Chapter 237: Killing Through Ghost City

A putrid, damp mist drifted in the darkness. Water rushed and washed as a decaying log floated in the underground river. On the log were two people: one standing, one sitting cross-legged.

The one standing was Gu Mo. Faint currents of air pulsed beneath his feet, propelling the log upstream against the current. The one sitting cross-legged was Ye Jinglan, who was rapidly circulating his internal energy to recover.

The water continued to rush as the two traveled swiftly on the log. After an unknown period, a light slowly appeared ahead. Ye Jinglan's pupils contracted slightly. "Brother Gu," he said, "there's light ahead. We must have reached a settlement. A settlement means there will surely be a ferryman who can take us to the surface."

Gu Mo quietly replied, "But it's more likely that more people will be ambushing us ahead."

Ye Jinglan's heart sank slightly. Along the way, they had encountered various deadly traps. Their opponents were clearly very familiar with this 'ghost city' and had fully utilized the environment to set ambushes. In total, they had faced no fewer than ten death traps, yet they had encountered fewer than five actual people.

Ye Jinglan inwardly marveled at Gu Mo's truly powerful defensive abilities. If he had been alone today, or with a companion whose defenses were slightly weaker or whose internal energy was less robust, he would undoubtedly be severely wounded by now.

And now, they had reached the settlement.

While a settlement meant they could find a way out, it was indeed as Gu Mo said: a bigger death trap might be awaiting them.

"Brother Gu, do you have much internal energy left?" Ye Jinglan asked.

"It's alright," Gu Mo replied.

In the darkness, Ye Jinglan's expression darkened slightly. He was on the verge of exhaustion; the *qi* in his *dantian* was completely depleted. His combat ability was now limited. In his opinion, although Gu Mo spoke casually, he had been constantly releasing his *qi* throughout their journey. His consumption was more than ten times greater than Ye Jinglan's. Even a grandmaster of internal arts couldn't sustain such expenditure, and he likely had little internal energy left!

Ye Jinglan gritted his teeth, his heart filled with hesitation and conflict. Finally, at one moment, a flicker of resolve appeared in his eyes. He said calmly, "Brother Gu, I have one more trump card, but I cannot use it lightly. But rest assured, if it comes to the last resort, I will use it. No matter what, I will get you out of here!"

Gu Mo chuckled lightly, patted Ye Jinglan's shoulder, and said, "Alright. If I can't hold on, I'll tell you. Then, whether we live or die will be in your hands!"

"Good!" Ye Jinglan nodded. "But rest assured, I absolutely won't let you die here. If you truly can't hold on, I will get you out."

Gu Mo smiled slightly, and an even more formidable surge of internal energy erupted from him. Under the propulsion of this energy, the log moved swiftly across the river surface, like a fish.

Soon, they arrived outside a settlement.

Both wearing masks, they walked into the small settlement.

This settlement was much livelier than Chensha Du, the one where they had captured Ghost Hand San when they first entered. However, since it was very small, with only one street, it felt quite crowded.

The street was brightly lit, with people constantly coming and going.

Gu Mo and Ye Jinglan entered the town. After looking around the street for a while, Ye Jinglan led Gu Mo into a small noodle shop.

Since leaving the Ghost Wind Gorge, they had been in high-intensity combat without consuming any food. Although underground, unable to perceive the passage of time, they estimated at least a full day had passed since they entered the 'ghost city'—at least twenty-four hours.

Gu Mo was fine; although he hadn't reached the stage of fasting for extended periods, his profound internal energy allowed him to go three to five days without food with little ill effect. Before, after performing the Celestial Silkworm Divine Art, he had gone seven days and seven nights without food or water.

But Ye Jinglan was different; internal arts were not his primary discipline. Furthermore, he had been fighting efficiently, not only depleting his internal energy but also exhausting his physical strength. He was now intensely hungry, almost to the point of collapse.

"Boss, four bowls of noodles, as fast as possible!" Ye Jinglan called out as soon as he entered. He chose this noodle shop because it had few customers, only four or five, and they were already eating, so he wouldn't have to wait long.

"Coming right up!"

The noodle shop owner was a seemingly simple and honest middle-aged man, wearing an apron and standing beside a large pot. Hearing Ye Jinglan's words, he quickly responded and then hastened to put noodles into the pot. Noodle shops always kept boiling water ready. When a customer came, they would just blanch the noodles, add toppings like chopped green onions, and it would be ready very quickly.

Before long, the owner carried four bowls of noodles on a small table and placed them on theirs.

