Chapter 233: Obtaining the Minor Formless Skill

Not long after, Ye Jinglan led Gu Mo and Gu Chudong out of the Wanhua Brothel. A trusted subordinate, who had gone to inquire about the situation from the hidden agents stationed in the vicinity, quickly returned and reported with clasped hands, "My Lord, seventy-three people emerged from the Wanhua Brothel today, forty-five of whom were dressed as women. According to Su Qingyu's description, a woman-dressed individual did indeed leave the Wanhua Brothel about an incense stick's time ago. Fortunately, our undercover brothers were not negligent and applied tracking powder to that person."

Ye Jinglan said in a deep voice, "How long will it take to pinpoint their location?" The subordinate replied, "If you head west, our brothers will be able to track down that person's whereabouts in half an incense stick's time at most." "Good," Ye Jinglan responded.

Ye Jinglan looked at Gu Mo and said, "Brother Gu, we'll need to wait a bit. Perhaps you'd like to explore the capital. This must be your first time here, isn't it?" "Yes," Gu Chudong nodded, "I feel like the capital is so vast and prosperous! I'd been to Cangyuan City before and thought it was the liveliest and most flourishing place, but this capital is even more bustling than Cangyuan City!"

Ye Jinglan said, "The capital has many famous attractions, such as Scholars' Tower, Wenling Pagoda, Half-Moon Lake, and so on. If you're interested, Sister Chudong, you can visit them later. Oh, Princess Chengyang is very eager to play with you." Gu Chudong nodded and replied, "We'll see."

After the three walked for a while, less than an incense stick's time, a Ministry of Justice constable approached them from the crowd and said, "My Lord, it has been confirmed. Wu Qiu is currently in Liyuan Lane. His objective is likely to hide among a troupe and sneak out of the city."

A cold glint flashed in Ye Jinglan's eyes as he said, "Give orders to guard all the tunnels near Liyuan Lane that lead into Ghost City." "Understood," the constable replied, clasped his hands, and withdrew. Ye Jinglan immediately led Gu Mo and Gu Chudong quickly towards a small alley.

"Brother Ye, your Ministry of Justice's intelligence capabilities are truly impressive," Gu Mo praised. Ye Jinglan shook his head, "The Ministry of Justice is nothing remarkable. The true intelligence powerhouses in the capital are the Imperial City Guard and the Night Department. Unfortunately, both of these departments report directly to His Majesty. The Imperial City Guard oversees officials, while the Night Department monitors martial arts sects and factions. We in the Ministry of Justice cannot utilize them; otherwise, investigations would be many times easier."

"What about the Six-Door Enforcement Office?" Gu Mo inquired. Ye Jinglan chuckled, "The Six-Door Enforcement Office in the capital is merely a formality; its main role is to manage the Six-Door offices in various regions. After all, their duty is to suppress the martial arts world, but in this capital, under the Emperor's direct rule, which martial arts faction would dare to cause trouble? There's no need for the Six-Door Enforcement Office here."

Gu Mo pondered, and indeed, Ye Jinglan's words made sense; the Six-Door Enforcement Office truly wasn't needed in the capital. As they chatted, the group hurried towards Liyuan Lane.

Liyuan Lane was a relatively famous residential area in the capital. It gained its reputation because it was home to half of the capital's theatrical troupes; almost all the well-known troupes were located there, hence its name, "Pear Garden Lane."

At this moment, in a small residence in Liyuan Lane, a theatrical troupe named the Yutang Troupe had its troupe leader instructing the young servants to pack their costumes, as they had received a big engagement today to perform for a wealthy gentleman's family in the suburbs. In a corner sat a man with a face full of burn scars, carrying a guqin on his back. The man was gnawing on a flatbread, then suddenly looked up as if remembering something. He walked up to the troupe leader and said, "Troupe Leader Zhang, never mind, my wound has split open. I won't be leaving the city today!"

Troupe Leader Zhang quickly asked, "Wu Qiu, are you injured?" The scarred man, Wu Qiu, replied, "Yes, I was bitten by a dog. There's been a dog after me lately, always chasing me relentlessly. I got bitten today."

