Chapter 254: Thirteen Taboos

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**Wanted Target: Rainbow Peacock**Mission Level: Seven-StarMission Reward: 14 Wuji Immortal Elixirs

The Wuji Immortal Elixir, originating from *The Legendary Heroes of Shenzhou*, consists of fourteen pills. These top-tier elixirs can each increase one's internal energy by sixty years, break through martial arts bottlenecks, reconcile conflicts between different martial arts, and possess miraculous effects such as rendering one immune to all poisons and healing injuries.

**Wanted Target: Plague God**Mission Level: Eight-StarMission Reward: Max-level Records of the God of War

The Records of the God of War is an ancient Daoist supreme martial art, inscribed on forty-nine bas-reliefs in the "God of War Temple." Its ultimate realm is "Shattering the Void." Practitioners can absorb the energy of heaven and earth, achieving a state of yin and yang interchange and ceaseless circulation.

**Wanted Target: Fire Qilin**Mission Level: Seven-StarMission Reward: Max-level Buddha's Palm

This top-tier Buddhist martial art comprises ten forms, each imbued with the essence of Buddhist principles. It can subdue demons, vanquish evil, and resist natural disasters. The tenth form, Buddha's Nirvana, symbolizes the ultimate realm of "attaining enlightenment through death."

**Wanted Target: Inner Demon**Mission Level: Eight-StarMission Reward: Max-level Demonic Blade

The Demonic Blade, from *Wind and Cloud*, was created by the First Evil Emperor. Its creation stemmed from an exploration of martial arts' ultimate limits. To break through his blade techniques' bottleneck, the Evil Emperor fused his own vital blood with demonic energy from heaven and earth, ultimately forging this set of "the world's most perfect blade techniques."

Gu Mo gazed at the wanted information within his system, a sense of awe washing over him. Including Jiang Ruoxu, whose wanted information he had already obtained, five of the Thirteen Taboos now met the criteria for a bounty. Remarkably, there were three eight-star targets and two seven-star targets.

According to the system's criteria for judging wanted criminal levels, combat power did not account for a high proportion; the primary consideration was the impact caused by the criminal's malicious acts. For ordinary wanted criminals, seven stars was already the pinnacle. In the entire Qian Kingdom, only Ye Nantian, the leader of the Moon Worship Cult, and Gongsun Jue, the Ghost Emissary, had reached the seven-star level. Both of their deeds were monumental: Ye Nantian directly incited rebellion and massacred a city, while Gongsun Jue succumbed to demonic influence, secretly sacrificing countless people using his identity. When discovered, he unleashed a bloody rampage that shocked the entire nation. Yet, even with such immense disturbances, these two had not reached eight stars. However, among these five wanted targets from the Thirteen Taboos, three had reached eight stars.

Although Gu Mo didn't know what they had all done, he knew that Jiang Ruoxu had once massacred a nation's royal family and then proceeded to indiscriminately kill across various kingdoms, leading to a joint encirclement by all the world's nations. Considering Jiang Ruoxu's actions, one could imagine the scale of disturbance caused by the other two eight-star wanted criminals.

As heavy snow fell, Gu Chudong asked Su Qianqiu, "Other than Jiang Ruoxu and Baiyujing, which I've heard of, what are these Thirteen Taboos? Can you tell me about them?"

Su Qianqiu nodded slightly. "Of course, I can. The legends of the Thirteen Taboos are secrets within the common martial arts world, but for you and your brother, if you put your minds to it, you can easily find relevant documents. Any sect or power with a bit of history knows about them. However, I only remember the general details; for specific dates and events, you should ask the Emperor. The imperial library should have relevant scrolls.

"The First Taboo is the Earth's Dragon Vein. Legend has it that the First Emperor, who unified the human realm, gathered the realm's destiny, slowly nurturing it into dragon qi. After his death, it transformed into the Dragon Vein, nourishing the human realm's destiny. It's said that whoever finds the Dragon Vein can unify the world. For thousands of years, every unified imperial dynasty is rumored to have succeeded because they found the Dragon Vein.

"The Second Taboo is the Reincarnation Mirror, a divine artifact born from the collected spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Legend claims this mirror can peer into the past and future, revealing one's previous and current lives, and some even say it can alter the past and future.

"The Third Taboo is Baiyujing, which I won't elaborate on too much—it's a mysterious place. The Fourth Taboo is Knocking on the Heavenly Gate. This is a legend, and also the ultimate pursuit of all qi cultivators. It is said to be the final hurdle to becoming an immortal; knocking open the Heavenly Gate allows one to ascend to immortality. This Fourth Taboo and the Ninth Taboo, the Inner Demon, are part of the same legend. It is said that the ultimate challenge of Knocking on the Heavenly Gate is the Inner Demon. This Inner Demon is different from the inner demons ordinary martial artists encounter when they fall into delusions or obsessions during breakthroughs. The legendary Taboo Inner Demon is a true demon, guarding the Heavenly Gate, waiting to tempt qi cultivators who are about to ascend in their final trial, thereby destroying their cultivation.

"The Fifth Taboo is the Mysterious Tortoise, a legendary auspicious beast with a tortoise shell, head and tail connected, and a massive, mountain-like body with a snake-like tail, living perpetually in the sea. It is said that the founding emperor of the previous unified dynasty, the Yu Dynasty, was assisted by the Mysterious Tortoise in finding the Dragon Vein, ultimately unifying the world.

"The Sixth Taboo is the Fire Qilin, an exotic beast like the Mysterious Tortoise, but unlike the Mysterious Tortoise's gentle nature, the Fire Qilin is violent. It is said that every time it appears, it is accompanied by widespread devastation. Legend has it that its entire body is wreathed in flames, its scales are hard as steel, its fiery breath can melt divine weapons, and even a single drop of its blood or a piece of its scale is a rare and precious heavenly treasure."

At this point, Su Qianqiu pointed to the book box on Gu Chudong's back. "Isn't your Gouchen Demonic Blade rumored to be forged from Qilin scales?"

Gu Chudong replied, "That's the legend, but I don't know if it's true."

Su Qianqiu said, "It should be true. When I fought your brother a few days ago, I felt the violent demonic nature within that blade, which indeed greatly resembles the characteristics of the legendary Fire Qilin."

Gu Mo added, "According to the legend of the Gouchen Demonic Blade, it seems the Fire Qilin was accidentally injured, leaving behind a drop of blood and a piece of scale. These eventually came into Lu Canyang's hands; the blood was absorbed by him, and the scale was melted to forge the Gouchen Demonic Blade."

Su Qianqiu nodded slightly and continued, "The Seventh Taboo is Heaven Beyond Heaven. It's rumored to be a mysterious force, or perhaps immortals from beyond the heavens, like Kunlun from mythical tales. There are also rumors that Heaven Beyond Heaven is the Immortal Realm itself. There's no definitive information, but by reviewing ancient scrolls and texts, one can find some scattered records of envoys from Heaven Beyond Heaven visiting the human realm. However, these are mere snippets, not found in official histories, only in unofficial ones.

"The Eighth Taboo is the Great Sun Demonic Art, said to be the progenitor of all demonic arts in the world. It's an extremely powerful martial art divided into six stages. It's rumored that practitioners can become a top-tier warrior upon入门, a Grandmaster at the second stage, and a supreme Grandmaster at the third. The fourth stage grants invincibility, the fifth allows one to attain immortality, and the sixth grants immortality and invulnerability!

