Chapter 167: Five Great Masters Besiege

In an instant, the Divine Weapon Pavilion, which had already collapsed into ruins, seemed to be infused with a strange power, immediately becoming tumultuous and agitated.

A series of dense and horrifying clangs of metal on metal could be heard, as if a thousand armies were clashing right beside them.

Immediately following this, a thunderous boom echoed.

From the weapon-forging furnace in the Divine Weapon Pavilion's inner chamber, a beam of light, engulfed in raging flames, shot skyward. It was the Gouchen Demonic Blade.

The Gouchen Demonic Blade, at this moment, was entirely engulfed in roaring flames, its temperature even fiercer than before, yet it was devoid of any of its former sinister aura.

The blade, like a meteor trailing a long fiery tail, tore through the night sky and plunged directly into Lu Canyang's palm.

He gently clasped the hilt with his fingers; it felt scorching hot, yet it seemed to meld with his aura.

Lu Canyang lightly shook his arm and casually swung the blade; the surging flames on the blade instantly vanished without a trace. The one hundred and twenty-eight scales on the blade each now shone brilliantly, almost transparent, with mysterious and profound patterns etched upon them.

At this moment, Lu Canyang's entire demeanor transformed. Previously, he had been exceedingly violent, but now he became cold and sinister. The scales covering his body made him appear monstrous, like a demon, and the coldness in his eyes seemed to scorn all living beings.

At this moment, he truly seemed to embody the lonely eminence of being the world's foremost expert.

On the plaza, Xie Mingzhong and Liu Ruohong were instructing numerous Six-Doors constables to help the injured leave and quickly disperse in all directions.

They had understood that, now that the Fish-Dragon Formation had been broken, there was little point in the ordinary Six-Doors constables remaining, as it would only lead to more casualties. Only three or four top-tier Six-Doors masters remained, standing at the periphery.

As the crowd retreated, Zhuo Qingfeng searched for Gu Chudong, fearing she would act emotionally and insist on confronting the powerful enemy alongside Gu Mo.

However, he looked around but couldn't find Gu Chudong, growing anxious. He pulled a Six-Doors constable aside and asked, "Have you seen Gu Chudong?"

The constable pointed towards the entrance of Divine Weapon Villa and said, "Officer Zhuo, Miss Gu already ran off a long time ago. She had already gone far before we even deployed the Fish-Dragon Formation."

Zhuo Qingfeng looked over and saw Gu Chudong clutching the Thousand Mechanisms Box, hiding behind a stone lion at the main entrance, looking shifty and ready to bolt at any moment.

"Uh..." Zhuo Qingfeng's mouth twitched violently. He seemed to understand why Gu Chudong could always follow Gu Mo in his travels without ever being a hindrance. With such awareness, she would never accidentally cause trouble.

At this moment, Gu Chudong, hiding behind the stone lion, was intently watching the Divine Weapon Pavilion. Indeed, just as Zhuo Qingfeng had observed, she was ready to flee at any moment.

Although the Thousand Mechanisms Box was powerful, with the strength Lu Canyang was now displaying, Gu Chudong didn't have much confidence in it. Moreover, the Thousand Mechanisms Box was a hidden weapon, designed for sneak attacks. Against a master like Lu Canyang, there would be no opportunity unless the timing was absolutely perfect.

Therefore, she ran away after Gu Mo and the others began fighting Lu Canyang. She clearly knew that with her martial arts, she couldn't participate in such a grand battle, and if she stayed, she might distract Gu Mo.

As for whether Gu Mo could win, she hadn't considered it. After all, if he won, it didn't matter how far away she hid. If he lost, her hiding far away and running fast wouldn't affect Gu Mo at all. If he were killed, it would be even better for her to be far away, giving her a chance to escape and then cultivate enough to seek revenge later. If she stayed put, wouldn't she just be waiting to be eradicated?

This was the experience Gu Chudong had accumulated while traveling the martial world with Gu Mo: help when you can, and if you can't, at least don't hinder.

Meanwhile, on the devastated plaza, Xie Mingzhong picked up his heavy mace and slowly got up from the ground, gently wiping away blood. He was in a very sorry state. His official robes had been torn to shreds, so he simply took them off, revealing his powerful physique. Though already in his sixties, he was incredibly robust, like an iron tower.

On the other side, Liu Ruohong once again pulled out several strands of Celestial Silk from his sleeve, each wrapped around a bone-piercing nail, reflecting the light in the flickering flames.

Gu Mo reached out and drew the Lingxi Sword, which had been stuck in a rock, to his hand, grasping it firmly.

At the same time, by a ruin of the collapsed Divine Weapon Pavilion, Ye Jinglan and Chu Tianqing slowly rose to their feet.

