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

Chapter Thirty-One: Self-Offering of a Bedmate

The burly man glanced at An Yi, then at Gu Guanqi, his eyes still filled with wariness, and said, "When did Medicine King Valley produce such a young expert?"

An Yi quickly said, "Master Ding, Junior Brother Gu is not a disciple of Medicine King Valley. You may have heard of him; he comes from Qingzhou and is known in the martial arts world as the Sword Immortal!"

The burly man had clearly heard of Gu Guanqi's reputation, and his eyebrows shot up sharply.

An Yi then introduced him to Gu Guanqi: "Junior Brother Gu, this is Ding Yue, the Grandmaster of Thunderbolt Sword from Yunzhou!"

Gu Guanqi cupped his hands and said, "So it's Master Ding! I've heard so much about you!"

"I dare not accept such praise," Ding Yue sheathed his sword and cupped his hands, saying, "I am truly sorry, Hero Gu. I was rash. I rushed to the Zhang family, only to find corpses scattered all over the ground and you among them. I instinctively assumed you were the murderer and acted rashly. I am truly sorry!"

Gu Guanqi waved his hand and said, "It's alright, it's just a misunderstanding. I also misunderstood you as the murderer, so I didn't explain in time but chose to take action instead."

"Thank you for your understanding!" Ding Yue cupped his hands in greeting, then asked, "Hero Gu, Young Master An, are you here because of the Bright Moon Pearl?"

"It seems that Master Ding knows the truth," An Yi said. "The Chen family has encountered trouble. Assassins from the Four Extremes Hall broke in and stole the Bright Moon Pearl. My junior brother Gu and I learned that several other families besides the Chen family also possess the Bright Moon Pearl, and we guessed that the Four Extremes Hall would also target them, so we came to help. Master Ding, what brings you here?"

"Similar to you," Ding Yue said, "A few days ago, I accompanied my wife back to her parents' home. They were suddenly attacked by a group of masked men who also wanted the Moon Pearl. Luckily, I was there and killed them. However, I couldn't find out who they were, and they all committed suicide by poison. Did you find out that those men were assassins from the Four Extremes Palace?"

"Yes." An Yi nodded and said, "It's been confirmed."

Ding Yue said coldly, "This Four Extremes Palace is truly a malignant tumor!"

After saying this, Ding Yue took off the bundle on his back, took out a sandalwood box from it, and handed it to An Yi, saying, "Perfect timing, Young Valley Master An, since you're here, this Bright Moon Pearl originally belonged to your Medicine King Valley, so I'll return it to its rightful owner!"

An Yi was slightly taken aback and said, "This..."

Ding Yue said, "My wife's family is the Ou family of Rongshan County, as Young Master An should know. They have long-standing business dealings with Medicine King Valley, and many of their disciples have also joined Medicine King Valley. Hmm, does Young Master An know the origin of this Bright Moon Pearl?"

An Yi nodded.

Ding Yue said, "It was only after someone tried to steal the Bright Moon Pearl that my brother-in-law told me about it. This Bright Moon Pearl is related to the Heavenly Medicine Poison Manual, a divine skill created by the Martial Ancestor of Medicine King Valley. Originally, it was just a family heirloom, but now that it's going to bring disaster, they don't want it anymore, so they asked me to send it to Medicine King Valley."

An Yi took the sandalwood box and said, "I have no right to dispose of this Moon Pearl. I can only take it to the valley and let the elders there make the decision."

Ding Yue nodded slightly and said, "Whether it's a poisonous skill or a divine skill, it mainly depends on the person using it. I trust the reputation of Medicine King Valley."

An Yi said, "Don't worry, Master Ding, Medicine King Valley will definitely handle this properly!"

Ding Yue said, "We're too late for the Zhang family. The Chen family's business is already over. Now only the Liu family of Wei County in Zhongwei Prefecture remains. Young Master An, why don't we go together? If the Four Extremes Palace makes a move, we'll have someone to help us!"

"Okay," An Yi said, "Let's go to the county government to report the case first, and then head to Zhongwei County immediately."

After saying that, An Yi looked at Gu Guanqi.

Gu Guanqi nodded slightly.

immediately,

The three then left the Zhang family and headed to the county government office.

Shortly after they left the Zhang family, two masked men flew into the Zhang family's courtyard from outside.

