law and who can't. I just want to find myself a few sisters-in-law, but I can't let you get into this situation that you can't control!"

……

Meanwhile, at the Honglu Temple, amidst wind and snow.

The female official standing beside Xiao Ziyin was somewhat puzzled and asked, "Your Highness, even if you want to win over Gu Mo, why would someone of your noble birth..."

Xiao Ziyin chuckled lightly, "Why would you stoop so low as to agree to help Gu Chudong find more sisters-in-law? It's just planting a seed to get closer to Gu Chudong. I'd be willing to marry her, but Gu Mo can't marry me. Given Gu Mo's level of cultivation, he can't marry any royal woman and get himself involved in worldly karma. The entanglements of royal karma are too great. Once you get involved, Su Qianqiu and Jiang Ruoxu are examples of what can happen. Gu Mo can't repeat their mistakes."

Gu Mo's level of understanding is too high; his emotions are very detached. The only way to try and get closer to him is through cooperation. Therefore, the only way to approach Gu Mo is to seek a breakthrough with Gu Chu Dong, cater to her interests, and ideally, become her friend.

"I see." The female official cupped her hands and said, "Your Highness is very insightful. I have learned a great deal."

Xiao Ziyin said in a deep voice, "I am a little afraid of Gu Mo now. I don't know what that old monk Liansheng saw. He ran so fast, he was completely fleeing in panic. It's impossible that he just saw something as simple as the cause of Mingyue Mountain. He must have seen something big related to Gu Mo!"

The female official whispered, "Your Highness, although Gu Mo is very strong, we have those two behind us. As long as we don't offend Gu Mo, we don't need to be afraid..."

Xiao Ziyin waved his hand, interrupting the female official, and said, "The legendary Mirror of Reincarnation is very likely located in the Great Bright Temple. Do you think that if the old monk Liansheng saw something about the future, it might be something that cannot be changed?"

The female official asked in surprise, "You mean that Master Liansheng claims that his Past and Future Sutra can predict the future, but in reality he is using the Mirror of Reincarnation? And the Past and Future Sutra is just a cover for the Mirror of Reincarnation?"

"That's what His Majesty guessed," Xiao Ziyin said. "Then why doesn't His Majesty go to the Great Bright Temple to find out?" the female official asked, puzzled.

Xiao Ziyin said in a deep voice, "The three religions of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism have been passed down for thousands of years without interruption. Their true foundation is not so simple. Moreover, if the Samsara Mirror is really in the Great Bright Temple, then the Great Bright Temple has been invincible from the beginning. Just like that old monk Liansheng made a move eight times, and seven times he was guaranteed to win. Even in this eighth time, he admitted defeat from the beginning. Some time ago, he even waited for Gu Mo in Qianqiu Town to get to know and befriend him in advance. He should have known long ago that he would fight Gu Mo at Mingyue Mountain."

The female official exclaimed in surprise, "Can you really predict the future?"

"Perhaps it really is!"

……

Meanwhile, thousands of miles away in the Great Bright Temple of the Chu Kingdom.

The mountains were blanketed in pristine white snow, a clear, silvery expanse between heaven and earth. Master Lian Sheng, clad in a crimson robe, sat serenely on the snow-covered ground, his hands gently turning the pages of a sutra scroll. Snowflakes drifted down, clinging to his shoulders and hat, yet their presence did not disturb his serene demeanor. The deep, resonant chanting blended with the soft patter of the falling snow.

Behind him stood an old monk with white eyebrows, slowly sweeping the snow. After watching Master Liansheng for a while, he said slowly, "Junior brother, I observed the celestial phenomena last night and knew that it would snow today. So, I swept here for a long time last night. I thought that since I knew it would snow, I should sweep in advance so that there would be no snow on the ground when it snowed. However, even though I swept in advance last night, the snow still fell."

Master Liansheng opened his eyes and said, "Senior brother, I have found that person. It is none other than Gu Mo, the number one in the world today, known as the chivalrous hero in the martial arts world."

The white-browed old monk, however, remained expressionless and said, "But what can be done about it?"

Master Liansheng said, “I want to make a change. In the future I see, the demon who destroyed the Great Bright Temple was ultimately suppressed by someone using the relics of the late Emperor Shizu. I didn’t know who that person was until I met Gu Mo that day. I instantly realized that Gu Mo was the exorcist.”

