Starting with a blind date with a female constable, you acquire the Nine Swords of Dugu.

Chapter Twenty-One: Killing Wen Qiuchi

At this moment, the three people behind Wen Qiuchi collapsed to the ground.

The three of them had all their power absorbed by Wen Qiuchi.

On the square, numerous martial arts figures from various factions surrounded and attacked, hoping to kill Lei Ming and his companions while they were powerless to resist.

however,

Wen Qiuchi reached out and swung his longsword, unleashing a crimson sword aura.

That wasn't swordsmanship, it wasn't a move, it was just a simple horizontal swing.

But where that sword energy passed, the air was torn apart with a sharp whistling sound, and a deep furrow was plowed into the bluestone slabs of the ground. The sword energy swept through the crowd, rushing towards the disciples of various martial arts sects—

"Pfft, pfft, pfft—"

Blood splattered.

Before a dozen or so people could even let out a scream, their bodies stiffened and they slowly collapsed. Their chests, waists, and necks were slashed by the sword energy, leaving deep, bone-revealing wounds. Blood gushed from the wounds, spreading dark red patches on the snow.

Wen Qiuchi swung his sword a few more times.

Sword energy crisscrossed, carving deep furrows in the plaza. Pebbles flew, dust billowed. Those who had hesitated were struck by the sword energy and fell in droves.

Screams, wails, and cries of alarm mingled together.

"Retreat! Retreat quickly!"

"Don't go near her! Run!"

Someone shouted, and the martial arts sects retreated like a receding tide. Some tumbled and crawled, some dropped their weapons, and some helped their wounded fellow disciples, stumbling and staggering backward.

The square was thrown into chaos.

The followers of the Guanyin sect took the opportunity to leave the battlefield and gather together.

Jiang Baili, Lin Yourong, Qi Changkong, Xiao Cong, Lu Cheng and others quickly walked to Gu Guanqi's side and stood shoulder to shoulder with him.

Qi Changkong's expression was solemn, his long sword dragging on the ground as he said in a deep voice, "Hero Gu, let's attack together. Wen Qiuchi is acting strangely right now; you shouldn't continue fighting her one-on-one."

"Yes!" Xiao Cong gripped his longsword tightly. "With so many of us, I refuse to believe we can't take her down!"

Lu Cheng nodded, slamming the iron rod in his hand heavily onto the ground with a dull thud.

Lin Yourong didn't speak, but stood to Gu Guanqi's left, her hands slightly raised, her fingertips glowing faintly, the true energy of the Great Calamity Finger already gathering in her palms.

Jiang Baili stood to Gu Guanqi's right, her plain white dress fluttering gently in the wind and snow, her face calm as still water.

Shang Guzhou also came out carrying his sword.

His face was pale, blood still seeping from the wound on his left shoulder, but his steps were still relatively steady. He approached, sword in hand, and said in a deep voice, "Hero Gu, if things are beyond our control, then leave. This old man should be able to hold them off for a while longer; with your lightness skill, you should be able to escape!"

Gu Guanqi waved his hand and said, "You all step back."

Qi Changkong was taken aback: "Master Gu..."

"You can't get involved." Gu Guanqi interrupted him, his tone calm but unquestionable. "In your current state, coming up here will only distract me, and I'll have to expend more energy to save people."

Shang Guzhou reminded him: "Hero Gu, Wen Qiuchi cultivates the Heavenly Net True Skill created by the Blood Bone Elder. It is said that after cultivating this skill to perfection, one will enter a realm of profound emptiness. At that step, one has transcended external forces, and one's mind enters a state of emptiness and etherealness, comprehending the deep mysteries of martial arts. Every move one makes is in accordance with the energy of heaven and earth, and one can advance and retreat freely without restraint."

Although Wen Qiuchi hasn't reached that level, she can use the Heavenly Net Pill as a guide to reverse the Heavenly Net True Technique and enter that level for a short time. Once you reach that level, any move you make when you fight her will be seen through and predicted by her, especially your mind; you'll easily be influenced by her and fall into her trap!

