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

Chapter 54: The Divine Skill of the Wedding Dress

The next day, early in the morning.

The weather was overcast with very low-hanging clouds, a sign that heavy rain was imminent.

In a small courtyard on the outskirts of Tingchao County.

After washing up, Gu Guanqi pushed open the door and walked out of the room.

The courtyard features blue bricks and gray tiles, with a clump of emerald bamboo growing in the corner. The bamboo leaves rustle in the morning breeze. A thin layer of dew condenses on the bluestone ground in the courtyard.

This place was arranged by Lu Lin, so that Gu Guanqi and Han Youniang could stay here temporarily.

As Gu Guanqi walked into the courtyard, he heard the sound of a spatula stirring coming from the direction of the kitchen.

He looked up and saw Han Youniang busy in front of the stove.

She was wearing a light blue coarse cloth dress with a light gray apron over it. The sleeves of her dress were rolled up high, revealing a section of her fair wrist. She was holding a spatula and intently stirring the dishes in the pan.

Sunlight streamed in through the small kitchen window, falling on her profile.

Her long, snow-white hair was tied up with a wooden hairpin, swaying gently with her movements. Her crimson eyes gleamed in the morning light, intently focused on the food in the pot.

The apron accentuated Han Youniang's waistline, making her already petite figure appear even more slender against the backdrop of the large stove. Coupled with her long, snow-white hair and slightly lowered eyelids, she inexplicably exuded a sense of tranquility and peace.

Gu Guanqi couldn't help but smile knowingly as he looked at it.

Han Youniang happened to look up and see Gu Guanqi. A sweet smile appeared on her face as she said, "Brother Gu, I've made some tea on the stone table. Please have some tea for a while; I'll be ready soon!"

Her voice was soft and cautious, as if she was afraid of disturbing Gu Guanqi.

Gu Guanqi nodded slightly, then sat down on the stone bench in the courtyard, took out the book "Detailed Explanation of Leftist Paths" given to him by Han Caiye, turned to the part he hadn't finished reading before, and continued to read.

Not long after,

Han Youniang then came out of the kitchen carrying a tray.

She placed the tray on the stone table in the courtyard, then arranged the bowls and plates one by one, moving very gently, afraid of making too much noise.

After arranging the items, she stood to the side, her hands folded in front of her, head bowed, quietly.

Her apron was stained with oil, and her sleeves were damp, clearly indicating she had been busy all morning. A gentle breeze blew, causing her white hair to sway slightly, shimmering with a soft silver light, which made her fair face appear even more radiant.

Gu Guanqi chuckled and said, "Sit down!"

"Um."

Han Youniang responded and slowly sat down opposite Gu Guanqi, placing her hands on her knees, but her head was still lowered, her white hair hanging down, covering most of her face.

"Let's eat!"

Gu Guanqi said something, then picked up his chopsticks and started eating without any hesitation.

For some time now, Han Youniang has been doing this: she won't touch her chopsticks until Gu Guanqi has started eating.

No matter what Gu Guanqi said, it was no use.

Therefore, Gu Guanqi didn't say much during meals and just ate.

Seeing that Gu Guanqi had started eating, Han Youniang carefully picked up her bowl, took a small bite of food, put it in her mouth, and chewed slowly with very small movements.

The two ate their meal quietly, neither of them saying a word.

The morning breeze rustled through the green bamboo in the courtyard, and the occasional bird song came from afar, adding a touch of life to the tranquil morning.

Just as the meal was almost finished,

"Tap, tap, tap."

A knock sounded at the gate.

Han Youniang quickly got up, walked briskly to the courtyard gate, and unlatched the door.

Standing outside the door were Lu Lin and two other female constables.

"Commander Lu... Commander Lu."

Han Youniang lowered her head, called out softly, and quickly stepped aside.

"Miss Han!"

Lu Lin smiled slightly, called out, and then led his men into the courtyard.

"Master Gu," Lu Lin said, bowing respectfully.