Qi Miaoxuan quickly took two pills from his medicine pouch and handed them to Chu Tianqing and Ye Jinglan, saying, "These pills can help you recover to peak condition for about half an incense stick's time. Be careful, though, they will overdraw your potential."

After saying this, Qi Miaoxuan took off running.

"Little Nine," Lu Canyang suddenly called out.

Qi Miaoxuan shuddered in fright and quickly hid behind Gu Mo, saying nervously, "Big Brother... my martial arts aren't nearly enough to fight you. You can fight them first. If you can defeat them all, then killing me will be easy, won't it? It won't affect anything."

Lu Canyang shook his head and said, "I won't kill you. If I wanted to kill you, you wouldn't be alive right now."

Qi Miaoxuan sighed in relief and asked, "Then... Big Brother, why did you call me?"

Lu Canyang said calmly, "Just a reminder, don't go too far. After I kill these five Grandmasters, you'll have to come with me and do something for me."

"What is it?" Qi Miaoxuan asked.

Lu Canyang said, "Help me restore my appearance. I trust your medical skills deeply; you'll surely find a way to heal my burn scars. This is your chance to live. If you dare to run, I'll chase you to the ends of the earth. At worst, I'll just go to the Moon Worshipping Cult and find Wei Wuwei; he can also treat my scars. Understand?"

Qi Miaoxuan quickly replied, "Understood, understood..."

As he spoke, Qi Miaoxuan ran off quickly, as if being chased by a ghost. He soon reached the entrance of Divine Weapon Villa, and seeing Zhuo Qingfeng and Gu Chudong crouching behind the stone lion, he quickly scurried over to join them.

"Senior Qi," Zhuo Qingfeng asked, puzzled, "You were a famous top-tier master in the martial world forty years ago, the youngest of the Nine Righteous of Qingzhou. You can't be this scared, can you?"

Qi Miaoxuan rolled his eyes and said, "I was young then. How old am I now? I'm over seventy! And I didn't specialize in inner cultivation to get stronger with age, did I? I started declining twenty years ago. Besides, I've been devoted to studying medicine; my martial arts have long been neglected."

"That's true," Zhuo Qingfeng said, then asked, "Then, with your many years of experience in the martial world, what are the odds of Brother Gu and the others winning this time?"

Qi Miaoxuan shook his head and said, "The chances are slim. Ye Jinglan and Chu Tianqing only have half an incense stick's time. Xie Mingzhong and Liu Ruohong are already heavily injured. Only Grandmaster Gu's profound inner energy means he's not greatly affected. If Third Brother hadn't died—he was also an inner cultivation Grandmaster—cooperating with Grandmaster Gu, the odds might have been much better."

Gu Chudong frowned and said, "Speaking of which, I still find it a bit strange. With Lu Canyang's strength, in a one-on-one fight, he could easily crush Zen Master Dingchan and Patriarch Yuxu, right? Why go to the trouble of luring Zen Master Dingchan to a fight at Soul Severing Cliff to kill him with someone else's blade? Wouldn't it be more satisfying for him to take revenge himself?"

Zhuo Qingfeng paused, slightly stunned, suddenly seeming to realize something. He said to Qi Miaoxuan, "Senior Qi, please tell me everything you know about Lu Canyang and the Qilin Sacred Blood!"

Meanwhile, on the ruined plaza near the Divine Weapon Pavilion, Ye Jinglan and Chu Tianqing found weapons in the ruins of the Divine Weapon Pavilion. Although they couldn't compare to their original weapons, any weapon from Divine Weapon Villa that could enter the Divine Weapon Pavilion was extraordinary.

Chu Tianqing weighed the spear in his hand, then nodded slightly.

Ye Jinglan, holding a great saber, popped the pill Qi Miaoxuan had given him into his mouth and cupped his hands towards Gu Mo, Xie Mingzhong, and Liu Ruohong, saying, "Chief Constable Xie, Chief Constable Liu, Grandmaster Gu, my junior brother and I have limited time we can fight right now, so we'll lead the charge!"

Gu Mo and the others nodded slightly.

Ye Jinglan and Chu Tianqing exchanged a glance. Chu Tianqing also swallowed the pill and chuckled, "Senior Brother, do you remember when you created the Heaven's Inquiry Saber Art and I created the Coiling Dragon Spear Art, we both deliberately sought the technique of combining saber and spear? I wonder if your Thirteen Heaven's Inquiry Sabers and my Thirteen Coiling Dragon Spears can still merge now?"

Ye Jinglan chuckled softly and said, "Won't we know if we try?"

As his voice fell, Ye Jinglan drew his saber. At that moment, saber shadows faintly appeared in the dark void. In an instant, a chilling saber intent rushed forward, as if to freeze all warmth in the world. The saber intent was formless, yet it surged and spread through the air like a physical entity. Wherever it reached, the air seemed to be torn, emitting subtle yet piercing sounds.

