Chapter 223: Seven Absolute Tower Chief Manager

Mrs. Liu stared intently at Gu Mo, her eyes filled with resentment. "Gu... Gu Mo," she asked, "My heart meridian is severed; I won't live. Can you tell me... why... why did you suddenly come to kill me? We have no grievances, no past connection..."

Gu Mo replied calmly, "I am an assassin. You are a wanted criminal. Do I need a reason to kill you?"

"There must be... there must be some reason," Mrs. Liu insisted. "You are from Yunzhou. How could you suddenly, inexplicably, want to kill me?"

"I just picked you randomly," Gu Mo said. "I happened to hear that you're a vicious criminal who often wipes out entire families."

"That's it?"

"That's it."

"Ha... haha... I really... I really can't accept this..." Mrs. Liu said. "Others can wipe out my family... but I can't wipe out theirs?" She looked at Mr. Dongjing, who was being helped out, her face instantly contorting into a ferocious snarl. She tried to struggle and fight for her life but couldn't move, only managing a hysterical roar: "Old man... you deserve to die... you deserve to die... you old scoundrel..."

However, her breath was faint, and despite her roar, little sound emerged. The scene was quiet, though, so Mr. Dongjing heard her. He looked puzzled. "From what you're saying, you're different from the other assassins who came earlier. Is this a personal vendetta?"

Mrs. Liu struggled to lift her hand, pointing at Mr. Dongjing. "Old brute... do you... still remember the Mu clan from thirty years ago, and their four hundred innocent souls? Have you ever had nightmares?"

Mr. Dongjing frowned, pondering for a moment. "Are you referring to the Mu clan behind the Mu Merchant Association in Pinghai County?"

Mrs. Liu's voice was filled with emotion. "Old man... it seems... you do have nightmares after all..."

"Nightmares, my foot!" Mr. Dongjing retorted. "Are you a survivor of the Mu clan?"

"Old man... don't you dare be smug. Even as a ghost, I'll haunt you!" Mrs. Liu spat maliciously.

Mr. Dongjing scoffed, "Come on, I am a man of integrity. What kind of ghosts, demons, or monsters would dare approach me?"

"Pah..." Mrs. Liu pointed at Mr. Dongjing, so enraged that a mouthful of blood choked her throat for a moment before she could speak. As if experiencing a final burst of energy before death, her spirit suddenly recovered slightly. Pointing at Mr. Dongjing, she cursed, "Old man... you talk about integrity? You used over four hundred members of my Mu clan to take the fall for your crimes! Thirty years... thirty years... over four hundred lives from my Mu clan died unjustly at your hands, yet you are revered by thousands! Heaven, this is truly unfair! Why doesn't a lightning bolt strike you dead!"

"Unjust?"

Mr. Dongjing's voice deepened. "You, a remnant of the Mu clan, what right do you have to cry injustice for them? How many families did your Mu clan destroy back then? Over ten thousand children! Do you know that the Mu clan kidnapped over ten thousand children? Every single one of you Mu clan members deserved to die! I was one of the people who ordered the extermination of your entire clan. I was the Assistant Prefect in Linhai Commandery back then, and eight of us officials unanimously agreed to wipe out the Mu clan!

"Over all these years, I have indeed had regrets. I regret that the principal offenders of your Mu clan died too easily back then. They should have been subjected to 'lingchi,' cut three thousand six hundred times, not one cut less!"

Mrs. Liu sneered. "Old man, hypocrite... Back then, you were officials; the Mu clan's crimes were just your word..."

"I hate it! If Wang Mingxiu hadn't been chasing me so relentlessly, I would have had the chance to kill you, old brute, long ago. It's a pity that heaven isn't on my side. I finally faked my death to escape Wang Mingxiu, only to be stopped by Gu Mo... Unfair... so unfair, so unfair..."

Mrs. Liu's voice grew fainter and fainter until she finally whispered "unfair" and drew her last breath.

At that very moment,

A system prompt echoed in Gu Mo's mind:

"Killed a four-star wanted criminal."

"Received a four-star reward: Max-level Tai Chi Divine Skill."

"Claim reward?"

In an instant, Gu Mo obtained the max-level Tai Chi Divine Skill.

He intended to use this martial art as the harmonizer in his Primordial Return System.

The principles and realm of this martial art were exceedingly profound, embodying the philosophy of "Yin and Yang balance, acting without acting yet achieving all." It ascended "beyond the highest peak and descended below the deepest abyss," reaching a state of "infinity yet containing the ultimate," truly limitless.

