Chapter 242: Bloodbath

The Imperial City was exceptionally lively today.

Within the Imperial City, the Dry Emperor hosted a birthday banquet for Princess Chengyang, Li Li, inviting all civil and military officials, as well as diplomatic delegations from the three nations. While it was clear to everyone that the banquet was merely a pretense, and the real purpose was to entertain the foreign envoys, no one denied the Emperor's genuine affection for Princess Chengyang.

At this moment, Jiucheng Palace was bustling with noise.

Most of the civil and military officials had arrived, and the three foreign delegations were already seated. Princes residing in the capital were also present, creating a lively atmosphere that reached its peak with the arrival of the Emperor and the Empress Dowager.

Just then, a voice from outside announced, "The Imperial Advisor has arrived!"

For a moment, the civil and military officials of the Dry Kingdom were taken aback. Even the Dry Emperor and Empress Dowager Yan looked puzzled.

Imperial Advisor Zhang Daoyi never participated in imperial banquets, whether grand or small. He would only make a symbolic appearance once a year for the Heaven Worship Ceremony, merely going through the motions. An event like today's banquet was certainly not something Zhang Daoyi would attend. Although the Dry Emperor had, as a matter of routine, sent an invitation to Zhang Daoyi, he received no reply and thus assumed Zhang Daoyi would not come. Hearing of his sudden arrival now, everyone couldn't help but be curious.

In contrast to the bewilderment of the Dry Kingdom's officials, the foreign delegations and the four Imperial Merchants, personally appointed by the Dry Emperor and attending the palace for the first time, were filled with anticipation. Zhang Daoyi, the Dry Kingdom's foremost expert, the third greatest master under Heaven, the leader of the Daoist sect, and the only contemporary Heavenly Master, was not only renowned in the Dry Kingdom but also across all nations of the world. Rumor had it he was an immortal-like figure.

When a portly, round-faced Taoist walked into the palace, the people from the three nations' delegations were somewhat disappointed. His appearance differed greatly from the immortal, ethereal image they had envisioned, yet his presence was undeniably powerful and immensely 압도적. However, what puzzled everyone was that accompanying Zhang Daoyi was not his usual attendant, Huaisu, but a fair-skinned young woman carrying a large box on her back. She looked around curiously, as if everything in the palace fascinated her.

Upon entering, Zhang Daoyi bowed to the Dry Emperor, "Your subject, Zhang Daoyi, greets Your Majesty." Zhang Daoyi's attitude was very clear: he bowed to the Dry Emperor but directly ignored Empress Dowager Yan, who was seated not far from the Emperor.

Empress Dowager Yan's face immediately fell. The Dry Emperor, however, looked as if he had drunk honey, quickly saying, "Imperial Advisor, dispense with the formalities. Please, take your seat."

At this time, numerous civil and military officials also rose and bowed to Zhang Daoyi. However, each addressed him as "Heavenly Master," omitting his official title. Zhang Daoyi cupped his hands to the crowd, flicked the horsetail whisk in his hand, and said to the Dry Emperor, "Your Majesty, your subject will not linger at this banquet. I am unaccustomed to such occasions and had not planned to come." He then pointed to the young woman still looking around, saying, "It is merely that this girl said she had never seen a royal banquet and wondered if there were many exotic delicacies here. So, your subject brought her to see the world!"

At these words, the entire hall erupted in murmurs. Everyone stared at the young woman, guessing her identity. Many's first thought was that perhaps Zhang Daoyi had a daughter late in life and was doting on her so much.

The Dry Emperor was also puzzled and asked, "Who is this young lady?"

At this moment, Princess Chengyang, Li Li, the nominal guest of honor at the banquet, who was seated beside the Dry Emperor, excitedly exclaimed, "Father Emperor, Father Emperor, I know! She is Gu Chudong, my good friend! She's amazing, I've told you about her!"

The Dry Emperor suddenly understood. Zhang Daoyi then spoke to the crowd, "This is Gu Chudong, the younger sister of Gu Mo, the Great Hero of Yunzhou."

In fact, many present were unfamiliar with the name "Great Hero of Yunzhou," as they paid little attention to the martial arts world. Only a few, who were at least aware of matters in Linhai Commandery, had heard the name "Great Hero of Yunzhou." However, unfamiliarity did not prevent them from being impressed; after all, this was someone important enough for Imperial Advisor Zhang Daoyi to personally bring just to broaden her horizons.

The Dry Emperor, however, nodded and said, "So it is Miss Gu! I have long heard of you and your brother, Gu Mo, the Great Hero of Yunzhou. Your brother is an unparalleled martial arts genius, abhorring evil, upholding justice, and slaying demons—truly worthy of the name Great Hero of Yunzhou. And you, Gu Chudong, are also an extraordinary woman of this age, no less capable than any man. Seeing you today, you are indeed as ethereal as the rumors say, a rare young talent under Heaven!"

Gu Chudong was naturally socially awkward and very unaccustomed to being stared at by everyone. But precisely because Zhang Daoyi had singled her out, causing everyone to look at her, she felt extremely embarrassed. Now, being praised directly by the Dry Emperor made her even more flustered.

Zhang Daoyi telepathically instructed her, "Why are you standing there? Reply!"

"Reply what?" Gu Chudong asked telepathically.

"Thank him, then say a few pleasant and flattering words."

Gu Chudong suddenly understood. She quickly cupped her hands towards the Dry Emperor and stammered, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for the praise. Um... you... you have really good taste!"

The Dry Emperor: "..."Civil and military officials: "..."Zhang Daoyi: "??"'You mean saying pleasant words is just praising yourself?'

The Dry Emperor was slightly taken aback, then he couldn't help but laugh, nearly choking. He quickly said, "Please be seated, be seated. Since you are friends with Chengyang, you may sit with her!"

Gu Chudong looked up at Zhang Daoyi. Zhang Daoyi nodded slightly. Gu Chudong then walked towards Li Li, who was overjoyed. She quickly rose, pulled Gu Chudong to sit beside her, and said, "Chudong, you came to say goodbye a few days ago. I thought you had truly left and was so sad! So, you were preparing a surprise for me? You're so kind!"

Gu Chudong, who was holding a large shrimp in her hand, felt a bit awkward. In truth, she had completely forgotten about Li Li's birthday. It was only early this morning, after the battle at Honglu Temple, when Gu Mo went to chase the man-faced beast, he told her to wait at the Imperial Advisor's residence. Once there, she happened to overhear Zhang Daoyi saying he was going to the Imperial Astronomical Bureau. Thinking that a royal banquet must have many delicacies, she asked Zhang Daoyi to bring her along. It had nothing to do with Li Li's birthday.

However, seeing Li Li's expectant gaze, she nodded vigorously and said, "Yes, it's a surprise for you!"

Li Li's eyes lit up. She pushed the plates of food on the table towards Gu Chudong, leaned close to her ear, and whispered, "Don't eat too much now. Let me tell you, when the banquet is almost over, my mother will take the female guests to the rear garden. There's lots of delicious food there!"

"Mhm, mhm, mhm..." Gu Chudong stuffed food into her mouth, nodding in response. Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, she glimpsed a woman sitting further back in the main hall, smiling as she looked at her. Gu Chudong's eyes brightened, for it was an acquaintance, Yun Xiu, the eldest young lady of the Yun family whom she had befriended in Cangzhou.

Gu Chudong quickly waved at Yun Xiu. Yun Xiu smiled faintly and also waved slightly. However, she dared not be as unrestrained as Gu Chudong. She sat very properly at her seat, not daring to touch any of the food on the table, maintaining perfect decorum throughout, afraid of accidentally breaking any rules.

"Do you know her?" Li Li asked Gu Chudong. Gu Chudong nodded.

