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

Chapter 217 Heavenly Demon Harp

The next day, early in the morning.

Gu Guanqi was having breakfast with Xu Zhiwei in Xu Zhiwei's courtyard.

A young Taoist priest came to the door and bowed, saying, "Uncle-Master Xu, the Holy Monk Lianchi, Sect Leader Li, Sect Leader Leng, and Uncle-Master Su Qingzi are all leaving. The Sect Leader sent me to invite you to see them off."

Xu Zhiwei asked in surprise, "Is Su Qingzi leaving too?"

"Yes," the young Taoist said, "Master Su Qingzi is also leaving."

"That's strange," Xu Zhiwei said. "In the past, this guy would stay for ten days or half a month when he came to debate, and he would only leave when he really couldn't win the debate and gave up. This time, he's so decisive."

Gu Guanqi chuckled and said, "During the debate the other day, Daoist Su Qingzi didn't admit that he couldn't win as long as you were there. He probably had already given up completely in his heart, but he had to come because of the legacy of the Heavenly Sect's founder."

"That's possible." Xu Zhiwei stood up and said, "Then you can eat slowly. I'll go see them off. In the past two years, my senior brother's health has deteriorated significantly. He is already considering stepping down, so most of the sect's affairs have been handed over to me to handle, paving the way for me to take over as sect leader. I also need to go and deal with the leaders of various sects."

Gu Guanqi put down his chopsticks and said, "I've almost finished eating. Let's go together. I've had the chance to meet those people, so I should say goodbye."

"Alright." Xu Zhiwei nodded.

Aside from Su Qingzi's hasty departure, which surprised Xu Zhiwei and Gu Guanqi, the departure of the other three was entirely expected.

Li Wentian and Leng Lingxi, as the leaders of a major sect, are incredibly busy. It's already quite remarkable that they were able to spare so many days to come to the Heavenly Dao Sect. They have countless official duties piled up waiting for them to handle. Therefore, it's perfectly normal that they are eager to return now that everything is finished.

As for the Venerable Monk Lianchi, although he is no longer the abbot of Daguangming Temple, he has not left the mountain for many years. He only came out this time because he cared about the common people. Now that the matter is over, he naturally does not want to stay any longer.

When Gu Guanqi and Xu Zhiwei arrived, Zhang Daoji was talking with the Lotus Pond Saint Monk and others at the entrance of the Sanqing Hall.

Xu Zhiwei walked over and bowed, saying, "Holy Monk, Sect Leader Li, Sect Leader Leng, Senior Brother Suqing, why are you all in such a hurry?"

,

The Holy Monk of Lotus Pond clasped his hands together in a gesture of respect and said, "Daoist Xu, our sects all have important matters to attend to, and it is truly inconvenient for us to stay any longer."

Li Wentian and Leng Lingxi gave the same explanation.

Su Qingzi, however, said with a smile, "Junior Sister Su Chen, if I linger here any longer, you'll probably get a headache from all the trouble. I know I can't possibly beat you in a debate, so there's no point in staying any longer. But I will come every year, so please don't let your guard down!"

Xu Zhi smiled and said, "I do hope that when Senior Brother Su Qing comes next year, he will have made great progress and put some pressure on Junior Sister."

"Of course, of course!" Su Qingzi smiled slightly.

"Amitabha," said the Holy Monk Lianchi, "It's getting late, so we'll take our leave."

Having said that, the Holy Monk Lianchi looked at Gu Guanqi and said, "Alliance Leader Gu possesses a high level of Buddhist virtue and is proficient in Buddhist martial arts. He has a deep affinity with our Buddhist sect. If you have some free time, you can visit the Great Bright Temple to discuss Buddhist teachings with this humble monk!"

Gu Guanqi cupped his hands and said, "Alright, when I have time, I will definitely go to Da Guangming Temple to bother you. At that time, I hope the Holy Monk will not hesitate to give me guidance."

