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

Chapter 72: The Heavenly Silkworm Demon Art, Reunion with Zhao Lingyuan (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

The night wind continued to blow, sweeping from the summit of the sacred mountain across ruins and broken walls, carrying the last dust and insect shell fragments down into the vast darkness below.

In the center of the ruins, Wu Tongtian's body remained kneeling, his hunched back bent into a withered arc, his cloudy eyes completely devoid of luster, covered with a layer of grayish-white film.

Blood slowly seeped from the dozens of sword wounds on his body, seeping between the broken bricks and the soil. When the night wind blew, it quickly congealed into dark red scabs.

Footsteps came from all directions, hurried and disorderly.

Mu Jianjia was the first to arrive.

The soft sword in her hand had been sheathed in her sleeve, and her silver crown swayed slightly in the night wind, shimmering with tiny sparkles in the torchlight. Her gaze lingered for a moment on Wu Tongtian's corpse before shifting to Gu Guanqi.

"Alliance Leader Gu, how are you? Are you injured?" Mu Jianjia asked hurriedly.

Gu Guanqi shook his head slightly.

Mu Jianjia breathed a slight sigh of relief, then placed one hand on her stomach, bowed deeply, and said sincerely, "On behalf of the Gu God Sect, the thirty-two villages of Miao territory, and the Gu Mother, I thank Alliance Leader Gu for saving my Miao territory!"

Behind her, Gou Liu, along with a group of village chiefs, priests, and members of the Gu God Cult, quickly arrived and bowed to express their gratitude.

"Thank you, Alliance Leader Gu!"

"Thank you, Alliance Leader Gu!"

The sounds rose and fell, some in Miao language and some in broken Mandarin, blending into a deep, resonant sound wave in the night wind.

The torchlight flickered among the surging figures, making Gu Guanqi's figure standing in the center of the ruins stand out clearly.

Gu Guanqi turned slightly to the side, his tone gentle: "There's no need for that. A person like Wu Tongtian, who will stop at nothing to satisfy his personal ambitions, deserves to be killed by everyone!"

Mu Jianjia straightened up, her face beneath the silver crown regaining its usual coldness, but the look in her eyes was very gentle. Looking at Gu Guanqi, she said:

"Alliance Leader Gu, we Miao people have yet to repay the kindness of helping our sect to retrieve the sacred artifact and save the High Priest and Lanlan. Tonight, you have also helped us to kill this fiend and quell this disaster."

The Miao people have no way to repay this kindness. From now on, whenever Alliance Leader Gu has any requests, whether big or small, whether facing mountains of knives or seas of fire, the entire Miao region will obey without question.

After she finished speaking, she bowed again.

Gu Guanqi waved his hand, his tone still nonchalant: "Master Mu, there's really no need for this. Between friends, there's no need to be so formal."

He slightly raised his hand, channeling a stream of true energy to lift Mu Jianjia up, and said:

"However, I do need Master Mu to do me a favor."

Mu Jianjia quickly replied, "Alliance Leader Gu, please speak."

Gu Guanqi said, "Wu Tongtian lured me into this trap by using my friend's things. Logically speaking, my friend should have always been at the Hanyue Sect. Her personal belongings shouldn't have been left outside. I suspect she might have encountered some trouble at the Hanyue Sect."

Therefore, I must go to the Hanyue Sect as soon as possible to find out her current situation. I also ask Sect Leader Mu to arrange for me to leave Miao territory at dawn tomorrow. I am unfamiliar with Hongzhou, so I will need your help to find a shortcut.

Mu Jianjia immediately nodded: "No problem. I'll have someone arrange a boat and guide right away, and we can send Alliance Leader Gu to the Hanyue Sect at dawn tomorrow."

Gu Guanqi cupped his hands in thanks to Mu Jianjia, saying, "Thank you, Sect Leader Mu." Then, he looked around and said, "I won't interfere in this matter. Sect Leader Mu, please do as you see fit."