Li Li said, "She's one of the four Imperial Merchants appointed by Father Emperor, from Cangzhou... Hmm, it's normal that you know her, she's also a martial artist. Her family is said to be one of the Seven Great Martial Arts Families. Her name is Yun... something..."

Gu Chudong nodded and said, "Yun Xiu, her name is Yun Xiu. Let me tell you, Sister Yun Xiu is amazing! She's beautiful, skilled in martial arts, and proficient in zither, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, and prose. Especially her business acumen, it's extraordinary. She became the head of the Yun family as a woman, and now she's even an Imperial Merchant! She'll definitely take the Yun family to new heights. She is a true extraordinary woman, I admire her greatly!"

Hearing Gu Chudong praise Yun Xiu so effusively, Li Li became very jealous. She pouted and said, "You've never praised me like that, hmph! I feel like you like her more than me!"

"I like both you and her," Gu Chudong said. "But you and she are different."

"How are we different?" Li Li asked.

Gu Chudong explained, "I plan to introduce them to each other for a match once my brother's eyes recover. So, she might become my sister-in-law in the future. How can that be the same?"

Li Li was displeased. She straightened up, puffed out her chest, and said, "What's the big deal? Am I not pretty? You can introduce me to your brother too! Why can't I be your sister-in-law? Oh, that's a good idea! If I become your sister-in-law, I can play with you every day!"

Gu Chudong shook her head and said, "You can't. You're a princess. The royal rules are too restrictive. Besides, if my brother married you, he'd be a驸马 (royal son-in-law), and a 驸马 cannot marry other women. So, you can't. I'm still hoping my brother marries several more sisters-in-law to expand our Gu family and bring it prosperity!"

"Hmph!" Li Li was so annoyed she wanted to bite Gu Chudong.

The banquet proceeded in an orderly fashion. However, Zhang Daoyi had already left. Not long after, the banquet moved to the signing of trade agreements between the four nations.

Empress Dowager Yan, perhaps adhering to the principle of "out of sight, out of mind," simply left, citing ill health as her reason. The Dry Emperor, meanwhile, arranged for the three foreign delegations and the four Imperial Merchants to sign various trade cooperation agreements under the Ministry of Rites' supervision.

Soon after, as expected, the banquet transitioned into the Empress leading the female guests to the rear garden, separating them from the men's banquet in the front palace. Gu Chudong quickly went to pull Yun Xiu and began chatting with her.

On the other side, Li Li was being led by the Empress, as various female relatives of high-ranking officials came forward to pay their respects. However, Li Li was distracted, constantly looking towards the outside. Though she couldn't see them, the thought of Gu Chudong chatting animatedly with Yun Xiu made her very unhappy. She felt her good friend was about to be snatched away.

Empress Cao, being in charge of the inner palace, was naturally astute. She immediately recognized Li Li's childlike emotions and said with a smile, "Chengyang, why don't you invite your good friend to come to me? I find that child quite endearing!"

"Oh, good!" Li Li immediately ran towards Gu Chudong.

Yun Xiu, who was chatting with Gu Chudong, quickly rose and bowed upon seeing Li Li approach, "Greetings, Your Royal Highness!"

"Mhm." Li Li nodded coldly, then said to Gu Chudong, "Chudong, my mother wants to see you!"

Gu Chudong asked, puzzled, "Why does the Empress want to see me?"

"Oh, you'll know when you go." Li Li took Gu Chudong's hand and pulled her along.

"Sister Yun, I'll come find you later!" Gu Chudong called out to Yun Xiu as she followed Li Li.

Yun Xiu reminded her from the side, "Chudong, when you see the Empress later, be sure to mind your manners. Don't offend a noble person."

Gu Chudong thought for a moment. She didn't know any etiquette. But she wasn't worried. Although she had never interacted with the Empress before, she had heard much about Empress Cao's reputation in the martial arts world. She was known for her kindness in the folk. And seeing her earlier in the main hall, she appeared very gentle, likely a person with a good nature.

Li Li, holding Gu Chudong's hand, turned back to look at Yun Xiu with a slight hint of defiance, then quickly pulled Gu Chudong away.

The personal maid beside Yun Xiu felt uneasy. She whispered, "Miss, I feel like Princess Chengyang has some resentment towards you. Did we offend her somewhere? Won't there be trouble?"

Yun Xiu chuckled softly and said, "It's not as scary as you imagine. Princess Chengyang is simple-minded; it's just a child's nature. She's simply afraid I'll snatch away her good friend!"

Soon, Li Li led Gu Chudong into a lavishly decorated hall where the female relatives of top court officials were seated. Empress Cao naturally occupied the highest seat. Upon seeing Li Li enter with Gu Chudong, some of those present regarded Gu Chudong, a martial artist, with a dismissive air. However, no one was foolish enough to show it.

"Mother, Chudong is here!" Li Li pulled Gu Chudong forward.

Gu Chudong felt a little awkward. She cupped her hands towards Empress Cao and said, "Greetings, Empress... Um..." She suddenly remembered that performing martial arts etiquette for an empress might not be appropriate. She tried to recall how others had bowed, but her mind was blank, as she had only focused on eating in the main hall earlier.

Empress Cao chuckled softly and said, "Miss Gu, there's no need for such formalities. This palace knows you are from the martial arts world and are accustomed to freedom and unconstrained by rules. So, no need for excessive politeness." As she spoke, Empress Cao pointed to the specially vacated chairs beside her and said, "I saw earlier in the main hall that you didn't seem to eat much. Come, sit here and have some snacks!"

Gu Chudong's eyes lit up when she saw many delicacies on the table that couldn't be bought outside. She exclaimed, "Empress, you are so kind!"

Empress Cao laughed softly and said, "I often hear Chengyang speak of you and have long wished to meet you. Seeing you today, I don't know why, but I simply adore you. Please don't be restrained, treat this as your own home!"

Empress Cao's words changed the expressions of many in the hall. In the eyes of many of them, although Gu Chudong had a powerful martial artist brother as a backer, for princely and ministerial families, so-called martial arts experts were no different from ordinary villagers. But Empress Cao's reaction made them all uncertain. Everyone present was from a high-ranking noble family; no one would believe that Empress Cao's special treatment of Gu Chudong was genuinely due to instant affection. At the Empress's status, it was impossible to act purely on emotion, especially in such a setting.

In fact, it was precisely as those officials' relatives thought. Empress Cao's liking for Gu Chudong was not spontaneous. It was because Gu Chudong was personally brought by Zhang Daoyi, and behind her was a brother who could even surpass Zhang Daoyi. Empress Cao knew many things these officials' relatives did not. For example, she knew that while the Emperor was grateful to and respected Zhang Daoyi, he also secretly harbored fear of him. Because Zhang Daoyi possessed power that, to some extent, could ignore imperial authority. And now, Gu Chudong's backer was an existence who might even exceed Zhang Daoyi, a martial arts prodigy whom even Zhang Daoyi was trying to win over.

Martial artists, in the eyes of these high-ranking nobles and imperial dignitaries, were generally looked down upon. But it also depended on the person. Not all martial artists could be looked down upon. The Dry Kingdom had Zhang Daoyi, and Southern Jin had Su Qianqiu. Especially Su Qianqiu, who was known as the one who guarded the national border. The Southern Jin imperial family, to keep Su Qianqiu stable, even found an external bloodline he himself had forgotten about, and then forcibly elevated it into a top Southern Jin aristocratic family, all to keep Su Qianqiu tethered.

Therefore, for Empress Cao, the little girl before her represented immense significance. This was clearly someone who could counter tens of thousands of people. The manpower, resources, and finances consumed by Southern Jin to create a tether for Su Qianqiu were said to be equivalent to several years of Southern Jin's tax revenue. And this little girl alone was worth several years of a nation's tax revenue. So, how could she not like her? To Empress Cao, she was a treasure radiating golden light, saving their imperial family money.

