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

Chapter 78 Yue Xiaotian, the Star-Picking Hand

"This is not Zhao Ziqi!" Yan Wangchuan's face darkened.

Gu Guanqi's pupils contracted. He hadn't expected this to happen, and couldn't help but marvel at how many tricks these seasoned veterans had up their sleeves.

Yan Wangchuan suddenly turned around, his gaze sweeping around like that of a hawk.

His mind raced, and he suddenly shouted, "Where's that woman in the purple dress? The one Zhao Ziqi was holding in his arms, the one who was later taken hostage?"

The constables immediately looked around.

The woman is no longer here.

A constable shouted, "That woman just escaped and ran into the crowd. It was chaotic at the time. I remember she squeezed through the doorway and ran out!"

Yan Wangchuan slapped his forehead and said, "It's that woman! If Zhao Ziqi is going to pretend, she's the easiest to fool everyone. Quick, catch up with her, don't let her get away!"

Immediately, everyone chased after them.

The street was crowded with people, a dense, dark mass of people.

The woman in purple weaved quickly through the crowd and had already reached the center.

The woman in purple seemed to sense something, and suddenly turned around, gave Gu Guanqi and Yan Wangchuan a cold smile, and then tore off the human skin mask from her face.

It was none other than Zhao Ziqi.

At the same time, Zhao Ziqi suddenly grabbed a child from the crowd without any extra movements, but the child instantly fainted in his arms, becoming a shield.

He waved his hand lightly, and several pedestrians around him immediately fainted, causing panic. He then mingled into the crowd and pointed at Yan Wangchuan and his group.

The meaning of the threat is quite clear.

The constables paused, their faces grave, and dared not go any further, all looking at Yan Wangchuan.

Gu Guanqi also looked at Yan Wangchuan.

Yan Wangchuan lowered his voice: "There are too many people here, it's better if he runs away. I've planted spies all over this area, he can't escape."

Gu Guanqi nodded slightly; he had great confidence in Yan Wangchuan's abilities.

Meanwhile, Zhao Ziqi had already walked quite a distance, mixed in with the panicked crowd, and was preparing to hide in a very bustling shop.

Just then, amidst the surging crowd, a middle-aged man coincidentally walked towards the same shop as Zhao Ziqi. The man looked to be around forty years old, with a tall and straight figure, wearing a gray-blue robe, and a long sword hanging at his waist.

His face was handsome, with three long wisps of beard under his chin, and his brows carried an air of otherworldly elegance. He walked with a composed demeanor, arriving at the shop entrance at almost the same time as Zhao Ziqi.

Zhao Ziqi subconsciously looked over, and their eyes met.

The swordsman in green suddenly made his move. His figure was so fast that it was almost invisible. All that could be seen was a grayish-green shadow flash before his eyes. The next moment, he was already in front of Zhao Ziqi.

He struck out with his palm.

That palm strike was incredibly fast and sharp, landing precisely on Zhao Ziqi's shoulder.

"Bang"

Zhao Ziqi felt an overwhelming force surge towards him, causing him to stagger backward, lose his footing, and nearly fall.

In the same instant, the swordsman in green transformed his palm into a claw and withdrew it, his five fingers like hooks, gently but powerfully snatching the child from Zhao Ziqi's arms.

The movements were fluid and seamless, executed in one go.

Before Zhao Ziqi could react, the child was already in someone else's hands. He quickly steadied himself, flipped his right hand, and prepared to spray the poison powder.

However, in that instant, the swordsman in green, holding the child in one arm, first threw his longsword into the air with the other, then grasped the hilt, drew the sword with one hand, and it was instantly unsheathed.

The sword flashed like a bolt of lightning, drawing a cool, clear arc in the sunlight.

The sword tip was aimed directly at Zhao Ziqi's throat, and it pierced through instantly.

"Yue Xiaotian, spare his life!"

In that instant, Yan Wangchuan shouted and rushed towards them like the wind.

The tip of the swordsman in blue had already pierced the skin of Zhao Ziqi's throat.

But in that instant, the sword's edge froze, remaining completely still.

The precision with which this sword was drawn and released was so remarkable that even Gu Guanqi, who was chasing after Yan Wangchuan, couldn't help but marvel at it!

This level of control over the sword is simply outrageous!

Yan Wangchuan swiftly approached in a few leaps and saw that Yue Xiaotian's sword tip had stopped steadily, failing to kill Zhao Ziqi, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Brother Yue, your swordsmanship is superb!"

Yan Wangchuan praised him, but his hands were not idle. His five fingers gripped Zhao Ziqi's Jianjing acupoint like iron clamps, and with a burst of internal energy, Zhao Ziqi's body stiffened and he could not move. Immediately afterwards, Yan Wangchuan pressed several more major acupoints on his body, sealing all his internal energy, before he was completely relieved.

At this moment, Gu Guanqi also arrived.

"Gu Guanqi, you've come at the right time," Yan Wangchuan said hurriedly. "You're an expert. Check this guy's body to see if he's hiding any poison. We can't be at ease if we don't search him thoroughly when dealing with a master of poison like this."