"I dare not presume to offer guidance," said the Holy Monk Lianchi. "With Alliance Leader Gu's Buddhist nature, every action he takes contains the ultimate truths of heaven and earth. It is already an honor for this humble monk to be able to discuss Buddhism with Alliance Leader Gu."

"Holy Monk, you flatter me." Gu Guanqi bowed.

At this moment, Li Wentian spoke up again: "Alliance Leader Gu, leave the weapon forging to me. Whenever you have free time, come to Shenji Sect to find me, and we can discuss the specifics together."

"Alright, thank you, Sect Leader Li." Gu Guanqi cupped his hands and said, "I will visit you at the Shenji Sect in a few days."

"What are you saying? Don't mention disturbing me," Li Wentian waved his hand and said, "It is an honor for Shenji Sect that Alliance Leader Gu can be a guest here."

"The Tianshan Sect also invites Alliance Leader Gu to be their guest." Leng Lingxi looked at Gu Guanqi, her beautiful and aloof face expressionless, but her eyes held a hint of complexity. She said, "The snow scenery of Tianshan is unparalleled in the world. If Alliance Leader Gu has the time, he is welcome to go to Tianshan to enjoy the snow."

Gu Guanqi nodded slightly and said, "I have long yearned to see the snow scenery of Tianshan. I will definitely go and see it when I have time."

Leng Lingxi nodded slightly and said nothing more.

At this moment, Su Qingzi smiled and said, "I would also like to invite Alliance Leader Gu, but our Heavenly Sect has been living in seclusion for many years and is located in a somewhat remote place. However, it also has a unique charm of being far removed from the secular world."

Gu Guanqi smiled and said, "The people of the Heavenly Sect are all true cultivators who are devoted to the Dao and do not associate with ordinary people. When I have the opportunity, I will definitely go and experience it for myself."

"When the time comes, I will welcome you with open arms!"

'

After exchanging a few more polite words, the group members each led their disciples away.

Zhang Daoji, Xu Zhiwei, and Gu Guanqi saw them off to the mountain gate.

After watching everyone leave, Gu Guanqi cupped his hands to Zhang Daoji and said, "Master Zhang, I still have a lot of Taoist scriptures to read, so I'm afraid I'll have to bother you for another day."

Zhang Daoji quickly replied, "Alliance Leader Gu, you're too kind. As long as you're willing to look, the Heavenly Dao Sect's Scripture Pavilion will always be open to you. Take your time and look at it; there's no need to rush."

"One day?" Xu Zhiwei frowned and said, "You mean you're leaving tomorrow?"

Gu Guanqi nodded slightly and said, "The matter here is settled. As for the Daoist scriptures, I will finish reading them in another day. I also have some things to do in Yanzhou, which I haven't finished yet."

His main purpose in coming to Yanzhou this time was to support Shen Qingqiu. Currently, things are progressing rapidly on Shen Qingqiu's side, and to prevent any accidents, it is indeed inconvenient for him to stay outside for too long.

Xu Zhiwei thought for a moment and said, "That's fine too. I'll be going down the mountain in a couple of days anyway, so I won't be able to accompany you then."

Gu Guanqi nodded slightly and said, "That's perfect."

"Alright," Xu Zhiwei tilted her head slightly and said, "I'll cook a few more dishes later, and we'll drink more tonight."

"OK.

""

After descending from Mount Taiwang, the Holy Monk Lianchi and his companions arrived at a market town. They replenished their supplies of dry rations and fodder for their journey before bidding each other farewell.

-

Four groups of people, from four different directions.

Of the four groups, Su Qingzi was the least in a hurry. He led a few disciples, holding horses, and walked slowly out of the town.

Before long, they arrived at a small mountain village.

An elderly woman carrying a package walked towards us, looking hurried.

Su Qingzi said, "Please wait, sir."

The old woman stopped in her tracks. Seeing that Su Qingzi and the others were wearing Taoist robes despite carrying weapons, she wasn't too nervous and quickly asked, "Taoist Master, is there anything you need from this old woman?"