Therefore, I replaced the relic I originally planned to give to his sister with the relic of Emperor Shizu. Now that he possesses the relic of Emperor Shizu ahead of time, with his cultivation level, he should be able to suppress that demon sooner.

The old monk with white eyebrows shook his head slightly and said, "Have you ever thought that Gu Mo using the ancestor's relic to suppress the demon is the effect, but you saw him using the master's relic to suppress the demon is the cause? This doesn't change anything."

Lian Sheng was suddenly startled and murmured, "It is both effect and cause, both effect and cause, this..."

Master Liansheng remained silent for a long while, then slowly rose and said, "Senior brother, I've made up my mind. I'm going to Penglai Island. I've changed the result seven times, which means that the result can be changed. Two years from now, when Penglai Island opens, I'll take the Mirror of Reincarnation to see Bai Yujing!"

After saying this, Master Liansheng bowed to the old monk with white eyebrows, then turned and left.

The old monk with white eyebrows watched Master Liansheng's departing figure, sighed, and chuckled softly, "Isn't the changed result also becoming another cause?"

The old monk shook his head slightly and continued sweeping.

Each time it's swept, snowflakes fall and cover a new layer, and the cycle repeats itself.

……

At the beginning of the first month of the lunar calendar, Gu Mo and Gu Chudong finally returned to Yunzhou in Qian State from Southern Jin. However, the brother and sister did not dare to show themselves in public and returned directly to Linjiang City. After returning to Linjiang City, they continued to live a secluded life.

There was no way around it; this was precisely the peak of Gu Mo's career.

Not long ago, the hype surrounding the third-ranked player hadn't died down, and now news has spread that he's vying for the title of number one. The difference between number one and number three may seem small, but their reputation, prestige, and influence are worlds apart.

Not only Yunzhou, but the entire Jianghu of Qian Kingdom was in an uproar, and even the Jianghu of all the kingdoms in the world were stirred up by a considerable storm.

As a native of Yunzhou, Gu Mo's influence on Yunzhou is immense. Su Qianqiu alone could elevate the martial arts level of Nanjin, which was clearly mediocre, to a higher level. How much more so would Gu Mo, the number one in the world, make Yunzhou's martial arts level surpass Tianzhou overnight?

Therefore,
Right now, Gu Mo is at the height of his fame, especially in Yunzhou, and particularly in Linjiang County. If Gu Mo were to make a public appearance, within half an hour, the place where he is would be packed with people, and countless martial arts practitioners would come to pay their respects. Once people know that he has returned to Linjiang County, martial arts practitioners from all over the country will flock to him.

Most importantly, there are already many Gu Mo enthusiasts in Yunzhou, almost encompassing half of the martial arts world, including all the major orthodox sects. Even the Canglan Sword Sect, one of the three major sects of Qian Kingdom, is a well-known Gu Mo enthusiast. Under such circumstances, once the news of Gu Mo's return spreads, it's easy to guess that half of the martial arts world will be mobilized.

Therefore, Gu Mo and Gu Chudong were forced to live a secluded life.

Because Gu Mo is currently so popular, Gu Chudong had to give up her plan to buy the manor and didn't dare to seriously drag Gu Mo to a blind date.

Finally, the brother and sister met with Qu Heng's family, Tang Buyi, and Chu Yuan, the inspector of the Six Doors of Linjiang County, and then word got out, so Gu Mo left with Gu Chudong.

Afterwards, the two went to the Canglan Sword Sect and met with Shen Bai and Qi Tianshu, but still did not make a public appearance. Then they headed towards the capital.

However, they were not in a hurry.
Along the way, Gu Mo would stop and explore, taking in the famous mountains and rivers he passed through, which was a feast for his eyes.

Since awakening his past life memories, two or three years have passed, and he has been blind. Now that he has finally regained his sight, he finds this feeling to be very special.

……

Meanwhile, during the time that Gu Mo and Gu Chudong were traveling, the imperial court in the capital was already in an uproar because of Gu Mo.