Troupe Leader Zhang said, "But weren't you supposed to leave the city for something?" "It's just a small matter; I can do it later. I'll go apply some medicine first," Wu Qiu replied. "Alright then, our troupe is heading out of the city again tomorrow; you can come back then," Troupe Leader Zhang said. "Thanks," Wu Qiu replied.

Wu Qiu clasped his hands in salute, then slowly turned and left. As Wu Qiu reached the doorway, Troupe Leader Zhang suddenly called out, "Wu Qiu!" Wu Qiu turned back, puzzled, "Troupe Leader Zhang, what is it?"

Troupe Leader Zhang opened his mouth, hesitated, then said, "Wu Qiu, listen to my advice: give up those unrealistic notions. Master Su is like a celestial being. Even if she leaves the Wanhua Brothel someday, it will be to become a concubine in the homes of high-ranking officials and nobles. We ordinary folks shouldn't indulge in such fantasies. Your guqin playing is exceptional; I dare say there are few in all of Liyuan Lane who can play as well as you. Why not settle down, find a troupe to be a guqin master, earn some good money, and perhaps even have the chance to marry a beautiful wife? Wouldn't that be great? We common people shouldn't fantasize too much!"

Wu Qiu looked deeply at Troupe Leader Zhang, and after a long moment, slowly said, "Alright, Troupe Leader Zhang, if... if there's still a chance, I'll join your troupe!" "Of course there'll be a chance," Troupe Leader Zhang replied, "With your guqin skills, any troupe would be desperate to have you. I'm just afraid you'd look down on my small troupe."

Wu Qiu smiled faintly, and the smile tugged at the burn scars on his face, making him look somewhat terrifying. Then, Wu Qiu left with his guqin on his back. Troupe Leader Zhang watched Wu Qiu's retreating figure and sighed, "Ah, Wu Qiu, what a pity. If only he had settled down and lived a proper life earlier, he might have become a famous guqin master by now!"

A young servant laughed, "Troupe Leader, what's there to pity? Even if Wu Qiu hasn't achieved much, he spends every day by Master Su Qingyu's side. That's an opportunity countless people would beg for! If it were me, I'd be willing too!" Troupe Leader Zhang waved his hand, "It's different. Wu Qiu's guqin skills are unlike yours, who are still learning. His guqin is alive. If he hadn't squandered his talent, he could definitely have become a grand master of the guqin. Alas, what a shame, a hero can't overcome the lure of a beautiful woman!" "What hero? He's a toad trying to eat swan meat!" "Hahaha..." A burst of laughter echoed through the troupe.

Meanwhile, Wu Qiu, having left the troupe, was now rushing through the narrow alleys with his guqin on his back, his steps growing faster and more urgent. Soon, he had traversed more than a dozen alleys. As he entered another deep, secluded alley, he was met by two young individuals, a man and a woman, both dressed in black. They were young, with somewhat similar features, delicate, fair skin, and an elegant demeanor, looking like a pair of spoiled young master and miss from a wealthy family.

However, at that moment, Wu Qiu tensed up. This was because the young man was blindfolded with a black cloth, and the petite young woman carried an oversized book box on her back. This distinctive appearance was now famous throughout the martial arts world. "Gu Mo, the Great Hero of Yunzhou!" Wu Qiu's pupils contracted. "I've thought long and hard, for a very long time, and I still can't understand. I've only been to Yunzhou once in my life, and that was eight years ago. I only killed one person there. It shouldn't be such a coincidence that I offended the future Great Hero of Yunzhou, should it?"

"No," Gu Mo said. Wu Qiu stated gravely, "Then why spread word throughout the martial arts world? And why travel thousands of miles to hunt me down?"

Gu Mo said, "I am a blade-taker, and you are a wanted criminal. I should not need a reason to kill you, should I?" Wu Qiu replied, "There are so many wanted criminals in the world. What makes me, Shang, so worthy of your attention, Great Hero Gu?" "You deserve to die, that's all!"