"Thank you for your help today, Alliance Leader Gu." Mu Jianjia returned the greeting, pausing briefly before continuing, "I will handle the aftermath. Alliance Leader Gu, you've had a long night. Please rest and recharge so you can continue your journey tomorrow."

Mu Jianjia instructed one of her guards to lead the way for Gu Guanqi.

Gu Guanqi cupped his hands in greeting, then turned and headed down the mountain.

The night breeze ruffled Gu Guanqi's robes and long hair, making his figure appear hazy in the interplay of torchlight and moonlight, and he quickly disappeared into the shadows around the bend in the mountain path.

In the square, the village chiefs and followers were still whispering among themselves. Some were moving corpses, while others were counting the wounded. The chaotic sounds rose and fell in the night.

Mu Jianjia stood there watching for a while, until Gu Guanqi's figure was completely out of sight, before slowly withdrawing her gaze and whispering, "Leaving tomorrow is fine too."

Gou Liu, standing to the side, asked in confusion, "Why does the sect leader say that?"

Mu Jianjia sighed softly and said, "High Priest, now I understand why the reputation of Alliance Leader Gu as a romantic figure circulates throughout the martial world."

Gou Liu looked doubtful.

Mu Jianjia withdrew her gaze, lowered her eyes, and said, "I was already prepared to die with him in this situation. The moment he pinned me down, even if I was rational and prioritized the Gu God Sect, I couldn't control myself."

Moreover, he is such a handsome man that he easily captivates women. If I were to stay with him a few more days, I fear I might truly be unable to resist leaving the Gu God Sect behind and following him.

Gou Liu remained silent for a moment before slowly speaking: "With such demeanor as Alliance Leader Gu, it's hard to find another like him in the world. Knowing that he also has feelings for you, it's truly commendable that you, the leader, can remain so rational."

Mu Jianjia chuckled and said, "Actually, someone of my status shouldn't meet people who are too amazing."

The night wind blew down from the heights of the sacred mountain, brushing against the tassels on the silver crown and the hem of the robe.

She said, "Originally, I wanted to help him cultivate and try to win his heart, but now, I really dare not continue."

……

the other side,

Just as Gu Guanqi returned to the Stone Courtyard, a system notification suddenly sounded in his mind:

[Blind date event concluded]

[Reward: Max level "Heavenly Silkworm Demonic Skill" has been issued]

Do you want to claim the reward?

……

Gu Guanqi entered the room and sat cross-legged.

Silently recite "receive" in your mind.

In an instant, an overwhelming torrent of true energy burst forth from the deepest part of his dantian, like a volcano that had been dormant for thousands of years suddenly erupting, or like a celestial river bursting its banks and the sea overflowing its banks, carrying a world-destroying momentum as it surged wildly towards his limbs and bones.

This is the true energy of the Heavenly Silkworm.

It surges and flows through the meridians, and wherever it passes, the already broad and resilient meridians are further tempered and instantly begin to be reshaped.

At the same time, several other internal skills within Gu Guanqi's body were activated, all of which surged and increased wildly.

The Heavenly Silkworm True Qi tempers everything like a furnace, purifying and expanding all the characteristics and essence of true qi. Various internal forces surge and condense in the dantian, becoming increasingly concentrated. However, while the density increases, the total amount also continues to grow, increasing faster and faster.

The Heavenly Silkworm undergoes nine transformations, each a new level of mastery, a qualitative leap. The system's direct reward of max-level Heavenly Silkworm Demonic Art means Gu Guanqi skipped the lengthy process of nine transformations and directly reached the pinnacle of the Heavenly Silkworm Demonic Art.

At this moment, the total amount of true energy in his dantian was surging endlessly, like a vast ocean, and every wisp of true energy contained terrifying power.

Reaching the realm of extraordinary true energy.

At the same time, the Heavenly Silkworm True Qi began to converge inward, flowing from the meridians into the flesh, bones, and internal organs, beginning to temper Gu Guanqi's physical body.

It was a transformation that penetrated to the very marrow of one's bones, as if invisible silkworm threads were spreading from the depths of the dantian, seeping through the meridians, flesh, and bones layer by layer. Those threads were extremely fine, yet they contained incomparably pure regenerative power.

