Chapter 110: Little Li Flying Dagger vs. Thousand Machine Box

Gu Mo didn't take Ju Shanyin's words to heart. He knew full well that Ju Shanyin was likely telling the truth; Dou Ruohua, whom he had killed, had almost fully mastered the "Mud and Sand Grand Technique."

Finding a successor for such an unorthodox and extremely self-destructive martial art would certainly not be easy, so it was probably true that Dou Ruohua was Ren Tianqi's personal disciple.

In that era, a personal disciple was like an adopted son, often closer than a biological son. In some respects, the bond between a master and their personal disciple was even more intimate than most father-son relationships.

Since Gu Mo had killed Dou Ruohua, it was reasonable for Ren Tianqi to seek revenge.

However, Gu Mo remained unconcerned.

Ju Shanyin's words at this moment were merely an attempt to use Ren Tianqi's formidable reputation to shake Gu Mo's resolve and pressure him.

After all, Ren Tianqi was one of the few top masters in the demonic sects. Anyone who could earn the title of "Grandmaster" as a demonic cultivator was no ordinary person; it was at least ten times harder than for a righteous cultivator. This was because the martial world was primarily dominated by the righteous sects, who also controlled public opinion. No righteous sect would ever promote someone from the demonic path.

For example, Chang Gui and Ju Shanyin were certainly no less skilled than many recognized Grandmasters in the martial world, yet no one acknowledged them as such. Therefore, any demonic cultivator who gained the martial world's recognition as a Grandmaster had to be immensely powerful, so much so that even the righteous sects' control over public opinion couldn't suppress their reputation.

This was why Ju Shanyin intended to use Ren Tianqi's threat to pressure Gu Mo.

After all, in a battle between masters, one's mental state was crucial.

"Ju Shanyin, you're afraid of me," Gu Mo stated.

"Ridiculous," Ju Shanyin scoffed, "I've roamed the martial world for decades. When I was dominating the pugilistic world, you weren't even born yet. The idea that I would be afraid of you is the biggest joke in the world!"

"Is that so?" Gu Mo replied casually. "If you're not afraid of me, why bother building up your own momentum like this? Ju Shanyin, have you ever heard a saying?"

"What saying?"

"No wanted criminal who appears before Gu Mo has ever escaped."

"Hmph, that's because you haven't met me."

As soon as he finished speaking, Ju Shanyin abruptly waved his hand, a movement resembling an owl spreading its wings. Four coffins hurtled through the air. In an instant, their lids burst open with a resounding boom, sending dust flying, and four figures shot out from within.

These four figures were identical to Ju Shanyin, all with gleaming scalps and bodies covered in cold, shimmering scales, like venomous creatures lurking in the dark night. Their faces were crisscrossed with bulging veins, resembling writhing centipedes, a sight that sent shivers down one's spine.

A poisonous mist enveloped the figures, black with purple streaks, swirling like living tendrils. As they rapidly converged, the mist instantly covered an area of several yards. At the same time, Ju Shanyin also charged forward, the five figures merging within the toxic haze, making them completely indistinguishable from the outside.

However, Gu Mo's Nine Yang Divine Skill and Bright Jade Skill were both impervious to all poisons, so a mere toxic mist had little effect on him.

Yet, from within the mist, the figures emitted a series of piercing, eerie shrieks. The sounds were sharp and bizarre, like thousands of poisonous needles shooting forth simultaneously, echoing and intertwining in the air.

Instantly, Gu Mo felt the sounds assault him from all directions, making his ears roar and disorienting him. His head felt as if it would explode, as if sharp steel needles were piercing directly into his ears, causing his blood to surge, his head to ache intensely, and millions of ants to gnaw at his brain, leaving him agitated and distressed.

He immediately realized that the sonic attacks unleashed by these figures were definitely complementary to the toxic mist, subtly stimulating the opponent, causing them to lose their composure, and over time, even their sanity.

Immediately, Gu Mo's internal energy surged violently throughout his body, converging in his Dantian.

In an instant, he let out a long roar skyward. This bellow was like a hidden dragon emerging from the depths, its roar shaking the very air around them.

Although he didn't possess sonic martial arts, his immense, continuous internal energy forcefully suppressed those strange, piercing sounds.

The moment his roar overpowered the opponent's sounds, a dark shadow shot out from the toxic mist like a ghost, moving so fast that there was little time to react. The figure extended a hooked, poisonous claw, its tip gleaming with a chilling light, aiming directly for Gu Mo's throat. The claw-wind howled, fiercely sharp, and a faint tearing sound was heard in the air.

Gu Mo instantly withdrew his previous technique and powerfully struck out with his right palm, executing "Crossing the Great River" from the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms.

This palm strike, carrying immense force as if capable of overturning mountains and seas, collided instantly with the poisonous claw. With a loud *bang*, the figure was sent flying backward, causing the surrounding toxic mist to churn.

However, Gu Mo was inwardly startled. Although his palm strike had sent the figure flying, he knew clearly that it hadn't inflicted any real damage. It felt as if he had struck an impenetrable wall of bronze and iron.

Gu Mo speculated that the four figures were poison puppets refined by Ju Shanyin, possessing bodies as impervious as bronze walls and iron fortifications.

Just as Gu Mo had surmised, the poisoned puppet, after being sent flying, immediately bounced up from the ground, seemingly unaffected, and charged forward fearlessly. Simultaneously, four other ghostly figures appeared, surrounding him. Among them was Ju Shanyin himself. All five attacked at once, with fists or claws, their assaults like a surging tide, every move lethal.