Gu Mo had killed many wanted criminals, but rarely encountered villains like Shang Wujiu, who killed indiscriminately without reason. Typically, murderers still adhered to some form of cause and effect, but Shang Wujiu was different. He lacked any such justification; he simply enjoyed randomly finding passersby to perform for. 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 the listener to evaluate his guqin skills. If the evaluation was satisfactory, they would live and even receive a tenfold monetary reward. If the evaluation was unsatisfactory, they would be killed. And whether the evaluation was satisfactory or not was entirely at Shang Wujiu's whim; he held the sole interpretation. No fewer than a hundred innocent people had been killed by Shang Wujiu.

"But I've already washed my hands of it for many years," Shang Wujiu said. Gu Mo asked, perplexed, "You killed people, you're deeply sinful, and you're a wanted criminal. I'm a blade-taker here to kill you. What does your 'washing your hands of it' have to do with anything?" "It seems... it has nothing to do with it," Shang Wujiu conceded.

"I heard you enjoy playing the guqin for others. Why not play a piece for me?" Gu Mo suggested. "Very well," Shang Wujiu nodded. "Great Hero Gu, since I've been caught by you today, I know I am certainly going to die. However, before I die, I wish to ask a favor of you." As he spoke, Shang Wujiu took a letter from his pocket and placed it on the ground beside him. "Could you please deliver this letter to Su Qingyu at the Wanhua Brothel?"

Gu Chudong exclaimed in surprise, "You really went to the Wanhua Brothel willingly for love?" Shang Wujiu nodded, "Six years ago, the first time I met Su Qingyu, I fell in love with her. In that instant, I regretted everything; I truly regretted it. I hated why I was a wanted criminal, I hated why I had killed so many people. I loved her, but I could not and would never be able to stay with her forever. So, I disfigured myself and entered the Wanhua Brothel as a guqin master. I knew I wasn't worthy of her; I just wanted to be able to stay by her side. For the past few years, my heart has been filled with so many things I wanted to tell her, but I never dared. Until two days ago, I realized someone seemed to be watching me, and I knew my identity might be exposed. By today, I was certain I was being targeted. I knew if I didn't tell her soon, I wouldn't have another chance to express my feelings. But when I stood before her today, I still couldn't bring myself to speak, so I wrote everything I wanted to say in that letter."

Gu Mo was greatly astonished and quite perplexed. He said, "You, a ruthless villain who kills without blinking, fell for a woman, and you say you didn't dare express your feelings? You're a fool..." "Brother!" Gu Chudong interrupted Gu Mo, saying, "Everyone feels inferior in front of the one they love. Therefore, deep affection should not be ridiculed!"

Gu Mo was speechless. "Deep affection certainly shouldn't be ridiculed, but foolish actions should be!" Shang Wujiu sighed softly, "Great Hero Gu, perhaps one day when you meet someone you love, you won't find my actions so foolish." Gu Mo chuckled softly, "The world says only deep affection should not be ridiculed by others, but there's a second half to that saying: 'In this world, only deep affection is the most foolish thing!'"

The deep alley cut through the twilight like a knife. The last withered leaf swirled against the bluestone slab as Shang Wujiu's guqin strings tautened like bowstrings. His movement to lift the guqin was like tearing open a seal; seven icy silk strings pulsed with cold light in his palm. As his fingertips rolled over the bridges, they created a series of clear, crisp trills, like a solitary crane soaring across the sky. When the guqin music began, the wind at the alley's entrance suddenly stilled. The dampness seeping from the bluestone cracks was vibrated into a fine mist, which, guided by his dancing fingertips, wove into a water curtain. Each sound wave that struck it blossomed into lotus-like patterns, transforming into faintly shimmering qi-swords that shot through the air like meteors, carrying a fierce momentum as they flew towards Gu Mo and his sister. Wherever the qi-swords passed, ripples appeared in the air. Withered leaves, pulled by an invisible force, spiraled and danced around the qi-swords, drawing brilliant trails in the dim alley. More than qi-swords, they resembled fireflies tamed by the guqin's melody, thousands of cold points gathering into sword clusters that illuminated the yellowed veins of the withered leaves as they passed.