Su Qingzi said, "I've heard that there's a Celestial Master Zhang on Mount Taiwang who often goes down the mountain to pray for the people and exorcise evil spirits. Is that true?"

"Master Zhang?" The old woman paused for a moment, then said, "You mean the old immortal Zhang?"

Su Qingzi nodded slightly.

The old woman quickly replied, "Old Immortal Zhang comes down the mountain on the first and fifteenth of each month, but we don't know which village he goes to. He just randomly picks a village to catch ghosts and demons."

"Okay," Su Qingzi nodded slightly and said, "Thank you, old man."

After saying that, Su Qingzi took out a silver ingot from her bosom and handed it to the old woman.

The old woman quickly declined, saying, "No, no, Daoist priest, I just wanted to say a few words, what are you doing?"

Su Qingzi stuffed the silver ingot into the old woman's hand and said, "I see dark energy swirling around your brows and eyes, indicating that someone in your family is seriously ill and urgently needs money. Please take this silver and don't refuse it anymore!"

"Thank you so much, Daoist Master! Thank you so much for your grace!"

As she spoke, the old woman was about to kneel down.

Su Qingzi stopped the old woman and said, "This humble Taoist is doing this to accumulate merit. If you kneel down, all my good deeds will be in vain!"

The old woman quickly straightened up and said, "Then I won't kneel anymore, I won't kneel anymore, thank you for your great kindness, Taoist priest!"

Su Qingzi waved her hand and said, "Go home quickly, your family is waiting for you. I've already calculated for you; although you're facing some tribulations now, your fortunes will turn around in your old age, and you're destined for good luck!"

"Really? Taoist Master!"

"real."

"Thank you, Taoist priest! Thank you, Taoist priest!"

The old woman left happily.

Watching the old woman leave, one of Su Qingzi's disciples suddenly asked, "Master, did you really tell that old woman's fortune?"

"No." Su Qingzi shook her head.

"Then aren't you lying to her?" the disciple asked.

Su Qingzi said, "I noticed that her eyes were lifeless and she had no spirit. I also saw that she was in a hurry and that there was the smell of medicine in her bundle. I basically guessed that her family must be going through a difficult time."

Giving her money can only provide temporary relief, not heal her broken heart. But if a few words from me can give her hope, then so be it!

The disciple suddenly realized and said, "But Master, there are many people in this world who suffer like her."

Su Qingzi shook her head slightly and said, "I can only do what I see. Human power has its limits. I don't want all living beings to suffer, but all living beings suffer, and I have no ability to save them. I can only do my best based on what I see!"

"Disciple understands."

"Yes," Su Qingzi responded, "After we reach the county town, you can return to your sect on your own. I have gained some insights from this trip and want to travel the world to experience its ways."

"Yes, disciple understands."

Su Qingzi nodded slightly, turned to look at the majestic Taiwang Mountain behind the village, her pupils contracted slightly, and she muttered to herself, "I'll come down the mountain on the first and fifteenth of the month, Senior Brother. It'll be the fifteenth in a few days. You're not going to skip coming down this time, are you?"

Night falls in the library.

Gu Guanqi put the book back on the shelf and then blew out the candle on the corner of the table.

Moonlight streamed in through the window, casting a silvery glow on the blue brick floor and stretching Gu Guanqi's shadow long and thin.

He walked to the door and slowly pushed it open.

The old pine tree in the courtyard stood under the moonlight, its branches swaying. Moonlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled patterns on the ground. On one of the branches sat a person—Xu Zhiwei.

She leaned against the tree trunk, one leg bent, the other dangling gently among the branches and leaves.

She wasn't wearing a Taoist robe, but instead a long, light blue dress. The hem of the dress draped in the moonlight, making it appear somewhat hazy.

She held a gourd of wine in her hand, tilted her head back and took a swig. Her clothes fluttered slightly in the night breeze, and a few strands of hair shimmered in the moonlight.

