Chapter 144: Qi Miaoxuan Missing

Gu Mo and his group once again returned to the small village that had been massacred.

By this time, Lin Qixia had already stood up and was moving around. Although Lin Qixia's martial arts skills didn't fully live up to her reputation, while she hadn't reached the level of a top-tier master, she was certainly among the most exceptional first-rate practitioners, possessing deep internal energy. The biggest issue within her was the strange power of the Demonic Blade, which Gu Mo had suppressed using his Ice True Qi. Her other injuries were not a significant problem for Lin Qixia.

"Great Hero Gu," Lin Qixia looked at Gu Mo with great enthusiasm, but it was not the fervor of romantic love, but pure admiration. It wasn't just Lin Qixia; all the disciples of the Mystic Maiden Palace present, including Xie Liuying, who had previously feigned arrogance, became extremely eager after learning that Gu Mo was the Great Hero of Yunzhou.

After Lin Qixia learned about the Righteousness Manor incident from Xie Liuying, she quickly walked over to Gu Mo, cupped her hands, and said, "It's likely true that that big oaf is a disciple of War Sage Tie Zhu, but the veracity of his other claims is difficult to ascertain. I will send word to the Mystic Maiden Palace to track down his whereabouts."

Gu Mo asked, "Aren't you returning to the Mystic Maiden Palace to treat your injuries?"

Lin Qixia promptly replied, "Coincidentally, aren't you going to find Qi Miaoxuan? I can accompany you on the way. For my injuries, there's no one more reliable in this world than Qi Miaoxuan."

Gu Mo asked, puzzled, "Don't you know that Qi Miaoxuan's services come with very high demands?"

Lin Qixia explained, "I know it's impossible to directly ask Qi Miaoxuan to act. However, we can seek out his disciples. Qi Miaoxuan has three disciples who are always with him, and they are currently guests at Listening Pines Ridge in Qingzhou City. Although his disciples are not as skilled as Qi Miaoxuan himself, they are all first-rate healers in the martial arts world."

Gu Mo chuckled lightly and said, "You're afraid I won't be able to handle this Gouchen Demonic Blade properly, aren't you?"

Lin Qixia didn't hide anything and admitted directly, "To be frank, Great Hero Gu, I indeed have that concern. This Gouchen Demonic Blade is incredibly evil, and if it were to fall into the martial arts world, it would undoubtedly cause widespread devastation. I am willing but unable. It's not that I question your character, Great Hero Gu. As the esteemed Great Hero of Yunzhou, it is widely known in the martial arts world that you are righteous and despise evil; the Demonic Blade in your hands certainly wouldn't harm anyone. However, what we have now is ultimately a temporary solution, not a fundamental one. My main concern is whether Qi Miaoxuan's Ice Soul can truly suppress the blade's malevolent nature. If it can, that would be wonderful. If not, I can inform the Mystic Maiden Palace at any time. And if our Mystic Maiden Palace has no solution, we can still ask Master Dingchan of Bright Temple for help. Master Dingchan's Buddhist Dharma is boundless, and he will surely be able to subdue the Demonic Blade's power."

Gu Mo nodded slightly.

Before the rise of the Nine Rivers Alliance and the Heavenly Blade Sect, the Mystic Maiden Palace held a status in Qingzhou's martial arts world equivalent to that of the Azure Ripple Sword Sect in Yunzhou, serving as the spiritual leader of the martial community. However, in recent years, with the strong rise of the Heavenly Blade Sect and the Nine Rivers Alliance, the Mystic Maiden Palace's position has been shaken, but it is still recognized as Qingzhou's foremost righteous force and a leader in the martial arts world. Therefore, from Lin Qixia's perspective, facing the Gouchen Demonic Blade, which could potentially harm the martial arts world, her caution is perfectly understandable.

