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

The back door was ajar, and Lin Yan'er pressed herself against it, barely daring to breathe.

She could hear everything that was happening in the front yard: tables and chairs overturned, herbs scattered, and the clanging of metal against metal. Each collision made her heart leap into her throat, her hand clutching a kitchen knife she had grabbed from the kitchen, its handle damp with sweat.

She didn't know what had happened in the front yard; all she knew was that her legs were going weak.

Suddenly, the front yard fell silent.

It wasn't a brief pause, but complete silence.

The sound of rain once again filled the world, pouring down endlessly.

Lin Yan'er waited for a while, and finally couldn't help but push the door open a crack, cautiously peeking out.

The dim light shone from the clinic, illuminating the area near the entrance with a warm glow.

Through the rain, she saw a tall figure standing in front of the medicine cabinet, slowly wiping the long sword in his hand with a cloth.

The bloodstains on the sword were wiped away inch by inch.

The man's profile was serene, his brows relaxed, and although his blue robe was somewhat disheveled, he did not appear disheveled at all; instead, he exuded an indescribable composure.

Lin Yan'er's heart suddenly skipped a beat. Unlike the intense fear she had felt earlier, it was an indescribable, tingling, and reassuring feeling.

She took a deep breath, pushed open the door, grabbed the kitchen knife, and ran out.

Hearing footsteps, Gu Guanqi turned around and his gaze fell on the gleaming kitchen knife in her hand. He paused slightly, a hint of surprise in his eyes, and said, "Miss Lin, what is this...?"

Lin Yan'er quickly hid the knife behind her back, somewhat embarrassed, and said, "I originally wanted to go out and ask for help, but your house doesn't have a back door, so I can't get out. I... I was thinking that if Young Master Gu and that villain are both seriously injured, I can come up and finish them off, maybe even deliver a fatal blow!"

After saying that, she herself found her words somewhat ridiculous, her cheeks flushed slightly, and her voice grew softer and softer.

Looking at her earnest yet slightly embarrassed expression, Gu Guanqi couldn't help but chuckle. He sheathed the cleaned sword and said gently, "Miss Lin is very kind, but it seems we don't need it now."

He had just fought Feng Yu and realized that martial arts were very prosperous in this world. Feng Yu was definitely not top-notch in this world. He could only be considered a first-class expert in Qingzhou. However, even with his current perfected Dugu Nine Swords and perfected Baoyuan Jin, he could not be killed instantly in a head-on battle. This was enough to prove that the level of martial arts in this world was very high.

In such a martial arts world, even a severely injured martial arts master is unlikely to be killed by an ordinary person.

Lin Yan'er placed the kitchen knife on the table, glanced around the clinic, saw the two corpses on the ground and the mess all over the place, and patted her chest with lingering fear.

"Young Master Gu," she quickly moved closer, the lingering fear from being kidnapped and the terror of facing a corpse now gone. She lowered her voice, her eyes full of curiosity, "Who exactly are you? What ordinary doctor knows such swordsmanship? Are you some kind of reclusive master, weary of the martial world, living a life of quiet seclusion?"

Gu Guanqi chuckled and shook his head slightly.

"That...that is...that kind of person, possessing extraordinary skills but forced to live in anonymity as a doctor because of a past event? Once their identity is revealed, the entire martial arts world will be in an uproar..."

Lin Yan'er blinked her big eyes, becoming more and more excited as she spoke, her eyes sparkling as if she had already woven a whole dramatic and legendary tale of the martial arts world for Gu Guanqi.

Gu Guanqi chuckled, shook his head, and bent down to pick up the scattered medicinal herbs on the ground. His tone was flat: "Miss Lin is overthinking it. I'm just a doctor who knows a few sword techniques for self-defense. What secret legends could I possibly have? Besides, I'm only twenty years old. I've lived in Qingyang City since I was a child. My neighbors have all watched me grow up. What past could I possibly have?"

"But you just killed two notorious bandits!" Lin Yan'er followed behind him. "That Feng Yu is a renowned master in the martial arts world. Even Sister Qingqiu said her martial arts were not weak, yet you..."

"Just lucky." Gu Guanqi put the herbs back in the drawer without looking back.

Lin Yan'er wanted to ask more, but seeing that Gu Guanqi didn't seem to want to talk more, she swallowed the words that were on the tip of her tongue.

She suddenly had a feeling that even though Gu Guanqi was right in front of her, he was still very far away, and she couldn't see him clearly no matter what.

She knelt down and helped him pick up the scattered gauze on the ground, her gaze inadvertently falling on his profile.

The dim, yellow light shone from the side, outlining his handsome features in a soft curve. The sound of rain came from outside the door, fine and continuous, isolating this small clinic into another world.

Lin Yan'er's hand stopped.

She recalled the day she went on a blind date with Gu Guanqi, when she confidently declared that her ideal husband would be a chivalrous hero with superb martial arts skills who would punish evil and uphold justice.

