Chapter 246: Fengshen's Su Qianqiu

Early in the morning, a carriage appeared outside Zhuo Qingfeng’s house.

It was Southern Jin’s Seventh Prince, Sima Kong, who had personally come to greet Gu Mo and Gu Chudong.

Zhuo Qingfeng walked Gu Mo and Gu Chudong to the door, expressing his reluctance. “Brother Gu, you’re always in such a hurry. It’s barely more than a month until the New Year, and you’re heading to Southern Jin again. I’m afraid you’ll have to spend the New Year there.”

Gu Mo chuckled lightly, “People of the martial world are at home anywhere!”

Zhuo Qingfeng said, “Your martial arts are unparalleled, and Sister Chudong’s skills are now also top-notch. I’m not worried about your safety; I’ll just miss you often. After the New Year, I’ll be transferred to the capital. When you return, remember to visit me there!”

Gu Chudong tilted her head and asked, “Oh, Brother Zhuo, are you getting another promotion?”

Zhuo Qingfeng quickly replied, “No promotion, no promotion, just a lateral transfer. I’ll just be serving as a regional commander at the Six Fan Gates headquarters in the capital. There’s no promotion at all, don’t spread rumors, don’t spread rumors...”

Gu Chudong pouted and said, “Your smile is so wide your mouth is about to split!”

Zhuo Qingfeng chuckled sheepishly.

Gu Mo cupped his hands and said, “A capital official is three ranks higher, congratulations, Brother Zhuo. When we return, we’ll definitely make time to visit you in the capital. I’m not a government official, so I can’t help you officially, but if you need any assistance in the capital, you can find Ye Jinglan. You know Ye Jinglan; he was the Blade Emperor of Qingzhou back then, now nicknamed ‘Blade Official.’ He recently served as a Lieutenant-General in the Imperial City Guard and is now a Left Vice Minister in the Ministry of Justice. Like you, he belongs to Prince Jin’s faction. If you need help with a fight or anything, you can find him. We have a good relationship, so if you mention my name, he’ll definitely help you!”

Zhuo Qingfeng chuckled, “In the martial world now, if I mention your name, who would dare to touch me? As for the government, you are the Grand Hero of the Nation personally appointed by His Majesty. Who in officialdom would dare not show you respect? Do you know what people in the martial world are saying about you these days?”

Gu Mo asked, puzzled, “What are they saying?”

Zhuo Qingfeng said with a laugh, “They’re saying ‘Grand Hero’ no longer suits you; you should be called ‘National Hero’ or ‘Noble Hero’ to match your stature. And not the Grand Hero of Yunzhou, but the Grand Hero of Qian or the Noble Hero of Qian!”

Gu Mo chuckled, “I’m more comfortable being a Blade Catcher!”

“Whatever you want to be is fine,” Zhuo Qingfeng laughed. “Anyway, from now on, whenever I’m out in the martial world and encounter someone I can’t defeat, I’ll just yell, ‘Noble Hero Gu Mo is my brother!’ Who would dare touch me then? Haha!”

Gu Mo smiled, “Aren’t you afraid the people I’ve offended will catch you and beat you up?”

“You don’t have that many enemies, do you?”

“You never know!”

The two chatted and laughed for a while, without making any dramatic farewell gestures.

Then, Gu Mo walked towards the carriage waiting outside.

Sima Kong, waiting by the carriage, quickly cupped his hands and said, “Grand Hero Gu, Heroine Gu, do you have any other matters to attend to? If so, please feel free to command; I would be honored to assist!”

Gu Mo cupped his hands, “Nothing else, Your Highness, please!”

“Please, you first, Heroine Gu, please!”

Sima Kong invited Gu Mo and Gu Chudong into the carriage, then cupped his hands towards Zhuo Qingfeng, who was standing at the door, and signaled his men to depart.

Soon, the carriage arrived at Yunzhou Dock.

A large ship was docked at the pier.

Gu Mo and Gu Chudong alighted from the carriage and quickly boarded the ship.

There were many people on board, but none of Southern Jin’s envoys; they were all Sima Kong’s guards. The Southern Jin envoys had already returned to Southern Jin earlier; only Sima Kong had come to Yunzhou.

However, on the ship, Gu Mo also encountered an unexpected person — Su Ziyou.

As soon as Gu Mo stepped onto the deck, he heard Su Ziyou’s voice: “Brother Gu, we meet again.”

Gu Mo recognized Su Ziyou’s voice and asked, puzzled, “Brother Su, what are you doing here?”

Su Ziyou walked over, cupped his hands to Gu Mo, then to Gu Chudong, and said, “By invitation of the Seventh Prince and order of His Majesty, I am going to Jin to assist you, Brother Gu, in apprehending the ‘Dao Sect’ thief, Wen Wangji!”