The owner was quite generous; all four bowls were overflowing.

However, Gu Mo wasn't fond of noodles, so he said, "Brother Ye, I can't eat two bowls..."

"Oh, my apologies," Ye Jinglan said, "I forgot to order for you. Boss, one more bowl!"

Gu Mo was speechless.

Ye Jinglan immediately picked up his chopsticks, ready to eat the noodles. Just then, Gu Mo sent a telepathic message: "Brother Ye, there's poison in the noodles."

"Huh?"

Ye Jinglan paused slightly, then examined the noodles closely. After all, he was a grandmaster of the *jianghu*, with keen eyesight. Although not proficient in medicine, when looking for a problem with a 'hint' already given, he quickly noticed something amiss in the noodles.

Instantly, he felt terrible, for he was extremely hungry.

"Actually, Brother Ye, you could still eat it. The poison isn't too potent," Gu Mo said. "With your cultivation, you could last at least an hour before your intestines are perforated and stomach ruptured. But with me here, you can try to trust me; there might be a chance to save you."

Ye Jinglan's mouth twitched. "Brother Gu, while I don't claim to be a good person, you can't treat me like an animal to experiment on!"

Then, Ye Jinglan waved at the owner and called out, "Boss, come here for a moment."

The owner quickly walked over and asked, "Customer, how may I help you?"

Ye Jinglan said indignantly, "Tell me, how did you cook these noodles? Huh? Are they for pigs? Come on, you try eating a few bites. With this skill level, you dare to set up a business?"

As he spoke, Ye Jinglan grabbed the owner's collar with one hand and, with the other, picked up a bowl of noodles and tried to force-feed him.

At that very moment, a short dagger shot out from the owner's sleeve. It stabbed towards Ye Jinglan with lightning speed, imbued with killing intent, aimed directly for his face.

In a flash, the porcelain bowl exploded into glittering shards. Ye Jinglan's slender fingers, like a nimble snake, snatched a sharp fragment, so fast that no afterimage remained. Only a line of blood seeped from the owner's neck—then a blood droplet splattered onto the bluestone slab with a 'plop.' The owner staggered backward, clutching his throat, guttural sounds escaping him. His terrified eyes reflected the killer's cold face. Finally, he collapsed heavily into a pool of blood, the crimson stain spreading across half the floor.

The smell of blood instantly permeated the entire noodle shop. The assassins, who had been pretending to be customers, simultaneously drew their weapons. Cold glints of steel surged towards the two like a wave.

Gu Mo leaned languidly against the wooden stool. The moment his knuckles lightly tapped the tabletop, the ceramic pot holding chopsticks spun out like an arrow released from a bow. As the pot tilted, over a dozen bamboo chopsticks shot through the air like a torrential rain, piercing the assassins' throats and hearts with deadly accuracy. Splattering blood beads carved crimson arcs in the lamplight. Blood still gushed from the fatal wounds, but the victims had already breathed their last.

"Brother Ye, the pot and the noodles aren't poisoned. Don't touch the condiments. You can try to cook some noodles for yourself," Gu Mo said. He brushed off the corner of his sleeve.

At that moment, numerous swordsmen surged from the end of the long street like a tide. The dust stirred by their footsteps was almost reaching the doorway. Yet, Gu Mo pointed at them nonchalantly and said, "I'll hold them off. You can eat your noodles in peace!"

Ye Jinglan didn't waste words; he quickly ran to the stove and began cooking noodles. The reason for his haste wasn't to save time or ease Gu Mo's burden, but because he was genuinely hungry.

"Brother Gu, fight them slowly. Once I've eaten and recovered a bit, then you can eat too," Ye Jinglan said. He didn't forget to cook some for Gu Mo, throwing an entire bundle of noodles into the pot and then quickly adding firewood.

At this moment, the settlement had descended into chaos. Under the lamplight, visibility wasn't great. Especially the densely packed swordsmen, who, moving together, resembled a single black shadow.

A man in red clothes with heavy makeup appeared. He bowed respectfully to Gu Mo and said, "I am The Impersonator. Greetings, Grandmaster Gu."

Gu Mo sat down, turned slightly towards the long street outside the door, and casually crossed his legs. "The Impersonator? The Thousand-Faced Impersonator, one of the Ten Evils?"