Gu Guanqi put down his bowl of porridge and returned the greeting with a cupped hand: "Commander Lu, have you eaten? Would you like to have some with us?"

"I've already eaten, Master Gu, please enjoy your meal." Lu Lin sat down on the stone bench beside him. Han Youniang had already turned and gone into the kitchen. A moment later, she came out with a teapot and poured tea for Lu Lin and the other two. She lowered her head and said softly, "Please have some tea."

Lu Lin picked up his teacup and thanked him.

Han Youniang then stepped aside and sat down, lowering her head to eat slowly without making a sound.

Gu Guanqi asked, "Commander Lu, has the matter of Tie Jinglan been resolved so quickly?"

Lu Lin took a sip of tea and chuckled, "It won't be that quick. I came here today mainly to tell you two other things."

"What is it?" Gu Guanqi asked.

Lu Lin said, "The various factions have decided that a martial arts conference will be held at Cuiyun Manor in Tingchao County in three days to determine the martial arts alliance leader. Master Gu, would you be interested in attending the event?"

Gu Guanqi was slightly taken aback: "Is it inconvenient for me to show my face right now?"

Lu Lin chuckled and said, "Actually, the government hasn't issued a warrant for your arrest yet. However, this matter has a huge impact on public opinion, so Governor Kou needs to return to Yunzhou City before he can proceed. He also needs to prepare some official documents."

At that time, the matter will be presented as follows: Governor Kou had already noticed that there was a problem inside, but he could not find it through his own investigation. Therefore, Governor Kou secretly entrusted the martial arts master Gu Guanqi to help investigate.

In the case of the Listening Tide Sword Sect, Gu Guanqi, through the fact that the Listening Tide Sword Sect colluded with the Four Extremes Hall, accurately deduced that the Chief Constable of the Six Doors, Tie Jinglan, had been replaced by an assassin from the Four Extremes Hall, and decisively killed him. Afterwards, the government tracked down the real Tie Jinglan, but it was too late; Chief Constable Tie had already been murdered.

Once Governor Kou produces the official letter, the matter will be settled. In Yunzhou, once Governor Kou has made a decision, even the Left Chancellor cannot change it, let alone with Governor Wei maneuvering on the imperial side.

Speaking of which,

Lu Lin chuckled and said, "So, strictly speaking, Master Gu, you are innocent right now. However, if you were to appear openly at the martial arts tournament, it could easily cause unnecessary turmoil. Therefore, if you are going to watch the tournament, you will have to be a little discreet."

As he spoke, he pointed to the two female constables behind him and said, "These two are masters of disguise from our Six Doors. They can help you and Miss Han disguise yourselves. I guarantee there won't be any problems."

Gu Guanqi nodded slightly and cupped his hands in thanks, saying, "Then thank you very much, Commander Lu." He then asked, "However, what brings these two gentlemen here today?"

"It's for the second thing," Lu Lin said. "There was another zombie outbreak last night, and I wanted to ask Miss Han for help, so I brought the two of them along."

Gu Guanqi asked, "Who else has been bitten?"

Lu Lin said, "No one was killed. It was a zombie outbreak at the Tingchao Sword Sect. There were six of them, and they sucked up the corpses of the Tingchao Sword Sect members you killed yesterday."

Since it was just guarding corpses, and not anything important, the Six Doors didn't leave any experts there yesterday. The zombies didn't linger after being discovered and ran away immediately, so nothing was found.

Gu Guanqi asked doubtfully, "Commander Lu, isn't the person behind those zombies from your Eastern Depot faction?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Lin was slightly taken aback and asked, "Master Gu, have you always believed that it is our Eastern Depot faction that is manipulating the zombies?"

Gu Guanqi said, "It's not that I think, but I have some doubts. The Left Prime Minister's faction has caused so much trouble for the position of leader, while your Eastern Depot faction has remained indifferent, which is a bit strange."

Lu Lin shook his head slightly and said, "Master Gu, this matter has absolutely nothing to do with our Eastern Depot faction."