The harmonizer for the Primordial Return System needed to reconcile various internal energies and true qi, which required immense pressure. The Tai Chi Divine Skill was perfect for this; theoretically, as long as the user's cultivation was sufficient, its upper limit could continuously increase, independent of the martial art's inherent strength, but rather dependent on the user's realm!

This realm involved understanding and flowing with Yin and Yang. When every breath harmonized with the rhythm of heaven and earth, techniques ceased to be mere techniques, becoming instead a way for a person to converse with the world.

"Only the Grand Mystery Manual and the Lesser Formless Skill are left!"

Gu Mo was a little excited; his long-cherished Primordial Return System was nearing completion.

The harmonizer, Tai Chi Divine Skill; the stabilizer, Four Radiance Divine Skill; the protector, Celestial Silkworm Divine Skill; and the power sources, Nine Yang Divine Skill and Jade Maiden Skill, were all ready. Only the dimension-ascender, Grand Mystery Manual, and the transformer, Lesser Formless Skill, remained.

"It's just that the wanted criminals corresponding to these two martial arts are a bit hard to find."

Gu Mo felt a slight heaviness in his heart. Although he had five of the seven martial arts for the Primordial Return System, the remaining two were difficult to acquire.

One, the Lesser Formless Skill, corresponded to a three-star wanted criminal known as the Blood-Handed Zitherist, Shang Wujiu. This individual was a zitherist, but a deranged one, who enjoyed randomly performing for passersby. If a passerby refused, they would be killed. If they chose to pay, they might have a chance to live, but only a chance, because after playing, he would ask listeners to rate his zither skills. If the evaluation was satisfactory, they would live and receive ten times their money back; if not, they would be killed.

The other, the Grand Mystery Manual, for the dimension-ascender, corresponded to a five-star evil faction known as the Six Sea Marauders. This was a once rampant gang that terrorized the four counties of Huaihai, committing every conceivable atrocity: rape, abduction, forced prostitution, arson, robbery, massacres, and more.

What the martial world hated most about this group was their illogical actions, driven solely by whim. Many of their evil deeds had no discernible reason; they simply wanted to commit them.

However, this group had vanished six years ago.

Coincidentally,

Linhai Commandery was one of the four Huaihai counties, which was the main reason Gu Mo had previously sought a favor from Prefect Pei Yuanzhen.

At this moment, the Pure Wind Inn was still in chaos, as a few assassins were still fleeing and fiercely resisting the Six Gates. However, it was merely the struggle of cornered beasts.

Mr. Dongjing approached Gu Mo, cupped his hands, and said, "Sir Gu, thank you for saving my life."

Gu Mo waved his hand. "I was invited here to protect you. It's just part of my duty; don't think anything of it."

Mr. Dongjing, however, had a remarkably strong mindset. Having just endured such a dangerous assassination, he showed no discomfort whatsoever and was not at all frightened—truly a man accustomed to being targeted. He even had the inclination to debate with Gu Mo, saying with a chuckle, "Sir Gu, you are mistaken. Although you were invited to protect me, and on some level it was a transaction between you and Prefect Pei, your agreement did not include the condition that you *must* successfully protect me. You could have failed. Therefore, I must thank you, because when faced with the choice between failure and success during this transaction, you chose success. I thank you for successfully completing the transaction and saving my life!"

Gu Mo: "..."

Although he enjoyed listening to Mr. Dongjing debate others, as Mr. Dongjing always found remarkably peculiar angles from which to criticize people, angles so astute they were astounding.

However, when the target of such astute conversation became himself, Gu Mo found he didn't enjoy it.

He had just spoken a casual courtesy, and Mr. Dongjing had launched into a long discourse.

Gu Mo said, utterly speechless, "Mr. Dongjing, you truly are an old contrarian!"

Mr. Dongjing asked, "I know I'm old; I am indeed getting on in years. But what is a 'contrarian'?"

"It's a dialect from my hometown," Gu Mo explained, "It means to praise someone for being very scholarly."

"Oh, I see, I see. In that case, I suppose I *am* barely an old contrarian!" Mr. Dongjing nodded with self-confidence and a hint of modesty, then added, "Then, Sir Gu, you're a young contrarian!"

Gu Mo: "..."

He suspected the old man was doing it on purpose.

Just then, Gu Chuwinter walked over and asked, "Mr. Dongjing, what was that about the extermination of the Mu clan that you and Mrs. Liu were discussing?"