Gu Chudong, however, had no such complex thoughts. She simply felt that Empress Cao was a very kind person, benevolent and gentle, constantly giving her snacks and even promising to have the imperial kitchen prepare more for her to take away. Therefore, the Empress was a great, great person!

Gu Chudong had no interest in the topics discussed by the noblewomen. She simply ate the various snacks, and with Li Li's help, even put many pastries into her book box.

Suddenly, at a certain moment, an arrow shot in from outside the door. The carved wooden door had not even swayed when the steel-tipped arrow pierced through the air. The arrowhead gleamed with a cold, blue light, even more chilling than the ice prisms hanging from the eaves. The strong wind it generated, passing through the copper clepsydra, even momentarily silenced the dripping sound. It was clearly a fleeting instant, yet it conveyed a sense of overwhelming ferocity, aiming directly for the cinnabar mark between Empress Cao's brows.

The maid behind the Empress had just unfurled the soft whip hidden in her sleeve, ready to intercept the arrow. But then, a hand suddenly shot out and firmly caught the arrow. It was Gu Chudong. Her left hand still held an almond pastry, while her right palm, like an iron vice, clamped onto the arrow shaft. The airflow generated as her thumb pressed across the fletching twisted the white steam rising from the tea cups on the table into scattered wisps.

The arrowhead was barely two feet from Empress Cao's skin. Although she wasn't worried the arrow could harm her, she was still startled. She clutched the gold-threaded peony on her skirt and instinctively looked towards Gu Chudong. Gu Chudong's raven-black hair was blown back by the arrow's wind, revealing half of her face, which was stained with pastry crumbs. Her jaw was still gently opening and closing—she was clearly chewing the almond pastry she hadn't yet swallowed.

"Assassin!" A maid behind Empress Cao shouted, quickly stepping forward to shield the Empress. Instantly, the hall erupted in chaos. Gilded incense burners were knocked over, and the scent of agarwood mingled with rouge, crumbling into dust in the panic.

Gu Chudong suddenly slammed her palm onto the sandalwood table in front of her. The stacked celadon bowls and plates on it jumped into the air. The moment her palm lifted from the table, the entire table surged forward like a galloping horse, crashing towards the palace doors. At that instant, over a dozen arrows almost grazed the table legs, "thudding" in quick succession, like firecrackers on New Year's Eve, pinning the table into a hedgehog. The table fell, and outside, dense volleys of arrows appeared, terrifying the noblewomen and causing widespread panic.

"Everyone, lie down!" Gu Chudong's voice mingled with the soft clang of a scabbard. The Hook-Edge Demonic Saber had already traced a half-circle of fiery moon in her hand. She leaped to the palace entrance, the blade reflecting the outdoor light, manifesting a faint azure halo about a zhang around her, which absorbed all the whistling sounds of the air like a vortex.

The arrows still suspended in mid-air suddenly halted simultaneously. The sharp whirring as the arrowheads turned resembled a flock of crows sweeping past the eaves on an autumn night. One hundred eighty arrow feathers converged into a silver snake in the blade's light. As she slammed the saber hilt heavily onto the ground, they rained down like a storm before the palace threshold, sending sparks flying onto the gilded screen, making the green hair-tie dangling beside her temple appear exceptionally dazzling.

Many of the noblewomen from princely and aristocratic families present were bewildered by Gu Chudong's back. At this moment, the clanging of weapons and sounds of fighting erupted outside the palace gates, becoming chaotic. Two blood-soaked guards staggered in, shouting, "Empress, quickly! Go to the front hall and rendezvous with His Majesty!"

Empress Cao's expression shifted slightly, but she remained composed. She quickly asked, "What happened?"

"We don't know," the guard replied. "But there's an army outside attacking. We can't hold them back much longer. Your Majesty, please quickly leave through the back door!"

Immediately, Empress Cao gathered the female guests and headed for the back door of the hall. Although the noblewomen were all in a state of panic, under Empress Cao's composure, they were still able to maintain some semblance of order.

"Chudong, Chudong, over here! Hurry!" Li Li called out to Gu Chudong as she followed Empress Cao, not forgetting her friend. Gu Chudong didn't hesitate, following the other noblewomen towards the back door. Compared to the panic of the other women present, Gu Chudong appeared remarkably calm. In reality, her mind was in a whirl, completely bewildered as to why such chaos could erupt within the Imperial Palace.

At this moment in the hall, those at the front, following Empress Cao, did not dare to overstep and managed to maintain some order. But those at the back were in disarray, jostling and pushing. However, as Gu Chudong followed, the few women who had been pushed to the very back suddenly became calm. Each quickly tidied her clothes and hurried to Gu Chudong's side, following her closely. They would occasionally steal glances at Gu Chudong's profile, and if Gu Chudong looked their way, they would immediately lower their heads, not daring to meet her gaze.

Gu Chudong looked left and right, noticing that these few women were all quite beautiful and possessed great elegance and cultivation. An idea immediately sparked in her mind, and she whispered, "Hey, ladies, are you all unmarried?"

At Gu Chudong's words, the women immediately looked at her, then lowered their heads, all blushing. Some said nothing, while others merely hummed a barely audible "Mhm." Gu Chudong immediately understood. She instantly decided that once things settled down, she would get to know each of these young women and befriend them all. 'Yes, a few more potential sisters-in-law!'

Soon, led by Empress Cao, the group of female guests exited through the back door. However, the very next moment, the scene plunged into chaos once more. For, in the long narrow alley, there was an army uniformly clad in pale red armor. Though not many, perhaps a hundred strong, each soldier exuded an extraordinary aura and chilling killing intent. Naturally, these were not figures that the present noblewomen dared to confront. They were all terrified and bewildered.

Empress Cao, however, hailed from a military family. Although her martial arts were mediocre, she had been exposed to such environments since childhood and was not overwhelmed by the murderous aura. She said in a deep voice, "Whose army are you? Do you know that your actions constitute a grave crime punishable by the extermination of your family? If you cease now, there is still a chance to turn back!"

"Empress!" A hoarse, elderly voice sounded, and two figures emerged. Leading was a hunched old woman with a large mole at the corner of her mouth and a patterned hat on her head. The other, slender as a willow, was fair-faced and delicate, continuously embroidering something in her hand.

The two bowed to Empress Cao and said, "Your Majesty, please return to the hall to rest. Your subjects will certainly not trouble you."

Empress Cao recognized the two, and her face instantly turned grim. She rebuked, "Matchmaker, Embroiderer... does your Night Department intend to rebel?" These two middle-aged women were not simple; they were the only two female leaders among the Night Department's twelve commanders. The elder was code-named Matchmaker, and the younger, Embroiderer.

Embroiderer chuckled softly and said, "Empress, His Majesty has been misled by villains. We are here to clear the Emperor's side. We dare not rebel!"

Matchmaker's voice was hoarse as she said, "Since Your Majesty recognizes us, you should also know that with us here, you naturally cannot leave. Do not consider other options, lest you make things difficult for us. Otherwise, our subordinates are rough men, and if they accidentally desecrate the imperial body, the sin would be great!"

"You..." Empress Cao clenched her fists, then released them in resignation. She knew clearly that the inner halls of Jiucheng Palace, where female guests resided, had very few guards. With the chaos at the front gate, there were likely even fewer left. Among the women present, very few knew martial arts, and most were delicate and frail, completely incapable of fighting their way out. Moreover, there wasn't just an army here, but also two major commanders of the Night Department, both martial arts grandmasters.

"Fine!" Empress Cao gritted her teeth and said, "We will retreat, but you are not to enter."

Matchmaker nodded slightly and said, "Your Majesty, rest assured, we will not harm any of you. However..." She suddenly looked towards Gu Chudong in the crowd and said, "However, Miss Gu, you must come with us!"

"Me?" Gu Chudong asked, puzzled, "Where are you taking me?"

