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

Chapter 230 Innate Body-Breaking Formless Sword Qi

In the dead of night, the moonlight was like water.

Gu Guanqi was meditating in his room.

Suddenly, his brow twitched almost imperceptibly; he sensed someone approaching.

He recognized the aura of the newcomer; it was none other than Leng Lingxi, the leader of the Tianshan Sect.

Gu Guanqi slowly opened his eyes, a hint of doubt flashing across them. He thought to himself, "What does Leng Lingxi want with me in the middle of the night?"

A short while later, a very light knock came from outside the door.

Immediately afterwards, Leng Lingxi's voice came from outside the door: "Alliance Leader Gu, are you resting?"

Gu Guanqi got up from the bed and opened the door.

The night breeze, carrying the cool air of the Tianshan Mountains, rushed in from outside the door.

Leng Lingxi stood outside the door.

The moonlight poured down from behind her, casting a hazy glow over her.

She was still wearing that plain white dress, which fluttered gently in the night breeze, as if it might be blown away at any moment.

Her eyes were slightly red, and she looked more fragile and vulnerable than usual, like 1

2.1.

It is a plum blossom in the wind and snow, exuding a kind of pitiful charm.

"Sect Leader Leng?" Gu Guanqi asked, "Is there something you need?"

Leng Lingxi stood at the door, slightly raising her head to look at Gu Guanqi. Her reddened eyes appeared exceptionally clear in the moonlight. She said softly, "I would like to speak with Alliance Leader Gu."

Gu Guanqi asked doubtfully, "Now?"

"Yes." Leng Lingxi nodded gently. "Right now."

Gu Guanqi thought Leng Lingxi would need some time to calm down, but he didn't expect Leng Lingxi to be in such a hurry, so he said, "Okay, go ahead and tell me, I'm listening."

Leng Lingxi pondered for a moment before slowly speaking, "Although I am Wuqing's master, I am also the head of the Tianshan Sect. Therefore, I am here to see you in the name of the Tianshan Sect head to make things clear and hope that Wuqing's actions will not affect the relationship between the Tianshan Sect and you."

Gu Guanqi nodded and said, "As long as the Tianshan Sect can understand, I will have no problem. I will not hold a grudge against the Tianshan Sect."

Upon hearing this, Leng Lingxi relaxed her shoulders slightly and then said in a low voice, "Thank you, Alliance Leader Gu."

Before she finished speaking, she suddenly took a step forward.

That step across the threshold instantly shortened the distance between the two.

A night breeze swept in from behind her, ruffling her hair and the hem of her white dress. She stood before Gu Guanqi, her head tilted slightly back, as if enveloped in moonlight and the night.

Gu Guanqi was slightly taken aback, somewhat bewildered, wondering why Leng Lingxi had suddenly gotten so close.

Leng Lingxi continued, "Then there is the second matter. The Tianshan Sect is eager to gain a favor from Alliance Leader Gu, so they very much hope to help Alliance Leader Gu cultivate and also hope to establish a deeper relationship with Alliance Leader Gu through this matter."

Gu Guanqi looked at Leng Lingxi and said, "I am naturally extremely grateful that the Tianshan Sect is willing to help me with my cultivation."

His main purpose in coming to Liangzhou was to find a partner, but he accidentally killed Xue Wuqing on the way. Therefore, he was worried that the Tianshan Sect might have other ideas and disrupt his original plan.

Now that the Tianshan Sect is not holding a grudge and continues to fulfill its promise, he is naturally happy to see it happen.

Upon hearing Gu Guanqi's words, Leng Lingxi's eyelashes trembled slightly, and she said, "Originally, Wuqing was the most suitable person to help Alliance Leader Gu, but she—"

At this point, Leng Lingxi sighed slightly before continuing, "However, back at the Heavenly Dao Sect, Alliance Leader Gu said I could also help you cultivate. So, now I'll help Alliance Leader Gu cultivate!"

As she spoke, she took a half-step forward, stood on tiptoe, and leaned close to Gu Guanqi's ear. Her warm breath brushed against Gu Guanqi's earlobe.

