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

Chapter 198 The Man Closest to God

As dusk fell, Gu Guanqi and Wen Shuyi stopped their journey and instead found an inn in the nearest county town to stay overnight.

Upon entering the room, Gu Guanqi couldn't wait to summon the system and silently said "Claim".

He was very much looking forward to the secret of immortality.

This is one of the four great martial arts books, a top-level Taoist cultivation manual. Its essence is not a martial arts manual, but a key to the unity of man and nature, which is incorporating the principles of heaven and earth.

This technique was created by Guang Chengzi, the teacher of the ancient Yellow Emperor, after comprehending the "War God Record". It is a simplified version of the "War God Record" in the human realm, and ultimately points to the realm of breaking through the void.

It is far more profound than the Cihang Sword Manual, which is also one of the Four Great Classical Novels, and its level is also a level higher. It has a total of seven diagrams, which correspond to the Yin and Yang energies and the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire and earth.

Theoretically speaking, one can reach the realm of breaking through the void simply by relying on the Longevity Technique, but it is difficult to truly break through the void; one needs a Dao embryo foundation.

However, Gu Guanqi now possesses the Cihang Sword Manual and the Heavenly Demon Secret as his foundation, and with the Four Illumination Divine Skill, the Formless Divine Skill, the Wedding Dress Divine Skill, the Bright Jade Skill, and the Innate Skill as his base, he is able to help the Longevity Technique truly shatter the void.

At that moment, as Gu Guanqi silently recited "receive,"

A vast, boundless primordial energy, as deep as the ocean, surged forth from the depths of his dantian, flowing and cleansing through all the meridians of his body.

Within his sea of ​​consciousness, seven ancient human-shaped diagrams of qi circulation slowly emerged, which were the complete text of the "Longevity Manual".

Immediately afterwards, the true energy of the Yin and Yang meridians converged like two dragons, naturally connecting the five hidden meridians of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. The seven diagrams were connected end to end, flowing into a perfect and complete cycle.

With Yin and Yang in harmony and the Five Elements generating each other, all obstructions and deficiencies are completely replenished by the innate source. The Great Perfection of the Longevity Technique is achieved in the blink of an eye.

His meridians expanded inch by inch under the nourishment of the original true energy, becoming as smooth and lustrous as jade. His skin, flesh, and internal organs were all tempered by the innate energy, becoming crystal clear and impure, gradually reaching the state of an impure body.

The dantian and dantian transform into a self-sufficient little world, where true qi circulates endlessly, gradually forming a unique personal domain from within.

At the same moment, his divine sense suddenly soared, breaking through the shackles of his physical body and connecting with the pulse of the entire world.

The waxing and waning of Yin and Yang, the principles of the Five Elements' operation, the theory of the birth and death of all things, and the subtle folds of spatial boundaries —

The previously obscure and indistinct principles of heaven and earth are now crystal clear, as if they were lines on the palm of one's hand. One's own microcosm resonates completely with the external macrocosm, becoming one with it, and one can draw upon the primordial energy of heaven and earth with every gesture.

In that instant when his mind was clear and lucid, and all laws were reflected in his divine thoughts, all the martial arts he had mastered began to flow spontaneously.

The realms of the One Thought Saint Demon formed by the fusion of the Cihang Sword Manual and the Heavenly Demon Secret, the Tathagata Protector Realm of the Wedding Dress Divine Art, the Limitless Asura Realm of the Bright Jade Art, and the Martial Saint Realm of the Four Illuminations Divine Art, etc., all began to be mobilized by the Longevity Technique at this moment, like stars gazing at the moon.

The originally distinct barriers between different cultivation methods and the unique techniques for channeling energy were completely dissolved and dismantled under the innate principles of the Longevity Mantra, and then reforged along the lines of the laws of heaven and earth.

The sword techniques have shed the artificiality of contrived craftsmanship; every wisp of sword intent subtly aligns with the mysteries of Yin and Yang. The silkworm silk technique incorporates the principles of the Five Elements' mutual generation and restraint, capable of threading a needle to probe a pulse, or entangling a mountain and halting a river. Body techniques, palm techniques, healing and qi-transferring arts—all are refined and sublimated by the source of longevity, ultimately merging into one, transcending sectarian boundaries and the distinction between moves. Every strike embodies innate true intent, every thought aligns with the laws of heaven and earth.

At this moment, all paths converge.