Matchmaker displayed a kindly smile and said, "Miss Gu, just come with us. Rest assured, we will not harm you. It's just that our master wishes to invite you for a visit!"

Gu Chudong rubbed the back of her head and said, "But I don't want to go."

Matchmaker chuckled softly, "Miss Gu, it would be best if you came with us willingly. Otherwise, if we resort to force, accidentally injuring these noble ladies or even harming the Empress or Princess Chengyang would not be good, would it?"

Gu Chudong thought for a moment and said, "Alright, I'll go with you then. But if I go with you, you must not harm anyone here!"

Matchmaker nodded and said, "Naturally."

Immediately, Gu Chudong stepped out of the crowd. Li Li anxiously cried, "Chudong, don't go! It's dangerous!" The noble young ladies standing beside Gu Chudong also looked anxious. Gu Chudong, however, waved her hand dismissively and said casually, "Don't worry, it's just a trip. It's nothing. Anyway, I..."

As she strode forward, the book box on Gu Chudong's back suddenly opened, and a three-inch wide, one-and-a-half-foot long dark ink-colored box fell into her hand—it was the Thousand Marvels Box. She opened the Thousand Marvels Box directly and fired its contents towards Matchmaker and Embroiderer.

At that instant, the draft in the alley carried willow catkins past her raven-black temples, but it was nothing compared to the cold gleam that burst forth after a slight clicking sound—tens of thousands of thin blades, like a reversed milky way, sprayed out from the box, creating a sharp whistling sound like tearing silk. The blades, reflecting the twilight, were even colder than the ice-colored glaze on the eaves. Their spinning trajectories wove into a net, and the reversed star river and piercing long rainbow cast shimmering light blades onto the brick wall, sealing the two-zhang-square alleyway tightly.

Matchmaker's hand, gripping a gilded pipe, was still suspended in mid-air, the sparks in the pipe bowl flickering uncertainly. She had just been thinking how naive and simple Gu Chudong was, only to be ambushed in an instant. Embroiderer's fingertips had just hooked the silver bell on her skirt, and twelve embroidery needles were still in her sleeve, not yet falling. A deluge of blades, overwhelming, had already made it difficult to breathe—the hidden weapons from the Thousand Marvels Box were not merely shot, but cascaded down like a bursting river, their whistling sound hurting the eardrums. The pearl hairpins at their temples were even vibrated off by the qi force.

"You despicable little wretch!" Matchmaker's curse had not finished when her protective qi, like gold leaf, spread across her body. She practiced a hard qigong that had long hardened her skin and bones. However, she had not anticipated that the Thousand Marvels Box, the fifth-ranked hidden weapon under Heaven, was something that even the Grand Manager, Sir Dongjing, had nearly been killed by.

The blades, which bore the brunt of the attack, were extremely ruthless. The first three thin blades struck the protective qi, causing a metallic clang. The fourth directly pierced her left arm, followed by blood blossoms blooming on her neck and chest. Her entire body was driven back three steps by the hidden weapons. When her back hit the brick wall, the gold-leaf-like protective qi shattered into glowing fragments, revealing her riddled body—the thin blades didn't even stop, grazing her ribs and advancing another half-inch.

Embroiderer and Matchmaker had cooperated for years, always fighting with one attacking and one defending. In that first instant, Embroiderer had darted to Matchmaker's side, but she hadn't expected Matchmaker's hardened body to be breached so quickly. Her ten slender fingers flew like butterflies, and silver threads mixed with cinnabar lines spread out from her sleeves like a spiderweb. Her ultimate technique, "Thousand Needle Embroidered Moon," was originally used to disable enemy meridians. The wall of threads she hastily wove now truly resembled a translucent moon wheel, momentarily blocking the incoming rain of blades.

But it was a hasty defense after all. Silver threads and thin blades collided, sending sparks flying. The thread wall instantly fractured like petals, and seven or eight hidden weapons grazed her shoulder. Her protective qi "sizzled" as a foot-long opening appeared, and the silver bracelet on Embroiderer's wrist was even shaken off. She could only grit her teeth and unleash thirty-six poisoned embroidery needles from her sleeve, sweeping the last few hidden weapons into the dust with clanging sounds.

At the other end of the wide alley, a captain was about to draw his saber when a flash of brilliant white light swept across his vision. Twenty-seven black-armored guards formed a formation, yet they could not stop the rain of blades pouring down like a reversed Milky Way—the man in the front row raised his saber to block, but his blade was completely riddled with thin blades, and he fell backward; the archer in the middle had not even drawn his bowstring when three overlapping blades pierced his throat; the shield-bearing soldiers at the end of the line suffered even more, their shields were riddled like sieves, and seventeen or eighteen hidden weapons were stuck in their backs. Blood gurgled through the brick seams, dyeing the bluestone slabs a dark red river. Amidst the wails, someone's saber fell to the ground, leaving a trail of blood beads as it rolled, startling the cold crows perched on the wall.

Embroiderer's fingers flew, heavily tapping two major acupoints on her shoulder. Purple-black blood beads dripped from her fingertips. Her true qi circulated, barely suppressing the toxins that had permeated her meridians; her shoulder had been grazed by a hidden weapon just now. She glanced at the riddled and utterly dead Matchmaker, then looked at Gu Chudong, gritting her teeth and cursing, "Gu Chudong, you little wretch..."

Her curse was cut short as Gu Chudong slammed her book box onto the ground, then with a backhand, drew the Hook-Edge Demonic Saber. The moment it left the scabbard, the blade erupted in a three-foot inferno, making the young girl's eyes appear as terrifying as an Asura's. Embroiderer's curses were shredded by the whistling wind of the saber. Gu Chudong soared into the air, her saber's momentum carrying scorching heat directly at Embroiderer. The flames on the saber's back twisted and surged like a living thing.

Embroiderer quickly responded, her wrist twitching. Hundreds of embroidery needles mixed with cinnabar red threads poured out like a storm. The virulent poison on the silver needles traced a faint green trajectory in mid-air, while the red threads wove into a net in the air, attempting to entangle the demonic saber. The moment the Hook-Edge Demonic Saber cleaved through the needle rain, the blade's flames suddenly surged. Gu Chudong spun and changed her move, the saber's edge swaying like a dragon's tail, shaking all the silver needles away.

Seeing the unfavorable situation, Embroiderer's footwork shifted rapidly. Twelve golden threads shot out from her sleeve, aiming directly for Gu Chudong's major acupoints. The young girl sneered, her saber's momentum suddenly changing. Flames wrapped around the blade, solidifying into a crimson light blade. Wherever it passed, the red threads snapped寸寸 (inch by inch). Embroiderer was forced to retreat repeatedly, her back already against the mottled brick wall.

Gu Chudong leaped into the air, both hands tightly gripping the saber hilt, the saber tip pointing directly at the sky. In an instant, the demonic saber erupted with blinding light. Two intersecting cross-shaped saber qi, enveloped in raging flames, descended upon Embroiderer as if rending heaven and earth. Embroiderer hastily wielded her silver needles to form a light shield, but the moment the saber qi touched it, the silver needles instantly melted into molten iron, and her protective qi shattered with a roar. The cross-shaped saber qi, with its world-destroying might, struck her entire body, sending her flying backward to crash heavily onto the bluestone slab three zhang away, plowing a deep bloody furrow in the ground.

"Pfft!" Embroiderer spat out blood, supported by two soldiers. She roared, "Kill this treacherous little wretch! Kill her!"

"Hmph, martial virtue!" Gu Chudong raised her saber, wisps of flame emanating from her eyes, her voice like frost. "Don't think I don't know you wanted to use me to threaten my brother! I truly want to ask, what makes you think I'm so easily manipulated?"

