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

Chapter 170 The Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms: Ambidextrous Technique

At this moment, the fleshy monk spoke up: "Gentlemen, a chaotic battle is pointless. Swords have no eyes and will inevitably damage harmony. How about this, I have a suggestion: those who believe they are capable of securing a place should voluntarily show everyone their skills. Those who feel they are not strong enough should voluntarily withdraw to avoid wasting time. What do you all think?"

Murong Qing, holding his sword, chimed in, "I agree. I've already demonstrated it. Anyone who thinks they can beat me can come find me."

For a moment, everyone fell silent.

The meat-eating monk spoke again, "It seems everyone has no objections. Since I made the suggestion, I'll set an example!"

After saying that, the meat monk looked around and then set his sights on the pair of stone lions at the entrance of the inn. They were quite large, and he estimated that they weighed at least 800 jin if not 1,000 jin.

The meat monk walked to one of the stone lions, reached out and gently patted it, then reached out and grabbed the base with one hand, lifting it up with one hand and gently tossing it three feet into the air before catching it steadily and slowly placing it on the ground.

After performing this trick, the meat monk proudly cupped his hands to the crowd.

This time, no one spoke up, not even Fang Danian, who had previously been shouting in the room that he wanted to help the meat monk.

At this moment, the woman in black who had previously invited Gu Guanqi to squeeze in with her at the inn stepped forward, cupped her hands, and said, "Everyone, if no one speaks up, the Four Heroes of Meishan will have to take up four spots!"

These words immediately stirred up a commotion on the battlefield.

An old man said, "So it's the Four Heroes of Meishan here. I suppose you must be Chu Yaoyin, the Third Hero of Chu. We admire the chivalrous spirit of the Four Heroes of Meishan, but since the Third Hero of Chu is taking all four spots, shouldn't we at least be allowed to see what's going on?"

Chu Yaoyin thought for a moment, then cupped her hands to Ah Feng and said, "Miss Ah Feng, could you lend me a few silver ingots?"

"certainly."

Ah Feng immediately took out three silver ingots from her sleeve and handed them to Chu Yaoyin.

Chu Yaoyin took the silver ingots and squeezed them with both hands, turning the three ingots into three silver cakes. She then threw them into the air, quickly drew her sword, and thrust it out, instantly piercing the three silver cakes and embedding them in her sword.

Then, she slowly took off the three silver coins and returned the three silver ingots to Ah Feng.

At this moment, the middle-aged man beside Chu Yaoyin said, "Let me also make a fool of myself!"

Immediately, the man also began to show his skills.

Subsequently, people began to use various methods.

Gu Guanqi sat at the entrance of the inn's lobby, watching with great interest for a while.

There are indeed many experts, all of whom possess unique skills.

However, there are also those who are merely pretending to be skilled, but they give up on themselves after others reveal their abilities.

Gu Guanqi looked at it for a while, then stopped looking at it because the innkeeper had already brought him a bowl of noodles. He took advantage of the fact that no one was in the inn at the moment, found a table and sat down to eat the noodles.

Comparatively speaking, the methods of those experts outside were far less attractive to him than a hot bowl of soup noodles.

These days of traveling have meant that we often have to eat dry food. For example, today's meal is the first hot meal we've had in the last two days.

Just as Gu Guanqi finished eating his noodles, the selection of experts outside also came to an end.

After Murong Qing, the Flesh Monk, and the Four Heroes of Meishan revealed their skills, no one had any objections.

The competition for the last four spots was quite fierce, with all four contestants exchanging blows, though each fight ended quickly. In the end, three men and one woman were chosen, and the martial arts skills of these four were clearly a level below the other six.

However, none of them are bad.

Although Gu Guanqi only glanced at them briefly, he had a general idea of ​​the strength of the ten selected people.

Swordsman Murong Qing, Meat Monk, and Chu Yaoyin are all top-tier, while the other seven are all first-tier. The other three of the Four Heroes of Meishan are slightly better, while the three men and one woman who were chosen later are slightly weaker among the first-tier.