He put down his teacup and continued, "As I told you yesterday, in Yunzhou, real power is mainly in the hands of Governor Kou. Secondly, it's the Left Chancellor's faction, while our Eastern Depot has very little influence in Yunzhou."

Otherwise, I wouldn't have been sidelined by Tie Jinglan.

Therefore, we never intended to meddle in the matter of becoming the leader of the Yunzhou martial arts alliance. Our main target was actually Qingzhou, but unfortunately, the Wen Qiuchi affair also ended in failure!

Gu Guanqi nodded slightly and said, "Then you don't have any clues about the person behind these zombies? Is it someone from the Left Prime Minister's faction?"

Lu Lin shook his head and said, "It shouldn't be. Judging from Tie Jinglan's desperate defense of the Tingchao Sword Sect yesterday, the Left Prime Minister's faction should have no backup plan. Otherwise, even Zhang Donglou wouldn't have personally come forward to try to quell the incident."

Gu Guanqi nodded slightly.

Lu Lin picked up his teacup and took another sip, saying, "This isn't the first time zombies have appeared. Senior Han Caiye encountered one before, and zombies also appeared at Red Leaf Manor a few days ago."

I am very worried that the Corpse Refining Sect from fifty years ago has resurfaced. This Corpse Refining Sect is extremely dangerous, and if it is not dealt with in time, the martial world may be plunged into bloodshed. However, for the time being, we have no clues. I have heard that Miss Han has received the true teachings of Senior Han Caiye and is able to track zombies, so she must also know a lot about zombies.

Last night, those zombies caused such a commotion that they likely left behind some clues we missed. Therefore, I'd like to ask Miss Han for her help in making a trip to the Listening Tide Sword Sect.

With that, Lu Lin cupped his hands in a respectful gesture to Han Youniang and asked, "I wonder if it's convenient for you, Miss Han?"

Han Youniang quickly said, "I...I'll listen to Brother Gu."

Gu Guanqi nodded and said, "Then let's go!"

"Thank you so much!"

Lu Lin quickly thanked him, and then instructed his two female constables to disguise Gu Guanqi and Han Youniang.

After a lot of fuss,

Gu Guanqi and Han Youniang both seemed like completely different people, especially Han Youniang. Her white hair was completely hidden, and her red eyes were concealed. As long as she didn't deliberately make eye contact with people, she would hardly be noticed.

After Gu Guanqi finished eating, Lu Lin led Gu Guanqi and Han Youniang to the Tingchao Sword Sect.

Not long after, Gu Guanqi and the others arrived at the Tingchao Sword Sect.

Along the way, the constables from the Six Doors and the yamen runners they encountered bowed respectfully upon seeing that Commander Lu was personally leading the way. Although their eyes swept over Gu Guanqi and Han Youniang, no one asked them a single question.

Some of the more discerning constables had already seen through Gu Guanqi and Han Youniang's disguises, but when they saw that all the masters of disguise from the Six Doors were together, they knew in their hearts that it was Lu Lin's arrangement, and they didn't say anything more.

The sky grew increasingly gloomy, the air seemed to become damp, a strong wind swept through, and a heavy rain was imminent.

Gu Guanqi walked across the square and saw the great hall that he had split in two with a single sword strike. He felt a pang of emotion. He had just wreaked havoc here yesterday and was thinking of fleeing for a while, but he never expected to be back today.

Plans really can't keep up with changes.

Soon, Lu Lin led Gu Guanqi and Han Youniang to a grand hall.

The palace doors were wide open, and inside lay dozens of corpses, their faces a pale gray.

As soon as they arrived at the entrance, they saw several constables in the main hall accompanying a young man in white as he examined the body.

The young man squatted down beside a corpse, tilting his head slightly and carefully examining the corpse's neck.

Upon seeing Lu Lin, the constables quickly clasped their hands in a salute: "Commander Lu."

Upon hearing the sound, the young master stood up and turned around.