Wherever they passed, impurities in the flesh were peeled away and expelled layer by layer, bones were reshaped and strengthened one by one, and internal organs were cleansed and tempered again and again. The body, which had already been strengthened several times, was thrown into a furnace at this moment, being hammered and refined, and its impurities were removed.

At this moment, his physical body was like spring thunder awakening the frozen earth. Every inch of his bones and every inch of his skin was being reshaped and strengthened, becoming as hard as millennia-old cold iron, yet maintaining astonishing flexibility.

All the internal organs are being regenerated.

Each breath seemed to draw upon the energy of heaven and earth.

Entering the Dao through the physical body, reaching the realm of Gu Immortal.

A complete transformation from the inside out, shedding his mortal form and reshaping his immortal bones. His body is no longer the flesh and blood of an ordinary person, but has been tempered to the extreme, almost immortal and indestructible.

Then, the mutation began.

Countless threads appeared around him.

The silk threads were black, yet they possessed a strange, lustrous sheen. In just a few breaths, the silk threads enveloped Gu Guanqi completely, like a silkworm spinning its cocoon.

Overnight, a warm, black light flowed continuously inside the cocoon, just as a silkworm pupa sleeps, transforms, and is reborn within the cocoon.

The light reflected off the cocoon wall, creating a hazy and soft halo.

I don't know how much time passed...

"Crack—"

With a very soft, fine cracking sound, the first crack appeared on the surface of the cocoon.

Cracks, like awakening veins, slowly meandered down from the top, extending throughout the cocoon. A cold light poured out from the cracks, shimmering like shattered jade in the dim morning light.

The black silk threads slowly disappeared.

Gu Guanqi's figure slowly came into view.

He sat cross-legged on the bed, in the same posture as the night before. But the moment he opened his eyes, the entire room seemed to light up instantly.

His eyes became deep, as if they contained a vast galaxy, and his skin was as smooth as jade, with every inch of his skin exuding an almost translucent texture.

The more subtle change lies in his temperament.

The ethereal and sacred feeling brought by the Cihang Sword Manual still lingered. He sat there like an immortal descended from the clouds, untouched by the dust of the mortal world. But within this sanctity, there was now an additional layer.

It was a faint, almost imperceptible, demonic aura.

It's very faint and light.

Like a wisp of dark mist flowing under the moonlight. It's an indescribable, mysterious, and ethereal atmosphere.

Two completely opposite temperaments, ethereal and demonic, coexist in him in a strange way, a blend of aloofness and gentleness.

After a long time,

Gu Guanqi stood up.

Just then, the morning light peeked in through the window and fell on his shoulder.

He took a deep breath, pushed open the door, and walked out of the room.

Outside the stone courtyard, the morning mist had just dissipated, and dewdrops still clung to the tips of the grass blades on the eaves, shimmering in the rising sunlight.

Gu Guanqi stood at the doorway, the morning breeze blowing down from the heights of the sacred mountain, ruffling his robes and long hair.

He raised his head slightly, looking towards the distant, layered peaks where the sky met the horizon. Sunlight streamed down from behind the clouds, bathing him in a warm, golden glow.

Just then, footsteps sounded outside the courtyard.

He looked up.

Mu Jianjia and Lanlan walked to the courtyard gate one after the other.

Lanlan walked ahead with light steps, about to call out "Brother," but before she could utter a sound, her steps suddenly stopped.

She stood outside the threshold, tilting her head slightly, staring straight at Gu Guanqi, her dark eyes wide open.

Mu Jianjia walked half a step behind Lanlan. Lanlan suddenly stopped, and Mu Jianjia stopped as well. She tilted her head slightly, her gaze passing over Lanlan's shoulder and landing on Gu Guanqi.

The morning light shone down from the side onto Gu Guanqi.

It was still the same face, still with a detached and aloof air about him, but within that aloofness, there was a faint, elusive melancholy.

Two completely different temperaments blended perfectly in him.

