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

A flurry of embroidery needles flew about, making the figure appear even more ethereal and elusive.

Gu Guanqi's pupils contracted slightly.

He couldn't see Mei Ruolian's movements clearly; it wasn't "fast" in the ordinary sense—it was an almost ghostly, elusive movement, as if her body had no weight, appearing wherever the wind carried her. One moment she was on the tip of the osmanthus tree, the next she was three feet in front of him.

The Autumn Water Sword slashed out, its light as sharp as a bolt of lightning, slicing through several threads before reaching out to strike Mei Ruolian's wrist.

Mei Ruolian let out a soft "Eh," and with a flick of her wrist, three embroidery needles flew out, shooting in a triangular formation toward Gu Guanqi's face, throat, and heart. The needles were as thin as hairs, piercing the air silently, with only three faint silver glints visible in the moonlight.

Gu Guanqi neither dodged nor evaded; the tip of his sword drew a small arc in the air.

The sword tip precisely struck the side of the three needles, using their force against them. The three needles were deflected by the sword's momentum, flying past his ears before piercing the pillar behind him with a series of sharp, resounding thuds. The ends of the needles disappeared into the wood, leaving only three extremely fine holes.

Mei Ruolian's figure was no longer in the same place.

Gu Guanqi only felt an unusual sound of wind from his left. Before he could think about it, he turned his sword and slashed horizontally.

when--

The sword's edge touched a needle, sparks flying. The internal force attached to the needle was extremely subtle, yet it caused the Autumn Water Sword to hum. Gu Guanqi used the force to slide back three feet, creating distance.

Mei Ruolian stood about ten feet to his left, dressed in white as snow, her skirt fluttering even without wind. Seven or eight embroidery needles had appeared in her hand, held between her fingers, their tips gleaming faintly in the moonlight.

She moved again.

Gu Guanqi couldn't even see the attack clearly.

Only by observing subtle changes in airflow could one barely determine her location.

Left!

Gu Guanqi thrust out his longsword, the tip pointing directly at the empty space to the left.

Ding--

With a thrust of the sword, the needle tip met the sword tip, producing a clear and crisp sound.

The two parted ways immediately upon touching.

Mei Ruolian gracefully retreated, her toes barely touching the bluestone slab. Her figure moved with the ease of a willow catkin in the wind, turning and twisting freely in the air. She circled behind Gu Guanqi, and with a flick of her right hand, five embroidery needles shot out simultaneously, targeting five vital points: the back of the head, the back of the heart, the waist, the back of the knee, and the ankle.

Without turning his head, Gu Guanqi flicked his Autumn Water Sword in the back of his hand, the blade drawing an arc behind him.

Ding ding ding ding—

Five crisp sounds almost came in one, and all five needles were knocked away. The subtle internal force on the needles traveled through the sword, and Gu Guanqi felt a slight numbness in his right arm. He involuntarily took a step forward before he could regain his balance.

He turned around, and Mei Ruolian had already retreated to the foot of the courtyard wall.

The moonlight shone on her, her white clothes as white as snow, her long hair as black as ink, her exquisite face expressionless, only her eyes shining brightly.

Gu Guanqi took a deep breath, circulating his inner energy throughout his body, and the numbness in his right arm quickly subsided. He held the Autumn Water Sword horizontally in front of him, the tip pointing diagonally at the ground, and his breathing gradually became steady.

Mei Ruolian moved again.

This time it's even faster.

She seemed to transform into a beam of light, a white, weightless beam, rapidly darting through the courtyard. Embroidery needles flew out from all directions, sometimes three, sometimes five, sometimes seven or eight, each needle aimed at a vital point, each needle carrying an extremely subtle internal force.

Gu Guanqi stood in the courtyard, his feet firmly planted, the Autumn Water Sword forming an impenetrable sword curtain around him.