Soon, Ah Feng took out a stack of silver notes, all of them one hundred taels each, and gave one to each of those who were not selected. She spent more than two thousand taels and then dismissed everyone.

Then, Ah Feng and the ten experts entered the inn.

Afterwards, Ah Feng glanced at Gu Guanqi and hurriedly went into the backyard.

Not long after Gu Guanqi finished his noodles, he called out to the innkeeper, "Check, please."

As soon as Gu Guanqi spoke, everyone who had just entered the inn looked over, and the innkeeper hurriedly came over, stammering, "Young master—five coins."

Immediately, Gu Guanqi opened the money bag and took out five copper coins.

After saying that, he got up and went out.

Just then, an aged voice came from the back gate: "Alliance Leader Gu, please wait."

Gu Guanqi turned around and saw four strong men carrying a sedan chair out. The sedan chair was sealed off, but the material was very luxurious, exuding a sense of extravagance. Even the wood was top-grade nanmu.

"Do you know me?" Gu Guanqi asked.

The reason he stopped was because the other party could address him by the title "Alliance Leader Gu".

A very weak voice came from inside the sedan chair, saying, "I just heard someone come to report that a person of unparalleled beauty has arrived outside..."

The handsome young man, whose charm was captivating, inquired about your specific physical characteristics and then learned that your surname is Gu.

In this world today, there is only one handsome man surnamed Gu, dressed in white robes and wielding a black sword, possessing unparalleled martial arts skills, an elegant demeanor, and the most recognizable and captivating beauty: Gu Guanqi, the leader of the Three States Alliance and the Sword Immortal of the Mortal Realm.

Upon hearing this, everyone in the hall was startled, their faces showing surprise.

At present, the most famous person is none other than Gu Guanqi, the sword immortal who has single-handedly destroyed the Hanyue Sect, one of the eight major sects.

While it's impossible to say that everyone knows him, anyone who has been active in the martial arts world for a long time and has some status is unlikely to be unaware of Gu Guanqi's name.

After the battle at Mount Futu, Gu Guanqi became incredibly famous, causing a sensation in the martial arts world.

After all, it's unlikely that anyone in the martial arts world hasn't heard of the Eight Great Sects. Furthermore, the entire Qian Kingdom's thirteen states were vying for the title of Martial Arts Alliance Leader last year, a major event in the martial arts world that everyone was watching. As the only person capable of simultaneously serving as the leader of three states' martial arts alliances, he naturally attracted considerable attention.

The experts in the hall at this moment were all people who had been active in the martial arts world for a long time and paid attention to major events in the martial arts world. Naturally, they could not have been unaware of the name of Gu Guanqi, the Sword Immortal of the Mortal World.

For a moment, everyone was shocked that such a legendary figure had actually appeared before their eyes.

Hearing the explanation from the person in the sedan chair, Gu Guanqi understood that Ah Feng had come to ask him specifically because she had guessed his identity and wanted to confirm it.

However, he had no intention of deliberately concealing his identity and didn't care about being recognized, so he asked, "What is the reason you called me over, sir?"

The person in the sedan chair said, "Let me first introduce myself. I am Hua Zhongjun, the head of the Hua family in Tianhu County, Tianzhou. Please forgive me, Alliance Leader Gu, but I am seriously ill and cannot be exposed to the wind, so it is inconvenient for me to greet you in person."

Gu Guanqi said, "Let's skip the formalities and get straight to the point."

Hua Zhongjun said, "I came to Dongdang County on business this time, but I encountered a problem in my cultivation and went into a qi deviation. I must rush home in time to use the Hua family's treasure to treat it. Time is short, so I can only take the shortcut through Cangmang Mountain."

However, the Cangmang Mountain route has seven mountains and twelve ridges, hiding the largest bandit scourge in Tianzhou. Traveling this route is extremely risky, but I simply cannot wait any longer. Therefore, I had no choice but to issue a bounty, inviting local experts to escort me across the mountains.

Gu Guanqi said, "You want me to escort you?"

