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

Shen Qingqiu gritted her teeth, planted her twin swords on the ground, and stood up for support. However, as soon as she stood up, a sharp whistling sound came from above.

A dark figure leaped down from the rooftop, a ghost-headed broadsword carrying a sharp gust of wind as it slashed down, the blade flashing like a bolt of lightning, drawing a dazzling arc in the sunlight.

Shen Qingqiu didn't have time to think. He crossed his two swords above his head and forcefully blocked the attack.

"when--"

The deafening clang of metal clashing echoed through the alley, sparks flying everywhere.

The blow was powerful and heavy. Shen Qingqiu was already seriously injured and his internal energy was scattered. He felt an overwhelming force pressing down on him. His arms went limp and he was sent flying.

The masked man landed, the copper rings on his ghost-head knife jingling. He took a step forward and flew out, the tip of his knife pointing at Shen Qingqiu.

Shen Qingqiu was still flying backwards, a sense of despair welling up in his heart.

The moment her body hit the ground was the moment the demon-headed broadsword pierced her heart.

however,

At this moment,

Shen Qingqiu suddenly felt a force on her waist, which pulled her back quickly.

She tilted her head slightly.

I saw a familiar face; it was none other than Gu Guanqi.

Gu Guanqi put one arm around Shen Qingqiu's waist and held a wooden stick he had picked up from the ground in the other hand.

Without stopping, he pulled Shen Qingqiu back several steps until they reached a slightly wider part of the alley. He twirled the wooden stick in his hand, the tip pointing at the masked man. Though it was an ordinary bamboo stick, in his hand it resembled a drawn sword.

"Bang!"

The wooden stick was inserted horizontally from the side, hitting the side of the ghost-head knife precisely.

The strike wasn't heavy, but it was executed with great skill, hitting precisely at the turning point where the blade's momentum was about to end.

The masked man felt a jolt in his blade, which was deflected by the blow. The blade grazed Shen Qingqiu's shoulder and sliced ​​off a piece of clothing, but sparks flew out on the blue bricks.

"A master!"

The masked man sheathed his sword and stood still, not in a hurry to attack again.

He glanced at the bamboo stick in Gu Guanqi's hand, then at the hand that was around Shen Qingqiu, a hint of hesitation flashing in his eyes.

As the saying goes, a master's skill is immediately apparent. He was a martial arts expert and naturally understood the brilliance of Gu Guanqi's strike. Anyone who could execute such a move was undoubtedly a master.

However, given that Shen Qingqiu's current combat strength is unknown, coupled with an unknown expert, he dared not act rashly.

At this time,

Gu Guanqi turned his head to look at Shen Qingqiu.

Shen Qingqiu's face was as pale as paper, and his lips had lost all color, but his eyes remained bright.

"Commander Shen, are you alright?" Gu Guanqi asked.

Shen Qingqiu took a breath and said, "I can still hold on."

Then, she saw Gu Guanqi's hand still around her waist, and felt shy, shifting slightly.

Gu Guanqi's hand touched her again, but he wasn't trying to take advantage of her. Instead, he was transferring some of his internal energy to help stabilize Shen Qingqiu's injuries.

Shen Qingqiu gripped the knife tightly and said in a low voice, "Doctor Gu, there are quite a few experts chasing me. I think it's best if you don't get involved!"

Gu Guanqi remained silent.

At this moment, the masked man spoke up, "You don't seem to be one of the Six Doors, so why get involved in this mess? If you leave now, we can keep to ourselves. But if you insist on meddling, the consequences could be severe."

Gu Guanqi smiled slightly and said, "If you didn't see it, you didn't see it. If you did see it, you'd feel guilty if you didn't do something about it."

After saying that, Gu Guanqi said to Shen Qingqiu, "Lend me a knife."

Shen Qingqiu immediately handed a knife to Gu Guanqi, but her eyes were full of worry, because she knew that Gu Guanqi was skilled with a sword.

Gu Guanqi saw Shen Qingqiu's worry and said calmly, "Don't worry, to me, there is no difference between a knife and a sword; grass, trees, bamboo, and stones can all be swords."