Dozens of heavily armored elite soldiers advanced to the rhythmic beat of drums. The clang of dark iron gauntlets colliding with gilded shields reverberated through the alley, causing dust to fall. The captain at the front slammed his long halberd onto the ground, the chill emanating from the armor seams almost forming frost. The soldiers behind him formed a wedge formation, their spear tips gleaming coldly like a forest, seemingly dimming the very sky.

Nearly a hundred elite soldiers charged forward. A wisp of flame mark appeared between Gu Chudong's brows. Her eyes were bloodshot. The Hook-Edge Demonic Saber suddenly flared with a zhang of blood-red flame, its blade twisting and trembling like a living thing, even oozing dark red blood beads.

"Kill!" Her voice was eerie, carrying a hint of bestiality. She immediately plunged into the enemy formation. The air shrieked with piercing explosions where her saber passed. Cross-shaped saber qi spread out like a spiderweb, tearing the first charging soldiers into minced meat. As the demonic saber cleaved through shields, molten iron mingled with blood mist sprayed forth. The moment it severed long spears, the broken spear shafts were charred black by the intense heat.

Gu Chudong's surroundings transformed into an Asura's slaughterhouse. Cross-shaped saber qi intersected, and soldiers' heads and severed limbs flew everywhere. Blood splattered on the green brick walls, forming grotesque totems. In just a moment, the alley was piled with twisted corpses, and blood formed streams flowing over the stone steps. The armored soldiers were intimidated, and fear began to appear. Embroiderer, hiding behind, seeing the dire situation, immediately prepared to flee.

"Trying to leave!" Gu Chudong's face was cold. She suddenly unleashed a saber strike. A cross-shaped saber qi appeared in the void, blazing with fierce flames, instantly piercing through Embroiderer's body and striking the stone wall, leaving a massive cross mark. Embroiderer's body maintained its running posture, then instantly exploded into four pieces, the blood even evaporating.

The remaining few armored soldiers were utterly terrified and fled in a panic. "Go!" Gu Chudong shouted back. Empress Cao and the others then awoke as if from a dream and quickly followed Gu Chudong to leave. However, Li Li did not forget to bring Gu Chudong's box. She couldn't carry it herself, so she handed it to a palace maid with martial arts skill who was with the Empress.

The Hook-Edge Demonic Saber in Gu Chudong's hand burned with raging flames. She held the saber in one hand, striding swiftly at the forefront, covered in blood, driving the armored soldiers to flee in a panic. Behind her, dozens of noblewomen hurried along.

"How dashing!" Li Li followed behind, looking at Gu Chudong's back, her eyes shining. The other women with her nodded in agreement.

Soon, escorted by Gu Chudong, Empress Cao and her group of female guests arrived at Jiucheng Palace. However, the situation in Jiucheng Palace was also dire. The main hall doors were tightly shut, with numerous military officials standing at the front. Civil officials, the Emperor, and the foreign delegations were in the middle. Outside the hall, the sounds of battle raged incessantly, rising and falling.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Empress Cao and the female guests arrive, though there was both joy and sorrow, as this was only a portion of the female guests. However, given the special circumstances, no one asked where the others were. Empress Cao, to reassure the officials, said, "Those people's main objective was to capture this palace. Now, under the cover of Miss Gu Chudong, this palace has escaped. I believe they will not make things too difficult for anyone else!"

Everyone involuntarily looked at Gu Chudong. Gu Chudong's face was expressionless. She held a horizontal saber burning with flames, her eyes indifferent. She stood motionless and said nothing.

"Your Majesty, what is happening now?" Empress Cao asked.

"That rebellious Fifth Prince," the Dry Emperor said in a deep voice, "he has conspired with Empress Dowager Yan to force my abdication. I temporarily do not know where that army of his came from!"

Empress Cao exclaimed, "What about the Imperial City Bureau?"

The Dry Emperor's face was ashen. He said, "Something is wrong with the Imperial City Bureau. They seem to have fallen victim to some trick. Some are fighting amongst themselves, others have lost their will to fight. They have been attacked by the Night Department and that rebellious Fifth Prince's army. Now only a few hundred people are defending Jiucheng Palace. I fear they won't last long!"

Empress Cao quickly asked, "Where is the Imperial Advisor? Where are the five clan elders of the Imperial Clan Bureau?"

The Dry Emperor shook his head and said, "I don't know where they went. They might have been intercepted by the Night Department, but that doesn't make sense. What power do those Night Department members have to stop the Imperial Advisor and the clan elders?"

For a moment, the hall was filled with oppressive silence. Just then, another group of female guests appeared from behind. They were the ones left behind in the rear garden, now being escorted into the hall by over a dozen blood-soaked palace guards. The fighting outside continued unabated. Although a few were still missing, most had returned.

Gu Chudong breathed a slight sigh of relief upon seeing Yun Xiu, covered in blood, among the crowd. Of all those people, Yun Xiu was the only one she cared about. She quickly walked over and channeled a stream of true qi to help Yun Xiu recover.

At this moment, a guard captain with shattered armor walked up to the Dry Emperor and said, "Your Majesty... during the recent combat, a spy from the Imperial City Bureau, secretly embedded in the Night Department, managed to reach me. Commander Su Ziyou detected an anomaly early this morning, but by then, he could no longer enter the Imperial City. Due to time constraints, he has gone to fetch reinforcements. He asks us to hold on at all costs and not surrender until the very last moment!"

The Dry Emperor's eyes lit up, and he repeatedly said, "Good, good!"

Meanwhile, outside the Imperial Astronomical Bureau in the Imperial City, Zhang Daoyi was trapped within a formation. Those casting the formation were the five main officials of the Imperial Clan Bureau, also known as the five clan elders of the imperial family. They held extremely high seniority and were considered the stabilizing pillars of the imperial family. Even imperial authority was subject to their restraint, representing the imperial family's strongest martial arts foundation.

Setting aside their imperial status, the Li clan could be understood as a prominent aristocratic family. These five clan elders were the five most formidable, highest-ranking, and most prestigious individuals within this family. United, their combined strength could even determine the selection of the clan head. Any one of these five, taken individually, was a grandmaster in the martial arts world. Their greatest strength lay in a unique formation exclusive to the imperial family. With the five of them working together, they could unleash incredibly powerful forces, capable of both offense and defense. Even Zhang Daoyi, trapped within it, was temporarily unable to break through.

Trapped in the formation, Zhang Daoyi was somewhat puzzled. He said, "Gentlemen, although the current Emperor is not as strategically brilliant as the late Emperor, he is still a competent ruler. Why would you ally with Empress Dowager Yan to oppose His Majesty? Do not tell me you were bribed; that I absolutely do not believe."

The Grand Elder said, "Old Heavenly Master, we cannot betray the imperial family, and we do not deny that the current Emperor is quite capable. However, he has made one mistake, a mistake that will shake the very foundation of the nation."

Zhang Daoyi asked, puzzled, "What mistake?"

The Grand Elder pointed to Zhang Daoyi and said, "He trusts the Daoist sect too much. Back then, the late Emperor relied on the Daoist sect to restrain the aristocratic families. Nine years ago, the Emperor also ascended to the throne with your Daoist sect's help, so heavily relying on the Daoist sect is understandable. But one cannot trust the Daoist sect without limits. Human hearts are prone to change, Old Heavenly Master. Now, your Daoist sect's influence in the court is too great, yet the Emperor hasn't reacted. He is still single-mindedly suppressing the aristocratic families. I believe, Old Heavenly Master, you will not bring disaster, but can you guarantee that the various forces under the Daoist sect will not become a calamity?"

For a moment, Zhang Daoyi found himself unable to retort. From his perspective, he naturally wished for the Daoist sect to prosper. But from the imperial family's perspective, what the court needed was balance; dominance by a single faction was absolutely unacceptable. When the late Emperor heavily relied on the Daoist sect to suppress the aristocratic families, it wasn't to eliminate them, but to maintain balance. Now, the Emperor's increasing emphasis on the Daoist sect had indeed begun to upset that balance. And the Emperor himself, perhaps being too involved, couldn't see clearly. But the five clan elders, from their outside perspective, could see it. Thus, they were not allied with Empress Dowager Yan, but rather sought to curb the Daoist sect's sole dominance in court.

