Chapter 153: 抢亲

Gu Mo understood Zhuo Qingfeng's meaning.

The Six Doors agency wasn't concerned about the true culprit behind the annihilation of Ting Song Villa. Their sole focus was that the current three-way standoff in Qingzhou needed to be broken, and Qingzhou required a stable martial arts environment. Among the choices made by the Qingzhou Six Doors, the current martial arts leader, Xuan Nv Palace, had been eliminated. The new martial arts leader would be decided between the Nine Rivers Alliance and the Heaven Blade Sect. Therefore, whether or not Ye Jinglan was the murderer was irrelevant; what mattered was whether Ye Jinglan could emerge victorious in the decisive battle at Duanhun Cliff.

"Honestly, I don't entirely agree with the Qingzhou Six Doors' approach," Zhuo Qingfeng said while pouring tea. "However, from the perspective of the Six Doors' high command, it's a necessary step. Xuan Nv Palace is now in decline; what was once a three-way standoff is essentially Xuan Nv Palace watching from the sidelines, waiting for the other two to determine a victor before relinquishing their title. But the Nine Rivers Alliance and the Heaven Blade Sect have been evenly matched for a long time, and with Xuan Nv Palace occasionally interfering, the Qingzhou martial arts world has been in turmoil for too long. Crucially, other martial arts factions are also hoping for mutual destruction to claim a share. If a victor isn't decided soon, Qingzhou will only descend further into chaos."

Gu Mo nodded slightly. "I understand that logic. Of course, even if I didn't, it wouldn't matter. As you just said, the Six Doors doesn't care who the true culprit behind the Ting Song Villa massacre is. In truth, neither do I. In fact, I don't care how turbulent the Qingzhou martial arts world becomes or how various factions vie for power. I only care about one thing: Qi Miaoxuan is dead, and I need to find someone else who can treat my eyes."

Zhuo Qingfeng smiled. "Leave this to me. I'm actively coordinating with the Qingzhou Six Doors. Once everything is settled, I'll return to Yunzhou and ask my master to help you, enlisting a divine physician from the Imperial Academy of Medicine for your treatment."

Gu Mo offered a faint smile. "That's exactly what I wanted to hear."

Zhuo Qingfeng chuckled, pouring another cup of tea for Gu Mo. "I heard that this morning you visited Grandmaster Yuxu, Yan Xianmei, and ended up being surrounded by a large group of Xuan Nv Palace maidens. They say several of the Ten Immortals even openly confessed their feelings for you. Quite the fortune with women, wouldn't you say?"

Gu Mo chuckled softly. "Where did you hear such a rumor?"

"No way, you really didn't fancy anyone?" Zhuo Qingfeng asked in surprise. "Do you insist on a beauty like Nangong Yuexi, the foremost beauty?"

Gu Mo pursed his lips. "I'm blind; I can't see how beautiful they are. Is there any point in discussing this with me?"

Zhuo Qingfeng paused slightly. "Ah, I forgot about that. It's hard to remember you're blind. Anyway, let's not dwell on that. What about your blade? What are your plans for it?"

"No particular plans," Gu Mo replied. "Once Nangong Qun finishes his seclusion and successfully merges the Ice Soul with the Demonic Blade, allowing it to be well-controlled, I'll simply take it and leave. What, are there new rumors in the martial arts world these past few days? Is someone trying to snatch the blade from me again?"

"Not at all," Zhuo Qingfeng said. "After your big fight in the South City that day, Nangong Yuexi intervened to calm things down and immediately arranged for Divine Weapon Villa, Xuan Nv Palace, and Heaven Blade Sect to spread refutations. Now everyone in the martial arts world knows that blade is your personal property. Who would be crazy enough to try and snatch something from you?"

Gu Mo smiled. "That blade is extraordinary, so I've decided to find some time to practice a new blade technique."

Zhuo Qingfeng gave a thumbs-up. "You're incredible, I'm truly impressed. In the martial arts world, people usually adapt to their weapons. This is the first time I've heard of someone specially training a martial art for a weapon."

"Practicing won't hurt," Gu Mo said. "If there's an opportunity, I'll use it. If not, I'll keep it for inheritance. Besides, I used to wield a blade anyway."

"Oh, right," Zhuo Qingfeng recalled. "I remember you used a blade when you were an escort in an escort agency."

Gu Mo chuckled softly. Although his family's inherited martial art, the Profound Void Blade Technique, was only a second or third-rate skill, when wielded by him, even an unremarkable blade technique became formidable beyond ordinary comprehension. Moreover, in his leisure, he had modified and integrated the Profound Void Blade Technique. The original seventy-two forms had been streamlined into eighteen, and though fewer in number, they were many times more refined, long surpassing the top-tier blade techniques of the martial arts world.

Zhuo Qingfeng said, "However, you are a grandmaster of internal cultivation; your internal energy is already profound. While that blade is good, does it warrant such importance from you? You must have few occasions to actually use it, right?"

Gu Mo nodded slightly. "I may not use it much, but my younger sister is young and her martial arts are ordinary. The martial world is dangerous, and I truly can't rest easy. The Gouchen Blade can be used for her self-defense."

Zhuo Qingfeng's mouth twitched fiercely, and he said helplessly, "Miss Chutong's martial arts are 'ordinary'? Who doesn't know she single-handedly defeated and killed three masters at Fengming Ferry? Furthermore, she carries the formidable Thousand Mechanism Box, wields the famous Autumn Water Sword in her left hand and the Spirit Rhinoceros Sword in her right. And you're still not at ease? It's the Six Doors agency that's not at ease! How much trouble could such a young girl cause if she went wandering the martial world alone? And here you are, saying the martial world is dangerous and you're uneasy. She's almost the biggest danger in the martial world already... No, once the Gouchen Blade is successfully merged, she *will* be the biggest danger in the martial world. My great hero Gu, you *must* properly instruct Miss Gu; please don't teach her to be a fearless and arrogant person, otherwise, the martial world will face great chaos!"