Gu Mo paused slightly, surprised, “Surely not?”

Su Ziyou smiled and said, “Brother Gu, you really shouldn’t doubt it. I’ve been transferred from the Imperial City Guard to the Dali Temple as a Vice Minister. If it weren’t for His Majesty’s decree, how could I casually leave the capital, let alone travel to a foreign land?”

Sima Kong, standing nearby, said, “Grand Hero Gu, here’s the situation: I requested assistance from your esteemed Emperor because Wen Wangji is elusive, and he has hidden allies. Our Su family couldn’t pinpoint his exact whereabouts, so I asked your Emperor to send a master investigator to help my Su family. Originally, your Emperor arranged for others, but after learning that you, Grand Hero Gu, agreed to help my Su family pursue Wen Wangji, he changed his original plan and assigned Vice Minister Su to assist me. At the same time, he also granted Vice Minister Su the status of an envoy from Qian to visit my Jin, which will allow Vice Minister Su to act more conveniently in Jin without anyone daring to obstruct him. The reason His Majesty of Qian values this so much is because of you, Grand Hero Gu!”

Su Ziyou nodded and said, “Brother Gu, the theft of the Su family’s Celestial Craft Spirit Cage has some power entanglements behind it. Hmm, let the Seventh Prince explain this to you!”

At this moment, the ship had started to move.

Sima Kong ordered his guards to bring tables, chairs, and benches. He personally poured tea for Gu Mo, Gu Chudong, and Su Ziyou, then sat down and slowly began, “Grand Hero Gu might be wondering why I would need to travel thousands of miles to Qian to seek aid just to track down a master thief!”

Gu Mo nodded slightly, “Jin should not lack master investigators or trackers, right? With the Su family’s standing in Jin, the national resources at their disposal are vast; it shouldn’t be impossible to track down a single master thief, should it?”

Sima Kong nodded, “Under normal circumstances, if Wen Wangji were just an ordinary rogue, our Su family would certainly be able to track him down, especially since he is currently within our Jin capital. However, this is an extraordinary time. I presume, Grand Hero Gu, you must be aware that Master Liansheng of Chu’s Grand Brightness Temple issued a challenge to my great-grandfather, and they are scheduled to fight at the Horizon Plains, yes?”

Gu Mo nodded slightly.

Sima Kong said, “Our Su family’s Celestial Craft Spirit Cage was stolen right after my great-grandfather accepted the challenge.”

“Are these two matters connected?” Gu Mo asked.

Sima Kong nodded, “The world only knows the Celestial Craft Spirit Cage as a heavenly treasure bestowed by my great-grandfather upon the Su family, capable of enhancing a cultivator’s speed. But few know that the Celestial Craft Spirit Cage has another identity: it is one of the most powerful defensive weapons in the current age. In terms of pure defensive capability, it can even surpass the Tai Xu Divine Armor that you, Grand Hero Gu, once breached.”

Hearing this, Gu Mo somewhat understood the implication and said, “So, Wen Wangji didn’t steal the Celestial Craft Spirit Cage on a whim, but intentionally, to weaken your great-grandfather Su Qianqiu’s strength?”

Sima Kong nodded and said, “Over a decade ago, when my great-grandfather defended the national gate alone with a single sword, he was able to endure for a full half-month without suffering fatal injuries largely due to the protection of the Celestial Craft Spirit Cage.”

Gu Mo nodded slightly, “So, Wen Wangji stole the Celestial Craft Spirit Cage because he wants your great-grandfather to lose to Master Liansheng. But what does this have to do with you coming to Qian for help? It can’t be that your Jin court actually hopes your great-grandfather loses?”

Sima Kong gave an awkward smile and said, “It is indeed so!”

Gu Chudong, sitting beside Gu Mo, exclaimed in surprise, “Why? Isn’t your great-grandfather Su Qianqiu the guardian deity of your Southern Jin... of your Jin nation?”

Sima Kong said, “Precisely because my great-grandfather is a guardian deity, the court wants to break his myth. You see, ever since my great-grandfather defended the national gate back then, he has gradually been deified by our Jin people. Nowadays, almost every household in Jin enshrines a longevity tablet for my great-grandfather, revering him as the ‘Thousand Autumn Primal Supreme Heavenly Venerable,’ saying he is the reincarnation of Emperor Donghua!”

Gu Mo was speechless.

Gu Chudong said, incredulous, “That’s a bit too deified, isn’t it?”