"Yes," Hua Zhongjun said. "Everyone knows that Gu Guanqi, the Sword Immortal of the Mortal World, is capable of fighting against thousands of troops by himself. There is probably no safer choice than following Alliance Leader Gu."

Gu Guanqi chuckled and said, "Now that you know my identity, does Patriarch Hua think you can afford the price?"

After a moment of silence inside the sedan chair, Hua Zhongjun spoke up, "Alliance Leader Gu, would you mind accompanying me into the inner courtyard for a detailed discussion?"

Gu Guanqi was also quite curious about what conditions the Hua family, who were said to be incredibly wealthy, could offer, so he said, "Okay."

Immediately, the four sedan chair bearers carried the sedan chair into the backyard, and Gu Guanqi followed them in.

Ah Feng bowed to the group of experts and then quickly followed them into the backyard.

Soon, the sedan chair was carried into a large hall.

As soon as Gu Guanqi entered, Afeng quickly took out a handkerchief and gently wiped the chair, saying warmly, "Alliance Leader Gu, please have a seat."

Thank you.

Gu Guanqi said something and then sat down.

Ah Feng hurriedly brought over a pot of tea and poured it for Gu Guanqi, deliberately standing very close to him. While pouring the tea, her eyes seemed to be glued to Gu Guanqi.

Then she handed the teacup to Gu Guanqi and said softly, "Alliance Leader Gu, please have some tea."

Gu Guanqi nodded slightly, but did not reach out to take it.

Ah Feng pouted, her eyes full of resentment, and then placed the teacup in front of Gu Guanqi.

"Master Hua, please speak," Gu Guanqi said. "I'm in a hurry to get going!"

"Cough cough————"

A cough came from inside the sedan chair. It took a long time for Hua Zhongjun to calm down before he said weakly, "Alliance Leader Gu, with your status, ordinary gold and silver or divine martial arts manuals are meaningless to you. Therefore, I can only provide you with the conditions you need."

He took a few deep breaths and continued, "It is widely rumored in the martial arts world that Young Master Gu created a martial art called the Path of Passion, which takes being moved by emotions as the source of cultivation. However, given Alliance Leader Gu's unparalleled charm and status, it is unlikely that ordinary women would catch his eye, let alone be moved by him."

Therefore, if Alliance Leader Gu is willing to help me cross the mountain, I am willing to use all my family connections and favors to invite the most outstanding women in the world to help Young Master Gu with his cultivation.

First is Xue Wuqing, the young master of the Tianshan Sect, who at only twenty-five years old is already one of the top ten grandmasters in Qizhou. Second is Hua Qianyue, the number one young talent of the Hua family, who is only twenty years old. Although her martial arts achievements are not as great as Xue Wuqing's, she is considered one of the two beauties of Tianzhou, alongside Princess Chengyang, and possesses unparalleled beauty. Third is Wen Shuyi, the most talented woman in Tianzhou, a master of the four arts of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Although she is slightly older, she is absolutely a top-tier woman in the world.

Alliance Leader Gu, ordinary women are unlikely to move your heart, and naturally cannot help you with your cultivation. However, these three women, regardless of their appearance,

Martial arts skills and talent are qualities that make men in the world flock to them. With the influence of my Hua family, I can certainly persuade the three of them to help you with your cultivation.

At this point, Hua Zhongjun quickly explained, "However, I only meant asking them to help you with your cultivation by using personal connections. I don't actually have the ability to give them to you."

Gu Guanqi chuckled and said, "All I ask for is someone to help me cultivate; I have no interest in anything else."

Hua Zhongjun quickly asked, "So, Alliance Leader Gu has agreed?"

Gu Guanqi said, "If I can really invite these three to help me with my cultivation, I have no reason to disagree."

Hua Zhongjun said, "Since I dare to make such a promise, I am naturally absolutely confident that I can fulfill it. I also don't have the guts to play tricks on Alliance Leader Gu."

Gu Guanqi asked, "When do we depart?"

"Let's go immediately."

"Okay." Gu Guanqi picked up the teacup on the table, smiled slightly at Ah Feng, then drank it down in one gulp, turned around and left.