The young master was extremely handsome, with sword-like eyebrows that slanted upwards into his temples, a high and straight nose like jade, lips as red as painted vermilion, a face as smooth as jade, and eyes as clear as water.

Her long, jet-black hair was tied up with a golden crown. She wore a moon-white brocade robe with a folding fan hanging at her waist. She had a slender figure and an elegant, graceful demeanor. Every gesture she made exuded nobility.

Gu Guanqi looked up and was slightly taken aback.

Although he has only been traveling the world for a little over a year, he has met many people, all kinds of people.

However, since he obtained the Mingyu Skill, he has not seen a single man who can rival him in appearance and temperament.

However, the young master in front of him was no less handsome or elegant than him, except that their temperaments were different. The young master had the air of transcendence from cultivation, while the young master in front of him had the air of nobility.

Lu Lin was slightly taken aback when he saw the young master, then quickly stepped forward, cupped his hands, and asked, "Young Master, what brings you here?"

The young master smiled calmly, cupped his hands, and said, "This morning, I heard that there were zombies here, and I was quite curious, so I came to see for myself and broaden my horizons. Please forgive me for disturbing you!"

"I wouldn't dare," Lu Lin asked, "Then, may I ask if Your Highness has made any discoveries?"

The young master shook his head slightly and said, "I am of limited knowledge and skills; I simply wanted to broaden my horizons." He then stepped back slightly and said, "Commander Lu, please don't worry about me; make yourself at home!"

Lu Lin nodded slightly, walked to Han Youniang's side, and lowered his voice, saying, "Miss Han, would you please take a look at these corpses and see if you can find any clues?"

Han Youniang slightly raised her head and looked at Gu Guanqi.

Gu Guanqi nodded slightly.

Han Youniang then walked towards the corpses, her steps so light they were almost inaudible. Then, at each corpse, she would squat down and perform a special technique.

The young master followed behind Han Youniang, his gaze fixed on her movements with a hint of interest in his eyes.

Gu Guanqi and Lu Lin followed behind.

Lu Lin turned his head and lowered his voice to ask Gu Guanqi, "Master Gu, do you know this person's identity?"

Gu Guanqi shook his head slightly.

Lu Lin said, "This person is no ordinary individual; he is Zhao Mingxuan, the heir of the Prince Rong of Hongzhou."

Gu Guanqi asked in confusion, "Why is the Prince Rong's heir in Yunzhou instead of staying in Hongzhou? Isn't he afraid of being impeached?"

Lu Lin said, "He came here by imperial decree, so he is naturally not afraid of being impeached. This time, the imperial court has ordered a martial arts conference to be held in all thirteen prefectures to elect a martial arts leader. To show that it is important, members of the imperial family will be arranged to present the seal of the leader at the martial arts conferences in various places."

Because of the campaign against the Listening Tide Sword Sect, the Mechanical Gate and Medicine King Valley convened a martial arts conference ahead of schedule, disrupting the imperial court's arrangements. Since Hongzhou was the closest, the Crown Prince was temporarily sent instead.

Gu Guanqi nodded slightly, but he was unfamiliar with court affairs and had never heard of Prince Rong.

Lu Lin then teased, "Does Master Gu feel any pressure?"

Gu Guanqi asked in confusion, "What kind of pressure?"

Lu Lin raised an eyebrow and said, "So there's someone who's no less attractive or less charismatic than you!"

Gu Guanqi chuckled and said, "I'm not competing in beauty."

Lu Lin chuckled and said, "I was amazed when I first met this Prince Rong a few days ago. It was the first time I had seen such an extraordinary man, and I felt that he must be one of a kind in the world."

It's just strange. Logically speaking, someone as handsome as the Prince Rong's heir should have had rumors about his good looks circulating in the martial arts world by now, but I've never heard of any.

Gu Guanqi chuckled and said, "Perhaps it's because he rarely travels outside."