Gu Guanqi nodded slightly and said, "Okay, I understand!"

The crowd dispersed.

The square, now a ruin, fell into a deathly silence, with only a few wounded people groaning in pain.

The martial arts sects retreated to the edge of the square, and the remaining forces of the Guanyin Sect also gathered together. The two sides faced each other across the corpses and bloodstains scattered on the ground.

The Guanyin sect's forces were now in dire straits.

The Four Heavenly Kings were either dead or wounded. Sudhana was nowhere to be found, and Sudhana, the Dragon Girl, and the Fire Phoenix had their powers drained and were unconscious on the ground. The Left Protector, Lei Ming, had lost all his power and was paralyzed on the ground, while the Right Protector, Xiang Zhan, had already died in battle.

The once mighty army was now reduced to less than a hundred men, most of whom were wounded, their faces ashen, and their morale low.

Of course, the various martial arts sects in Qingzhou were not much better off.

The Tingshan Sect, Qingya Sect, Zhenyue Gang, Wuhu Sect, Cangsong Sect... all these sects combined first fought with the Wenjian Sect, losing more than 300 people, and now they are fighting with the Guanyin Sect again, with more than 200 dead and wounded.

The corpses lay scattered on the snow, their blood staining the snow a dark red, which stood out starkly against the gloomy sky.

Those who survived were all wounded; some leaned against broken pillars, panting; some were supported by their fellow disciples; and some squatted on the ground tending to their wounds. The air was thick with the stench of blood, mingled with the scent of wind and snow.

Both sides were already at their last gasp.

In the center of the square, only two people remained.

Gu Guanqi.

Wen Qiu Pond.

The two were about three or four feet apart, their eyes meeting.

The wind and snow swept through them, swirling up the snow and dust on the ground, making it dance wildly in the air.

Gu Guanqi slowly raised his right hand.

Jiang Baili immediately understood and quickly retrieved the Autumn Water Sword that had been knocked away earlier, throwing it at Gu Guanqi.

Gu Guanqi caught the sword, its tip pointing diagonally at the ground.

Wen Qiuchi stood opposite, his tattered, moon-white monk's robe fluttering in the wind, his long hair flying, and his body surrounded by a bloody aura.

She raised the longsword in her hand, its blade gleaming with a dark red light, a result of the true energy permeating the sword after the Heavenly Net True Technique was reversed.

The sword tip was pointed directly at Gu Guanqi.

"Gu Guanqi".

Her voice was ethereal, yet it carried a chilling murderous intent.

"bring it on."

Before the words were even finished, the two of them moved at the same time.

There were no tests, no feints.

Both of them had transcended the realm of mere techniques in martial arts; every move they made was imbued with sword intent and Daoist principles.

Gu Guanqi took a step forward, the bluestone slab beneath his feet shattering inch by inch. His figure shot out like an arrow, the Autumn Water Sword drawing a cold arc in the air. That sword strike had no fancy variations, just a thrust, but before the sword even arrived, the sword energy had already swept across the sky like a bolt of lightning, splitting the snow between the two of them and revealing a deep chasm.

Wen Qiuchi neither retreated nor avoided.

She raised her longsword diagonally, a flash of crimson light on the blade, and a streak of blood-red sword energy shot out from the tip, meeting Gu Guanqi's sword strike head-on. Unlike the sharp and fierce sword energy of ordinary sword energy, the blood-red sword energy carried an eerie sense of stagnation, as if it wanted to absorb everything into it.

The two sword energies collided in mid-air.

"boom--"

A muffled, loud bang was heard, followed by a surge of air. The rubble on the ground was shaken into the air, and the snow was swirled up, turning into a white wall of mist that filled the sky.

The two figures clashed in the wind and snow, their sword light and blood light intertwining instantly. In the blink of an eye, they had exchanged more than a dozen sword strikes, each collision bursting out with dazzling light.