Sima Kong said, “What else could be done? Back then, our Jin had just moved its capital, the situation was turbulent, and large areas in the north were occupied by Chu. It was from that time on that our Jin was called Southern Jin by other nations, ‘Southern’ because the capital moved south. Later, it was only by relying on my great-grandfather’s defense of the national gate that Jin barely avoided a complete collapse. And then, with your Qian nation sending troops to attack Chu, our Jin finally got a breathing space. But at that time, our Jin’s situation was too chaotic; the entire populace had lost the will to fight. Under such circumstances, deifying my great-grandfather happened to boost morale, so even the court heavily promoted and mythologized him. There was no other choice; it was forced by the situation at the time.”

Gu Mo knew some of that history. Back then, Qian’s situation was also dire, facing both internal and external troubles. There was even an incident where a descendant of Crown Prince Kangde abducted ten thousand children in Linhai Commandery, eventually fleeing to the Sky Sand Archipelago to establish the Sevenfold Pavilion. To maintain a friendly alliance with Southern Jin, Qian didn’t dare pursue them into the sensitive border area of the Sky Sand Archipelago between the two nations. It wasn’t until recently, when Gu Mo killed the Grand Manager in Linhai Commandery, that the aftermath of that incident finally concluded. Later, Qian’s former emperor seized the opportunity to send troops to attack Chu, not only successfully giving Southern Jin a reprieve but also seizing a large territory from Chu. This territory was located on the border of Hongzhou and named Jin Commandery, as it was part of Jin’s northern lands previously taken by Chu. The territory Qian seized from Chu would naturally not be returned to Jin. It wasn’t until later, when various nations ceased hostilities, and Qian was reluctantly forced to compensate Chu with a considerable sum of money, even sending Li Zhongqing as a hostage, that the territory remained in Qian’s hands until today. Last year, when Li Zhongqing, who had been a hostage in Chu, returned to Qian, he was enfeoffed as Prince Jin by the current emperor.

Sima Kong continued, “Initially, deifying my great-grandfather was a necessity for the nation, but now, for the imperial family and the court, it’s no longer needed. Instead, it has led to a situation where the people of Jin only know Su Qianqiu and are unaware of the Emperor or the court. Moreover, those with ulterior motives have exploited this, creating the Thousand Autumn Sect, which uses my great-grandfather’s name to amass wealth and fool the populace. In many places, even the local government has to obey the Thousand Autumn Sect’s directives. However, this situation is an irresistible trend; even the court has no way to prohibit it. As long as my great-grandfather remains the invincible Sword God of the world, the people of Jin will continue to worship him, and people will continue to exploit the Thousand Autumn Sect’s name to accumulate wealth and mislead the populace!”

Gu Mo understood and said, “So, you’re saying that your great-grandfather’s defeat is actually what the Jin court desperately wants to see, because only by breaking his myth can the Thousand Autumn Sect, this cancerous growth, be eradicated in Jin!”

Sima Kong nodded, “Yes.”

Gu Mo said, “But your Su family is unwilling, so you’re willing to pay a high price to hire me to apprehend Wen Wangji and retrieve the Celestial Craft Spirit Cage, all to ensure Su Qianqiu defeats Master Liansheng, continues his myth, and protects your Su family’s interests.”

Sima Kong said, “I don’t deny that there’s a degree of self-interest for the Su family, but more importantly, it’s for Jin as a nation. My great-grandfather’s myth cannot be shattered. Jin is not out of danger yet; Chu is still covetously eyeing us and has even established a pseudo-Jin regime in the north. Its purpose is simple: to suppress our Jin court morally and shake our nation’s unity and resolve. The pseudo-Jin court in the north has already impacted the hearts of our Jin people. If my great-grandfather’s myth were to be shattered further, how much morale would our Jin nation have left? If, at that moment, Chu were to manipulate the pseudo-Jin to march south, how could our Jin resist the invasion? While my great-grandfather’s myth has indeed led to the cancerous growth of the Thousand Autumn Sect within the nation, which is a significant harm and could even one day become a disaster shaking the nation’s foundation, for now, the breaking of his myth would bring an even greater catastrophe. The difference is between an immediate disaster and a future disaster!”

Gu Chudong asked, puzzled, “Well, according to what you’re saying, the choice is clear. Between a future disaster and an immediate disaster, you’d definitely choose to resolve the immediate one and keep the future one. Why has your Jin court chosen to break your great-grandfather’s myth first? While it might resolve the Thousand Autumn Sect, there’s a greater chance that the national gate will be breached before that day comes!”

Sima Kong chuckled, “How... how should I answer that?”

Gu Mo explained, “It’s because of human nature, because everyone views things from a different perspective. Jin has been stable for over a decade, and many have forgotten the pain of being invaded by other nations. But the harm from the Thousand Autumn Sect is immediate and more direct. Different perspectives lead to different conclusions. Perhaps, from the Jin court’s perspective, Jin’s national strength has now recovered, and its military is prosperous enough to handle external threats. Conversely, the existence of the Thousand Autumn Sect is very likely to cause internal disintegration, leading to the nation’s downfall and families’ ruin!”