Upon seeing Gu Guanqi's smile, Ah Feng's face immediately flushed red, and she was still in a daze even after Gu Guanqi had walked out the door.

"Cough cough————"

Inside the sedan chair, Hua Zhongjun coughed twice and said, "Snap out of it, they're all gone."

Ah Feng smiled and said, "Master, I think there is probably no woman in this world who can resist Gu Guanqi's smile."

"That's because you're such a slut!" Hua Zhongjun said. "I never thought I'd be so lucky this time. Gu Guanqi actually came. This time, crossing the mountain is a sure thing."

Ah Feng said, "Yes, who would have thought that Gu Guanqi would come to the capital alone? This trip across the mountain will go very smoothly."

""

Hua Zhongjun asked, "By the way, have you found out who among those people in the inn is an Eastern Depot spy?"

"The Four Heroes of Meishan," Ah Feng said, "However, that Murong Qing doesn't seem to be here for the reward money, but we haven't been able to find out which side he's on yet."

Hua Zhongjun said, "Currently, there are only a few forces in the capital, namely the Eastern Depot, the Empress Dowager's faction, or the General's Mansion. It's unlikely that the Left Prime Minister sent someone to monitor me, is it?"

Ah Feng covered her mouth and chuckled, "Master, I haven't received any news from the Left Prime Minister!"

When Gu Guanqi returned to the inn's lobby, the ten selected masters were sitting in twos and threes, some drinking tea and others talking in hushed tones.

Upon hearing the footsteps, everyone fell silent instantly, and all eyes turned to them.

Some people were itching to approach and strike up a conversation, but felt it would be presumptuous; others pretended to drink tea while their eyes couldn't help but wander to Gu Guanqi's muscular frame. Even the most carefree and unrestrained monk from before was unusually quiet now, only occasionally glancing at Gu Guanqi out of the corner of his eye.

But no one spoke anymore.

Gu Guanqi remained calm and walked to the table by the window to sit down.

Outside the window, snow continued to fall heavily, and the sky was overcast.

Not long after, Ah Feng came out from the backyard.

She changed into a light purple jacket and skirt, with a snow-white fox fur cloak over it, making her look even more beautiful and charming. She walked to the center of the hall, curtsied to everyone, and said with a smile, "Everyone, please have some food first. We will be setting off soon, so we don't want to be hungry on the way." Everyone responded, and the atmosphere relaxed a little.

But Chu Yaoyin didn't rush to pick up her chopsticks. She picked up her teacup, took a sip, and her gaze swept over the rim of the bowl to Gu Guanqi. After a pause, she couldn't help but ask, "Miss Feng, will Alliance Leader Gu be traveling with us?"

As soon as he said that, everyone in the hall stopped what they were doing and listened attentively.

Ah Feng was about to turn around and go back to the backyard when she heard this, so she paused, turned back, and said with a smile, "Of course, Alliance Leader Gu has already agreed to come with us on this trip."

Upon hearing this, the eyes of the ten people in the hall all turned to Gu Guanqi, their expressions varying.

Chu Yaoyin's eyes lit up slightly. She took a deep breath, quickly stood up, and walked straight towards Gu Guanqi.

Gu Guanqi noticed Chu Yaoyin and slightly raised his head.

Chu Yaoyin walked over to Gu Guanqi and said casually, "Alliance Leader Gu, how about we go on a blind date?"

"Hmm?" Gu Guanqi looked at Chu Yaoyin with a puzzled expression.

Chu Yaoyin grinned and said, "Rumor has it that Alliance Leader Gu cultivates the Path of Amorousness. As long as a woman moves your heart, your cultivation will greatly increase. And you usually start your interactions with women through blind dates."

She blinked, giggled, and said, "I'm a woman too, and I'm willing to help you cultivate!"

Gu Guanqi was taken aback, then chuckled and said, "Then thank you very much for your kindness, Miss Chu!"

Upon hearing this, Chu Yaoyin's eyes lit up, and she exclaimed happily, "Alliance Leader Gu, you're so considerate!"

