Chapter 107: Thousand Mechanism Box

In the backyard of South Pavilion Villa, the inky darkness of night was thick, and all sounds were hushed. The room's window gently swayed. A shadow seemed to peel away from the depths of the darkness and silently glided inside. Moonlight filtered in, outlining its vague silhouette, which turned out to be a human figure.

Nie Dongliu, who was meditating, suddenly opened his eyes. He whispered, "Chang Gui, do you want to die? Don't you know that people from various factions are everywhere near South Pavilion Villa right now? Aren't you afraid of being discovered and ruining the Moon Worship Sect's major plan?"

Right by the window, a figure abruptly appeared, as if forcibly squeezed out of the darkness. A faint, ethereal mist enveloped him, as wispy as gauze yet completely obscuring his face. The ghostly mist slowly churned, occasionally revealing a hint of his outline before instantly concealing it again, making it impossible to discern his true appearance.

This person was none other than Chang Gui, the notorious evil master who topped Yunzhou's Black List and was widely recognized as the most wanted criminal.

"Hehe..." Chang Gui let out a laugh, his voice dry and hoarse beyond description. "Alliance Leader Nie, don't be angry. I'm here to deliver a message from the Moon Worship Sect."

"What is it?" Although Nie Dongliu was annoyed by Chang Gui's unannounced entry into his room, he didn't press the matter. This was because he was now allied with the Moon Worship Sect. And although Chang Gui wasn't a direct member of the Moon Worship Sect, he was a master expert invited by them at great cost to assist. To some extent, this meant he was also helping Nie Dongliu. Therefore, despite his displeasure, he couldn't say much.

Chang Gui said with a chuckle, "Nie Dongliu, you've been exposed. Your useless subordinate, Yin Tianye, messed things up."

Chang Gui's voice occasionally turned sharp, like fingernails scraping glass, directly piercing one's eardrums and sending shivers down the spine.

Nie Dongliu's pupils constricted slightly. "What do you mean?" he asked.

Chang Gui continued, "You should receive the news very soon yourself. At Fengming Ferry, Shen Bai appeared and vigorously defended Gu Mo."

Nie Dongliu frowned. "Even if someone strongly backs him, who would believe what Gu Mo says? Even if someone suspects me, it won't have a major impact. At most, they'll just come to confront me."

"Hehe," Chang Gui chuckled. "But the problem is, that Gu Mo beat your subordinate to death. And not only that, six top experts from the six major sects, along with numerous other martial artists, besieged Gu Mo, but he defeated them all single-handedly..."

Afterward, Chang Gui briefly recounted what had happened at Fengming Ferry.

After listening, Nie Dongliu's face turned pale. "Impossible, this is impossible," he said in disbelief. "How old is Gu Mo? He's barely come of age. Even if he started cultivating in his mother's womb, he'd only have twenty years of cultivation. How could he be that strong?"

Chang Gui said with a grin, "It is indeed unbelievable, but that's the truth. Just wait and see. In a few days, Gu Mo will become famous throughout the martial arts world, replacing Yang Shentong as the new grandmaster. An internal force grandmaster who has reached the pinnacle of internal cultivation at just twenty years old... that's truly one of a kind. There are young martial arts grandmasters, but one who has become a grandmaster in internal cultivation at such a young age is truly unprecedented!"

Nie Dongliu's expression was grim. "What do we do now?" he asked. "I've been exposed now. I'm afraid that by now, all the sects and factions in Qiandeng Town have already received the news and will be coming to attack me."

"Don't worry, things will work out!"

"How can I not panic?" Nie Dongliu retorted angrily. "Originally, my conspiring with you was to use my identity to trick the major sects into the Moon Worship Sect's ambush. They could severely cripple the righteous martial arts world, and I could naturally become the Alliance Leader of the Trustworthy Alliance, subsequently helping the Moon Worship Sect gradually erode the righteous martial arts path. But now, reaching this point, I'm certainly going to become a public enemy. You don't need to panic; you're used to wandering without a fixed home year-round anyway. And the Moon Worship Sect isn't panicking either; after all, their members are used to being rats in the gutter. At worst, they'll just go into hiding again, right?"

"Alliance Leader Nie, why such a fuss?" Chang Gui said. "You and the Moon Worship Sect are on the same boat. Actually, earlier, when Yang Qingtong repeatedly escaped pursuit, the Moon Worship Sect already had a second plan. This was because at that time, the Moon Worship Sect detected someone secretly helping Yang Qingtong. They were worried that Yang Qingtong might truly escape and ruin the plan. So, they made a second plan as a contingency. We didn't expect to actually need it now."

Nie Dongliu said in surprise, "Are you saying that someone was helping Yang Qingtong all along her escape? Who? Have you found out?"

"No," Chang Gui said. "The other party is a master expert, very careful and cautious, and has never shown their face. The Moon Worship Sect only inferred that there was a master secretly protecting Yang Qingtong. They just don't know the person's purpose for remaining hidden; it seems even Yang Qingtong herself was unaware. And ever since Woniu Mountain, that master hasn't made any moves."

Nie Dongliu said with a gloomy expression, "So, besides Gu Mo, someone else already knew that Yang Shentong was killed by me. But for unknown reasons, they didn't make it public."

"Yes," Chang Gui said. "The Moon Worship Sect also couldn't figure out why. They wanted to protect Yang Qingtong, yet didn't interfere with the matters between the Moon Worship Sect and the major sects."