At the beginning of the first month, after Su Ziyou and his delegation returned to Chang'an, they were greatly rewarded for their meritorious service during their trip to the Southern Jin Dynasty. Subsequently, he brought up the matter of Gu Mo's trip to the Jiang Kingdom and suggested that Emperor Qian arrange for an envoy to accompany him.

Sending an envoy to another country, especially a hostile one like Jiang, has always been a thankless and arduous task, and few people are willing to take it on. But this time, however, the various factions in the court are fiercely vying for power, with each minister wanting to place their own people in the envoy.

There was no way around it; the fact that the entire Southern Jin delegation managed to claim all the credit this time was incredibly enviable. Previously, who could have imagined that such a simple trip would cause such a stir in Southern Jin, with the Jin emperor even sending envoys to express various expressions of gratitude to the Qian state and to demand strengthened cooperation and a firm commitment to a united front against the Chu state?

The people in the court were all intelligent and knew that the reason why Southern Jin was so determined to strengthen cooperation with Qian State was not because of the Qian State delegation, but because Gu Mo had helped Emperor Jin stabilize his imperial power.

However, Gu Mo was not a member of the imperial court.
Ultimately, the credit will go to the mission.

For the members of the delegation, it was like a stroke of good fortune. They thought it would be a tough job, but it turned out to be a chance to gain prestige.

Therefore, all factions in the imperial court are vying for the opportunity to be sent as envoys to the Jiang Kingdom.

Although everyone knew that the same opportunity was unlikely to come twice, what if it did? Based on the principle of taking a chance, the court was in an uproar, and no conclusion was reached for seven or eight days.

This was the day after the morning court session.

The civil and military officials all left and headed out of the palace.

Ye Jinglan, who had recently been promoted to Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, walked side by side with Zhuo Qingfeng, the commander of the Six Doors of the Eastern City.

Zhuo Qingfeng had only recently taken up his post in the capital. Because of his master, he was naturally a member of the faction of Prince Jin, Li Zhongqing. Ye Jinglan was also a member of Li Zhongqing's faction. In addition, Ye Jinglan and Zhuo Qingfeng had interacted before in Qingzhou and were both friends of Gu Mo, so the two naturally became close.

The two walked and discussed the various events that had occurred in the court that day.

"Brother Ye, who do you think will be appointed as the chief envoy and deputy envoy for this mission to the Jiang Kingdom?" Zhuo Qingfeng asked.

Ye Jinglan said, "As for the chief envoy, since no one really fought for it, everyone basically assumed that it would be Su Ziyou, the junior official. This time, the junior official did a great job in Southern Jin. By taking advantage of Brother Gu's help in seizing power for the Jin emperor, he basically made Jin the first line of defense for our Qian Kingdom. Moreover, he and Brother Gu cooperated very well. As for the deputy envoy, he should be in the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Personnel."

Zhuo Qingfeng chuckled, "Brother Gu is still the same Brother Gu. Whoever is with him gets all the credit. Speaking of which, since I met Brother Gu, I've picked up a ton of credits by following him around. He really makes everyone who's with him soar!"

Ye Jinglan said, "That's right. I was promoted from the sixth rank to the third rank in just a few months last year. It's just a pity that I'm from the Ministry of Justice. Otherwise, I would have had to fight for it when I went to Jiang Kingdom this time!"

Zhuo Qingfeng laughed and said, "Who wouldn't want that?"

Just as the two were chatting, a young eunuch came to their side and said softly, "Minister Ye, Commander Zhuo, His Majesty requests your presence!"

Ye Jinglan and Zhuo Qingfeng exchanged a glance, both looking surprised and doubtful.

The two of them didn't dare to delay and immediately followed.

Soon, they arrived at the Imperial Study and met Emperor Qianlong.

"See Your Majesty!"

The two bowed respectfully.

"Rise, no need for formalities." Emperor Qian waved his hand and said, "My two beloved ministers, I summoned you here to ask you whether you are confident in your ability to serve as envoys or officials on a mission to the Jiang Kingdom?"

Both Ye Jinglan and Zhuo Qingfeng showed surprise in their eyes.

Ye Jinglan quickly replied, "This humble subject is confident, but the official positions and status of this humble subject and Commander Zhuo are not suitable for serving as envoys, and I fear that the court officials will have objections!"