The leaves swayed gently above her head, and the light that filtered through her shimmered across her shoulders and hair, scattering into a flowing silvery white.

At that moment, she sat there, exuding an indescribable sense of freedom.

Gu Guanqi looked at Xu Zhiwei and asked, "Have you been waiting long?"

Xu Zhiwei turned her head, smiled, and then lightly jumped down from the tree branch.

Her skirt fluttered gently in the night breeze, like a cloud lifted by the moonlight. She landed quietly in front of Gu Guanqi and said, "I just arrived too."

Gu Guanqi looked Xu Zhiwei up and down and smiled slightly, "I'm actually a little unaccustomed to you not wearing a Taoist robe."

Xu Zhiwei tilted her head, a smile in her eyes, and said, "What, doesn't it look good?"

Looking at Xu Zhiwei's graceful figure outlined by the moonlight and the night, and her slightly hazy, intoxicated eyes, Gu Guanqi said softly, "She is as beautiful as a fairy."

Xu Zhiwei's lips curled up, and she said smugly, "You have good taste!"

Gu Guanqi smiled slightly.

Xu Zhiwei tied the wine gourd to her waist and said, "Let's go, the food is ready and the wine is prepared. Today I've brought out all my best wines from the bottom of my chest."

The two then left side by side.

The night breeze swept through the eaves, carrying a touch of coolness. The lanterns hanging from the eaves swayed gently in the wind, and everything seemed so tranquil.

The two walked along, talking as they went.

Before long, they arrived at Xu Zhiwei's courtyard.

Xu Zhiwei went into the kitchen to serve the dishes, and soon a large table was filled with food in the courtyard.

The moon was bright tonight, and several lanterns were lit in the courtyard, so it wasn't dark.

Then, Xu Zhiwei placed several more jars of wine on the table. "Here," she said, handing one jar to Gu Guanqi. "These jars of wine are no ordinary wines. They are the most prized creations of the master brewer Zhang Ziliu. To get these jars of wine, I helped Zhang Ziliu capture eight notorious bandits, traveling over six thousand miles."

Gu Guanqi picked up the wine jar and said, "Then I am truly honored."

"Good to know, I promise I won't treat you unfairly!"

Xu Zhi smiled and gently tapped the wine jar against Gu Guanqi's.

Then, the two began to eat and drink together, occasionally exchanging a few casual words.

Gu Guanqi's physique has evolved through multiple cultivation techniques, while Xu Zhiwei has a special physique; both of them have an extraordinary capacity for alcohol.

The night breeze was a bit chilly, and the lantern's flame flickered gently in the wind, casting the two people's shadows on the wall behind them, which grew longer and shorter with the flickering of the flame.

After an unknown amount of time, all the jars of wine were emptied.

Xu Zhiwei placed the last empty jar on the ground, then let out a long sigh, leaned back in her recliner, gazed at the night sky, and said with a hint of drunkenness in her voice, "It's been a long time since I've had such a good drink. The last time was four or five years ago. My best friends were all going down the mountain, and I was seeing them off. I got a little drunk that night."

She turned her head, her gaze landing on Gu Guanqi's face: "And you?"

Gu Guanqi leaned back on the recliner next to him, his hands behind his head, gazing at the moonlit sky. The stars were few and very faint.

Hearing Xu Zhiwei's words, his thoughts drifted far away for a moment.

The last time he drank this much was in his past life.

So he didn't know how to answer the question, and just smiled slightly.

Xu Zhiwei didn't press the matter, but simply gazed quietly at the night sky.

Suddenly, Xu Zhiwei stood up abruptly, pointed to the sky, and exclaimed with delight, "A shooting star! Quick, make a wish!"

As she spoke, she took a step forward, her figure lightly floating up and landing on the rooftop. Her cyan skirt spread out behind her, and the moonlight gave her a cool and aloof air.

Gu Guanqi also lightly touched the ground with his feet and flew onto the roof.

Sure enough, a silvery-white arc of light was seen slanting across the night sky, leaving a long, thin trail, before disappearing into the horizon in an instant.