Mr. Dongjing sighed. "This matter happened almost thirty years ago, but I still feel immense guilt every time I recall it. I was a local official in Linhai Commandery back then, yet I failed the people.

"It was twenty-nine years ago. I hadn't yet gone to Bailu Academy; I was serving as an Assistant Prefect here in Linhai Commandery. That year, a major disaster struck Linhai Commandery: a flood, which left many people displaced and destitute refugees. Everyone was struggling to cope with the disaster; officials, merchants, and martial artists from all sides united, working together with one heart.

"But no one expected that even amidst such a natural calamity, some would stoop to profiting from the disaster to such an unprincipled extent. The Mu Merchant Association actually seized the opportunity to plunder and abduct children everywhere. In just a few months, over ten thousand children were kidnapped from various parts of Linhai Commandery.

"However, since it was a time of disaster, local authorities were lax in supervision, allowing the Mu clan to carry out their illicit activities for so long undetected. It wasn't until after the flood had passed, and the children's parents and families began reporting their disappearances, that a province-wide tally revealed, to everyone's horror, that over ten thousand children had been abducted.

"At the time, this matter caused a huge uproar, reaching the Emperor's ears, who personally inquired about it. Through the sincere cooperation of various government offices in Linhai Commandery, it was ultimately discovered that the Mu Merchant Association was responsible. They had sold those children overseas. We found clues at the time and immediately set out to sea in pursuit.

"But we never imagined the Mu clan would be so deranged. To avoid being caught with evidence, they actually ordered all the ships transporting the children to be scuttled. Those were over ten thousand children, all alive, who were deliberately drowned in the sea. We ultimately only managed to rescue a few dozen."

Mr. Dongjing paused here, silent for a long while, his expression very somber. Clearly, even after many years, he had not been able to come to terms with it. After a long moment, he took a deep breath and said, "At the time, we were so focused on saving those children that we couldn't pursue the Mu clan members, and they escaped.

"That night, eight of us high-ranking officials from the prefectural yamen and I discussed it all night. We finally resolved that, even if it cost us our official positions, we had to seek justice for those dead children. We carried out extrajudicial punishment, directly leading troops to exterminate the entire Mu clan.

"It was after that night that all eight of us voluntarily confessed our wrongdoing to the imperial court. With so many children dead, we were inescapable. In the end, all of us, as expected, lost our official posts. Some returned to their villages to become teachers, some started businesses, and I went to Bailu Academy.

"Over the years, we all went our separate ways. Although most of us remained in Linhai and Pinggu Commandery, many of us had originally been political rivals and kept no contact with each other. I did hear that two families met with accidents and were wiped out by highway bandits, but only today did I realize it was the work of the Mu clan survivors from back then. We weren't thorough enough initially!"

Both Gu Mo and Gu Chuwinter remained silent after hearing this.

Mr. Dongjing chuckled softly. "I know that you martial artists adhere to the rule of 'misfortune not extending to family,' and you might think it was wrong for us to exterminate the entire Mu clan back then, believing only the participants should have been killed. But I don't believe I was wrong. If I had to do it again, I would do the exact same thing. What wrong did those ten thousand children, and their parents, commit?"

Gu Mo said, "Sir, you misunderstand. I don't believe what you did can be judged as right or wrong. My silence is because my understanding is insufficient to evaluate this matter."

Mr. Dongjing nodded. "I see. However, from Mrs. Liu's perspective, she had a happy family that we destroyed. Her desire for revenge, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, is not entirely unreasonable, though she lacks discernment between right and wrong!"

Gu Mo thought for a moment. "However, she has committed many family massacres over the years, perhaps for money, or perhaps to mislead others and prevent them from associating her with revenge for the Mu clan, lest those involved back then become wary. But regardless of the reason, her frequent extermination of entire families makes her death hardly regrettable."

Mr. Dongjing scoffed, "Pah! I thought she was simply seeking revenge on the eight of us from back then. Though she lacked discernment, from her perspective, revenge is understandable, and I would have respected her for her spirit. But it turns out she was just someone who indiscriminately killed innocent people for her own selfish desires. She is indeed despicable. The Mu clan deserved to die out, every single one of them, old and young!"

Gu Mo said no more and left with Gu Chuwinter.

Meanwhile,

At the Wang family estate in the Eastern City, Wang Mingxiu was dealing with the suicide of his concubine, "Mu Liu," who had jumped into a well. The First Madam, Chen, stood nervously to the side, afraid to speak, while Mu Liu's personal maid knelt on the ground, her face ashen. The corpse of the Sixth Madam, Mu Liu, lay on the ground, her face disfigured and terrifying.