"You can ask Master Dingchan to help?" Gu Chudong was very surprised. Although Lin Qixia was one of the Ten Fairies of the Mystic Maiden Palace and held a respectable position in Qingzhou's martial arts world, she was not at all on the same level as Master Dingchan. Although Master Dingchan's Bright Temple was merely a small Buddhist temple in the martial arts world and hardly considered a significant power, Master Dingchan's reputation as the number one in Qingzhou and tenth in the Qian Kingdom meant that he was not someone a third-generation disciple of the Mystic Maiden Palace could simply invite.

Lin Qixia quickly explained, "Naturally, I'm not qualified to invite Master Dingchan. However, Miss Gu, have you forgotten? Master Dingchan was one of the Nine Righteous Figures of Qingzhou back then, and he and our Mystic Maiden Palace's founder are sworn siblings. Although the master has renounced worldly affairs, he has always remained very close to our Mystic Maiden Palace. As long as our founder sends a letter, we can certainly invite Master Dingchan."

"That's true," Gu Chudong nodded. "You can't invite Master Dingchan, but you can invite your grand-master, Ancestor Yuxu."

Afterward, Lin Qixia arranged for a few Mystic Maiden Palace disciples to stay behind and inform the authorities about the village massacre, while the rest of the group continued their journey towards Qingzhou City. With the Mystic Maiden Palace intervening, Gu Mo could leave without worries, not needing to fear being pursued by the authorities or the Six Doors for investigation into the massacre.

The massacre of the village beneath Mang Mountain was no longer limited to martial arts affairs. The boundary between the martial arts world and the government was unclear and quite blurred. Regarding martial arts matters, the authorities usually turned a blind eye. However, the situation at Mang Mountain was different; it was a village massacre. No matter how vague the boundaries, the government could not ignore it and would surely conduct a thorough investigation. And the whereabouts of Gu Mo's group would certainly be discovered. Without the Mystic Maiden Palace's intervention, the Six Doors would inevitably summon Gu Mo and his group to the authorities, which would involve some complications and trouble. However, now it didn't matter. Given the Mystic Maiden Palace's influence, their connections with the authorities were undoubtedly deep, making such matters easy to handle.

Subsequently, Gu Mo and his group sped towards Qingzhou City. It took them another three days of travel to reach Qingzhou City.

Qingzhou City, as the provincial capital of Qingzhou, was a vast and prosperous city. However, Gu Mo and his group did not enter the city directly but instead headed to a place named Listening Pines Ridge in the suburbs. Listening Pines Ridge was a mountain ridge, named so because it was covered everywhere with pine trees, and whenever the wind blew, the countless pine needles rustled, sounding like unique ocean waves.

On Listening Pines Ridge stood a manor called Listening Pines Manor. Its master, Pei Jiyu, had made quite a name for himself in the martial arts world in his youth. However, later, weary of its conflicts, he came to Listening Pines Ridge, established Listening Pines Manor, and settled down as a local landowner. Pei Jiyu was a close friend of the Medicine Sage, Qi Miaoxuan. A few days ago, it was Pei Jiyu's seventieth birthday, and Qi Miaoxuan had specially come to celebrate it with him. Friends reunited, they naturally stayed for an extended period. During this time, Yan Sanniang, through unknown means, had persuaded Qi Miaoxuan to agree to treat Gu Mo's eyes, instructing Gu Mo to bring the consultation fee and rare treasures to Listening Pines Manor.

That afternoon, Gu Mo and his group arrived at Listening Pines Ridge. However, when they arrived outside Listening Pines Manor, they found it under lockdown by the Six Doors.

"What are you doing here?" At that moment, several Six Doors constables were guarding the main gate of Listening Pines Manor. Seeing Gu Mo's group appear, a leading constable immediately stepped forward and demanded.

Lin Qixia dismounted, stepped forward, cupped her hands, and said, "I am Lin Qixia of the Mystic Maiden Palace, here to visit Manor Master Pei. May I ask, what has happened at Listening Pines Manor?"

Upon hearing Lin Qixia's name and seeing the Mystic Maiden Palace attire of the group, the constable's expression immediately softened. He cupped his hands and replied, "So it is Fairy Lin in person. I'm afraid you won't be able to visit Manor Master Pei. Three days ago, Listening Pines Manor was annihilated. None of the seventy-three members of the Pei family survived. The Medicine Sage Qi Miaoxuan, who was staying as a guest, is missing, and two of his three disciples are dead, with one also missing."