Gu Chudong listened, found it reasonable, and asked, “So, which view is correct?”

Gu Mo thought for a moment and said, “Those who believe in the power of an individual to perform heaven-defying feats will think preserving Su Qianqiu’s myth is correct. Those who place more faith in the power of the court will think eradicating the Thousand Autumn Sect is correct. Therefore, there’s no way to judge which of these two views is right or wrong.”

Gu Chudong realized, then asked, “Brother, what do you think?”

Gu Mo chuckled, “I choose not to look. I am merely a Blade Catcher; I only need to complete my mission. Other matters are irrelevant to me. Besides, I am not a Jin person, and the national affairs of Jin are not for a person from Qian like me to worry about.”

“That’s true!”

On this journey to Jin, Gu Mo and his party traveled by water for over ten days, passing through the Sky Sand Archipelago. After landing, they traveled by land for about ten days before finally reaching Quwo City, the capital of Jin.

Cold winds howled, making Qian’s dragon banner ripple. Qian’s diplomatic procession, full of imposing presence, grandly marched towards Quwo City.

Since landing ten days prior, Su Ziyou had ordered the diplomatic delegation to display Qian’s dragon banner prominently throughout their journey, ensuring a magnificent display. Although his primary purpose in coming to Jin this time was to assist Gu Mo in apprehending a wanted criminal, his identity as an envoy on a diplomatic mission to Southern Jin meant he naturally could not lose face for Qian.

He had sent someone ahead to inform the Jin court earlier.

Qian was currently one of the two great powers of the age. Although Southern Jin was not nominally a vassal state, it paid tribute annually, effectively making it one. Naturally, it dared not put on airs before Qian’s diplomatic mission and had long ago arranged for ministers to wait outside the city.

As Qian’s diplomatic mission arrived at the base of Jin’s city walls, Gu Chudong poked her head out of the carriage and saw a colossal stone statue standing atop the city wall, at least five zhang tall. It was unmistakably a statue of Su Qianqiu. Gu Chudong was speechless, as along their entire journey, every city they passed had a statue of Su Qianqiu enshrined on its city wall.

Then, not long after, Gu Chudong witnessed something even more outrageous: Quwo City was also filled with statues of Su Qianqiu of varying sizes. Finally, after their party settled into the Honglu Temple, they received an invitation from the Jin Emperor to attend a banquet at the imperial palace, with Gu Mo and Gu Chudong specifically named.

Then, upon their arrival at the imperial palace, they saw that even at the Imperial City’s gate, there was an imposing statue of Su Qianqiu holding a sword. Gu Chudong couldn’t hold back, blurting out, “Brother, I heard before that Jin deified Su Qianqiu, but I never imagined it was to this extent! It’s utterly ridiculous!”

Unexpectedly, no sooner had Gu Chudong’s words fallen than a displeased voice came from nearby: “Heroine Gu, although you are not from our Jin nation, you are currently within our Jin territory. Please respect our customs and our Great Jin’s faith. Do not utter the name of the Supreme Heavenly Venerable so casually!”

The speaker was none other than Ma Zheng, the Vice Minister of the Honglu Temple of Southern Jin, who was responsible for leading them.

Gu Chudong asked, confused, “Then what should I call him if not his name?”

“I’ve already told you, call him Heavenly Venerable,” Ma Zheng said coldly.

Gu Chudong looked utterly speechless.

Just then, Su Ziyou suddenly spoke, “What, Vice Minister Ma, your Southern Jin deity now presumes to control people from my Qian nation? Should we perhaps also enshrine a statue of your so-called ‘Heavenly Venerable’ in our Qian imperial city?”

Ma Zheng’s face immediately darkened. He glared at Su Ziyou and said, “Minister Su, you have gone too far. You must immediately offer a sincere apology to the Supreme Heavenly Venerable!”

Su Ziyou simply flicked his sleeve, turned, and walked out of the Imperial City, saying, “Since Jin so despises my Qian nation and openly insults us, there is no need for interaction between our two nations. If not friends, then enemies!”

Immediately, the Qian envoys angrily pushed aside the surrounding Jin Honglu Temple officials and followed Su Ziyou out. Gu Mo and Gu Chudong naturally couldn’t stay and also left with them.

Gu Chudong was bewildered, unable to fathom how a simple remark from her could escalate into a national incident. She quickly went to Su Ziyou’s side and asked, “Brother Su, is this appropriate? Did I cause trouble?”