A faint blush rose on her cheeks at that moment. Then, she raised her hands slightly and gently placed them on Gu Guanqi's shoulders. She pressed her whole body against him, her chest gently against his chest. Through the thin fabric, he could feel her slightly rapid heartbeat and her softness.

"Alliance Leader Gu," her voice became somewhat alluring, low and soft, "I'll just give myself to you completely. This should be the fastest, most effective way to help you, and also the way to win your heart the most."

Of course, there's one more thing she didn't mention.

For the Tianshan Sect, this is the most direct way to establish a deep relationship with Gu Guanqi, similar to a marriage alliance. At the same time, it's also the most straightforward way to quell the rift between the Tianshan Sect and Gu Guanqi caused by Xue Wuqing.

Although Gu Guanqi said he wouldn't hold a grudge against the Tianshan Sect, the sect desperately needs him right now. After all, there's a high possibility of chaos in Liangzhou and an invasion by the Hu people. Looking further ahead, the Tianshan Sect also faces the impending calamity and the crisis of annihilation mentioned in the prophecy. The Tianshan Sect needs to establish a close relationship with Gu Guanqi.

In addition, regarding her personal feelings, Leng Lingxi had to admit that she was very attracted to Gu Guanqi, but for various reasons, she couldn't muster the courage.

But now, from the perspective of the sect's interests, she doesn't have so many concerns.

The night breeze rushed in from outside the door, blowing Leng Lingxi's hair and brushing against Gu Guanqi's cheek.

The candlelight in the room illuminated Leng Lingxi's face and her reddened eyes, making her appear very fragile. Her eyelashes were still trembling slightly, and her breathing was a little rapid, yet she was exceptionally alluring.

Gu Guanqi looked down at Leng Lingxi.

Leng Lingxi is very beautiful, and so far, she is the only woman Gu Guanqi has met who can rival Jiang Baili in appearance.

Leng Lingxi tiptoed again and gently kissed Gu Guanqi, her cheeks flushed. She said softly, "I am much older than you, so I don't ask for any title. Please don't look down on me, okay? My ethereal immortal skills have already reached their peak, and I can stay young forever. Even when I die, I will be the same as I am now."

Although I prioritize the sect above all else and cannot be like ordinary women who take their husbands as their head of the household, once I'm with you, I will uphold the virtues of a wife for the rest of my life, and my heart will forever belong only to you!

Immediately, Gu Guanqi reached out and put his arm around Leng Lingxi's waist, supporting her knees with his other hand, and lifted her up horizontally.

"ah!"

Leng Lingxi's body stiffened abruptly, then went limp. She instinctively wrapped her arms around Gu Guanqi's neck.

She buried her head in Gu Guanqi's shoulder and looked at his face.

Her heart started racing.

But in that instant, she suddenly remembered Xue Wuqing.

Suddenly, my breath caught in my throat for a moment.

Her apprentice was killed by the man in front of her.

Leng Lingxi's eyes suddenly welled up with tears.

She suddenly felt ashamed that her disciple had been killed, and yet she had come to offer herself to the enemy who killed her disciple!

This is absolutely shameful!

However, the next moment, she felt even more ashamed.

Because she was placed on the bed and positioned in a kneeling position by the man, who then lifted her skirt and removed her underwear.

Immediately afterwards, she felt a pair of warm hands cover her waist, then slowly slide down to her hips.

Her body stiffened abruptly.

She could feel those hands gently closing in, grasping that soft, full curve in their palms, carrying a sense of control that left her nowhere to hide.

Leng Lingxi lowered her head and buried her face in the blankets. Her shame had reached its limit, and her sadness had reached its peak, but she still bravely held back her tears.

But the next moment, she trembled and finally burst into tears.

He cried for a long time.

As dawn approached, Leng Lingxi slowly woke up and found that she was tightly wrapped around Gu Guanqi with both her arms and legs.

She recalled her previous infatuation, and a sense of shame filled her heart once again.

