Chapter 125: Arriving at Cangshan Town

Hearing the four words, "Great Hero of Yunzhou," the Snow Ridge Twin Immortals were slightly startled, then visibly relieved. Ye Lingsu immediately declared, "So it's the Great Hero of Yunzhou! Sister, there's no need to worry. Let's deal with these Moon Worship Cult villains first!"

As the saying goes, a person's name casts a long shadow. Although Gu Mo's reputation was primarily centered in Yunzhou, Qingzhou bordered Yunzhou. As top martial arts experts in Qingzhou, and with Snow Ridge Manor being a major power under their influence, the Snow Ridge Twin Immortals were far better informed than ordinary people. They had certainly heard of the Great Hero of Yunzhou.

Knowing he was a person who abhorred evil and upheld righteousness, they instantly shed all their apprehension. Lowering their guard, they unleashed their full power against the Moon Worship Cult members.

Even when previously ambushed and surrounded, the two women had subtly maintained the upper hand. Now, with Fan Tangxi, the strongest member of the Moon Worship Cult, slain, and the remaining cultists struck with fear and unwilling to continue the fight, the Snow Ridge Twin Immortals became overwhelmingly dominant.

Meanwhile, Gu Chutong, now holding the Lingxi Sword, also joined the fray. She was currently learning the Nine Swords of Dugu under Gu Mo's tutelage, and while her progress had been remarkable, martial arts ultimately required real combat experience. Thus, she certainly wouldn't let this excellent opportunity pass her by.

With Gu Mo observing nearby, Gu Chutong fought without fear. Her swordplay was fierce, her longsword weaving out intricate patterns. With each blossoming sword flower, a Moon Worship Cultist shrieked and collapsed, their blood splattering across the hall's bluestone floor, a truly gruesome sight. Her sword technique was fluid as flowing water, swift as lightning, and wherever her blade reached, no one could stand in its way.

In a short time, the hall was filled with continuous screams and fallen bodies. Blood flowed through the cracks in the floor tiles, gathering into crimson puddles. Within moments, the cultists were almost all dead or wounded, leaving behind only a scene of disarray and gore.

A few individuals did manage to escape, but they were struck down by steel pellets launched by Gu Mo's "Fingers of Divine Power" technique the moment they stepped into the temple courtyard.

As the last Moon Worship Cultist fell, Ye Lingsu and Ye Wanyue instantly withdrew their internal energy. Both were masters who had reached perfection in their internal martial arts, capable of controlling their true qi with effortless precision.

The two women approached Gu Mo, preparing to offer their respects. However, Ye Lingsu suddenly recalled her earlier words when she believed Gu Mo was unconscious and Juechen was attempting to seize him: "Such a handsome young gentleman, I can't let you hurt him!"

If Gu Mo had simply been an ordinary young martial artist, even if he hadn't been unconscious, it wouldn't have mattered. But the crucial point was that Gu Mo was, in fact, a grandmaster. Despite his youth, his standing in the martial world was above theirs.

Ye Lingsu instantly felt a surge of embarrassment, wishing she could disappear into the ground. It was like making an off-color remark only to realize she had inadvertently teased an esteemed senior of the martial world. Her face flushed at the mere thought of her earlier words.

Ye Wanyue, standing beside her, chuckled inwardly. She naturally understood her sister's present embarrassment and was the first to speak, bowing to Gu Mo to ease the awkwardness: "We didn't realize we were in the presence of the Great Hero of Yunzhou. Please forgive our unwitting disrespect!"

Gu Mo returned the bow, saying, "Just now, I also wasn't aware of the two immortals' presence, and unsure of friend or foe. That's why my junior sister and I feigned unconsciousness here, causing you both inconvenience. I sincerely apologize!"

"Not at all," Ye Wanyue quickly replied, "We should be thanking you, Great Hero Gu, for your assistance. Otherwise, my sister and I would likely have faced great trouble today."

Just then, Gu Chutong wiped her sword clean and inquired, "Two beautiful sisters, why did the Moon Worship Cult ambush you here?"

Ye Wanyue bowed to Gu Chutong, explaining, "Heroine Gu, you may not be aware, but several months ago, after the great conflict between righteous and demonic factions in Yunzhou, the Yunzhou branch of the Moon Worship Cult was destroyed. Numerous cultists subsequently fled into our Qingzhou territory. These scattered and disorganized cultists caused trouble throughout the region, disrupting the peace of the martial world. As a result, our righteous martial arts community in Qingzhou launched a campaign to eliminate them."

"Naturally, the Moon Worship Cult was unwilling to be eradicated, so they began to organize and plot attacks specifically against various righteous martial arts factions. Today's ambush was orchestrated by them, specifically targeting us. My sister and I were descending the mountain on an errand when we received news of the Six Oddities of Qishan. These six individuals had committed numerous atrocities, so we pursued them here. Along the way, we faintly noticed signs of the Moon Worship Cult, but we were determined not to let the Six Oddities escape, which led us to this place. We never imagined we would have the great fortune of meeting you both!"

Gu Mo felt a touch of admiration; these sisters were indeed highly skilled and exceptionally bold, daring to come even when they knew an ambush awaited them.

However, upon reflection, it made perfect sense.

Even though he had remained in Yunzhou, he had heard of the Snow Ridge Twin Immortals. They had been renowned for nearly twenty years, a rare feat in the martial world for women to achieve such widespread fame.

It was well-known that the Snow Ridge Twin Immortals held a martial arts status in Qingzhou equivalent to that of the Six Great Sects in Yunzhou. Although they didn't bear the title of Grandmaster, they were unquestionably among the very top tier of experts below grandmasters, on par with figures like Shang Buyu, the senior disciple of the Canglan Sword Sect, and Xiao Jinghong of the Three Rivers Gang.

