Chapter 106: Master Gu Mo

As Gu Mo was proven innocent, the turmoil at Fenghuang Ferry finally ceased. The disciples of the Alliance of Righteousness were apprehended by members of the Five Great Sects and were to be escorted to Qandeng Town to demand an explanation from the Alliance of Righteousness.

However, their apprehension by the Five Great Sects effectively saved their lives. At that moment, the various martial arts factions at Fenghuang Ferry were enraged. Had the Five Great Sects not maintained their composure and insisted on an investigation and reckoning, all the Alliance of Righteousness disciples would have been immediately killed by the furious onlookers.

The anger and shame were immense. For the various sects, it was as if they had been played for fools by the Alliance of Righteousness. Crucially, many sects suffered heavy losses in this deception, with several even losing their sect leaders.

Gu Mo was the killer, yet they had no way to seek revenge against him. From the outset, they had been deceived by the Alliance of Righteousness into attacking Gu Mo, and they were simply countered. Now, seeking revenge against Gu Mo would be illogical and completely unreasonable.

Furthermore, and most importantly, the jianghu, at its core, is a place where strength dictates everything.

Gu Mo, single-handedly, almost defeated everyone present. Even the top masters of the Six Great Sects, fighting together, were all severely wounded. He faced an encirclement alone and counter-attacked a large group of masters. In this battle, Gu Mo's might was terrifying.

He effectively subdued half of the Yunzhou jianghu on his own.

Given such a person and such power, those sects, being in the wrong to begin with, would scarcely dare to seek vengeance even if they had a valid reason.

Just like now, everyone was enraged, yet the Five Great Sects, including the Azure Wave Sword Sect, demanded a reckoning and investigation with the Alliance of Righteousness, forbidding any vengeful killings on the spot. They had no choice but to suppress their fury, as the Five Great Sects were renowned for their immense power.

Indeed, a large part of why they dared to clamor for a reckoning with the Alliance of Righteousness was the presence of the Five Great Sects. If any single sect were to confront the Alliance of Righteousness alone, none would dare to commit suicide, just as they currently dared not mention Gu Mo having killed so many people that night.

"Brother Shen, thank you for today." On the long street, the crowds gradually dispersed, and Gu Mo was thanking Shen Bai.

To be honest, Gu Mo was truly touched that Shen Bai, in such a public situation, was willing to risk his reputation to help him today.

Shen Bai held Gu Mo's arm, waved his hand, and said, "Brother Gu, there's no need for such formalities. Back in Zhushan County, we met by chance, and you saved my life despite the danger. Now, we consider each other bosom friends; how could I stand by and watch you suffer such an injustice?

If I had been framed today, I believe you, Brother Gu, would certainly not have stood idly by. Besides, you saved my life, and my help today was minimal."

Gu Mo smiled faintly and said, "If Brother Shen hadn't stepped forward to help today, the fight wouldn't have been like this. I fear I would have had to fight a deadly battle with the Six Great Sects, and ultimately, I would have become a public enemy of the martial arts world."

Had Shen Bai not intervened strongly to protect him today, it would have been a major conflict from the start, deepening animosity, instead of people like Shang Buyu coming to mediate.

In that scenario, Gu Mo was confident he could have fought through to the end. However, his identity as a demonic practitioner would have been fully confirmed, severing his ties with the Yunzhou jianghu. Although Gu Mo had no fear, the crucial issue was that he would inexplicably become a weapon for the Moon-Worshiping Cult, acting as their enforcer and constantly bearing false accusations.

Shen Bai smiled and said, "It's mainly because Brother Gu's martial arts are unparalleled." Here, Shen Bai sighed and added, "Alas, when we parted in Zhushan County, I was looking forward to the day my sword intent matured so I could spar with you, Brother Gu. I never imagined that after only a few months, your martial arts would reach such a profound level; it truly makes me feel ashamed."

"Just a stroke of luck, a minor breakthrough," Gu Mo chuckled.

