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

Chapter 179 Five Stars, Heavenly Demon Secret

On February , the dragon looked up.

It was the time of year when the spring chill lingered.

Gu Guanqi arrived outside Tai'an City. As the capital of the Qian Kingdom, Tai'an City was very magnificent. At a glance, the city wall seemed to have no end. There were eight archways on just one side of the city wall, six of which were open to traffic.

Even so, the inn was still crowded with officials and commoners entering and leaving the city, resulting in long queues.

Gu Guanqi dismounted and, together with Chu Yaoyin and Liu Yuanqin, led the reins to the back of the procession.

Just then, a dull sound was heard.

Several people looked over.

Then they saw that one of the two previously closed city gates was slowly opening to both sides.

As the doorway opened, a troop of soldiers in full armor filed out. Their iron armor gleamed coldly in the rising sun, their steps were perfectly synchronized, and each step carried a weighty and imposing presence.

A horse-drawn carriage was being protected in the center of the procession.

The group of soldiers left the city gate and headed straight for Gu Guanqi and his companions without stopping.

As the procession passed, the originally crowded masses seemed to be cleaved apart by an invisible knife, retreating to both sides.

Whether it was people queuing to enter the city or vehicles leaving the city, everyone consciously made way for a wide road.

Gu Guanqi, leading his horse, also moved to the side of the road.

But the carriage stopped in front of him.

Then, the carriage curtain was lifted.

An old man was sitting inside.

The man had a full head of white hair, but his face did not show any signs of aging. His skin was delicate, and his chin was clean and beardless. His gaze fell on Gu Guanqi, and a gentle smile appeared on his face.

At this moment, Chu Yaoyin and Liu Yuanqin saw the man's face clearly, their expressions changed slightly, and they quickly bowed and clasped their hands, lowering their voices to say, "Greetings, Your Excellency."

Gu Guanqi raised an eyebrow and immediately realized that this person was Wei Tanjin, the supervisor of the Eastern Depot.

Wei Tanjin glanced at Chu Yaoyin and Liu Yuanqin, nodded slightly, and said, "You two have worked hard. Now that you're back, stay in the capital. Which department or ministry would you like to go to? Just submit an application, and I'll approve it."

Chu Yaoyin and Liu Yuanqin were overjoyed and repeatedly said, "Thank you for your help, Governor!"

Wei Tanjin didn't speak to the two of them again, but instead focused his gaze on Gu Guanqi, smiling slightly as he said, "Alliance Leader Gu, I am Wei Tanjin. We've finally met. I've been looking forward to this day for a long time."

Gu Guanqi cupped his hands and said, "So it's Governor Wei in person. I've heard so much about you!"

Wei Tanjin said, "Alliance Leader Gu, why don't you get in the car? We can talk as we travel."

Gu Guanqi did not refuse, handed the reins to Liu Yuanqin, and then got into the carriage.

The carriage curtains fell down again.

The sound of guards' footsteps and whispers came from outside the carriage. The carriage turned around and slowly drove into the city cave.

The carriage was softly lit, the sunlight filtering through the brocade curtains turning a warm amber hue. In the corner burned a small bronze incense burner, its wisps of smoke carrying a faint sandalwood scent.

Wei Tanjin personally picked up the purple clay teapot on the table and poured a cup of tea for Gu Guanqi.

Gu Guanqi took the teacup and said, "Did Governor Wei come here specifically to pick me up?"

"Of course," Wei Tanjin poured himself a cup and said, "My men are reckless, and I'm afraid they might offend Alliance Leader Gu."

Gu Guanqi smiled slightly, said nothing more, picked up his teacup and began to drink.

After a moment of silence, Wei Tanjin spoke up, saying, "Alliance Leader Gu, what is the specific purpose of your visit to the capital?"

Gu Guanqi looked at Wei Tanjin and said, "Lord Wei, I am a man of the martial world. Whether it is doing things or speaking, I like to be straightforward. So, if you have something to say, it is better to just say it directly."