He brought the essence of the "Breaking Arrow" technique to its extreme—regardless of where the needle came from or where it was going, relying solely on his instinct to discern the needle's strength by listening to the wind, he used the tip of his sword to strike the weakest point of each needle.

The crisp, clanging sounds continued, as the rain of needles was deflected by the sword curtain, leaving countless tiny holes in the bluestone slabs, the pillars, and the eaves.

Mei Ruolian's figure suddenly froze.

She stopped about ten feet in front of Gu Guanqi, raised both hands, and more than ten embroidery needles flew out at the same time. These needles did not target Gu Guanqi himself, but shot towards various places around him—some high, some low, some left, some right, some fast, some slow, some straight, and some in arcs.

This is not a hidden weapon technique, but a formation.

More than ten needles traced more than ten different paths in the air, weaving together to form a three-dimensional net that completely blocked Gu Guanqi's escape routes. The needles were connected by extremely fine silk threads, almost invisible in the moonlight, yet as sharp as knives.

Gu Guanqi's gaze sharpened.

He neither retreated nor blocked.

He crept in.

The Autumn Water Sword thrust straight out, without deviation, aiming directly for Mei Ruolian's face. This sword strike had no fancy variations; it was just a thrust, extremely fast and extremely simple.

The Nine Swords of Dugu: There is only advance, no retreat.

Mei Ruolian was slightly taken aback, not expecting Gu Guanqi to dare to use a suicidal attack. She then gracefully retreated. She retreated quickly, but Gu Guanqi's sword pursued even faster. The tip of the sword remained pointed at her brow, no more than half a foot away.

The array of more than ten needles broke as she retreated.

Mei Ruolian retreated to the courtyard wall, touched the wall with her toes, used the force to lift herself up, made a turn in the air, and passed over Gu Guanqi's head, landing behind him.

The moment she landed, she flicked her right hand, sending three needles flying silently along the ground, heading straight for Gu Guanqi's ankle.

Gu Guanqi stomped his left foot hard, channeling his inner force into the ground. The three bluestone slabs rose up in response, blocking all three needles. The needle tips pierced the slabs, producing three muffled thuds.

He turned around and swung his sword.

Mei Ruolian raised her hand, a needle hidden in her palm.

The sword tip and the needle tip clashed once again.

"bite--"

A crisp, clear sound rang out, and a dazzling spark flew between the needle and the sword tip. The two floated backward, Mei Ruolian landing on the courtyard wall, while Gu Guanqi retreated to the center of the courtyard.

The moonlight, like water, shone on the two of them.

The two stood three zhang apart, their eyes meeting.

The night breeze blew through the courtyard, rustling the branches and leaves of the osmanthus tree, and a few fallen leaves drifted down between the two of them.

Mei Ruolian did not pursue them.

She stood on the wall, her clothes fluttering in the wind.

She looked at Gu Guanqi and said, "I thought that in Qingyang County, only Yan Wangchuan and I had reached this level, but I didn't expect you to have reached this level as well. I have always underestimated your swordsmanship!"

Gu Guanqi took a slight breath and remained silent.

Mei Ruolian tilted her head slightly and said, "It's just a pity that your flaws are too obvious!"

Gu Guanqi chuckled and said, "I'd like to hear the details."

Mei Ruolian's gaze fell on him, and she actually began to give him serious pointers, saying, "First of all, you rely too much on swordsmanship, but having a sword in your hand means you have nothing to fear, so it's not a major flaw. Then there's your movement techniques and close combat skills. However, the biggest drawback is that your internal strength is really just average."

It's not a matter of profound internal strength, but rather that the quality of your internal strength is too poor. Martial arts cultivation is mostly based on internal strength; a weak foundation limits your potential. If you survive today, go find a better internal energy cultivation method!

"Thank you for your guidance." Gu Guanqi cupped his hands in thanks.

"You're welcome, you're going to die anyway!"

As soon as Mei Ruolian finished speaking, the smile on her face vanished abruptly.