The atmosphere was extremely heavy and oppressive.

Wang Mingxiu sat silently in the main seat. Just then, a Six Gates constable rushed in from outside and approached Wang Mingxiu. "Chief," he said, "something big has happened! Mr. Dongjing was just assassinated."

Wang Mingxiu's expression changed.

But before he could speak, the constable continued, "One of the assassins was... Mrs. Liu. She disguised herself as you and almost succeeded in killing Mr. Dongjing. Fortunately, Miss Gu and Sir Gu were there to save Mr. Dongjing and killed Mrs. Liu on the spot."

Wang Mingxiu's mind suddenly buzzed.

"Chief," the constable said, glancing uneasily at the corpse on the ground, "how about we go over there first? That situation is more urgent. This... is already like this, so let's not rush to deal with it for now!"

Here, it was merely a concubine who died in a power struggle in the backyard. Over there, Mr. Dongjing had been assassinated, and crucially, one of the assassins was the notorious bandit Mrs. Liu, whom Wang Mingxiu had personally killed and whose case file explicitly stated she was apprehended.

This was no small matter; a slight misstep could lead to Wang Mingxiu's demotion. Thus, the constable urged Wang Mingxiu to hurry over, prompting him to attempt damage control.

"Go!"

Immediately, Wang Mingxiu stood up, pointed at the maid, and ordered, "Lock her up!"

Household servants immediately dragged out the maid, who was begging and wailing.

Wang Mingxiu then rushed towards the Pure Wind Inn.

Since Wang Mingxiu lived in the Eastern City, which was quite a distance from the Pure Wind Inn, by the time he arrived, Prefect Pei Yuanzhen and Liu Feng, the Six Gates Inspector, had already been there for a while.

Liu Feng was the head of the Six Gates and Wang Mingxiu's direct superior, while Pei Yuanzhen was the highest authority overseeing the entire Linhai Commandery. Both held positions superior to Wang Mingxiu.

Seeing the two of them, Wang Mingxiu hurried over, cupped his hands, and said, "Greetings, Prefect Pei. Greetings, Inspector Liu."

Pei Yuanzhen nodded slightly, saying nothing.

Liu Feng, however, had a grim expression. Pointing at Mrs. Liu's corpse, which two coroners were examining, he said coldly, "Commander Wang, you should be familiar with this person, shouldn't you?"

Wang Mingxiu glanced at the corpse, his pupils contracting slightly, but his expression remained unchanged. He cupped his hands and said, "Your subordinate... heard on the way here that it was Mrs. Liu."

Liu Feng's tone was stiff. "Then take a look yourself now. Is it Mrs. Liu?"

Wang Mingxiu lowered his head. "Yes..."

"So you *do* know!" Liu Feng roared. "Wang Mingxiu, what are you doing? Wasn't Mrs. Liu killed by you? Wasn't that case personally handled by you? All the files and evidence were submitted by your own hand. How do you explain this now?"

"Your subordinate admits his mistake!" Wang Mingxiu offered no defense.

"Admitting mistakes, admitting mistakes, what good is admitting mistakes?!" Liu Feng took a deep breath. "You made this mess, now you clean it up. Figure out how to explain this to the main headquarters in Tianzhou!"

With that, Liu Feng snorted coldly, cupped his hands to Pei Yuanzhen, and then left directly.

Pei Yuanzhen watched Liu Feng depart in a huff, shook his head slightly, and gently patted Wang Mingxiu's shoulder. "Commander Wang, Inspector Liu is just blowing off steam; don't take it to heart. This matter isn't that serious. Fortunately, Sir Gu and Miss Gu were here, and Mr. Dongjing suffered no harm, so the situation isn't critical.

"Your real problem is that you were absent without leave today, allowing Mrs. Liu to find an opportunity to impersonate you and carry out the assassination. When the headquarters sends people, just tell them everything truthfully. However, here, you need to be careful; it depends on whether Inspector Liu is willing to help you.

"Hmm, there's nothing else. First, take these assassins' bodies back and see if you can find any clues about the Seven Absolutes Tower."

"Thank you for your guidance, sir!" Wang Mingxiu cupped his hands to Pei Yuanzhen.

Immediately,

Wang Mingxiu began to handle the cleanup at the scene.