Wei Tanjin chuckled and said, "Alliance Leader Gu is a man of few words, so I won't beat around the bush either. Everyone thinks that you and I have joined forces now, but in reality, I know in my heart that I have never really discussed cooperation with you, Alliance Leader Gu."

"Including this time, when Alliance Leader Gu came to Kyoto, everyone thought I had asked you to come and help, but actually, I still can't figure out exactly why Alliance Leader Gu came to Kyoto."

Gu Guanqi thought for a moment and said, "The direct reason I came to Kyoto is because Zhang Jiexi has been blocking the appointment documents for officials in Hongzhou, which has resulted in my people having real power but no real authority in Hongzhou."

Wei Tanjin said, "So, Alliance Leader Gu is here to obtain the appointment documents?"

"No," Gu Guanqi waved his hand and said, "The reason Zhang Jiexi blocked me was mainly to make it easier to kill me later. So, my real purpose in coming to Kyoto is to kill Zhang Jiexi and solve the problem at its source."

"Hahahaha!" Wei Tanjin laughed heartily and said, "It's wonderful that Alliance Leader Gu has such an idea. To be honest, I also want to kill Zhang Jiexi and Yan Kunlun. These two traitors, one monopolizes the court, and the other holds a large army and disobeys imperial edicts, yet they still claim to be loyal ministers, constantly smearing me and saying I'm disrupting the court. Alliance Leader Gu, you have no idea what those two bastards have done. I—"

When Zhang Jiexi and Yan Kunlun were mentioned, Wei Tanjin's mouth flowed like a river with its dam bursting open, spewing out all sorts of insults, each one different.

It's clear that Wei Tanjin is being quite overwhelmed by Zhang Jiexi and Yan Kunlun.

Gu Guanqi did not interrupt, listening to Wei Tanjin's tirade and complaints.

After a long while, Wei Tanjin finally stopped and said embarrassedly, "I'm sorry, Alliance Leader Gu, I've been suppressing this for too long. I have to maintain my composure with my subordinates on weekdays, and I have to report good news but not bad news to the Empress Dowager. I feel so suffocated and can't find anyone to confide in."

"

Gu Guanqi chuckled and said, "I understand, but what kind of plan has Eunuch Wei prepared?"

Wei Tanjin pondered for a moment and said, "Yan Kunlun has returned to the capital this time and has obtained a lot of dirt on me. Now he has joined forces with Zhang Jiexi and wants to use that dirt to bring me down."

Originally, those so-called pieces of evidence wouldn't have affected me much, but for some reason, His Majesty sided with Zhang Jiexi, which has put me in a very passive position.

However, fortunately, the Empress Dowager had anticipated this and had been secretly gathering evidence of Zhang Jiexi and Yan Kunlun's embezzlement of military funds. She was almost finished collecting the evidence, so I was currently feigning weakness, waiting for the opportune moment to strike back!

Gu Guanqi nodded slightly.

Wei Tanjin asked, "So, what are Alliance Leader Gu's plans for this trip to the capital—to kill Zhang Jiexi?"

Gu Guanqi said, "I have no connections in the capital, so I can't use any strategies. I'm planning to see if Governor Wei has any intention of joining forces with me to intercept and kill Zhang Jiexi."

Wei Tanjin was silent for a while, then said, "Alliance Leader Gu's method is indeed the simplest of the great principles. But this method is basically impossible. Zhang Jiexi is always escorted by armored soldiers and followed by many experts when he travels, and he himself is one of the top experts in the world."

Killing him directly won't work, especially since it's in the capital. If the assassination fails in a short time, the city defense battalion, the Six Doors, and the Jingzhao Prefecture will all take immediate action.

In our Qian Kingdom, only Jun Ziyou and Ye Wudi are likely capable of directly killing Zhang Jiexi or Yan Kunlun.

