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

Ma Meifeng's body stiffened.

He slowly raised his head, his gaze meeting Shen Qingqiu's. His eyes churned with a torrent of emotions, which ultimately coalesced into a desolate, gray weariness.

He opened his mouth as if to say something, his Adam's apple bobbing a few times, but no sound came out. A bitter smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, like self-mockery or resignation.

He lowered his head, his messy hair falling down and covering most of his face. He looked as if his spine had been removed, kneeling there motionless.

"So be it..." he finally spoke, his voice so low it was almost inaudible, "In the end, my abilities are not commensurate with my ambitions..."

Just then—

A sharp, piercing sound suddenly tore through the air.

The sound came without warning, like a thunderclap appearing out of nowhere, carrying a chilling killing intent that sent shivers down one's spine.

It was an arrow, completely black, without any reflection, and moving so fast that it was almost beyond the limits of the naked eye.

The arrow left a faint afterimage in the air, like the finger of death, pointing precisely at Ma Meifeng's neck.

puff--

The arrow struck Ma Meifeng squarely on the left side of his neck, tearing half of his neck apart with its violent force, sending blood and bone fragments flying everywhere.

Before Ma Meifeng could even scream, his body fell forward like a piece of dead wood, landing on the blue brick ground. He twitched twice and then fell silent.

Fresh blood slowly seeped from beneath him, meandering through the cracks in the gray brickwork.

However, the arrow did not stop, and its remaining force, carrying blood, shot into the stone slab.

This sudden turn of events caught everyone off guard.

And in the next instant,

Another arrow pierced the air, aiming straight for Shen Qingqiu's heart.

A visible wave of air seemed to be wrapped around the arrow, as if it had compressed the air along its path into a ball, and a low buzzing sound was heard where the arrow tip pointed.

The arrow rapidly magnified in Shen Qingqiu's pupils.

She swiftly swung her knife, the blade shimmering in the sunlight with a cool, ethereal arc, like moonlight pouring down or autumn waters stretching across the sky.

The tip of the knife met the arrow.

when--

A clear, resonant clang of metal clashing rang out, and sparks flew between the blade and the arrow shaft, as fine as stardust.

Shen Qingqiu felt an overwhelming force coming from the blade. The force was so strong that it made her arm go numb and her entire right arm feel slightly heavy.

The knife hummed and vibrated in my hand.

The arrow wasn't completely knocked away; the force was simply too great. Even with Shen Qingqiu's full-force strike, he could only barely distort the arrow's trajectory by a third.

The arrow grazed her shoulder.

At this time,

Because she had used too much force to deal with that arrow, her wounds had reopened, and blood was seeping out, causing her to break out in a cold sweat from the pain.

However, her gaze was already fixed on the direction from which the arrow had come.

About thirty feet away, on a lush old locust tree, a dark figure stood on the highest horizontal branch.

The man was dressed in black and masked, with a slender figure, and held a longbow that was entirely black in his hand.

The masked archer, seeing that his first arrow missed, remained calm and drew a third arrow from his quiver on his back. He nocked the arrow, drew the string, and aimed—all in one fluid motion, as if it were an instinct he had practiced a thousand times.

The arrow was already upon them when the bowstring rang out.

The arrow was aimed directly at Gu Guanqi's face.

"then!"

Gu Guanqi tossed Xue Fuling, who was in his arms, to Shen Qingqiu.

At that moment, the arrows whistled as they pierced the air, sounding like the howling of a vengeful ghost.

The internal force infused into the arrow was extremely powerful, leaving a faint white trail at the tail, a clear indication that the internal force was released outwards and remained concentrated.

Gu Guanqi neither retreated nor dodged; he raised his Autumn Water Sword diagonally, the tip of which precisely struck the side of the arrowhead.

when--

Another crisp sound.

This sword strike embodies the essence of the Dugu Nine Swords' arrow-breaking technique, emphasizing "using lightness to control heaviness and skill to overcome speed"—the faster the enemy's arrow, the more precise the sword tip must be, hitting the weakest point of the hidden weapon's force without deviation.