Lanlan blinked, then blinked again, and exclaimed in surprise, "Brother? I feel like you've changed again? You wouldn't... have broken through again, would you?"

Her voice was filled with disbelief and amazement, and her eyes darted back and forth over Gu Guanqi.

Gu Guanqi smiled slightly and said, "A minor breakthrough, nothing to mention."

Upon hearing this, Lanlan was taken aback for a moment, then turned to look at Mu Jianjia behind her, before turning back to look at Gu Guanqi. She couldn't help but exclaim, "How much are you smitten with my master? Breakthroughs every few days! At this rate, if you were with my master every day, wouldn't you be the best in the world in just a few months!"

Gu Guanqi chuckled and said, "There are limits, but I really owe a great deal to Master Mu for helping me cultivate."

As he spoke, his gaze fell on Mu Jianjia, and he slightly cupped his hands in thanks: "Thank you, Sect Leader Mu."

Mu Jianjia stood behind Lanlan, her expression still as cold and composed as ever, her silver crown shimmering in the morning light. Hearing Gu Guanqi's words, she shook her head slightly, her tone flat: "I wasn't much of a help. Alliance Leader Gu's breakthrough is solely due to your own exceptional talent."

Upon hearing this, Lanlan tilted her head, glanced at Mu Jianjia, then at Gu Guanqi, and clicked her tongue twice, her tone tinged with regret: "What a pity, brother, you're such a fickle womanizer, you definitely can't stay in the Gu God Sect. And my master won't abandon the Gu God Sect, otherwise... I really had high hopes for the two of you. Tsk tsk tsk, what a pity!"

Upon hearing this, Gu Guanqi smiled and said, "This is because I have a connection with Sect Leader Mu, but connections always have varying degrees of depth. Besides, whether two people can be together is not something that can be decided by just my feelings."

As he spoke, his gaze shifted to Mu Jianjia, his tone earnest: "Don't you agree, Master Mu?"

Mu Jianjia and Gu Guanqi's eyes met, then she immediately shifted her gaze slightly, fixing it on the cluster of wildflowers glistening with dew in the corner of the courtyard, and said, "Hmm, yes... right... that thing..."

She coughed lightly and said, "Alliance Leader Gu is leaving today, so I've specially arranged a farewell banquet for you."

After speaking, she lowered her eyes slightly, turned around, and made a "please" gesture.

Gu Guanqi did not refuse, cupped his hands in thanks, and followed her out of the courtyard, with Lanlan quickly following behind.

The farewell banquet was held in a large hall on the east side of the temple, and it was decorated very elegantly. Several dishes with Miao characteristics were laid out on the table, but most of them were Qingzhou dishes, which were very plentiful and exquisite.

Gu Guanqi sat down in the guest seat, Mu Jianjia sat in the host seat, and Lanlan sat to the left. The three of them ate and chatted casually, the atmosphere was very relaxed.

However, Gu Guanqi noticed that Mu Jianjia was distracted several times during the meal, and even when she spoke to her occasionally, Mu Jianjia would be slow to respond.

Gu Guanqi assumed that she was just busy with official duties and overthinking things, and didn't take it too seriously.

After all, the Gu God Cult had just experienced the disaster caused by Wu Tongtian, and the follow-up matters would certainly be numerous and complicated. As the leader of the cult, Mu Jianjia naturally had many things to deal with.

After finishing their meal, Mu Jianjia and Lanlan escorted Gu Guanqi down the mountain.

Soon, we reached the foot of the mountain.

Gu Guanqi's guards and the guides from the Gu God Sect were already waiting with their horses.

Gu Guanqi stopped and turned around.

Mu Jianjia also stopped, her face beneath the silver crown still cold and aloof.

Gu Guanqi cupped his hands and said, "Sect Leader Mu, Miss Lanlan, please wait here!"

Mu Jianjia nodded slightly and said, "Alliance Leader Gu, please take care on your journey."

Lanlan leaned closer, looking at Gu Guanqi with a hint of reluctance. Her usual playful demeanor was unusually serious; her voice held a touch of earnestness. "Brother, I don't know when we'll meet again."