With a flick of her finger, an embroidery needle slipped from her sleeve and landed on her fingertip; the silver thread at the end of the needle was almost invisible in the moonlight.

His body moved again.

This time, her movements were faster and more elusive than before, as if she had transformed into the moonlight itself, formless and omnipresent.

The embroidery needle flew from her fingertips, but instead of shooting at Gu Guanqi, it shot into the air.

One, two, three... more than ten needles danced and intertwined in the air, the silk threads weaving into a blooming flower, instantly enveloping Gu Guanqi.

Gu Guanqi swung his sword at the silk threads, but they seemed impossible to cut. The threads only swayed slightly as the sword passed by before bouncing back. The internal energy attached to the needles flowed through the sword, subtle and unpredictable, penetrating every crevice, and even spreading upwards along the meridians in his arm.

Gu Guanqi's heart skipped a beat, and he unleashed his inner strength, trying to force that yin energy out of his body. But the inner energy was like a bone-deep infection; no matter how much he activated his inner strength, he could not dispel it. Instead, it entangled him more and more tightly, drawing him deeper and deeper into his body.

Gu Guanqi felt his right arm gradually going numb, and his swordplay was no longer as agile as before.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Mei Ruolian pressed forward and thrust her embroidery needle straight at his throat.

Gu Guanqi dodged to the side, taking several steps back.

He took a deep breath and circulated his inner strength to suppress the yin energy for the time being, but the numbness and tingling in his right arm could not be completely relieved for a while.

Mei Ruolian gave him no chance to catch his breath, and with a turn of her body, she was behind him again.

Gu Guanqi parried with his sword, the tip of the sword touching the tip of the needle once again.

"bite--"

This crisp sound was even sharper than before.

Gu Guanqi felt a chill emanating from the sword, making him feel as if he were in the dead of winter.

Mei Ruolian's internal strength was even stronger than before.

Gu Guanqi's heart sank slightly.

This is Mei Ruolian's true strength. Previously, Mei Ruolian had some concerns and had been controlling the use of her internal energy. Now that she has passed the critical point, she doesn't care about using internal energy at all, and her power is far greater than before.

While his own Baoyuan Jin emphasizes endurance, its internal energy quality is far inferior to Mei Ruolian's Tianren Huasheng Gong, and it lacks the unpredictable characteristics of the true energy in Tianren Huasheng Gong.

The longer the fight goes on, the more he suffers.

But Mei Ruolian's attacks were getting faster and faster, not only were her needles getting faster and faster, but her movements were also getting faster and faster, making it increasingly difficult for him to lock onto her.

"You won't last much longer."

Mei Ruolian still had the energy to speak, her voice clear and cold, devoid of any emotion, as if stating a fact.

Gu Guanqi did not answer.

He lacked Mei Ruolian's abundant true energy and no longer had the strength to speak.

Immediately, he swiftly deflected the embroidery needle with his sword, found an opening, and with a sudden burst of energy, pushed off the ground, launching himself into the air with the Golden Goose Skill.

He leaped more than ten feet into the air, his toes touching the branches of the osmanthus tree in the courtyard, using the momentum to rise again, his figure soaring towards the roof like a wild goose. He took several steps in the air, each step seemingly landing on solid ground, his body steady, and he actually took seven or eight steps in mid-air.

Mei Ruolian paused slightly, then looked up at Gu Guanqi standing on the rooftop, a smile playing on her lips: "Trying to run now? It's a bit too late!"

She sneered, and with a light tap of her toes, her figure rose into the air like a white feather. Without using any leverage or stepping on anything, she simply leaped up to the same height as the roof, her clothes fluttering, and instantly stepped onto the roof to attack Gu Guanqi.

now,

Gu Guanqi swiftly flew backwards and landed on the roof, thrusting the Autumn Water Sword into the roof tiles beside him. The sword was embedded more than an inch into the tile, standing firmly. With his other hand, he took out a jade flute from his waist and held it to his lips.