At the same time, his inner strength surged from his dantian and flowed into the sword. The instant the sword tip touched the arrowhead, he slightly twisted his wrist, and the sword rotated half a circle along with the force of the arrow, dissipating most of the overwhelming force.

The arrow was deflected and shot diagonally into a pillar on the left.

With a loud bang, the thick pillar was pierced by an arrow, sending wood chips flying. The arrowhead emerged from the other side of the pillar and embedded itself deeply in the brick wall behind it, shattering the bricks and leaving a fist-sized dent.

"Good bastard...get him!"

The moment Poison Immortal was killed at Ma Meifeng, he hid in a corner, peeking out half his head. His wrinkled old face was filled with horror. "Where the hell did this archer come from? To have such strength from so far away? I've lived for so many years and this is the first time I've ever seen anything like it."

Shen Qingqiu, carrying Xue Fuling, quickly sought cover.

The fourth arrow has arrived and is once again aimed at Shen Qingqiu.

But in the next instant, Gu Guanqi deflected the arrow, which struck the pillar squarely. With a deafening roar, the pillar was blasted open with a gap the size of a large bowl, sending wood chips and fragments flying everywhere.

At this time,

The archer seemed to have gotten angry too.

The fifth arrow, the sixth arrow, the seventh arrow—

The arrows came in rapid succession, one after another, giving the enemy almost no chance to breathe.

Each arrow was infused with extremely powerful internal energy, and the force of the arrow as it pierced the air shattered the branches and leaves on the tree canopy, causing them to fall in a flurry.

Gu Guanqi stood in the courtyard, the Autumn Water Sword dancing in his hand.

The essence of the Dugu Nine Swords lies in "anticipating the enemy's moves," while the Arrow-Breaking Style is specifically designed to counter all kinds of hidden weapons in the world.

To master this sword technique, one must cultivate the skills of identifying weapons by listening to the wind and pinpointing locations by listening to sounds to their utmost perfection, and then use the method of borrowing force to strike back to break the hidden weapon.

However, the archer's arrow was simply too powerful.

Even when the arrow struck the weakest point, the internal force it carried still poured out like a torrent. With each strike, Gu Guanqi had to take a half-step back, and the blue bricks beneath his feet were crushed inch by inch.

Eighth arrow, ninth arrow, tenth arrow—

The arrows flew faster and faster, their force growing heavier. The masked archer seemed to sense his opponent's extraordinary abilities, adding three points of internal force to each arrow, making the whistling sound of the arrows piercing the air increasingly sharp, as if to tear a hole in the sky.

The eleventh arrow struck a stone vat in the courtyard.

The stone vat was about half a person's height and three inches thick, yet it was pierced directly by the arrow. Water gushed out of the hole, the vat shattered with a deafening roar, fragments scattered everywhere, and water spilled all over the ground.

The twelfth arrow followed closely behind, aiming straight for Gu Guanqi's chest.

Gu Guanqi held his sword horizontally, the blade flat against his chest, facing the arrows with the blade's surface.

when--

The arrow was so powerful that it sent him sliding three feet backward, leaving two deep scratches on the blue bricks with the soles of his boots. The Autumn Water Sword hummed incessantly, but as expected of a famous sword, it left no mark whatsoever.

Gu Guanqi shook his numb right hand, his gaze remaining calm.

He prepared to receive the thirteenth arrow.

The masked archer was nocking his thirteenth arrow when he suddenly stopped.

The bowstring is not loosened, the arrow is not released.

He looked down at Gu Guanqi, who stood in the courtyard holding a sword.

A battle is raging in my mind.

At this moment, he had only one arrow left.

After a moment's thought,

He fired his thirteenth arrow.

But this arrow was not aimed at Gu Guanqi.

The arrow traced a strange arc, rising high and then falling low, heading straight for the third pillar on the left.

Shen Qingqiu was holding Xue Fuling and hiding behind that pillar.

