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

Chapter 70: A Counter-Plot (8K views, please vote)

Over the next two days,

Every morning, Mu Jianjia would send someone to invite Gu Guanqi to have breakfast together. The two became familiar with each other and the previous awkwardness disappeared.

but,

Mu Jianjia was busy with official duties, and could only spare a little time in the morning to have lunch together each day.

On the morning of the third day

Gu Guanqi had just finished eating when Lanlan ran in, calling out, "Brother, my master sent me to invite you to the ceremony. She said she already told you yesterday."

Gu Guanqi nodded slightly.

Yesterday morning, while having lunch with Mu Jianjia, Mu Jianjia invited him to attend the Miao King election ceremony today. He figured he didn't have anything else to do, so he agreed to join in the fun.

Immediately,

Gu Guanqi followed Lanlan out the door, asking as they walked, "Is the process of the Miao King Election Conference very complicated?"

"No," Lanlan said, "In our Miao region, apart from the succession of a new leader, everything else is not complicated. The election of the Miao King is also very simple. The chieftains of the thirty-two villages draw lots and compete in a martial arts contest. Half of them are eliminated each time, and there are a total of five rounds of competition. The final winner is the new Miao King."

"It's that simple?" Gu Guanqi asked in surprise.

Lanlan said, "Of course. In the eyes of the imperial court, the Miao King is a chieftain and the ruler of Miao territory. However, in our Miao territory, he is actually the leader's deputy, assisting the leader in managing Miao territory. If it weren't for the need to report to the imperial court, the leader could appoint him personally."

Gu Guanqi thought about it and felt that what Lanlan said did make a lot of sense.

The Miao people worship the Gu God Cult, so the Miao King is indeed dispensable. If it weren't for the imperial court's need, the Miao people wouldn't have the position of Miao King.

simply put,

The Miao King is a deputy leader dispatched by the Gu God Sect, and he is a deputy leader who will never have the power to become the leader. Therefore, for the Miao region, there is indeed no need for a grand celebration.

The two chatted as they walked toward the mountainside of the sacred mountain.

After walking for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea,

When passing a fork in the road

Out of the corner of her eye, Gu Guanqi suddenly noticed a hair ribbon on a bramble by the roadside.

Gu Guanqi immediately stopped in his tracks because he saw a character embroidered in blue silk thread on the hairband—Gu.

He raised an eyebrow, reached out and picked up the hairband, examining it closely.

The character "顾" is crooked and sparse, with clumsy strokes, as if it was sewn on by a novice needleworker. The lines are not smooth, and there are small knots in a few places.

Gu Guanqi's pupils contracted slightly.

"It really is that headband!"

He felt the hairband looked familiar the moment he saw it, and when he picked it up, he realized it was the very same one he had given to Fang Cunxin.

Back then, he and Fang Cunxin were escorting goods to Lishan County. On the way, Fang Cunxin's hair ribbon broke, so he gave her one of his own.

Fang Cunxin was overjoyed and kept it, reluctant to use it. Later, she even sewed the character "Gu" on it with needle and thread and happily showed it to him, saying that it was the first thing Gu Guanqi had given her and that she would cherish it forever.

later,

Fang Cunxin went to Hanyue Gate, also carrying this hair ribbon.

Then I saw this headband,

Gu Guanqi was still somewhat dazed.

After Fang Cunxin went to the Hanyue Sect, he returned to Qingyang County once and received a letter from Fang Cunxin. At that time, Fang Cunxin had successfully joined the Hanyue Sect and become the sect leader's personal disciple.

However, Gu Guanqi was constantly on the go and never received another letter from Fang Cunxin.

During his trip to Hongzhou, he also planned to visit the Hanyue Sect to see Fang Cunxin.

But unexpectedly,

I was surprised to see this headband here.

"Brother?"

Just as Gu Guanqi was lost in thought, Lanlan turned around, and seeing that he hadn't followed, she turned back again. Seeing the hairband in his hand, she exclaimed in surprise, "Hey, there's a 'Gu' character on this hairband! Brother, is this yours?"