Emperor Qian waved his hand and said, "Do you think I don't know their plans? They all want to see if they can gain some merit like the delegation that went to Southern Jin this time. What's the point of them fighting each other in court? None of them have even figured out the most basic question: Is this delegation really an delegation? It's just to serve Master Gu. The most important thing is that Master Gu is comfortable using it!"
Those people in the court are arguing back and forth, but they haven't even figured out the essential requirements. If they have any objections, they must keep them to themselves. Currently, the two of you ministers have the best relationship with Master Gu, so no one is more suitable than you for this mission to the Jiang Kingdom.”

Zhuo Qingfeng then cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, what about Su Ziyou, the young master? He and Master Gu work together very well."

Emperor Qian said, “It is not appropriate for him to go this time. First, the Jiang Kingdom is different from the Southern Jin. The Southern Jin is an ally of our Great Qian, while the Jiang Kingdom, although it has never openly declared war, has always been a vassal of the Chu Kingdom. Therefore, our primary purpose in going to the Jiang Kingdom this time is to assist Hero Gu, and secondly, to demonstrate our military strength in front of the Jiang Kingdom. This task is best left to you, Minister Ye.”

Secondly, the person Master Gu is tasked with hunting down this time is Ye Nantian of the Moon Worship Cult, a powerful figure in the martial arts world, whose methods are all rooted in the martial arts style. However, Su Ziyou's expertise in investigations doesn't lie in the martial arts world. Therefore, Minister Zhuo, assisting Master Gu in the investigation, and also keeping an eye out for any hidden schemes aimed at him, this task is entrusted to you.”

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, we will do our utmost to live up to your expectations!" Zhuo Qingfeng quickly replied.

Emperor Qian continued, “Rest assured, you will not be left to fight alone. The guards accompanying this mission will be selected from the Imperial City Guard and the Imperial Guard, all of them elites. However, remember, everything must be based on Master Gu's wishes. Once we arrive in Jiang, if Master Gu needs anything, do not worry about whether it will cause conflict between the two countries. Just fight for me. Even if it means killing the Emperor of Jiang, do not hesitate. Just unconditionally support Master Gu!”

Ye Jinglan nodded and said, "I never expected Your Majesty to value Hero Gu so highly!"

Emperor Qian chuckled and said, "Minister Ye, think about it. A figure like Master Gu is the best in the world in martial arts, and he is unparalleled in the world. He is equivalent to a large army that can move freely and does not need logistics and supplies."

Most importantly, it is his character. He is single-mindedly pursuing the Dao, uninterested in power, yet possesses a strong sense of justice. Even his martial arts knowledge is limited to capturing and killing wanted criminals. He doesn't need to do anything; simply being a citizen of the Qian Kingdom is enough to exert a tremendous deterrent effect on all the nations of the world.

"Surely I haven't lost my mind, I'll do everything in my power to make such a person identify with the identity of a Qian citizen. I don't expect him to fight on the battlefield to protect his country; just the fact that he still acknowledges that he is a Qian citizen is more useful than a thousand troops."

Ye Jinglan asked, "Why doesn't Your Majesty try to win over Master Gu through marriage or other means?"

Emperor Qian waved his hand slightly and said, "These things should be left to nature. If Hero Gu is destined to be with a royal woman, I will naturally support him. However, we cannot deliberately arrange things. It is fine to befriend someone with a purpose, but to arrange and scheme with a purpose is likely to backfire."

Furthermore, the story of Su Qianqiu from the Southern Jin Dynasty serves as a cautionary tale. For a martial arts master to become too deeply entangled in worldly affairs isn't necessarily a good thing. I, the Emperor, would much rather see Master Gu progress further on the path of martial arts than be stagnated by worldly entanglements. Even joining the royal family wouldn't be as beneficial as his continued progress. Only by constantly moving forward will he remain the greatest martial artist in the world!

Ye Jinglan cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty's vision is truly admirable!"

Afterwards, the three of them exchanged a few more words.

Ye Jinglan and Zhuo Qingfeng then left.

After leaving the imperial city, the two exchanged greetings and then departed in their respective carriages.

However, Ye Jinglan did not go home, but went to a market town on the outskirts of the city and came to a small courtyard.