Gu Guanqi's swordsmanship has reached a state of complete freedom. The essence of the Dugu Nine Swords has been brought to its fullest extent in his hands, with no retreat and every move being an attack. However, his swordsmanship is no longer bound by the distinction between "sword-breaking style" and "blade-breaking style," but rather a kind of innate, natural instinct, no longer deliberately pursuing breaking moves.

When the opponent's sword comes, he counters with his own; when the opponent's palm comes, he turns his sword. There is no thought, no anticipation, only the unity of sword and mind.

Wen Qiuchi's swordsmanship also transcends mere techniques.

Her swordplay was unhurried yet carried an irresistible pressure, like the undercurrents of the deep sea—calm on the surface, but with a power capable of devouring everything beneath. Each strike seemed to resonate with the very energy of heaven and earth; wherever her sword struck, the air itself seemed to freeze.

"Ding ding ding ding—"

The crisp sound of swords clashing echoed like popping beans across the empty square.

The two fought from the center of the square to the ruins on the east side, and from the ruins on the east side to the ruins on the west side. Wherever their sword energy passed, broken stone pillars were cut down, shattered bluestone slabs were crushed into dust, and snow was swirled up and fell back down.

Gu Guanqi swept his sword horizontally, the sword energy like a bolt of lightning, slashing across Wen Qiuchi's waist and ribs.

Wen Qiuchi turned around, her moon-white monk's robe fluttering in the wind. The sword energy grazed her waist and ribs, striking a stone pillar behind her that had already broken. The pillar shattered with a crash, sending stone chips flying everywhere.

She swung her sword back, aiming the tip straight for Gu Guanqi's throat.

Gu Guanqi dodged to the side, the sword blade grazing his neck. He then thrust out his sword, the tip pointing at Wen Qiuchi's wrist.

Wen Qiuchi flicked his wrist, and his longsword drew an arc in the air, deflecting Gu Guanqi's sword strike.

The two exchanged blows, going back and forth for dozens of moves in the blink of an eye, with neither gaining the upper hand.

"when--"

They collided again, resulting in a loud bang.

The two swords clashed, sparks flying everywhere.

The two locked eyes.

The two swords remained stuck together.

Gu Guanqi seized the opportunity and struck out with his palm.

Thousand-Hand Buddha Palm.

The palm shadows were numerous, one after another, one palm becoming two, two palms becoming four... In the blink of an eye, countless palm shadows covered the sky, like a blooming thousand-petaled lotus flower, enveloping Wen Qiuchi.

Wen Qiuchi snorted coldly and struck out with his left hand.

Crimson true energy surged from her palm, transforming into a gigantic palm print that met the myriad palm shadows in the sky.

"Boom boom boom boom—"

The palm prints and palm shadows collided continuously, generating visible ripples of energy.

The pebbles on the ground were shaken and bounced up, and the snow was swirled up. Within a few feet around the two of them, nothing could be seen except for the flying pebbles, snowflakes, and mud.

Gu Guanqi continued his palm strikes without stopping, one after another.

White Rainbow Palm Force

The palm strikes curved in the air, attacking Wen Qiuchi from all directions. Some flew in from the left, some from the right, some descended from the sky, and some leaped up from the ground, their trajectories unpredictable and impossible to defend against.

Wen Qiuchi's expression changed slightly.

She spun around rapidly, swinging her longsword repeatedly to shatter the palm strikes one by one. But the palm strikes were simply too numerous, too dense, and too unpredictable. Just as she shattered a palm strike coming from her left, another struck her shoulder from her right; just as she regained her footing, another palm strike came crashing down from above.

Wen Qiuchi grunted and staggered back several steps.

Her robe was torn at the shoulder, revealing a faint red mark.

"Excellent palm technique."

She looked at Gu Guanqi, her eyes filled with even more murderous intent.

Before she finished speaking, she gripped the sword with both hands and swung it suddenly.

A massive crimson sword aura shot out from the sword, like a blood-red dragon, baring its fangs and claws as it pounced towards Gu Guanqi.

Wherever the sword energy passed, the air was torn apart with a sharp whistling sound, and a deep furrow was plowed into the bluestone slabs on the ground, with fragments of stone flying everywhere.