The Thousand-Faced Impersonator said, "Precisely. I came to persuade Grandmaster Gu and Lord Ye. You two are extraordinary heroes, dragons among men. Why bother with insignificant figures like us, who dwell in the shadows? Grandmaster Gu, as long as you hand over the ledger, we will absolutely no longer obstruct you two. We will respectfully escort you out. From now on, there will be monthly tributes of at least three thousand silver taels, and all proper etiquette for festivals, birthdays, and other occasions will not be forgotten. If you two need any help, you can freely command us. How about we become friends?"

The Thousand-Faced Impersonator spoke at length, but Gu Mo barely listened. Instead, he was looking up the wanted poster for The Thousand-Faced Impersonator, one of the Ten Evils of Ghost City, in his system:

Wanted Target: The Thousand-Faced ImpersonatorMission Level: Three-starMission Reward: Max-level Muscle Tendon Changing Scripture (Yi Jin Jing)

Shaolin has two great divine arts: the Muscle Tendon Changing Scripture (Yi Jin Jing) and the Marrow Cleansing Scripture (Xi Sui Jing). The Muscle Tendon Changing Scripture, when mastered, can permeate internal energy into muscles and bones, strengthening bodily functions. It allows for "changing tendons and forging bones," meaning it can reshape meridian structures through external force, enhancing one's innate martial talent. Its internal energy mastery can achieve a balance of rigidity and flexibility, possessing strong compatibility. It is also an un-attributed internal energy that can enhance any martial technique. Its internal energy is extremely restrained, forming a unique defense that reaches a state of flawlessness, capable of discerning the Buddhist realms of "self-view" and "person-view."

If he didn't have the Great Profound Scripture, Gu Mo's Boundless Reversion Qi could have chosen the Muscle Tendon Changing Scripture as an "ascension device," as many of its characteristics were similar to the Great Profound Scripture.

However, given Gu Mo's current martial arts realm, the Muscle Tendon Changing Scripture offered little significant enhancement. Nevertheless, its ability to change tendons and forge bones still greatly interested him. In fact, many of his internal arts possessed the ability to alter innate talent. With his current talent, even without the system, he would be a martial arts prodigy rarely seen in a century. But no one would mind making their talent even greater, for the realm of martial arts was boundless!

Outside the noodle shop, The Thousand-Faced Impersonator bowed slightly to Gu Mo. Seeing Gu Mo remain silent, he spoke again: "Grandmaster Gu, have you considered it carefully? Friend or foe, life or death, it all rests on your decision!"

Gu Mo chuckled softly and said, "I am a blade-catcher."

The Thousand-Faced Impersonator was slightly taken aback, unsure why Gu Mo suddenly said this. He asked in confusion, "Grandmaster Gu, what do you mean?"

Gu Mo said, "I am only interested in wanted criminals. All ten of you Evils of Ghost City are wanted criminals, and I find you all quite interesting. So, besides you, have any others arrived?"

The Thousand-Faced Impersonator said coldly, "It seems Grandmaster Gu intends to make an enemy of our entire Ghost City. If that's the case..."

Before The Thousand-Faced Impersonator could finish speaking, Gu Mo raised a hand and pointed, emitting an invisible sword *qi*, the Central Thrust from the Six Meridians Divine Swords. It was formless, colorless, and silent. The Thousand-Faced Impersonator had no chance to react as the sword *qi* pierced his forehead.

However, strangely, instead of blood, chilling wood shavings were revealed in the hole in The Thousand-Faced Impersonator's forehead. Gu Mo paused slightly, then murmured, "No wonder his aura seemed off earlier. I thought it was some advanced turtle-breathing technique. It turns out to be a puppet!"

Before his words faded, the Gouchen Demonic Saber was unsheathed. The blade gleamed like silk. With a gentle swing, the puppet shattered. Amidst the broken wood chips, several faint transparent threads became visible, clearly indicating someone was controlling it nearby.

In that instant, Gu Mo darted out like a phantom. The airflow stirred by his movement left faint traces in the air. His figure shot forth like a pouncing owl. The moment his fingertips gripped the threads like iron pincers, internal energy coursed backward along the fine lines. The remote operator's location was instantly imprinted on his palm.

He yanked with sudden force, and a sharp sound, like fabric tearing, echoed through the crowd. A tall, thin youth in a moon-white long gown was pulled more than a *zhang* off the ground, his entire body soaring into the air like a kite with a broken string. The folding fan at his waist swung out a silver arc in the violent shaking, and his fingertips frantically clawed at the empty air in vain.

Gu Mo sneered, then leaped into the air.