Gu Guanqi tilted his head slightly to look at Xu Zhiwei.

Xu Zhiwei had her hands clasped in front of her chest, her head tilted back slightly, her eyes closed, and the moonlight fell on her slightly trembling eyelashes. Her expression was very serious and devout.

After a long while, Xu Zhiwei slowly opened her eyes, looked at Gu Guanqi, and asked, "Did you make a wish?"

Xu Zhiwei smiled and said, "The reason why people have faith is because they encounter something they crave but cannot obtain, and they place their hopes on some kind of power that they cannot understand to help them accomplish those impossible things."

Gu Guanqi paused slightly, then asked, "Is there something you yearn for but cannot obtain?"

"have."

Xu Zhiwei raised her head, the moonlight falling on her eyes, giving them a clear, bright luster. She whispered, "Do you know what I wished for?"

Gu Guanqi shook his head slightly.

Xu Zhiwei waved her hand: "Keep your head down, I'll tell you in secret."

Gu Guanqi lowered his head slightly upon hearing this.

In that instant, Xu Zhiwei suddenly tiptoed and gently kissed Gu Guanqi's lips.

She gave it a light kiss, just for a moment, before slowly pulling away, leaving a warm touch.

Then, she looked up at Gu Guanqi and said, "I wish to return to the time before you created the Path of Passion, with my memories intact."

Gu Guanqi was slightly taken aback.

Xu Zhiwei looked at Gu Guanqi, a slight smile playing on her lips: "People always have some selfish motives."

The moonlight fell on her face, and her eyes, instead of their usual carefree demeanor, appeared unusually gentle.

Their eyes met, and Xu Zhiwei said gently, "Come visit me at Tianyi Sect whenever you have time! If you're ever in a bad mood, or just want some peace and quiet, you can come here anytime. I'll always be here."

The Heavenly Dao Sect doesn't get involved in the conflicts of the martial world, and I won't get involved in its affairs either. As long as I'm here, Mount Taiwang will always be a place where you can rest and find refuge at any time. If you're tired, come here.

Just then, a system notification sounded in Gu Guanqi's mind:

[Blind date event concluded]

[Reward: Heavenly Demon Harp + Max Level "Heavenly Dragon Eight Sounds" has been issued]

Do you want to claim the reward?

Gu Guanqi did not collect it immediately.

He didn't even pay attention to the system's prompts, but quietly looked into Xu Zhiwei's eyes and slowly said, "Okay."

Xu Zhiwei smiled faintly, then reached out and took Gu Guanqi's hand, gently pulling him to sit on the roof ridge. She said, "You're leaving tomorrow. Play the flute for me one more time, okay?"

"Um.

""

Gu Guanqi took out the jade flute and held it to his lips.

Slowly, the sound of the flute began.

Xu Zhiwei leaned her head against Gu Guanqi's shoulder, closed her eyes slightly, and her breathing gradually became long and steady.

The sound of the flute continued to flow in the night breeze.

The moonlight gently shone on the two of them, and the night breeze blew.

When Gu Guanqi finished playing the song, Xu Zhiwei had already fallen into a deep sleep.

Gu Guanqi smiled slightly and sat quietly, not disturbing Xu Zhiwei.

The next day, early in the morning.

Gu Guanqi had breakfast with Zhang Daoji and Xu Zhiwei, and then said goodbye. Since the issue had been discussed yesterday, neither Zhang Daoji nor Xu Zhiwei tried to persuade him to stay.

The two escorted Gu Guanqi all the way to the mountain gate.

Zhang Daoji cupped his hands to Gu Guanqi and said, "Alliance Leader Gu, although the Tianyi Sect does not participate in the conflicts of the martial world, if a great demon or bandit appears in the world, or if there is a great calamity, the Tianyi Sect will not stand idly by."