Gu Mo laughed heartily. "You'll have to work hard! If my sister causes any major trouble in the future, the authorities will surely expect to just mention your name, Master Zhuo, to settle everything!"

"Please spare me!"

Divine Weapon Villa grew increasingly lively. Especially on the day of Nangong Yuexi's wedding, it was packed with people, and gongs and drums resounded throughout. Guests from all directions filled the gates, including many prominent figures from the martial arts world. However, Nangong Qun, the master of Divine Weapon Villa and Nangong Yuexi's father, was so engrossed in forging weapons that he never appeared. Xuan Nv Palace was entirely responsible for Nangong Yuexi's wedding banquet. Fortunately, the Nangong clan still had many elders, so even without Nangong Qun's presence, they didn't offend the guests. Moreover, most guests had come specifically for Xuan Nv Palace anyway.

Gu Chutong, on behalf of Gu Mo, presented a wedding gift of two hundred taels of silver. She had never given such a large gift before, but after thinking it over all night, she decided that giving a mere three or two hundred copper coins, as in the past, would be inappropriate and tarnish her brother's reputation as a grandmaster. So, she gritted her teeth and, with considerable reluctance, generously presented the two hundred taels. However, two hundred taels was unremarkable at the Nangong family's wedding banquet. Nevertheless, the siblings were seated at the head table.

When the wedding procession arrived, Gu Chutong also joined the crowd to see Nangong Yuexi off for a considerable distance. However, before she could return to Divine Weapon Villa, she heard a shocking piece of news on her way back.

Nangong Yuexi had been abducted. Despite the double protection of Nangong Yuexi's send-off party and the Heaven Blade Sect's welcoming procession, she was abducted just outside the gates of Qingzhou City. This news spread like wildfire, causing an uproar among all walks of life in Qingzhou City. Everyone was shocked that someone dared to snatch the bride of Blade Emperor Ye Jinglan, especially given that this was a powerful alliance and major marriage between Xuan Nv Palace and the Heaven Blade Sect.

However, when they learned who the abductor was, everyone found it understandable, as it was Chu Tianqing, the Nine Rivers Dragon King. Chu Tianqing, alone with his spear, broke into both the welcoming and send-off processions and forcibly took Nangong Yuexi in front of everyone. Before leaving, he sent a message to Ye Jinglan: On the fifteenth of May, at Duanhun Cliff, if Ye Jinglan couldn't retrieve the Sacred Creation Elixir to save Zhuo Fanghua, Chu Tianqing would first kill Nangong Yuexi before engaging Ye Jinglan in a decisive battle.

Divine Weapon Villa descended into chaos upon receiving the news. Its high-ranking officials and elders were in a panic but felt utterly helpless. Even the Xuan Nv Palace elders who had not yet departed, such as Yan Xianmei and Su Yunjiao, were filled with despair. They were certain that Chu Tianqing wouldn't take Nangong Yuexi far; he would definitely remain near Qingzhou City. As it was already May twelfth, only two days remained until the decisive battle on May fifteenth, making it naturally impossible for Chu Tianqing to travel a great distance. However, Divine Weapon Villa and Xuan Nv Palace dared not conduct a large-scale search, as no one knew Chu Tianqing's current state of mind or if he might be provoked into killing Nangong Yuexi. The most crucial point was that Chu Tianqing was no ordinary person; he was the incredibly powerful Nine Rivers Dragon King, ranked second on Qingzhou's Heavenly Rankings, with countless masters under his command. Even if they located him, no one was confident they could rescue Nangong Yuexi from his grasp. Therefore, they could only notify Ye Jinglan. Simultaneously, Xuan Nv Palace and Divine Weapon Villa activated their networks to extensively search for the Sacred Creation Elixir. A pall of gloom hung over Divine Weapon Villa.

Gu Mo felt uncomfortable staying there, especially since he had been invited by Nangong Yuexi, and now that something had happened to her, his continued presence felt even more awkward. So, he simply took Gu Chutong and left the next day, planning to find an inn in the city. However, just as he was leaving Divine Weapon Villa, he encountered Zhuo Qingfeng.

"Brother Gu, I was just about to look for you."

Gu Mo clasped his hands. "What can I do for you, Brother Zhuo?"

Zhuo Qingfeng leaned in. "Brother Gu, someone wants to see you, but they can't appear openly, so they asked me to invite you. Can you guess who it is?"

Gu Mo chuckled lightly. "Brother Zhuo, stop beating around the bush and just tell me!"

Zhuo Qingfeng slowly revealed, "The top master on Qingzhou's Heavenly Rankings, the tenth in the Qian Kingdom, and the abbot of Guangming Temple, Master Dingchan."

"I don't know him," Gu Mo stated.

"Yes," Zhuo Qingfeng affirmed. "You certainly wouldn't have known each other before. But upon hearing that you, the great hero of Yunzhou, are as righteous as the heavens and despise evil, Master Dingchan has long admired you from afar..."

Gu Mo pursed his lips. "Brother Zhuo, you weren't this lively before. How did visiting the Yunzhou Six Doors headquarters change you so much? Could it be that you finally met the 'white moonlight' you've been obsessed with for twenty years?"

Zhuo Qingfeng quickly interjected, "Master Dingchan wants to meet you and tell you a story."

"What story?"

"A story about the Gouchen Demonic Blade!"