She slowly released Gu Guanqi, grabbed her clothes, carefully got out of bed, quickly put on her clothes and pants, and prepared to go out.

However, when she saw Gu Guanqi lying down, she couldn't help but lean down and kiss him on the lips. But just as she was about to get up, Gu Guanqi reached out and tied her hands.

"Where are you going?" Gu Guanqi asked.

Leng Lingxi lay on top of Gu Guanqi and said, "It'll be dawn soon, and if I leave your room then, someone will see me—"

After saying that, Leng Lingxi was afraid that Gu Guanqi would misunderstand, so she quickly explained, "I didn't mean to hide our relationship. It's just that right now, you just killed Prince Ji Zhao Mao. You were executing a treacherous official in the capacity of an imperial envoy!"

But if word were to spread now that we have some kind of relationship, people would inevitably think you're deliberately framing a loyal official for my sake, which would damage your reputation.

Leng Lingxi hugged Gu Guanqi and said, "Since I've made up my mind to give myself to you, I naturally want everyone to know that I'm your woman. Whether it's out of my personal desires or for the sake of the Tianshan Sect, this is the choice that maximizes my interests. However, I can't let it affect your reputation."

After this matter is over, everything is up to you. You can go public if you want, or I can be your mistress if you don't. It's all fine.

Gu Guanqi thought for a moment and said, "What you said makes a lot of sense."

"Okay, let me go first. It's almost dawn, I need to go back."

Gu Guanqi relaxed his cold, detached gaze.

Leng Lingxi slowly stood up and walked quickly towards the door. Just as she reached out to open it, she turned back and said, "I'll come find you again tonight!"

After saying that, Leng Lingxi left quickly, her cheeks flushed.

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

[Blind date event concluded]

[Reward: Max level "Innate Body-Breaking Formless Sword Qi" has been issued]

Do you want to claim the reward?

Gu Guanqi immediately silently recited "Receive".

In an instant, a vast and pure source of sword essence poured into Gu Guanqi's consciousness.

The three realms of innate, body-breaking, formless sword energy instantly reached their pinnacle.

The first level of the Necromancer's Sword can be imbued with the resentment and ferocity of death; the more lives one kills, the more powerful the sword energy accumulates.

The second layer, the Sword of Nature, is born from the extreme of death, its sword energy is inexhaustible, and it can absorb the vitality of plants and trees and the spiritual energy of heaven and earth into its own sword energy.

The third, invisible sword is formless and shapeless, arising from a single thought, and can pierce through space.

At this moment, his swordsmanship reached a new level, reaching a point where he could transform into a sword in the blink of an eye.

Early morning, in the main hall of the Tianshan Sect.

The high-ranking members of the Tianshan Sect arrived one after another, and took their seats and waited quietly at the invitation of the Grand Elder.

After quite some time, Sect Leader Leng Lingxi finally arrived late.

All the senior executives stood up.

"Sect Leader!" "The Sect Leader has arrived!"

Leng Lingxi waved her hand slightly and said, "No need for formalities, everyone please be seated!"

After Leng Lingxi sat down, everyone else took their seats as well.

Leng Lingxi glanced around and slowly said, "Everyone, I presume you all know what happened in Liangzhou City yesterday? Is there anyone who doesn't know?"

Everyone nodded slightly to indicate that they understood.

Leng Lingxi said, "The execution of Prince Ji, Zhao Mao, was unexpected, but it's also a good thing for Liangzhou. In recent years, Zhao Mao has become increasingly arrogant and unrestrained, poisoning the people, acting recklessly, and seizing wealth through trickery and force."

The massive construction projects were so numerous and varied that they were countless!

At this moment, an elder said, "Sect Leader, we are not new to the fact that Zhao Mao is unruly. However, killing only Zhao Mao will not solve the current problems in Liangzhou. The Ji Prince's Mansion has already gained considerable influence. Whether it is the military or the local government, the Ji Prince wields great power."

Now that Zhao has been killed, it could very well trigger chaos in Liangzhou, leading to an invasion by the Hu people. For the past few years, we haven't dared to directly kill Zhao Mao because of the constraints imposed on the Ji Prince's residence. Besides not being confident we could kill him, we're also worried about this possibility.