Simultaneously, Chu Tianqing flicked the long spear in his hand, its tip gleaming with cold light. The spear tassel fluttered fiercely as he unleashed the Thirteen Coiling Dragon Spears, his spear intent sweeping widely. Each thrust of the spear was like a flood dragon emerging from the sea, carrying an overwhelming force. Wherever the spear tip passed, the air was shattered, emitting sharp whistles.

At this very instant, Ye Jinglan's saber intent and Chu Tianqing's spear intent, as if seamlessly blending, began to slowly merge.

The saber intent was fierce and powerful, the spear intent sharp and formidable. As the two merged, an even more powerful, indescribable aura was born. The surrounding air was compressed by this aura, emitting dull explosive sounds, and sand and rocks from the ground were swept into the air, forming a dust curtain that obscured the sky.

The two, carrying this fused, powerful aura, charged towards Lu Canyang.

Seeing this, Lu Canyang remained unhurried, his expression as calm as a deep abyss. He brought down the Gouchen Demonic Blade in his hand. In an instant, numerous tornadoes spontaneously erupted from the ground. Each tornado carried endless sand, rocks, and saber energy, sweeping towards Ye Jinglan and Chu Tianqing like demons from hell.

The moment the tornadoes collided with the combined saber and spear intent, it was as if time itself stood still.

An earth-shattering boom made everyone's eardrums ache. A powerful wave of energy spread outward from the point of impact. Nearby trees were snapped in half, and the ground was ripped open with bottomless fissures.

Within Lu Canyang's tornadoes, saber energy sliced like sharp blades. Yet, Ye Jinglan and Chu Tianqing's merged saber and spear intent acted like an unbreakable barrier, holding firm. For a moment, light flashed and energy waves surged.

"Now!" At that moment, Xie Mingzhong and Liu Ruohong struck swiftly. Neither held back, unleashing killing moves and releasing their martial arts true intents to the extreme.

"Zheng—" Gu Mo also followed closely. The Lingxi Sword emitted a clear hum, piercing the sky. He lightly tapped his toes, moving like lightning, instantly covering several zhang. The long sword in his hand spun out numerous sword blossoms, sparkling like stars.

Five grandmasters of the martial world besieged Lu Canyang, attacking him from five directions.

Ye Jinglan's saber intent enveloped shattered snow, Chu Tianqing's spear tip pierced through freezing rain, Xie Mingzhong's heavy mace cut through the air, Liu Ruohong's Celestial Silk scattered bone-piercing nails across the sky, and Gu Mo's Lingxi Sword carved a waterfall-like trajectory.

To their surprise, Lu Canyang did not dodge. He allowed all five of them to strike him. At that instant, the scales covering Lu Canyang's body glowed with a cold bronze light, and each piece of armor seemed to breathe out dark red mist.

A series of explosions, dense as crackling beans, rang out. Yet Lu Canyang stood firm, his bronze scales shining brightly. When weapons collided with him, they struck dazzling sparks, as brilliant as fireworks.

When the light dispersed, there wasn't even a single scratch visible on Lu Canyang's scales. It was as if what they had struck was not flesh and blood, but an indestructible Vajra statue. Seeing this, all five of them looked utterly horrified.

"It ends here!" Lu Canyang suddenly roared, his voice shaking the surroundings.

With a swing of the Gouchen Demonic Blade in his hand, he effortlessly severed Ye Jinglan's saber and Chu Tianqing's spear. The Gouchen Demonic Blade erupted with a tremendous surge of fiery saber energy, striking Ye Jinglan and Chu Tianqing in the chest.

In an instant, both of them vomited blood and were sent flying backward.

At the same time, Lu Canyang clenched his right fist. He smashed it onto Xie Mingzhong's heavy mace, directly bending the mace, which weighed over a hundred jin. The mace then struck Xie Mingzhong's chest, emitting only the sound of shattering bones. Xie Mingzhong was sent flying like a broken kite, tumbling on the ground.

Gu Mo and Liu Ruohong, who were behind Lu Canyang, quickly retreated upon seeing this.

However, Lu Canyang was even faster. With a slight flick of his hand, the Gouchen Demonic Blade instantly transformed into one hundred and twenty-eight fragments. They resembled a brilliant meteor shower suddenly bursting forth in the summer night sky, carrying unmatched sharpness, and sweeping around behind Gu Mo and Liu Ruohong in an elegant yet deadly arc, directly assailing them.

Seeing the dire situation, Liu Ruohong's expression drastically changed. He immediately flicked his sleeve, unleashing the Celestial Silk, and in the blink of an eye, wove an impenetrable shield in front of him.