Gu Guanqi took two steps back.

Immediately, the Autumn Water Sword was raised from bottom to top, its blade gleaming with a layer of white light, as it met the crimson sword energy.

The two sword energies collided in mid-air.

"boom--"

A deafening roar, like a thunderbolt striking the ground.

A blinding burst of light exploded at the point of impact.

Amidst the light, two figures were simultaneously sent flying backward.

Gu Guanqi somersaulted in the air and landed lightly on the broken wall, the Autumn Water Sword humming incessantly in his hand.

Wen Qiuchi landed back on the ground and instantly rushed towards Gu Guanqi, his hands suddenly reaching out at the same time.

With her fingers spread wide and palms facing forward, a surge of powerful true energy erupted from her body, but instead of transforming into sword energy, it transformed into dozens of blood-red whips of true energy.

The long whip seemed to possess a spirit, meandering through the air, its tip swirling up dozens of longswords scattered on the ground. Drawn by the true energy, the longswords flew up, their tips pointing outwards, hovering in mid-air like a swarm of enraged bees.

Wen Qiuchi rushed towards Gu Guanqi, her figure leaving a blood-red afterimage in the wind and snow. With a sudden jerk of her hands, dozens of longswords hummed in unison, then shot towards Gu Guanqi from all directions like arrows released from a bow.

Sword light flashed like rain, covering the sky and the earth.

Each sword was imbued with Wen Qiuchi's crimson true energy, its blade gleaming with a dark red luster. The sound of swords slicing through the air was sharp and piercing, weaving together into an impenetrable net of swords. Front, back, left, right, up, down—everywhere was a sword, everywhere was a killing intent.

Gu Guanqi's pupils contracted slightly. He used his Lingbo Weibu (a martial arts technique) to its fullest extent, dodging and weaving through the rain of swords. But there were simply too many swords, too densely packed. Even after retreating several steps, three swords still grazed his robes, slicing off a few pieces of cloth.

He will not back down.

The Thousand-Handed Tathagata Palm was unleashed at full power.

One palm becomes two palms, two palms become four palms, four palms become eight palms...

In an instant, countless palm shadows covered the sky, like a blooming thousand-petaled lotus flower, meeting the dozens of long swords.

Palm shadows and sword light collided repeatedly in the air.

"Ding ding ding ding—"

The dense clanging of metal against metal exploded like popping beans. Palm strikes landed on the swords, sending them flying, veering off course, and shattering one after another. But there were simply too many swords; for every one palm struck away, another would take its place, an endless stream.

The dense palm prints collided with the sword light, and the surrounding stone slabs turned into a sky full of shattered stone dust.

At that very moment,

Wen Qiuchi moved.

Her figure was like a ghost, leaving a bloody afterimage in the rubble and rain of swords, and in the blink of an eye she had already approached Gu Guanqi to within a few feet.

Before she could finish speaking, she suddenly clasped her hands together.

The dozens of longswords paused simultaneously, then turned, their tips all pointing at Gu Guanqi. The crimson true energy on the swords surged suddenly, transforming into thin, long, crimson sword energies that shot out from the sword tips.

In that instant, dozens of longswords transformed into a sword array that enveloped the area.

Dozens of longswords, guided by Wen Qiuchi's true energy, intertwined, spun, and wove in the air, their blades connected by crimson true energy, forming an overwhelming sword net. Within this net, sword energy crisscrossed densely, like a net that sealed off all of Gu Guanqi's escape routes.

The Thousand Hands Tathagata Palm unleashed one palm shadow after another, blasting away one longsword after another. But those swords that were blasted away did not fall to the ground. Instead, they paused slightly in the air before being drawn back into the sword formation by the crimson true energy, and then attacked again from another angle.

The sword formation tightened, passing through the gaps between the palm shadows.

Gu Guanqi parried with his sword, the Autumn Water Sword dancing in his hand, the clanging of metal against metal as dense as popping beans.