In Gu Mo's hand was a willow-leaf-shaped flying knife. He struck in an instant, so fast that no one could discern the movement. The knife's blade reflected the sound waves Shang Wujiu unleashed, appearing like a ripple of light emerging from the guqin's glow. The moment the first sound wave hit the back of the blade, sparks splattered onto the green bricks, scorching them. The second sound wave was twisted into silver threads by the blade, flinging out a half-moon-shaped arc of light along the knife's curve. By the time the third sound wave struck, the blade was already imbued with the clear sharpness of the guqin's music.

The flying knife, like a bamboo splitting, forcefully pierced through layers of sound waves. The guqin qi-swords shattered one after another, transforming into specks of shimmering light that dispersed into the air. Immediately after, the flying knife struck directly into Shang Wujiu's chest. As the blade entered his chest, Shang Wujiu's fingertips were still pressed against the guqin's bridges. Blood beads trickled down the strings, falling faster than his guqin notes. He suddenly smiled, his fingertips gliding across the strings. What should have been a fierce killing move dissolved into the final notes of "Phoenix Seeking Its Mate." The fragmented notes, mixed with blood foam, splattered onto the tuning pegs, as if someone had crushed sunlight and scattered it in the alley. His body trembled violently, his clothes instantly stained red with blood, like a red plum blossoming in the snow. A trickle of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth, yet he still held on, his slender fingers gently resting on the strings, slowly plucking them. But the previous sharpness was gone, and there was no longer any attacking power; it became purely a performance. The guqin music was melodious and lingering, carrying a touch of pathos and longing, echoing in the quiet, long alley, narrating endless unspoken feelings. It did not last long. Shang Wujiu violently coughed up a mouthful of blood, staining the strings in front of him. The guqin he held crashed to the ground with a thud, and he himself collapsed powerlessly, like a butterfly with broken wings.

"Fool..." Blood bubbles popped with a soft sound between his lips. The last withered leaf finally settled on Shang Wujiu's wide-open eyelashes, and the twilight from the end of the deep alley crept in, his voice faint and desolate.

At that very moment, a system notification sounded in Gu Mo's mind: "You have slain a Three-Star Wanted Criminal. You have received a Three-Star Reward: Full-Level Xiaowuxiang Skill. Do you wish to claim it?"

In that instant, Gu Mo obtained the Full-Level Xiaowuxiang Skill. This skill was formless and traceless. It was a Taoist art, emphasizing tranquility, non-action, and roaming the void. With "formlessness" as its essence, practitioners did not cling to form during cultivation, thus enabling them to transform into myriad phenomena. Its power was immense, capable of mimicking others' ultimate techniques, even surpassing the originals.

Of course, for Gu Mo, the most important aspect was not its use in combat, but that his Wuji Guiyuan Qi had now reached its peak. The Wuji Guiyuan Qi was composed of six unique attributes and seven limitless divine martial arts, and the Xiaowuxiang Skill was the last martial art needed to complete it. The first harmonizer was the Taiji Divine Skill; the second transformer was the Xiaowuxiang Skill; the third stabilizer was the Sizhao Divine Skill; the fourth protector was the Heavenly Silkworm Divine Skill. The fifth power source consisted of the Nine Yang Divine Skill and the Mingyu Skill; the sixth dimension-ascender was the Tai Xuan Sutra. Now, all seven martial arts were in place. For a moment, Gu Mo's heart surged with emotion. He recalled battling the Grand Shopkeeper not long ago using the Wuji Guiyuan Qi. At that time, due to the lack of the Xiaowuxiang Skill as a transformer, various internal forces clashed, not only greatly reducing its power but also causing him to sustain severe injuries.