"That should be it," Lu Lin nodded, then chuckled, "After meeting the Prince Rong's heir that day, I never expected that just a few days later, I would meet someone who amazes me like a god again, and that is you, Hero Gu."

I've long heard of your handsome reputation, Master Gu, but I never imagined you could rival the Prince Rong's son. Your bearing and appearance are truly comparable. If this Prince Rong's son were to roam the martial world, there would likely be another martial artist following your path of romance.

Gu Guanqi said helplessly, "Commander Lu, I truly cultivate the Path of Passion."

"I believe you." Lu Lin nodded and said, "The Path of Passion is a fundamental principle in the martial world; it doesn't consider one's physical attributes, only one's appearance."

Gu Guanqi: "..."

at this time,

Han Youniang suddenly stopped.

Gu Guanqi stepped forward and asked in a low voice, "What's wrong? Did you find something?"

Han Youniang whispered, "Brother Gu, I think I sensed some corpse energy just now. It was very faint, but it was definitely there."

Gu Guanqi raised an eyebrow: "Where?"

Han Youniang stood up, looked towards the direction outside the hall, raised her hand and pointed to the back mountain, her voice still very soft: "Over there, it's probably about two miles away."

Upon hearing this, Lu Lin quickly said, "Let's go take a look!"

Zhao Mingxuan closed his folding fan, cupped his hands, and asked, "Gentlemen, may I accompany you?"

Lu Lin nodded slightly and said, "If the young master wants to go, then of course he may."

Immediately,

Lu Lin, Zhao Mingxuan, Gu Guanqi, Han Youniang, and a group of constables quickly headed towards the back mountain.

Han Youniang's distance estimation was very accurate. The group quickly walked for about two miles and arrived at a pile of rubble.

Han Youniang pointed to the pile of rocks and said, "It's right under these rocks."

Lu Lin immediately said, "There are signs of recent disturbance; it seems someone moved these stones briefly." Then, he waved and said, "Move them!"

Immediately,

The constables then stepped forward to move the stones.

After the stones were moved, seven corpses were found underneath.

They were all distorted in shape, with skin that was an eerie purple, dry and wrinkled, clinging tightly to the skeleton, unlike ordinary corpses.

Han Youniang squatted down, examined them carefully, then looked up, pointed at the corpses, and said to Gu Guanqi, "Brother Gu, these six are zombies. But it's strange, they have no corpse aura left, absolutely none, as if they've been drained dry by something."

After saying that, Han Youniang pointed to another corpse dressed in a Taoist robe. It was the corpse of an old man, wearing a yellow Taoist robe, with white hair and beard, but his face was distorted and his skin was withered.

"This is a human corpse, currently undergoing zombification. The corpse energy I sensed is coming from it," Han Youniang said softly. "But it's also strange that it has no blood left. Logically, it should have been drained by a zombie, so it shouldn't have become a zombie. Yet it's undergoing zombification. There's only one possible explanation for this."

Lu Lin quickly asked, "What's going on?"

Han Youniang whispered, "Grandma told me before that the Zombie Technique is actually divided into Corpse Scroll and Human Scroll. The Corpse Scroll is for refining corpses, making the puppet zombies invulnerable to swords and spears and incredibly strong, while the Human Scroll is for cultivating special true energy, specifically used to control zombies."

Therefore, the Corpse Refining Sect's strength actually lies in its zombies; the members themselves aren't strong. Their strength lies in their ability to control zombies in battle. However, precisely because they control zombies for so long, their own internal energy becomes constantly tainted with corpse energy. After death, the internal energy in a person's dantian may transform into corpse energy, leading to zombie transformation.

Lu Lin's pupils contracted, and he said, "So, this person might be a remnant of the Corpse Refining Sect who was controlling the zombies behind the scenes. But how did he die here? It seems he was drained of his blood."

As he spoke, Lu Lin raised an eyebrow and said, "Is it being backfired on by the zombies it raised?"