"The Ninth Taboo, the Inner Demon, has already been mentioned.

"The Tenth Taboo is the Plague God, who, like Jiang Ruoxu, is a person. About three hundred years ago, a master of poison appeared in the martial arts world. His poison skills were said to be so profound that he could cause life or death at will. Due to his excessive obsession with poison, he eventually transformed himself into a venomous being, becoming the most toxic existence between heaven and earth. Wherever he went, plagues would inevitably breed, causing endless havoc, which is why he was called the Plague God.

"The Eleventh Taboo is the Reverse Scale Blade, the foremost divine weapon, fierce weapon, demonic weapon, and sacred weapon in the world. It is undeniably the greatest weapon under heaven. Legend says it was forged from a dragon's reverse scale and can cut through anything in heaven and earth; nothing can withstand its edge.

"The Twelfth Taboo is the Rainbow Peacock, an exotic beast like the Mysterious Tortoise and Fire Qilin. It's said to be ten zhang long and three zhang tall, covered in seven swirling colors, fond of eating humans, incredibly fast and powerful, and its feathers are impervious to water, fire, blades, and swords. Among the exotic beast taboos, only the Rainbow Peacock has clear historical records. Over five hundred years ago, it even triggered an expedition by countless masters. It eventually escaped, leaving behind feathers that were woven into the Seven-Colored Heavenly Craft Spirit Cage Robe.

"As for the Thirteenth Taboo, Jiang Ruoxu, I won't say much more. This one is absolutely real. I once crossed paths with him. Although I didn't participate in the battle to encircle him, I met many who survived that battle. It was so brutal that few are willing to speak of it again."

After listening, Gu Chudong exclaimed, "These all sound so magical, just like the stories the elders used to tell us when we were children!"

Su Qianqiu chuckled softly. "They are indeed just stories. They only appear every few hundred years, and cannot be verified. You don't need to take them too seriously."

Gu Chudong nodded.

Gu Mo, however, simply smiled, offering no comment. He couldn't entirely dismiss these as mere stories, especially with the system's prompts, which confirmed that at least five or six of them were real.

"However, Baiyujing truly exists," Su Qianqiu stated. "Though I haven't seen its full extent, I have indeed witnessed it, and it is truly miraculous. My martial arts have reached a level where I can no longer advance. To see a broader path in martial arts, I must visit Baiyujing again!"

Gu Chudong asked curiously, "Can Baiyujing really help people perfect their martial arts?"

"Not just martial arts," Su Qianqiu replied. "The main thing is that Baiyujing can help deduce higher levels of martial arts based on one's existing foundation. For example, when I entered Penglai Island, my Qianqiu Myriad Generations Sword Art had already reached the eighth sword. At that time, I traveled through various kingdoms, visiting or challenging many masters, but I was always just a little short of the ninth sword. Later, invited by the Penglai Island envoy, I went to Penglai Island. There, I discussed martial arts with many experts, including Jiang Ruoxu and Zhang Daoyi, and five of the world's top ten at the time were also present. Hidden masters on Penglai Island also provided us with their martial arts manuals to study. Ultimately, I created the ninth sword. I initially thought the ninth sword was perfectly flawless, the pinnacle of the Qianqiu Myriad Generations Sword Art. But to my utter surprise, after entering Baiyujing, I continuously completed three more swords, bringing the Qianqiu Myriad Generations Sword Art to the twelfth sword. And it wasn't over; it also pointed me in a direction for further progress. So, after returning to Jin Kingdom, I gradually created the thirteenth sword, which was that final sword during our duel that day, which I named 'Guardian of the Nation's Gate.' To be honest, since I created 'Guardian of the Nation's Gate,' my martial arts have been stagnant for many years. Now, if I want to advance further, I've considered it repeatedly, and the only way is to see Baiyujing again."

With that, Su Qianqiu looked at Gu Mo and sighed, "Gu Mo, you've reached such a level at such a young age. If you receive further assistance from Baiyujing, I truly cannot imagine what heights you will reach. You might truly achieve a realm unprecedented and unmatched throughout history!"

Gu Mo: "..." He truly didn't know what significance visiting Baiyujing would have for him. He couldn't possibly ask Baiyujing to help him deduce his system, could he? He didn't think Baiyujing could be more powerful than his system. As for deducing martial arts, he had so many techniques he almost couldn't remember them all. Which one would Baiyujing deduce? It couldn't possibly be the Limitless Reversion Qi, which theoretically had no upper limit. If it ever did, he could simply replace the original seven martial arts that formed his Reversion system with a few more profound techniques. As for deducing other martial arts, he might as well find ways to kill more wanted criminals. He couldn't even be sure if Baiyujing, as a Taboo, had any problems. Therefore, Gu Mo had little interest in going to Penglai Island to see Baiyujing; his interest was purely more out of curiosity for something mysterious.

Su Qianqiu noticed Gu Mo's lack of interest in Baiyujing and asked, "You don't plan to go to Penglai Island?"

Gu Mo thought for a moment and said, "We'll see then. If Baiyujing's only purpose is to raise the martial arts ceiling, then I don't have much interest. I, Gu Mo, have reached this level purely through my own efforts... well, I don't think Baiyujing can offer me any help!"

Su Qianqiu retorted, "You just said it yourself, raising the martial arts ceiling. When you're stuck at a bottleneck and can't break through, you'll understand Baiyujing's power."

"Bottlenecks are indeed troubling, but one must have the talent to even be troubled by them!" Gu Mo said solemnly.

Su Qianqiu's mouth twitched violently. He remembered that the person in front of him was the world's number one martial artist, who had achieved his status before the age of thirty—the youngest number one in history, and the youngest Grandmaster of internal energy!

"Why do I suddenly feel like my posturing is so unrefined?" Gu Mo mused.

Gu Mo stayed on Qianqiu Mountain for four days. Although he had defeated Su Qianqiu, there was no denying that Su Qianqiu was the closest to him in martial arts in the world today. Moreover, Su Qianqiu was well-traveled and deeply knowledgeable in martial arts, so they had many topics for discussion when debating the Dao.

On the fifth day, Su Qianqiu, in public, once again performed an illusion show, acting out the "Celestial Lord Descends to Earth" and publicly announcing the establishment of the Qianqiu Sect. After that, Gu Mo took Gu Chudong and left Qianqiu Mountain because Su Qianqiu needed to go into seclusion to heal. Of course, Gu Mo felt that Su Qianqiu's seclusion wasn't primarily for physical wounds, but more for healing his inner ones. Zhang Daoyi was right; Su Qianqiu always pretended not to care about his reputation, but deep down, he cared more than anyone. He used to call himself the "Second Under Heaven" to maintain a certain image, but now that he truly became the "Second Under Heaven," he was unhappy!

The Martial Arts Ranking List had shifted twice in a short period but had since returned to normal. A while ago, when Gu Mo became the new number three, everyone else dropped one rank, except Su Qianqiu. Now, with Gu Mo becoming the number one, everyone's ranks were restored. For example, Zhang Daoyi was back to being number three!

After leaving Qianqiu Mountain, Gu Mo took Gu Chudong back to Honglu Temple. As soon as they reached the courtyard gate, Su Ziyou rushed to meet them, pulling Gu Mo aside into a corner. "Brother Gu, tell me honestly, did you really not hook up with the Princess of Chu?" he whispered.