While Gu Mo was momentarily distracted, Gu Chudong had already run to Shang Wujiu's corpse. She donned silver silk gloves and quickly retrieved a coin purse from Shang Wujiu's body. It contained only a few scattered silver fragments and some copper coins, but Gu Chudong's joy was evident in her wide smile. Then, she discovered a book on Shang Wujiu's person, its cover bearing large characters: "Catastrophe of the Innocent Heart Strings." This was precisely Shang Wujiu's renowned ultimate technique. Immediately, Gu Chudong swiftly placed the manual into her book box, then also packed Shang Wujiu's guqin inside. Just then, Ye Jinglan led a group of Ministry of Justice constables from the other end of the alley. In fact, they had been there for a while, but the constables were quite adept at understanding the situation; they knew that Shang Wujiu was purely a gift from Ye Jinglan to Gu Mo, so they coincidentally arrived right after Gu Mo had killed Shang Wujiu.

"Congratulations, Brother Gu, you've personally eliminated another major wanted criminal! I will personally urge the Kyoto Prefectural Office, and the bounty will be delivered within five days at most," Ye Jinglan said. He walked over, gestured for his constables to remove the body, and then glanced at Gu Chudong's large book box. The guqin was too long, preventing the box lid from closing completely. Gu Chudong, possessive of her findings, immediately darted behind Gu Mo, her gaze highly wary. Ye Jinglan chuckled softly. "Don't worry, Sister Chudong, I won't snatch your treasures. I just wanted to remind you that Shang Wujiu's guqin, fully named the Ghost Wail Seven-Stringed Guqin, was specially crafted from unique materials. Its body is very hard, difficult for ordinary weapons to damage. However, its most formidable part is the strings: tiny and soft, yet incredibly resilient and sharp. Many martial arts masters, when engaging in close combat with Shang Wujiu, were slit across the throat by his guqin strings and died!"

Gu Chudong quickly said, "I understand! If I ever encounter someone I can't defeat, I can remove the strings and use them as hidden weapons for a surprise attack!" Ye Jinglan was speechless. "What I meant was, if you plan to learn guqin martial arts... be careful, the Ghost Wail Guqin strings are very sharp, don't injure yourself. Hmm... you... you're very good at drawing inferences, hahaha... truly suited for traversing the martial world, haha!"

Gu Mo, standing nearby, chuckled and shook his head, changing the subject. He pointed to the letter on the ground and asked, "Brother Ye, this letter..." Ye Jinglan curled his lip and said, "Shang Wujiu was like a madman. A ruthless villain who kills without blinking, indulging in such deep affection? It's unsettling just thinking about it. Whoever wants to deliver this letter can. Damn it, she's just a brothel girl; is it really necessary?"

After speaking, Ye Jinglan clasped his hands towards Gu Mo and said, "Oh, by the way, Brother Gu, you and Sister Chudong can stay at my place. There's no one else in my house besides me, and it's quite spacious. I'll take you to see it now. If it's not comfortable, we can always find another place." "Alright!" Gu Mo replied with clasped hands.

Immediately, the group left the alley. However, before departing, Gu Chudong hesitated, then picked up the letter. "Oh, it smells so good!" Gu Chudong caught up with Gu Mo, holding the envelope. "Brother, smell this, the letter is so fragrant!" Gu Mo took a slight sniff and said, "It seems to be a kind of sandalwood scent. Hmm, I smelled this scent in the Wanhua Brothel earlier too."

Ye Jinglan took the envelope, smelled it, and said, "This is the Yunlu Sandalwood that Lin Jing was clamoring for in prison back in Linhai City. This item is a specialty of Chang'an, almost monopolizing the high-end sandalwood market. A top-tier brothel like Wanhua Brothel is frequented by the wealthy and influential, so it's natural they would use Yunlu Sandalwood daily. It's perfectly normal for the Xuan paper Shang Wujiu used from Wanhua Brothel to carry the scent of Yunlu Sandalwood."

Gu Chudong exclaimed in surprise, "No wonder it's so popular in Chang'an! This Yunlu Sandalwood truly smells wonderful. But why is such a good thing only found in Chang'an? We've traveled the martial world and never seen it anywhere else." "There definitely is some elsewhere," Ye Jinglan said, "I've seen it in Qingzhou, but it's very rare. Because Yunlu Sandalwood is a specialty of Chang'an, its output is extremely low, and Chang'an itself can barely meet the demand, so very little of it flows to other regions."