Gu Guanqi raised an eyebrow slightly; he knew Jun Ziyou and Ye Wudi.

The Gentleman's Wandering God List ranks second, and Ye Wudi's God List ranks third.

Junzi You was an oddity. He created the "Path of Heartlessness," which everyone thought was a path of ruthlessness and cruelty. However, his Path of Heartlessness was actually a path of heartlessness towards his enemies. After several years, he killed so many people in the world that no one dared to be his enemy.

He then modified the Path of Ruthlessness, making it ruthless only towards those he disliked, and after that, he dedicated himself to eliminating demons and protecting the righteous path. Today, all six major demonic sects in the world have retreated into hiding, largely due to Junzi You.

Another Ye Wudi was a martial arts fanatic. He started practicing martial arts at the age of five and fought continuously. By the age of forty, he had challenged almost all the masters in the world. Then, believing that he was invincible, he went into seclusion, claiming that he would create the most powerful martial art in the world from ancient times to the present.

This seclusion lasted for a full ten years, during which he did not reappear in the world.

The question of who is stronger between Ye Wudi and Jun Ziyou has always been a point of contention among martial arts practitioners.

Unfortunately, during the years when Ye Wudi was challenging masters everywhere, Jun Ziyou was busy hunting down members of the demonic path and wandering in the borderlands. The two of them managed to avoid each other perfectly every time.

Currently, on the unpublished God Ranking of the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion, Jun Ziyou is ranked second and Ye Wudi is ranked third. The main reason is that Jun Ziyou's cultivation level has risen extremely rapidly, and he has been in a semi-active state for many years, while Ye Wudi is in complete seclusion, and it is even unclear whether he is alive or dead.

Gu Guanqi often wondered how big the gap was between his current cultivation level and that of people like Jun Ziyou and Ye Wudi.

"Lord Wei," Gu Guanqi asked, "I remember the rankings from the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion. You're second on the Heavenly Ranking, Yan Kunlun is fourth, and Zhang Jiexi is tenth. Your rankings are quite close. So, if we were to actually fight, would there be a significant difference in your positions?"

Wei Tanjin thought for a moment and said, "I had a duel with Zhang Jiexi in my early years. I suffered a great loss, but Zhang Jiexi did not dare to press his advantage. This shows that although he had the upper hand, he was not as relaxed as he appeared. I guess it would take him at least a hundred moves to defeat me."

As for Yan Kunlun, I have actually fought him, though not on the battlefield. If it were on the battlefield, I would definitely not be his match; the army's momentum gave him a significant advantage.

I fought him ten years ago at the Royal Hunting Tournament. We exchanged about fifty moves. I had a slight advantage, but I couldn't defeat him.

At this point, Wei Tanjin looked at Gu Guanqi and said, "So, if Alliance Leader Gu wants to test their cultivation, I would be happy to spar with you so that you can have a general idea of ​​their strength."

"it is good."

Gu Guanqi said, "Find a place, and let's have a match."

Not long after, Wei Tanjin brought Gu Guanqi to a manor in the eastern part of the city.

This was a place specially prepared by Wei Tanjin for Gu Guanqi, and it was equipped with many servants and maids.

After briefly introducing the butler to Gu Guanqi, Wei Tanjin led Gu Guanqi to the backyard.

The two immediately began to spar.

In the end, Gu Guanqi won by a slight margin.

After exchanging about thirty moves, he gradually gained the upper hand. Of course, neither of them used their full strength, nor did they use any killing moves.

This result put Gu Guanqi under considerable pressure.

Although he didn't use his trump card, Zhang Jiexi was able to gain the upper hand in one move, and Wei Tanjin also believed that he would be defeated in a hundred moves.

Judging from the outcome of his fight with Wei Tanjin, he could win, but it would be very difficult to capture Wei Tanjin.

At the entrance of the manor.