However, Gu Guanqi also confirmed that the upper limit of martial arts in this world far exceeded that of the world where the "Longevity Manual" was located, because his current realm had reached the true realm of breaking through the void.

In this world, let alone breaking through the void, he hadn't even sensed the upper limit of this world, which meant that his current martial arts realm was far from reaching the peak of this world.

Qizhou, the temple.

The morning sunlight pierced through the thin mist, spreading a pale golden veil between the double eaves and brackets, giving each of the grand halls a sacred and solemn glow.

Inside a grand hall, wisps of smoke rose from a bronze incense burner, swirling slowly in the air with the rising sun, as if the entire temple were enveloped in an endless prayer.

Inside the main hall, incense was burning brightly.

The statue of the sun god in the very center still sits high on the lotus pedestal, its face solemn and peaceful, its eyes slightly lowered, as if looking down on every believer in the temple with supreme compassion.

In front of the statue, dozens of temple disciples sat cross-legged in neat rows, their shoulders and backs straight, their hands forming mudras on their knees, holding their breath and concentrating.

Below the statue, a middle-aged man in a red Taoist robe sat cross-legged on a prayer mat, his back to the statue, his face—

To all the disciples.

He looked to be in his early thirties, with a lean face, clear features, and an indescribable air of elegance and otherworldly grace.

His hair was tied in a topknot, adorned with an ebony hairpin. Sunlight streamed in obliquely through the high window, falling upon him, as if even the light itself favored him.

This person is none other than Mo Xun, the current head of the temple.

Although he looks to be in his early thirties, Mo Xun is actually over seventy years old.

He was giving a sermon at that moment.

His voice was soft and emotionless, yet it possessed a strange penetrating power. Every word was clearly delivered to the ears of everyone in the hall, as if it were not a sound, but some kind of imprint directly on their souls: "—Where the sunlight shines, there lies the truth. We, the cultivators, should take the light as our guide and righteousness as our heart. Do not be disturbed by external things, nor be misled by empty fame. With light in your heart, all things will be clear—"

He spoke slowly, his tone calm and steady, carrying an irresistible will that compels one to believe him.

The temple disciples listened intently and were extremely devout.

Just then, a figure silently walked in through the side door of the main hall.

The man was wearing a long black and red robe, the color of which was heavy and deep. As he walked, the hem of the robe dragged lightly on the ground. He was about fifty years old, with a slender figure and a thin face. A palm-sized bronze token hung at his waist, engraved with intricate sun wheel patterns. This man was none other than Liu Yu, the Grand Master of the Divine Oracle of the Temple.

He moved with extremely light steps, bypassing the array of disciples in the hall in just a few steps, and came to Mo Xun's side. He first bowed slightly, folded his hands in front of him, and performed the proper etiquette before whispering, "Sect Leader, something has happened at Qiong Cang Academy."

Mo Xun paused slightly during his sermon, then subtly tilted his eyelids, a movement so subtle that almost no one else could detect it.

Liu Yu fell silent and stood to one side with his hands at his sides.

Mo Xun continued speaking for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. After finishing the last section of the scripture, he slowly stood up and waved his hand.

An elder with gray hair and beard in the hall immediately understood, got up and sat down in front of the futon where he had just been sitting, cleared his throat, and then began to recite the scriptures that Mo Xun had been reciting.

Mo Xun then turned around and led Liu Yu out of the main hall.

Outside the hall, sunlight streamed down.

The temple was built against the mountain. Standing on the stone steps in front of the temple, one could see the entire city of Qizhou. The morning mist had not yet dissipated, casting a long, gray-white ribbon between the city and the distant mountains.

Mo Xun stopped, stood with his hands behind his back, and asked calmly, "What happened?"

Liu Yu stepped forward, bowed slightly, and said in a low voice, "I just received news that Wen Shuyi went to Qiongcang Academy, accompanied by the sword immortal Gu Guanqi."

Mo Xun calmly said, "Su Zheji led his men to arrest Wen Shuyi's family members, but Gu Guanqi stopped him, right?"

Liu Yu nodded and said, "Yes."

Mo Xun said, "Then it makes sense that they will go to Qiong Cang Academy together."

Liu Yu hurriedly said, "But now there's a problem. Wen Shuyi has gone on a killing spree at Qiongcang Academy. She killed Qin Shuo and Zeng Ziang, and she even forced Dean Qi's daughter, Qi Yangyang, to tell the truth."