Gu Guanqi carefully examined the hair ribbon. The marks from the thorns were fresh, indicating it had been lost only recently. He then asked, "Lanlan, were any members of the Hanyue Sect present at today's assembly?"

Lanlan was taken aback, then shook her head: "No. In our Miao region, the selection of a Miao king is always handled by our own people. We don't invite outsiders. Even the Hongzhou government only reports it afterward; they don't invite outsiders to watch. Brother, why are you asking this?"

Gu Guanqi said, "This hairband belongs to my friend, but she is a disciple of the Hanyue Sect."

"Oh, I see," Lanlan said. "After all, all thirty-two villages have gathered, and there are many people from each village. It's inevitable that some people will bring friends or something. If you want to inquire, I'll send someone to help look into it later."

Gu Guanqi nodded slightly and said, "Then I'll trouble you. My friend's name is Fang Cunxin. She holds a high position in the Hanyue Sect; she's a direct disciple of the sect leader."

Lanlan blinked and said, "I'll send someone to inquire about it in a bit."

As the two were talking, a burst of noise came from the mountain path ahead. The sound of gongs and drums mingled with human voices, and the lively atmosphere could be felt even through the trees.

Lanlan's ears twitched, and she immediately tugged at Gu Guanqi's sleeve: "Brother, hurry up, the competition is about to begin!"

Gu Guanqi suppressed his thoughts and quickened his pace to keep up with Lanlan.

After turning a corner, a wide-open space suddenly appeared before me. It was a square built along the mountainside, surrounded by mountains on three sides and facing south on the other, just in time to greet the rising morning light.

The square was paved with bluestone slabs, and wooden stands were built in layers around it, which were now full of people.

The Miao people's clothing in each village is colorful, and their silver ornaments glitter in the morning light. Amid the surging crowds, various Miao languages ​​and local dialects are mixed with some broken Mandarin, creating a lively and noisy atmosphere.

Lanlan pulled Gu Guanqi through the crowd and up the stone steps on the side to the highest viewing platform.

The viewing platform was the highest point, offering the most expansive view. A dark red felt carpet covered the platform, and in the center sat a large wooden chair with a brocade cushion. Mu Jianjia was already seated there.

Today she wore a solemn deep purple brocade robe, with intricate silver ornaments adorning the collar and cuffs, and a silver crown on her head, which made her face appear even more aloof and solemn.

Several elderly men in dark robes sat beside her, and Gu Guanqi recognized the high priest Gou Liu among them.

There is still an empty seat opposite Gou Liu.

Lanlan led Gu Guanqi through the crowd and stopped in front of Mu Jianjia.

Gu Guanqi bowed respectfully, saying, "Master Mu."

Mu Jianjia stood up, cupped her hands and said, "Alliance Leader Gu." Then, she introduced him to the priests, "Gentlemen, this is our distinguished guest from the Gu God Sect, the martial arts alliance leader of Qing and Yun states, the Sword Immortal Gu Guanqi."

Previously, our High Priest went out to retrieve the sacred relic, but was ambushed by villains along the way. It was only thanks to the intervention of Alliance Master Gu that the danger was averted and the sacred relic was preserved!

Several priests rose and bowed to Gu Guanqi, one hand over their stomach.

Gu Guanqi returned the greeting with a cupped hand.

Then, Mu Jianjia turned around, pointed to the seat to her left, and said to Gu Guanqi, "Alliance Leader Gu, please sit here."

That was the seat on the viewing platform, second only to the leader, opposite the high priest Gou Liu.

Gu Guanqi did not refuse, cupped his hands in thanks, and sat down as instructed in the lower left seat of Mu Jianjia.

After he settled down, his gaze subtly swept across the sea of ​​people below the stage. Amidst the bustling crowd and diverse attire, he searched for Fang Cunxin's figure.

but,

There were just too many people at the scene, about five or six thousand, making it extremely difficult to find someone.

Gu Guanqi also felt a pang of emotion.