Gu Guanqi escorted Wei Tanjin to the door.

Wei Tanjin quickly cupped his hands and said, "Alliance Leader Gu, let's stop here. You must be tired from your journey. You should get some rest. The servants and maids in the manor were all personally selected by me, so you can use them with confidence."

Gu Guanqi nodded and said, "Thank you very much, Eunuch Wei."

"You're welcome, you're welcome," Wei Tanjin quickly replied. "We'll have many opportunities to interact in the future, and I sincerely hope to maintain our friendship forever!"

"I hope so too!" Gu Guanqi then asked, "By the way, Governor Wei, the Empress Dowager must know that I've come to the capital, right?"

""

Wei Tanjin nodded and said, "The Empress Dowager knows, and even specifically instructed me to treat Alliance Leader Gu well. Hmm—Alliance Leader Gu wants to ask about the Empress Dowager's request for Princess Chengyang to help you with your cultivation, right?"

Gu Guanqi nodded slightly.

Wei Tanjin said, "The Empress Dowager also told me about this matter. She sent a message a few days ago asking Princess Chengyang to return to the capital, and she should arrive in the next day or two. At that time, the Empress Dowager will arrange for you to meet with Princess Chengyang."

At this point, Wei Tanjin hesitated before asking, "Alliance Leader Gu, I'd like to ask, is your Path of Amorousness truly as rumored, where simply falling in love can help you increase your cultivation?"

Gu Guanqi nodded and said, "Yes."

"Is it really that simple?" Wei Tanjin asked in surprise.

Gu Guanqi chuckled and said, "Wei Dugong has already sparred with me. Do you think that if it weren't for the special nature of the Amorous Path, I could possess more profound internal strength than you at my age?"

Wei Tanjin's eyes lit up, and he said, "Does that mean that if I arrange for more women to come into contact with you, Alliance Leader Gu, no matter what, with more people, you're bound to meet someone you like, and your cultivation will advance by leaps and bounds!"

Gu Guanqi said, "That's true in theory, but I prefer those with high martial arts skills."

"Of course," Wei Tanjin said, "With Alliance Leader Gu's cultivation level, anyone whose martial arts realm isn't high enough wouldn't even be able to have a meaningful conversation with you, let alone move your heart. Here's what I'll do: I'll go back today and carefully select some candidates, trying to find more women who can capture Alliance Leader Gu's heart!"

Gu Guanqi cupped his hands and said, "Then I'll have to trouble Eunuch Wei."

Wei Tanjin smiled and said, "No need for that. Alliance Leader Gu is now on my side. The higher your cultivation level, the greater our chances of winning!"

After saying this, Wei Tanjin cupped his hands in a respectful gesture towards Gu Guanqi and said, "Then I'll take my leave. Alliance Leader Gu, please rest well!"

Take care.

Gu Guanqi returned the greeting with a cupped hand, then turned and entered the manor.

Wei Tanjin also got into the carriage and then sat down to meditate and regulate his breathing.

Inside the carriage, a middle-aged eunuch approached and asked, "Godfather, you just fought with Alliance Leader Gu. What is his actual skill level? Is it really as outrageous as the legends say?"

Wei Tanjin opened his eyes, chuckled, and said, "Zhang Jiexi probably can't even sleep anymore. This Gu Guanqi is practically the second Junziyou. He's only in his twenties, but his martial arts cultivation has already firmly surpassed mine. I'm afraid that in another three to five years, he'll be able to compete for the title of the best in the world!"

The middle-aged eunuch exclaimed in surprise, "So powerful?"

Wei Tanjin frowned and said, "I wonder if his path of passion is as limitless as Junziyou's path of ruthlessness. If it is, he might even surpass Junziyou in the future!"

The middle-aged eunuch exclaimed, "What a prodigy!"

Wei Tanjin said, "Go and find a suitable woman to help Alliance Leader Gu with his cultivation. High martial arts skills and beautiful appearance are the basic requirements. Don't just bring any random woman to Alliance Leader Gu. I'm here to help him cultivate, not to disgust him."