Shen Bai chuckled, "If a minor breakthrough leads to this, what will happen when you have a major breakthrough? Will you not become the strongest under heaven?"

"I wouldn't dare to imagine," Gu Mo replied.

Just then, Shang Buyu approached, clasped his hands, and said, "Great Hero Gu, the Azure Wave Sword Sect has offended you greatly in today's incident. However, the matter is not yet concluded. I must go to Nanting Villa tonight to confront Nie Dongliu. After this is resolved, I will personally visit to apologize. Rest assured, my Azure Wave Sword Sect will use all its power to restore your reputation in the jianghu and ensure you no longer suffer injustice."

Gu Mo nodded slightly.

Immediately after, Xiao Jinghong, Jiang Wanzhao, Chang Si, Wu Tianfang, and others also came forward to apologize and express their sentiments.

Gu Mo's attitude was calm; he neither ignored them nor showed enthusiasm. He expressed understanding and acceptance of their apologies.

Gu Chuxia, however, was different; she showed no courtesy to those people. She periodically retorted, leaving Xiao Jinghong and the others thoroughly embarrassed.

After dealing with the situation, Tang Buyi, from somewhere, managed to procure a carriage and gestured for Gu Mo to get in.

Just as Gu Mo was about to board the carriage, Yang Qingtong approached him and bowed respectfully. "Great Hero Gu, Heroine Gu, I shall never forget your kindness to Qingtong this time," she said. "I ought to repay you by serving as an ox or a horse, but currently, my father's murder remains unavenged, and my own innocence still needs to be cleared. Tonight, I will accompany the various sects to Nanting Villa. Once I have exacted my revenge, I will certainly seek you both out and serve you as a slave or maid to repay this great debt."

"No need!" Gu Mo waved his hand. "Since we've met by fate, let's just be friends. There's no need to talk about serving as a slave or maid," he said. "Miss Yang, you are still young, and your future is long; the jianghu is vast. If you find Yunzhou a place of sorrow after you've avenged yourself, you can certainly go out and explore. The world is vast, and there's much to see."

"Great Hero Gu..." Yang Qingtong began.

Gu Mo smiled and said, "Let's leave it at that. I need to find a place to rest; I'm very tired. If fate allows, we will meet again in the jianghu!"

Yang Qingtong's mouth slightly opened, and she looked at Gu Mo, then retracted the words she was about to say. Immediately, she handed the famous Autumn Water Sword in her hand to Gu Mo and said, "Qingtong has nothing valuable to offer. Please, benefactor, accept this sword. The jianghu is vast, and it would be a keepsake!"

Gu Mo didn't stand on ceremony. He took the Autumn Water Sword and said, "This sword is quite good; I happen to need one. I accept it."

Then, Gu Mo turned and left. Accompanying him, besides Gu Chuxia, were Yan Sanniang, Ah Qi, and a few skilled practitioners from Bu'er Villa.

Gu Chuxia had not forgotten to pick up the two heads of the fat and thin Daoists.

At this moment, the long street, which had just been bustling, suddenly fell silent. Members of the various sects departed one after another, leaving the ruined street a mess, still stained with much blood.

Snow fell heavily. Yang Qingtong stood silently in the biting cold, watching Gu Mo's retreating figure fade into the distance.

Her heart was filled with a tumultuous mix of emotions, as chaotic as the swirling snow. After a long while, a soft sigh escaped her lips. She turned, her steps heavy with solitude, her figure growing ever thinner in the snowy night.

"Great Hero Gu is truly heartless," Yan Sanniang chuckled softly as she walked beside Gu Mo in the depths of the long street. "He'd rather have a cold sword than a young lady offering to repay his kindness with herself. I'm afraid Miss Yang is heartbroken right now!"

Gu Mo replied calmly, "We met by chance, and some kindness is simply too great to repay. There are no romantic intentions as you, Miss Yan, seem to imagine."