He convened a martial arts conference in Qingyun and Erzhou to integrate the martial arts community of one state, but the number of participants was not this large.

but,

That's normal. After all, the leader of the martial arts alliance is different from the leader of the Gu God Sect. The leader of the martial arts alliance is just a leader of the martial arts world, while Mu Jianjia is the leader of hundreds of thousands of Miao people in the entire Miao region. She is even someone who can raise a Miao army to rebel with her at any time.

Although he is the leader of the martial arts world, if he wanted to rebel, very few people would follow him; instead, they would immediately come to deal with him.

Subsequently,

Not long after,

After Gou Liu presided over the sacrificial ceremony, Mu Jianjia announced the start of the assembly.

Then, the martial arts competition began.

Gu Guanqi also broadened his horizons, witnessing such a comprehensive battle of Gu techniques for the first time.

Today's contestants are all chieftains from various villages, none of them are weak, and each one is a master of Gu poison. Their Gu techniques in the duel are endless.

The top eight teams were determined in the first half of the day.

After everyone finished lunch, they continued their martial arts competition.

The afternoon's matches were even more exciting.

Everyone was using their trump cards, but with a group of Gu God Cult experts like Mu Jianjia and Gou Liu controlling the situation, although the battle was fierce, there were no casualties.

only,

The final competition ended in a major upset, with the youngest village chief, Wu Qingyuan, emerging victorious.

This surprised everyone.

Because Wu Qingyuan is too young, only twenty-five or twenty-six years old now, although he is quite talented, he is not very famous in Miao territory. He was able to successfully take over the position of chief of Wuzhai, all thanks to the reputation of his father, the old Miao king Wu Tongtian.

And at this moment,

Wu Qingyuan defeated a group of veteran masters, which amazed everyone. They were all amazed that he had silently received the true teachings of the Old Miao King.

When the competition ends,

It was getting late, and bonfires and torches were lit everywhere in the square.

Mu Jianjia personally bestowed the Miao King's Scepter upon Wu Qingyuan.

After the ceremony

It was completely dark.

Bonfires were lit everywhere.

Gu Guanqi experienced the grand bonfire festival in Miao territory, which was very lively and noisy. He also felt the enthusiasm and boldness of the Miao people. Even with Mu Jianjia by his side, bold women would occasionally run up to him to express their love and ask him if he was married.

Midway through, Mu Jianjia had to leave temporarily for some business.

The Miao women became even bolder and more passionate.

At first, Lanlan tried to stop them, but there were too many people, and they squeezed her so much that she couldn't get close to Gu Guanqi.

The enthusiasm of those Miao girls was simply too intense.

quickly,

Gu Guanqi was unable to defend himself and fled in a rather disheveled manner.

A burst of laughter came from behind, mixed with the girls' voices calling out in broken Mandarin, "Handsome brother, don't run away!" and "Sit a little longer!"

Without turning his head, Gu Guanqi strode up the stone steps, passing through several clumps of bamboo and turning around a stone wall, finally leaving the campfire and noise behind.

A cool night breeze blew in his face, and he finally breathed a sigh of relief. He stopped by a small pavilion and sat down against a pillar.

He glanced down at his own appearance. His clothes were disheveled, his belt was askew, and his cuffs were stuffed with a few handkerchiefs and silver ornaments that no one knew who had put them there. Even an unknown wildflower had fallen into his collar.

He gave a wry smile and had no choice but to take off the items one by one and place them on the stone table in the pavilion.

Suddenly, among the pile of small items, there was a folded piece of paper.

Gu Guanqi was somewhat puzzled, picked up the note and unfolded it.

There is a line of text above:

Brother Gu, I am Cunxin, and I am trapped at the bottom of the Holy Tower.

Gu Guanqi's pupils suddenly contracted.

He recognized it; it was Fang Cunxin's handwriting.

First it was the hairband, and now it's the note.

His pupils contracted slightly as he looked up at the summit of the sacred mountain. In the darkness, the outline of the gray-white stone tower atop the mountain was clearly visible—the Sacred Tower, a forbidden area of ​​the Gu God Cult.