"clear!"

The Prime Minister's residence, backyard study.

Left Chancellor Zhang Jiexi was reviewing memorials when a servant entered, bowed, and said, "Your Excellency, the General has arrived and is currently having tea in the living room!"

Zhang Jiexi put down the folding book, got up and went out.

After passing through two long corridors, they arrived at the entrance of a large hall. Just as they reached the door, they saw a burly man sitting inside. He was extremely robust, with broad shoulders and a thick waist. His face was square and sharp, with thick eyebrows and large eyes. Just sitting there, he gave off an aura of—

It has the imposing presence of a tiger emerging from the mountains.

It was none other than Yan Kunlun, the Grand General of the Qian Kingdom.

"Is the General so free today?"

Zhang Jiexi walked into the hall, speaking as he waved to disperse the servants.

Yan Kunlun put down his teacup and said, "I just came back from training troops in Xishan. I happened to be passing by the Prime Minister's residence, so I thought I'd come and see you, Prime Minister."

Zhang Jiexi slowly sat down and chuckled, "General, you've actually made your way from the west city to the north city!"

Yan Kunlun grinned and said, "Actually, I just heard that the Prime Minister's enemy has entered the capital, so I came to see if the Prime Minister is so angry that he can't even eat."

Zhang Jiexi waved his hand and said, "I'm afraid I'll disappoint the general. He's just a young boy; it's not enough to make me angry."

Yan Kunlun said with a half-smile, "But how come I heard that the Prime Minister's favorite set of purple clay teapots was smashed to pieces? I also heard that the concubine the Prime Minister just took in last year was beaten to death, and—"

"Enough," Zhang Jiexi said, his face darkening. "Did the General come here today to mock me on purpose?"

Yan Kunlun smiled and said, "I was afraid that you, Prime Minister, would lose your temper and go and kill Gu Guanqi in the street."

Zhang Jiexi said coldly, "I didn't originally have this idea, but now that you've provoked me, I'm actually starting to think about it."

Yan Kunlun said, "Actually, it's not impossible. I fully support the Prime Minister. The hatred of killing one's son is irreconcilable."

"Alright," Zhang Jiexi said, "General, are you now absolutely certain that you can take down Wei Tanjin by yourself? Are you so eager to urge me to fight Gu Guanqi to the death?"

Yan Kunlun chuckled and said, "Just kidding. I'm really afraid that you, Prime Minister, will lose your composure and go to fight Gu Guanqi directly. Although with your unparalleled martial arts skills, you can definitely kill Gu Guanqi, it won't be easy."

If you get injured, it will be much more difficult for us to deal with Wei Tanjin later. Without the Prime Minister's help, I really don't have the confidence to kill Wei Tanjin single-handedly. Our Empress Dowager is no pushover either!

Zhang Jiexi slowly poured himself a cup of tea and said, "I know what I'm doing. But General, has your Nine Tribulations Armor been repaired?"

"It'll be soon, it'll be in the next few days." Yan Kunlun slowly put down his teacup and said, "To be honest, I'm still a little worried."

Zhang Jiexi asked, "Wei Tanjin?"

"No," Yan Kunlun said, "Wei Tanjin is just a grasshopper in autumn, still busy collecting evidence of our embezzlement of military funds. He's nothing to worry about. Neither he nor the Empress Dowager realizes that we'll skip the court intrigues and kill him directly."

What I'm worried about now is Gu Guanqi. This kid's Path of Passion is the same as Junziyou's Path of Heartlessness back then—it's too heaven-defying. If it also has no upper limit like Junziyou's Path of Heartlessness, then it'll be really troublesome! If I'm not mistaken, Wei Tanjin will definitely try every means to find women for Gu Guanqi to help him cultivate."