But now, she thought the doctor, who was powerless, had just killed two notorious bandits, Yang Lin and Feng Yu, with his sword.

His sword was faster than the wind and colder than the rain, but after sheathing it, he quietly gathered medicinal herbs and organized the medicine cabinet, as if everything that had just happened was nothing more than an ordinary rain.

"He is highly skilled in martial arts, and what he just did was punish evil and uphold justice..."

Lin Yan'er suddenly felt flustered.

It wasn't fear, but a sense of helplessness.

She didn't know where to look, what to do with her hands, or even how to breathe.

At this moment, Gu Guanqi put one of the medicinal herbs back in the drawer, turned around, looked at Lin Yan'er's strange expression, and asked, "Miss Lin, are you feeling unwell?"

"No...no..."

Lin Yan'er looked up and met Gu Guanqi's gaze, then quickly lowered her head, pretending to tidy up a piece of cloth at her feet, her fingers trembling slightly. She felt her cheeks burning, her ears burning, and even her neck feeling hot.

She didn't dare to look up.

She was afraid that if she looked up, he would see her like this.

"Young Master Gu..." she called out again, her voice as soft as melted sugar water.

"Um?"

"It's nothing, it's just... I actually think doctors are pretty good!"

After saying this, she didn't dare to look up, only feeling her ears burning.

The lights flickered, and the rain pattered like a lament.

She folded the scrap of cloth over and over again, until it formed a small square, then unfolded it and folded it again.

……

The heavy rain has not stopped.

In the alleys of Chang Le Fang, Shen Qingqiu, dressed in a straw raincoat and with two swords at his waist, led three constables with the best lightness skills as they hurried through the rainy night.

"Sir," a constable behind him said in a low voice, "we've searched all the alleys here, but we haven't found anyone."

Shen Qingqiu did not respond, but stopped and listened attentively.

She vaguely heard the sound of weapons clashing, coming from the direction of Qingping Lane. It was short and soft, and was quickly swallowed up by the sound of rain.

"Go, this way." She made a quick decision, leaping forward and already several feet away.

The three constables quickly followed.

A moment later, Shen Qingqiu landed in front of the Gu family's medical clinic.

The door was half-open, and a dim light shone from inside, along with a strong smell of blood.

She raised her hand to signal the three people behind her to disperse and stand guard, then slowly pushed open the door, her hand already on the hilt of her knife.

The moment the door opened, she saw two corpses lying in a pool of blood; they were Yang Lin and Feng Yu, whom she was tracking.

Gu Guanqi was squatting on the ground, picking up the scattered medicinal herbs one by one and putting them back into the medicine cabinet. His movements were unhurried, as if he were just tidying up a room that had been messed up by the wind.

Lin Yan'er squatted beside him, holding a medicine box in her hands, helping him catch the herbs he had picked up. But her eyes weren't on the herbs at all; her almond-shaped eyes kept glancing at Gu Guanqi, then quickly looking down, only to glance at him again a moment later, her lips slightly upturned, like a child who had secretly eaten candy.

Shen Qingqiu witnessed all of this, feeling both surprised and suspicious.

"Dr. Gu," she called out, stepping inside.

Gu Guanqi looked up, saw it was her, stood up, and bowed slightly: "Commander Shen, you've finally arrived. If you hadn't come, I would have gone looking for you."

Hearing Shen Qingqiu's voice, Lin Yan'er snapped out of her daze and burst into joy, running towards her: "Sister Qingqiu!"

Shen Qingqiu looked her up and down and saw that apart from her clothes being a little wet and her hair being a little messy, she had no injuries, which made him feel a little relieved.

Immediately, her gaze passed over Lin Yan'er and landed on the two corpses. She walked over and examined them; one had a bloody hole in its chest, and the other had a sword wound on its neck.

Shen Qingqiu turned around, his gaze falling on Gu Guanqi, his eyes filled with seriousness and doubt:

"Dr. Gu, this is..."

Before Gu Guanqi could speak, Lin Yan'er blurted out, "Sister Qingqiu, you have no idea how dangerous it was just now! Those two villains kidnapped me and brought me to this clinic for treatment. Young Master Gu recognized them as the notorious bandits on the wanted posters, so he quietly sent me away and then killed the man with a single sword strike!"

As she spoke, she gestured animatedly, her eyes shining brightly, "Later, that woman drew her sword to kill Young Master Gu, and the two of them fought. They fought for dozens of rounds, and Young Master Gu killed her with a single sword stroke. Those two were bad guys, the wanted 'Huaibei Gu Zhenfeng.' Young Master Gu was punishing evil and upholding justice; he didn't kill people randomly!"

She spoke very quickly, afraid that if she spoke too slowly, Shen Qingqiu would misunderstand that Gu Guanqi was a murderer.