Leng Lingxi nodded and said, "This is indeed the biggest problem we are facing right now. However, Zhao Mao has been killed, and there is no room for negotiation. What we need to do now is to come up with a solution."

The Grand Elder cupped his hands and said, "With all the high-ranking members of the Tianshan Sect mobilized and dispersed to various parts of Liangzhou to oversee things, it can indeed greatly..."

To quell internal unrest, the most pressing need now is to control the Liangzhou army as quickly as possible.

Zhao Mao enjoys high prestige within the Liangzhou army, and a large number of high-ranking generals are his men. If not careful, this could lead to a mutiny within the army. Then there are the Xianbei barbarians; if internal strife breaks out in Liangzhou, they will inevitably seize the opportunity to invade. The Liangzhou army also lacks a capable and authoritative commander who can maintain order!

Leng Lingxi pondered for a moment and said, "Just as you just said, Elder, the high-ranking members of the Tianshan Sect should be dispersed to various places to integrate the forces of the Tianshan Sect in various places. We must not let any trouble happen."

Then, I went to Weicheng in person. Although Zhao Mao was very prestigious in the army, Zhao is now dead, and his son Zhao Tianfeng is also dead. Zhao's subordinates are not harmonious, especially his adopted sons. They are all capable and they don't submit to each other. It's not so easy for them to join forces.

As for the new commander of the Liangzhou army, as long as things can be stabilized here for the time being and the matter is reported to the imperial court, the court will naturally find a suitable candidate.

Immediately, an elder objected, saying, "Sect Leader, once the news of Zhao's death reaches Weicheng, there will inevitably be unrest there. Although Zhao Mao's adopted sons are all perverts, they have deep feelings for Zhao, and they will definitely try to avenge him."

It would be far too dangerous for you to go to Weicheng at this time. Although you are highly skilled in martial arts, as the saying goes, it is easy to dodge a spear in the open but difficult to guard against an arrow in the dark.

I even suspect that Zhao Mao's adopted sons, if they were to resort to any means necessary, might even cooperate with the Xianbei barbarians!

Having said that, the elder cupped his hands and said, "Weicheng must go, but it cannot be you, the sect leader. You are the sect leader of our Tianshan Sect, and we cannot allow anything to happen to you!"

Leng Lingxi waved her hand and said, "If others go, it won't be very effective. Although there are many generals in Weicheng who come from our Tianshan Sect and have always been on our side, their status and position are what they are. If I don't go in person, no one else is qualified."

At this moment, the Grand Elder hurriedly asked, "Sect Leader, has Alliance Leader Gu given a reply?"

Leng Lingxi shook her head slightly and said, "I haven't asked him how he plans it yet. After all, we haven't come up with any specific rules yet."

The Grand Elder nodded slightly and said, "Then let's discuss the specific rules first, and then consult Alliance Leader Gu to see what his plans are."

Immediately, the members of the Tianshan Sect began to discuss the matter.

It wasn't until noon that the group finalized the specific rules and regulations, and then they all left to make their own preparations.

Leng Lingxi also came out of the main hall.

Then she went straight to the courtyard where Gu Guanqi lived.

In the courtyard, Gu Guanqi was having lunch when he saw Leng Lingxi enter and asked, "Have you eaten?"

"Not yet!"

Leng Lingxi walked in, then went to the kitchen to get a set of bowls and chopsticks. She then sat down next to Gu Guanqi and said, "We've been discussing how to deal with the situation in Liangzhou since this morning."

As she spoke, Leng Lingxi ladled out a bowl of rice and continued, "Zhao Mao has deep roots in Liangzhou. He wields considerable influence in both the military and the government. His death will surely cause great turmoil in Liangzhou."

Gu Guanqi nodded slightly and asked, "So, what are your plans?"

Leng Lingxi said, "We believe the most important thing right now is to control the Liangzhou army to prevent a mutiny and give the Hu people an opportunity. What about you? What are your thoughts? Since you dared to kill Zhao Mao directly, you must have had a plan, right?"