Yan Sanniang covered her mouth and chuckled softly, "How can there be none? Under duress, in times of crisis, a hero saves a beauty, facing a multitude of foes for one person—'though a thousand men oppose me, I shall go'—and clearing her name. Which young lady encountering such scenes could possibly maintain her composure? Does it only count if the words are explicitly spoken? Besides, which young lady doesn't have a bit of reserve? When she claims she wants to repay you with herself, isn't it obvious enough?"

Wind blew, snow fell, and the night was cold and clear. Gu Mo said calmly, "It's simply gaining another friend, or an additional beautiful sight on life's journey."

Yan Sanniang paused slightly, then began to laugh, immediately teasing Gu Chuxia: "Sister Chuxia, why don't you urge your brother to find you a sister-in-law?"

Gu Chuxia, carrying a book box containing heads and counting on her fingers, suddenly heard Yan Sanniang call her and looked up with a bewildered expression.

Yan Sanniang asked, surprised, "Sister, what are you doing?"

Gu Chuxia pulled out a stack of damp silver notes from her pocket and said, "I just picked these up on the street; there's quite a lot. I've calculated the money we have saved at home, plus the bounty for the two heads of the fat and thin Daoists." Gu Chuxia looked at Gu Mo and declared, "Brother, we have ten thousand taels now! We just need one more rare spiritual treasure, and then we can go find the Medicine Sage Qi Miaoxuan to cure your eyes!"

"Good," Gu Mo chuckled softly.

Gu Chuxia grinned, her smile bright and radiant.

Tang Buyi, standing by the carriage, said, "Sister Chuxia, you still haven't answered Miss Yan's question!"

"What question?"

"That Miss Yang," Tang Buyi prompted, "she's beautiful and has high martial arts skills. Why don't you persuade your brother to take her as your sister-in-law?"

"I won't persuade him."

"Why not?"

Gu Chuxia lifted her head and said, "Because my brother's eyes aren't healed yet; he can't see right now. What if he marries a sister-in-law he doesn't like the appearance of? He should look for someone after his eyes are better. She doesn't necessarily have to be very beautiful; Brother needs to like her, right, Brother?"

Gu Mo, with a serious expression, said, "Yes, you're absolutely right. When choosing a wife, you don't necessarily have to find someone beautiful; just find someone you like."

Gu Chuxia nodded repeatedly and asked, "Brother, what kind of person do you like?"

Gu Mo stated matter-of-factly, "I like pretty ones."

Gu Chuxia was bewildered.

Yan Sanniang couldn't help but laugh.

Tang Buyi burst into laughter.

After members of the various sects gradually departed, two figures emerged from the long street where the fierce battle had taken place at Fenghuang Ferry: Layman Meng Qingkong from the forest and Bai Jingqi, the second young master of Guangyang Marquis's Estate.

Bai Jingqi chuckled and said, "This Gu Mo is quite interesting. After a fight, he doesn't forget to compensate; he actually left two ingots of silver in the inn he ruined. If you say he has a chivalrous heart, he doesn't seem to enjoy acting as a hero. But if you say he lacks chivalry, some of his actions indeed show great heroic conduct."

Meng Qingkong said, "It's respect. He possesses a mindset of respect for everyone, whether they are jianghu masters, ordinary citizens, or high-ranking officials; he seems to treat everyone equally."

"That's... very good," Bai Jingqi remarked.

Meng Qingkong nodded, "It is very good. This is even rarer than chivalrous conduct. The most crucial point is that his martial arts are so high, yet he can still be so accommodating; that's truly rare."

Bai Jingqi pondered for a moment, then said, "Elder Meng, actually, I have a doubt."

"What doubt?"

Bai Jingqi said, "The Alliance of Righteousness framing Gu Mo was actually full of flaws. The entire affair was handled very poorly; anyone who took a moment to review it could spot many inconsistencies. Why did the people from the various sects still believe it and come to attack Gu Mo with such a grand display?"

Meng Qingkong chuckled softly and said, "Second Young Master, the fact that you ask this question shows you haven't truly grasped the essence of the jianghu."

"I'd like to hear more," Bai Jingqi said.