Han Youniang nodded slightly and said, "It should be. Zombie Kung Fu is a very peculiar martial art. It requires using mindless corpses to make puppets. As the level of the zombie increases, it will gradually develop consciousness. The higher the level, the clearer the consciousness."

However, generally speaking, it's unlikely to suffer a backlash, because the true energy of a corpse refiner is specifically used to control zombies, and as the zombie's level increases, corresponding control tools are prepared accordingly.

Lu Lin said, "Could it be that he drank too much blood from the Listening Tide Sword Sect disciples last night, causing his breakthrough to go out of control?"

Han Youniang nodded slightly and said, "Perhaps, but what's strange now is where did the corpse energy of the other six zombies go?"

At this moment, Zhao Mingxuan, who had been squatting on the ground examining the corpse, suddenly looked up and asked, "Young lady, can zombies absorb each other's bounty?"

Han Youniang shook her head slightly and said, "Generally, it's not possible, unless they are zombies born from nature. Those zombies are formed by absorbing corpse energy, so they can naturally absorb other zombies. But... the unreasonable thing is that these zombies don't seem to have any wounds."

Zhao Mingxuan stood up and said, "Not only did those zombies have no wounds," he pointed to the corpse in the Taoist robe and continued, "I just checked, and this corpse also has no wounds. Do zombies need to bite open wounds to suck blood?"

"Yes," Han Youniang said, "Although zombies are humanoid, they do not have the eight extraordinary meridians. They can only absorb blood directly into the body through their teeth and then refine the blood into corpse energy."

Zhao Mingxuan stood up and said, "Then, this person might not have been sucked blood by a zombie. As far as I know, there are many evil arts in the martial arts world that can suck blood from a distance. For example, the Blood Cauldron Scripture uses the human body as a cauldron to directly refine it into blood pills. Another example is the Blood-Sucking Divine Art, which can suck blood from the human body from a distance without leaving any wounds."

Lu Lin said, "In other words, there is now a powerful zombie born from nature, and an evil cultivator who practices the Blood Cauldron True Scripture or the Blood-Sucking Divine Art!"

After saying that, Lu Lin took a deep breath and said, "This gives us another direction for the investigation. It's about to rain, so let's take these bodies back and examine them carefully!"

Han Youniang pointed to the Taoist's corpse and said, "Commander Lu, this corpse is turning into a zombie; it would be better to cremate it as soon as possible!"

Lu Lin nodded and immediately ordered the constables to carry the body.

They had only been gone a short while when

Then a torrential downpour began.

Large raindrops pounded on the ground, splashing and bursting into tiny sprays. The trees on both sides of the mountain road were battered by the wind and rain, their branches rustling and whistling.

The group quickened their pace, and fortunately there was a courtyard halfway up the mountain.

The group rushed inside.

Lu Lin, Gu Guanqi, Han Youniang, and Zhao Mingxuan entered the main hall.

Several other constables were carrying the body they had brought back from the back mountain to the side room.

In the main hall,

The four of them each found a chair and sat down.

As soon as Gu Guanqi sat down, he circulated the One Yang Finger True Qi within his body, and wisps of white mist rose from his soaked robes.

In just a short while, his robes were completely dry, and even the water droplets on his hair had evaporated.

He then looked at Han Youniang beside him.

Han Youniang was huddled in the corner of the chair, hugging her arms. Her clothes were soaked through, and her light blue coarse cloth dress had turned dark blue, clinging tightly to her body and outlining her slender waist and thin shoulders.

Some of the previously hidden gray hairs had fallen down, and water droplets dripped down the ends of the hair.

Gu Guanqi reached out and put his hand on Han Youniang's shoulder.

Pure Yang energy flowed from his palm, warm and gentle, spreading along Han Youniang's shoulder. The energy was as gentle as the warm spring sun, unhurried and gradually evaporating the moisture from her clothes.

Han Youniang felt a warm current surge from her shoulder throughout her body, and the damp and cold feeling disappeared wherever the warm current passed.

"Brother Gu... thank you," Han Youniang whispered.