As Shen Qingqiu listened, her gaze lingered on Gu Guanqi. She knew very well the strength of Yang Lin and Feng Yu; even when they were injured, they were not ordinary experts who could deal with them, let alone kill both of them.

If Gu Guanqi were a renowned expert, that would be normal, but Gu Guanqi was just an ordinary doctor.

"Dr. Gu," Shen Qingqiu said solemnly, "may I ask which school or lineage you follow?"

Gu Guanqi put the medicinal herbs in his hand into the drawer, closed the cabinet door, turned around, and said calmly, "Commander Shen, I am not affiliated with any sect. When I was young, I met a wandering Taoist priest who taught me a few sword techniques for self-defense, saying that I might need them in the future. That Taoist priest only stayed for three days before leaving, and I have not heard from him since, not even leaving his name."

He paused, then added, "I dislike fighting in the martial world. Over the years, I've only used it for physical fitness and have never shown my skills in public. Today, I was forced to take action."

Shen Qingqiu listened without speaking immediately.

This story isn't unusual; there are countless tales of "chance encounters with masters" in the martial arts world, and no one can say for sure how credible they are. But since Gu Guanqi didn't want to say more, she didn't press him for details. After all, he had just saved her best friend's life and killed two notorious bandits she had been hunting for a long time.

Since Gu Guanqi himself has not committed a crime, it would be inappropriate for her to keep asking questions.

"Doctor Gu acted righteously today, saving Yan'er and eliminating two wanted criminals for my Six Doors. I, Shen, am deeply grateful." She clasped her hands and bowed solemnly.

Gu Guanqi stepped aside and waved his hand, saying, "Commander Shen, you're being too kind. We can't just stand by and watch people die at our doorstep. Besides, those two are vicious criminals who deserve to be killed."

Shen Qingqiu nodded and said, "I will report to the authorities to commend and reward Doctor Gu for his courageous act today!"

Without saying another word, he turned and ordered the constables who had followed him in to clean up the scene and collect the body.

Several constables quickly got to work, lifting Yang Lin and Feng Yu's bodies onto stretchers and then carefully searching their bodies for any other evidence.

Lin Yan'er stood aside, watching the constables come and go. She glanced at Gu Guanqi, her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but she didn't know where to begin.

After finishing his work, Shen Qingqiu walked to Lin Yan'er's side and said in a low voice, "Yan'er, I'll take you home first. Your house is in complete chaos right now."

Lin Yan'er hummed in agreement, took two steps outside with her, and then couldn't help but turn back.

Gu Guanqi was standing behind the counter, picking up the medical books that had been knocked down by the sword energy and stacking them neatly one by one. The lamplight illuminated his profile; his eyes were lowered, and he was as quiet as a painting.

A sudden wave of bittersweet emotion washed over her, and her steps unconsciously slowed.

Just then, Gu Guanqi suddenly raised his head, his gaze passing over Shen Qingqiu and landing on her. He smiled slightly and said, "Commander Shen, please wait."

Shen Qingqiu turned around, looking puzzled.

Gu Guanqi walked out from behind the counter, stood face to face with Shen Qingqiu at the door, and spoke casually as if he were discussing something perfectly ordinary: "Commander Shen said last time that if I met a suitable woman, he would help me make the connection. Have you met anyone recently?"

Shen Qingqiu was slightly taken aback, not expecting him to bring this up at this time. She had only mentioned it casually, but since she had said it herself, she couldn't deny it, so she asked, "I was in a hurry last time and forgot to ask, what kind of doctor Gu likes?"

Gu Guanqi thought for a moment and said, "As long as it's suitable."

Shen Qingqiu glanced at him, then at Lin Yan'er beside him who was looking down, seemingly lost in thought. A slight smile played on her lips as she said, "Alright, I understand. I'll let you know when I meet someone suitable."

Gu Guanqi walked to the door, cupped his hands in a respectful bow, and said solemnly, "Commander Shen, I was not joking with you. Please take this to heart. I will be extremely grateful and will certainly prepare gifts to personally invite you to propose marriage!"

"OK."

Shen Qingqiu returned the greeting with clasped hands, then turned and left.

Lin Yan'er followed behind, but her pace slowed down. When she reached the alley entrance, she couldn't help but look back, her heart filled with disappointment.

Shen Qingqiu turned his head to look at Lin Yan'er and said, "What's wrong? Regretting it?"

"Hmm..." Lin Yan'er nodded subconsciously, then her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly said, "Sister Qingqiu, what are you saying..."

"Stop hiding it," Shen Qingqiu said. "You're practically throwing yourself at Gu Guanqi. How many young girls can resist the charm of a hero saving a damsel in distress?"

Lin Yan'er remained silent for a while, then nodded and said, "Sister Qingqiu, I... do regret it, but... but when Young Master Gu asked you to be his matchmaker in front of me, the meaning was very clear: he doesn't have those kinds of feelings for me!"

Shen Qingqiu remained silent, unsure how to comfort him.