Gu Guanqi looked bewildered and asked, "What did I do?"

Chu Yaoyin said, "You actually responded to me!"

Gu Guanqi:

'

Chu Yaoyin sat down opposite him, resting her chin on her hands, her eyes sparkling. She introduced herself confidently: "Alliance Leader Gu, my name is Chu Yaoyin. I'm a disciple of the Meishan Sect. I'm twenty-five years old this year. I've practiced the Plum Blossom Sword Technique since childhood. I've often traveled the martial world with my eldest brother, second brother, and junior sister, and we're known as the Four Heroes of Meishan. We're quite famous in this Tongliang County area!"

Just then, a familiar electronic voice rang in Gu Guanqi's mind: "[Player has started a blind date activity]"

[Detected blind date candidate—Chu Yaoyin]

Rating: Three stars

[Blind Date Reward: Max Level "Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms"]

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

The Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms, the Beggars' Sect's signature martial art, is said to be the most masculine and powerful technique in the world. It is extremely fierce and powerful, with simple yet varied moves. The eighteen palm techniques correspond to eighteen different combat abilities, and each combat method is primarily offensive, fully demonstrating that "attack is the best defense."

Although this level of martial arts does not improve Gu Guanqi's cultivation level at present, every martial art has its unique essence.

Especially given Gu Guanqi's current level of cultivation and skill, the effects of using the powerful and fierce Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms would naturally be extraordinary.

The unique martial art of the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms is still very helpful to him.

Gu Guanqi quickly regained his composure, his face remaining impassive. Looking at Chu Yaoyin, who was filled with anticipation, he smiled slightly and said, "To have such a reputation, Miss Chu must be a woman of great chivalry and courage!"

Chu Yaoyin smiled broadly, her eyes crinkling, and said repeatedly, "Alliance Leader Gu, you're so good at praising people!"

Gu Guanqi asked in surprise, "Really? Miss Chu is truly unique!"

"Leader Gu, you have such a great sense of humor!"

Gu Guanqi: "??"

Is it possible that everyone in this world has become a hundred times less articulate, while I'm the only one who hasn't changed?

And at this moment, —

The other three members of the Meishan Four Heroes lowered their heads upon seeing Chu Yaoyin's performance, feeling ashamed and completely unable to look at her.

The junior sister muttered under her breath, "Senior brothers, look at how worthless my senior sister looks!"

Just then, they suddenly heard Chu Yaoyin say, "Alliance Leader Gu, may I introduce you to my two senior brothers and junior sister?"

Immediately, the youngest junior sister of the Four Heroes of Meishan stood up and ran over excitedly, saying, "Alliance Leader Gu, my name is Jin Caicai, I'm my senior sister's junior sister, I—I admire you so much!"

Senior Brother:

Second Senior Brother:

'

Junior sister, you're not as valuable as third junior sister!

Then, the two of them quickly got up and walked to Gu Guanqi's side.

The eldest brother first cupped his hands and said, "Alliance Leader Gu, my name is Liu Yuanqin, and I am the leader of the Four Heroes of Meishan."

"I am the second son, Li Zhengyang."

Gu Guanqi returned the greeting with a cupped hand and said, "Gentlemen, why don't you sit down together?"

Liu Yuanqin trembled, suppressing his excitement, and cautiously asked, "Is...is it okay?"

Chu Yaoyin said, "Senior Brother, please sit down. Alliance Master Gu is very kind. Besides, we'll be spending a lot of time together in the future; we'll be traversing the Cangmang Mountains together!"

As she spoke, Chu Yaoyin grinned at Gu Guanqi and said, "Right, Alliance Leader Gu, shouldn't we spend more time together?"

Just then, the system notification sounded in Gu Guanqi's mind again: [A blind date invitation detected. Advanced blind date activity can be started.]

[Enable?]

Without hesitation, Gu Guanqi silently recited in his mind: "Activate."