After searching the courtyard, the two of them focused their attention on a spot on the ground where there were two faint marks, likely made by a heavy pestle.

One of them squatted down and watched for a while before saying, "Send word to the Palace Master: the Moon Pearl has not been damaged. We can proceed as planned."

The other person, as if by magic, produced a carrier pigeon from his sleeve, tied a green rope to its leg, and then released it.

Subsequently,

The two masked men quietly left.

……

After leaving Xinmi County

Gu Guanqi, An Yi, and Ding Yue then headed towards Wei County in Zhongwei Prefecture.

The three of them rode at breakneck speed, traveling almost day and night.

Fortunately, all three of them possessed profound skills. Even An Yi had recovered most of her skills over the past few days. Therefore, the three of them were only somewhat tired, but not overly exhausted.

Finally, on the evening of the third day, the three arrived in Weixian County.

The Liu family was considered a prominent family in Wei County, and it was easy to find out their exact location with a little inquiry.

The Liu family's residence was a small manor, but it was quite impressive for this small county town.

The three dismounted, and Ding Yue stepped forward and knocked on the door.

A moment later, the courtyard gate creaked open, and a gatekeeper poked his head out. He glanced at the three people and, seeing that although they were all travel-worn, they possessed an extraordinary air about them, he dared not be negligent and quickly cupped his hands in greeting, asking, "Whom are you looking for?"

Ding Yue said, "Go and announce that An Yi, the young master of Medicine King Valley, Ding Yue of Thunderbolt Sword, and Gu Guanqi, the Sword Immortal, have come to visit the head of the Liu family."

The gatekeeper seemed to be unfamiliar with matters of the martial world and hadn't heard of the group, but seeing Ding Yue's imposing demeanor, he immediately said, "Please wait a moment, gentlemen, I'll go and inform them!"

After saying that, he turned around and ran quickly inside.

Before long, the courtyard gate opened wide, and a group of people quickly came out to greet them.

Leading the way was a middle-aged man in his fifties, looking flustered and apprehensive. He rushed out, taking three steps at a time, and bowed from afar, saying, "Young Master An, Hero Ding, and Sword Immortal Gu, your presence is an honor! We are deeply sorry for not welcoming you properly. The Liu family has been very negligent; please forgive us!"

This man was none other than Liu Yanchang, the head of the Liu family.

Following him on the left was a woman in her forties, with a dignified appearance and gentle features.

On the right is a young woman who looks about eighteen or nineteen years old. She is slender and tall, wearing a light pink dress. She has a graceful figure, a beautiful face, and fair skin.

Behind him were several middle-aged men, presumably stewards or similar figures from the Liu family, all of whom looked extremely apprehensive.

An Yi stepped forward, cupped her hands, and said, "Patriarch Liu, I apologize for disturbing you."

Liu Yanchang quickly waved his hand and said with a smile, "Young Master An, you are too kind. Your presence at my Liu family is an honor! Please come in, please come in!"

As he spoke, he introduced the woman beside him, saying, "This is my wife, Li," and then introduced the young woman, saying, "This is my daughter, Liu Qingqing."

Madam Liu quickly bowed and said, "Greetings, Master Ding, Young Master An, and Master Gu!"

Liu Qingqing quickly followed suit and bowed, her beautiful eyes quietly falling on Gu Guanqi, her cheeks slightly flushed. Then, she quickly lowered her eyes, not daring to look any longer.

Then, Liu Yanchang stepped aside to lead the way, his face beaming with smiles: "Please come in, everyone, let's talk inside!"

The group walked through the front yard, around the screen wall, and arrived at the main hall.

After the guests and hosts took their seats, the maidservant brought tea and then withdrew.

Liu Yanchang seemed somewhat uneasy and hesitated for a while before finally asking, "May I ask what brings you gentlemen here today?"

An Yi cut to the chase: "Patriarch Liu, to be honest, we have come here for the Bright Moon Pearl."

Liu Yanchang's expression changed slightly, but he didn't dare to evade the question in front of An Yi and the others, and asked, "Young Valley Master An, is Medicine King Valley going to take back the Bright Moon Pearl?"

"It's not that Medicine King Valley wants to take it back."

An Yi sighed and then recounted how the Chen family's ancestral land was massacred by assassins from the Four Extremes Hall, the Zhang family was wiped out, and the Ou family was attacked.

