Chapter 160: Goodbye, Iron Head

Soulfall Cliff today proved to be anything but straightforward. It far exceeded everyone's expectations. What was anticipated to be a duel between the Blade Emperor and the Dragon King turned into a battle involving five Grandmasters. The thirty-year reign of the top-ranked Grandmaster on the Heavenly Scroll had ended, and a new number one had emerged.

From this day forward, Ye Jinglan, the Blade Emperor, would no longer be merely a Grandmaster of Qingzhou. His fame would spread throughout the entire Qian Kingdom, placing him among the top tier of Grandmasters, one of the ten strongest in their ranks.

At this moment, Jiangxin Island was abuzz with activity.

Many Xuan Nü Palace disciples were overcome with grief, some even collapsing to their knees and weeping bitterly.

Lin Qixia, along with a few Xuan Nü Palace disciples, climbed up Soulfall Cliff. Many from the Heavenly Blade Sect and the Nine Rivers Alliance also rushed to the scene.

Although Ye Jinglan and Chu Tianqing were victorious, both had sustained serious injuries. Yan Xianmei's desperate final sword strike had slashed Chu Tianqing's chest, narrowly missing his heart. Ye Jinglan's decisive duel against Grandmaster Dingchan was a victory, but a Pyrrhic one; his internal injuries were severe. Had it not been for the protection of Heavenly Blade Sect experts, any ordinary martial artist could have killed Ye Jinglan at that moment.

Upon seeing Lin Qixia and her group arrive, both the Heavenly Blade Sect and Nine Rivers Alliance members immediately became wary, and the atmosphere grew incredibly tense.

Lin Qixia, her eyes red-rimmed, looked at Ye Jinglan and calmly asked, "Sect Master Ye, may I take away the bodies of my Grandmaster and Palace Mistress?"

Ye Jinglan, who had been sitting on a rock recuperating, slowly opened his eyes. His gaze held a complex emotion as he softly said, "Fairy Lin... please do as you wish."

"Thank you."

Lin Qixia bowed slightly, then stepped forward to carry Yan Xianmei's body. Xie Liuying, who was with her, carried Su Yunxiao's body. They quickly departed without a moment's hesitation.

Ye Jinglan sighed faintly as he watched Lin Qixia leave without looking back. His lips moved, but the words he wanted to say remained unspoken.

Chu Tianqing, standing nearby, chuckled lightly and remarked with some emotion, "Brother, you have your indecisive moments too!"

Ye Jinglan sighed, "What can I say?"

"You said I couldn't resist a beauty trap, but aren't you the same?" Chu Tianqing retorted. "Brother, you'll spend your whole life loving someone you can't have, always wondering if things would have been different if you had trusted her more back then. Hahahaha... cough cough cough..."

Chu Tianqing laughed a few more times, his face instantly turning red as he coughed, a mouthful of blood catching in his throat.

Seeing Chu Tianqing's schadenfreude, Ye Jinglan sneered. "You mock me? At least with me, it's straightforward. I wronged her back then, and now, whether it's unrequited love or resentment, everything is crystal clear.

But what about you? How will you face Zhuo Fanghua? It was a deception from beginning to end, junior brother. Her care for you, her affection, it was all fake, all an act—seven years of sleeping in the same bed but dreaming different dreams. Yet, she is still the wife you married, a fact, and she bore your child. You mock me? Hahahaha... you mock me..."

Chu Tianqing's expression grew dim.

At this moment, in the gorge, on the Nine Rivers Alliance's large ship...

Qi Miaoxuan was reviving Nangong Yuexi, who had fallen into a state of suspended animation, and Zhuo Fanghua, who had also been in suspended animation inside the cabin.

These two women, considered the most beautiful in Qingzhou across two generations—one the wife of Chu Tianqing, the Dragon King of Nine Rivers, and the other the wife of Ye Jinglan, the Blade Emperor—were the most talked-about figures in the martial arts world.

Yet, at this moment, they looked at each other in silence.

Qi Miaoxuan slowly put away his silver needles into his medicine pouch and said, "Both of you, though you were in a state of suspended animation, you must have been aware of what happened outside.

Leave now. Lingering here will only make things difficult for Ye Jinglan and Chu Tianqing. They haven't made a move until now precisely because they don't want to face you."

"Thank you for your guidance, Senior."

Both women bowed respectfully to Qi Miaoxuan.