"I see," Gu Chudong nodded. Ye Jinglan said, "If you'd like some, Sister Chudong, I can ask those shops for you..." "How much does it cost?" Gu Chudong asked. Ye Jinglan replied, "The market price is forty taels of silver per liang, but it's usually unavailable. If you really want to buy it, it might cost sixty taels..." "That's highway robbery!" Gu Chudong's eyes widened. "Does sniffing this stuff make you ascend to immortality? Six hundred taels of silver per jin! Wanted criminals on the Yunzhou Blacklist are only a few hundred taels each!" Ye Jinglan quipped, "How can robbery make money as fast as selling Yunlu Sandalwood?" Gu Chudong was speechless.

Ye Jinglan chuckled softly, opened the envelope, and after confirming there was nothing problematic in the letter, he handed it back to Gu Chudong. "If you're interested, you can find a time to deliver it to Su Qingyu," he said. "Hmm, I'll think about it," Gu Chudong replied evasively, putting the letter away carefully.

"Hey, Brother," Gu Chudong asked, "Who do you think Shang Wujiu was calling a 'fool' when he was dying just now?" Gu Mo shook his head. "I don't know." Gu Chudong mumbled, "He wouldn't be scolding himself, would he? You called him foolish earlier; did he suddenly realize his own foolishness just before dying? It doesn't seem like it, not with how much he liked Su Qingyu..."

Although Ye Jinglan's official salary wasn't high, he had bought a large three-courtyard residence with a dozen servants in the prime central location of Zhuque Street, where every inch of land was precious. However, upon closer thought, it wasn't surprising. Before becoming an official, Ye Jinglan was the Sect Leader of the Heavenly Blade Gate in Qingzhou, personally controlling nearly thirty percent of Qingzhou's martial arts factions. His businesses spanned various industries across half of Qingzhou. Even though he had now stepped down, his former assets remained his. Therefore, he certainly wasn't short on money. Had he not been mindful of his official rank, which was only Fifth Grade, Ye Jinglan could likely have afforded to buy an estate even in the capital.

As the group entered the residence, Gu Mo immediately asked, "Brother Ye, my task is complete; now it's time for yours. That Human-Faced Demonic Beast has terrorized the capital for over a decade, and the imperial court has been helpless. Even the allure of a three-rank promotion couldn't fail to tempt the court officials, yet they've been unable to solve the case. This alone indicates its difficulty. Since you've decided to crack the Human-Faced Demonic Beast case, it certainly can't be solely on a whim; you must have some clues."

Ye Jinglan nodded slightly. "To be frank, Brother Gu, I do have some clues. Otherwise, how could I possibly track down this Human-Faced Demonic Beast without any leads? Actually, the difficulty of the Human-Faced Demonic Beast case isn't how hard the beast itself is to deal with, but rather that its appearances are random, making it impossible to set up ambushes in advance."

Gu Mo asked doubtfully, "You've found a pattern?" Ye Jinglan shook his head. "How could I possibly find a pattern? If there were one, the court wouldn't have allowed the Human-Faced Demonic Beast to run rampant for so many years. However, whether there's a pattern isn't important; what matters is being able to track its whereabouts. I hadn't originally intended to investigate the Human-Faced Demonic Beast case because the beast was impossible to find. It appeared randomly on the surface, and the underground Ghost City was too complex to search, making it impossible to pinpoint the beast. But recently, Elder Qi Miaoxuan wrote to me, recommending someone: Song Zichu, the county lieutenant of Lantian County. This person is an unofficial disciple of Elder Qi and possesses photographic memory."