Gu Chudong's face instantly paled, and she quickly stepped forward to ask, "Have you found any trace of Qi Miaoxuan yet?"

The constable looked at Gu Chudong, then asked Lin Qixia, "And this lady is?"

Lin Qixia replied, "This is Miss Gu Chudong, a heroine from Yunzhou." After saying that, Lin Qixia added, "She is the sister of Gu Mo, the Great Hero of Yunzhou."

The constable was slightly startled, then cupped his hands, "So it is Miss Gu in person..." As he spoke, he looked towards Gu Mo and inquired, "Then... this gentleman, could he be the Great Hero of Yunzhou?"

Gu Mo cupped his hands and said, "I am Gu Mo."

"It is indeed Great Hero Gu! I've long admired you." The constable looked somewhat excited. It wasn't just him; the other constables were also visibly moved.

"Great Hero Gu," the leading constable said, "We don't know much about what happened here, and even what we do know, we're not at liberty to disclose without permission from our superiors. However, if you wish to learn the details, I can go inform them for you. Commander Chen Yunqiao, the East City Commander of Qingzhou's Six Doors, is currently inside. Oh, and by the way, another superior inside is your close friend, Battalion Commander Zhuo Qingfeng from Yunzhou's Six Doors."

Gu Mo was slightly taken aback, not expecting Zhuo Qingfeng to be here. He said, "Then I'll trouble you to inform them."

"You're too kind, Great Hero Gu." Immediately, the constable hurried into the manor.

Shortly after, a group of Six Doors constables emerged. Leading them was a dark-skinned, stern-faced middle-aged man, and beside him was Zhuo Qingfeng. However, although they walked together, Zhuo Qingfeng deliberately lagged half a step behind, implying that the man was Chen Yunqiao, the East City Commander of Qingzhou's Six Doors, a rank higher than Zhuo Qingfeng.

From a distance, Zhuo Qingfeng called out, "Brother Gu, I had a feeling you might come here, but I didn't expect such a coincidence!"

Gu Mo cupped his hands and said, "I also didn't expect such a coincidence. Brother Zhuo, why are you here? Weren't you transferred to Yunzhou headquarters, not Qingzhou?"

Zhuo Qingfeng waved his hand and replied, "No, I just came to handle a case." Immediately, Zhuo Qingfeng introduced Gu Mo to Commander Chen Yunqiao.

"Greetings, Commander Chen."

"Great Hero Gu, I've long admired you!"

After exchanging greetings and a few pleasantries, Chen Yunqiao cupped his hands and left, taking his men back into the manor. Zhuo Qingfeng explained, "Commander Chen is here to investigate the massacre at Listening Pines Manor and is very busy right now. He only just heard that the Great Hero of Yunzhou was here and specifically put down his work to meet you in person; there's no other meaning. Haha, Brother Gu, your reputation is growing ever louder! Even someone like Commander Chen admires you greatly. Not just him, before I came to Qingzhou, my master mentioned several times wanting to find an opportunity to meet you, the Great Hero of Yunzhou!"

"It's truly an honor," Gu Mo chuckled lightly and asked, "What happened here?"

Zhuo Qingfeng replied, "It was done by a single individual, a master of the blade. The attacker was swift and decisive. None of the seventy-plus people in the manor could withstand even a single move. Even a martial arts master like Pei Jiyu didn't last past the second strike. Based on the traces at the scene, the assailant was targeting Qi Miaoxuan. The Pei family was killed while covering Qi Miaoxuan's escape. Currently, it's unknown whether Qi Miaoxuan was taken away or managed to escape."

Gu Mo asked, "Can the assailant be traced through their martial arts techniques?"

Zhuo Qingfeng was silent for a moment, then said, "Based on the current traces, it's the Twelve Blades of Heavenly Inquiry... the signature technique of Blade Emperor Ye Jinglan!"