Gu Mo looked bewildered. "What happened? Why would I hook up with her?"

Su Ziyou explained, "These past few days, that princess has been coming to look for you every single day, asking if you've returned. You just showed up outside the Honglu Temple gate, and she caught wind of it and came. She's waiting for you in the courtyard right now."

Gu Mo asked, puzzled, "Don't your embassy people have a lot of issues with the Chu people? Why don't you just drive her away?"

"Oh, even during wartime, envoys aren't killed," Su Ziyou said. "Besides, our Qian Kingdom and Chu Kingdom are still fighting and making peace. As long as it's not a true war of annihilation, we still maintain appearances, despite the fighting."

Gu Mo nodded slightly. "I have no connection to her. She's definitely looking for me regarding the capture of Ye Nantian, which we discussed last time. We're about to return to our country; if she doesn't discuss it now, she won't have the chance."

"Ah, I see," Su Ziyou said. "Brother Gu, I support your cooperation with Xiao Ziyin on this matter. That Ye Nantian is someone not only Chu wants to kill, but our Qian Kingdom also wants to eliminate quickly. This man is a troublemaker, always stirring up trouble and causing immense annoyance. In our Qian Kingdom, he's also the number one wanted criminal!"

Gu Mo nodded slightly. "I do intend to agree."

Su Ziyou continued, "However, I suggest you don't go immediately. As the saying goes, while you shouldn't harbor malicious intent, you must be cautious. Brother Gu, you should know that with your current deterrent power as the world's number one, you are like a mobile, unrestricted army to the Chu Kingdom. It's hard to guarantee they won't try to use you. Of course, Xiao Ziyin and the Chu Emperor Xiao Zhaolin aren't fools; they will definitely prioritize winning you over. However, it's also hard to guarantee they won't set a trap for you if the opportunity arises. Even if your martial arts are unmatched, a nation's concentrated power against an unprepared individual is absolutely very dangerous.

"Therefore, I suggest you return to our country with us first. At that time, I will petition His Majesty, and just like this time, we will send an envoy mission to Jiang Kingdom in the name of the embassy. This has an advantage: the Jiang Kingdom's Emperor, civil and military officials are not fools. Although they are a vassal state of Chu, that doesn't mean they will truly fight for Chu. With the Qian Kingdom's embassy present, the Jiang Kingdom's court will be hesitant to act, fearing an inter-state conflict. They will absolutely not dare to collude with Chu to deal with you. Even if pressured by Chu, they will secretly leak information. In that case, if Xiao Ziyin truly has other intentions, without the assistance of the Jiang Kingdom's court, it would be very difficult to set a trap for you in Jiang Kingdom."

Gu Mo nodded slightly.

Su Ziyou added, "Of course, I definitely have selfish motives. Given Ye Nantian's and the Moon Worship Cult's nature, their appearance in Jiang Kingdom undoubtedly means they intend to incite rebellion. If our Qian Kingdom's embassy goes to Jiang Kingdom, we might be able to plot something. After all, Jiang Kingdom is a vassal of Chu, so weakening Jiang Kingdom is equivalent to indirectly weakening Chu. Or, if we can cause a rift between Jiang Kingdom and Chu, that would also be a gain."

Gu Mo nodded. "Alright."

After a brief exchange with Su Ziyou, Gu Mo took Gu Chudong and left. Soon, they arrived at their courtyard. Upon entering, they saw Xiao Ziyin sitting by a brazier, warming herself. As snowflakes silently dusted the window paper, the small courtyard with its red walls and dark tiles was already covered in silver. Xiao Ziyin held a cup of hot tea, the rising steam swirling around the plain veil covering her face. She turned her head, saw Gu Mo and Gu Chudong at the doorway, and quickly stood up, bowing. "Hero Gu, Heroine Gu."

Gu Mo and Gu Chudong entered and returned the greeting.

Xiao Ziyin personally poured them tea, then got straight to the point. "Hero Gu, I know you martial artists prefer directness, so I'll be direct as well. How have you considered my previous invitation to go to Jiang Kingdom to apprehend and kill Ye Nantian? Of course, times have changed; you are now the world's number one, and a price increase is something I can accept."

Gu Mo waved his hand slightly. "The price doesn't need to change, but is Her Royal Highness the Princess in a hurry? I need to return to Qian Kingdom first."

"No hurry," Xiao Ziyin replied. "Hero Gu can return and enjoy the New Year. Going to Jiang Kingdom in February or March after the New Year is perfectly fine. Ye Nantian's appearance in Jiang Kingdom likely means he's preparing for rebellion, so he won't be leaving anytime soon."

"That works then," Gu Mo nodded.

Xiao Ziyin continued, "Hero Gu, Jiang Kingdom is, after all, our Chu Kingdom's vassal state, and you are from Qian Kingdom. We haven't cooperated before and lack a certain trust. So, to be safe, and to make our cooperation more open, I suggest you inform the Qian Emperor about this matter. He will surely send envoys to Jiang Kingdom, both to protect you from being schemed against or ambushed by me, and to prevent you from being drawn over to the Chu Kingdom."

Gu Mo's pupils contracted slightly. If he hadn't been certain that his previous conversation with Su Ziyou couldn't have been overheard by others, he would have suspected Xiao Ziyin of eavesdropping. However, on second thought, Xiao Ziyin was, after all, someone who could navigate the court since her teenage years; her thoughts were surely meticulous, and she naturally could anticipate the Qian Kingdom's court's response. Therefore, it was better to state it proactively, earning goodwill through frankness.

"Good," Gu Mo nodded. "However, isn't Your Royal Highness afraid of your own people saying you're cooperating with Qian Kingdom?"

Xiao Ziyin chuckled softly. "That fellow Ye Nantian is notorious. Many people, both in our Chu court and your Qian court, want him dead. We have cooperated in apprehending and killing him before; it just failed."

"Alright then, I will go to Jiang Kingdom at that time," Gu Mo said.

Xiao Ziyin took a sip of tea. "I will first pay a deposit of one hundred thousand taels. Since Hero Gu is returning to Qian Kingdom first, I will arrange for our kingdom's imperial merchants in your country to deliver the money directly to your home. There's no need to buy heavenly treasures as a roundabout way."

Gu Mo nodded slightly. Although the two countries were in confrontation and conflict, there were also trade relations between them. Between nations, many things were ambiguous. While there might be fierce fighting on the military confrontation level, it did not hinder mutual trade because many areas were beneficial to both sides. Therefore, Chu Kingdom would have imperial merchants in Qian Kingdom, and Qian Kingdom would also have imperial merchants in Chu Kingdom. Besides trade, there was also information gathering. Of course, this type of information gathering was different from spies collecting secret intelligence; imperial merchants primarily conveyed overt information between the two sides, and sometimes even actively exchanged it.

"Oh,对了," Xiao Ziyin gestured, took a small sandalwood box from a female official beside her, and placed it on the table. "Hero Gu, this is from Master Liansheng for you. It is the greatest treasure of Daguangming Temple—a Buddha Relic!"

Gu Mo frowned slightly. Master Liansheng had already offered him one last time in Qianqiu Town, but he had refused it. He hadn't expected Master Liansheng to be so persistent, even chasing him to give him a good item. Master Dingchan had been one such person, and now Master Liansheng was another. No wonder they were master and disciple.