Gu Guanqi nodded, stepped forward, squatted down, and carefully felt Zhao Ziqi's clothes, cuffs, belt, and boots.

His technique is extremely fast and accurate.

In a short time, they found a bunch of odds and ends on Zhao Ziqi, including various porcelain bottles, poison powder, and poison needles.

Two constables borrowed trays from the shop and loaded the items onto them.

Gu Guanqi searched a second time to make sure it was clean, and said, "That's enough. We've checked all the places he could have hidden drugs, so he has no chance to commit suicide."

Yan Wangchuan nodded, breathed a sigh of relief, and handed Zhao Ziqi over to the constables who arrived shortly after, instructing them to take him away. Then, he turned to the swordsman in blue, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said with a smile, "Brother Yue, it's been a long time! You're even more dashing than before!"

The swordsman in blue handed the child in his arms to a constable beside him, then sheathed his sword, cupped his hands in return, and spoke in a clear, melodious voice like the clinking of jade: "Brother Yan, it has been a long time since we last met. I saw you chasing this man just now. He was holding a child hostage and his methods were vicious, so I intervened and almost ruined your plans. I am truly sorry."

"What are you saying!" Yan Wangchuan waved his hands repeatedly, laughing and saying, "Thanks to Brother Yue for your help, I'm more than grateful. If it weren't for you, this thief might have gotten away!"

The swordsman in blue laughed and said, "I would believe it if someone else said this, but I don't believe it if you say it, Brother Yan. With your style, you must have secretly arranged for someone to follow you. You must have been worried that this thief would kill people indiscriminately, so you let him go."

Yan Wangchuan didn't argue about the topic, but instead said to Gu Guanqi, "Come, Gu Guanqi, let me introduce you." He gestured to the swordsman in blue and said, "This is the famous Yue Xiaotian, the Star-Picking Hand, a renowned hero in the martial arts world of Qingzhou. Have you heard of him?"

Gu Guanqi had certainly heard of Yue Xiaotian's great name.

This man is one of the eight heroes of Qingzhou, and is almost universally recognized as having the highest martial arts skills among the eight heroes. He is the number one person below the seven grandmasters of Qingzhou, and his unpredictable grappling skills have captured many notorious bandits.

Gu Guanqi had gained some understanding of Yue Xiaotian's martial arts skills. After all, he had just witnessed Yue Xiaotian draw his sword, the tip already piercing flesh, yet he managed to stop in time. This alone was enough to prove that Yue Xiaotian's swordsmanship was top-notch. And yet, Yue Xiaotian, who possessed such swordsmanship, was famous for his grappling techniques. One could only imagine how skilled he was in grappling!

Immediately, Gu Guanqi cupped his hands to Yue Xiaotian and said, "Great Hero Yue, I have long admired your name!"

Then, Yan Wangchuan introduced Gu Guanqi to Yue Xiaotian, saying, "Brother Yue, this is Gu Guanqi, who is now famous throughout the martial arts world. He is ranked tenth on the Qilin List. Brother Yue must have heard of his name."

Upon hearing this, Yue Xiaotian's gaze fell upon Gu Guanqi, his eyes filled with joy and admiration. He cupped his hands and said, "I've not just heard of him, he's practically a household name! In the martial arts world of Qingzhou today, there are probably very few people who haven't heard of the great hero Gu Guanqi!"

Gu Guanqi quickly replied, "Hero Yue, you flatter me. My meager reputation is nothing compared to the esteemed Star-Picking Hand!"

Yan Wangchuan asked, "Brother Yue, what are you doing here?"

Yue Xiaotian said, "I was invited by Brother Zhou Jinyuan of Qingshan County to act as a matchmaker to propose marriage to the Lin family. Brother Yan, have you heard about the marriage alliance between the Zhou and Lin families?"

Yan Wangchuan nodded and said, "I've heard a little about it. Zhou Zhiyao, the eldest son of the Zhou family, is engaged to Lin Youfeng, the second daughter of the Lin family."

Yue Xiaotian nodded and said, "That's right. It was Brother Zhou who negotiated this matter with the Lin family himself. There was no matchmaker involved. However, according to etiquette, a matchmaker is necessary for betrothal matters. I happen to have some dealings with the Lin family, so Brother Zhou asked me to be the matchmaker. However, I've come a bit early. I still have a few days before going to the Lin family. Staying at the inn every day is boring. With nothing to do, I thought I'd come to Jinsha to play a couple of rounds of Pai Gow. I didn't expect to run into this."

Yan Wangchuan cupped his hands and said, "Thank you for your help, Brother Yue. Well, I'll go take care of the case first. Where are you staying now? I'll come find you for a drink after I'm done with this!"

"That's great!" Yue Xiaotian quickly said. "I'm staying at the Yong'an Inn on Changning Street. Brother Yan, you absolutely have to come!"

"Of course, I'll be going now!" Yan Wangchuan said.

"Alright, take care, I'm going to play Pai Gow!" Yue Xiaotian smiled slightly, then suddenly looked at Gu Guanqi and called out, "Hero Gu, wait a moment."