Gu Guanqi shifted his feet and spun around, his Autumn Water Sword drawing an arc in the air, just catching up with the arrow and striking its fletching with the tip of the sword.

This sword strike was extremely dangerous.

The arrow was deflected and shot obliquely into the ground, shattering the blue bricks. The arrowhead was buried in the soil, leaving only the fletching outside, buzzing and vibrating.

Gu Guanqi sheathed his sword, stood still, and looked up at the old locust tree.

The masked archer had already sheathed his bow. With a leap, he soared from the treetops like a large black bird, tapping the adjacent rooftops to propel himself several meters forward. In a few leaps, the dark figure vanished behind the layers of rooftops, disappearing in an instant.

Gu Guanqi felt a sense of helplessness as he watched the masked archer leave.

His lightness skill is indeed one of his biggest weaknesses nowadays.

"What superb light-footed skill!"

The Poison Immortal jumped out and stood on the artificial hill, clicking his tongue in admiration: "Superb archery skills, coupled with superb lightness skills, make him perfect as an assassin." After saying that, the Poison Immortal looked at Gu Guanqi and said with a grin: "Hey, kid, what's your name? Your swordsmanship is so amazing, how come I've never heard of you before?"

Gu Guanqi couldn't help but chuckle at the Poison Immortal's seemingly old-fashioned appearance despite his small stature. He said, "This junior, Gu Guanqi, has never been involved in the martial world, so it's perfectly normal that you don't know me, senior!"

"Your swordsmanship is truly impressive; it's no wonder Qingqiu went to great lengths to exchange the Autumn Water Sword for you," the Poison Immortal leaped down, ran to Gu Guanqi, looked up, and asked, "You're Qingqiu's lover, aren't you? She…"

"Senior Poison, please don't talk nonsense."

Shen Qingqiu quickly interrupted the Poison Immortal, helping the now-conscious Xue Fuling out, and said, "Doctor Gu... Doctor Gu is Fuling's blind date. I'm the one who introduced them!"

The Poison Immortal scratched his head awkwardly and said with a grin, "Oh, I see. Very good, very good. This young man is quite handsome and skilled in martial arts. He and Fuling are a good match, a good match, hehe..."

Xue Fuling bowed to the Poison Immortal and said, "Senior Poison Immortal, it's been a long time. Thank you for coming to my rescue."

"You're welcome, you're welcome," the Poison Immortal waved his hand.

Xue Fuling bowed to Gu Guanqi again and said, "Dr. Gu, thank you!"

"Miss Xue, you're too kind," Gu Guanqi said, cupping his hands in greeting. "We've arrived late; Miss Xue has suffered these past few days."

Xue Fuling shook her head slightly and said, "Actually, it's alright. During the time I was kidnapped, they kept asking me to prepare medicine because they wanted something from me. So, they treated me fairly politely, and apart from restricting my freedom, they didn't mistreat me."

Shen Qingqiu quickly pressed on, "Then, Fuling, do you know who captured you?"

Xue Fuling shook her head and said, "That night, Commander Ma brought his men to me for treatment. Neither I nor the people in the medicine hut suspected him, so we were not on guard. Then, Commander Ma suddenly attacked, and I was knocked unconscious."

When I woke up, I was in a courtyard. Everyone I met was wearing a mask, and since I had been confined to my room, I had no way of knowing their identities. Until today, I was put to sleep and sent here, and now I'm waking up again.

However, I did hear a title used by everyone: they all referred to the person behind the scenes as "the Big Boss!"

The Poison Immortal asked, "What kind of medicines did they ask you to concoct?"

Xue Fuling said, "The other party gave me some prescriptions with very strong medicinal properties and asked me to prepare prescriptions that could neutralize or suppress their potency. In the past few days, I have prepared a total of five prescriptions."

Having said that,

Xue Fuling paused for a moment and said, "I remember all those prescriptions. When I get back, I'll organize them and see if I can find any relevant clues."