In the main hall of the courtyard, an old man was lying on a grand chair with his eyes closed, swaying back and forth. He was holding a hand warmer in his arms, and a small stove next to him was burning wine. This man was none other than Qi Miaoxuan, the Medicine Saint of Qingzhou.

Ye Jinglan walked into the house, brushed the snowflakes off his clothes, and said, "Every time I come to see you, I have to travel this far. What are you afraid of? Why won't you come into the city even though we're already in the outskirts of the capital?"

Qi Miaoxuan did not answer Ye Jinglan directly, but pointed to the stove next to her and said, "This is the soothing wine I warmed for you. Recently, the Qilin blood in your body has been a bit turbulent. Drink some of this wine when you have nothing to do, it will help calm the Qilin blood."

Ye Jinglan picked up the wine cup and drank it down in one gulp, saying, "I'll take a few more jars back with me later."

Qi Miaoxuan rolled her eyes and said, "How many jars? Do you really think my wine comes from a well? Just one jar, that's all. Besides, you don't need to drink it every day. Just drink a little whenever you feel the Qilin blood going berserk to calm it down."

Ye Jinglan said in a deep voice, "Alright, by the way, you said you were going to do the second phase of my transformation, when are you going to do it?"

Qi Miaoxuan didn't answer, but suddenly asked a completely irrelevant question: "Are you going to the Jiang Kingdom?"

Ye Jinglan asked in surprise, "How did you know?"

"I'm just guessing," Qi Miaoxuan said. "I understand Emperor Qian's thoughts quite well. Given his personality, he's definitely thinking about getting along well with Gu Mo. So, for this mission to Jiang, he'll definitely arrange for someone who knows Gu Mo. There aren't many people in the capital who are close to Gu Mo."

Ye Jinglan nodded and said, "It is indeed a request for me to go to Jiang Kingdom. You... you wouldn't be planning to deal with Brother Gu, would you?"

Qi Miaoxuan said, "Am I crazy? Why would I go after him? I have no grudge against him, and strictly speaking, we have a pretty good relationship. There's no conflict of interest between us, and I'm not a wanted criminal. Why would I bother going after him?"

Ye Jinglan breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Qi Miaoxuan said, "The things you need for your second stage of transformation are currently in Jiang Kingdom, and, well, with Ye Nantian."

"What is it?" Ye Jinglan asked in confusion.

"Half a Qilin Heart," Qi Miaoxuan said.

Ye Jinglan's eyes widened suddenly, and she said, "Ye Nantian is also your test subject?"

Qi Miaoxuan nodded slightly.

"You're going to kill him now?" Ye Jinglan asked. "Is it time to reap the rewards?"

Qi Miaoxuan said, "It's not that I want to kill him, but that he wants to kill me now. Back then, I gave him a new life, just like you, a choice he made willingly. What I gave you was the essence of the Qilin, and what I gave him was the heart and soul of the Qilin."

While his compatibility with the Qilin blood may not match yours, he was, before you, my most satisfactory test subject. However, as he gained power and influence, ambition began to grow within him. He became less obedient to my orders, seeking to break free of my control, and now he's starting to plot against me.

Ye Jinglan looked at Qi Miaoxuan with some suspicion and said, "You can't kill Ye Nantian?"

Qi Miaoxuan chuckled and said, "You want to test my strength?"

Ye Jinglan said in a deep voice, "I understand Ye Nantian. If it were me, if one day I felt that my strength was enough to match yours, I would also try to break free from your control. No one likes to be a puppet, even if they have been given a second chance. But the saying 'great kindness turns into enmity' is an unchanging truth. It is human nature, a flaw that everyone has."

Qi Miaoxuan nodded slightly and said, "I like your honesty, and I welcome you to challenge me when the time comes. However, you must remember that you only have one chance to challenge me."

To me, whether it's Ye Nantian or you, Ye Jinglan, you're just my test subjects, my pawns. I'm not afraid to tell you the truth: I implanted Qilin blood essence in you, and now I'm preparing to implant Qilin heart in you, all for the purpose of observation, to find the most perfect way and means to use Qilin blood.

Ye Jinglan nodded and said, "I guessed it."