The next moment, a new notification sound appeared in my mind: [Blind Date Partner - Chu Yaoyin]

Rating: Three stars

[Advanced Dating Reward: Max Level "Ambidextrous Fighting Technique"]

The Advanced Dating Event has begun. Players are encouraged to complete it diligently. Rewards will be distributed after the event concludes.

Upon seeing the Ambidextrous Fighting Technique, Gu Guanqi became somewhat interested.

This martial art is unique in that it allows the left and right hands to perform independent movements, simulating two people attacking at the same time. This internal energy cultivation method is not simply about fist and foot techniques; its core lies in controlling the mind and emphasizing multitasking.

Even at his current level of martial arts mastery, the merits of this martial art are still quite evident.

He could even wield both the Compassionate Sword Manual and the Heavenly Silkworm Demon Art.

Immediately afterward, the system notification sounded in Gu Guanqi's mind again:

[Blind date event concluded]

[Reward: Max level "Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms" - Already issued]

-

Do you want to claim the reward?

Gu Guanqi immediately silently recited "Receive" in his mind.

In an instant, a surge of profound martial arts insights flooded into his mind like a surging tide.

From the first move, "The Dragon Regrets," to the final move, "The Dragon Swings Its Tail," the techniques for channeling energy, the flow of internal force, the rhythm of advance and retreat, and the secrets to exerting power in each move are all imprinted on one's soul.

He mastered all the subtle variations, layered forces, feints and real attacks, and techniques for breaking through the void in the Eighteen Palm Techniques, without missing a single detail.

While Gu Guanqi was chatting with Chu Yaoyin and the other three.

Ah Feng drove a carriage from the backyard of the inn to the entrance. The carriage was very large, at least twice the size of an ordinary carriage.

Then, four sedan chair bearers carried the sedan chair out and placed it directly into the carriage.

When Hua Zhongjun said he dared not be exposed to the wind, he truly did not see a single breeze; he remained inside the sedan chair the entire time and did not show his face.

Hua Zhongjun's group consisted of only four sedan chair carriers and A Feng, making a total of six people including Hua Zhongjun. However, Gu Guanqi could tell that the four sedan chair carriers and A Feng were all martial arts masters.

-

In this world with extraordinary martial arts, the quality of guards is more important than their quantity; having too many guards would only make travel more difficult.

With the addition of ten hired experts and Gu Guanqi, the group of seventeen set off quickly.

After traveling for two days, we finally arrived at the vast mountainous region.

It was somewhat different from what Gu Guanqi had imagined.

Gu Guanqi originally thought that Cangmang Mountain was just a big mountain, but in fact, Cangmang Mountain is a mountain range that spans several counties and is very vast, just like Wangchen Mountain in Qingzhou.

However, the location of this vast mountain range is very special. It is situated at the junction of several counties and covers a wide area, forming a natural barrier that is very suitable for bandits to hide in. In addition, being located at the junction of several counties and with numerous trade routes, it can support a large number of bandits.

More than half of the bandits in Tianzhou hid in the vast mountains, forming a total of thirteen bandit strongholds. They controlled the trade routes and frequently came down the mountain to plunder, but because of the vast mountains and deep forests, the imperial court's repeated attempts to suppress them failed.

Over time, the Cangmang Mountains became synonymous with a place plagued by bandits.

At dusk that day, the group finally arrived at a small town on the edge of the Cangmang Mountains.

The town was unexpectedly prosperous. Despite being just a small town located in the vast mountainous region, it was lined with shops, inns, and teahouses, bustling with people, and frequented by caravans and镖队 (bodyguard teams).

The group rode their horses through the town. Gu Guanqi asked with some doubt, "Isn't Cangmang Mountain not notorious for banditry? How come this place is so prosperous?"

Chu Yaoyin said, "Alliance Leader Gu may not know this, but although the Cangmang Mountain is plagued by bandits, it has a special location at the intersection of four prefectures and dozens of trade routes. Most people choose to go through the Cangmang Mountain when doing business across prefectures because the cost of taking a detour is too high."