Nie Dongliu waved his hand. "There's no point in thinking about it now, even if we figure it out, it won't matter. Just tell me about their second plan!"

"The second plan," Chang Gui said, "is based on Yang Qingtong successfully escaping pursuit and exposing you to the various martial arts factions. This plan requires Alliance Leader Nie to be the bait, luring the major sects to attack you here at South Pavilion Villa."

Nie Dongliu's face darkened. "You want me to die? Right now in Qiandeng Town, there are three grandmasters, thousands of martial artists, and a multitude of experts. Moreover, Qi Tianshu himself is present. That's Qi Tianshu, seventh on the Qian Nation's Heavenly List. Me, as bait? You're sending me to my death, aren't you?"

"Alliance Leader Nie, don't worry," Chang Gui said. "The Moon Worship Sect has already made arrangements. They've buried a lot of explosives in South Pavilion Villa. When the time comes, as soon as people from the major sects enter, they'll be blown sky-high."

Nie Dongliu said, "I wondered why they insisted on arranging a group of people to dig tunnels under the villa recently. So they were burying explosives. However, I don't deny that it's useful, but its effect is limited against master experts. And don't forget, there are also three grandmasters, especially Qi Tianshu. He only needs one sword strike to kill me!"

"The Moon Worship Sect has its own ways to deal with them," Chang Gui said. "Furthermore, the Moon Worship Sect does not lack martial arts grandmasters."

"What? Has the Moon Worship Sect Leader Ye Nantian arrived?" Nie Dongliu asked.

"No."

"Then who in the Moon Worship Sect can deal with him?" Nie Dongliu asked. "Even if South Pavilion Villa is rigged with explosives, they won't have much effect on ordinary master experts, let alone Qi Tianshu. This place is not like the Misty Valley where we previously planned to lure them. That place has poisonous miasma chasms, various mechanisms set up by the Moon Worship Sect for a long time, and home advantage. There, we could indeed deal with Qi Tianshu. But here, who can deal with Qi Tianshu? As long as Qi Tianshu stands, the Moon Worship Sect can't hope to win. Qi Tianshu's seventh ranking in the Qian Nation wasn't earned through the Canglan Sword Sect; it's the Canglan Sword Sect that became renowned because of him."

Chang Gui slowly said, "The Moon Worship Sect has no confidence in killing Qi Tianshu. I suspect that even if the Moon Worship Sect Leader came in person, he wouldn't be confident in killing Qi Tianshu. However, the Moon Worship Sect isn't aiming to kill Qi Tianshu. As long as Qi Tianshu is injured, the morale of the various martial arts factions will naturally crumble."

Nie Dongliu hastily asked, "How can he be injured?"

"Have you heard of the Thousand Mechanism Box?" Chang Gui asked.

"The Thousand Mechanism Box, ranked fifth among the ten greatest hidden weapons in the world?" Nie Dongliu exclaimed in surprise. "Hasn't this thing been lost for a hundred years?"

Chang Gui chuckled, "It's true it's been lost for a hundred years, but it existed a hundred years ago. The Moon Worship Sect spent a great deal, tracing various clues, eventually robbing over three hundred tombs, destroying more than twenty sects, and spending nearly ten years to successfully find three Thousand Mechanism Boxes."

Nie Dongliu slowly said, "With three Thousand Mechanism Boxes, launched by surprise, injuring Qi Tianshu should be no problem. In fact, if there's a suitable opportunity, killing Qi Tianshu might even be possible."

Chang Gui shook his head. "Only two are for dealing with Qi Tianshu. Another one was taken by Ju Shanyin."

"What did he take it for?"

"To kill Gu Mo!" Chang Gui said. "Gu Mo not only ruined the Moon Worship Sect's plan but also killed Dou Ruohua, the personal disciple of Ren Tianqi, the White Tiger Helm Master of the Moon Worship Sect, at Woniu Mountain. Ren Tianqi wants Gu Mo dead. Additionally, Ju Shanyin is also responsible for intercepting the group of experts from various sects who are now returning from Fengming Ferry. The leaders of the Three Rivers Gang and Flying Fish Gang, as well as the head of the Wu Family, are all there. Intercepting them means that the forces of the Three Rivers Gang, Flying Fish Gang, and Wu Family here will be relatively scattered, greatly reducing pressure on our side. At the same time, if those few can be killed, it would also be a heavy blow to the Yunzhou martial arts world. However, at this moment, that fellow Gu Mo is with them. Ju Shanyin was also intimidated by Gu Mo's performance at Fengming Ferry today and isn't quite brave enough to go, which is why he took one Thousand Mechanism Box just in case."

"Ju Shanyin is too timid, isn't he?" Nie Dongliu said. "Gu Mo fought multiple battles tonight, and the leaders of the major sects are all injured. What is there to fear? He's simply useless!"

Chang Gui chuckled lightly, "Well, how about this? If Gu Mo doesn't die this time, you can go after him then?"

Nie Dongliu remained silent.

"What do you say, Alliance Leader Nie?" Chang Gui pressed.

"Hmm," Nie Dongliu mumbled, "Qi Tianshu is not simple. Those Thousand Mechanism Boxes... they must be used well..."

Chang Gui said again, "Alliance Leader Nie, I guarantee that Gu Mo will also be exhausted from a major battle and get no rest. How about you go and kill Gu Mo?"

"Oh right," Nie Dongliu interjected, "those explosives... make sure they're buried in the right spots..."

"Alliance Leader Nie, you still haven't said whether you'll kill Gu Mo or not?"

Nie Dongliu remained silent.