Su Ziyou waved his hand slightly and said, “There are no minor matters in diplomatic missions between nations. Every word and action represents a nation’s attitude. For a respectable Vice Minister of Jin’s Honglu Temple to try and impose their faith on members of our Qian delegation in such a matter is an act of provocation. As an envoy of Qian, when abroad, I represent the face of Qian, and I absolutely cannot tolerate any provocative behavior!”

“So, are we really just leaving like this?” Gu Chudong asked, puzzled.

“Of course.”

Su Ziyou said, “If, before we return to Honglu Temple, the Jin Emperor does not send someone of sufficient standing to offer apologies and an explanation, then we will return directly to Qian. At that point, our Great Qian will have its grand army make them realize their true place. They’ve been given too much face, and now they don’t know their own weight!”

The Jin Emperor’s reaction was much faster and more serious than Su Ziyou had anticipated, and more serious than any of them had imagined.

Not long after their group left the Imperial City, the Emperor himself rushed out to offer an apology.

Upon seeing the imperial carriage, Su Ziyou and his entourage were all surprised. Although they had all guessed that the Jin Emperor would surely come to persuade them to return and wouldn’t let this incident escalate into a major diplomatic affair between the two nations, they never expected the Jin Emperor himself to come out.

“Your humble servant Su Ziyou, greets His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor of Jin!”

Su Ziyou bowed to the Jin Emperor, and immediately, all the Qian envoys also bowed respectfully. Gu Mo and Gu Chudong, not being government officials, had no interest in grand formalities and merely cupped their hands slightly.

“Minister Su, esteemed envoys,” the Jin Emperor said, pulling Su Ziyou to his feet and gesturing for the others to dispense with formalities, “I am already aware of the recent incident. It was Vice Minister Ma Zheng of the Honglu Temple who was in the wrong. I have already dismissed him from office. That man was foolishly overzealous in his studies and caused much offense. Please do not take it to heart, and do not let his personal conduct spoil the friendship between our two nations!”

Su Ziyou naturally wasn’t truly intending to fall out with Jin. He had been ordered to lead a diplomatic mission to Southern Jin; if he immediately caused a rift between two nations that had been close for years, he would be in great trouble. Now that the Jin Emperor was so sincere, personally coming to apologize, he naturally took the opportunity to back down gracefully, saying, “Your Majesty, it was not that your humble servant deliberately caused trouble, but that your esteemed minister was truly arrogant and and did not show due respect to my Great Qian.”

As he spoke, he introduced Gu Mo, saying, “This gentleman is the Grand Hero of the Nation, personally appointed by my Emperor, and is the spiritual leader of martial arts in my Qian nation. He does not even need to bow when in the Emperor’s presence. Yet, your esteemed minister presumed to make Grand Hero Gu bow to a mere martial artist from your nation. Even looking across the entire martial world, Su Qianqiu is only a peer of Grand Hero Gu. What right does he have to demand Grand Hero Gu’s bow?”

“Yes, yes, yes,” the Jin Emperor quickly said, “Minister Su speaks wisely.” He looked at Gu Mo, took two steps forward, grasped Gu Mo’s hand, and said, “The name of Noble Hero Gu Mo of Qian has been echoing in my ears like thunder recently. To see him today, he truly possesses an extraordinary aura. Such astonishing talent, unparalleled in the world, is a blessing for Qian and for all humanity. I took an instant liking to you, Minister Gu, upon our first meeting. You must spend more time with me during your visit to Jin!”

The Jin Emperor was overly enthusiastic, making Gu Mo extremely uncomfortable for a moment. Furthermore, for an emperor of a nation to flatter him, a mere martial artist, and in such an unctuous manner, left the dignified third strongest expert in the world momentarily at a loss!

Subsequently, the Jin Emperor seemed intent on holding Gu Mo’s hand and heading into the palace. Gu Mo subtly used a martial art technique to withdraw his hand, then retreated behind Su Ziyou.

The Jin Emperor seemed oblivious to Gu Mo’s aloofness, constantly leaning towards him, asking him all sorts of questions, and only stopped once they reached the main hall of the imperial palace.

At this moment, a grand banquet was being prepared in the main hall. Numerous Jin court officials were present, and under the Jin Emperor’s arrangements, the feast began.

The Jin ministers naturally approached with wine cups to toast Su Ziyou and the other Qian envoys, exchanging pleasantries, flattering each other, and uttering diplomatic remarks about the lasting friendship between the two nations. The atmosphere was very convivial.

Meanwhile, Gu Mo and Gu Chudong sat together. With Su Ziyou subtly indicating their identities, no one came to urge them to drink, and they enjoyed the peace.

However, Gu Mo sensed that there were always some people in the hall who had been watching him since he entered, or more precisely, scrutinizing him. But since those people didn’t speak or make any threatening or provocative moves, Gu Mo didn’t react. He simply pretended not to notice and enjoyed the Jin dishes with Gu Chudong.