Upon hearing this, Liu Yanchang's face turned deathly pale, cold sweat poured down his forehead, his lips trembled, and his voice shook slightly: "Young Master An, is everything you said true?"

An Yi nodded slightly and said, "Patriarch Liu should know what's hidden inside the Bright Moon Pearl. And the Southern Palace Master of the Four Extremes Palace, Zhu Que, cultivates poison arts. If he knows about such a powerful poison art, do you think he might covet it?"

Liu Yanchang, pale-faced, hurriedly said, "Young Master An, please wait a moment, I'll be right back!"

After saying that, he turned and walked towards the back hall, his steps hurried, almost running away.

Madam Liu's face was also pale, her hands tightly clutching her handkerchief. Liu Qingqing was even more frightened, her face turning deathly pale, her beautiful eyes filled with terror, and she subconsciously moved closer to her mother.

The hall fell silent for a moment.

A short while later, Liu Yanchang strode out from the back room, holding a sandalwood box in his hands, the same size as the one in the Chen family, with identical patterns.

He placed the box on the table, pushed it in front of An Yi, and said, "Young Master An, this Bright Moon Pearl is now entrusted to you. I hope you can spread the word that this item is no longer in my Liu family."

An Yi nodded and said, "That's natural. The Four Extremes Palace's goal is the Bright Moon Pearl. As long as this thing is no longer with the Liu family, they naturally won't bother the Liu family anymore."

"Okay, okay!"

Liu Yanchang quickly bowed and said, "Thank you all for your hard work in coming to save my Liu family. Please accept my bow!"

"Please don't be so polite, Patriarch Liu," An Yi said. "It's just that it's getting late, and we're afraid we'll have to stay at the Liu family's residence for a while longer!"

"It is an honor for the Liu family that you gentlemen have come to the Liu family," Liu Yanchang said. "I have already sent someone to prepare a small feast; please come and join us!"

Gu Guanqi and the other two did not stand on ceremony.

They had intended to stay at the Liu family's house for a day or two longer, so naturally they wouldn't refuse the banquet.

He immediately followed Liu Yanchang and left.

The banquet was held in the flower hall next to the main hall. It was not large, but it was elegantly decorated. A round mahogany table was placed in the center, and it was already full of various dishes, steaming hot and fragrant.

Liu Yanchang sat in the main seat, with his wife beside him, and Liu Qingqing next to her mother. An Yi, Gu Guanqi, and Ding Yue sat in the guest seats, accompanied by several stewards from the Liu family, making for a lively atmosphere.

As the head of a prominent family, Liu Yanchang was naturally a talkative person. He chatted about everything from the local customs of Yunzhou to anecdotes of the martial arts world, from the new policies of the imperial court to the martial arts tournament. He would raise his glass to toast from time to time, and the atmosphere was quite harmonious.

Gu Guanqi doesn't like drinking alcohol, so he only had a few cups of tea and mainly ate.

However, as he ate, he noticed that Miss Liu Qingqing was always secretly looking at him. But every time he looked at her, she would look away and pretend nothing was wrong.

However, Gu Guanqi possessed profound inner strength and was naturally able to sense that Liu Qingqing was frequently peeking at him.

The meal lasted for more than half an hour before they finally parted ways.

Gu Guanqi said he was a little tired and wanted to rest, so Liu Yanchang quickly got up and invited the others to move over.

Gu Guanqi and the other two immediately stood up.

Liu Qingqing's gaze fell on Gu Guanqi, her beautiful eyes seemingly holding a thousand words, yet remaining silent.

Gu Guanqi noticed Liu Qingqing's gaze and turned around to look.

Liu Qingqing's cheeks flushed slightly, and she quickly lowered her eyes, pretending to pour tea, but she couldn't even hold the cup properly.

Subsequently,

Gu Guanqi, An Yi, and Ding Yue followed Liu Yanchang to the backyard.

There are seven or eight small houses in the backyard, arranged in pairs.

An Yi was assigned to the house furthest inside, with Gu Guanqi next to her, while Ding Yue was in the house in front.

Ding Yue arrived at his room first, yawned, stretched, cupped his hands to Gu Guanqi and An Yi, and said in a deep voice, "After traveling for days, my old bones are almost falling apart. I'm going to sleep first, and you two should rest early as well."

Gu Guanqi and An Yi returned the greeting with clasped hands.

Ding Yue strode towards the west wing, pushed open the door, and closed it behind him.