Qi Miaoxuan waved his hand, stepped out of the cabin, and leaped towards Soulfall Cliff, slowly climbing up the steep path beneath it. Along the way, he encountered Lin Qixia and others descending with bodies.

Seeing Yan Xianmei's body on Lin Qixia's back, Qi Miaoxuan let out a long sigh.

He felt conflicted. He hated Yan Xianmei; she had forced him to do many things against his will, and ultimately, she had massacred his friend's entire family. He despised her immensely and desperately wanted her dead.

Yet, earlier, he knew Grandmaster Dingchan had come to save Yan Xianmei, and he knew that if Dingchan attempted to save her while his mind was clouded, he would surely fail. Despite this, he had helped Grandmaster Dingchan resolve his inner turmoil.

He claimed it was for Grandmaster Dingchan, to prevent him from dying.

But he knew himself,

that in that moment, he had actually hoped Grandmaster Dingchan could save Yan Xianmei.

"Fifth Sister!"

Qi Miaoxuan called out softly and said to Lin Qixia, "Arrange a boat to take Nangong Yuexi and Zhuo Fanghua. Whether they retire from the martial arts world or return to their respective homes later, today, let them depart with dignity!"

"I understand, Grand-Martial Uncle," Lin Qixia replied.

Afterward, Qi Miaoxuan went up the mountain to retrieve Grandmaster Dingchan's body.

Meanwhile, Lin Qixia continued her descent with the bodies. By the time she reached the bottom of the cliff, a Xuan Nü Palace boat was already waiting there.

Lin Qixia then ordered the boat to approach the Nine Rivers Alliance's ship.

Zhuo Fanghua and Nangong Yuexi came aboard.

As Nangong Yuexi approached, Lin Qixia felt conflicted. She had previously detested Nangong Yuexi, believing her to be a wicked woman who had stolen everything from her. But only today did she realize that Nangong Yuexi hadn't stolen anything; instead, she had borne all the pressure and the weighty responsibility for the Xuan Nü Palace's rise and fall on Lin Qixia's behalf.

"Senior Sister."

Nangong Yuexi, as always, bowed respectfully upon seeing Lin Qixia. However, this time, Nangong Yuexi's spirits were very low, and her face was pale and drained.

"I'm sorry, Senior Sister. I've caused you so much hardship these past two years, and in the end, I still couldn't do things right," Nangong Yuexi's voice choked.

Lin Qixia sighed deeply and said, "Junior Sister, you're too perfect. I've always been so jealous of you."

Nangong Yuexi shook her head slightly and replied, "But, Senior Sister, I've always been jealous of you too!"

Jiangxin Island was bustling with noise.

Martial artists from all walks of life began to depart, eagerly discussing the day's many twists and turns. It was foreseeable that the events at Soulfall Cliff today would spread far and wide and be repeatedly mentioned in the martial arts world for a very long time.

Gu Mo also retreated with the crowds, returning to Qingzhou City with Zhuo Qingfeng and Chen Yunqiao.

The next morning,

As Gu Mo finished getting up and washing, Gu Chudong ran to his room and called out, "Brother, Senior Qi Miaoxuan and Fairy Lin are here! They're waiting downstairs to see you."

Gu Mo opened the door and went downstairs with Gu Chudong.

At this moment, the inn was quiet, with only a scattered few guests. Outside the inn, a large group of Xuan Nü Palace disciples stood in neat formation. Dressed in plain white mourning robes with hemp ropes tied around their waists swaying slightly in the wind, their faces were etched with sorrow.

Three horse-drawn carriages carried three black coffins, draped with dark silk adorned with white chrysanthemums. Soul-summoning banners flew high, their long strips fluttering wildly in the wind, rustling softly.

Qi Miaoxuan and Lin Qixia both stood outside the inn wearing white mourning clothes. Beside Qi Miaoxuan was his disciple, Wu An.

"Senior Qi, Fairy Lin," Gu Mo greeted with a cupped-hand salute.

Both quickly returned the courtesy. Lin Qixia stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Hero Gu, I am sending my Grandmaster's and Palace Mistress's bodies back to Xuan Nü Palace today, and I came specifically to bid you farewell."

Gu Mo saluted, "May your journey be smooth."

Lin Qixia bowed deeply and said, "Hero Gu, Qixia will never forget your life-saving grace. Should you ever need Qixia's assistance in the future, please send someone to Xuan Nü Palace to inform us. No matter the distance, Qixia will come without delay."

Gu Mo saluted, "Fairy Lin, you are too kind."