You are now one of the leaders of the martial arts world, and possess a chivalrous spirit. The Heavenly Dao Sect is willing to obey your orders. If there is anything that truly requires the Heavenly Dao Sect's assistance, please don't hesitate to ask. The Heavenly Dao Sect will not shirk its responsibility and will not hesitate to help!

-

Gu Guanqi cupped his hands and said, "Although the Heavenly Dao Sect is a reclusive sect, it has always been concerned about the common people. I am aware of this. If there is any major event concerning the people, I will definitely inform the Heavenly Dao Sect."

Zhang Daoji nodded slightly, then looked at Xu Zhiwei, smiled slightly, and said, "I suppose Junior Sister also has something to say to Alliance Leader Gu, so I'll head back first."

After saying that, Zhang Daoji turned and went back, leaving Xu Zhiwei and Gu Guanqi alone.

Xu Zhiwei looked at Gu Guanqi, unsure of what to say for a moment.

Gu Guanqi was also looking at Xu Zhiwei, unsure of what to say.

After a moment of silence, Xu Zhi smiled slightly and said, "I already said what I wanted to say last night. I'm glad you understand my feelings."

Gu Guanqi nodded and said, "There's plenty of time ahead, and we're both still young."

"Yes," Xu Zhiwei responded, "It was only after meeting you that I realized how wonderful it is to be young. I'm so glad I didn't wait until I was seventy or eighty to meet you."

Gu Guanqi laughed and said, "If we meet someone who's seventy or eighty years old, then we don't really have any connection."

"That's not necessarily true," Xu Zhiwei said. "Even when I'm seventy or eighty, I'll still be a beautiful old lady. As for you, you'll probably be a handsome old man, so who knows, we might just be destined for each other!"

Gu Guanqi smiled, remained silent for a moment, and then said, "Take care!"

Xu Zhiwei untied the wine gourd from her waist, took a sip, and then handed it to Gu Guanqi, saying, "Want some?"

Gu Guanqi took the wine gourd, took a sip, and said, "Before I come to see you next time, I will definitely find you some of the world's finest wines."

Xu Zhiwei quickly replied, "I'll wait, but don't go back on your word."

"I will definitely not break my promise."

Gu Guanqi handed the wine gourd back.

Xu Zhiwei took the wine gourd and said slowly, "Take care."

Gu Guanqi cupped his hands slightly, then turned around, lightly touched the ground with his feet, and floated away.

Xu Zhiwei watched Gu Guanqi's figure disappear into the distance, a faint smile appearing on her face, and whispered, "So beautiful."

After a long while, until Gu Guanqi's figure could no longer be seen, she slowly turned around and returned to the mountain gate.

On the other side, Gu Guanqi flew to a mountaintop, slowly stopped, stood on a boulder, summoned the system, and silently said "Claim".

In that instant, a flash of inspiration struck Gu Guanqi.

All the profound mysteries, finger techniques, mental methods, rhythms, and cadences of the Eight Sounds of the Heavenly Dragon surged into my soul without the slightest obstruction, and a powerful musical martial art instantly reached perfection.

At the same time, a wisp of true energy was born in his dantian.

This is the true energy of the Eight Sounds of Heavenly Dragon.

However, the Heavenly Dragon Eight Sounds technique isn't particularly high-level martial arts; it's mainly used in conjunction with the Heavenly Demon Harp. Therefore, the internal energy generated is far inferior to the various divine skills and true energy within Gu Guanqi's body, so it's unlikely to cause any unusual phenomena.

At the same time, a gold-lacquered half-leather zither case appeared out of thin air in his hand, faintly exuding a deep and cold aura.

Gu Guanqi slowly opened the zither case and took out the instrument inside, which was the Heavenly Demon Zither.

This zither is originally named the Eight Dragons Zither. It is similar to ordinary guqin, with an elegant and regular appearance. It is more than four feet long and about six inches wide, without any ostentation.

The body of the instrument is made from wood that has been stored at the bottom of the sea for thousands of years. It is dark brown to almost black in color, with fine wood grain like scales. It feels solid and smooth to the touch, and is impervious to water and fire, and difficult to damage by weapons.