Subsequently,

The maid led Gu Guanqi and An Yi inside.

The moonlight, like water, shone on the two of them, casting long shadows.

An Yi tilted her head to look at Gu Guanqi, hesitated for a moment, and asked, "Junior Brother Gu, what do you think of Miss Liu?"

Gu Guanqi was slightly taken aback and asked, "Senior Sister An, why are you suddenly asking this?"

An Yi quickly replied, "I was just asking... um, I was thinking, if the Heavenly Physician's Poison Manual can be found... um, Fu Ling might be able to come out of the Four Symbols Cave soon, and who knows, you two might be able to rekindle your romance!"

Gu Guanqi smiled slightly and said, "To be honest, Senior Sister An, can I go into the Four Symbols Cave? I don't mean anything by it, I just thought that if possible, I would like to go and see Fuling when I come to Medicine King Valley."

An Yi asked, "Junior Brother Gu, are you still thinking about Fu Ling?"

"Mm." Gu Guanqi nodded.

Xue Fuling was very special to Gu Guanqi; she was the first girl he truly wanted to marry.

Although it later turned out that his attraction was not valuable.

Upon hearing Gu Guanqi's reply, An Yi lowered her head slightly, pondered for a moment, and said, "It's not in vain that Fuling has been so concerned about you. However, the Four Symbols Cave is a forbidden area of ​​Medicine King Valley, and generally speaking, non-Medicine King Valley disciples are not allowed to enter."

"Normal?" Gu Guanqi raised an eyebrow and said, "So there are unusual situations, right?"

An Yi nodded slightly and said, "Many people who are not disciples of Medicine King Valley have entered before. As long as the elders of the valley allow it, they can enter. However, the conditions set by the elders are usually quite harsh and difficult to meet."

"Then I'll have to ask around when the time comes," Gu Guanqi said.

"it is good."

An Yi lowered her head and said, "I'll pass on the message for you later."

At this moment, Gu Guanqi arrived at the house where he was resting and cupped his hands in greeting, saying, "Senior Sister An, I'm going to rest now."

"Alright, junior brother, get some rest."

An Yi watched Gu Guanqi enter the house, feeling slightly disappointed, and then quickly walked towards the back room.

Just as I arrived at the door,

An Yi suddenly asked the maid, "Is there a place to bathe here?"

She had been traveling for days, covered in dust and grime, and her body was sticky and sticky. She had stayed at inns all along the way, so it was really inconvenient to take a bath.

The maidservant quickly replied, "Yes, yes, there is a bath tub in this room. I will go and arrange for someone to boil water."

"Thank you very much," An Yi said.

The maidservant quickly turned around and left.

Before long, seven or eight maids filed in, each carrying a wooden bucket filled with steaming hot water.

They moved swiftly, pouring hot water into the bathtubs behind the screen, while others brought flower petals and perfumes, sprinkling them into the water.

In an instant, the room was filled with mist and the fragrance of flowers.

Two maids stayed behind. One of them, a girl who looked about fifteen or sixteen, walked up to An Yi, bowed, and said, "Young Master An, my name is Xiao Cui. I'm here to help you with your bath."

An Yi was slightly taken aback, then waved her hand and said, "No need, I can do it myself."

The young maidservant looked troubled and whispered, "Young Master An, this is Madam's order. Madam said you've come from afar and must be tired from your journey, and instructed us to serve you well. If we fail to serve you properly, Madam will surely punish us..."

As she spoke, her eyes reddened slightly.

An Yi looked at her, remained silent for a moment, sighed helplessly, and said, "Fine, then stay."

Xiao Cui immediately beamed and nodded repeatedly, "Thank you so much, Young Master An!" She then turned to another maid and said, "Xiao Lan, could you get me a handkerchief..."

The maid named Xiaolan quickly responded.

An Yi walked behind the screen and slowly unbuttoned her clothes.

Her clothes slipped off her shoulders, revealing a patch of fair skin. She had a wonderful figure, with a slender waist, full breasts, and exquisite curves, which were faintly visible in the misty air.

She quickly removed the rest of her clothes and stepped into the bathtub. The warm water washed over her body, enveloping her completely. She let out a long sigh of relief; the fatigue from days of travel seemed to dissipate in that instant.

Xiao Cui and Xiao Lan, one on each side, gently wiped her shoulders and back with handkerchiefs.