Legend has it that the Gu Mother of the Gu God Cult is sealed beneath the Holy Tower, and is also one of the roots of the Gu arts in the entire Miao region, guarding the fortune and foundation of the Miao region for thousands of years.

He didn't know what the Gu Mother was, but he knew how important she was to the Gu God Cult. The Gu God Cult had three Nirvana Gu, and the first two used were for the Gu Mother. The Nirvana Gu that was brought back some time ago was also prepared for the Gu Mother.

but,

Without hesitation, Gu Guanqi quickly stuffed the note into his pocket and then used his lightness skill to speed towards the Holy Tower.

Although he was still using the Lingbo Weibu (a martial arts technique), with his current martial arts level, let alone using such a high-level movement technique, even his casual leaping techniques were faster than ordinary people using peerless lightness skills.

In the blink of an eye, he had already darted out of the pavilion like a wisp of smoke, flying along the ridgeline in the night. He quickly reached the top of the mountain, and in just a few leaps, he had bypassed the night patrol guards along the way, landing on a high wall on the north side of the Holy Tower.

The sacred tower has nine stories, with walls built of bluestone, the cracks of which are covered with vines. Every ten steps or so outside the tower, a disciple of the Gu God Cult stands guard, and a lantern is placed at each of the four corners. The light from the lanterns illuminates the walls, and they sway gently in the night breeze.

Gu Guanqi did not rush to show himself. Instead, he lay on the wall and observed for a while. After confirming the patrol pattern of the guards, he moved swiftly, like a leaf blown by the wind, and silently fell into the shadows on the side of the tower.

At the base of the tower was a stone door, through which a faint candlelight shone. Several burly guards stood outside the door, all elite disciples of the Gu God Sect.

Gu Guanqi gently extended his palm, and the colorless and odorless poison powder floated away.

This is a specially made poison with hallucinogenic effects. Once poisoned, a person will fall into a daze and when they wake up, they will not realize that they have been poisoned. They will only think that they are tired and have been distracted.

Gu Guanqi immediately flew over.

Those Gu God Sect disciples acted as if they hadn't seen him at all.

Then, Gu Guanqi walked to the stone door, gave it a slight push, and the door slid open silently, just enough for him to squeeze in sideways.

Behind the door was a stone staircase leading downwards, with an oil lamp embedded every few steps on either side, its dim light illuminating the long, narrow passage.

Gu Guanqi quickly flew inside.

Soon, the view opened up before me.

It was a huge underground cavern, with dozens of oil lamps inserted around the walls, illuminating the entire space as brightly as day.

In the center of the cave, there is a circular pool. The pool is not large, about ten feet square. Half of it is filled with a cold white mist, while the other half is churning with red magma. Ice and fire intertwine, with clear boundaries yet strangely coexisting in the same pool.

An insect was floating on the surface of the pond.

It was as big as a washbasin.

A giant beetle with a dark brown body and an eerie glow on its shell. Its carapace is covered with fine golden patterns, its six slender legs are curled up at its sides, and two translucent antennae on its head sway slightly.

It lay motionless on the water's surface, like a stone sculpture.

Occasionally, its belly will rise and fall slightly, and a deep, thunderous breath will come from its body.

Gu Guanqi guessed that it was the Gu Mother of the Gu God Sect.

only,

He wasn't interested in the Gu Mother, but instead quickly searched for Fang Cunxin's figure.

However, when he looked around, the poolside was empty, with no cages or people in sight.

My heart is not here.

He used his mental power to search, but there was no one in the entire cave.

Immediately, his heart sank.

Realizing it was a trap,

He immediately turned around quickly, his figure as fast as lightning, and flew back the way he came.

But as soon as he stepped back, he heard a muffled and rapid chime from above.

"Thump—thump—thump—"

The heavy tolling of the bell echoed through the night sky, one sound after another, startling the entire sacred mountain.

Immediately afterwards, chaotic footsteps came from above and outside the passage, and someone shouted:

"Thieves have broken into the forbidden area! Seal off the tower gates! Quickly!"