Soon after, he took the bodies of the assassins, including Ruan Hongqiao and Mrs. Liu, to the Six Gates headquarters. After a series of procedures, it was already late into the night.

Wang Mingxiu arrived at the morgue.

The morgue was quiet at this time, with only two constables guarding the entrance.

After speaking to the two constables, he entered. As a Commander of the Six Gates, accustomed to long-term investigations, it was perfectly normal for him to come and examine bodies; no one would find it strange.

Holding an oil lamp, Wang Mingxiu slowly approached Mrs. Liu's corpse. He slowly lifted the white cloth, looking at the familiar face, his body trembling slightly.

Mrs. Liu's words suddenly echoed in his ears: "You only agreed to fulfill your promise because you felt guilty towards me."

After a long while, Wang Mingxiu took a deep breath, gently clasped Mrs. Liu's hand, and whispered, "My feelings for you were never about guilt. From the very beginning, they were sincere, but I simply dared not admit it because we were like brothers of the same clan. I wasn't as brave as you; I couldn't face the distortion within myself. In truth, I also greatly looked forward to us roaming the martial world together!"

Wang Mingxiu closed his eyes slightly, for a very long time.

He slowly extended his hand and gently placed it on Mrs. Liu's forehead. A stream of true qi slowly emerged from his hand, flowing into her glabella, mud pill palace, and dantian.

Normally, upon death, a person's dantian true qi would dissipate.

But in that instant, within Mrs. Liu's dantian, as if a dormant dragon had awakened, true qi surged forth once more.

First, in the upper dantian's mud pill palace, a chilling aura subtly emerged. Then, in the middle dantian's chest cavity and the lower dantian's lower abdomen, yin qi overflowed. Streams of extreme yin true qi, like mist from deep mountains, wafted out slowly, gradually gathering in the air.

In the blink of an eye, it condensed into an egg-sized elixir pearl, crystal clear and radiating an intense chill.

Seeing this, Wang Mingxiu immediately moved his hands like spinning wheels, activating a magical formula. His aura suddenly shifted. Between his palms, extreme yang true qi surged forth like the blazing summer sun, merging with the extremely cold elixir pearl.

In an instant, Yin and Yang converged, two forces intertwining and blending, as if the Tai Chi symbol was in motion, endlessly transforming. Immediately after, this blended Yin-Yang energy, like a nimble serpent, slowly flowed into his three dantians.

For a moment, the surrounding world seemed to be drawn by this strange power. After a long while, Wang Mingxiu slowly opened his eyes, a sharp gleam flashing and fading within them. His entire aura instantly became profound and restrained, like a deep pool or a towering peak, unfathomable.

"Yin and Yang co-exist, minds are connected. Is this the legendary perfected Yin-Yang Secret Tome?" Wang Mingxiu murmured to himself. "No wonder you always cultivated much faster than me. You always dared to face your inner self, but I couldn't!"

Wang Mingxiu stared silently at Mrs. Liu's corpse for a very long time before slowly covering it with the white cloth. His expression became calm as he slowly walked out of the morgue and left the Six Gates yamen.

In the deep night, Linhai City, with the cold wind blowing, seemed a little desolate.

Wang Mingxiu walked along the long street under the moonlight, his shadow stretching long. This path he had walked countless times now felt as if he had been walking for a year, as if he had traveled hundreds of miles.

He went straight to the backyard and entered the courtyard where his concubine Mu Liu lived. The servants on night patrol who saw him merely lamented that their master was mourning the Sixth Madam who had just died today; this Sixth Madam had been greatly favored recently.

Entering the room,

Wang Mingxiu stood silently by the doorway, looking at Mu Liu's bed. Scenes of them talking in this very room earlier today kept replaying in his mind.

"Are you sad?"

Suddenly, a voice came from behind him, sending a chill down Wang Mingxiu's spine. He immediately struck out with a palm.

However, there was nothing behind him; it was empty.

Just then, the voice spoke again from behind him: "Commander Wang, I mean no harm."

Wang Mingxiu quickly turned around and saw a black-robed figure wearing a ghost mask sitting on a chair.

"Who are you?" Wang Mingxiu said in a low voice.

The masked figure spoke in a voice that was difficult to discern as male or female: "The martial world calls me the Grand Overseer!"

Wang Mingxiu's pupils contracted slightly. "The Grand Overseer of the Seven Absolutes Tower! How audacious of you. Don't you know you're the Six Gates' most wanted criminal in Tianzhou? I am a Commander of the Six Gates. How dare you appear before me?"