An Yi leaned against the edge of the bathtub, her gaze suddenly falling on the scabbed wound on her chest. Instantly, the image of Gu Guanqi touching her chest and healing her wound in the carriage that day flashed into her mind.

Her cheeks flushed instantly.

"Young Master An, are you feeling unwell?" Xiao Cui asked quickly when she noticed her unusual expression.

"It's nothing," An Yi shook her head, her tone flat. "I'm just a little tired."

Xiao Cui said "Oh" and didn't ask any more questions, continuing to wipe her.

The air was thick with the aroma of steam and the fragrance of flowers, but An Yi's thoughts just wouldn't calm down.

……

the other side,

Gu Guanqi also took a shower.

However, he kept it simple. There was a large water vat in the room, so he used buckets to scoop out several buckets of water, then used his internal energy to dry his body before going to sleep.

However, upon entering the bedroom,

He then realized that there were no blankets or quilts on the bed.

He immediately got dressed and prepared to go out to find someone to get two quilts.

Just then, he suddenly heard very light footsteps coming from outside, heading straight for his room.

Immediately afterwards, a soft, gentle voice sounded from outside the door: "Young Master Gu, are you resting?"

It was Liu Qingqing's voice.

Gu Guanqi paused slightly, then said, "Not yet, Miss Liu, is there something you need?"

"I've brought you some bedding," Liu Qingqing said. "A servant just told me they made a mistake and forgot to change your bedding."

Gu Guanqi walked over and opened the door.

Moonlight streamed in from outside, illuminating the blue brick floor in front of the doorway. Liu Qingqing stood in the doorway, the moonlight pouring down behind her, outlining her figure as a long, hazy silhouette.

She was wearing only a thin, moon-white nightgown, the fabric as light as a cicada's wing, almost translucent in the moonlight, vaguely revealing what lay beneath.

The neckline of the nightgown was very low, revealing a section of her fair collarbone and a large expanse of pale skin on her chest. A thin ribbon was tied around her waist, making her slender waist appear even more delicate and accentuating her full and firm breasts.

Her long hair was loose, cascading down her shoulders and back like a waterfall. It was jet black and shiny, which made her face look even whiter. Her eyes and brows held a touch of girlish shyness and charm.

She was carrying two quilts in her arms. The quilts were made of bright red brocade, and they were even embroidered with a pattern of mandarin ducks playing in the water, which shimmered softly in the moonlight.

Gu Guanqi's gaze lingered on her for a moment before shifting away. He held out his hand and said, "Thank you, Miss Liu. Here, give it to me!"

Liu Qingqing lowered her head slightly, a faint blush on her cheeks, her voice as soft as a wisp of smoke: "Master Gu, let me help you make the bed. You're a grown man, how would you know how to do these things!"

With that, she went straight inside.

Seeing this, Gu Guanqi said, "Then I'll have to trouble you."

"Young Master Gu, you're too kind."

Liu Qingqing walked very lightly and gently, the hem of her nightgown trailing on the ground, swaying softly with her steps.

She walked to the bedside, placed the bedding on it, and then bent down to start making the bed.

The moment she bent over, the neckline of her nightgown drooped loosely, revealing a large expanse of fair skin and a deep cleavage. Her full curves were faintly visible in the moonlight, trembling slightly with her movements like a pair of startled white rabbits.

Gu Guanqi quickly looked away.

However, Liu Qingqing laid it out very slowly and carefully, smoothing out every corner and every wrinkle. Her movements were very gentle, and her waist and hips swayed slightly with her movements.

Gu Guanqi believed in not looking at what was improper, so he looked towards the door.

After a while, Liu Qingqing's voice came through: "It's done."

Gu Guanqi turned his head.

But he found Liu Qingqing sitting on his bed, her shoes off, her toes white as jade, painted with light red nail polish, and the neckline of her nightgown lowered, her fair skin appearing and disappearing in the moonlight.

Gu Guanqi sensed something was wrong and asked, "Miss Liu, what's going on?"

"Young Master Gu," Liu Qingqing's voice was soft, almost a whisper. She stretched out one leg, lifting her skirt to reveal her long, slender, white leg. Her eyes were fixed on Gu Guanqi, her gaze both bold and shy. She said, "Young Master Gu, I was instantly captivated by you today. I have never seen such a handsome and dashing gentleman. I only beg your mercy; I am willing to serve you for life, as your servant!"