Gu Guanqi kept moving, his figure as swift as smoke and mist, and in the blink of an eye he rushed out of the tower gate. However, at this moment, the firelight outside suddenly blazed up, and dozens of torches surged in from all directions, illuminating the area around the Holy Tower.

Outside the tower, the Gu God Cult guards responsible for patrolling the Holy Tower were already gathered.

The firelight reflected off everyone's faces, flickering uncertainly.

Someone recognized Gu Guanqi and immediately questioned him sharply: "Alliance Leader Gu! Why did you trespass into our sect's forbidden area in the dead of night?!"

Gu Guanqi stopped and stood on the stone steps in front of the tower. For a moment, he didn't know what to say. After hesitating for a moment, he prepared to explain.

But before he could speak, someone inside the tower shouted:

"He poisoned the gatekeeper and trespassed into the forbidden area!"

"Alliance Leader Gu, what exactly are you trying to achieve?!"

The atmosphere instantly became extremely tense.

Just then, the sound of wind breaking came, and Mu Jianjia arrived with several priests and village chiefs.

Mu Jianjia was the first to arrive. She flew over, her gaze landing on Gu Guanqi, and said in a deep voice, "Alliance Leader Gu, why are you here?"

Gu Guanqi cupped his hands and said, "Sect Leader Mu, this is a misunderstanding. I received a note in my friend's handwriting, saying that he is trapped at the bottom of the Holy Tower, and I have come to rescue him."

"He's talking nonsense, he's making excuses!"

Just then, at the entrance to the cavern at the bottom of the tower, a Gu God Cult guard rushed out, drenched in sweat, his face deathly pale, his voice trembling:

"Master! Something terrible has happened! The Gu Mother... the Gu Mother has been severely injured! She's on the verge of death!"

These words caused an uproar in the room.

"What?!"

"The Gu Mother has been severely injured?!"

"Gu Guanqi! You have actually destroyed the very foundation of my Miao region!"

Several impatient chieftains had already drawn their scimitars, their bloodshot eyes fixed on Gu Guanqi, exuding murderous intent.

"Kill him!"

"We can't let him get away!"

"..."

In an instant, torches flickered and blades flashed as dozens of people surrounded Gu Guanqi, the atmosphere tense and ready to erupt.

"stop!"

Mu Jianjia spoke, her voice not loud and devoid of emotion, yet carrying an undeniable air of authority.

The restless Miao people stopped in their tracks and took a half step back; not one dared to disobey Mu Jianjia's will.

"Gentlemen," Mu Jianjia said in her calm voice, "Alliance Leader Gu is the leader of the martial arts alliance in Qing and Yun states. He is renowned for his chivalry and righteousness, and he helped our sect to bring back the sacred artifact. He is certainly not an enemy of our sect."

She paused, her gaze sweeping over everyone, and said, word by word:

"There are some suspicious points in this matter. Please remain calm and don't be taken advantage of."

Someone immediately said, "Master, this doesn't make sense. He entered the forbidden area, and the Gu Mother was severely injured!"

"Yes, that doesn't make sense!"

"..."

Just then, the newly appointed Miao King Wu Qingyuan quickly stepped forward.

He wore the silver-patterned brocade robe that symbolized the Miao King's authority, with the scepter he had just been bestowed upon him hanging at his waist. His face was calm as he circulated his inner energy and shouted, "Everyone, please calm down. The sect leader is right. There must be something fishy about this. Who is Alliance Leader Gu? How could he do such a wicked thing? He must have been framed. He won't leave Miao territory until the matter is thoroughly investigated. We can investigate slowly later."

In my opinion, we should focus all our efforts on saving the Gu Mother. Fortunately, the Nirvana Gu has now been welcomed back to the Holy Sect. With the Nirvana Gu present, the Gu Mother will surely be safe and sound. Everything else can wait. Saving the Gu Mother and protecting the foundation of our Miao territory is the most important thing!

For a time,

None of the village chiefs spoke.

Wu Qingyuan quickly added, "Master, we can discuss Alliance Leader Gu's matter later. Right now, the most important thing is to retrieve the Nirvana Gu to save the Gu Mother!"