The masked figure chuckled lightly. "I truly didn't expect a mere Six Gates Commander to be so arrogant in my presence."

"Hmph!"

Wang Mingxiu scoffed coldly, his aura suddenly changing. On his palms, two torrents of true qi, one yin and one yang, surged, intertwined, and merged, emitting strange fluctuations as they swiftly shot towards the Grand Overseer.

The Grand Overseer, however, remained calm, seated steadily in his chair, as if he didn't even notice the fierce attack. Only when Wang Mingxiu's palm strike reached him did he leisurely shift his body slightly, allowing the blow to land.

Immediately, Wang Mingxiu felt as if his palm had sunk into a soft ball of cotton, without any resistance. The surging Yin and Yang energies instantly dispersed and vanished, like an ox made of mud entering the sea, instantly swallowed by the Grand Overseer's robe without even causing a wrinkle.

Wang Mingxiu's heart jolted, sensing danger. Without hesitation, he instantly withdrew his hand. Almost simultaneously, he struck out again with both hands: his left hand, enveloped in surging yang qi, brought forth scorching waves, while his right hand, condensed with yin qi, formed chilling frost. One yin, one yang; the airflow generated by his palm strikes actually swirled the dust from the corners of the walls into two vortices, one red and one green, spinning in mid-air like two nimble flood dragons, rushing once more towards the Grand Overseer.

The Grand Overseer finally raised a hand, placing his teacup on the table with a thud, yet not a drop of tea splashed. He reached out as if scooping up duckweed, his two fingers seizing Wang Mingxiu's wrist pulse point. With a twist of his palm, it was as if an invisible grinding stone was turning. Wang Mingxiu felt his entire strength suddenly lose its aim, like a kite string being pulled, watching helplessly as his own hands uncontrollably crossed and moved towards his face. The Grand Overseer's other hand then lightly pushed at his waist; the seemingly light force, however, was like a great river breaching its dam. Wang Mingxiu was sent flying backward, landing precisely where he had originally stood.

"No wonder you're so arrogant!" The Grand Overseer lightly patted the tea leaves from his clothes and said, "I hadn't expected the Six Gates in Linhai Commandery to hide such an internal energy master like you. With your mastery of the Yin-Yang Harmony internal cultivation, you could be called a Grandmaster in any other province outside Tianzhou."

Wang Mingxiu stared intently at the Grand Overseer, not daring to act rashly again. He had been confident that, having just absorbed Mrs. Liu's internal energy, he could ascend to the pinnacle of martial arts in the world. Yet, the very first opponent he encountered was so unfathomable.

The Yin-Yang Secret Tome was the ultimate art of their Mu clan.

During the clan's extermination, only he and Mu Liu survived. In their final moments, the clan head gave the martial arts manual to them, divided into two secret tomes, one Yin and one Yang. Originally, he was supposed to cultivate the Extreme Yin Secret Tome, but Mu Liu had exchanged it with him.

Over the years, relying on the Extreme Yin Secret Tome and Extreme Yang Secret Tome, both of them had achieved considerable success. He became a Six Gates Commander in a prefecture, while Mu Liu became the infamous bandit Mrs. Liu, whose name struck fear in the martial world. Both were top-tier experts in the martial arts community.

Now, with his Yin and Yang unified, his realm directly reaching the state of Yin-Yang co-existence and the unity of Heaven and Man, he had believed he could rival the Ten Great Masters of the Qian Dynasty. He never expected to be dealt such a blow the moment he returned.

In his recent exchange with the Grand Overseer, although he hadn't fought with his life on the line, the Grand Overseer's nonchalant demeanor made him feel a profound sense of powerlessness.

"However," the Grand Overseer spoke again, "if you plan to seek revenge on Gu Mo with just this Yin-Yang Harmony internal energy, it's far from enough."

Wang Mingxiu's heart jolted, but his expression remained unchanged. "Gu Mo and I have no grievances. Why would I seek revenge on him?"

"Stop pretending, Wang Mingxiu."

The Grand Overseer said, "Since I've come to you, it means I've investigated you thoroughly. I became aware of you the moment you secretly hired my Seven Absolutes Tower assassins to attempt Mr. Dongjing's assassination.

"Mrs. Liu faked her death to escape, changed her appearance, and became your concubine. You are both descendants of the Mu clan that was exterminated thirty years ago. Now, your only remaining enemy is Mr. Dongjing – no, you should also add Gu Mo to your list of enemies."

Wang Mingxiu said coldly, "I don't know what you're talking about!"