Mo Xun remained calm and asked, "What truth?"

Liu Yu replied, "Wen Shuyi was framed by Dean Qi. Dean Qi secretly practiced an evil technique called the Flying Immortal Technique, which Wen Shuyi discovered. In order to cover up this, Dean Qi set a trap to frame Wen Shuyi, wanting to ruin her reputation and make sure no one would believe what she said."

Mo Xun's brow twitched slightly. After a moment of silence, he slowly spoke: "But Dean Qi is indeed dead."

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Liu Yu nodded and said, "Dean Qi is indeed dead. But Qi Yangyang has publicly testified that Wen Shuyi was wronged and that someone else killed Dean Qi. Wen Shuyi declared today that she wants the Temple to issue a public apology and restore her reputation, otherwise she will kill all the Temple disciples until death."

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Mo Xun remained calm and said, "If she is truly innocent, then this matter is indeed the temple's fault, and the temple should give her an explanation. However, she killed Qin Shuo, the Grand Priest of the Earth Gate of my temple, so this matter cannot be easily dismissed."

Liu Yu looked at Mo Xun, hesitated for a moment, and then continued, "Sect Leader, there is one more thing. Gu Guanqi discovered that Dean Qi's power had completely disappeared before his death, so he followed the clues and found the evil technique that Dean Qi cultivated, called the Flying Immortal Technique. They recognized the method of dual cultivation in that manual, which belongs to the Chen family of Xiaoqingshan. Gu Guanqi and Wen Shuyi went to the Chen family again yesterday to verify it."

Liu Yu nodded slightly and said, "Sect Leader, the Dark Guards from Little Green Mountain sent a message by hawk overnight, saying that over a hundred members of the Chen family scattered and fled last night. The reason is—"

"What is it?" Mo Xun asked.

Liu Yu glanced at Mo Xun, then quickly lowered his head and said, "They said that the Chen family was forced to reveal that the evil art of Flying Immortal Technique was created by Chen Xiangchuan in cooperation with you."

You used it specifically to deceive others into cultivating, providing them with quick and wicked methods of cultivation, and then, when the time was right, you would steal their accumulated power. By the same logic, it can be deduced that the person who killed Dean Qi was actually you.

"6

The air suddenly became quiet.

The wind swept through the mountains, ruffling the hem of Mo Xun's robe and the stray hairs at his temples. Sunlight fell on his face, casting a hazy, unreadable shadow on his compassionate countenance.

Then, Mo Xun gave a cold laugh.

Liu Yu lowered his head, not daring to reply.

After a moment of silence, Mo Xun slowly spoke, his voice not loud, but carrying a cold and heavy tone: "This is utter nonsense. It is clear that Gu Guanqi and Wen Shuyi forced the Chen family to smear me. These two are despicable; they want to destroy the faith and foundation of my temple."

As he spoke, his gaze met Liu Yu's.

Liu Yu quickly lowered his head, not daring to meet his gaze, and asked in a low voice, "Then... Sect Leader, what should we do now?"

Mo Xun stood with his hands behind his back, pondered for a moment, and gradually regained his composure. He said, "We cannot let this rumor spread. Immediately spread the word throughout the martial arts world that Gu Guanqi intends to unify the martial arts world and his current target is Qizhou. He is colluding with Wen Shuyi to commit massacres at Qiongcang Academy, distorting the truth, and trying to use this opportunity to spread rumors and slander the Temple, undermining the unity of the martial arts world in Qizhou."

Liu Yu bowed and clasped his hands in a fist salute, solemnly saying, "I understand."

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Mo Xun added, "Furthermore, send messages to Jingye Temple, Qingsong Temple, Jinguan Gang, and Hongye Gang, instructing them to send only their top experts and assemble them as soon as possible. Also, gather the experts from the Divine Temple to surround and kill Gu Guanqi and Wen Shuyi, and save the martial arts world of Qizhou."

Liu Yu raised his head, a hint of hesitation on his face: "Sect Leader, where exactly should we ambush them?"

6

Mo Xun did not answer immediately. He turned his head slightly, and the light from the sun crossed the courtyard and landed in the direction of the towering Temple of the Sun. After a moment of silence, he slowly spoke: "I will go and ask the God."

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After he finished speaking, he strode towards the depths of the courtyard.