As she spoke, she walked up to Gu Guanqi, hugged him, and said, "If you ever have the chance to come to Miao territory in the future, you must come and find me!"

Gu Guanqi gently patted Lanlan and said, "If I come to Miao territory, I will certainly not forget to come and find you."

Lanlan nodded and didn't say anything more.

Gu Guanqi withdrew his hand, bowed to Mu Jianjia again, and prepared to mount his horse.

Just then, Mu Jianjia suddenly called out, "Alliance Leader Gu, please wait a moment."

He turned around.

Mu Jianjia stood there, the morning light shining from behind her, making her figure appear somewhat ethereal. She said, "Alliance Leader Gu, I have something to tell you privately. Please come over here with me."

"Okay." Gu Guanqi nodded.

Mu Jianjia led Gu Guanqi behind a large rock at the side intersection, her silver pleated skirt swaying gently behind her.

Gu Guanqi followed him behind the boulder, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "Sect Leader Mu, please speak!"

Mu Jianjia turned around, her hands behind her back, her posture still as composed as ever, her face calm, her tone even, and said, "I just suddenly realized that Lanlan is right, I don't know when we'll see each other again."

Gu Guanqi was slightly taken aback, but remained silent.

Mu Jianjia continued, "I know that perhaps your feelings for me will eventually shift to someone else. But for now, you'll definitely think of me, and I don't want you to have any regrets."

Mu Jianjia looked directly at Gu Guanqi and said, "So... let me give you a hug."

"what?"

Gu Guanqi was slightly taken aback and didn't react for a moment.

Mu Jianjia and Gu Guanqi looked at each other, their faces calm and composed, but their hands behind their backs were clenched tightly.

"Isn't that enough?"

Seeing Gu Guanqi's blank expression, she closed her eyes slightly and said, "Then I can only... I can only let you kiss me once at most, that's all."

She stood there, the morning light shining obliquely from the side, falling on her slightly trembling eyelashes.

Gu Guanqi was taken aback for a moment when he saw her like this, and then he couldn't help but laugh.

I never imagined that the leader of the Gu God Sect, who is worshipped by hundreds of thousands of Miao people, would have such a bewildered side.

He immediately said, "Sect Leader Mu, my path of passion isn't as profound as you imagine. It's fine as it is now, there's no need for..."

Mu Jianjia opened her eyes, a look of embarrassment on her face, and said, "I've already told you everything, you..."

She suddenly took a step forward, stood in front of Gu Guanqi, and then tiptoed to lightly touch Gu Guanqi's lips.

Very light, very fast.

Like a dragonfly skimming across the water.

Then, with her hands still behind her back, she tiptoed closer to Gu Guanqi's ear and whispered, "I thought I wouldn't be moved, but I overestimated my self-control and underestimated your allure."

After all,

She took a small step back, put her hands behind her back, and said with a slight smile, "I'm leaving now. See you again someday!"

Then, she left with her hands behind her back.

Gu Guanqi chuckled softly.

He followed them over, then mounted his horse, bowed to Mu Jianjia and Lanlan, and rode away.

Mu Jianjia remained calm, standing with her hands behind her back, watching Gu Guanqi and his group leave. Then, she finally couldn't hold back anymore, her cheeks burning and flushing red.

……

After riding swiftly for half an hour, Gu Guanqi and his party arrived at the riverbank, boarded a boat, and then traveled downstream for three days until they reached a place called Shimen County.

This place is where the Hanyue Sect is located.

It was noon when the ship docked at the pier.

Gu Guanqi and his group of five led the horses off the large ship. The Miao leader wanted to send them more, but Gu Guanqi politely declined, saying that this was enough and they could manage on their own.

The Miao leader did not insist on keeping them. He clasped his hands in a fist salute, then turned and boarded the boat with a few followers. The boat quickly left the shore and headed back along the route they had come from.