"Master Liansheng's kindness, I have already refused it before," Gu Mo said.

"I know," Xiao Ziyin said. "Master Liansheng already told me he gave you one in Qianqiu Town. This time, he is offering it as an apology. That day on Bright Moon Mountain, he acted from his position to obstruct you. Although the matter is over, Master Liansheng has been restless these past few days, unable to eat or sleep well. So, this item is for apology, hoping Hero Gu will let bygones be bygones."

Gu Mo asked, puzzled, "It was made clear before the fight that we were both acting from our respective positions, and we stopped before going too far. Naturally, I wouldn't hold any grudges against him."

Xiao Ziyin pondered for a moment. "Hero Gu might not know, but Master Liansheng created the Lotus Thirty-two Heavens Scripture, which includes a Karma Sutra and a Future Sutra. The Future Sutra helps him deduce future events, and the Karma Sutra allows him to investigate the causes of future events. Master Liansheng said he saw that he would be beaten by you again in the future. After investigating the karma, he found the cause was his obstruction of you on Bright Moon Mountain. It's not that you would retaliate against him for this incident, but because this incident created a cause that you would resolve, leading to various unfortunate coincidences that would result in him being beaten by you again."

Gu Mo: "..."

Xiao Ziyin chuckled softly. "Hero Gu, please accept it. Master Liansheng is extremely timid. If you don't accept this, he will probably be so worried he won't be able to sleep for nights on end."

Gu Chudong, beside them, asked in surprise, "Seriously? He's the world's fourth strongest martial artist!"

Xiao Ziyin shook her head slightly. "But he has only made seven... no, eight moves in his entire life. Because his Future Sutra allows him to deduce, he only acted when he had absolute certainty in his previous seven moves. As for the eighth time, which was the fight with Hero Gu a few days ago, it was purely out of desperation. And indeed, he fought, but he was so scared that he immediately gave me this relic that day and fled back to Chu Kingdom!"

Gu Mo: "..."Gu Chudong: "..."

Finally, after hesitating for a moment, Gu Mo accepted the Buddha Relic. Since it was being offered so persistently, and it was an invaluable treasure, and it was being offered as an apology, it would have been somewhat inappropriate not to accept it. Of course, most importantly, this Buddha Relic was extremely beneficial for Gu Chudong's cultivation.

After accepting the Buddha Relic, Gu Mo and Xiao Ziyin chatted for a while longer before Xiao Ziyin bid farewell and left. Gu Chudong walked her out. The two exchanged courtesies, and Xiao Ziyin left, but then suddenly turned back to Gu Chudong. "Heroine Gu, there's something I don't understand."

Gu Chudong asked, puzzled, "What is it, Your Royal Highness?"

Xiao Ziyin chuckled softly. "I heard that Heroine Gu has a great hobby: befriending pretty girls, reportedly with the purpose of choosing sisters-in-law for yourself. Is that true?"

Gu Chudong showed a wide, "hehe" smile.

Xiao Ziyin continued, "Then you clearly said I was pretty before, so why didn't you try to set me up with your brother?"

Gu Chudong quickly shook her head. "Oh no, that won't do. A royal consort can only marry one person, but I want my brother to marry many sisters-in-law! That way, they can have a whole bunch of children to expand our old Gu family!"

Xiao Ziyin said, "An ordinary person marrying a royal child can only marry one, but your brother is different. He's the world's number one, so a princess's status holds no superiority in front of him. Go tell your brother to marry me, and then I'll help you find more sisters-in-law. We have many beautiful girls in Chu Kingdom. And my dowry is very generous; I can support a hundred children for your Gu family without any problem!"

"Really?" Gu Chudong's eyes lit up.

"Really," Xiao Ziyin affirmed.

"You're so kind!" Gu Chudong looked at Xiao Ziyin and said, "Then can you let me see what you look like?"

"Of course," Xiao Ziyin replied immediately. She untied her veil, and as the wind and snow swirled, the plain gauze drifted down. Snow covered her dark hair, ice crystals adorned her eyelashes, and her brows held a frosty clarity. Her gaze shifted like the moon reflected in a cold pool, her lips like plum blossoms, a mix of paleness and vibrancy. She stood alone in the snow, like a celestial being untouched by the mortal world, breathtakingly beautiful, making the world's wind and snow merely a backdrop to her.

"Wow!" Gu Chudong's eyes widened as she looked at Xiao Ziyin. She gave a thumbs-up. "Your Highness, you are truly the most beautiful girl I have ever seen!"

Xiao Ziyin smiled sweetly. "Then, do I meet the requirements to be your sister-in-law?"

"Absolutely! No one could be more suitable!" Gu Chudong exclaimed.

Xiao Ziyin then re-covered her face with the veil and said, "Then I'll await your good news!"

"Alright, leave it to me!" Gu Chudong thumped her chest, assuring her.

After a few more words, Xiao Ziyin departed.

Gu Chudong returned to the courtyard and walked up to Gu Mo. "Brother, it's a shame you weren't outside just now. You didn't see her. Xiao Ziyin is too beautiful. This is the first time I've met a girl more beautiful than Nangong Yuexi from Qingzhou. She's truly like the fairy written about in books!"

Gu Mo chuckled. "I heard your conversation. What, do you really want Xiao Ziyin to be your sister-in-law?"

"Actually, no," Gu Chudong said. "I was just saying that. Although Xiao Ziyin is very beautiful, she's not suitable to be a sister-in-law. Her motives are too strong. She definitely wants to use this method to tie you to the Chu royal family and make you their enforcer."

Gu Mo laughed softly. "Oh, you can actually think of that?"

Gu Chudong rolled her eyes. "Brother, I'm not stupid. I know very well who can be a sister-in-law and who can't. I want to find a few sisters-in-law, but I can't let you fall into a predicament where you lose your freedom!"

Meanwhile, outside Honglu Temple, amidst the wind and snow, the female official accompanying Xiao Ziyin asked, somewhat perplexed, "Your Highness, even if it's to win over Gu Mo, why would you, a dignified princess, stoop to such a level...?"

Xiao Ziyin chuckled softly. "Stoop to agreeing to help Gu Chudong find more sisters-in-law, right? It's just sowing a seed, merely to draw closer to Gu Chudong. I'd be willing to marry him, but Gu Mo would never marry me. Given Gu Mo's realm, he couldn't possibly marry a woman from any royal family and entangle himself in worldly karma. The karma of royal families is simply too vast. Once entangled, Su Qianqiu and Jiang Ruoxu are cautionary tales; Gu Mo would never repeat their mistakes. Gu Mo's realm is too high, and his emotions are very detached. He can almost only be approached through cooperation. Therefore, to get close to Gu Mo, one must seek a breakthrough point with Gu Chudong, catering to her preferences, and ideally becoming her friend."

"I see," the female official bowed. "Your Highness is far-sighted. I am enlightened."

Xiao Ziyin said gravely, "I am a little afraid of Gu Mo now. I don't know what Master Liansheng, that old monk, saw. He fled so quickly, completely in disarray. It couldn't have been as simple as just seeing a bit of the cause on Bright Moon Mountain; he definitely saw something significant related to Gu Mo!"