Meng Qingkong slowly explained, "The jianghu, to put it plainly, is a stage for fame and profit. When people enter the jianghu, how many genuinely wish to uphold justice? All they seek revolves around the two words: fame and profit. Truth? Who cares about the truth? Most matters in the jianghu fizzle out without a trace; where is there any truth to be found?

Those who roam the jianghu both pursue fame and profit and are ensnared by them. Did no one truly find it illogical that Gu Mo was a Moon-Worshiping Cult spy? Being a spy in a place like Swift Wind Tower—isn't that absurd?

But, as long as everyone believes it, it becomes real; even falsehoods become truth. Killing Gu Mo would gain them fame, a shortcut in life. Instead of expending thankless effort to seek the truth, it's better to take a gamble; if it succeeds, both fame and profit are yours!"

"But what if they lost?" Bai Jingqi asked.

Meng Qingkong replied, "When you're out mingling in the jianghu, who doesn't have a few tricks up their sleeve, or lacks confidence in themselves? Before the battle at Fenghuang Ferry today, although Gu Mo had a considerable reputation, it was far from enough to instill fear and make people abandon the chance to gain fame and profit. As for the consequences of losing? Heh heh, when you're out in the jianghu, who among those who make a name for themselves hasn't experienced several life-or-death situations? This was merely one of them."

Bai Jingqi then asked, "But sects like the Azure Wave Sword Sect and the Wu family aren't lacking in fame or profit, are they?"

"They are ensnared by fame and profit," Meng Qingkong chuckled. "Being the leader is great, but it also comes with immense pressure. You constantly have to guard against others trying to usurp your position. Take this righteous-demonic war, for instance: did these major sects truly participate wholeheartedly? No, not at all. At their level, who doesn't want to live a peaceful life? But what about those below them? There are outsiders who wish to replace them, and ambitious young people within the sects who want to make a name for themselves.

For example, regarding the encirclement of Gu Mo, if the Azure Wave Sword Sect didn't come, that's fine; no one could force them. However, if everyone else came and succeeded, gaining immense fame and profit, would it not be rumored that the Azure Wave Sword Sect was unwilling to uphold justice if they didn't participate? This would damage the Azure Wave Sword Sect's reputation. Would the ambitious disciples within the sect not harbor resentment, feeling that the sect denied them opportunities? In the long run, their external reputation would decline, and internal morale would waver."

Bai Jingqi sighed and said, "No wonder the imperial court looks down on the jianghu, seeing it as nothing more than a rabble. There is a reason for that."

"Heh," Meng Qingkong sneered, "There's not much difference. The essence of the imperial court and the jianghu are the same; it's just that the former operates on a higher level and employs more sophisticated methods.

Just like with Gu Mo's case, few care about the truth, and even fewer in the imperial court do. Whether Gu Mo is righteous or evil depends on fame and profit. His fists are hard enough, so everyone chooses to investigate the truth and clear his name. If his fists weren't hard enough, he would be a demonic practitioner, and today's various sects would be justly eradicating evil.

There are many such people in the jianghu. For example, are all the wanted criminals on the Black List truly heinous villains? Some might be more righteous than those in the righteous path, yet they are branded as evil. At its core, it's because their fists aren't hard enough—who would care? This includes Gu Mo, who was wronged today. He is a 'knife-wielder,' but when he goes to apprehend a wanted criminal, does he care why that person became a wanted criminal?

The imperial court and officialdom are no different. Are officials convicted of corruption and imprisoned or beheaded truly corrupt? Perhaps some are more upright than all the court officials combined. To put it more bluntly, Second Young Master, your esteemed father is now infamous among the common people; countless individuals wish to devour his flesh and drink his blood. But in reality, don't you know what kind of person your father truly is? The Guangyang Marquis's Estate, once so prominent, can barely afford to support its servants, yet your father is known as a notorious villain and a corrupt official—isn't that laughable?"

Bai Jingqi let out a long sigh.