Gu Guanqi watched them go for a while before turning his gaze away and leading his horse along the bluestone path beside the dock. The dock was small, with few boats moored there. Porters carrying sacks moved back and forth in twos and threes, and the air was filled with the mixed smell of river mud and fish.

Leaving the dock area, there is a fairly wide street, but it is very deserted, with few shops open on both sides.

After searching for a while, Gu Guanqi and his companions finally found a restaurant. The restaurant was empty, with not a single customer. However, the teahouse next door was packed with people, with a large group of men drinking tea and chatting.

Shops that don't have much business usually don't taste good.

However, Gu Guanqi and his companions just wanted to eat something so they could continue their journey, and they weren't particularly particular about what they ate.

The group tied their horses to the hitching posts at the entrance and then went inside the shop.

As soon as they sat down, a shopkeeper wearing a blue apron strolled over, carrying a chipped teapot. He poured each of them a bowl of water, his tone indifferent: "What would you gentlemen like to eat?"

Pang Mao glanced at the price list on the wall, which indeed stated eight coins for vegetarian noodles and ten coins for meat noodles, and said, "Five bowls of meat noodles, please."

The shopkeeper responded and turned to go to the kitchen.

Before long, a thin waiter came out carrying a tray and placed five bowls of noodles on the table. The noodles were ordinary white noodles, topped with two thin slices of meat and sprinkled with chopped green onions. They were steaming hot and looked quite presentable.

Gu Guanqi picked up his chopsticks and, without thinking much more, began to eat. As he expected, the taste was indeed not very good, but it was still edible.

The group ate quickly, and in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, all five bowls were empty.

Pang Mao put down his chopsticks, got up and walked to the counter. He took out a handful of copper coins from his waist, counted out fifty coins, placed them on the counter, and said, "Shopkeeper, five bowls of noodles, fifty coins. Count them."

The shopkeeper, who was busy working on his abacus, looked up at the fifty copper coins on the counter and slowly said, "Sir, this isn't enough for you."

Pang Mao was taken aback: "What do you mean it's not enough? A bowl of meat noodles costs ten coins, five bowls cost fifty coins. The price is clearly marked; I saw it."

"The noodles are ten coins a bowl, but the soup is ten taels a bowl," the shopkeeper said calmly. "The noodle soup you just had was made from thousand-year-old ginseng. One bowl of soup costs ten taels, five bowls cost fifty taels. I'm fair to everyone, young and old."

The shopkeeper reached under the counter and pulled out a palm-sized wooden plaque, slapping it onto the counter with a "smack".

Pang Mao looked down and saw four characters written in ink on the wooden sign: "Ten taels for a bowl of soup".

Pang Mao's face immediately darkened. Having traveled the martial world for a long time, he had naturally seen plenty of shops that ripped off customers like this. He immediately said coldly, "Shopkeeper, if you're going to rip off customers, you should at least be careful who you choose. You can't just rip off anyone!"

Upon hearing this, the shopkeeper's smile vanished, replaced by an impatient expression. He yelled towards the back kitchen, "Someone come here! Someone's trying to freeload!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a large group of strong men rushed in from outside. They were the same people who had been drinking tea next door. They were all dressed in short clothes, with bulging waistbands, clearly carrying weapons.

The leader, a man with a fierce face, slammed a thick iron rod on the ground with a dull thud.

"Eating for free?" The burly man grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth. His gaze swept over Gu Guanqi and his group, his tone contemptuous. "You guys have some nerve. Don't you even know whose territory this is before daring to act tough here?"

"They have some nerve, trying to rip us off!"

Xu Sheng slammed his hand on the table, stood up abruptly, and drew his long sword from his waist. The other two guards from the Alliance Leader's mansion, as well as Pang Mao standing by the counter, also drew their swords.

The guards of the Alliance Leader's Mansion were all top-notch martial arts masters, and the murderous aura emanating from their very bones was something that street thugs could not match.

The moment these people came out, they immediately intimidated the group.

The thugs exchanged glances, and their forward steps unconsciously shrank back.

The burly man also sensed something was wrong. He tightened his grip on the iron bar slightly, but refused to back down: "What? You want to fight? Don't you know where you are!"