Gu Guanqi cupped his hands and said, "What advice does Hero Yue have for me?"

Yue Xiaotian grinned and said, "I've heard that Master Gu's swordsmanship is profound. I've been obsessed with martial arts for decades. I wonder if Master Gu would have the time to spar with me and exchange martial arts insights?"

Gu Guanqi quickly said, "Hero Yue, exchanging martial arts insights is fine, but sparring is out of the question. Although I have learned some martial arts, I do not enjoy fighting, and even sparring would not interest me!"

"An exchange is fine, an exchange is fine!" Yue Xiaotian said. "I love exchanging martial arts techniques with masters. Hmm, where does Master Gu live now? I'll pay him a visit when you have time!"

Gu Guanqi said, "I usually spend my days at Jinxiu Medical Clinic in Cuizhu Lane."

"Okay, okay, I'll come find you then. You guys go ahead and get busy, I won't bother you any longer. Goodbye!"

After saying that, Yue Xiaotian cupped his hands and walked towards a gambling den.

Yan Wangchuan chuckled and said, "You're going to be bothered by this guy for a while."

"Why do you say that?" Gu Guanqi asked, puzzled.

Yan Wangchuan said, "Yue Xiaotian's martial arts level is very high, but he is still a step away from becoming a grandmaster. He has been stuck at the bottleneck for many years. He has been visiting masters everywhere and exchanging martial arts techniques, hoping to find an opportunity to break through."

In the martial arts world of Qingzhou, grandmasters are of little help to him, and he has already visited all the masters of his level. Now that you have appeared, a completely new and unfamiliar master to him, you can greatly inspire his martial arts.

Besides, the martial arts world is currently debating who is truly the strongest person below the Grandmaster level between the two of you. Yue Xiaotian is extremely competitive, so even if it's just an exchange of martial arts techniques, he'll definitely have a good discussion with you!

Gu Guanqi smiled slightly and said, "It's alright."

Yan Wangchuan nodded and said, "I'll have to trouble you with the detoxification for those people in the brothel. I'm going to interrogate Zhao Ziqi now."

"it is good."

The two immediately parted ways; Gu Guanqi headed towards the brothel, while Yan Wangchuan headed towards the Six Doors.

Many people were poisoned in the brothel, but fortunately, the Six Doors sent some doctors to assist Gu Guanqi.

Gu Guanqi taught the doctors the antidote, and then they worked together to detoxify. Within half an hour, they controlled the poisoning in all the poisoned people. Next, they had to take medicine, which would take at least two or three days.

Of course, what happened afterward had nothing to do with Gu Guanqi.

After he finished his business, he went to Jinxiu Medical Clinic.

About an hour after he returned to Jinxiu Medical Clinic, Lin Yourong arrived.

But at that moment, Gu Guanqi was refining elixirs.

Lin Yourong stood at the door without disturbing Gu Guanqi, and stood there for almost half an hour. Only after Gu Guanqi finished refining the pills did she enter the pill refining room, reach out and gently wipe the sweat from Gu Guanqi's forehead, and said, "You've worked hard, Guanqi."

"Doing what you love, enjoying it, and not feeling tired at all!"

Gu Guanqi smiled, took out the completed pill and placed it on a tray, then said to Lin Yourong, "Zhao Ziqi has been captured. Have you received the notification from the Six Doors?"

Lin Yourong nodded slightly and said, "I just came back from the Six Doors. Zhao Ziqi has already confessed that he is a member of the Heavenly Demon Sect."

.

Gu Guanqi was slightly taken aback and said, "The Heavenly Demon Sect?"

"Yes," Lin Yourong said, "According to Zhao Ziqi, the Heavenly Demon Sect has always had two branches in Qingzhou, one open and one covert. The open branch is the Tian Shu branch in Linzhong County, while there is actually another branch, which is the Tian Shu covert branch led by him."

However, he had been lying low in Tianping County for over a decade, and the Heavenly Demon Sect had never used him. It wasn't until a little over a month ago that a protector from the Heavenly Demon Sect headquarters found him and put him into service.

Then he asked him to help deal with our Lin family. First, he attacked me in Youyang County, and then it happened these past two days. As for what the other party is planning, he doesn't know. He only knows that the person's code name is Black Robe, and he never shows his true face when they meet. Therefore, Zhao Ziqi doesn't know what the other party looks like.

"this----"

Gu Guanqi chuckled and said, "It seems like there's no useful information at all."

Lin Yourong sighed and said, "It can't be said that way. Actually, we can still analyze some information. For example, the fact that the other party can accurately know the whereabouts of me and Lin Youhui means that this person is very likely an insider of the Lin family. Moreover, the fact that the other party can create a martial art that is effective against the Great Calamity Finger means that they have read the complete manual of the Great Calamity Finger. With these two points, the scope is already very small."

"So, what's the plan?" Gu Guanqi asked.

"Prefect Yan is preparing to lure the snake out of its hole, but we don't know if it will be effective!" Lin Yourong said.

Gu Guanqi said, "The worst-case scenario is that once they see Zhao Ziqi has been captured, they'll go into hiding and stop making moves, making them very difficult to find!"

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