The female official whispered, "Your Highness, although Gu Mo is strong, we have those two behind us. We just need to avoid offending Gu Mo; there's no need to fear him..."

Xiao Ziyin waved her hand, cutting off the official. "The legendary Reincarnation Mirror might very well be in Daguangming Temple. If Master Liansheng, that old monk, saw something in the future, could it be something unchangeable?"

The female official was surprised. "You mean Master Liansheng claims his Past and Future Sutra can deduce the future, but he's actually using the Reincarnation Mirror? And the Past and Future Sutra is just a cover for the Reincarnation Mirror?"

"Our Venerable One suspects as much," Xiao Ziyin said.

"Then why doesn't our Venerable One go to Daguangming Temple to investigate?" the female official asked, puzzled.

Xiao Ziyin said gravely, "The traditions of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism have continued for over a thousand years; their true foundations are not so simple. Moreover, if the Reincarnation Mirror truly is in Daguangming Temple, then Daguangming Temple has been in an invincible position from the very beginning. It's like Master Liansheng, that old monk, made eight moves; seven of them were guaranteed victories. Even this eighth time, he admitted defeat from the start. A while ago, he even specifically waited for Gu Mo in Qianqiu Town to get to know him in advance. He must have known already that he would fight Gu Mo on Bright Moon Mountain."

The female official gasped. "Can one truly foresee the future?"

"Perhaps, yes!"

At the same time, thousands of miles away in Chu Kingdom's Daguangming Temple. White snow covered the mountains, and the world was clear and silver. Master Liansheng, clad in a crimson kasaya, sat on the snow, his sutra scroll gently turning in his hands. Snowflakes drifted lightly, landing on his shoulders and monk's hat, yet not disturbing his serene demeanor. His chanting was low and distant, blending with the rustling of the falling snow.

Behind him, a white-browed old monk was slowly sweeping the snow. He watched Master Liansheng for a while, then slowly said, "Junior Brother, last night I observed the celestial phenomena and knew it would snow today. So, I swept for a long time here last night. I thought, since I knew it would snow, if I swept in advance, wouldn't the ground be clear of snow when it started snowing? But I clearly swept last night, yet the snow still fell."

Master Liansheng opened his eyes. "Senior Brother, I found that person. It is none other than the current world's number one, the one known in the martial arts world as the Hero Gu Mo."

The white-browed old monk showed no expression. "So what?"

Master Liansheng said, "I want to change it. In the future I saw, the demon that destroyed Daguangming Temple was eventually suppressed by someone using the Ancestral Relic. I didn't know who that person was until I met Gu Mo that day. I instantly saw clearly that Gu Mo was the demon-slayer. So, I replaced the relic I originally planned to give his sister with the Ancestral Relic. If he possesses the Ancestral Relic in advance, with his cultivation, he should be able to suppress that demon earlier."

The white-browed old monk slowly shook his head. "Have you considered that Gu Mo using the Ancestral Relic to suppress the demon is the effect, but your seeing him use the Ancestral Relic to suppress the demon is the cause? This has changed nothing."

Liansheng was startled, muttering, "It's both effect and cause, both effect and cause... this..."

Master Liansheng fell silent for a long while, then slowly rose. "Senior Brother, I have decided. I will go to Penglai Island. I have changed the outcome seven times, which means that the outcome can be changed. Two years from now, when Penglai Island opens, I will take the Reincarnation Mirror to see Baiyujing!" With that, Master Liansheng bowed to the white-browed old monk, then turned and left.

The white-browed old monk watched Master Liansheng's departing back, sighed, and chuckled softly. "Doesn't a changed outcome simply become another cause?" The old monk shook his head slightly and resumed sweeping. Each sweep cleared the snow, only for new snowflakes to fall and cover the ground again, endlessly.

In the first month of the new year, Gu Mo and Gu Chudong finally returned to Yunzhou in Qian Kingdom from Southern Jin. However, the siblings dared not make public appearances and returned directly to Linjiang City. Once back in Linjiang City, they continued to live a low-profile life. There was no other way; this was Gu Mo's peak moment of fame. The stir from him becoming the world's number three hadn't even subsided when news of his ascension to the world's number one spread. The difference between being the number one and number three might seem like only two ranks, but the disparity in reputation, prestige, and influence was like heaven and earth.

Not to mention Yunzhou, the entire martial arts world of Qian Kingdom was in an uproar, and even the martial arts communities of all nations across the world had been stirred into quite a frenzy. As Gu Mo was from Yunzhou, the impact on Yunzhou was naturally immense. A single Su Qianqiu could elevate the martial arts level of the otherwise ordinary Southern Jin by a whole tier, let alone Gu Mo now. Just his status as the world's number one made Yunzhou's martial arts level surpass Tianzhou's overnight.

Therefore, this period was Gu Mo's peak of fame, especially in Yunzhou, and particularly in Linjiang Commandery. If Gu Mo were to make a public appearance, the place he was staying would be swarming with people within half an hour, with countless martial artists coming to pay their respects. Once it was known he had returned to Linjiang Commandery, martial artists from all over would definitely flock there. Most importantly, there were already many "Gu Mo fans" in Yunzhou, almost encompassing half the martial arts world, including major reputable sects. Even the Canglan Sword Sect, one of Qian Kingdom's top three sects, was famously a "Gu Mo fan" sect. In such circumstances, if news of Gu Mo's return spread, there was no doubt that half the martial arts world would mobilize. Thus, Gu Mo and Gu Chudong were forced to live a secluded life.

Because Gu Mo's fame was too great, Gu Chudong had to abandon her plan to buy an estate and didn't dare to seriously drag Gu Mo to blind dates. Finally, after the siblings met with Qu Heng's family, Tang Buyi, and Chu Yuan, the Six Doors Inspector of Linjiang Commandery, rumors began to spread, and Gu Mo took Gu Chudong and left. Subsequently, the two went to Canglan Sword Sect to meet Shen Bai and Qi Tianshu, still without making a public appearance, and then headed towards the capital.

However, they were not in a hurry. They traveled leisurely, stopping to visit famous mountains and rivers along the way, allowing Gu Mo to feast his eyes. Since awakening his past life memories two or three years ago, he had been blind. Now, finally regaining his sight, the feeling was incredibly special to him. While Gu Mo and Gu Chudong were traveling, the imperial court in the capital was already in a heated debate over Gu Mo.

In the first month, after Su Ziyou and the rest of the envoy mission returned to Chang'an City, they received significant commendations for their great achievements in Southern Jin. Subsequently, Su Ziyou proposed Gu Mo's trip to Jiang Kingdom and suggested that the Qian Emperor arrange an envoy mission to accompany him. Sending an envoy mission to another country, especially a hostile one like Jiang Kingdom, had always been a thankless and arduous task, and few were willing to accept it. However, this time, various factions in the imperial court fought fiercely, with ministers eager to appoint their own people to the mission.

There was no other way; the entire Southern Jin mission having earned such undeserved credit had caused immense envy. Who could have imagined that this single trip would cause such a huge stir in Jin Kingdom? The Jin Emperor even sent envoys to express various thanks to Qian Kingdom and to request strengthened cooperation and a firm united front against Chu Kingdom. The people in the imperial court were all intelligent. They knew that Jin Kingdom's enthusiastic desire to strengthen cooperation with Qian Kingdom was not due to the Qian Kingdom's embassy but because Gu Mo had helped the Jin Emperor stabilize his imperial power. However, Gu Mo was not a court official; this credit would ultimately fall to the embassy. For the embassy members, it was simply a godsend, what they had thought was a tough assignment turned into an opportunity for gilded glory.