Gu Guanqi withdrew his hand, nodded slightly, and said nothing more.

At the same time, Zhao Mingxuan was sitting opposite Gu Guanqi and Han Youniang, patting the water stains off his brocade robe.

His movements were very composed, and even though he was soaked by the rain and looked a bit disheveled, he still maintained his innate nobility.

As he was patting, his hand suddenly stopped.

His gaze fell on Gu Guanqi's face, then shifted to Han Youniang, his brows furrowing slightly, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes.

"Brother," Zhao Mingxuan began, his tone hesitant, "your face... and this young lady's face..."

Gu Guanqi was slightly taken aback and looked at Han Youniang.

He immediately understood—

He had just been caught in the rain, and the human skin mask on his face was soaked through. Afterwards, he used his internal energy to dry his clothes, and the energy permeated his entire body, naturally drying the mask as well. However, after being soaked in water, even after drying, the mask no longer lay flat as before; the edges curled up slightly, and the wrinkles were obvious, making it look extremely strange.

The same applies to Han Youniang.

Immediately, Zhao Mingxuan cupped his hands in a respectful gesture and asked in a gentle tone, "Should I excuse myself?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Lin chuckled and waved his hand casually, saying, "The young master is well aware of their identities, so there's no need for him to avoid them."

Gu Guanqi raised an eyebrow slightly and looked at Lu Lin.

Lu Lin noticed Gu Guanqi's confusion and explained, "Master Gu, you may not know this, but Governor Kou is the young master's uncle. Yesterday, he informed the young master that you were ordered to assist the prefectural government in investigating the case. The young master is one of our own, so Master Gu need not worry."

Gu Guanqi nodded slightly.

Kou Huaizhi was originally in charge of convening the martial arts conference, but he returned to Yunzhou City due to the murder of Tie Jinglan. Moreover, he did not allow the government to issue arrest warrants, so he naturally had to give Zhao Mingxuan, a member of the royal family, a reasonable explanation.

Whether Kou Huaizhi was telling the truth or, as Lu Lin said, using a plausible excuse, it didn't matter.

At this moment, Zhao Mingxuan smiled slightly, twirled his folding fan in his hand, and cupped his hands to Gu Guanqi, saying, "Brother Gu, since I came to Yunzhou, I have often heard of the name of the Sword Immortal. Yesterday, my uncle mentioned your demeanor, describing it as unparalleled. I admire you greatly. Now, to see you in person, I can only look at a fake face, which is truly a pity."

He paused, his gaze settling on Gu Guanqi's face, his tone carrying a sincere earnestness: "I wonder if I might have the honor of seeing Brother Gu's true face? If we could become friends, we wouldn't be strangers if we met again!"

Gu Guanqi smiled slightly.

Since Zhao Mingxuan knew his identity, and he was indeed uncomfortable wearing the wrinkled mask, he said, "It is my honor that Your Highness would deign to make friends with me. I will certainly show you my true face!"

After saying that, Gu Guanqi raised his hand, his fingertips gently groping behind his ear to find the edge of the mask, and then slowly lifted it off.

The human skin mask peeled off the cheek.

Zhao Mingxuan immediately saw a young face.

A handsome, refined face was revealed, with a delicate and elegant appearance, skin as smooth and lustrous as jade, long eyebrows that stretched out like distant mountains shrouded in mist, and a pair of phoenix eyes as clear as water, their gaze possessing an ethereal quality like clouds emerging from a mountain peak. His features were devoid of any worldly harshness, exuding a refined and elegant demeanor.

Zhao Mingxuan's gaze froze, and he forgot to speak, his heart inexplicably trembling slightly. Although he had heard of Gu Guanqi's reputation, and yesterday his uncle Kou Huaizhi even commented that Gu Guanqi's demeanor was superior to his own, he felt quite unconvinced. That was why he had shamelessly asked Gu Guanqi to show his true face.

Unexpectedly, it possessed such a remarkable and elegant demeanor.