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the door, followed by three or four constables dressed in dark blue uniforms filing in.

The leader was a middle-aged constable with a single sword at his waist and a rugged face. He scanned the shop upon entering, then fixed his gaze on Pang Mao, his voice hoarse as he barked, "Who's causing trouble? Daring to dine and dash in broad daylight on the territory of the Hanyue Sect?"

Upon seeing the constable, the shopkeeper's demeanor immediately changed. He hurried forward, bowing and scraping, saying, "Constable Li, you've come at the perfect time. These out-of-towners ate the noodles and drank the soup, but they're trying to renege on their debt. Our small business can't afford this kind of trouble!"

Officer Li glanced at the fifty copper coins on the counter, then at the wooden sign that read "Soup ten taels a bowl," his face expressionless. He looked at Pang Mao and said, "Since it's a clearly marked price, then let's do it by the rules. Either settle the bill—fifty taels of silver, not a penny less—or come with me to the yamen and let the magistrate decide."

Pang Mao frowned and said in a deep voice, "You're a government official, is this how you operate? They're ripping off customers, and you can't see it?"

Constable Li snorted coldly, his tone tinged with impatience: "How I do things is none of your business. I've seen plenty of you江湖人 (jianghu people) who are used to fighting and killing, and who are unruly. But here, you'd better open your eyes wide!"

He pointed outside the door, then to the ground, "This is the Hanyue Sect's dock, and this shop also belongs to the Hanyue Sect. If you're causing trouble here, you're asking for trouble!"

Several constables also took a step forward, their hands on the hilts of their swords, their meaning all too clear. Seeing the constables backing them up, the thugs became even bolder, straightening their chests again, weighing their iron rods in their hands, making a "clanging" sound.

Pang Mao, Xu Sheng, and the others all looked at Gu Guanqi.

Although they were not afraid of the constables and thugs, they could not take action without Gu Guanqi's orders.

Gu Guanqi was holding a teacup, took a sip, and was about to speak.

But at this moment,

A cold voice came from outside the door: "You bastards have really gone too far in ripping off the martial arts alliance leaders of Qingyun and Erzhou! You've got some nerve!"

The moment the words were spoken, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the door.

Everyone looked over.

The light at the entrance was blocked by several figures. Against the light, a group of people walked in with great momentum, with a young man at the front.

The man was about twenty years old, holding a folding fan and waving it lightly. He wore a purple brocade robe with a dark silk sash around his waist. His long hair was tied up with a golden crown. His face was like jade, his lips were like painted vermilion, and his eyebrows and eyes exuded an air of nobility, yet also revealed a hint of aloofness and coldness.

It was none other than Zhao Lingyuan, the woman disguised as a man from the Rong Prince's Mansion.

This was also one of the purposes of his trip to Hongzhou. The two of them still had a blind date event to settle, and the reward was Little Li Flying Dagger.

Behind her followed a group of about a dozen people, each with weapons at their waists and a steady gait; they were clearly well-trained elite guards.

The constable Li's heart sank, realizing something was wrong, but he still steeled himself and shouted, "Who are you, daring to interfere in government affairs? You…"

at this time,

A stern-faced old man suddenly appeared behind Zhao Lingyuan. His steps were incredibly fast, and the crowd didn't even see how he moved. They only saw a blur before the old man was already in front of Constable Li.

"Snap—"

With a crisp slap, Constable Li was sent flying and crashed to the ground, his fate unknown.

The old man withdrew his hand, stood with his hands behind his back, and spoke in a low but authoritative voice: "How dare you be disrespectful to the young master! You deserve to die."

Zhao Lingyuan said calmly, "Break the legs of every single one of these people!"

"yes!"

Immediately, the guards, upon receiving the order, pounced on the thugs and constables like wolves and tigers, and cries of agony and screams filled the air.

The shopkeeper exclaimed in terror, "My elder brother is an inner disciple of the Hanyue Sect..."

Before he could finish speaking,

He was grabbed by the old man next to Zhao Lingyuan and his thigh was broken by a single stomp.