The thirteen strongholds of Cangmang Mountain were also very law-abiding. As long as passing caravans paid tolls, they wouldn't commit any offenses. The same applied to the towns and villages; as long as protection fees were paid regularly, basic safety was guaranteed. With numerous trade routes, naturally, there was no shortage of businessmen opening shops in these areas.

Gu Guanqi asked in surprise, "A group of bandits, yet they have such good manners?"

'

"This wasn't the case before," Chu Yaoyin said. "Ten years ago, the Cangmang Mountains were in chaos. Dozens of bandit camps fought each other, robbing each other, making trade routes impossible. This alarmed the imperial court, which launched several campaigns to suppress them. However, the mountains were vast and the forests deep. When the army came, they would simply disappear into the forests, making them impossible to catch. As soon as the government troops left, they would come out again, over and over again."

Back then, let alone doing business on these roads, just surviving was considered lucky. However, twelve years ago, a man arrived in the Cangmang Mountains, known in the martial arts world as the Big Boss.

The chief leader spent two years conquering and annexing various bandit strongholds in the Cangmang Mountains, eventually consolidating them into thirteen strongholds. His stronghold was revered as the chief chief, and he was also honored as the leader of the Cangmang Mountain outlaws. He divided up the territory for the other twelve strongholds, and no one was allowed to cross the boundary without his permission.

After that, he set the rules for Cangmang Mountain, and the various mountain strongholds dared not disobey him and strictly followed them. Over time, the trade routes of Cangmang Mountain were opened up, and many bold people even opened inns and restaurants along the trade routes of Cangmang Mountain.

6

Gu Guanqi said, "This boss is quite a character!"

Chu Yaoyin said, "He is indeed a figure, but he deserves to die. In the past, although there were many bandits in Cangmang Mountain, it was chaotic and disorganized, and the big merchants were the most affected."

Large merchants who could conduct business across prefectures were generally quite powerful, and even if their money and goods were robbed, they could still survive. However, since the chief leader unified Cangmang Mountain, the threat of bandits in Cangmang Mountain has become extremely great.

Although the rules made trade routes smoother, the surrounding people suffered. In good years, they could still afford to offer sacrifices, but in bad years, when they couldn't afford to offer sacrifices, the bandits would really massacre the village if they said they would.

In the past, when bandits from Cangmang Mountain came down to plunder, the chaos and disorder meant that small groups of outlaws were the main culprits, and the local people could still put up a fight. But now, the bandits in Cangmang Mountain have banded together in an orderly fashion, and ordinary people have no way to survive against them.

Moreover, the gang leader's reputation has spread far and wide over the years, attracting many wanted criminals and notorious bandits to seek refuge with him. Those who have committed crimes outside can hide in the Cangmang Mountains and seek refuge with the gang leader, and the government can do nothing about it.

Gu Guanqi frowned and said, "This is Tianzhou, the capital city. How could a bandit den have grown so large?"

Chu Yaoyin said, "That's something we can't possibly know."

11

"What other reason could there be?" Just then, the swordsman Murong Qing, who was a little behind, suddenly spoke up: "If it weren't for the protection of the court officials, how could the bandits of Cangmang Mountain have become a force to be reckoned with?"

Gu Guanqi and Chu Yaoyin both looked at Murong Qing.

Murong Qing cupped his hands in apology to Gu Guanqi and Chu Yaoyin, saying, "I apologize. I happened to overhear Alliance Leader Gu and Heroine Chu discussing the Cangmang Mountain just now, and I spoke out of grief and indignation. Please forgive my rudeness!"

Gu Guanqi waved his hand. He hadn't hidden his conversation with Chu Yaoyin, so the people around him could naturally hear it. It wasn't that Murong Qing had intentionally eavesdropped.

In addition, it's normal for Murong Qing to speak.

Because Murong Qing is usually very taciturn and doesn't talk much to people, but whenever the topic of Cangmang Mountain comes up, his emotions become somewhat uncontrollable and he becomes very emotional.

However, the specific reason is unknown, but we can guess that it is probably due to a grudge against Cangmang Mountain.