The Grand Overseer's voice remained calm: "Mrs. Liu faking her death to become your concubine was a rather crude affair. Of course, I understand; after all, the pressure from Gu Mo, the world's foremost assassin, is considerable, and your plans were disrupted.

"It's a pity that one wrong step leads to many. You made a mistake. To protect you, Mrs. Liu didn't hesitate to expose herself, perfectly covering up your cooperation in her faked death and escape. The matter of the concubine is also over. Now that Mrs. Liu is dead, no one will suspect you.

"The world only knows that Mrs. Liu was a descendant of the Mu clan, who collaborated with the Seven Absolutes Tower to assassinate Mr. Dongjing for revenge. As for you, you were merely a Six Gates Commander deceived by her faked death. Now, you've even lost a beloved concubine because of her. Hmm... the poison that disfigured your concubine was Mrs. Liu's own poison, which perfectly closes the loop.

"Mrs. Liu faked her death to evade your pursuit, then plotted against your concubine to lure you away from the Pure Wind Inn, and then went to assassinate Mr. Dongjing. You were merely ineffective in your investigation, at most you'll be demoted and disciplined, and then you can continue your official career and live a happy life.

"It's just a pity that in the end, she couldn't kill Mr. Dongjing; she was just one step, one fraction, short. Mrs. Liu's plan was quite good: her final enemy, she would kill him, both getting revenge and protecting you, fulfilling your desires."

Wang Mingxiu stared at the Grand Overseer, his voice heavy. "What exactly do you want to say?"

The Grand Overseer chuckled lightly. "Wang Mingxiu, Mr. Dongjing isn't your only enemy who wiped out your clan; he was merely pushed to the forefront to do someone else's bidding. Furthermore, with your martial arts, you're definitely no match for Gu Mo. It's not that I'm belittling you; you have the skill of an internal energy grandmaster, but Gu Mo is already a grandmaster of internal energy and a grandmaster of blade arts. Work with me, and I'll help you get your revenge!"

Wang Mingxiu stared intently at the Grand Overseer. "Who is behind Mr. Dongjing?"

The Grand Overseer shook his head slightly. "I don't know either. But you can think for yourself: if Mr. Dongjing had no one behind him, could such a major case from back then simply be closed by eradicating one Mu clan?

"Over ten thousand children disappeared, and only a few dozen were found at sea, with the excuse that the ships sank. You're an official now; do you think that's reasonable? Even if all ten thousand children drowned at sea, surely some bodies would float back? It's unlikely they all ended up in fish stomachs, isn't it?"

Wang Mingxiu's face darkened. "What do you mean?"

The Grand Overseer chuckled lightly. "In your and Mrs. Liu's understanding, Mr. Dongjing and the others simply used your Mu clan as scapegoats back then, didn't they?"

Wang Mingxiu nodded slightly.

The Grand Overseer continued, "So, where did all those children go? The Mu clan merely took the blame, which means the story of all the children drowning at sea was also false. So, where are those children?"

Wang Mingxiu's expression changed. He had truly never considered this question over the years.

The Grand Overseer went on: "Of the eight officials who ordered the massacre of the Mu clan back then, all eventually lost their official positions. Six of them faded into obscurity, and the best among them only became wealthy merchants. Yet, Mr. Dongjing, on the other hand, gained even greater renown than when he was in office, becoming a great scholar of his generation, revered by many, with disciples throughout the imperial court, enjoying immense prestige. Why? Because of his scholarship? There are many learned people in this world!"

Wang Mingxiu gritted his teeth, his voice heavy. "Are you implying that the disappearance of those ten thousand-plus children back then was orchestrated by powerful figures in the imperial court? That old brute Dongjing was covering for someone, and from then on, even though he no longer held office, he soared to prominence in another form!"

The Grand Overseer nodded. "If I'm not mistaken, Mr. Dongjing likely discovered the mastermind behind it back then and made a deal with them. He helped them cover it up in exchange for his own meteoric rise in life from then on. As for who that powerful figure is, I don't know. Someone who could ensure a renowned individual becomes a great scholar of their generation must certainly be someone with immense influence and power."

With that, the Grand Overseer looked up slightly. Beneath the ghost mask, his eyes held a hint of weariness. He slowly said, "Cooperate with me, and I will help you uncover the mastermind, help you get your revenge. Mr. Dongjing, Gu Mo – I can help you kill them all."

"You can kill Gu Mo?" Wang Mingxiu asked.