There are eight strings in total, corresponding to the names of eight dragons. They were forged from the back tendons of eight ancient poisonous dragons, and are dark purple in color with endless toughness.

Looking at the Heavenly Demon Zither in his hand, Gu Guanqi immediately activated his power and gently pulled the strings. Instantly, layers of dark purple light appeared on the strings, and a sharp, invisible killing force rippled out.

However, Gu Guanqi did not play the instrument. With just a slight touch, he sensed the violent energy contained within the instrument. Even in the face of thousands of troops, one person and one instrument could cut through the enemy lines.

Gu Guanqi carried the zither case on his back, then took out a map from his pocket, looked at it, and then set off again.

This time, he went to Qilong County in Yanzhou, which is where the Yanzhou Martial Alliance is located. Shen Qingqiu is currently inspecting the Martial Alliance.

The Yanzhou Martial Arts Alliance holds a very high position in Yanzhou because its leader, Qian Sansi, is the fourth strongest martial artist in Yanzhou, second only to Zhang Daoji and Xu Zhiwei of the Tianyi Sect and Tie Kuangshi, the Supreme Elder of the Tie Family.

-

These three are all extremely important figures. Zhang Daoji is the leader of one of the six major sects in the world, Xu Zhiwei is the next leader, and Tie Kuangshi is the number one expert of the Tie family, one of the five great families of Qian Kingdom.

In Yanzhou, a region home to the Tianyi Sect and the Tie family, Qian Sansi's ability to become the fourth strongest expert speaks volumes about his formidable strength. He is also a Grandmaster ranked among the top ten on the Tianji Pavilion's Earth Ranking.

Therefore, the martial arts alliance led by Qian Sansi is very prestigious in Yanzhou. It is the only martial arts alliance in the region where the eight major sects are located that still holds real power and has not become a mere figurehead. Of course, this is mainly because the Tianyi Sect does not get involved in the conflicts of the martial arts world, and the Tie family is now suffering from suppression by the imperial court because of their failure to choose sides.

Qilong County is hundreds of miles away from the Tianyi Sect.

However, given Gu Guanqi's speed, it wouldn't take long. But the maps of this era were too abstract, causing Gu Guanqi to take many detours. It wasn't until noon that he successfully arrived at Qilong County City.

The Martial Arts Alliance is located within the county town.

Gu Guanqi quickly found out the exact location after making a few inquiries.

However, when he arrived at the Martial Alliance, he found that the Martial Alliance was very lively today, with many martial arts people coming and going. Judging from the various flags, it could be seen that the four major families and seven major gangs had all gathered.

Just as Gu Guanqi was about to ask someone, a commander from the Six Doors who was responsible for maintaining order recognized Gu Guanqi and hurriedly ran over, cupping his hands in greeting, "Alliance Leader Gu, you've arrived!"

Gu Guanqi sized up the man, who was one of Shen Qingqiu's trusted confidants brought from the capital, named Xia Yuan.

"Commander Xia," Gu Guanqi asked, "Is the martial arts world of Yanzhou holding a martial arts tournament? Why are all the sects gathered here?"

Xia Yuan hurriedly said, "Alliance Leader Gu, you are unaware of the fact that a great demon has emerged in the martial arts world of Yanzhou these past few days. He is wielding the Hu family's divine weapon, the Heavenly Calamity Sword, and is killing people everywhere. He specifically targets martial arts masters, and many people from various sects have been killed. In just a few days, more than a hundred people from all sects have been killed."

The demon was filled with murderous intent, his face covered in blood scabs, making his features completely unrecognizable. However, the Heavenly Calamity Sword was very obvious, and many people in the Yanzhou martial arts world recognized it. Therefore, various sects went to the Hu family to demand an explanation.

Hu Bing, the head of the Hu family, explained to the public that the Heavenly Calamity Sword had already been stolen, and that the demon's killings with the sword had nothing to do with the Hu family. However, this explanation failed to convince the major sects that the Hu family had suffered heavy casualties in retaliation.