Seeing this, Gu Mo showed no fear. He immediately unleashed the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms. Instantly, palm shadows danced and dragon roars echoed. He performed various moves from the technique, such as "Flying Dragon in the Sky," "Regretful Dragon," and "Dragon in the Field," to their fullest extent.

However, all five figures were as hard as steel, incredibly resilient. Although his astonishingly powerful Dragon Subduing Palms could send them flying, they only produced dull thuds and failed to inflict any substantial damage.

Crucially, under Ju Shanyin's control, the four poisoned puppets could coordinate with him to form a pincer attack, continuously compressing Gu Mo's maneuvering space and making his Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms increasingly constrained.

After completing a full set of the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms, he had achieved nothing.

Nevertheless, Gu Mo had gained a clear understanding of the four poisoned puppets and Ju Shanyin's strengths and weaknesses.

He now understood that their greatest reliance was their invulnerable bodies, resembling steel and iron, making ordinary attacks ineffective against them.

With this realization, Gu Mo's footwork abruptly changed. His figure surged like a flood dragon emerging from the sea, his right palm raised high, gathering immense internal energy in its center. Then, he fiercely unleashed a "Regretful Dragon" palm strike. This strike concentrated his entire body's power, its palm wind howling as if carrying ten thousand tons of rock, bearing down directly on the poisoned puppets and Ju Shanyin.

Where the palm force reached, the air was compressed, emitting a sizzling sound.

Although the poisoned puppets and Ju Shanyin were not afraid of attacks, they neither dodged nor retreated, choosing to directly face the incredibly powerful "Regretful Dragon."

In an instant, a dull clang resounded, causing the surrounding air to rustle. Although it still didn't inflict substantial damage on the four poisoned puppets and Ju Shanyin, the immense impact force destabilized them, making them stumble and retreat several steps.

Seizing this brief opening, Gu Mo's figure flashed, flying backward several yards like an arrow released from a bowstring, creating distance between himself and Ju Shanyin and his puppets.

Ju Shanyin, however, wouldn't let him escape easily. He let out a strange cry and, with the four poisoned puppets, chased after Gu Mo like hungry wolves. Their speed was astonishing, like black lightning streaking through the air, leaving churning toxic mist in their wake.

Seeing them pursue, Gu Mo no longer hesitated. He abruptly stood firm, his hands rapidly changing finger gestures. In an instant, his internal true qi, like a surging river, flowed along his meridians and converged at his fingertips.

Six streams of invisible sword qi whistled forth from his fingertips — the supreme sword art, the Six Meridians Divine Swords.

These six streams of sword qi were formless and colorless, yet they contained an unstoppable power.

Individually, each was an invisible sword qi; but when all six meridians unleashed simultaneously, the sword qi crisscrossed and instantly formed an invisible sword array. This array enveloped Ju Shanyin and the poisoned puppets in a flash. Within the sword array, the sword qi moved like agile, roaming dragons, piercing through anything they touched.

One stream of sword qi sliced across Ju Shanyin's face, piercing his scales, and blood instantly seeped out.

A flicker of terror crossed Ju Shanyin's eyes. He had seen nothing at all, only a faint perception, but the sword qi was too fast. Even with perception, there wasn't enough time to react.

He made an immediate decision, swiftly moving his hands and issuing a series of strange commands.

In an instant, the four poisoned puppets, like well-trained death warriors, leaped without hesitation, tightly shielding Ju Shanyin in their center, forming a barrier. A shimmering glow emanated from their bodies.

In just a blink, the sword qi within the array crisscrossed, weaving into an impenetrable web of death. No matter how the poisoned puppets tried to resist, they were wounded by the sword qi.

The Six Meridians Divine Swords were formless, intangible, silent, colorless, and utterly destructive. When all six meridians were unleashed, the Six Meridians Sword Array transformed infinitely.

In mere moments, the four poisoned puppets were sliced apart by the indestructible sword qi.

Blood sprayed out like fine rain, blossoming into bizarre crimson flowers within the invisible sword array.

In just a few moments, the four impervious poisoned puppets were torn into pieces, their severed limbs and flesh scattered across the ground, creating a gruesome sight.

Even Ju Shanyin sustained several injuries. While shielded by the puppets, he seized the opportunity to pile up a few coffins in front of himself as a shield. When he cautiously poked his head out, he saw Gu Mo pointing at him, and immediately, terrified, he ducked back.

However, after waiting a moment and seeing no trace of sword qi, he realized Gu Mo was toying with him. He poked his head out again, only to see Gu Mo point at him once more, which scared him into quickly ducking back. Still, no sword qi appeared, and he became furious, stepping out to curse at Gu Mo.

Gu Mo, however, pointed at him several times in quick succession.

Terrified, Ju Shanyin hurriedly hid inside a coffin, seething with silent resentment. Despite being toyed with, he was helpless. The sword qi was invisible, inaudible, formless, intangible, colorless, and silent. Even if Gu Mo was merely mocking him, he had to dodge and dared not gamble.

The moment he ducked into a coffin, Ju Shanyin channeled his energy, and the four coffins instantly merged and flew towards Gu Mo.

Gu Mo immediately struck out with a palm. From ten yards away, the four coffins were blasted open. In that same instant, Ju Shanyin was holding a box three inches wide and one and a half feet long. Its frame was made of agarwood, and it was covered with refined Xuanjia steel, its dark body faintly etched with starlight patterns.

"It's the Thousand Mechanisms Casket! Great Hero Gu, quickly dodge!"

Not far away, amidst the wind and snow, Yang Qingtong's alarmed shout rang out.

In that instant, a flying dagger appeared in Gu Mo's hand and shot out.