Liu Yu was slightly taken aback, then quickly followed.

The two passed through several courtyards and walked along a bluestone path to a secluded hall.

Mo Xun stopped in front of the palace gate and gently pushed it open.

The heavy wooden door slid open to both sides with a low creak, and a musty, stale scent of incense wafted out from inside, mixed with the smell of sandalwood and dust.

He stepped across the threshold, and Liu Yu stopped behind him, not following him inside, but quietly standing guard outside the door.

The hall was dimly lit, with only a few rays of morning light filtering through the high windows, turning the dust particles in the air into fine, golden specks.

Inside the hall, a statue of the sun god still stands, much smaller than the one in the front hall, yet more ancient. The patterns on the stone statue have been worn smooth by time, and large patches of gold paint have peeled off, revealing the bluish-gray stone beneath.

Mo Xun walked to the statue, knelt on the prayer mat, clasped his hands in front of him with his palms facing up, and slowly touched the ground with his forehead.

His movements were slow and very solemn.

He closed his eyes and remained silent for a moment, then his lips moved, uttering a muffled and low chant.

The sound had a peculiar rhythm, as if it resonated with some kind of atmosphere in the hall, causing even the dust floating in the air to pause slightly.

Then, he slowly straightened up, formed a hand seal in front of him, and devoutly cried out, "Please, divine guidance, guide your disciple!"

The next moment, a faint light suddenly appeared on the statue.

The light was initially very faint, like a candle flame about to go out, but within a few breaths it quickly brightened, like a small sun slowly rising between the statue's brows. A golden halo emanated from within the statue, spreading along the lines worn by time, enveloping the entire statue in a warm glow.

A moment later, the light from the statue dimmed, coalescing into a single point of light that slowly disappeared into Mo Xun's brow.

Mo Xun closed his eyes for a moment, then slowly lowered his head, kowtowed again, and said, "Thank you for your guidance, God."

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Then he stood up, turned and walked towards the palace gate.

Liu Yu stood outside the door. When he saw him come out, he quickly went up to him and asked in a low voice, "Sect Leader, what do you mean?"

6

Mo Xun stepped out of the palace gate and slowly said, "The gods have sent down guidance. Three days later, there will be a great battle in Yinchuan Gorge that will affect the fate of the martial arts world in Qizhou."

Upon hearing this, Liu Yu's expression hardened, and he clasped his hands in a fist and said, "I understand. I will go and inform them to head to Yinchuan Gorge immediately."

He responded and turned to leave, but after taking two steps, he stopped, hesitated, and turned back, his voice tinged with consideration: "Sect Leader, Gu Guanqi's cultivation is unfathomable. The Heavenly Mystery Pavilion ranks him as the seventh in the world; he may not be easy to deal with..."

'

Mo Xun turned slightly to the side, waved his hand, and said, "The Heavenly Mystery Pavilion is nothing but a publicity stunt. That God Ranking, apart from the top three who can barely be considered among the top ten in the world, none of the others are qualified to be among the top ten in the world."

Liu Yu was slightly taken aback, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, and exclaimed, "Then, Sect Leader, you...?"

'

Mo Xun gently raised his hand and said, "Within the temple, I can be considered one of the top ten in the world. But outside the temple, I certainly won't be able to."

He paused slightly at this point, then continued, "However, you can rest assured. Even if I were to leave the temple, dealing with Gu Guanqi would be more than enough. My current cultivation level has already surpassed that of all previous sect leaders; I am the person in the temple's history who is closest to the Sun God."

"6

A morning breeze swept through the corridors, ruffling Mo Xun's Taoist robe and hair.

He slightly raised his head, his gaze falling on the distant horizon bathed in the golden-red light of the sun. His voice was distant and resonant: "The temple has been silent for too long. Many people think that our temple, like the Great Bright Temple, is nothing but a charlatan. This time, we'll use Gu Guanqi's head to show the world the temple's strength, and let them see what the temple's gods truly represent!"

Liu Yu's face lit up with joy, and he bowed and clasped his hands, saying, "I'll take care of it right away."

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After he finished speaking, he turned and strode away.

Mo Xun slowly turned around, faced the statue again, put his hands together, bowed slightly, and said in a devout voice: "Sun God above, please protect the world and let it enjoy the light forever!"

'

The morning breeze passed through the palace gates, and the copper bells on the eaves tinkled softly in the wind, mingling with the faint sound of distant bells, drifting slowly through the open mountains.