At this moment, Qi Miaoxuan took a wooden box from his robe and offered it to Gu Mo, saying, "Hero Gu, I am here today for three reasons. The first is to deliver this ancient Buddhist relic to you on behalf of my third brother."

Gu Mo sensed the relic in Qi Miaoxuan's hand and asked, "Did Grandmaster Dingchan leave any instructions?"

Qi Miaoxuan replied, "No, he only said it could suppress the fiendish nature of the Demon Blade. There's nothing else to instruct. I'm also familiar with the Gouchen Demon Blade. Now that Nangong Qun has merged the Ice Soul with the demonic fire of the blade, reaching a state of yin and yang harmony, and with this ancient Buddhist relic to suppress its evil, there shouldn't be any problems.

This ancient Buddhist relic is a treasure. There are only a few in the entire world, unique to the Great Bright Temple, the ancestral temple of Buddhism. Fewer than ten are believed to exist in circulation. Wearing it can calm the mind, prevent inner demons during cultivation, and even increase cultivation speed. It's a good item."

Gu Mo took the relic and saluted, "Thank you."

Qi Miaoxuan waved his hand and said, "Why thank me? It's not from me. Well, the second matter is about treating your eyes. Wu An has already told me about your condition. I can treat it, but it will require a long period of treatment. And now, I must return home to attend to my third brother and fifth sister's funerals. So, I came specifically to inform you that you might need to wait for me here for some time."

Gu Mo saluted, "Of course, there's no problem. I will wait here for Senior Qi. However, where should I send the consultation fee Senior Qi requires? Ten thousand one-tael silver ingots would be quite troublesome to transport, so I'd like to prepare in advance."

Qi Miaoxuan smiled slightly and said, "Hero Gu, don't take it too seriously. The three rules widely rumored in the martial arts world about my medical practice were actually just obstacles I intentionally put forth to politely refuse people I didn't wish to treat.

I do require a consultation fee—ten thousand taels of silver and rare heavenly treasures are real—but there's truly no need to convert it all into one-tael silver ingots. As for the third rule, about acknowledging a friend, that's even more straightforward: it was set purely for the purpose of refusal. Hero Gu, please don't take it to heart."

Gu Chudong quickly asked, "So, should we give you the items now? We have the silver notes and heavenly treasures ready!"

Qi Miaoxuan shook his head slightly and said, "Give them to me after I return from the funeral!" With that, Qi Miaoxuan patted the shoulder of his timid disciple, Wu An, who was standing beside him, and rebuked, "Kneel!"

Wu An stumbled from Qi Miaoxuan's shove, quickly took two steps forward, and then knelt with a *thud* before Gu Mo.

Gu Mo asked, confused, "Senior Qi, what is this about?"

Qi Miaoxuan sighed and said, "When the Listening Pine Villa was massacred, this boy was clever. He hid in a latrine pit and narrowly escaped with his life. But afterward, he was still caught by my fifth sister.

This boy was afraid of death, so he agreed to cooperate with my fifth sister in framing Ye Jinglan for the massacre of Listening Pine Villa. Publicly, my fifth sister pretended to cover for Ye Jinglan, but secretly, she instructed this boy to send you messages implicating Ye Jinglan."

Having said that, Qi Miaoxuan kicked Wu An and rebuked, "Why aren't you apologizing to Hero Gu?"

Wu An quickly said, "I'm sorry, Hero Gu. It was my fear of death that led me to use you!"

Gu Mo smiled faintly and gently raised his hand, a surge of inner force lifting Wu An to his feet. He said, "It's merely human nature, and Physician Wu was coerced and didn't harm me. Let's put this matter to rest."

Wu An quickly said, "Thank you, Hero Gu, for letting bygones be bygones!"

Gu Mo waved his hand.

Qi Miaoxuan cupped his hands and said, "Hero Gu, the weather is hot, and bodies are difficult to preserve, so we won't delay any longer. Farewell!"

Gu Mo saluted, "May your journey be smooth."

The group turned to leave. After only a few steps, Qi Miaoxuan suddenly turned back, walked over, and said, "Oh, Hero Gu, there's one more thing I should remind you of. The person behind the White Shadow you killed in Mangshan is not my fifth sister. There's someone else, but I don't know who it is. That person definitely has designs on the Gouchen Blade, so please be vigilant."

Gu Mo was slightly surprised. Based on Grandmaster Dingchan's previous words and the revelations at Soulfall Cliff yesterday, Gu Mo had already concluded that the White Shadow was acting on Yan Xianmei's orders.