Qi Miaoxuan nodded slightly and said, "When you start to want to break free from my control, I hope you can do it discreetly and give me a pleasant surprise. Don't be like Ye Nantian, who wears everything on his sleeve, practically telling me he's going to kill me. I have no interest in making a move against someone like that."

While talking,

Qi Miaoxuan tossed Ye Jinglan a jade bottle about the size of a thumb and said, "When Ye Nantian dies, the Qilin Heart Blood in his body will leave his body. At that time, you should put it in this bottle and bring it back. I will help you modify the Qilin Heart."

Ye Jinglan nodded and said, "However, I'm afraid something unexpected might happen. Ye Nantian is no ordinary person. Not only is his personal martial arts the fifth strongest in the world, but he also has the Baiyue Sect behind him, with countless experts. I'm not worried that Gu Mo can't beat him, but I'm worried that he might run away."

Qi Miaoxuan said, "So what if he runs away? If he runs away or defeats Gu Mo, especially if he can defeat Gu Mo, that would be a huge surprise for me. I would then be interested in killing him myself!"

Ye Jinglan's pupils contracted slightly as he asked, "Even if Ye Nantian defeated Gu Mo, you're confident you can kill him?"

Qi Miaoxuan chuckled and said, "Put in a little more effort."

Ye Jinglan exclaimed in surprise, "Gu Mo defeated the combined forces of Su Qianqiu and Lian Sheng all by himself, and even broke through the heavy cavalry army, all while the battle formation was fully activated."

Qi Miaoxuan thought for a moment and said, "Well, whether it's Su Qianqiu or Gu Mo, their large-scale burst battles and group battles are very strong, but they are all a bit off-target and have failed to develop their individual strength to the fullest."

Let me put it this way: you can flatten a dough ball with a rolling pin, but a sharp needle can easily pierce it. Of course, my analogy isn't perfect, but you get the general idea.

Ye Jinglan frowned and said, "You mean to say that the direction of martial arts should be to break through the surface by focusing on a single point?"

Qi Miaoxuan waved his hand and said, "That's not it. Whether it's breaking through the surface with a single point or overcoming all techniques with brute force, it's all part of the Great Dao. However, in my personal opinion, even if one person can defeat an army of 100,000, it's not as effective as a single, fatal strike. In other words, no matter how fancy your moves are, they're useless if you can't kill someone. And no matter how simple your moves are, even if it's just the most basic slash, if the speed is fast enough, extremely fast, then you'll be invincible. The Great Dao is simple!"

Ye Jinglan nodded and said, "I will think about it carefully."

Qi Miaoxuan took a sip of tea and said, "I pray for the day when you will challenge me fairly and squarely."

Ye Jinglan then asked, "By the way, you still haven't told me what you're afraid of? Why won't you go into the city?"

Qi Miaoxuan shook her head and said, "It's not that I'm afraid, but that I don't want to cause trouble."

Ye Jinglan's pupils contracted slightly as he asked, "Are there any people in the capital who could cause you trouble?"

Qi Miaoxuan thought for a moment and said, "You will definitely challenge me one day in the future, but I don't want you to be as boring as Ye Nantian. Fine, I'll point you out a way to deal with me. It's in Chang'an City. You can try to find it."

"What approach?" Ye Jinglan asked.

“Ghost City,” Qi Miaoxuan said. “Ghost City is a good place. If you hide inside, you’ll really be like a ghost and no one can find you. There’s someone inside… well, let’s just call him someone. He might have the ability to kill me.”

Ye Jinglan's eyes widened in surprise. "There's such a person hidden in Ghost City?"

Qi Miaoxuan said, "Do you remember when I told you about that old geezer who had been chasing me for hundreds of years?"

Ye Jinglan nodded and said, "I remember, it's related to the ruins of the Mobei Desert."

Qi Miaoxuan said, "It's that old codger who's dead. The Ruins of the ...

That guy has been researching for so many years, and he's developed a lot of methods, all of them quite bizarre. For example, the human-faced monster that wreaked havoc in the capital was his creation.

Ye Jinglan exclaimed in surprise, "Wasn't the human-faced monster something the Yan family created?"