Therefore, various factions in the imperial court were vying for the opportunity to go on the upcoming mission to Jiang Kingdom. Although everyone knew that the same opportunity was unlikely to occur twice, what if? Following the principle of "striking while the iron is hot," the court was locked in fierce debate for seven or eight days without a definitive decision.

One day, after the morning court session concluded, civil and military officials exited, heading out of the imperial palace. Ye Jinglan, recently promoted to Vice Minister of Justice, and Zhuo Qingfeng, Six Doors Commander for the East City District, walked side by side. Zhuo Qingfeng had recently been assigned to the capital, and due to his master's influence, he naturally belonged to Prince Jin Li Zhongqing's faction. Ye Jinglan was also part of Li Zhongqing's faction. Furthermore, Ye Jinglan and Zhuo Qingfeng had previously dealt with each other in Qingzhou and were both friends with Gu Mo, so they naturally became close. The two walked and discussed various events of the day's court session.

"Brother Ye, who do you think will be appointed chief and deputy envoys for this mission to Jiang Kingdom?" Zhuo Qingfeng asked.

Ye Jinglan replied, "For the chief envoy, various factions haven't fought much; it's mostly implicitly agreed upon that it will be Vice Minister Su Ziyou. Vice Minister Su did a splendid job in Southern Jin this time. By leveraging Brother Gu's assistance in helping the Jin Emperor seize power, he essentially negotiated Jin Kingdom into becoming our Qian Kingdom's first line of defense. Moreover, he cooperated very well with Brother Gu. As for the deputy envoy, it should be someone from the Ministry of Rites or the Ministry of Personnel."

Zhuo Qingfeng chuckled. "Brother Gu is still Brother Gu. Whoever is with him picks up credit. Speaking of which, since I met Brother Gu, I've picked up a lot of credit following him. He really makes everyone he's with soar!"

Ye Jinglan said, "Indeed. In just a few months last year, I went from a sixth-rank to a third-rank official. It's a pity I'm from the Ministry of Justice; otherwise, I'd definitely contend for a spot on this trip to Jiang Kingdom!"

Zhuo Qingfeng laughed. "Who wouldn't?"

As the two chatted, a young eunuch approached them. "Vice Minister Ye, Commander Zhuo, His Majesty requests your presence!" he whispered.

Ye Jinglan and Zhuo Qingfeng exchanged a surprised look. They dared not delay and immediately followed. Soon, they arrived at the Imperial Study and met the Qian Emperor.

"Greetings, Your Majesty!" The two bowed respectfully.

"Dispense with the formalities," the Qian Emperor waved his hand. "My dear ministers, I summoned you because I wish to ask if you are confident in serving as envoys to Jiang Kingdom?"

Both Ye Jinglan and Zhuo Qingfeng's eyes flashed with surprise. Ye Jinglan quickly said, "Your humble servant is confident, but our official positions, humble servant and Commander Zhuo, are not suitable for envoys. I fear the court ministers will have objections!"

The Qian Emperor waved his hand. "Do you think I don't know their intentions? They all want to see if they can also get some credit like the Southern Jin mission. What's the point of them squabbling in court? None of them even understand the most fundamental issue. Is this envoy mission truly an envoy mission? It's specifically for Hero Gu. The most important thing is for Hero Gu to be comfortable using them! Those people in court are squabbling, yet they haven't even figured out the essential requirement. If they have objections, they must suppress them for me. In the current court, you two dear ministers have the best relationship with Hero Gu. Therefore, regarding the mission to Jiang Kingdom, no one is more suitable than you two."

Zhuo Qingfeng bowed again. "Your Majesty, then... what about Vice Minister Su Ziyou? He also cooperates very well with Hero Gu."

The Qian Emperor said, "This time, it's not suitable for him to go. First, Jiang Kingdom, unlike Southern Jin, is a different case. Southern Jin is our Great Qian's ally, while Jiang Kingdom, although never explicitly declared war, has always been a vassal of Chu. So, our primary goal this time in Jiang Kingdom is to assist Hero Gu. Secondly, it is to display our military strength to Jiang Kingdom. This matter, dear Minister Ye, is perfectly suited for you. Second, the person Hero Gu wants to apprehend and kill this time is Ye Nantian of the Moon Worship Cult, a giant of the demonic path in the martial arts world. His methods are all in the martial arts style, and Su Ziyou's expertise in investigation does not lie in the martial arts world. So, dear Minister Zhuo, assisting Hero Gu in investigation, while also discerning if anyone is secretly scheming against Hero Gu, this task falls to you."

"Your humble servant and Vice Minister Ye will do our utmost, living up to Your Majesty's trust!" Zhuo Qingfeng quickly assented.

The Qian Emperor added, "Don't worry, I won't let you fight alone. For the accompanying guards of this envoy mission, I will select elites from the Imperial City Bureau and the Imperial Front Bureau. However, you must remember, everything is primarily based on Hero Gu's wishes. Once in Jiang Kingdom, if Hero Gu has any needs, do not hesitate for fear of causing inter-state conflicts; just act directly for me. Even if it means killing the Jiang Kingdom Emperor, do not waver. Simply support Hero Gu unconditionally!"

Ye Jinglan nodded. "Your humble servant did not expect Your Majesty to value Hero Gu so highly!"

The Qian Emperor chuckled softly. "Dear Minister Ye, think about it. A figure like Hero Gu, the world's number one in martial arts, and by a wide margin—he alone is equivalent to a mobile, unrestricted army that requires no logistics or supplies. Most crucially, his character: he single-mindedly pursues the Dao, has no interest in power, yet possesses a righteous heart. Even his martial arts insight block stems from apprehending and slaying wanted criminals. He doesn't need to do anything; simply his identity as a Qian Kingdom citizen can exert immense deterrence over all nations under heaven. For such a person, unless I've lost my mind, I will exhaust every means to make him identify with his Qian Kingdom identity. I don't ask him to fight on the battlefield or defend the nation. As long as he continues to acknowledge himself as a Qian Kingdom citizen, he is more useful than a thousand armies."

Ye Jinglan asked, "Why doesn't Your Majesty try to completely win over Hero Gu through marriage alliances or other means?"

The Qian Emperor waved his hand slightly. "Let these matters take their natural course. If Hero Gu has a destined connection with a royal woman, I would naturally support it, but it cannot be deliberately arranged. Establishing friendships with a purpose is fine, but purposefully arranging schemes can easily backfire. Furthermore, what happened with Su Qianqiu of Southern Jin is a cautionary tale. For a martial arts expert of unparalleled skill, being too deeply entangled in worldly affairs is not necessarily a good thing. I hope more that Hero Gu can go further and further on the path of martial arts, and I do not wish him to be caught in the karma of the mundane world and stagnate. Even if he were to join the imperial family, it would not be as good as him constantly advancing, for only by constantly advancing will he remain the world's number one!"

Ye Jinglan bowed. "Your Majesty's foresight is admirable; your humble servant is impressed!"

Subsequently, the monarch and his two ministers conversed for a few more moments before Ye Jinglan and Zhuo Qingfeng departed. After leaving the Imperial City, they exchanged courtesies and each boarded their respective carriages.