They were quite ordinary. Compared to Qian’s cuisine, Jin’s was clearly a notch below. Of course, it might also be because he wasn’t used to the taste.

When the banquet was more than halfway through, one of the people who had been observing Gu Mo finally couldn’t hold back. He was a burly, broad-shouldered, and thick-waisted man with dark skin, the Grand General of Nation Protection, Helian Tieyi, one of Jin’s Four Great Generals.

This man suddenly stood up, cupped his hands to the Jin Emperor, and said, “Your Majesty, just sitting here drinking is rather dull. Your humble general has a suggestion.” He pointed at Gu Mo and said, “I’ve heard that this young man is Qian’s top expert. Why don’t I, your humble general, spar with him to liven things up for everyone? It could also serve as a martial arts exchange between our Jin and Qian nations!”

The Jin Emperor quickly said, “General Helian, this proposal is inappropriate. Today, the Qian diplomatic mission’s arrival symbolizes peace between our two nations. It’s not suitable for martial contests, not suitable at all!”

Helian Tieyi said, “For martial artists, sparring and discussing martial arts can greatly aid exchanges between nations.” He looked at Gu Mo and said, “Young man, as Qian’s top expert, you wouldn’t be afraid to face an old man like me, would you?”

Su Ziyou, seated at the table next to Gu Mo, had a very displeased expression. As a civil official, he could better discern the provocation in Helian Tieyi’s words, calling Gu Mo Qian’s top expert while repeatedly referring to him as ‘young man,’ implying that Qian’s martial arts were junior compared to Jin’s. He immediately said in a deep voice, “General Helian, our Qian nation is a country that highly values etiquette. In our country, only those of the same level can spar and discuss martial arts. When someone of a lower level seeks discussion with a higher-level individual, it’s called seeking instruction, and requires bowing and kneeling. Grand Hero Gu is currently the third strongest in the world. The number of people in the entire world capable of sparring with him can be counted on one hand. Therefore, if you wish to seek instruction, you must follow our Qian’s etiquette. If you don’t understand, you can learn and seek it slowly!”

Helian Tieyi sneered, “The third strongest in the world, you say... I recall Qian once had a third strongest in the world who only lasted twenty moves under our Great Jin’s Supreme Heavenly Venerable, taking nineteen hits. This ‘third strongest in the world,’ huh... Hahahaha! As for me, your humble general once received guidance from the Supreme Heavenly Venerable and can barely withstand two or three moves from him. Although my martial arts are ordinary, they are still far stronger than your esteemed nation’s so-called ‘third strongest in the world.’ It would be a good opportunity for this general to see if your nation’s top expert has the talent to receive instruction from the Supreme Heavenly Venerable, even if it’s just a few casual pointers, it would be infinitely beneficial!”

Su Ziyou clearly understood that this person was surprisingly seeking redress for Ma Zheng, the former Vice Minister of Honglu Temple.

The Jin Emperor, seated on his dragon throne, also understood and immediately looked displeased. He said, “General Helian, you are drunk. Please withdraw!”

However, no sooner had the Jin Emperor spoken than a large group of ministers began to voice their support for Helian Tieyi.

“Your Majesty, you don’t know General Helian’s drinking capacity; he can drink a thousand cups without getting drunk!”

“Your Majesty, your humble servant actually thinks General Helian’s proposal is excellent. Martial arts exchange is also a form of international exchange, after all!”

The Jin Emperor’s face became very gloomy.

Gu Mo suddenly understood why the Jin Emperor wanted to break Su Qianqiu’s myth.

At this moment, Su Ziyou was about to speak but was stopped by Gu Mo’s outstretched hand.

“Helian Tieyi, is it?”

As soon as Gu Mo spoke, everyone in the hall fell silent.

Gu Mo continued, “You can certainly spar with me, but hearing you say you can only withstand two or three moves from Su Qianqiu makes me a little worried. After all, my martial arts are too formidable. I’m afraid you won’t even be able to take one move, and I’ll kill or cripple you, which would affect the peace between our two nations!”

Helian Tieyi said in a deep voice, “Young man, if you can kill me in one move, then I, Helian Tieyi, am a piece of trash, seeking my own death, and I deserve it! I can sign a death wager here and now. After all, in a martial contest, sometimes an accident is perfectly normal!”

Gu Mo nodded slightly, “Alright. I assume that in front of the Jin Emperor and the entire Jin court, no one will renege on their word afterward, right?”

“Of course not!” Helian Tieyi said.

“Good,” Gu Mo cupped his hands to the Jin Emperor, “Your Majesty, I am willing to spar with General Helian. I humbly ask you to bear witness!”

“This...” the Jin Emperor was very hesitant, “Is this truly acceptable!”