As the sun rose higher, it bathed Mo Xun in a bright golden light.

As Liu Yu reached the courtyard gate, he glanced back and saw Mo Xun devoutly worshipping the statue. He frowned slightly, thinking to himself, "They say the closer one gets to a god, the less they believe in him. But in this temple, the one who worships the god most is the sect leader. Could there really be a sun god? What kind of being is a god? Is he truly omnipotent, or is he a cultivator who has ascended to immortality as in legends?"

The sun was shining brightly in the early morning.

The morning light slanted in through the window, spreading a thin golden ribbon across the inn's corridor and turning the dust floating in the air into tiny particles of light.

Wen Shuyi pushed open the door, and the morning breeze brushed against her hair and the hem of her clothes, giving her a unique and elegant temperament.

She slightly raised her hand to tidy her hair, and was about to take a step when a soft sound came from Gu Guanqi's room next door.

-

She turned her head away.

The door opened, and Gu Guanqi slowly walked out from inside.

Gu Guanqi was dressed in white, her radiance as pure as frost and snow, untouched by the world's grime. Her steps were light and graceful, like flowing clouds, her eyes clear and bright, like autumn water reflecting the waves.

His aura was subtle yet profound, elegant yet understated, ethereal yet restrained, and perfectly natural.

He turned his head slightly to look at him.

In that instant, Wen Shuyi suddenly felt that even the morning light under the corridor seemed to have dimmed a bit.

She was momentarily dazed and lost in thought.

Then, a feeling of inferiority suddenly welled up in her heart, and she dared not look any longer. She subconsciously lowered her eyes, took a deep breath, and then raised her head and called out, "Alliance Leader Gu."

"Good morning, Miss Wen!" Gu Guanqi said.

"Good morning!" Wen Shuyi quickly composed herself and tentatively said, "You seem a little different today."

.

Gu Guanqi nodded slightly and said in a gentle tone, "Your cultivation level has made a small breakthrough."

Wen Shuyi's heart skipped a beat, a warm sensation welling up from deep within her chest, flowing over her neck and landing on her ears, causing a faint blush to appear. She thought to herself, "Alliance Leader Gu's amorous path is that his cultivation increases because of being moved by love, so doesn't that mean—he—is also moved by me? How—how wonderful!"

Her eyelashes trembled slightly as she quietly suppressed the surge of secret joy, and said, "Then congratulations, Alliance Leader Gu!"

""

Gu Guanqi smiled slightly, a very faint smile, yet it seemed to soften even the morning light under the corridor: "Miss Wen, let's go have some food first, and then hurry back to Wenfeng Valley to send your family out of Qizhou as soon as possible."

Wen Shuyi nodded: "Okay."

The two went downstairs one after the other and had a simple breakfast in the lobby of the inn.

A short while later, Gu Guanqi paid the bill, walked to the door, turned around, and extended his hand to Wen Shuyi.

Sunlight streamed in from outside the door, making him appear somewhat hazy.

Wen Shuyi looked at the outstretched hand, and without hesitation, took a step forward.

The next instant, her waist was gently embraced, and her figure rose up with Gu Guanqi, soaring over the eaves and treetops, and into the clear blue sky that stretched out on the horizon.

At noon, the two arrived at Wenfeng Valley.

The two quickly entered the valley.

At the courtyard gate, Wen's mother was sweeping away the dust. Hearing footsteps, she looked up and saw Wen Shuyi and Gu Guanqi. She quickly stood up to greet them, but when she saw Gu Guanqi clearly, she was slightly taken aback.

"Master Gu! Shuyi, you're back!" Mother Wen exclaimed with delight. "Quickly, have you eaten yet? Your sisters-in-law are cooking; dinner will be ready soon!"

Wen Shuyi approached, nodded, and said, "We haven't eaten yet. Well, let's have lunch first. After we finish eating, I have to send you away from Qizhou immediately."

Upon hearing this, Wen's mother paused for a moment, but did not ask any further questions, only nodding: "Okay."

Afterwards, Wen Shuyi and Gu Guanqi followed Wen's mother into the courtyard.

Then, Wen Shuyi briefly recounted the events.

Afterwards, everyone began to eat.

The meal was eaten very quickly.

After finishing their meal, the group didn't pack any belongings and set off immediately.

The six sons of Su Shan went together.