The Grand Overseer scoffed. "In the entire Qian Dynasty, only Zhang Daozi is beyond my reach. Furthermore, Gu Mo is merely an independent martial artist. My Seven Absolutes Tower has countless experts; killing him would be as easy as turning over a hand, wouldn't it?"

Wang Mingxiu pondered for a moment. "Then what do you need me to do?"

The Grand Overseer said, "I have a shipment that needs to go to sea. I need the Six Gates to make it convenient."

"What kind of goods?" Wang Mingxiu asked.

"Some weapons," the Grand Overseer replied.

"That's it? Is the quantity large?" Wang Mingxiu asked.

The Grand Overseer slowly said, "Two thousand blades."

"Are you insane?" Wang Mingxiu exclaimed. "What do you need so many weapons for? Are you trying to rebel? This target is too big; I can't help you."

The Grand Overseer said, "Not all at once, but gradually. Primarily, a few merchant firms will help with the operation. You just need to approve some permits and provide cover when the time comes. Once it's done, I'll capture that fellow Dongjing and bring him to you. How does that sound?"

Wang Mingxiu hesitated for a moment. "What do you need to ship so many weapons for?"

The Grand Overseer said, "There are many pirates on those islands overseas. Their weapons wear out constantly, and they can't acquire new ones from the mainland. So, these weapons, once at sea, are worth as much as gold."

Wang Mingxiu hesitated for a long while. "I can help you, but Mr. Dongjing might be hard to capture. Gu Mo is currently staying at the Pure Wind Inn."

The Grand Overseer said, "Gu Mo will eventually leave; he can't protect Mr. Dongjing forever."

Wang Mingxiu asked, "Do you know why I was so intent on killing Mr. Dongjing specifically at the Pure Wind Inn?"

"Tell me," the Grand Overseer said, intrigued.

"Because if I don't kill him this time, I'll hardly get another chance," Wang Mingxiu said. "I've received reliable information that His Majesty has already decreed Mr. Dongjing to serve as the Crown Prince's Grand Tutor."

The Grand Overseer asked, puzzled, "Wait, hasn't the Crown Prince been decided yet?"

Wang Mingxiu said, "That means the Crown Prince will be decided soon. That's not important, it doesn't concern us. What's important is that once the imperial decree arrives, Mr. Dongjing will surely be escorted to the capital. Can you snatch Mr. Dongjing from the Imperial Guards?"

The Grand Overseer shook his head slightly.

"Therefore," Wang Mingxiu said, "if Gu Mo hasn't left Linhai City before then, and Mr. Dongjing isn't a fool, knowing he's constantly being targeted, he'll definitely stay with Gu Mo. I believe you can defeat Gu Mo, but Gu Mo could surely hinder your abduction and send a message to the Six Gates in the city, couldn't he? Unless you can quickly subdue Gu Mo."

The Grand Overseer nodded. "You can rest assured, I have my own way to lure Gu Mo away."

Wang Mingxiu asked, "How will you do that?"

The Grand Overseer said, "Actually, the method to lure Gu Mo away is simple. His personality is very clear: he enjoys being an assassin, chasing and capturing wanted criminals. As long as there's news of a wanted criminal that interests him, he can be drawn away immediately."

Wang Mingxiu said, "I naturally know this method. But currently, the only wanted criminals confirmed to interest him are the Six Sea Marauders and the Blood-Handed Zitherist. However, both the Six Sea Marauders and the Blood-Handed Zitherist have been missing for years; there are no clues to be found."

The Grand Overseer said, "If you can't find clues, you can create them. The Blood-Handed Zitherist is too far away to attract Gu Mo in the shortest time. But the Six Sea Marauders are different. They were originally wanted criminals in the four Huaihai counties. It's perfectly reasonable for them to appear in other parts of Huaihai, isn't it?"

Wang Mingxiu frowned. "You mean to find someone to impersonate them?"

The Grand Overseer nodded. "The Six Sea Marauders' modus operandi back then was very distinctive, making it easy to imitate. Commander Wang, you're not a soft-hearted person, surely you wouldn't object to a few innocent deaths, would you? Over these years, Mrs. Liu, to cover her tracks, besides seeking revenge, also wiped out many innocent families!"

Wang Mingxiu said in a low voice, "I mean, your methods need to be convincing, don't let anyone spot any flaws. My Six Gates has detailed archives; I can transcribe a copy for you."

The Grand Overseer nodded. "Good. Just hand the document to the old beggar playing the erhu under the bridge at the west side of the city."