With each strike, he precisely struck the side of a longsword, sending it flying. But there were simply too many swords, too many of them. For every one he knocked away, another would take its place, an endless stream that trapped him in place.

At this very moment—

Wen Qiuchi suddenly pushed off the ground and flew into the air.

She suddenly spread her arms wide, her ten fingers like hooks, her palms facing forward.

The crimson true energy within his body surged forth like a river bursting its banks, transforming into a visible crimson wave that crashed down upon Gu Guanqi like a tidal wave.

The Heavenly Net True Skill, its ultimate move—

A net stretching to the heavens and the earth.

A terrifying surge of true energy erupted from Wen Qiuchi's body, like a tsunami, a landslide, or a collapsing sky. The true energy was dark red, solidified, and formed a huge vortex around her.

Within the vortex, countless tiny blood-red lines could be faintly seen, like a net in the sky or a net on the ground, completely enveloping the space within a radius of several feet.

Wherever the blast wave passed, the air was compressed into twisted ripples, and the bluestone slabs on the ground were lifted up and shattered into countless fragments in mid-air, which were then crushed into dust by the blast wave.

The snow was swirled up, turning into a vast white wall of mist that blotted out the sun.

At the same time, the dozens of longswords that had been knocked away stopped in mid-air.

Gu Guanqi felt as if he were in the ocean.

The surrounding air seemed to become incredibly heavy at that moment, trapping him completely.

At the same time, the blood-red true energy covering the dozens of swords suspended in the air suddenly surged, and the sword tips all pointed at Gu Guanqi.

Then, they instantly converged, one after another, the blades fitting together, the tips and tails connected, and under the pull of the crimson true energy, they actually merged into a huge longsword in mid-air.

The giant sword was over ten feet long, its blade a dark red color with blood-red light swirling on its surface, like a congealed stream of blood, radiating a chilling aura.

The giant sword hung in the air, its tip pointing downwards, directly above Gu Guanqi's head.

that moment,

The wind and snow seemed to freeze at that moment, and the air seemed to stand still.

A terrifying pressure poured down from the giant sword, like a mountain pressing down or a deep sea hanging upside down, making the martial arts practitioners watching at the edge of the square feel inexplicably unable to breathe.

Wen Qiuchi's face was as pale as paper. She slowly pressed down with both hands, and the giant sword slowly descended with her gestures.

Like a mountain descending from the sky, it moved unhurriedly, yet carried an irresistible, all-destroying power. Wherever the sword passed, the air was torn apart with visible cracks, emitting a sharp whistling sound like the howl of a vengeful ghost.

Before the greatsword even hit the ground, a huge crater had already appeared on the ground, the soil at the bottom of the crater was compacted and gleamed with a dark red luster.

Gu Guanqi raised his head.

The giant sword rapidly magnified in his pupils.

There's no way to avoid it, no way to escape it!

of course,

He didn't intend to avoid it.

In that instant, three internal energy techniques circulated simultaneously within his dantian.

The Baoyuan Jin (抱元劲) has a solid foundation and pure internal energy, like the deep and resonant sound of a bell from an ancient temple.

The Purple Cloud Divine Skill is extremely powerful and resilient, flowing continuously like the rising sun, with purple energy coming from the east, gentle yet magnificent.

The Innate Skill returns the acquired to the innate, achieving harmony between heaven and man. It is like a clear spring descending from the sky, cleansing the body and mind, and transcending the mundane world.

Three streams of true energy, three internal skills, three characteristics.

In Gu Guanqi's dantian, they instantly converged, merged, and refined, not as a simple superposition, but as a qualitative sublimation. With the stability of Baoyuan Jin as the foundation, the tenacity of Zixia Shengong as the guide, and the extraordinary nature of Xiantian Gong as the core, the three streams of true qi flowed into the sea like three rivers, transforming into an unstoppable torrent.

this moment,

Gu Guanqi was fully focused.

His martial arts realm and comprehension reached their peak at this moment, whether it was the swordless state of the Dugu Nine Swords, the state of unity between heaven and man of the Innate Skill, or the White Rainbow Palm Force which could bend and straighten at will...