After leaving Wenfeng Valley, the group found the nearest dock, chartered a large ship, and began their journey north.

The journey was smooth and uneventful.

After traveling for two days and two nights, everyone gradually relaxed from being tense at the beginning.

Over the past two days, Gu Guanqi and Wen Shuyi have spent a lot of time together.

However, Wen Shuyi returned to her usual self, always sitting quietly in the cabin, either cultivating or reading, rarely speaking, and with a calm expression.

Just like when Gu Guanqi first met him in the capital.

Just sitting there, one can feel the tranquility of life.

On the morning of the third day, the ship docked at a pier. The waterway to the capital had come to an end, and the journey would now switch to land.

Su Shan Liu Zi were seasoned veterans with extensive experience in the underworld. They acquired two carriages and a batch of fine horses with little effort.

The carriage was mainly used to transport the women and children of the Wen family.

Without pausing, the group continued their rapid northward journey.

After another day of travel, we finally arrived at Yinchuan County on the border of Qizhou.

After resting for a night, the group set off again.

At noon, sunlight streamed down through gaps in the clouds.

The group arrived at a place surrounded by towering mountains.

Meng Qi rode a jet-black steed close to Gu Guanqi. He wiped the thin layer of sweat from his forehead, pointed to a canyon ahead, and said, "Alliance Leader Gu, that canyon ahead is called Yinchuan Gorge. Beyond Yinchuan Gorge lies a vast plain."

In two days at most, we'll leave Qizhou and enter Yanzhou. There lies the Tianyi Sect, one of the eight major sects, a place the people of the Divine Temple dare not tread lightly; we can relax a bit then.

Gu Guanqi nodded slightly, gazing at the canyon.

He rode on his horse, his white robes fluttering gently in the midday breeze. Suddenly, he raised his hand and called out, "Stop for a moment."

The group stopped immediately.

Meng Qi reined in the reins, turned to look at Gu Guanqi, and asked, "Alliance Leader Gu, what's wrong? Is there a problem?"

'

Gu Guanqi did not answer immediately.

His gaze remained fixed on the entrance to the canyon. After a moment of contemplation, he said, "There are experts in the canyon ahead."

Upon hearing this, Meng Qi's expression changed slightly.

He followed Gu Guanqi's gaze and saw only rugged rock walls, dense shrubs, and a narrow yellow earthen path in the distance, cut in half by the shadows of the mountains. He could not see anything unusual about it.

Zhuo Yi and the others quickly rode forward.

Wen Shuyi also stepped out of the carriage behind.

She walked to Gu Guanqi's side and asked, "Guanqi, did you discover something?"

After spending these past few days together, the initial awkwardness between Gu Guanqi and Wen Shuyi dissipated, and their way of addressing each other became much more intimate.

Gu Guanqi said, "The energy over there is strange; someone has stirred it up."

Wen Shuyi was also a top expert, so she naturally understood that every place in the world had its own unique energy.

A true master can often manipulate the flow of energy to their advantage.

However, she sensed it but couldn't detect anything unusual.

However, she didn't doubt that Gu Guanqi's intuition was correct, and immediately said, "It seems that the temple has a response. The past few days have been peaceful, which made me think that the temple wasn't prepared to retaliate!"

Gu Guanqi smiled slightly and said, "I was right. For the temple, the dead who cannot speak are the most advantageous to them."

Just then, a faint singing voice drifted from the canyon, intermittent and intermittent.

"—The autumn sky is high over Cangjie, I rest my head on the pine roots under the moon, and wake up at dawn. I recognize the old forest, climb the cliff and cross the ridge——Without honor or disgrace, I live a tranquil life. Where we meet, we are either immortals or Taoists, sitting quietly and discussing the Yellow Court Classic—"

The song was long and drawn out, with a loose, drawn-out ending, carrying a unique Taoist rhythm that echoed repeatedly between the mountain walls, gradually drawing closer.

Immediately afterwards, three figures slowly emerged from the shadows at the canyon entrance.

The first person was an old Taoist priest, thin in build, wearing a faded gray Taoist robe, carrying a long sword on his back, and wearing coarse cloth shoes. He looked very ordinary, yet he exuded an indescribable sense of ease and transcendence.

Behind him followed two middle-aged Taoist priests, both dressed in gray-blue robes.