"However," Zhang Daoyi said, "I do not deny your methods. But, Elders, have you considered that if Empress Dowager Yan succeeds in her coup today and places her son, Prince Duan, on the throne, the impact will be enormous? A brother usurping the throne from his elder brother—if this precedent is set, future generations of your Li clan will follow suit, and the imperial palace will be stained with blood for generations!"

The Grand Elder said, "Empress Dowager Yan has promised to put Prince Ji, Li Zhongde, on the throne."

Zhang Daoyi looked bewildered. Prince Ji, Li Zhongde, was the current Emperor's son. What was the point of overthrowing the father only to place the son on the throne?

The Grand Elder saw Zhang Daoyi's confusion and said, "Old Heavenly Master, Empress Dowager Yan needs to preserve the Yan family. And the current Emperor is single-mindedly focused on seizing power and retaliating against the Yan family. The two cannot reconcile. If they continue to fight like this, the ultimate outcome will either be the aristocratic families regaining sole control of the court, or your Daoist sect becoming dominant, both of which are very unfavorable. Therefore, in this situation, we can only replace him with someone who can maintain stability for both sides. Prince Ji is very suitable. He is close to Empress Dowager Yan and is strongly supported by her for the throne, so he will certainly not target the Yan family, achieving Empress Dowager Yan's goal. And as the Emperor's son, he can inherit the Emperor's relationship with the Daoist sect, allowing both sides to be handled amicably and maintain balance."

Zhang Daoyi curled his lips and said, "Balance my foot! Don't you know I broke Prince Ji's legs not long ago? What, now that his legs are healed, you can guarantee he won't hold a grudge?"

The Grand Elder said, "Before the power of the throne, does that even count as a grudge? Old Heavenly Master, although you broke his legs, you didn't prevent him from recovering, did you? It's not that great a grudge!"

"Alright," Zhang Daoyi nodded and said, "I won't argue about that; before the throne, it truly isn't much. But what about Empress Dowager Yan? How can you guarantee she won't act selfishly? At this stage, with the throne within reach, wouldn't she develop the ambition to put her son on the throne?"

"On that point, Old Heavenly Master, you can also rest assured," the Grand Elder said.

Zhang Daoyi said, "How can I rest assured? Empress Dowager Yan has a son, so she will definitely have the idea of supporting her own son for the throne. I'd only rest assured if she killed Prince Duan... Hmm?" As he spoke, Zhang Daoyi suddenly startled, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. He said, "She didn't actually kill her son, did she?"

The Grand Elder whispered, "Half a month ago, Prince Duan suffered a sudden serious illness and passed away. I personally verified the body."

Zhang Daoyi took a deep breath and whispered, "How ruthless... This... could she be trying to usurp the throne?"

The Grand Elder said, "From ancient times till now, when has there ever been a female emperor?"

Zhang Daoyi waved his horsetail whisk and began to break the formation, muttering, "It'll take at least two hours to break this. I hope the Emperor can hold on. But two hours... that might be impossible! No wonder the man-faced beast appeared so coincidentally; it was to intentionally lure that boy Gu Mo away. I wonder if he's finished dealing with it. I hope you can make it in time!"

Ghost City, Chensha Ferry.

Within the town, Ye Jinglan was under siege. He had originally intended to pursue with Gu Mo, but the swordsmen in the town kept him entangled. Facing over a thousand people, even though the most powerful of the top experts had been dealt with by Gu Mo, he still felt a chill in his heart. He cultivated the Martial Dao True Intent, specializing in explosive power. While his internal energy was good, it wasn't his advantage and wasn't suitable for group combat; he excelled in one-on-one duels. Facing so many people, he could be exhausted to death.

Fortunately, Gu Mo had telepathically assured him that he wouldn't go far and would return soon to assist him, which greatly relieved Ye Jinglan. However, he still didn't intend to fight to the death. He fought while looking for an opportunity to break out. Otherwise, once his internal energy was depleted, he would be in big trouble. His Heavenly Question Saber Art was formidable, known throughout the martial world; he had even killed the previous Dry Kingdom's tenth-ranked master, Master Dingchan. But what good was that? How many times could he strike? Killing a third-rate or even unranked swordsman would certainly be precise, but then what? Would he exhaust his true qi after killing only a few dozen people and then be hacked to death by a disorganized mob?

Ye Jinglan truly felt helpless. In his previous martial arts days, killing ten or eight enemies would make the rest scatter. Even if they didn't, he had a large group of subordinates behind him and feared nothing. Now, though these Ghost City people were martial artists, they were strangely peculiar. Their leaders were dead, yet they didn't scatter. They were clearly different from ordinary martial artists. If not for Gu Mo backing him up, and unwilling to use his ultimate trump card, he truly wouldn't have dared to act from the start.

At this moment, outside Chensha Ferry, the man-faced beast swiftly galloped, carrying Mad Sword on its back. The man-faced beast was fast, but Gu Mo was even faster. The man-faced beast had only run out of the town for a short while before Gu Mo caught up. However, the man-faced beast stopped at the edge of the quicksand outside the town. Gu Mo quickly pursued and sensed a person standing within the quicksand.

Indeed, there was a person: a white-bearded old man wearing a straw hat, sitting on a small boat. What was incredibly bizarre was that the small boat was slowly floating in the quicksand, as if beneath it were not quicksand but flowing river water. The previously irritable man-faced beast had now become incredibly peaceful, as gentle as a cat, even lying down on the ground. The notoriously uncontrollable Mad Sword, known for randomly killing people, actually jumped off the man-faced beast's back and kowtowed repeatedly to the white-bearded old man.

The small boat slowly approached the shore. The white-bearded old man stepped off the boat and raised his hand, and Mad Sword immediately stood up, respectfully standing to the side. The white-bearded old man cupped his hands towards Gu Mo and said, "Old man Yan Busheng greets Great Hero Gu."

Gu Mo was slightly taken aback and said, "Not even going to act anymore?"

The name Yan Busheng held considerable weight in the martial arts world. He was the top expert of the Yan family, the family of Empress Dowager Yan, and was her elder brother. He once served as the Dry Kingdom's General of Chariots and Cavalry. Because he had never won a single battle while leading armies, he was mocked as Yan Busheng (Yan Never-Wins), ridiculed for rising through his sister's connections. Yan Busheng, to spur himself on, simply changed his name to Yan Busheng. He then began to diligently study military treatises, painstakingly learning. Finally, after five years of intense study, he regained the opportunity to lead troops, and then he lost again, losing utterly. Ashamed, he resigned from his post.

However, although his military leadership was poor, his martial arts were very strong; he was once among the top ten experts in the Dry Kingdom's army. After resigning, he also learned martial arts techniques, and no one knew how high his martial arts had become. However, the name Yan Busheng gradually gained another meaning: "never defeated, never victorious."

Because of Empress Dowager Yan, the Yan family became a target for many, and quite a few powerful martial artists challenged them. Yan Busheng still never won against those martial arts grandmasters, but he always fought to a draw. Few in the martial world knew that besides his identity as the Yan family's top expert, Yan Busheng had another identity: the most mysterious expert, the "Boatman," the head of the imperial court's Night Department's twelve commanders. This fact was a secret to most people in the world, but not to Gu Mo. The Imperial City Bureau had secret files that recorded it, which Ye Jinglan had discovered. Imperial Advisor Zhang Daoyi had also dealt with the Boatman and knew it was Yan Busheng. Due to his purely official identity, and distinct from the Six Gates, his strength would undoubtedly rank him among the top ten in the Dry Kingdom's Heavenly Rankings.