Qi Miaoxuan chuckled, "What is the Yan family anyway? How could they possibly create a human-faced demon beast? If it weren't for that old guy's intervention in the shadows, even if the Yan family had another hundred years, they still wouldn't have been able to create a human-faced demon beast. The ancient book on creating human-faced demon beasts that the Yan family obtained was given to them by that old guy. Then, when the Yan family tried to cultivate human-faced demon beasts in Ghost City, that old guy intervened in the shadows."

Ye Jinglan suddenly realized, "No wonder the ancient book we found from the Yan family was deemed utter nonsense by the Imperial Medical Academy. It turns out the Yan family simply didn't possess the true core techniques." After saying this, Ye Jinglan pondered for a moment and asked, "Who exactly is that person?"

Qi Miaoxuan thought for a moment and said, "I don't know how to say who he is. He came from the Ruins of ...

Ye Jinglan suddenly looked up and said, "The legendary tenth taboo?"

Qi Miaoxuan slowly sat up, placed the object on the stove, and said, "That person was a medical genius, the most talented in medicine I have ever seen, without exception. However, I don't know if it was to kill me or if he was simply interested in the Dao of Poison, but he was extremely obsessed with refining poisons, and he refined himself into the most poisonous being in the world. So, I don't know if he can still be considered human."

Ye Jinglan said, "I have heard the legend of the plague god. He once brought a lot of plagues to many countries, but I don't know why he suddenly disappeared."

Qi Miaoxuan said, "Because he aroused public anger, many experts wanted to kill him, so he hid in the Ghost City. That place was practically tailor-made for him. Hiding inside, no one would notice what he did, and no one could find him. He would only come out every ten or eight years to create plagues and use people as test subjects. No one would suspect him. There are not many people in this world who still remember him now."

As she spoke, Qi Miaoxuan poured Ye Jinglan a cup of tea and said, "If you want to get rid of my control in the future, you can go to Ghost City to find him. Maybe then you will have a chance to kill me."

Ye Jinglan curled her lips and said, "I feel like you want to use me as a pawn to pave the way for you. After all, he is your biggest enemy. He wants to kill you, and you want to kill him too, don't you? It's just that you're not confident, and you're very wary of him!"

Qi Miaoxuan smiled but didn't say anything.

Ye Jinglan picked up his teacup and said, "Whether we find that plague god or not isn't the point. The main thing is that when I think back on it now, I feel a bit scared. You said that the plague god is in Ghost City, doesn't that mean that when Brother Gu and I went on a killing spree in Ghost City, there was a very powerful expert watching us in the shadows, and who knows, he might even have wanted to make a move!"

"That's highly likely."

……

As the sun rose, a caravan traveled along the official road toward the capital.

Gu Mo and Gu Chudong were in this caravan.

Seven or eight days ago, they went to visit a famous mountain and happened to run into this caravan that was also coming to the capital. They paid some money and hitched a ride.

In the carriage,
Gu Chudong had her eyes closed, and streams of true energy circulated around her. A pouch at her waist was filled with a faint glow, shimmering with Buddhist light.

After a long time,

Gu Chudong finished her practice, slowly opened her eyes, and said, "Brother, it really wasn't my imagination. I really felt that this relic was much more powerful than the one Master Dingchan gave me before. My cultivation speed has increased a lot, and it can also improve my comprehension."

“As long as it’s useful,” Gu Mo said. “After all, he is Master Liansheng, a leader of Buddhism. It’s understandable that his things are more valuable than those of Master Dingchan.”

“That’s true,” Gu Chudong said. “With the help of this relic, I’m sure I’ll be able to master the basics of Tianlong Bayin very quickly!”

Gu Mo chuckled.

With the support of various external forces, Gu Chudong's talent is indeed very strong now. At first, she took the Great Rejuvenation Pill and the Lesser Rejuvenation Pill, then the Ice Silkworm, and later she took several of the very few marrow-cleansing pills that Chunyang Temple had kept hidden in Cangzhou. In addition, Gu Mo used the Mingyu True Qi, which was strengthened many times over, to clear Gu Chudong's meridians, allowing Gu Chudong to cultivate the Mingyu Skill to the ninth level in just two years.

His talent was further enhanced. He was already a top genius in terms of physical constitution and comprehension. In addition, Gu Mo had mastered the Yi Jin Jing and Xi Sui Jing and spared no effort in cleansing Gu Chu Dong's tendons and marrow. Now he had obtained a very powerful relic.