Gu Chudong exclaimed in surprise, "That amazing?" Ye Jinglan sighed. "Unfortunately, Song Zichu has confined himself for over twenty years. Otherwise, with his photographic memory, he definitely would have achieved great things, instead of still being just a county lieutenant in his thirties. When he was a child, he personally witnessed his older sister and brother being kidnapped by human traffickers and taken into Ghost City. Afterwards, his father entered Ghost City to search for his children and never returned, and his mother, unable to bear such a blow, went insane. His once happy family shattered within months. At that time, Song Zichu was only a few years old, unable to support himself, let alone a mentally deranged mother. Fortunately, he encountered Elder Qi, who was visiting the capital. Elder Qi admired Song Zichu's perseverance and filial piety, so he treated his mother's madness. It was during that period that Song Zichu gradually began to display his photographic memory. Elder Qi, cherishing his talent, taught Song Zichu some martial arts and medical skills, enabling him to support himself. Song Zichu hated those human traffickers and resolved to eliminate their gangs. However, after he became an official, he learned that even the imperial court was powerless against the Ghost City's administration. From then on, he lost his ambition to advance in officialdom and instead resolved to find another path. He began to frequently enter Ghost City, intending to use his photographic memory to record all the countless intricate tunnels and drainage channels of the underground Ghost City. This was an idea akin to a fantasy, and Song Zichu became a famous joke in the capital. Everyone mocked his wild ambition, because the underground Ghost City was simply too complex. Below were drainage tunnels hundreds or even thousands of years old, and there was even a buried ancient city beneath. It was impossible for one person to record all the tunnels below. However, in this world, only one person believed in Song Zichu. After more than a decade of exploration, although he still had some distance to go to record the entire Ghost City, he had already gained a general understanding, and he now possessed a preliminary map of Ghost City."

Gu Mo couldn't help but give a thumbs-up, exclaiming, "This is truly a person of great perseverance and steadfastness!" "He is indeed very admirable; his actions should be revered by all," Ye Jinglan said. "Once the Ghost City map is truly completed, it will mean that Ghost City is no longer so mysterious. The authorities will largely be able to restrict and manage Ghost City, reducing crime by more than half. This is a grand event that will benefit countless people." Gu Mo nodded slightly. He understood the significance of the Ghost City map; it would resolve a long-standing blight that had existed for centuries.

Ye Jinglan continued, "However, this matter is still far from complete, but it can help me locate the Human-Faced Demonic Beast. The Human-Faced Demonic Beast is very large, over ten feet long and five feet tall. It definitely cannot hide just anywhere, and it's extremely ferocious. Combining this with the Ministry of Justice's records of the Human-Faced Demonic Beast's characteristics and its appearance locations, Song Zichu said he could help identify potential hiding places for the Human-Faced Demonic Beast within Ghost City."

Gu Chudong asked doubtfully, "Then, Brother Ye, given this, why don't you simply ask the Ministry of Justice to dispatch a large force to..." Reaching this point, Gu Chudong suddenly realized, and with a grin, said, "Consider that unsaid." Ye Jinglan and Gu Mo exchanged slight smiles, everything unspoken. This was a tremendous achievement that could lead to a three-rank promotion. If Ye Jinglan secured it alone, he would instantly leap to the rank of Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, a third-rank official. However, if he informed the Ministry of Justice, turning it into a collective operation, although he would still receive the primary credit, the merit would be distributed, and he would at most be promoted from fifth-rank to the peak of fourth-rank. The difference between fourth-rank and third-rank, though seemingly only half a rank, was actually a world apart.

"Brother Gu, Sister Chudong, Song Zichu still needs some more time. For now, you can stay at my home. Feel free to tell me if you need anything during the day." After moving into Ye Jinglan's residence, Gu Mo began studying Shang Wujiu's "Catastrophe of the Innocent Heart Strings." This was a rather good sound wave attack technique; although not comparable to the "Eight Sounds of the Heavenly Dragon," it was definitely a first-rate martial art in the jianghu, and a rare sound wave method at that. Sound wave martial arts were generally difficult to cultivate, but Gu Mo's current martial arts realm was exceptionally high. Even without system rewards, he could simply research such a skill briefly and grasp its profound mysteries. He didn't even need to deliberately practice; he could directly reach the grandmaster level. These past few days, apart from practicing martial arts, Gu Chudong had been going out to play with Princess Chengyang. Gu Mo, naturally, had no interest in sightseeing or shopping. He was attempting to modify the "Catastrophe of the Innocent Heart Strings," as he discovered this martial art had conditions for rapid mastery, but wasn't perfectly refined. With his current martial arts realm, he could completely rectify its flaws. His dedication to this research made him forget food and sleep, working day and night.