Gu Mo had not expected Yan Busheng to appear directly. After all, although they all knew that the grand boss behind Ghost City was Empress Dowager Yan, or rather the Yan family, at least on the surface, everyone still had to put on an act, just as when the Boatman interfered with the Imperial Advisor's capture of the man-faced beast—he still had to pretend to be helping while causing disruption. But now, Yan Busheng had appeared directly before Gu Mo, not even wearing a veil, and had even introduced himself. That's why Gu Mo curiously asked, "Not even going to act anymore?"

Hearing Gu Mo's words, Yan Busheng chuckled softly, cupped his hands, and said, "This old man has come with sincerity to discuss with Great Hero Gu. If I were to hide my face, wouldn't it seem very insincere?"

"Discuss what?" Gu Mo asked.

Yan Busheng said, "I heard that Great Hero Gu has no desire to participate in court struggles. You are neither affiliated with any prince nor the Emperor, and you hold no grievance with our Yan family. There is no need for us to be mortal enemies. So, I have come to discuss with Great Hero Gu whether we can cease hostilities. From now on, let all past enmities be put aside, and let us become friends. Afterward, the Yan family will offer you one hundred thousand taels of silver, plus a favor. This favor can be as grand as an official position of second rank or lower. You can name anyone you wish, and whatever position you want them to hold, even if they are a beggar, our Yan family will make them an official. The only condition is that you remain here for one day."

Gu Mo said in a deep voice, "That's it?"

"That's it," Yan Busheng said.

"Alright," Gu Mo readily agreed, then added, "I can stay here for one day. However, I am a Blade-Catcher, and I must continue to fulfill my duties." He pointed to the man-faced beast and Mad Sword and said, "These two are wanted criminals. I must kill them. No problem, right?"

Yan Busheng's face stiffened. He said, "Great Hero Gu, this old man is sincerely negotiating with you."

Gu Mo said, "I am also sincerely agreeing to you. I agreed to stay here for one day, and I will stay for one day. But that doesn't prevent me from killing wanted criminals, does it? I just confirmed with you, there is only one condition, and it does not include me not killing wanted criminals."

"Then I'll add one now: no killing wanted criminals..."

"Then I disagree," Gu Mo said. "You couldn't possibly have not investigated me. Who in the martial arts world doesn't know that my martial arts cognitive barrier is about killing wanted criminals? Now, with wanted criminals before me, if you don't let me kill them, you are severing my martial arts future. This is a mortal enmity!"

Yan Busheng took a deep breath and said, "Great Hero Gu, let me be frank with you. The world outside is changing. A shift is occurring within the palace. After today, the Yan family will ascend to new heights, and the situation in the Dry Kingdom will undergo earth-shattering changes. You truly don't need to forge a mortal enmity with our Yan family for a moment's impulse!"

Gu Mo chuckled softly and said, "How the Dry Kingdom changes has nothing to do with me. I have no intention of participating in court disputes, and I have no conflict of interest with your Yan family. Therefore, I also have no desire to offend your Yan family. I am simply purely fulfilling my duty as a Blade-Catcher to kill wanted criminals, with all sincerity. I don't even enter court, so there's no reason for me to make enemies with your Yan family, is there?"

Yan Busheng chuckled softly and said, "That is true. However, this man-faced beast was cultivated by us at great cost, and this Mad Sword is my disciple. I naturally cannot allow you to kill them."

"So, there's no way to negotiate?"

"There is," Yan Busheng slowly said, "Great Hero Gu, you should make a concession. Hmm, let me tell you something, Miss Gu is currently in the Imperial Palace. However, rest assured, I have arranged for members of the Night Department to protect her safety. She will absolutely not be harmed. So, Great Hero Gu, is this favor worth exchanging for you not killing the man-faced beast and Mad Sword?"

Gu Mo slowly said, "So... you... captured my sister?"

Yan Busheng chuckled softly, "Just invited Miss Gu to have a few cups of tea..."

Gu Mo's voice became cold, yet without much emotion. He slowly said, "I had no intention of being enemies with your Yan family, but now, you are my enemies. Touch my sister? Then none of you will live!"

"Gu Mo, are you insane? Do you truly not care about Gu Chudong's safety?"

"Today, I'll make an example of your Yan family for everyone in the world. You can touch me, Gu Mo, but if you dare to touch my sister, even if you are the Empress Dowager, I will kill you without hesitation!"

Before his words finished, Gu Mo's left hand condensed a true qi sword, and his right hand condensed a true qi saber. Saber and sword struck together; the sword was the Yi Sword Art, and the saber was the Heavenly Saber Eight Formations. In an instant, heaven and earth changed color. The Chessboard World descended with a roar, black and white pieces falling like stars, dissecting the surrounding space into sixty-four kill zones. The Boatman's pupils constricted, but he saw the crimson flame saber light had already broken through the formation. The saber's momentum was like the creation of heaven and earth, wherever it passed, space cracked inch by inch, carrying world-destroying pressure directly towards him.

The Boatman roared towards the sky, his hands swirling like coiling dragons. Behind him, the yellow sand suddenly boiled. The quicksand, obscuring the sky and sun, transformed into a ten-zhang-high wall of waves. Grotesque monstrous faces vaguely emerged within the sand waves. The wave crests shimmered with an eerie, cold light, like countless sand blades gleaming under the moonlight. The roar of the surging waves was deafening; wherever they passed, the air was compressed into piercing shrieks, and the entire desert trembled beneath this mighty sand wave.

Gu Mo's saber and sword clashed, and the golden chessboard shrouded in crimson saber light collided with a resounding boom. The sand wave shattered inch by inch under this terrifying force, dispersing into powder. The Boatman was shaken by the aftershock, spitting blood, his entire body flying backward like a broken kite, instantly disappearing into the quicksand, leaving only the endless yellow sand rustling down.

But at this very moment, a sudden change occurred! The ground beneath Gu Mo's feet surged like a living creature, transforming into a giant sand vortex. Its suction, like a black hole, violently pulled him down. The sand vortex spun rapidly, stirring up a whirlwind dozens of zhang high, with sand and dust flying everywhere.

At the same time, the man-faced beast roared towards the sky, leaping into the air. It opened its gaping maw to bite Gu Mo's head. Its hairs stood on end, transforming into tens of thousands of steel needles that shot out, making the air "hiss" with piercing sounds wherever they passed.

Gu Mo's Innate Protective Qi burst forth around him, like a silver sun suddenly expanding. A brilliant silver light, like a cascading galaxy, erupted from his dantian. The Innate Protective Qi materialized, swelling like a newly born silver blazing sun. Where the silver light reached, the air emitted piercing explosive sounds, and the sand within ten zhang was entirely shattered into powder. He instantly soared into the air, his qi spiraling like a mad dragon. The void beneath his feet violently cracked into a spiderweb of distortions. His palms blurred into phantom images, furiously swirling. The air even emitted an unbearable groan, as if thousands of chains were being forcibly broken.

In an instant, a purple-gold vortex exploded in his palm. A pigeon-egg-sized golden core slowly rose from it, its surface true qi flowing like boiling molten gold, each circulation accompanied by subtle spatial tremors, as if it had condensed all the tyrannical energy of heaven and earth. The moment this golden core appeared, the surrounding air instantly froze. The man-faced beast instinctively let out a terrified shriek, but an invisible giant force gripped its throat.

The golden core, trailing a crimson tail flame, streaked through the dark space, moving so fast that it left only a distorted afterimage. In a blink of an eye, it plunged into the man-faced beast's gaping maw. Veins bulged on the beast's neck as it futilely tried to vomit the golden core, but the core seemed to be alive, drilling into its internal organs and exploding with a roar in its belly—the entire world violently shook with this immense sound. The beast's massive body, like glass crushed by an invisible giant hand, transformed into a sky full of blood rain and shattered flesh, falling with the rustling sand.