Gu Chudong's cultivation speed is truly progressing by leaps and bounds.

He has already mastered the Tai Xuan Scripture, and he also mastered the Extinction Cross Blade Technique back in January when he was still in Linjiang City. Now, he is still a little short of mastering the Tianlong Eight Sounds.

On that very day,

Gu Mo and Gu Chudong arrived in the capital.

After entering the city, Gu Mo and Gu Chudong parted ways with the caravan and went directly to Ye Jinglan's home.

Not long after, Ye Jinglan returned, and Gu Mo learned of Emperor Qian's arrangements. The head of the delegation was Ye Jinglan, and the deputy head was Zhuo Qingfeng.

That day, Zhuo Qingfeng also came to Ye Jinglan's house, and the three of them drank together all night.

The next day, the royal merchants from Chu arrived at Ye Jinglan's home and presented Gu Mo with 100,000 taels of silver as a deposit. This 100,000 taels of silver was non-refundable; if they failed to find Ye Nantian in Jiang Kingdom, or if he escaped, it would be entirely for Gu Mo's services. Of course, if they failed, the remaining balance would not be paid.

On the third day, the mission set off for the Jiang Kingdom.

This time, all the members of the delegation were martial arts masters, so there was basically no delay. They traveled very fast and arrived in the territory of Jiang Kingdom in just half a month.

however,
To Gu Mo and his group's surprise, it was still very cold in Jiang Kingdom, even though it was already March.

The territory of Jiang State is not large, about the size of a slightly larger state of Qian State. It only took a few days to reach the capital of Jiang State from the moment we entered its territory.

On the very day they entered Beijing,

The emperor of Jiang held a welcoming banquet in the palace. Although the civil and military officials of Jiang were not very enthusiastic, they were not cold either, and all the etiquette was done very well.

After the banquet ended and they left the imperial city, Princess Xiao Ziyin of Chu came to pay them a visit.

in the hall,
Xiao Ziyin cupped his hands to Gu Mo and said, "Hero Gu, Ye Nantian's exact whereabouts have been confirmed. He is in Jianbei County of Jiang Kingdom. However, Jianbei County is in a bit of trouble right now."

Gu Mo asked in confusion, "What trouble?"

Xiao Ziyin sighed and said, "You must have noticed today in the capital of Jiang that the ministers of Jiang were not in high spirits, right?"

Gu Mo nodded slightly and said, "Isn't this to avoid suspicion? If they are too enthusiastic and friendly to the Qian Kingdom delegation, they might offend your Chu Kingdom."

Xiao Ziyin said, "That's secondary. The most important thing is that the northern part of Jiang Kingdom is currently suffering from a natural disaster. It's already March, but Jianbei County is still covered in heavy snow. Many places are even experiencing snow-covered cities, including the two counties surrounding Jianbei County, which have also been affected by the snow disaster to varying degrees. This snow disaster started last September, and Jiang Kingdom has almost emptied its treasury for disaster relief, but we still don't know how long this snow disaster will last!"

Gu Mo asked doubtfully, "Will this affect our search for Ye Nantian?"

Xiao Ziyin nodded and said, "After the snow disaster, a sect called Wusheng Sect appeared in Jianbei County. They shouted the slogan 'Wusheng Old Mother, helping the world in distress' and carried out a lot of activities in the Jianbei County area. The government could not suppress them. And if I am not mistaken, that Wusheng Sect was set up by Ye Nantian. Its purpose is self-evident. It must be intended to rebel."

"Now that Jianbei County is suffering from natural disasters, our pursuit of Ye Nantian may be more difficult than anticipated, potentially increasing both the time spent and the risks. I must inform you beforehand. Furthermore, I want you to know that I am not using you to deal with the Wusheng Sect, but rather that to find Ye Nantian, we must start with the Wusheng Sect!"

Gu Mo nodded and said, "It doesn't matter. I'm a professional ghostwriter. Since I've accepted this warrant, I'll only care about the result, not the process."

"So, Master Gu, when shall we set off?"

"The sooner the better!"

"Then we'll set off for Jianbei County tomorrow."

(End of this chapter)