Zhao Lingyuan walked towards Gu Guanqi, closed her folding fan, and cupped her hands, saying, "Brother Gu, we agreed that you would come to my house in Hongzhou to see me. But you've been here so long without saying a word!"

Gu Guanqi said, "I came in a hurry and have been busy with trivial matters, so I haven't had a chance to come. Please forgive me, Brother Zhao!"

Zhao Lingyuan laughed heartily and said, "Let's go, let's find somewhere else to talk. It's all smoky and noisy here."

Gu Guanqi got up and followed Zhao Lingyuan out the door.

As soon as he arrived at the entrance, he saw the empty hitching post and immediately realized that the group of people were not only planning to rip off the customers, but also steal their horses.

"Brother Zhao!" Gu Guanqi asked, "Is the order in Hongzhou always this chaotic? It's one thing if other places are chaotic, but this is Shimen County, and the Hanyue Gate is right here!"

Zhao Lingyuan chuckled and said, "Brother Gu, haven't you heard the saying? The closer you get to Mount Ling, the more demons and monsters you'll find there."

"Um?"

Zhao Lingyuan said, "The more Shimen County it is, the less people dare to interfere. Those who dare to commit crimes here all have powerful connections in Hanyue Sect. Those without powerful connections wouldn't dare to do such things in these areas."

After saying that, Zhao Lingyuan asked again, "Brother Gu, are you going to the Hanyue Sect?"

Gu Guanqi nodded slightly and said, "Yes, there is something I need to do at the Hanyue Sect."

Zhao Lingyuan said, "Then you'd better be mentally prepared. I'm afraid you'll become more and more disappointed along the way."

Gu Guanqi said in a deep voice, "It's alright. I'm not here to reorganize the martial arts world of Hongzhou, nor am I in the mood to meddle in other people's business. I'm mainly going to the Hanyue Sect to find a friend of mine. She previously became a disciple of the sect leader of the Hanyue Sect, but her personal belongings have ended up in the hands of the Tianyao Sect. I'm a little worried."

"A personal disciple of the sect leader," Zhao Lingyuan said. "Who is it? I might even know them!"

"I'm a newbie, my name is Fang Cunxin," Gu Guanqi said.

Zhao Lingyuan was slightly taken aback, then suddenly raised her head and said, "Brother Gu, your friend... you will never see him again!"

Gu Guanqi's heart tightened, and he quickly asked, "Brother Zhao, what do you mean by that?"

Zhao Lingyuan pondered for a moment and said, "Any disciple personally taught by the leader of the Hanyue Sect will become a high-ranking figure in the Hongzhou martial arts world in the future, so our Rong Prince's Mansion will pay attention to them."

Your friend died a year ago, not long after joining the Hanyue Sect. Because she had only recently become the sect leader's personal disciple and wasn't very well-known, not many people knew about her!

"Dead...dead!"

Gu Guanqi's expression changed, and he said, "She was a new disciple, and logically speaking, she had been staying within the Hanyue Sect the whole time. She shouldn't have been in any danger. How could she... be dead?"

Zhao Lingyuan quickly replied, "I'm sorry, Brother Gu, I didn't pay much attention to this matter at the time, so I'm not very clear about it. Well, this place isn't too far from Hanyue Sect. If we travel day and night, we should be able to reach Hanyue Sect by tomorrow morning!"

Gu Guanqi turned around and shouted to Pang Mao and the others who were not far behind him, "Bring the horses and prepare torches, let's set off now!"

"yes!"

Pang Mao and the others bowed and immediately returned to the restaurant.

Soon, a scream came from inside, and then Pang Mao and his men came out, saying that the horses hadn't been led far away, and then they quickly left.

quickly,

The group then led several horses back from the backyard of the teahouse next door.

Seeing this, Zhao Lingyuan cupped her hands and said, "Brother Gu, there's no need to prepare torches, dry rations, or anything like that; I've brought them all."

Thank you!

Gu Guanqi bowed in thanks, then mounted his horse.