Gu Mo extended his hand towards Gu Chudong.

Gu Chudong immediately understood, took out the Celestial Demon Qin, and handed it to Gu Mo.

Gu Mo sat on the chair, placed the zither in front of him, and said, “General Helian, please!”

Helian Tieyi ordered someone to bring him a horse lance.

Immediately, the Jin Emperor ordered his attendants to clear the tables and chairs to make space.

Gu Mo, however, waved his hand, “No need for the trouble, it’s just one move!”

“Arrogant!” Helian Tieyi roared, swinging his horse lance and charging towards Gu Mo. Dazzling golden light erupted around him, and the profound iron horse lance in his hand moved like a streak of light. Fine golden scale patterns appeared on his skin, and his robust qi transformed into surging golden energy waves, even causing cracks to appear on the surrounding tables and chairs.

At that moment, Gu Mo’s fingertips lightly plucked the zither strings, and the instrument hummed loudly. Three azure sound blades tore through the air, striking Helian Tieyi, who was enveloped in golden light, like arrows loosed from a bowstring.

In an instant, golden light and azure light collided with a roar, the booming sound making everyone’s eardrums ache. Helian Tieyi grunted, his burly body flew backward, landing on the ground and retreating a few steps.

“Hmph, nothing special!” Helian Tieyi scoffed, about to charge at Gu Mo again. But at that very instant, his protective qi shattered inch by inch. A series of dull thuds suddenly reverberated within his body, as if thunder had exploded in his meridians. Blood gushed from the corners of his mouth, his pupils abruptly contracted, and he crashed to the ground.

“General Helian!”

“Great General, what’s wrong with you?”

Immediately, several military commanders rushed over to check Helian Tieyi’s condition, only to discover with horror that Helian Tieyi’s internal organs had been pulverized.

“He... General Helian... is dead!”

For a moment, the hall erupted in an uproar. Gu Mo put the zither away, handed it to Gu Chudong, and said with a cold laugh, “It seems this General Helian, who could withstand two or three moves from Su Qianqiu, couldn’t even take one from me. Eh, what do you all say? Is Su Qianqiu incompetent, or was General Helian just boasting?”

“You...”

“Don’t be so arrogant!”

The assembled ministers glared at Gu Mo, furious. But this time, no one dared to step forward and challenge Gu Mo again. Although they were all enraged, not a single harsh word was spoken.

At this moment, the Jin Emperor said, “Quick, quick, quickly send General Helian to the Imperial Medical Institute to see if he can be saved. Alas, what a perfectly good banquet, why did it have to turn into a martial contest?”

Immediately, several officials carried Helian Tieyi’s body away, and the atmosphere in the hall instantly became very heavy.

The Jin Emperor then simply said, “Let this banquet conclude here today. All my beloved ministers, please return home. Oh, and by the way, Minister Su, Minister Gu, didn’t you say you had some words from Emperor Qian, my brother, to convey to me? Please accompany me for a stroll in the Imperial Garden!”

Hearing the Jin Emperor’s invitation, Gu Mo and Su Ziyou naturally accepted with pleasure. Even if the Jin Emperor hadn’t invited them, they would have proactively requested to speak with him. Their purpose in coming was to apprehend and eliminate the ‘Dao Sect’ thief, and judging by Seventh Prince Sima Kong’s assessment, the Jin Emperor was the biggest obstacle.

Soon, Gu Mo, Su Ziyou, and Gu Chudong followed the Jin Emperor into the Imperial Garden.

The Jin Emperor led the three of them into a study and said, “I know the purpose of your visit: you were invited by Sima Kong to investigate the ‘Dao Sect’ thief, Wen Wangji!”

Gu Mo and Su Ziyou were both somewhat puzzled, completely surprised that the Jin Emperor would get straight to the point.

Immediately, Su Ziyou cupped his hands and said, “To be honest with Your Majesty, that is indeed the case!”

The Jin Emperor chuckled, “That old seventh prince is quite clever, thinking of using Qian to put pressure on me. He probably suspected Wen Wangji was hiding in my imperial palace, and no matter how he investigated, he couldn’t apprehend him here. So, he invited the Qian diplomatic mission. After all, if the Qian mission found Wen Wangji in the imperial city, I would have no way to obstruct them.”

Gu Mo and Su Ziyou had already anticipated this point about Seventh Prince Sima Kong’s intentions. The Qian Emperor naturally also knew, and the reason he helped Sima Kong was because he didn’t want Jin to fall at this time. Qian still needed Jin, its not-so-powerful ally, to expand the front line and resist Chu.

Su Ziyou asked, “Your Majesty, is Wen Wangji truly in the Imperial City?”

“No,” the Jin Emperor shook his head, “but I know where he is!”