All eyes turned to Mu Jianjia.

however,

To everyone's surprise,

Mu Jianjia fell silent.

She stood in the firelight, her face beneath the silver crown still cold and indifferent, revealing neither joy nor anger.

"The cult leader?"

An old village chief asked, "What's troubling you? The Miao King is right, saving the Gu Mother is the most important thing!"

Mu Jianjia slowly raised her eyes and said, "I have already swallowed the Nirvana Gu."

Upon hearing this, the room fell into a deathly silence.

The torches were still burning, and the night wind was still blowing, but everyone's voices and movements froze in that instant.

Everyone was shocked, their faces filled with disbelief.

"Master... what did you say?"

An elderly priest asked in a trembling voice, "The Nirvana Gu is reserved specifically for the Gu Mother as a precaution. Even the sect leader cannot use it; this is ancestral instruction, a religious rule!"

"Master, what is your explanation for this?"

"The matter of Nirvana Gu Zi is of great importance, concerning the Gu Mother and the fate of the Miao region. How could you act in this way?"

"..."

More and more doubts arose, but even more intense than the doubts was the near-utter despair and panic in everyone's eyes.

The Gu Mother was injured, and the Nirvana Gu was swallowed up.

Every Miao person understands what this means—if the Gu Mother dies, the foundation of Miao territory for thousands of years will be severed, because the most powerful Gu and Gu formations in Miao territory rely on the Gu Mother to succeed.

Wu Qingyuan stood at the front of the crowd, his brow slightly furrowed, a hint of worry and confusion in his eyes. He paused, then spoke loudly, attempting to calm the situation:

"Everyone, calm down! The cult leader must have her reasons for doing this. Please calm down and listen to her explanation!"

Everyone fell silent and looked at Mu Jianjia.

It wasn't that Wu Qingyuan had such a great reputation that a single sentence could calm everyone down; the main reason was that Mu Jianjia had accumulated considerable prestige. Even if she had done something against ancestral precepts and religious rules, everyone was willing to listen to her explanation and didn't believe that she would do such a thing for no reason.

Mu Jianjia stood quietly, slowly turned around and looked at the group of village chiefs, and said, "Like Alliance Leader Gu, I was framed. Someone used mental magic to affect my mind, which is why I swallowed the Nirvana Gu."

"What?"

"Who is it?"

"Master, how are you now?"

"..."

For a moment, everyone was in an uproar, but no one questioned whether Mu Jianjia was lying to shirk responsibility.

Among the crowd, Wu Qingyuan's expression changed slightly, a hint of doubt flashed in his eyes, and then his hand, hidden in his wide sleeve, quietly made a hand seal, circulating his power to activate the bewitching technique.

Mu Jianjia glanced at Wu Qingyuan and then continued, "Some time ago, I personally went down the mountain to handle the matter of the replacement of the old Miao King. When I executed the traitor Gong Yang, he taught me a martial art, which was the peerless divine skill of the Life and Death Zen Divine Skill created by the monk Xuanxin who stole the Nirvana Gu of my Gu God Sect.

After I tried to cultivate, I fell into demonic possession. My mind was affected by it and I couldn't control myself. I became more and more obsessed. Later, I uncontrollably swallowed the Nirvana Gu, hoping to use it to break through to the highest level of cultivation.

Previously, when the Miao King was replaced, we discovered that Duo Yu and Gong Yang were working together from the inside. But that's not the case. There's someone much deeper hidden behind them. The fake Miao King I killed didn't actually die; he faked his death to escape. Today, Alliance Leader Gu was also framed by that person!

Everyone looked at each other.

Someone shouted, "Master, who is that person?"

"Yes, who is it? How dare they do such a thing!"

"This is an attempt to destroy the very foundation of my Miao region! It's a fight to the death!"

"..."

Mu Jianjia slowly turned her head and placed her gaze on Wu Qingyuan.

at this time,

Wu Qingyuan's eyes were filled with doubt and confusion.