At this moment, Gu Guanqi cupped his hands and asked, "Hero Murong, do you know any inside information?"

Murong Qing shook his head and said, "It's not that I know any inside story, but I can guess that if there were no important figures in the court protecting them, the bandits of Cangmang Mountain would not have been able to rise to prominence."

If things were like before, it would be normal for bandit camps to spring up everywhere. The government would wipe one out today, and a new one would spring up tomorrow, or they would simply hide deep in the mountains and come out again when things calmed down.

However, it would be strange if this situation, with a clear leader, couldn't be eradicated. The simple principle of "capture the king to catch the thief" is something even a rough man like me understands; surely the officials in the court don't?

If the imperial court rashly sends troops or agents from the Six Doors (a secret police organization) in, it will surely be detected, and the bandits will flee at the mere sight of them, leaving the government helpless. However, the court only needs to send a group of top-notch experts to capture the ringleader, then control him, and gradually take control of the higher-ups.

Finally, with the high-ranking officials as cover, the Six Doors or the army would disguise themselves and enter the main stronghold. Then, in the name of the leader, they would summon all the strongholds to gather together and wipe them out in one fell swoop. Even if some information was leaked in the process, it wouldn't matter, as the main stronghold could be easily destroyed.

The most difficult type of bandits to deal with is those that are disorganized, disorderly, and homeless. The fact that the imperial court can't wipe them out, especially in places like the Cangmang Mountains where their location is fixed, is utterly ridiculous. If it's not because there are powerful figures in the court protecting them, then the court has become so incompetent that it can't even defeat a band of bandits. In that case—”

Chu Yaoyin quickly interrupted, "Hero Murong, please be careful what you say!"

Reminded by Chu Yaoyin, Murong Qing quickly stopped herself from saying anything, but her expression remained indignant.

"I agree with what Master Murong said," Gu Guanqi said.

Murong Qing looked at Gu Guanqi, her eyes filled with surprise and delight.

Gu Guanqi nodded slightly.

He also felt that there must be a powerful figure in the imperial court protecting this vast mountain; otherwise, as Murong Qing said, it would be impossible to achieve such a scale.

Now that Cangmang Mountain has someone in charge, it's like a sitting duck, making it very easy for the imperial court to deal with.

If they can't handle it, there are only two possibilities, as Murong Qing mentioned: either someone is protecting them, or the court is so corrupt that it's on the verge of collapse.

Gu Guanqi felt that it had both.

The Qian Kingdom is now showing signs of collapse.

Just then, the carriage in front stopped in front of an inn, and Ah Feng went in to negotiate.

She quickly came out and gave a few instructions. Then the four sedan chair bearers dismounted, carefully lifted the sedan chair out of the carriage, and carried it into the inn.

Ah Feng said to Gu Guanqi and the others, "Everyone, let's rest at this inn tonight. Make sure you all get a good rest. Tomorrow, after we pass this town, we'll be in the Tianfeng Ridge area. That stretch of several dozen miles is the territory of Cangmang Mountain's Tianlong Village and Jinhou Village; it probably won't be peaceful there!"

Immediately, everyone led their horses to the stable and tied them up, then went into the inn for a meal.

By the time we finished eating, it was already dark.

Under the guidance of the waiter and the shopkeeper, everyone gradually went to rest. Some stayed upstairs, while others stayed in the backyard with Hua Zhongjun in case of emergency.

Gu Guanqi was arranged to rest in the backyard.

After entering the room, he sat cross-legged and began practicing his internal energy.

When he's out and about, he rarely goes to sleep directly. Instead, he meditates and practices, which helps him rest and recuperate, and also allows him to respond to unexpected situations.

Time passed slowly, and around midnight, Gu Guanqi suddenly opened his eyes. He heard a rapid sound of horses' hooves coming from outside the town. He roughly estimated that there were about a hundred or eighty riders, who were quickly heading towards the town. They got closer and closer, and finally stopped outside the inn.

Immediately, a cheerful voice rang out: "Patriarch Hua, we have come on the orders of our chieftain to invite you to be our guest!"

享江