From within the crowd at the street corner, someone flicked their hand, throwing out a crimson carpet. The eight-legged spider patterns embroidered on its edges suddenly seemed to come alive, writhing. The entire carpet swelled like a boiling sea of blood, and thousands of venomous spiders surged out from it. There were black-backed spiders the size of bowls, with red spots on their abdomens like weeping cinnabar. There were also three-inch-long spotted spiders, whose back patterns strangely resembled human faces. And there were golden-legged spiders as thin as finger joints, their venom dripping from their opening mandibles, corroding the bluestone slab with sizzling white smoke. Where the poisonous mist spread, the firelight of the street lanterns was dyed an eerie purplish-blue.

Gu Mo's expression remained unchanged. A layer of radiant white light instantly appeared around him, enveloping him like a protective barrier. The first venomous spiders to hit the barrier emitted dense crackling sounds, coiling into balls as if struck by lightning. Purplish-black bodily fluids splattered onto the barrier with sizzling sounds, and the rising poisonous mist was shattered into tiny specks of light by the *gangqi*.

The deflected spider swarm poured down like torrential rain, falling into the ranks of the swordsmen on the street. Immediately, screams rose one after another—some had their throats corroded by spider venom, others rolled on the ground clutching swollen arms, and still others bled black from their seven orifices. In moments, over a dozen corpses lay strewn about.

However, The Thousand-Faced Impersonator seized the opportunity to slip into the crowd.

Gu Mo lightly tapped his foot, drifting effortlessly onto the roof of the small noodle shop. He gazed in the direction from which the carpet had been thrown, locked onto that person's aura, and said in a deep voice, "Thousand Spiders, Ten Thousand Poisons. You are the Venomous Spider Hag?"

From within the crowd came a melodious and pleasing voice: "I never thought I, the Venomous Spider Hag, would have the fortune to have Grandmaster Gu remember my name. What a blessing!"

Hearing the other party admit her identity, Gu Mo thought inwardly, "What a coincidence today!" The reward for The Thousand-Faced Impersonator was the Muscle Tendon Changing Scripture, and now came the very fitting Venomous Spider Hag:

Wanted Target: The Venomous Spider HagMission Level: Four-starMission Reward: Max-level Marrow Cleansing Scripture (Xi Sui Jing)

The Marrow Cleansing Scripture, like the Muscle Tendon Changing Scripture, was one of Shaolin's two great divine arts. The Muscle Tendon Changing Scripture cultivated external muscles and bones, while the Marrow Cleansing Scripture primarily trained the internal arts of *jing*, *qi*, and *shen*. It was a supreme Buddhist treasure for cultivating innate internal energy. Because it was too profound for anyone to successfully cultivate, it had even been lost.

Its effects were miraculous. Once cultivated, the practitioner's body would be reborn, not only enhancing internal energy and improving martial arts, but also allowing true *qi* to move freely and circulate endlessly within the body.

When cultivated to an advanced realm, it could "cleanse marrow and purify blood," removing impurities from the bloodline and ultimately achieving the state of "unity of heaven and man." It enhanced the practitioner's innate talent, focusing on comprehension. It was a perfect match with the Muscle Tendon Changing Scripture: one improved physique, the other improved comprehension.

Furthermore, the Marrow Cleansing Scripture also had the miraculous effect of healing and saving lives. If a person lost all martial arts and became a cripple, or even had their meridians severed, cultivating the Marrow Cleansing Scripture could reconnect meridians, restore profound martial arts, and allow the crippled person to regain their former power. Overall, it was even more formidable than the Muscle Tendon Changing Scripture.

One Muscle Tendon Changing Scripture, one Marrow Cleansing Scripture. Gu Mo felt his luck was quite good today, and a surge of joy unexpectedly rose in his heart. He smiled and said, "I try my best to remember all wanted criminals. So, is it true what they say, that the Venomous Spider Hag's voice is as beautiful as her face is ugly?"

"Gu Mo, you deserve to die!"

The Venomous Spider Hag, whose sore spot had been struck by Gu Mo, let out an enraged roar. "Gu Mo, I know your martial arts are unrivaled, but along the way, you've used up nine-tenths of your power. We have hundreds of people here; we can wear you down to death! Why are you so arrogant? Kill him!"

The Venomous Spider Hag's shrill cry pierced the sky. Swordsmen surged down the long street like a black tide. The clanging of clashing weapons rattled the eaves, causing dust to fall.

Inside the noodle shop, Ye Jinglan bit off a springy noodle, muttering, "Brother Gu, can you hold them off?"

"Small problem."

Before Gu Mo's words fully fell, the Gouchen Demonic Saber ignited with flames a *zhang* high. The fiery glow flowing