However, Ye Jinglan did not go home. Instead, he went to a market town on the outskirts of the city, arriving at a small courtyard. In the main hall of the courtyard, an old man lay swaying in a grand armchair with his eyes closed, holding a hand warmer. Beside him, a small brazier heated wine. This person was none other than Qi Miaoxuan, the Medicine Saint of Qingzhou.

Ye Jinglan entered the room, dusting off the snow from his clothes. "Every time I come to see you, I have to travel so far. What exactly are you afraid of? Why won't you enter the city, even though you're just outside the capital?"

Qi Miaoxuan didn't answer Ye Jinglan directly. Instead, he pointed to the brazier beside him. "This is the Soul-Soothing Wine I warmed for you. Your Qilin blood has been a bit volatile lately. Drink some of this wine occasionally; it helps soothe the Qilin blood."

Ye Jinglan picked up the wine cup and drank, downing the scalding wine in one go. "I'll take a few more jars back with me later."

Qi Miaoxuan rolled his eyes. "A few jars? Do you think my wine comes from a well? Just one jar, no more. And you don't need to drink it every day. Just drink a little to soothe it whenever you feel your Qilin blood acting up."

Ye Jinglan said gravely, "Alright. By the way, you said you were going to perform the second stage of my transformation. When are you doing that?"

Qi Miaoxuan didn't answer. Instead, he suddenly asked an unrelated question. "Are you going to Jiang Kingdom?"

Ye Jinglan was surprised. "How did you know?"

"A guess," Qi Miaoxuan replied. "I still understand the current Qian Emperor's thoughts. Given his character, he's definitely thinking of fostering a good relationship with Gu Mo. So, for this mission to Jiang Kingdom, he'll surely arrange for someone familiar with Gu Mo. There aren't many people in the capital who are close to Gu Mo."

Ye Jinglan nodded. "Indeed, he asked me to go to Jiang Kingdom. You... you wouldn't be trying to deal with Brother Gu, would you?"

"Am I crazy?" Qi Miaoxuan scoffed. "Why would I deal with him? I have no grievances with him, and strictly speaking, my relationship with him is quite good. There's no conflict of interest, and I'm not some wanted criminal. Why would I deal with him for no reason?"

Ye Jinglan subtly exhaled in relief.

Qi Miaoxuan continued, "The materials for your second stage transformation are now in Jiang Kingdom, specifically, on Ye Nantian's person."

"What is it?" Ye Jinglan asked, confused.

"Half a Qilin Heart," Qi Miaoxuan stated.

Ye Jinglan's eyes widened suddenly. "Ye Nantian is also one of your test subjects?"

Qi Miaoxuan nodded slightly.

"You want to kill him now?" Ye Jinglan asked. "Is it time for harvesting?"

"It's not that I want to kill him; it's that he wants to kill me now," Qi Miaoxuan said. "Back then, I gave him new life, just like you, a voluntary choice. I gave you Qilin vital blood; I gave him Qilin heart blood. Although his compatibility with Qilin blood isn't as high as yours, before you, he was my most satisfactory test subject. However, as he gained power and authority, ambition gradually began to fester within him. He started to disregard my arrangements, thinking of breaking free from my control. Now, he's even looking for ways to deal with me."

Ye Jinglan eyed Qi Miaoxuan suspiciously. "You can't kill Ye Nantian?"

Qi Miaoxuan chuckled softly. "Do you want to test my strength?"

Ye Jinglan said gravely, "I understand Ye Nantian. If it were me, and one day I felt my strength was enough to contend with you, I would also try to break free from your control. No one likes being a puppet, even if there's a debt of gratitude for new life. But gratitude turning into enmity is an unchanging truth, it's human nature, a base flaw everyone possesses."

Qi Miaoxuan nodded slightly. "I like your honesty. I also welcome you to challenge me when the time comes. But you must remember, you have only one chance to challenge me. For me, whether it's Ye Nantian or you, Ye Jinglan, you are merely my test subjects, pawns. I'm not afraid to tell you honestly that I implanted Qilin vital blood in you, and now I'm preparing to implant a Qilin heart in you, all for observation, to find the most perfect method and path for using Qilin blood."

Ye Jinglan nodded. "I guessed as much."

Qi Miaoxuan nodded slightly. "When you start wanting to break free from my control, I hope you can do it a bit more discreetly, so you can give me a little surprise. Don't be like Ye Nantian, whose intentions are practically written on his face, practically telling me he's going to kill me. At that level, I don't even have the interest to make a move."

As he spoke, Qi Miaoxuan tossed Ye Jinglan a thumb-sized jade bottle. "Once Ye Nantian dies, the Qilin heart blood within him will leave his body. You can collect it in this bottle. Bring it back, and I'll help you transform the Qilin heart."

Ye Jinglan nodded, then added, "But I'm worried about unforeseen circumstances. Ye Nantian is no simple figure. Not only is his personal combat strength the fifth strongest in the world, but he also has the Moon Worship Cult behind him, with countless experts. I'm not worried that Gu Mo can't defeat him, but rather that he might escape."

Qi Miaoxuan said, "So what if he escapes? If he escapes, or if he defeats Gu Mo—especially if he can defeat Gu Mo—that would truly be an enormous surprise for me, and I would become interested enough to go kill him myself!"

Ye Jinglan's pupils contracted slightly. "Even if Ye Nantian defeats Gu Mo, you're confident you can kill him?"

Qi Miaoxuan chuckled softly. "It would just require a bit more effort."

Ye Jinglan was astonished. "Gu Mo defeated the combined forces of Su Qianqiu and Liansheng alone, and even cut through heavy cavalry, all while the battle formation was fully active."

Qi Miaoxuan thought for a moment. "How to put it... whether it's Su Qianqiu or Gu Mo, their large-scale explosive combat and group combat are very strong, but their direction is a bit off. They haven't developed their individual power to the extreme. Let me describe it this way: a lump of dough. You can use a rolling pin to flatten it with one blow, but a sharp needle can easily pierce through it. Of course, my analogy isn't perfectly accurate, but you get the general idea."

Ye Jinglan frowned. "Are you saying that the direction of martial arts should be to pursue breaking through a surface with a single point?"

Qi Miaoxuan waved his hand. "Not necessarily. Whether it's breaking through a surface with a single point or overcoming all techniques with brute force, they are all great Daos. However, in my personal opinion, even if a person can defeat a hundred thousand strong army, it's not as good as a single strike that guarantees death. In other words, no matter how flashy your moves are, they're useless if they can't kill. But no matter how simple a move is, even if it's just the most basic chop, if the speed is fast enough, reaching the extreme, then it will also be invincible. The Great Dao is simplicity itself!"

Ye Jinglan nodded. "I will ponder on that thoroughly."

Qi Miaoxuan took a sip of tea. "I pray for the day you challenge me fair and square."

Ye Jinglan then asked, "By the way, you still haven't told me, what exactly are you afraid of? Why won't you enter the city?"

Qi Miaoxuan shook his head. "It's not fear, but a reluctance to cause trouble."

Ye Jinglan's pupils contracted slightly. "There's someone in the capital who can make you feel trouble?"