Hu Bing led many members of his family to the Martial Arts Alliance, seeking testimony from Governor Shen. He claimed that Governor Shen was aware of the theft of the Heavenly Calamity Sword, and that he had previously reported the case to Governor Shen.

Gu Guanqi nodded slightly and said, "So, the various factions have come to the Martial Alliance?"

"Yes," Xia Yuan said, "Right now, Qian Sansi, the leader of the Yanzhou Martial Arts Alliance, is mediating with our Governor Shen." After saying that, Xia Yuan asked, "I will go and report to Governor Shen that you have arrived."

"Okay." Gu Guanqi nodded.

Then, Xia Yuan led Gu Guanqi into the Martial Alliance, and after turning left and right, led Gu Guanqi to a courtyard.

"Alliance Leader Gu, this is Governor Shen's residence. Please wait here for a moment while I go and inform Governor Shen."

Gu Guanqi nodded slightly.

Xia Yuan immediately turned and left.

Meanwhile, in a grand hall of the Martial Arts Alliance.

The leaders of the four major families, the seven major gangs, and some second- and third-rate forces gathered together.

Seated at the head of the table was a refined and gentle middle-aged man, none other than Qian Sansi, the leader of the Yanzhou martial arts alliance. To his left, at the first seat, sat Shen Qingqiu.

Qian Sansi spoke up: "Fellow practitioners, since Governor Shen has testified that the Hu family's Heavenly Calamity Sword was indeed stolen by thieves, then the Hu family must have been wronged. How about we end this matter here?"

Madam Yu, who was temporarily acting as the head of the Qin family, immediately chimed in, "With Governor Shen as our witness, we naturally have nothing to say. Let's drop this matter!"

"Yes, with Governor Shen as our witness, we naturally trust him!"

'

""

Immediately, everyone agreed.

Qian Sansi said in a deep voice, "Then let's drop this matter and discuss how to capture that fiend."

"Wait a minute,"

Just then, a haggard-looking Hu Bing stood up and said, "Alliance Leader, my Hu family has been wronged. So many innocent people have been killed by various factions, and so much of my family's property has been stolen. Shouldn't there be an explanation for this?"

Qian Sansi frowned slightly, a hint of displeasure flashing in his eyes, then looked at Shen Qingqiu and asked, "Governor Shen, what do you think?"

Hu Bing looked at Shen Qingqiu with anticipation.

Shen Qingqiu took a sip of tea, put down the teacup, and was about to speak when Meng Shu whispered a few words in her ear from behind.

Shen Qingqiu's eyes lit up. She stood up and said, "The responsibility for mediating disputes in the martial arts world now belongs to the Martial Arts Alliance; it's inconvenient for the Six Doors to get involved." With that, she cupped her hands in a respectful gesture and said, "Gentlemen, I apologize, but I have other matters to attend to and must take my leave."

After saying that, Shen Qingqiu walked straight out the door.

Hu Bing was immediately anxious. He realized that if Shen Qingqiu did not speak up for him today, he would not be able to get justice here. In fact, if Shen Qingqiu did not testify for him today, the Martial Alliance would not investigate at all, but would directly conclude that the demon had killed people on his Hu family.

He immediately called out, "Governor Shen, please wait! Governor Shen, please wait!"

However, Shen Qingqiu ignored him completely and went straight out the door.

Hu Bing looked utterly desperate.

Sitting opposite Hu Bing, Old Madam Yu shook her head slightly and sighed inwardly, "Hu Bing, Hu Bing, Governor Shen personally recruited your Hu family and gave you a chance, but you yourself didn't want it!"

Hu Bing slumped into a chair, looked around, and found that the faces he used to know so well now looked so strange and so vicious.

At this moment, Qian Sansi spoke up again: "Alright, it's indeed not appropriate for the Six Doors to interfere in matters within our Martial Alliance. Let's continue discussing the matter of besieging the demon!"