But the fragments of the Gouchen Demonic Blade were incredibly sharp. With just a light touch, the Celestial Silk shield was effortlessly cut apart like thin paper.

Liu Ruohong dared not delay, deploying his supreme light footwork. His figure moved like lightning, weaving and dodging amidst the flashing blades. Yet, as fast as he was, how could he contend with the speed of the fragments? In a blink, his body was pierced with countless blood holes, blood splattering. He fell straight to the ground, utterly lifeless.

At the same moment, half of the fragments flew towards Gu Mo. He rapidly swung the Lingxi Sword in his hand, fighting while retreating. For a moment, sword light radiated in all directions, forming an impenetrable defense. Simultaneously, three streams of sword qi from the Six Meridians Divine Swords burst from his right hand, forming a sword array, colliding with the rain-like fragments of the Gouchen Demonic Blade and producing an incessant clanging sound.

However, the Gouchen Demonic Blade fragments were too sharp and terrifyingly powerful. In just a moment, the renowned Lingxi Sword was forcibly cut into countless fragments, scattering across the ground.

When Gu Mo struck down the last fragment of the Gouchen Demonic Blade, less than a foot of his Lingxi Sword remained in his hand.

In the next moment, the fragments of the Gouchen Demonic Blade traced strange arcs in the air. Like tired birds returning to their nest, they flew back and, in the blink of an eye, reassembled into the blade, appearing firmly in Lu Canyang's hand.

At this point, the plaza was utterly silent. Ye Jinglan and Chu Tianqing lay on the ground, struggling briefly but unable to rise. They had hoped to last for half an incense stick's time, yet it had only been one exchange. And Liu Ruohong, one of the two Chief Constables of the Six Doors, was dead, while Xie Mingzhong lay on the ground, his fate unknown.

The Six-Doors constables who had previously retreated now looked nervous and began to gather again.

Lu Canyang pointed his blade at Gu Mo and said, "Gu Mo, I was right; your strength ranks among the top five in the world. It's a pity you're destined for an early death. Give you ten years—no, five—and my position as the world's foremost expert would be lost. It's just... a shame!"

Gu Mo discarded the mangled Lingxi Sword in his hand. He reached out, and in the next instant, Gu Chudong, hiding far away, tacitly threw out the famous Autumn Water Sword, which flew into Gu Mo's hand.

"Villa Master Lu, you are indeed the strongest enemy I have ever encountered. However, to assume you can kill me is still premature," Gu Mo said slowly, gripping the Autumn Water Sword.

Lu Canyang sneered and said, "I haven't even gone all out yet!"

"Neither have I!" Gu Mo said gravely.

"Lu Canyang!" Suddenly, at this moment, Zhuo Qingfeng ran from the entrance of Divine Weapon Villa, yelling, "Look what this is!"

Before his words even finished, Zhuo Qingfeng threw out a luminous bead from his hand. It was precisely the Ancient Buddha Relic left behind by Zen Master Dingchan.

In an instant, the relic exploded in the air with a boom. A blinding light burst forth like the scorching sun, so bright it made people unable to open their eyes.

Following this, swirling dust spread out. Strangely, these dust particles gathered and intertwined like a vast galaxy stretching across heaven and earth, with brilliant stars twinkling within. In a trance, a solemn and majestic Buddhist realm faintly emerged, with pavilions and towers scattered gracefully, and auspicious clouds swirling around.

Simultaneously, waves of Buddhist chants gently drifted forth. The sound was peaceful and ethereal, as if spanning a thousand years, carrying boundless compassion. Upon hearing the chants, everyone nearby felt an inner tranquility. All worldly impurities seemed to be washed away, leaving everything pure, flawless, beautiful, and serene.

But Lu Canyang's expression drastically changed. The bronze scales on his body began to disappear, making rustling sounds as they receded back into his skin. His original burned and terrifying skin reappeared. His blood, which had been surging like a rushing river, now instantly stilled as if under a freezing spell.

Even the Gouchen Demonic Blade, which had always been deeply malevolent and restless, became incredibly quiet at this moment. The rolling flames on its body slowly dissipated, and its malevolent aura completely receded.

Zhuo Qingfeng roared, "Lu Canyang, even if you've been a rat in a ditch for forty years, you still lost to Zen Master Dingchan! You fear Zen Master Dingchan like a mouse fears a cat. You still want to be the world's foremost expert? To hell with your 'world's foremost expert'!"

"Shut up!" Lu Canyang seemed to have his deepest fear exposed by Zhuo Qingfeng, completely losing his composure. He roared, "I've never been afraid of him! What is Gu Huatong?! I've never been afraid of him! He couldn't compare to me! He couldn't compare to me in any way! What do you know? What do you mortals understand? Even without the Qilin's divine power, even without this Gouchen Demonic Blade, I would still be the world's foremost expert!"