Mei Ruolian was startled and instinctively sped up her attack.

Under the moonlight, the jade flute gleamed with a warm luster.

Gu Guanqi took a deep breath, and then—

play.

The sound of the flute begins.

Like the rising tide, with undercurrents surging, wave after wave, each higher than the last. The sound seemed to contain a thousand troops, or the changing of heaven and earth, both weeping and lamenting, and also furious and raging.

A song of rising tides over the blue sea.

Mei Ruolian's body stiffened abruptly, her consciousness jolted.

Her gaze became unfocused for a moment, as if it had lost its focus.

This is the power of the "Azure Sea Tide Melody"—it disturbs the mind with its rhythm and disrupts one's inner strength with the sound of the flute.

Although Mei Ruolian possessed strong internal strength and a firm will, she could not help but lose her composure under the sudden sonic attack.

However, it only lasted two breaths.

Mei Ruolian's gaze suddenly sharpened.

She suddenly opened her eyes and let out a low growl.

The sound was not loud, but it was like the clash of metal and stone, powerful and resonant, causing the surrounding air to tremble slightly.

Her consciousness was still somewhat hazy, and she vaguely saw hallucinations. She realized that Gu Guanqi's sonic attack was extraordinary, and she hurriedly tried to retreat.

But at that moment,

The sound of the flute abruptly stopped.

Gu Guanqi drew his longsword from his side with his left hand and pounced forward like lightning.

The Autumn Water Sword drew a cold arc in the air, its tip pointing directly at Mei Ruolian's heart. This sword strike was devoid of any fancy moves or variations; it was simply a thrust, both incredibly fast and incredibly simple.

Mei Ruolian's eyes had just regained some clarity when the sword was already at her chest.

Her pupils suddenly contracted.

In the nick of time, she twisted her body sharply, turning at an incredible angle. The sword tip grazed her heart, but couldn't completely avoid it—

"puff--"

The sword tip pierced her left shoulder and emerged from her body.

Blood splattered, drawing a crimson arc in the moonlight.

Mei Ruolian let out a muffled groan, her body swaying slightly. But instead of retreating, she took a step forward and struck out with her right palm.

Gu Guanqi, holding the jade flute in his right hand, went to meet them.

With a "snap",

The jade flute shattered.

Mei Ruolian's palm strike was gentle yet powerful, and no one could resist it.

Gu Guanqi felt an overwhelming force surge towards him. He instantly released his longsword with his left hand and was sent flying backward like a kite with a broken string.

But at the very moment he was sent flying backward—

He flicked his left finger.

The Finger Flicking Divine Skill!

A steel ball shot out from the fingertip, silently and as fast as a shooting star.

Mei Ruolian struck out with her palm, and before she could retract her stance, her body was still leaning forward.

Then she saw the steel ball.

The steel ball was tiny, almost invisible in the moonlight. But Mei Ruolian's eyes were sharp; she saw it—but it was too late.

The steel ball was already at his heart.

"puff--"

A very soft, muffled sound.

The steel ball pierced her heart and emerged from her body, raising a cloud of blood mist. The blood mist dispersed in the moonlight, like a blooming red flower, tragically beautiful yet fleeting.

Mei Ruolian's body stiffened abruptly.

She lowered her head, looking at the small, bloody hole in her chest. Blood was gushing out, staining her white dress a deep crimson. The red hue was particularly striking in the moonlight, like a red plum blossom blooming on the snow.

She slowly raised her head and looked at Gu Guanqi.

The moonlight shone on her face, and her stunningly beautiful features remained calm, devoid of pain, anger, or even any expression. Only in her eyes did something slowly dissipate, like a candle flame being blown out by the wind, dimming little by little.

The night breeze blew, lifting her long hair and skirt.

Then, her body began to lean back.

Very slow, very slow.

She lay on her back on the roof ridge, her white clothes spread out and covered the gray tiles, like a blooming white lotus.