The Poison Immortal said, "Alright, alright, let me take a look then!"

now,

The courtyard became noisy as many constables from the Six Doors rushed in from outside.

Shen Qingqiu said, "Fuling, you are weak. I will have someone take you to my house to rest first. You can't stay at the medicine hut for the time being."

Xue Fuling nodded slightly, "Okay."

Shen Qingqiu immediately summoned two constables to escort Xue Fuling.

Xue Fuling bowed to the crowd and then left.

Shen Qingqiu glanced at Gu Guanqi, pursed her lips, and said, "Doctor Gu, how can you be so oblivious? Why aren't you going to deliver the Poria cocos?"

"Oh, right,"

Gu Guanqi then realized what was happening and immediately picked up his Autumn Water Sword and followed.

Watching Gu Guanqi and Xue Fuling walk side by side,

Shen Qingqiu was momentarily lost in thought, a surge of indescribable emotion welling up within him.

At this time,

The Poison Immortal leaped over, clicking his tongue and saying, "You really know how to play matchmaker, Qingqiu! These two look so well-matched, a perfect couple!"

Hearing the Poison Immortal's words, Shen Qingqiu suddenly felt a surge of annoyance. She pressed down hard on the Poison Immortal's head and said angrily, "At your age, you have no respect for elders, still gossiping behind people's backs!"

The Poison Immortal scratched his head, looking at the fuming Shen Qingqiu with a blank expression, and muttered, "Wasn't I praising her?"

……

at the same time,

The masked archer entered a house where an elderly man with white hair and no beard was living.

"Fourth Master," the masked archer said, bowing, "I killed Ma Meifeng, but whether he revealed the identity of the big boss, I don't know."

Fourth Master waved his hand and said, "As long as he is not given the opportunity to be tortured into confessing, he will not reveal the identity of the big boss for the sake of his family."

The masked archer said, "You should have let me make my move sooner. If you had just shot and killed Shen Qingqiu, all this trouble wouldn't have happened."

Fourth Master shook his head and said, "Those who know the Big Boss's identity should avoid taking action unless absolutely necessary. Leaving even the slightest trace will easily expose the Big Boss's identity. You know, the Big Boss is no nobody. Besides, there aren't that many opportunities to escape without leaving a trace. This time, it's only because Shen Qingqiu was already seriously injured. In the past, if you missed your arrow, you would hardly have had a chance to escape."

The masked archer nodded.

"Hmm, what about Xue Fuling? Did you fail to get her back?" Fourth Master asked again.

The masked archer said, "With that swordsman Gu Guanqi here, I only have one chance to succeed. I've already used my skill to kill Ma Meifeng, so I won't have a chance to kill anyone else."

Fourth Master's pupils contracted slightly. He said, "Is that Gu Guanqi's swordsmanship really that high? You only had one chance with one arrow?"

"Yes," the masked archer said, "I was able to succeed with the first arrow when Gu Guanqi was off guard. After the first arrow, my arrows were useless against him. I shot a total of thirteen arrows, and he blocked the last twelve."

"Then can you kill him with one arrow?" Fourth Master asked.

The masked archer shook his head and said, "I'm not confident, not even with the first arrow. His swordsmanship is very high. Unless someone restrains him and I strike from the shadows, I won't be able to kill Gu Guanqi. You'll need to send a master who can restrain him to assist me."

"it is good."

Fourth Master nodded and said, "This boy must die. We've suffered too much this time. In the end, we gained nothing and lost a large number of experts. Now, we've even lost Xue Fuling. Ultimately, it's all because of that kid named Gu Guanqi. We must kill him to appease the boss. In Qingyang County, no one has ever made the boss suffer such a great loss!"

The masked archer gripped his bow tightly, hesitated for a moment, and asked, "Fourth Master, has the Big Boss... wanted to see me? I haven't seen him in so long, I... I really want to see him!"

Fourth Master smiled and said, "He's at a crucial stage in his alchemy process. Once he's finished, he'll naturally have time to see you."