Gu Guanqi took the knife, his fingers gently gripping the hilt, feeling its weight and curve. The blade wasn't long, just over two feet, its edge gleaming white, radiating a chilling light—it was a fine knife!

this moment,

Shen Qingqiu suddenly felt that Gu Guanqi seemed to have changed.

The gentle young doctor from before had vanished, replaced by an indescribable sharpness, like a sword being slowly drawn from its sheath, revealing a sliver of cold, sharp light.

"What a wonderful saying: 'Everything, from grass and trees to bamboo and rocks, can be a sword.'"

A sound came from the roof, eerie and sinister, like a snake slithering through the grass.

Gu Guanqi looked up and saw a person standing on the eaves of the houses on both sides of the alley. The person on the left was tall and thin, holding an iron spear in his hand, the tassel of which fluttered slightly in the wind; the person on the right was short and stocky, with a black iron whip wrapped around his waist. The whip was divided into nine sections, each of which was cast with barbs.

The two leaped down, forming a triangle with the masked man wielding the knife, surrounding Gu Guanqi and Shen Qingqiu in the middle.

now,

The masked man with the knife breathed a slight sigh of relief. He couldn't gauge Gu Guanqi's strength. Facing the unknown Gu Guanqi alone, plus Shen Qingqiu who was rapidly recuperating, he wasn't confident.

Seeing his two companions arrive, the pressure in his heart immediately dissipated.

at this time,

Gu Guanqi withdrew his hand and stopped transferring internal energy to Shen Qingqiu.

Shen Qingqiu's gaze swept over the three men's figures and weapons, her expression growing increasingly grave. She lowered her voice and said to Gu Guanqi, "Be careful, these three are not ordinary江湖 (jianghu) thieves."

She took a deep breath and said, "The one wielding the knife has a fierce and powerful swordsmanship, following the 'Eight Blades of Breaking the Edge' style. If I'm not mistaken, it should be Qi Kun, the 'Soul-Severing Blade.' This man was originally a notorious lone bandit in the Fengshuo County area. He fled into Qingyang County three years ago and disappeared without a trace. I didn't expect him to appear here."

She paused, then turned her gaze to the tall, thin man holding the gun: "The one wielding the gun, his spear technique is ruthless and unorthodox; he must be Xu Han, the 'Snake Spear.' This man was originally a bandit from the northern lands, and his 'Spirit Snake Spear Technique' is incredibly skilled, specializing in stabbing vital organs such as the throat and heart. Many renowned masters have died by his spear."

"As for the one wielding the nine-section whip," Shen Qingqiu's gaze fell on the short, stocky man, his tone growing increasingly heavy, "this man should be 'Iron Whip' Zhou Tong. He was originally a traitor to the Iron Whip Sect, expelled for murdering his fellow disciples, and later joined the outlaws. His nine-section whip combines strength and flexibility, suitable for both long-range attacks and close-quarters defense. These three are all top-tier masters who have been renowned for many years; they will not be easy to deal with."

The masked man with the knife laughed loudly and said, "As expected of the famous Crimson Serpent Divine Constable, you saw through our identities so quickly. There's no need to hide it any longer."

The masked man with the knife removed his mask, revealing himself to be Qi Kun, the Soul-Severing Blade.

The other two removed their masks, revealing their faces, and were indeed the two Shen Qingqiu had predicted.

As a member of the Six Doors, Shen Qingqiu's main responsibility was to deal with people from the martial arts world. She could not speak for other places, but she knew all the masters in Qingyang County like the back of her hand.

Therefore,

After fighting with these people, she was able to basically determine their identities.

……

Shen Qingqiu took a deep breath, gripped the knife, and whispered, "Doctor Gu, these three are not to be underestimated. If a fight breaks out and things become unbearable, I will do my best to find a chance for you to escape..."

Before she could finish speaking, a hand landed on her shoulder.

The force wasn't heavy, but it was steady and firm, pressing her back down as she tried to step forward.

"Just stay put and leave it to me."

Gu Guanqi placed one hand on Shen Qingqiu's shoulder and then took a step forward.

Shen Qingqiu tilted her head.

Sunlight slanted down from above the alley, casting distinct light and shadow on Gu Guanqi's profile.

"His profile is so handsome!"

Shen Qingqiu suddenly felt her heart skip a beat.

Then she realized she might be going crazy; at this critical moment of life and death, how could she have such a strange idea?