Similarly, in Lantian County, outside the capital, another person was diligently researching day and night: Song Zichu, the county lieutenant of Lantian County. The night was as still as water, and the Song residence in Lantian County was shrouded in deep darkness. Song Zichu squatted on the blue brick floor, his eyes bloodshot, his cheeks hollowed as if carved by a knife. He seemed to have been drained of all his vitality, yet his gaze remained fixed on the map, over ten feet long, before him. In his left hand, he held a bean oil lamp; its dim, yellow glow flickered over the map, causing its lines to alternate between light and shadow. This map was precisely the one he had meticulously recorded of Ghost City over many years. Suddenly, a night breeze swept through the hall, pushing open the half-ajar wooden door with a creak. A strong gust of wind, laden with night dew, rushed in, and the oil lamp extinguished with a puff, plunging the room into pitch-black darkness. Song Zichu's body stiffened, his right hand instinctively pressed against the soft sword at his waist, and he sharply turned to look. Silvery moonlight filtered through the skylight, and a thin mist in the courtyard had, at some point, spread over the stone steps, swirling like a light veil beneath the corridor. Faint, ethereal sobs drifted from the mist, low and melodious, seemingly carrying deep sorrow.

Song Zichu frowned and pulled out a flint to relight the oil lamp. But in that instant, amidst the haze, he faintly saw a figure in the thin mist continuously approaching him. "Who's there?" Song Zichu snapped. "Sanlang... Sanlang..." The voice drifted, as if from a great distance, yet also seemed to linger in his ears. "It's me..." Song Zichu's Adam's apple bobbed, and the hand holding the flint trembled slightly. The mist gradually thinned, and the moonlight outlined a figure: a woman with a flowing skirt trailing on the ground and hair like a waterfall. It was unmistakably his elder sister, who had been in her mid-teens when they last parted ways in his memory! Twenty years had left no trace on her face, yet her eyes held an indescribable sorrow and resentment. "Sanlang..." His sister extended a fair, white hand, silver bells on her wrist tinkling softly with her movements. "I miss you so much, Sanlang. Come, come, come with your sister, let's reunite as a family..." The voice was intimately familiar, piercing to the bone. Song Zichu felt a booming in his head, his mind becoming hazy and disoriented, his eyes vacant. He walked out as if dazed, instinctively reaching out to take his sister's hand, his feet moving forward involuntarily.

In a daze, Song Zichu walked out the door, his hand extended. Just as his fingertips were about to touch his sister's palm, a cold glint suddenly flashed in Song Zichu's eyes. A cold light burst from his sleeve, and a soft sword, like a wandering dragon emerging from its lair, shot straight for the figure's throat. He coldly rebuked, "Demon, take this sword!" The sword qi cut through the air, creating a sharp whistle as it sliced downwards! His sister was instantly struck, transforming into a wisp of smoke. But before Song Zichu could react, his sister's figure reappeared on the other side, mournfully calling out, "Sanlang... Sanlang... I'm your elder sister..." "Demon, you seek death!" Song Zichu immediately brandished his soft sword, preparing to strike at the "sister." But in that instant, he heard another voice: "Third Brother, go!" He looked closely and saw it was his second brother, who had disappeared at the same time as his elder sister. "San'er..." Another familiar voice came from behind him. He turned his head and saw his father, who had entered Ghost City and never returned, and beside him was another figure: his mother, who had passed away just two years prior. His mother was also calling out to him: "San'er, come quickly, our family is reunited..." Song Zichu's eyes were cold. He swung his soft sword and barked, "Playing tricks, all of you, die!"