Gu Guanqi smiled somewhat awkwardly and said, "I had no plans. I originally came to the Tianshan Sect to find you. I didn't even know what the situation was like in Liangzhou. I just happened to run into you yesterday and killed you directly."

Leng Lingxi paused slightly as she scooped soup, smiled helplessly, and said, "That Zhao Mao is quite unlucky."

Leng Lingxi ladled a bowl of soup for Gu Guanqi and handed it to him, saying, "Since you don't have a plan, let's follow the plan of our Tianshan Sect, shall we? Let's go to Weicheng together and stabilize the Liangzhou army as soon as possible. Then, you can transfer some suitable generals from other places to take charge of the Liangzhou army."

Gu Guanqi asked doubtfully, "You want me to transfer people to take control of the Liangzhou army? This Liangzhou is your Tianshan Sect's territory!"

Leng Lingxi shook her head and said, "If we don't do this, how can we share common interests with you, and how can we deepen our relationship? Besides, the Tianshan Sect is also aware of its own limitations. Even if we control the Liangzhou army, we are not capable of resisting the barbarians from beyond the Great Wall."

"Alright," Gu Guanqi said, "we'll do as you say."

Regarding the selection of generals, Gu Guanqi still has candidates. Many of the disciples from the Heavenly God Sect and the former Hanyue Sect under Fangcun Xinmo in Hongzhou are skilled in both battlefield charges and troop deployment.

In addition, he has influence in Qingzhou, Yunzhou, Qizhou, and even Yanzhou, so selecting capable generals is not too difficult.

"Then let's hurry to Weicheng," Leng Lingxi said with a slight smile. "With you by my side, I don't need to worry about safety."

Gu Guanqi said, "With your martial arts skills, there aren't many in this world who can hurt you."

Leng Lingxi said, "I'm not actually too worried, but the people in the sect are worried that I might be ambushed or something."

Gu Guanqi nodded slightly and said, "You should know who Zhao Mao's loyal followers are. We can take action before the news reaches Weicheng."

"I'm afraid it's too late," Leng Lingxi said. "All the forces in Liangzhou will train snow eagles as messengers. You killed Zhao Duan in public in Liangzhou City yesterday, so someone must have sent a message to Weicheng."

Furthermore, the twelve passes of Weicheng are quite far apart, and Zhao's loyal followers are not all gathered together. Our only option is to first control the outermost pass, Tiesan Pass, which is the first line of defense against the Hu invasion.

Gu Guanqi said, "Then let's not delay, let's eat this meal and head over right away."

"it is good."

Afterwards, Gu Guanqi and Leng Lingxi quickly finished their meal.

After giving some instructions to the higher-ups of the Tianshan Sect, Leng Lingxi left alone with Gu Guanqi.

Gu Guanqi's lightness skill was superb, and he could quickly reach Tiesan Pass. However, he couldn't bring many people with him, so the two of them had to go ahead first, and the others would follow later.

Liangzhou, an unnamed valley outside Tiesan Pass.

A burly man dressed in black iron armor rode in on a tall horse and carried a lance.

This man was the third adopted son of Prince Ji, Zhao Mao, and also Feng Heng, the garrison commander of Tiesan Pass and the General of the Northern Garrison of Liangzhou Army.

Feng Heng walked into the valley and saw a middle-aged man in white sitting on a rock in the middle of the valley, with his shirt tied at the waist.

He carried a sword, and his handsome features carried a sense of carefree spirit.

This man is Fang You, the adopted son of Prince Ji Zhao, and the General Who Guards the East of Liangzhou Army.

Although Feng Heng and Fang You were both Zhao Mao's adopted sons, their relationship had always been strained. Feng Heng always felt that they should continue to support the heir Zhao Tianfeng without hesitation, but Fang You always looked down on Zhao Tianfeng and even had the idea of ​​taking over the Liangzhou army.

Therefore, Feng Heng and Fang You were always at loggerheads, even to the point of each other trying to kill the other.