Zhang Jiexi said, "Don't worry, even a gentleman like you can't improve your cultivation level in ten or eight days."

"General, as you know, at our level of martial arts, we've essentially reached the limits of what mortals can achieve. Even advancing a little further is incredibly difficult."

Yan Kunlun sighed and said, "Actually, Prime Minister, you shouldn't have had the Ministry of Personnel block the appointment documents for officials in Hongzhou. If that were the case, Gu Guanqi might not have come to the capital."

I know you didn't take Gu Guanqi seriously, but he is, after all, a powerful expert at the Dao Entry level. And we still haven't figured out what the Empress Dowager's hidden methods are; it's really not wise to create unnecessary trouble. Now, things are even worse; Cangmang Mountain has been exposed, and the Hua family has been destroyed.”

Zhang Jiexi calmly said, "Regarding the Hua family matter, I did underestimate Gu Guanqi's cultivation. However, General, rest assured, you can entrust both the Empress Dowager's hidden methods and Gu Guanqi to me. I guarantee there will be no mistakes."

Yan Kunlun frowned, hesitated for a moment, and said, "Prime Minister, please give me the truth. You always say you're absolutely certain, but you've never given a definite answer. What level is your cultivation at now?"

"How so?" Zhang Jiexi thought for a moment and said, "As far as the eye can see, death and the Dao vanish. You can also understand it as the ascension of the Daoist sect, but it's just stepping into it, not mastering it."

Yan Kunlun asked, puzzled, "If that's the case, why didn't you just kill Wei Tanjin directly? Why go to all this trouble to cooperate with me?"

Zhang Jiexi said, "I already said that I only stepped into it, not actually ascended to immortality. Besides, Wei Tanjin's Primordial Heavenly Will Technique has already reached a state of perfection, so he's not that easy to kill."

Besides, as you just said, neither you nor I know what the Empress Dowager's trump cards are. It would be far too risky for me to act alone.

Yan Kunlun pondered for a moment and said, "Actually, I have some guesses about the Empress Dowager's trump card."

Zhang Jiexi looked up.

Yan Kunlun continued, "Back then, the Imperial Observatory captured a Qilin for the late emperor."

Zhang Jiexi said, "I know that. The Qilin is not as mystical as the folk legends say. Its main value is in medicine and cultivation. Moreover, there are detailed records of where the Qilin's meat and hide went back then. There is no way it could be left as a trump card for the Empress Dowager."

Yan Kunlun shook his head and said, "It's not that Qilin, but something other than the Qilin."

"What do you mean?" Zhang Jiexi asked.

Yan Kunlun pondered for a moment and said, "I'm not sure if it's true or not. I only heard it secondhand. It's said that after the Qilin was killed, someone found a strange character on its bones that no one recognized. Later, the late emperor took them all to make soup."

However, there is another version of the story: the late emperor used ox bones to make the soup, but the real bones of a qilin were hidden away. He was secretly studying the characters, which are said to be a kind of magical technique not belonging to the human world.

"This—" Zhang Jiexi frowned and said, "Not belonging to the mortal realm? Could it be the legendary celestial realm?"

"I don't know about that," Yan Kunlun said. "I've only heard about it secondhand. However, there are legends about the celestial realm in every dynasty. According to those historical records, many masters in every dynasty eventually pursued ascension to immortality."

Zhang Jiexi said, "There are quite a few records of people successfully ascending to heaven," then he waved his hand and said, "However, we shouldn't pay too much attention to these things. Even if there really is a celestial realm, in the end, it's just a group of people with higher martial arts cultivation!"

"Too,"

Yan Kunlun said, "From the perspective of ordinary people, there's not much difference between you and me and immortals."

The day after arriving in the capital, Gu Guanqi went to the East City to find Shen Qingqiu, but they only met once, because from the third day onwards, Wei Tanjin began to arrange for different women to come and help him with his cultivation.

It must be said that Wei Tanjin acted very quickly.

