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

The woods gradually darkened.

After the sun had sunk behind the mountains, only a last sliver of dark red remained on the horizon. Twilight surged in from all directions like a tide, enveloping the dense forest in a hazy, twilight.

Yan Wangchuan and Nangong Yin, one after the other, chased and fled, burst out of the dense forest. Suddenly, a clear view opened up before them, and an official road stretched out before them, the yellow dirt road surface gleaming with a grayish-white light in the twilight.

Nangong Yin didn't stop walking. She touched the ground with her toes and accelerated again.

Yan Wangchuan pursued relentlessly, his long sword gleaming coldly in the twilight.

Just then, a group of people suddenly appeared from around the corner ahead.

First was a richly decorated carriage, with more than ten guards at the front and back, each with a calm demeanor, sharp eyes, and weapons at their waists.

Nangong Yin's eyes lit up immediately.

She suddenly twisted her body, like a swallow skimming across the water, gliding several feet along the ground, and in the blink of an eye, she was on the carriage. Then she shrank back and hid behind the carriage.

Yan Wangchuan didn't stop, he drew his sword and chased after the carriage, his figure like a roc spreading its wings, flying and chasing after it.

However, just as he leaped into the air, about to clear the roof of the carriage,

"Zheng—"

A melody of a zither drifted from inside the carriage.

The music wasn't loud, but it was sharp as a needle, piercing straight into the eardrums. As the music began, the carriage curtain was torn open by an invisible force, and a visible sound wave shot out like a sharp blade, heading straight for Yan Wangchuan's face.

Yan Wangchuan's expression changed drastically. He held his long sword horizontally in front of him, the blade touching the sound wave.

"when--"

With a deafening clang like metal clashing, Yan Wangchuan, unable to gain any leverage in mid-air, was sent flying backward, tumbling through the air before finally landing.

When his feet touched the ground, he stumbled back several steps, each step leaving a deep footprint in the dirt road. The long sword lay horizontally in front of him, its blade still trembling slightly and emitting a low hum.

"What amazing sonic power!"

Yan Wangchuan sighed, raised his head, and looked solemnly at the carriage.

The curtains were torn apart by the sound waves, revealing the scene inside the carriage.

Inside the carriage was a low table with a guqin (a traditional Chinese stringed instrument) on it. The instrument was jet black and shiny, and its seven strings glowed with an eerie light. A young man, about twenty-five or twenty-six years old, sat beside the table.

He was dressed in a brocade robe, with a two-foot-long semi-circular scimitar hanging at his waist. He had a handsome and refined appearance and an elegant demeanor, but his only flaw was that he looked rather short.

At this moment, his slender fingers were pressing on the strings, his fingertips slightly raised, clearly indicating that the strike just now came from his hand.

Yan Wangchuan's gaze swept over the furnishings in the carriage—a low table, a guqin, books, and writing brushes and inkstones—and when he saw the semi-circular curved sword at his waist, his pupils suddenly contracted.

He had already guessed the other party's identity—

Ji Xianyun, the Three Perfections Gentleman.

In fact, just as Yan Wangchuan had guessed, this person was indeed Ji Xianyun.

At this moment, Ji Xianyun smiled slightly, a smile as gentle as jade, yet carrying a hint of condescension. He withdrew his hands from the strings, slowly stood up, straightened his robes, and stepped out of the carriage, holding the zither, standing on the carriage shaft.

See here,

Yan Wangchuan suddenly felt a pang of emotion for no apparent reason; he was indeed a bit short.

At the same time, the guards in front of and behind the carriage drew their weapons and stepped forward.

Yan Wangchuan's gaze swept over the guards; these men exuded a calm and collected aura, and each of them was a master.

He glanced back at the official road behind him—it was shrouded in twilight, the road was deserted, and Gu Guanqi's figure had not yet appeared.

Yan Wangchuan took a deep breath, sheathed his longsword, and bowed, saying, "Excuse me, I've disturbed you. Farewell!"

After saying that, he stepped back.

"It's probably not appropriate for Commander Yan to leave like this," Ji Xianyun said with a hint of mockery.

Yan Wangchuan paused, turned around, and said with a smile, "I'm truly sorry to have disturbed you, but it didn't cause any damage, did it? Surely there's no need for compensation?"

Ji Xianyun's lips curled up slightly: "It's no wonder that Commander Yan has lived to this age—his ability to lie through his teeth is something that others can't learn."

Yan Wangchuan's smile remained unchanged as he cupped his hands and said, "You flatter me..."

Ji Xianyun said calmly, "This trip to Qingzhou has truly broadened my horizons. It was already astonishing that three Venerables, four Sects, and seven Grandmasters came from such a small place as Qingzhou, but I never imagined there would be eight heroes on par with them. I can't help but marvel at the abundance of talent in Qingzhou. At the same time, I'm also curious to see just how far I, someone who doesn't even dare to mention the title of Grandmaster in the northern frontier, truly am from being a Grandmaster!"

"It's all empty fame, all empty fame," Yan Wangchuan hurriedly said. "What Eight Great Heroes? It's all just something I made up to gain fame. What rubbish! How dare they be associated with Grandmasters? If you want to test my abilities, there's no use in asking this old man. I'll recommend two people to you. Yue Xiaotian, the Star-Picking Hand, is known as the invincible master below Grandmaster in Qingzhou. He's the closest person to Grandmaster in Qingzhou. He lives in..."

"Commander Yan..." Ji Xianyun interrupted Yan Wangchuan, saying, "You really disappoint me. Although I know that a small temple can have many demons, I thought you still had some talent. But you... you're truly a fame-seeker!"

"Don't be fooled by this old man!"

At this moment, Nangong Yin slowly emerged from behind the carriage, her clothes dusty and her hair slightly disheveled. She said, "That old fellow is incredibly cunning. He deliberately feigned weakness to lower the enemy's guard, then lured them into close combat before delivering a devastating blow!"

Ji Xianyun chuckled and said, "So, you fell for it like that? No wonder, I was wondering why you were in such a sorry state despite carrying all those divine weapons!"

Nangong Yin said angrily, "I didn't even have a chance to use any of my things before this old bastard ambushed me and injured me!"

Yan Wangchuan sighed and said, "Holy Maiden Nangong, I had no choice but to do this. You are young and highly skilled in martial arts. If I didn't use some tricks, I'm afraid I wouldn't last more than a few moves against you."

Upon hearing this, Nangong Yin angrily retorted, "Stop pretending!" Then she turned to Ji Xianyun and said, "Be careful, don't let this old guy's seemingly lifeless appearance fool you, he's incredibly skilled and his swordsmanship is extremely fast!"

After saying that, her tone softened a bit: "Ji Xianyun, you saved my life today, so I won't argue with you about the Heavenly Crafting Stone. Consider it repaying your favor."

Ji Xianyun smiled slightly and cupped his hands, saying, "Holy Maiden, you are too kind. As fellow members of the Holy Sect, we should help and support each other."

Nangong Yin raised an eyebrow and said, "Mutual assistance is fine, but don't you need to explain why you happened to be here?"

Ji Xianyun said, "I've recognized the person you placed in the county town."

After saying that, he turned his gaze to Yan Wangchuan, the gentleness in his eyes gradually disappearing, replaced by a sharp killing intent.

Immediately, he leaped off the carriage shaft, landing silently with a long zither in his hands.

"Wait a minute," Yan Wangchuan quickly said, "Even if we're going to fight, we need to come up with some rules first, right? Let's establish some regulations..."

"Commander Yan, don't try to stall for time."

Before Ji Xianyun could finish speaking, his left hand had already pressed the strings of the zither.