This is why Feng Heng came to the appointment today wearing armor and carrying weapons.

"Fang You!" Feng Heng reined in the horses and said, "If you want to avenge your adoptive father, then we can talk. If you're trying to recruit me because your adoptive father and the heir were killed, then only one of us will survive this valley today."

Fang You smiled slightly and said, "Look at you, so impatient again!"

Fang west slowly stood up, dusted off his clothes, and said, "The person who invited you here today was not me, but someone else."

Feng Heng immediately retorted angrily, "Are you playing me?"

As the garrison commander of Tiesan Pass, his unauthorized departure from the military camp was already a violation of military discipline. However, the reason he came here was because the person who had arranged to meet him was Fang You.

This morning he received news that his adoptive father Zhao Mao and the heir Zhao Tianfeng had been killed by Gu Guanqi. He wanted to take revenge, but he knew he couldn't defeat Gu Guanqi. So, despite the risk of being invited by his enemy Fang You, he came alone, hoping that Fang You might cooperate with him to take revenge.

"I told you not to rush!"

Fang You smiled slightly and said, "Take a look at who invited you to meet them before you speak!"

As he spoke, Fang You pointed to the carriage behind him.

At that moment, the carriage curtain was lifted, and a young man stepped out.

Feng Heng frowned. He recognized the young man as Qi Xiuzhu, the seventh and youngest adopted son of Prince Ji, who was only in his twenties.

However, although they were all adopted sons of the Prince of Ji, Qi Xiuzhu was much younger than them and had only entered the Liangzhou army for training in the last two years. He was not familiar with his other older brothers.

"Xiuzhu, did you ask me out?" Feng Heng asked.

Upon seeing Qi Xiuzhu, Feng Heng's guard relaxed considerably, because Qi Xiuzhu was not only the adopted son of Prince Ji, Zhao Mao, but also Zhao Mao's son-in-law. His entire family was deeply tied to the Prince Ji's mansion, making it impossible for him to betray the Prince Ji's mansion.

Of the five adopted sons of Prince Ji who are still alive, only three are in the military. Their gathering together is unlikely to be anything other than revenge.

Other things.

Qi Xiuzhu cupped his hands towards Feng Heng and said, "Third Brother, it wasn't me who invited you; it was someone else. But be prepared, don't get too excited!"

After saying that, Qi Xiuzhu lifted the carriage curtain, and a middle-aged woman slowly stepped down from the carriage.

The woman's face was radiant and captivating; time seemed to have left no trace on her features, only a gentle and warm glow.

Her features were gentle and serene, and her demeanor was calm and composed. Yet, in every gesture, she exuded an air of elegance and nobility, a quiet pride that remained unperturbed.

She stood quietly in front of the car, the breeze ruffling the embroidery on her clothes, dignified and composed.

The moment Feng Heng saw the woman, he trembled. He immediately dismounted, dropped his spear, and ran over. Then, with a thud, he knelt on the ground, his eyes red, and said in disbelief, "Godmother—is it really you?"

"You—you're still alive?"

This woman was none other than Princess Duanmu Xian, the previous generation's senior sister of the Tianshan Sect. For many years, she was the number one among the younger generation of the Tianshan Sect, until Leng Lingxi appeared and her brilliance was overshadowed.

However, even the peerless Leng Lingxi could not completely overshadow Duanmu Xian's brilliance. Back then, Duanmu Xian was a grandmaster recognized as one of the top five martial arts masters in Liangzhou. She was pursued by Prince Ji, Zhao Mao, for many years before finally marrying into the Prince Ji's mansion and becoming a princess.

Even though she became a princess, she still enjoyed great prestige in the martial arts world.

Zhao Mao's seven adopted sons respected Duanmu Xian no less than they respected Zhao Mao.

However, five years ago, the Xianbei sent assassins to kill Zhao Mao in order to invade Liangzhou. At that time, Zhao was in seclusion when he was interrupted at a critical moment and was seriously injured. Duanmu Xian was seriously injured while trying to save Zhao Mao and eventually died.