At this very moment, a system notification sounded in Gu Mo's mind:[Killed Six-Star Wanted Criminal][Obtained Six-Star Reward – Max-level Heavenly Will Four Symbols Art][Claim?]

Gu Mo paid little attention to the system, because at this moment on the ground, the quicksand within dozens of zhang boiled like oil stirred by an invisible giant hand. First, fine ripples appeared on the surface, then the sand grains began to violently vibrate. A muffled roar came from underground, as if ten thousand monstrous beasts were roaring in the depths. Countless sand blades spun at high speed in the airflow, causing the air to emit piercing shrieks wherever they passed.

Gu Mo was trapped in a quicksand purgatory, as if falling into the belly of a giant python. The rapidly surging sand current, mixed with grit, howled like tens of thousands of arrows, tightly binding him. His Innate Protective Qi formed a silver-white barrier around him, but it rippled under the impact of the sand flow. The quicksand struck the qi, erupting in blinding sparks. Each collision was accompanied by a deafening roar, like a thousand armies battling in his ears.

A small boat threaded through the chaos like a ghost. The Boatman, holding a paddle, appeared and disappeared, each time striking precisely at a weak point in the qi. The paddle collided with the qi, unleashing deafening roars, making the qi shield thinner and thinner.

"Hmph!" Gu Mo's cold snort ripped through the air like an ice-tempered blade. The moment his palms shot out, a roar like dragons and tigers burst from his dantian. The surrounding air furiously converged like a hundred rivers returning to the sea, and a golden core with patterns of crimson-gold lines condensed in his palm. A wisp of blood-red flame suddenly appeared on the core's surface. The flame twisted and shifted as if sentient, creating scorched ripples even in the void wherever it passed.

The moment the fire elemental golden core left his hand, the entire world instantly became a hell of fire. Eerie blue flames surged with the force of a prairie fire, transforming into a sky-obscuring sea of fire in a blink of an eye. The waves of fire danced like ten thousand fiery dragons. Wherever they passed, the quicksand instantly vaporized, and the rising heat warped space. In an instant, the quicksand world became a sea of fire. Magma-like flames surged forth, and wherever they went, the sand waves instantly evaporated.

The Boatman's small boat instantly turned to ashes in the flames. Flames like countless fiery serpents tore at his body. The Boatman fled in disarray, rushing out. Gu Mo seized the opportunity and gave chase relentlessly.

Just as he rushed out of the sea of fire, a cold gleam pierced the air! Mad Sword appeared like a phantom, his broken sword carrying sword intent that tore through the void, swift as lightning, fierce as thunder. Gu Mo struck with both palms, a dragon's roar shook the heavens, and a fiery dragon roared forth. Sword intent and the fiery dragon collided, qi spread everywhere, and space twisted and deformed. Finally, the fiery dragon was shredded by the sword intent, turning into countless sparks.

Mad Sword's broken sword plunged fiercely into Gu Mo's protective qi. Just as he was about to exert force, a strange palm print struck from the side. The palm print traced an unusual arc in the air, precisely striking Mad Sword's neck. This was Gu Mo using his Ambidextrous Fighting Technique: one hand performing the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms, the other the White Rainbow Palm Force. The White Rainbow Palm Force emphasized unexpected and flexible strikes.

With a "crack," Mad Sword's neck caved in, his head twisting at a grotesque angle to his shoulder. His entire body fell like a broken rag doll, plummeting into the burning quicksand and instantly being engulfed by the flames.

At this very moment, a system notification sounded in Gu Mo's mind:[Killed Five-Star Wanted Criminal][Obtained Five-Star Reward – Max-level Myriad Leaves Flying Flower Stream][Claim?]

"Yan Busheng, where are you running?!" Gu Mo's furious roar exploded like divine thunder from the Ninth Heaven. Wherever the sound waves passed, the yellow sand, boiling from the flames, rolled back into the sky in a fan shape, and stalactites in the underground caverns rattled down.

At this time, Yan Busheng was frantically running towards the town. Hearing Gu Mo's voice, his heart nearly stopped. But he didn't dare to pause, running at a speed he had never achieved in his life. "Someone! Stop him! Stop him!" Rushing into the town, Yan Busheng shrieked hysterically, summoning dense crowds of swordsmen. He hid among the people.

Yan Busheng was utterly disheveled now. His clothes were burnt away, only his inner armor remained, leaving him almost naked. His wounds were seared but still bleeding. He looked at Gu Mo, who was flying towards him like a ghost, and shouted in panic, "Gu Mo, stop now! Stop now! You've already killed Mad Sword and the man-faced beast! If you kill me too, there will truly be no room for maneuver!"

"Not only will I kill you, Empress Dowager Yan will also die today! If my sister suffers even the slightest injury, I'll split even a worm from your Yan family lengthwise!"

Gu Mo roared, descending from the sky, instantly sending a dozen swordsmen flying. He swiftly raised his hand, and dozens of sabers and swords instantly lifted into the air. Yan Busheng was filled with immense regret now, wishing he could slap himself for foolishly mentioning capturing Gu Chudong! But he also felt deeply wronged. 'Gu Mo, if you were so powerful, why didn't you say so earlier?!'

At this moment, seeing dozens of sabers and swords floating around Gu Mo, the numerous swordsmen also felt fear. Yan Busheng immediately shouted, "What are you afraid of? Gu Mo is just one man! There are hundreds of us here! He might not be able to kill all of us before his true qi runs out! Fight him to the death!"

At Yan Busheng's command, the many swordsmen actually charged towards Gu Mo.

"Hmph!" With a deep grunt from Gu Mo, the space within twenty zhang instantly froze. The air solidified, and even the raised sand particles hung suspended in mid-air, like a frozen painting. All colors in the world faded, leaving only black, white, and gray interweaving, dyeing the entire battlefield into a stark ink wash painting.

The swordsmen, standing with their blades raised, maintained their hacking postures, their eyes wide open but unable to move an inch. The expressions of terror and unwillingness on their faces were permanently preserved. Gu Mo stood with his hands behind his back, his robes stirring without wind, his pale face appearing even colder in the black-and-white world, like a grim reaper walking from the underworld.

He flicked his finger. Densely packed sabers and swords flew at his command, drawn by an invisible force, shooting out like a swarm of locusts. The whistling sound was deafening. The blades cut through the frozen air, carving sharp black lines in the black-and-white world. In an instant, blood mist burst from the swordsmen's necks, and their heads rolled like broken kites. The sea of blades, however, did not stop, carrying immense killing intent, it went straight for Yan Busheng's throat!

Yan Busheng, with a wave of his hand, conjured a protective qi barrier before him, blocking the blades. He shouted, "Gu Mo, I surrender! I guarantee your sister will not suffer any harm! Stop now..."

Gu Mo grabbed a saber from the air. He struck with a single blow, and a massive saber shadow descended. Yan Busheng's protective qi instantly shattered and collapsed. A thin line of blood appeared on his forehead, then instantly spread, and his body exploded, splitting in two, falling to the ground.

Immediately after, Gu Mo did not stop. He shouted, "Brother Ye, let's go!" Before his voice faded, Gu Mo charged out, carrying dozens of sabers and swords flying around him, killing as he went. Wherever he passed, wails echoed, severed limbs flew everywhere, and blood flowed like a river. By the time he reached Ye Jinglan, the streets were already piled high with corpses.

Ye Jinglan looked at the bloody and terrifying scene, and an involuntary chill ran through his heart, his temples throbbing. He looked at the killing intent and momentum Gu Mo was exuding at that moment, and couldn't help but feel fear. This was the first time since his debut that he had felt such oppressive pressure, making him unable to even conceive of resistance.

"Damn it, Chudong must not be hurt!" He truly dared not imagine who could control Gu Mo, who had fallen into this demonic state. A river of blood, lives ruined—he feared the capital itself might be washed clean with blood!