-

However, to Gu Guanqi's great disappointment, although those girls were all exceptionally beautiful, their system ratings were generally not high.

He met four girls in a row. The highest rating was three stars, which revealed the Empty Fist and the Great Compassion Palm. The other three were two stars, and the martial arts they revealed had little effect on Gu Guanqi's current condition.

With Gu Guanqi's current level of martial arts skill and cultivation, he can easily create ordinary martial arts techniques on his own.

However, Gu Guanqi could understand.

Women with a three-star rating are already quite rare, while those with a four-star rating are truly exceptional.

So far, Gu Guanqi has only encountered three four-star women: An Yi, the senior sister of Medicine King Valley; Zhao Lingyuan, the "heir" of the Rong Prince's Mansion; and Nangong Yin, the saintess of the Heavenly Demon Sect.

Neither of them can be accessed casually, much less arranged by someone.

As for five-star level, needless to say, there's only one person, Mu Jianjia, the leader of the Gu God Cult.

The requirements for a five-star rating are already ridiculously high, especially the requirements for martial arts. Basically, it is impossible to get a five-star rating unless you are a grandmaster.

On the seventh day after arriving in the capital, Gu Guanqi finally received some news that piqued his interest: Princess Chengyang had returned and they had arranged to meet.

The capital city, the residence of the eldest princess.

Inside the warm pavilion, in front of a bronze mirror, a woman sat upright while several maids applied makeup to her.

This woman was extremely beautiful, with deep, clear phoenix eyes that were slightly upturned at the corners, exuding an aura of noble and unapproachable elegance.

With a high, straight nose and lips like a dot of vermilion, she wore a black and gold brocade robe with silver thread embroidered lotus patterns on the collar and cuffs, and a scarlet crane cloak over it. The wide hem of the robe draped over the side of the chair, making her look like a red plum blossom blooming in the snow, dignified with a touch of unapproachable aloofness.

This woman was none other than Princess Zhao Qingci of Chengyang.

A maid behind her was smoothing her hair over her shoulder while smiling and saying, "Your Highness is so beautiful! To this servant, you look like a fairy descended from heaven. If that Alliance Leader Gu saw you, he would surely be completely captivated by Your Highness."

""

-

Upon hearing this, Zhao Qingci glanced at the maid in the mirror, a faint smile playing on her lips, and said, "I was merely going to help that Alliance Leader Gu with his cultivation. Why are you saying all this?"

The maid chuckled, her hands still busy, as she gently tucked a stray strand of hair behind Zhao Qingci's ear and whispered, "It is cultivation, after all. But who doesn't know that those who can help Alliance Leader Gu cultivate are all girls who can move his heart? I've heard that Eunuch Wei has invited several girls to Alliance Leader Gu these past few days, but not one of them has moved his heart."

Zhao Qingci picked up her teacup, took a small sip, and said calmly, "Who is that Alliance Leader Gu? His standards are naturally very high. Hmm—I'm not sure I can be of any help to him."

The maid tilted her head, her tone tinged with resentment: "No way! Your Highness is such a celestial being, the most beautiful woman in the world. What man could resist her charm? I don't believe it."

Zhao Qingci gently set down her teacup and smiled, "How many people have you met? How could you know how many outstanding people there are in this world? There are always people more capable than you, and there's always something beyond your understanding!"

"I certainly don't know as much as Your Highness. Whatever Your Highness says goes." The maid leaned closer, lowering her voice even more, with a hint of curiosity: "I've also heard that Alliance Leader Gu is not only a peerless martial artist, but also a universally acknowledged handsome man. If it's really as the rumors say, he and Your Highness would actually be a perfect match."

Zhao Qingci said softly, "The Empress Dowager does seem to have this idea. If I can form a bond with Alliance Leader Gu, it would be a powerful ally for our royal family."

The maidservant chuckled and said, "That's wonderful!"