Ultimately, they all arrive at the same destination by different paths, following the natural flow.

The torrent surged forth along the meridians and poured into the Autumn Water Sword.

The Autumn Water Sword emitted a clear, melodious hum, and a layer of shimmering white light emanated from its blade. The light grew brighter and brighter, a warm, mellow white that seemed to contain the ultimate truths of heaven and earth.

The steadiness of Baoyuan Jin, the endurance of Zixia Shen Gong, and the extraordinary nature of Xiantian Gong are all integrated into this one sword strike.

Gu Guanqi opened his eyes.

Then, he moved.

He rose up from the ground.

The Autumn Water Sword thrust upwards in a single strike.

This sword strike came from the ground, from the human world.

The tip of the sword was pointed directly at the giant sword that had fallen from the sky.

this moment,

It was as if the entire world was being lifted up by the rise of this sword.

Countless sword lights rose from the mortal world.

A flash of sword light appeared.

A three-colored, flowing, rainbow-like radiance emerged. The azure light of the Embracing Yuan Force, the purple energy of the Purple Cloud Divine Skill, and the pure energy of the Innate Skill intertwined, merged, and sublimated within the three-colored sword light.

Wherever the sword light passed, the crimson true energy melted instantly, like ice and snow encountering a raging fire. It wasn't shattered or cleaved, but rather purified, dissolved, and reduced to nothingness by that transcendent power.

This sword strike was like a celestial being descending from the heavens.

This sword, too, is a sword of humanity.

The tip of the sword touched the greatsword.

There was no earth-shattering noise.

There was only a very light and delicate "ding," like morning dew dripping into a deep pool, or snowflakes falling onto the water's surface.

But right after that soft sound—

The giant sword, formed by fusing dozens of longswords, began to crack.

Cracks spread from the tip of the sword, running down the sword's surface like a spiderweb, expanding in all directions. Dark red true energy escaped from the cracks, transforming into specks of blood-red light in the air before dissipating in an instant.

The greatsword trembled, crumbled, and disintegrated.

First the sword tips shattered, then the blades, and finally the hilts. One longsword after another was detached from the greatsword, tumbling and falling through the air before embedding themselves in the ground with a series of dull thuds.

Gu Guanqi's swordplay did not cease.

The Autumn Water Sword pierced through the shattered giant sword, through the blood-red true energy filling the sky, through the flying snow and dust, and went straight for Wen Qiuchi.

In Wen Qiuchi's pupils, the sword rapidly magnified.

She wanted to hide.

But she couldn't escape it.

This sword strike had already locked onto her vital energy; no matter which way she dodged, the sword tip would always be aimed at her vital points.

She tried to block it.

But she couldn't stop it, and it was too late; she flew backward rapidly.

however,

That sword strike came too fast.

She could only watch helplessly as the sword came hurtling towards her.

The sword tip pierced his chest.

At that moment,

The blade of the Autumn Water Sword pierced through Wen Qiuchi's chest and emerged from his body. Fresh blood gushed from the wound, flowing down the blade and dripping onto the snow, spreading a small patch of crimson.

Wen Qiuchi's body stiffened abruptly.

The two landed gracefully at the same time.

Wen Qiuchi took two steps back, pulling his body away from the sword. Blood was flowing from his chest, and his life force was gone.

She looked at Gu Guanqi, who was so close to her.

At that moment, the eerie dark red in her eyes slowly faded.

She asked, "Was that sword strike... also from a celestial being descending from the heavens?"

"Yes, Gu Guanqi's 'Flying Immortal from Beyond the Heavens'."

Gu Guanqi replied.

Wen Qiuchi was slightly taken aback.

She understood what Gu Guanqi meant.

The same martial art can have different effects in different hands.

The previous "Flying Immortal from Beyond the Heavens" was a display of martial arts prowess.

At this moment, the celestial being descending from the heavens is Gu Guanqi's brilliance.

"sharp!"

Wen Qiuchi sighed in admiration, and her body began to lean backward.