"Godmother, you—"

Duanmu Xian reached out and pulled Feng Heng up from the ground. She gently patted the dust off Feng Heng's armor and said, "Heng'er, you've suffered so much, you've become so thin!"

Upon hearing Duanmu Xian's voice, Feng Heng, a grown man, couldn't help but burst into tears, crying out, "Godmother, you're still alive—where have you been all these years? Why haven't you come to see me?"

Duanmu Xian slowly said, "Back then, the Tianshan Sect discovered that your adoptive father was secretly bribing military generals, so they wanted to harm him. In order to cover up what your adoptive father had done, I had to fake my death."

As you know, the Tianshan Sect has a lot of influence and many informants in Liangzhou. I dare not show myself at all. Even your godfather and Tianfeng, knowing that I have been hiding in Weicheng all this time, have not met with me for the past five years in order to avoid being exposed.

Feng Heng wiped away his tears and said, "It is my incompetence that has caused my godmother to suffer!"

Duanmu Xian shook her head and said, "It's your godfather and I who made you suffer."

Feng Heng took a deep breath, suppressing his emotions, and asked, "Godmother, have you appeared here today and gathered us all to avenge Godfather?"

Duanmu Xian nodded slightly and said, "My abilities are limited on my own, so I need your help."

Feng Heng immediately said, "Our lives were given to us by our adoptive parents, what more do we need to ask for? We should avenge our adoptive father!"

"Good child," Duanmu Xian said, "you'd better think this through. Our enemy this time is Gu Guanqi, whose martial arts are unparalleled. In addition, there might also be the Tianshan Sect. If we're not careful, it could be utterly annihilated!"

"Godmother, there's no need to say more," Feng Heng said. "I dared to come to this appointment alone today because I have no fear of death." He looked at Fang You and Qi Xiuzhu and said, "Godmother, that scoundrel Gu Guanqi killed Godfather. Next, he will definitely join forces with the Tianshan Sect to control the Liangzhou Army."

Their first step will definitely be to capture Tiesan Pass, the first gateway to Liangzhou. We'll set up an ambush there, and then I'll discuss it with the Hu people. When that scoundrel Gu Guanqi arrives, we'll coordinate an attack from within and without to surround and kill him!"

Duanmu Xian shook her head slightly and said, "Heng'er, you don't understand. When martial arts reach Gu Guanqi's level, numbers alone are no longer effective. No matter how many troops you have, you can't surround him or kill him. Instead, you'll only alert him!"

Although Feng Heng didn't believe that someone could be that powerful, he never contradicted Duanmu Xian, so he asked, "Then, godmother—what do you plan to do?"

Duanmu Xian said, "We don't need to confront them head-on. If they want the Liangzhou army, we'll give them the Liangzhou army. However, you should arrange for your people to cause trouble in secret and delay them as much as possible. Then, the three of you should select some trusted experts, and we'll go and meet up with the fourth and fifth brothers. We'll then storm the Tianshan Sect."

Feng Heng quickly asked, "But the Tianshan Sect has many experts and is heavily guarded."

Duanmu Xian said, "With your godfather dead, Liangzhou will definitely be in turmoil. Most of the high-ranking members of the Tianshan Sect will have to go down the mountain. At that time, the Tianshan Sect will be easy to defeat."

Feng Heng asked in bewilderment, "But what's the use of us taking down the Tianshan Sect? It won't avenge our adoptive father."

"I have my own way," Duanmu Xian said. "There is a monster hidden in the Tianshan Mountains. That monster is extremely powerful and cannot be defeated by human strength. The Tianshan Sect possesses a magical artifact that can control that monster."

"Our attack on the Tianshan Sect is to seize that magical artifact. Then, I can command that monster to kill Gu Guanqi, and Liangzhou will still belong to you brothers!"

"No," Feng Heng said, "My adoptive father was killed by that scoundrel, but I still have my adoptive mother, and I am willing to follow her!"

Duanmu Xian smiled and said, "You silly child, what use is power to a woman like me? Enough said, go and prepare!"