"But that's impossible," Zhao Qingci said. "That Alliance Leader Gu is a fickle man, and I am the eldest princess of the royal family. How could I possibly share a husband with another woman?"

"That's true!"

Just then, footsteps sounded outside the door, and a maid in a blue vest stopped at the door, bowed slightly, and said in a clear voice, "Your Highness, Alliance Leader Gu has arrived and is waiting in the front hall."

Zhao Qingci slowly stood up.

Her movements were unhurried, yet the moment she stood up, she exuded an invisible aura, so much so that even the hem of her crane-feather cloak seemed to flutter slightly with her movement. She raised her hand to straighten her cuffs, took one last look at herself in the bronze mirror, and then turned and walked towards the door.

Several maids quickly followed.

Zhao Qingci walked through the corridor, around a carved moon gate, and along the bluestone path toward the front hall.

The afternoon sunlight of spring slanted down from the eaves, falling on her shoulders and making her figure appear even more graceful.

She soon arrived at the front hall.

Then, she looked up.

Inside the hall, Gu Guanqi was sitting on a chair by the window, holding a cup of tea in his hand, and drinking it with his head down.

Sunlight streamed in obliquely from the window, falling on him in a hazy glow.

At this moment, Gu Guanqi also turned his head and looked over.

The moment their eyes met, Zhao Qingci's heart skipped a beat.

For a moment, he was somewhat dazed, secretly astonished: "Could there really be such a handsome man in this world?"

Similarly, Gu Guanqi also sized up Zhao Qingci.

This princess was indeed a very beautiful woman. Of all the women he had ever seen, only Jiang Baili could rival Zhao Qingci in appearance. Next was Han Youniang, who was about equal to Zhao Qingci.

"Alliance Leader Gu."

Zhao Qingci walked in and sat down next to Gu Guanqi. She said, "I'm so sorry to have kept you waiting. I left the capital to visit a friend a while ago. After receiving the news that you were coming to the capital, I rushed back as soon as possible, but I still kept you waiting for these past few days."

"Your Highness is too kind," Gu Guanqi said. "We were asking for your help, so how can we blame the one who is late?"

Zhao Qingci poured tea for Gu Guanqi and said, "I know the rule for helping you cultivate is to start with a blind date, so how about we get straight to the point now?"

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

[Blind date potential partner detected—Zhao Qingci]

Rating: Five stars

[Blind Date Reward: Max Level "Heavenly Demon Secret"]

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

The Heavenly Demon Secret, originating from the Heavenly Demon Strategy, one of the Four Great Classical Novels, is the supreme martial art of the Yin Gui Sect, passed down through generations. It is the most complete and mature top-level mental cultivation method inherited by the Demonic Sect, and stands in opposition to the Cihang Sword Manual of Cihang Jingzhai, representing both good and evil.

Upon reaching perfection in cultivation, one achieves unity of body and spirit, and remains youthful. In particular, the Heavenly Demon Field can be controlled at will, granting the power of life and death in an instant. Ultimately, this skill allows one to transcend the mortal world, essentially forming a unique domain.

The accompanying Heavenly Demon Sound, Heavenly Demon Charm, and Heavenly Demon Body Technique are all top-tier martial arts in their respective fields.

Upon seeing that it was the Heavenly Demon Secret martial art, Gu Guanqi felt a little happy. He never expected that the Cihang Sword Manual and the Heavenly Demon Secret, which were inherently opposed, would one day coexist.

However, Gu Guanqi was somewhat surprised that Zhao Qingci had rated it as five stars!

It's important to know that in the system's rating system, martial arts skills have the highest weight, followed by influence, while family background and appearance have a relatively low weight.

Being rated five stars means that Zhao Qingci must be at least a grandmaster level in martial arts.

However, it is rumored that Zhao Qingci only has a rudimentary understanding of martial arts!

"It seems the royal family's foundation isn't as weak as rumored!"

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