He remained silent for a long time, then said, "Let's not talk about this anymore. Let's talk about Gu Mo. This man is so powerful, like a god of war descended, and he's not even a Grandmaster yet. I simply cannot imagine how powerful a Grandmaster must be," Bai Jingqi stated.

Meng Qingkong smiled and retorted, "Who told you Gu Mo isn't a Grandmaster? Gu Mo is a Grandmaster."

"Huh?" Bai Jingqi asked, utterly bewildered, "When did Gu Mo become a Grandmaster?"

"After tonight, Gu Mo is a Grandmaster," Meng Qingkong said. "Second Young Master, have you forgotten? I told you before that 'Grandmaster' isn't a cultivation realm but a title. What kind of person can have this title? Among the most famous individuals, the one who can fight the best is the Grandmaster.

After tonight, who in the jianghu would dare say Gu Mo isn't a Grandmaster? Subduing half of the Yunzhou jianghu single-handedly—is that not a Grandmaster? The major sects wouldn't even allow him *not* to be a Grandmaster."

"What do you mean?" Bai Jingqi asked, puzzled.

Meng Qingkong explained, "If Gu Mo is a Grandmaster, then it's perfectly reasonable that Shang Buyu, Xiao Jinghong, Chang Si, and so many others were suppressed during the encirclement. No one would feel ashamed to lose to a Grandmaster, even when allied; not even Shang Buyu would disgrace the Azure Wave Sword Sect. But if Gu Mo were not a Grandmaster, merely an ordinary young man, then the major sects would have suffered immense humiliation."

Bai Jingqi suddenly understood, then said, "So our mission is complete, isn't it?"

Meng Qingkong nodded, "It's over; anything more would be superfluous. Our purpose in coming to Dongping County this time was to make a name for Gu Mo. We made so many plans, yet apart from the first one—Gu Mo meeting Yang Qingtong—none of the others were needed.

This battle tonight gave me goosebumps. In such a situation tonight, even if it were me, I would have had to respectfully withdraw. Yet, this Gu Mo fellow, he actually fought his way through; he's simply a monster. However, it's very good; the effect is far stronger than what we anticipated."

Bai Jingqi considered it and said, "That's true."

After a moment of contemplation, Bai Jingqi suddenly asked, "Elder Meng, what do you think would have happened if Shang Buyu and the others had fought Gu Mo with all their might today?"

"Hard to say, probably fifty-fifty," Meng Qingkong replied.

"Fifty-fifty even in a fight to the death with Gu Mo?" Bai Jingqi asked, surprised.

Meng Qingkong nodded and said, "Undeniably, they certainly had hidden cards. However, strictly speaking, even if Xiao Jinghong, Chang Si, and Wu Tianfang used their trump cards, they wouldn't necessarily become much stronger. These three follow the path of internal and external cultivation, relying on their foundations. In a life-or-death struggle, their lower limit is high, but their upper limit is low.

Only Shang Buyu and Jiang Wanzhao follow the path of martial intent, which has a very high upper limit. In a deathmatch, the power of their martial intent is immeasurable. However, this path, while having a high upper limit, has a low lower limit, and is heavily reliant on external factors like condition and environment.

These two had already developed fear from fighting Gu Mo; even in a deathmatch, it would be difficult for them to perform at their best, and their sword intents would definitely be affected. Gu Mo, however, was different; he grew stronger with each fight, his fighting spirit fully ignited. Most crucially, no one knew what Gu Mo's hidden cards were. Given that both sides had hidden cards, with fighting spirit waxing and waning, Gu Mo would have a greater chance of winning in a deathmatch. Shang Buyu and the others' advantage lay in the nearly one thousand people from the various sects standing by, which is why I said it would be fifty-fifty."

Bai Jingqi slowly said, "As far as I know, Gu Mo still has a throwing knife technique he hasn't used. That particular technique also follows the path of martial intent. In his previous state, his throwing knives could have taken the lives of anyone present, including Shang Buyu and Jiang Wanzhao."

Meng Qingkong nodded and said, "Therefore, Gu Mo is truly a Grandmaster in every sense of the word!"