Su Ziyou frowned, “Your Majesty, are you going to negotiate terms?”

“No.”

The Jin Emperor sighed and said, “Since I’ve invited you, I will naturally tell you Wen Wangji’s whereabouts. However, before that, I need to make things clear. It’s not that I am shortsighted and unaware of the benefits of Old Master Su’s myth to Jin. It’s simply that I have no other choice.”

At this point, the Jin Emperor sighed deeply and said, “Just now at the banquet, Minister Su, Minister Gu, you saw it yourselves. The current court is not controlled by me; it is controlled by the Thousand Autumn Sect.”

Gu Mo asked, “Is it Su Qianqiu?”

The Jin Emperor shook his head, “If the Thousand Autumn Sect were controlled by Old Master Su, then I would gladly enjoy my leisure. Since I can’t fight them, I might as well honestly be a puppet emperor. But the reality is that although the Thousand Autumn Sect worships Old Master Su, it doesn’t actually obey him. My power has long been hollowed out; whether my decrees can leave the Imperial City requires the Thousand Autumn Sect’s approval. As for who is truly behind the Thousand Autumn Sect, it’s impossible to investigate, because the entire nation, from top to bottom, consists of Thousand Autumn Sect believers. I, as emperor, practically no longer exist. There are too many Thousand Autumn Sect believers, from commoners to court ministers. Even I have no choice but to be a believer of the Thousand Autumn Sect. So, it’s impossible to investigate; it cannot be investigated!”

Gu Mo asked, “It doesn’t matter if you have no power. As long as Su Qianqiu is willing to investigate, he should be able to find out, right?”

The Jin Emperor shook his head slightly and said, “Old Master Su can’t find out either. He has killed many people, but they all adamantly claim there’s no one behind them; they simply believe in the Supreme Heavenly Venerable, and everything they do is based on the Thousand Autumn Sect’s teachings. However, the Thousand Autumn Sect’s teachings weren’t set by Old Master Su, and the teachings vary from region to region across the country. Every investigation only points to local individuals who set their own doctrines for financial gain, with no single mastermind.”

Su Ziyou nodded and said, “I understand. Either it’s pure faith with no true mastermind, or rather, the entire Jin populace is the mastermind, or else, the entire nation, from top to bottom, including all civil and military officials, are working hard to protect this mastermind, the true leader of the Thousand Autumn Sect!”

The Jin Emperor nodded, “Therefore, I wish to ask you two, Minister Su and Minister Gu, to help me apprehend this Thousand Autumn Sect Master. I know you, Minister Gu, like to catch wanted criminals, and if this Thousand Autumn Sect Master truly exists, he is also a wanted criminal. A few days ago, Old Master Su went on a killing spree once, but he couldn’t find anyone behind the scenes. To provide an explanation, Old Master Su killed many villains who amassed wealth under the guise of the Thousand Autumn Sect, establishing a ‘Thousand Autumn Heretical Cult’ to differentiate it from the true Thousand Autumn Sect. The leader of this Thousand Autumn Heretical Cult is now our Jin’s number one wanted criminal. My current court officials cannot investigate, because as Thousand Autumn Sect believers, their investigations will yield no results. But you two are not Thousand Autumn Sect believers, and you have the status of Qian’s diplomatic mission, so no one dares openly obstruct you. Therefore, you are the most likely to uncover the truth. Of course, if even you find no mastermind, then it is destined that I must become the ruler of a fallen nation!”

At this moment, a system prompt sounded in Gu Mo’s mind:

New target detected.Wanted Target — Thousand Autumn Sect Master.Mission Level — Six Stars.Mission Reward — Max-level Vertical and Horizontal Sword Arts.

The Vertical and Horizontal Sword Arts originate from the Ghost Valley School in “Qin’s Moon,” divided into Vertical Sword (He) and Horizontal Sword (Bai), emphasizing the philosophical principles of Yin and Yang, opening and closing.

Vertical Sword (He): Core is “momentum,” pursuing extreme penetration for one-hit kills. Its representative move, “Hundred Paces Flying Sword,” is known as “a blade through the throat, a hundred paces flying sword.” Its sword intent subtly aligns with Daoist “extreme emptiness and profound tranquility,” achieving ultra-long-range precise strikes by compressing sword qi.

Horizontal Sword (Bai): Rooted in “technique,” emphasizing area-of-effect damage and power suppression. Its representative move is “Traversing Eight Directions,” integrating the Legalist “hegemonic” philosophy, with incredibly fierce and powerful techniques.

Overall, in addition to possessing the typical powerful sword moves of Hundred Paces Flying Sword and Traversing Eight Directions, the Vertical and Horizontal Sword Arts also include special effects such as predicting opponent’s attack trajectories, mental deterrence, long-range sneak attacks, and crowd control.