In terms of martial world standing, even Shen Bai would need to leverage his identity as a Grandmaster's disciple from the Canglan Sword Sect to be considered on the same level as the Snow Ridge Twin Immortals.

Therefore, given their formidable strength, it was understandable that they would venture into danger, even knowing what awaited them.

Gu Chutong bowed, stating, "I deeply admire your heroic courage, both of you."

Ye Wanyue replied, "Heroine Gu, you flatter us."

At this moment, Ye Lingsu, who had been quiet for quite some time, finally overcame her embarrassment. She bowed to Gu Mo and asked, "Great Hero Gu, may I inquire what brings you to Qingzhou? If there is anything at all we can assist with, please do not hesitate to command us!"

Gu Mo did not hide anything, directly stating, "We are going to Mount Cang to find the Nether Nightblooms."

There was no need to conceal this matter. News of the Nether Nightblooms on Mount Cang had already spread like wildfire throughout the martial world, and many martial artists were already making their way there.

The Nether Nightblooms were rare and precious heavenly treasures. While most people couldn't utilize them even if acquired, their exorbitant price, reaching hundreds of thousands of taels on the black market, made them a coveted prize worth vying for among all martial artists.

"What a coincidence," Ye Lingsu remarked, "We also came down the mountain this time upon hearing news of the Nether Nightblooms. We were planning to go to Mount Cang ourselves, simply to join the excitement and see if fate smiled upon us."

After speaking, Ye Lingsu paused, then asked, "Great Hero Gu, are you determined to acquire the Nether Nightblooms?"

Gu Mo waved a hand, saying, "It's not about being absolutely determined, just trying our luck. However, this item is indeed quite significant for me." He then pointed to his eyes and explained, "I've commissioned the Medicine Sage, Qi Miaoxuan, to treat my eyes, and one of the agreed-upon fees is that very Nether Nightbloom."

Ye Lingsu and Ye Wanyue exchanged glances, a look of astonishment passing between them.

It was only at this moment that Ye Lingsu recalled the information they had received about Gu Mo, which indeed mentioned his blindness. However, throughout the past half-day, they hadn't perceived any difference between Gu Mo and a sighted person, so the detail had completely slipped their minds.

Immediately, Ye Lingsu quickly replied, "If it's of such great importance, then we won't contend for it. Of course, even if we tried, we wouldn't be able to win against you, Great Hero Gu. Hmm, how about this? Since we've already descended the mountain, and our original destination was Mount Cang anyway, we could accompany you, Great Hero Gu. Perhaps we could even be of some assistance!"

Gu Mo cupped his hands in acknowledgment, saying, "Then I thank you kindly."

Ye Lingsu waved a dismissive hand, stating, "Great Hero Gu, there's no need for formalities. Once you reach Cangshan Town, the Nether Nightblooms will naturally be yours. Besides, we weren't particularly keen on them to begin with."

A considerable time later, Ma Xingkong and the other members of the caravan slowly awoke, startled by the dilapidated state of the temple before them.

Gu Mo quickly recounted the events. Ma Xingkong, in a panic, rushed to the kitchen and then broke down in tears.

In the kitchen, he had discovered the remains of his friend, Master Huiyuan, the temple's original owner. Master Huiyuan was now nothing more than a severed head.

Gu Mo felt a wave of sadness; the old monk had been living peacefully in seclusion in the mountains, only to be inexplicably murdered and then consumed by a group of villains.

Afterward, the caravan members erected a grave for Master Huiyuan. They then dug a large pit, tossed all the Moon Worship Cultists' bodies inside, covered them with earth, and departed.

This time, however, the Snow Ridge Twin Immortals joined their group.

By then, the Snow Ridge Twin Immortals had changed their clothes. Although they hadn't sustained serious injuries during their confrontation with the Moon Worship Cult, they had acquired a few minor wounds, and their previous attire was extensively bloodied. Consequently, after briefly attending to their injuries in the temple, they changed into fresh clothes.

As the saying goes, "Clothes make the man, a saddle makes the horse." Even in the plain garments of peasant women, the Snow Ridge Twin Immortals possessed striking beauty. Now, having changed into attire more befitting their status, they instantly appeared like celestial maidens descended to the mortal realm.

Earlier in the temple, the caravan members had furtively stolen glances at the Snow Ridge Twin Immortals. However, now that the twins were traveling with them, looking even more stunning, no one dared to cast so much as a second glance. Instead, every member of the caravan felt a sense of trepidation, having learned the true identities of the Snow Ridge Twin Immortals.

While common folk in Yunzhou might not necessarily know the names of the Snow Ridge Twin Immortals, the caravan members most certainly did. As they frequently traveled between Qingzhou and Yunzhou, they possessed a deep understanding of the martial arts communities in both regions and were well aware of the twin immortals' formidable standing.

After two more days of travel, Gu Mo and his companions parted ways with the caravan, as their onward routes diverged. Ma Xingkong had initially planned to assign someone to escort Gu Mo's group to Mount Cang, but with the Snow Ridge Twin Immortals now accompanying them, there was no longer a need for additional escorts.

The four individuals, each on horseback, rode swiftly through the rugged mountains for an entire day. Finally, as dusk approached, they reached their destination: Cangshan Town, nestled at the foot of Mount Cang.

Cangshan Town was currently bustling, filled with a constant stream of martial artists. However, beneath the massive Mount Cang, this was the only accessible town for lodging. As the Nether Nightblooms were known to appear only on a full moon night, martial artists from all corners of the world had converged upon Cangshan Town.