Mu Jianjia said calmly, "Wu Qingyuan, are you very confused as to why what I said is different from what you expected?" As you predicted, I should be completely absorbed in cultivating the Life and Death Zen Divine Art right now, and then I would use the Nirvana Gu incident to resign and take responsibility, which would give me an explanation and allow me to focus on my cultivation.

At this point, you can legitimately support the person you control to become the sect leader. Then, in order to prove himself, Alliance Leader Gu will have no choice but to surrender and be imprisoned by the Gu God Sect. You can then take the opportunity to control Alliance Leader Gu using Gu techniques to realize your ambition of controlling the martial arts world of Qingyun and Liangzhou!

With one hand controlling the two states of Qingyun and the other controlling the Gu God Sect, are you planning to join forces with the Heavenly Demon Sect to attack the Hanyue Sect next, and then start controlling the three states of Qingyun and Hong, becoming a regional warlord? Who knows, you might even be so arrogant as to want to overthrow the dynasty in the future!

Wu Qingyuan's gentle smile froze slightly, then returned to normal. He bowed slightly, his tone sincere: "This subordinate truly does not understand what you are saying, Master!"

Mu Jianjia didn't speak, but instead looked around at the village chiefs and several priests.

Immediately,

Without exception, all the village chiefs and priests immediately fled from Wu Qingyuan.

Wu Qingyuan said in a deep voice, "Master, it is common knowledge that you have developed feelings for Gu Guanqi. However, you cannot, for the sake of your love, force me to bear the blame for the murder of the Gu Mother and the destruction of the Miao region's foundation!"

Mu Jianjia shook her head slightly and said, "I'm only curious about one thing now: Wu Qingyuan, who exactly are you?"

As he spoke,

Mu Jianjia waved her hand gently, and the bell on her bracelet rang.

next moment,

A buzzing sound came from the top of the tower.

As everyone looked up, they saw a huge, dark brown beetle appearing at the top of the tower, surrounded by a dense swarm of flying insects.

"That...that's the Gu Mother!"

"Wasn't the Gu Mother severely injured?"

"What's going on?"

"..."

Everyone was filled with doubt.

Upon seeing the Gu Mother, Wu Qingyuan sighed softly, looked at Mu Jianjia, and said, "Master, it seems that today's predicament isn't aimed at Gu Guanqi, but at me. However, I don't understand where I slipped up; I believed my plan was flawless!"

Mu Jianjia said, "Your bewitching technique did affect me, but not to the point that I completely lost my mind. So, from the moment I realized I was under a mental spell, I had already guessed all your plans."

Furthermore, your plan against Alliance Leader Gu was far too crude. Alliance Leader Gu is not one to believe in coincidences, so when that hairband appeared before him, he already suspected someone might be targeting him.

Wu Qingyuan sighed and said, "So, all this time you were just putting on an act with me. Everything was planned in advance. The Gu Mother was fake, and Gu Guanqi falling into the trap was also fake."

As he spoke,

Wu Qingyuan looked at Gu Guanqi.

Gu Guanqi smiled slightly.

Actually, he didn't realize at first that someone was plotting against him. It was only when he asked Mu Jianjia to help investigate whether Fang Cunxin was currently in the Gu God Cult that Mu Jianjia realized the problem and suspected that there might be a trap set for him.

Upon receiving that note,

Gu Guanqi confirmed that there was indeed a scheme targeting him, and then, following Mu Jianjia's plan, he turned the tables and lured the snake out of its hole.

Wu Qingyuan sighed and said, "Very well, as expected of the sect leader, I accept my defeat wholeheartedly. However, I admire you even more now. You are the woman in this world most worthy of me. I'm giving you a chance now: you will fight alongside me to conquer the world, and when I ascend the throne, I will make you my empress!"

Mu Jianjia said, "It seems you're the most obsessed one."

Wu Qingyuan said, "You don't understand at all. I am now the number one in the world. As long as you join forces with me, this world will be within our grasp. At that time, I will be the emperor, you will be the empress, and everyone present can be ennobled and appointed as prime ministers. Wouldn't that be more comfortable than staying in this mere Miao region, this barren land?"