Wen Shuyi raised an eyebrow slightly, recognizing the person who had come. She turned to Gu Guanqi and said, "In Qizhou, there is a temple, a monastery, and three major gangs. This person is Qingyang Sanren, the abbot of Qingsong Temple. He is the leader of the Taoist sect in Qizhou and has a very high level of cultivation. He was already a grandmaster decades ago."

As Qingyang Sanren stepped out of the canyon entrance, he bowed slightly and performed a Daoist greeting, saying, "This humble Daoist, Qingyang Sanren, greets Alliance Leader Gu and Miss Wen."

Wen Shuyi bowed slightly in return and asked, "Senior Qingyang, are you here to stop me?"

Qingyang Sanren nodded slightly and said, "The sect leader has ordered that Alliance Leader Gu and Miss Wen intend to unify the martial arts world. Now they are going to attack the martial arts world of Qizhou. I do not want to see the martial arts world in turmoil and bloodshed. I can only presume to come and stop them!"

Wen Shuyi shook her head and said, "Senior Qingyang, if you're determined to find fault, you can always find a reason!"

Qingyang Sanren said, "Alliance Leader Gu Heng has already unified the martial arts world of three states, and single-handedly slashed through the martial arts world of Tianzhou. No one would believe that he doesn't have the ambition to unify the martial arts world of the entire world." Then, Qingyang Sanren looked at Gu Guanqi and said, "Alliance Leader Gu, what do you say?"

Gu Guanqi dismounted, waved his hand, and said, "Further words are useless, come out!"

Qingyang Sanren smiled slightly and said nothing more.

At this moment, several monks appeared in the canyon, led by a middle-aged monk wearing a kasaya, who was very burly.

The head monk clasped his hands together, bowed deeply, and said, "Amitabha, this humble monk is Jiechi, greetings to Alliance Leader Gu and Miss Wen!"

Wen Shuyi said, "Abbot Jiechi of Jingye Temple is the leader of the Buddhist community in Qizhou. It is said that he has mastered the Buddhist One-Slap Palm technique to an extremely high level. No one has surpassed him in recent years. He is also a grandmaster."

Gu Guanqi nodded slightly.

Immediately afterwards, another group of six people appeared, led by a man and a woman. The man was about ten years old, dressed in a blue robe, with a refined demeanor, and holding a heavy, blunt, blue sword.

Wen Shuyi introduced, "Jiang Yuanzhi, the leader of the Golden Crown Gang, is also a Grandmaster. He wields a heavy sword with great skill and simplicity. Among the Grandmasters in Qizhou, he can rival Yun Qianchou."

The other woman, around forty years old, had an ordinary appearance and a short stature, but she was carrying a heavy hammer, weighing no less than 100 kilograms.

Wen Shuyi said, "Jian Hongye, the leader of the Red Leaf Gang, is the only female Grandmaster in Qizhou besides me. Her personal combat strength is not outstanding among Grandmasters, but her four protectors have a combined attack formation with her, and they are rarely matched in the martial arts world."

Gu Guanqi shook his head slightly and said, "It wasn't them."

Wen Shuyi said, "The expert you mentioned must be the Temple Master himself!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a cacophony of hoofbeats rose from the canyon, and dozens of heavily armored knights in red appeared, their warhorses trotting with uniform, heavy steps, their iron hooves pounding the ground with a deafening roar.

The knight's face was covered by a mask, his long sword gleamed coldly, and a chilling aura swept over him.

At the center of the iron cavalry, a gilded chariot slowly moved forward, pulled by four magnificent unicorns. The chariot's body was made of gleaming glass, adorned with red jade, and scarlet gauze curtains swayed gently in the wind.

Seated in the carriage was a handsome man, dressed in a magnificent and solemn red robe embroidered with gold, holding a gilded scepter inlaid with blood-red crystals.

His expression was calm and indifferent, his natural divine authority spreading wildly across the water, causing the air to stagnate. His supreme nobility, lofty and unparalleled, transformed into a heavy sense of oppression, silencing everything around him.

As the carriage moved forward, the sunlight seemed to grow even brighter.

Wen Shuyi took a deep breath and said, "Guanqi, that is Mo Xun, the head of the temple, the legendary person closest to the Sun God!"

Gu Guanqi said calmly, "He is the master who can manipulate the energy of heaven and earth."

Just then, a clear yet majestic voice came from inside the carriage: "Wen Shuyi, do you know your crime?"

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