Zhao Mingxuan's gaze fell on Gu Guanqi's face, and in that instant, his eyes became intense. He couldn't help but ask, "I've heard that Brother Gu is still unmarried?"

That was a sudden question.

Gu Guanqi was slightly taken aback and subconsciously glanced at Zhao Mingxuan. Zhao Mingxuan's gaze was fixed on him, filled with eagerness.

Gu Guanqi felt a pang of guilt and quickly leaned back, cupping his hands in greeting, "Your Highness, I have no homosexual inclinations."

That's a blunt statement, even somewhat impolite.

But Gu Guanqi had no choice but to say it. The way Zhao Mingxuan looked at him made him feel uncomfortable.

Zhao Mingxuan was slightly taken aback, then smiled broadly.

That smile was truly beautiful.

His sword-like eyebrows were relaxed, and his eyes sparkled.

Although he was a man, his smile was more captivating than that of many women.

"Brother Gu, you misunderstand." Zhao Mingxuan closed his folding fan, cupped his hands, and said with a hint of apology and a suppressed chuckle in his voice, "I have no homosexual inclinations. The reason I asked earlier was because I have a younger sister."

He tucked the folding fan back into his waistband, put his hands behind his back, and tilted his head slightly back, as if recalling something beautiful.

"My younger sister's name is Ling Yuan. She is twenty years old and still unmarried. She has been exceptionally intelligent since childhood and is proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, and prose. Ordinary men cannot catch her eye. Her elders have introduced her to many talented young men, but she has not liked any of them. She said that she would rather remain unmarried for life than settle for less."

At this point, Zhao Mingxuan's gaze fell on Gu Guanqi again, and he smiled slightly: "Now that I see Brother Gu, I feel that with Brother Gu's unparalleled charm, my little sister might be moved if she saw him."

That's why I asked that question earlier. I hope you'll forgive my impertinence, Brother Gu. I have absolutely no homosexual inclinations!

Gu Guanqi breathed a slight sigh of relief and was about to speak when a familiar electronic voice suddenly rang in his mind—

[Player has started the matchmaking event]

[Blind date potential partner detected - Ling Yuan]

Rating – Four Stars

[Blind Date Reward: Max Level "Wedding Dress Divine Skill"]

The matchmaking event has begun. Players are encouraged to complete it. Rewards will be distributed after the event concludes.

……

Gu Guanqi was slightly taken aback.

The system requires two things to determine the suitability of a matchmaking event: first, the other party must be of the opposite sex; second, the other party must personally approve of the matchmaking event.

Therefore,

If Zhao Mingxuan in front of you is arranging a blind date for his sister Zhao Lingyuan, then the system will not be able to detect the blind date activity.

This confirms it.

The Zhao Mingxuan in front of you is Zhao Lingyuan.

"So it was a woman disguised as a man!"

……

Zhao Lingyuan's rating is very high, at four stars.

She must be a member of the royal family; her status as the daughter of a prince carries significant weight.

This reward really appealed to Gu Guanqi.

The Divine Skill of the Wedding Dress.

It is a divine skill that can rival the Mingyu Skill. The Mingyu Skill is extremely yin and cold, while the Wedding Dress Divine Skill is extremely yang and strong.

After reaching perfection, one can completely control and release one's power. There will never be a trace of leakage unless it is used. The power has become one with oneself, and no external force can shake it.

Once internal energy is activated, a strange power is generated. The fierce true energy, like a flame, makes others feel as if they have been struck by lightning. A mysterious and powerful energy will form in the body, making the body as strong as Vajra, Unbreakable King, or Tathagata Protector.

This martial art,

For Gu Guanqi at this time, it was just the right time.

Previously, when he obtained the One-Finger Divine Skill,

He had noticed that the Mingyu True Qi in his body was extremely yin and cold. If he could have a corresponding pure yang True Qi, and use the Innate Skill, the One Yang Finger True Qi, and the Zixia Divine Skill to harmonize them, he could directly reach a completely new realm of martial arts.