Noticing Gu Mo's confusion, Lin Qixia quickly explained, "Hero Gu, my presence at Zhengqi Mountain Villa was purely coincidental. I was ordered to investigate the massacres of the Golden Blade Sect, Longbrow Sword Sect, and the Chen family, which led me all the way to Zhengqi Mountain Villa. Before that, I knew nothing about the Gouchen Demon Blade."

Gu Mo nodded and said, "Alright, I'll keep that in mind."

Immediately after, Qi Miaoxuan, Lin Qixia, and the Xuan Nü Palace disciples departed and set off on their journey.

Evening.

Gu Mo was instructing Gu Chudong in sword practice in the inn's backyard.

Gu Mo had already planned Gu Chudong's cultivation path. Her primary internal cultivation technique was naturally the *Bright Jade Art*, while her external martial arts forms included the *Nine Solitary Swords* and a refined version of the *Profound Void Blade Art*.

"Brother, this ancient Buddhist relic is truly marvelous!" Gu Chudong exclaimed in delight. "I don't know how it works, but whenever I wear it, it's so easy to focus and calm my mind, entering a state of complete absorption when I practice."

Martial artists in the pugilistic world highly valued comprehension. Comprehension, therefore, refers to a person's ability to grasp things, and its most direct manifestation in cultivation is the ease with which one can enter a focused state, preserve their true self, and enhance understanding within that state.

While rare, it was not uncommon to hear of heavenly treasures that could alter one's fundamental aptitude. However, heavenly treasures that could enhance comprehension were truly few and far between.

Gu Mo felt a touch of emotion, realizing he had underestimated the value of this ancient Buddhist relic.

He had always known that ancient Buddhist relics were precious, an unshared secret of the Great Bright Temple, the ancestral temple of Buddhism located in the Chu Kingdom. Grandmaster Dingchan's Bright Temple, as its name suggested, was clearly in the same lineage as the Great Bright Temple, and this ancient Buddhist relic must have been Bright Temple's most treasured possession.

Gu Chudong asked, "Brother, you said Grandmaster Dingchan insisted on giving you the ancient Buddhist relic. Besides worrying about the Gouchen Demon Blade's evil nature, do you think he also wanted to establish a connection with you and hoped you could protect Bright Temple?"

"He probably had that in mind," Gu Mo said. "Although Bright Temple openly had a top-tier Grandmaster, it had always been a peaceful Buddhist temple uninvolved in worldly affairs. Now that Grandmaster Dingchan has passed away, it's inevitable that some people will learn about the ancient Buddhist relic and develop ill intentions."

Gu Chudong nodded and said, "So, by giving you the relic, he could suppress the Demon Blade's evil nature and also let the martial arts world know that Bright Temple has a connection with you. But why didn't he give it to other Grandmasters in Qingzhou?"

"Perhaps... it's about reputation!"

Gu Mo had pondered for a long time, and he could only come up with two explanations. One was that Grandmaster Dingchan also believed the rumors in the martial arts world about his uprightness and hatred of evil. The second was that Grandmaster Dingchan also believed he had a chance to become the strongest in the world in the future.

"Before leaving Qingzhou, let's make a trip to Bright Temple and burn some incense!"

Although it wasn't a transaction with Grandmaster Dingchan, Gu Mo was still grateful. Making a trip to Bright Temple to lend it some support was certainly something he could do.

*Knock, knock, knock*

At the back courtyard entrance, the inn attendant gently knocked on a pillar and called out, "Hero Gu, Heroine Gu, there's someone outside who claims to be a friend of yours. His surname is Tie, and his name is Tietou. He wishes to see both of you."

Gu Chudong paused slightly, then said, "Tietou? Brother, isn't that the big, simple-minded guy from Zhengqi Mountain Villa?"

Gu Mo naturally remembered Tietou. He had a strong impression of him, not just because the man had feigned foolishness to trick them all, but mainly because Tietou had claimed to be only twelve years old.

"Didn't he run away before? Why is he coming back voluntarily now?" Gu Chudong asked, puzzled.

"We'll find out when we see him."

Immediately, Gu Mo and Gu Chudong went to the inn's main hall.

As soon as they entered the hall, Gu Chudong spotted Tietou. He was highly recognizable, as large as a small mountain.

Suddenly, Gu Chudong noticed that Tietou's right palm was missing and asked in surprise, "What happened to your hand?"