Qi Miaoxuan thought for a moment. "You will definitely challenge me one day, but I don't want you to be as boring as Ye Nantian. Forget it, I'll point you to a way that might deal with me. It's right within Chang'an City; you can try to find it."

"What way?" Ye Jinglan asked.

"Ghost City," Qi Miaoxuan said. "Ghost City is a good place. Hiding inside, you're truly like a ghost no one can find. There's a person in there... well, let's call him a person for now. He potentially has the ability to kill me."

Ye Jinglan's eyes widened in surprise. "There's such a figure hidden in Ghost City?"

Qi Miaoxuan said, "Do you remember I told you about an old immortal who's been chasing me for hundreds of years?"

Ye Jinglan nodded. "I remember. It's related to the Huoxu Ruins in the northern desert."

"That's the old immortal," Qi Miaoxuan confirmed. "The Huoxu Ruins only open once every forty years. He only returns to the northern desert during the period when the Huoxu Ruins are open. The rest of the time, he's either searching for my tracks to hunt me down, or he's hiding in Ghost City, pondering methods to kill me. That fellow has developed many methods over the years, and they are all quite bizarre. For example, the human-faced demonic beast that rampaged in the capital recently was his masterpiece."

Ye Jinglan was startled. "Wasn't the human-faced demonic beast concocted by the Yan family?"

Qi Miaoxuan chuckled softly. "What is that Yan family? How could they concoct a human-faced demonic beast? If that old fellow hadn't secretly intervened, even a hundred more years wouldn't be enough for the Yan family to produce a human-faced demonic beast. The ancient text the Yan family obtained for creating the human-faced demonic beast was delivered to them by that old fellow. Then, when the Yan family tried to cultivate the human-faced demonic beast in Ghost City, that old fellow secretly took action."

Ye Jinglan understood. "No wonder the ancient text found from the Yan family was deemed nonsensical by the Imperial Academy of Medicine. It turns out the Yan family never had the true core methods." After a moment of thought, Ye Jinglan asked, "Who exactly is that person?"

Qi Miaoxuan thought for a moment. "I don't know how to describe who he is. He came out of the Huoxu Ruins. However, he does have a resounding name in the outside world—the Plague God!"

Ye Jinglan looked up sharply. "The legendary Tenth Taboo?"

Qi Miaoxuan slowly sat up, placing his cup on the brazier. "That person is a medical genius, the best medical talent I have ever seen, bar none. However, I don't know if it's to kill me or purely out of interest in the Way of Poison, but he became obsessively immersed in refining poisons, and refined himself into the most toxic existence in the world. So, I don't know if he can still be considered human."

Ye Jinglan said, "I've heard the legend of the Plague God. He once brought widespread plagues to many countries, but I don't know why he suddenly disappeared."

"Because he aroused public wrath," Qi Miaoxuan said. "Many experts wanted to kill him, so he hid in Ghost City. That place is practically tailor-made for him. Hiding inside, whatever he does goes unnoticed, and no one can find him. He only comes out every ten or eight years to create plagues and test poisons on people. No one would suspect him. Not many people in the world still remember him now."

As he spoke, Qi Miaoxuan poured Ye Jinglan a cup of tea. "If you ever want to break free from my control, you can go to Ghost City and look for him. There might truly be a chance to kill me."

Ye Jinglan pursed his lips. "I feel like you're trying to use me as your proxy to explore the path for you. After all, he's your greatest enemy. He wants to kill you, and why wouldn't you want to kill him? It's just that you're not confident; you greatly fear him!"

Qi Miaoxuan smiled but said nothing.

Ye Jinglan picked up his teacup. "Whether to find that Plague God isn't the point. What matters is that I feel a chill down my spine recalling it now. You said that Plague God is in Ghost City. Doesn't that mean that when Brother Gu and I were rampaging through Ghost City, there was a very powerful expert secretly watching us, and he might even have wanted to act!"

"That is highly probable."

As the morning sun rose, a caravan traveled along the official road, heading towards the capital. Gu Mo and Gu Chudong were among this caravan. Seven or eight days prior, they were visiting a famous mountain and happened to encounter this caravan also bound for the capital, so they paid some silver to hitch a ride.

Inside the carriage, Gu Chudong sat with her eyes closed. Streams of true qi circulated around her body. From a sachet at her waist, a radiant glow emanated, suffused with Buddhist light.

After a long while, Gu Chudong finished her cultivation, slowly opening her eyes. "Brother, it's not my imagination. I truly feel that this relic is much more powerful than the one Master Dingchan gave before. My cultivation speed has increased greatly, and it also enhances my comprehension."

"As long as it's useful," Gu Mo said. "After all, it's from Master Liansheng, a leader of Buddhism. It's reasonable that his item would be more precious than Master Dingchan's."

"That's true," Gu Chudong agreed. "With this relic assisting me, I'm sure I'll quickly master your Eight Sounds of Heavenly Dragon as well!"

Gu Mo chuckled softly.

Under various external aids, Gu Chudong's talent was indeed incredibly strong now. First, there were the Great Rejuvenation Pills and Small Rejuvenation Pills, then the Ice Silkworm. Later, at the Chunyang Temple in Cangzhou, she ate several of their rarest bone-cleansing and marrow-purifying elixirs from their hidden collection. Combined with Gu Mo's long-term use of Bright Jade True Qi, enhanced unknown times over, to clear Gu Chudong's meridians, Gu Chudong had cultivated the Bright Jade Art to the ninth level in just two years. Her talent was once again boosted. In terms of innate qualities like bone structure and comprehension, she was already a top-tier genius. Furthermore, Gu Mo also mastered the Muscle Tendon Changing Scripture and Marrow Cleansing Scripture and spared no effort in helping Gu Chudong cleanse her meridians and purify her marrow. Now, she had also obtained a very powerful relic. Gu Chudong's cultivation speed was truly progressing by leaps and bounds.

The Grand Profundity Scripture had already been mastered, and the Extinction Cross Blade Technique had also reached completion in the first month while they were still in Linjiang City. Now, only the Eight Sounds of Heavenly Dragon needed a bit more effort to achieve入门.

That very day, Gu Mo and Gu Chudong arrived in the capital. After entering the city, Gu Mo and Gu Chudong parted ways with the caravan and went directly to Ye Jinglan's home. Soon after, Ye Jinglan returned, and Gu Mo learned of the Qian Emperor's arrangements. Ye Jinglan would be the chief envoy, and Zhuo Qingfeng would be the deputy envoy. That same day, Zhuo Qingfeng also came to Ye Jinglan's home, and the three drank wine all night.

On the second day, the Chu Kingdom's imperial merchants arrived at Ye Jinglan's home and delivered one hundred thousand taels in silver notes as a deposit to Gu Mo. This hundred thousand taels was non-refundable. If they went to Jiang Kingdom and couldn't find Ye Nantian, or if he escaped, the money would not be returned; it was purely Gu Mo's fee for taking the assignment. Of course, if they failed, the subsequent final payment would naturally not be given.

On the third day, the envoy mission departed for Jiang Kingdom. The mission members were all martial arts experts this time, so they traveled without delay, maintaining a very fast pace. In just half a month, they reached Jiang Kingdom's territory. However, to the surprise of Gu Mo and his companions, Jiang Kingdom was still very cold, even though it was already March. Jiang Kingdom's territory was not large, only about the size of a larger commandery in Qian Kingdom. From the moment they entered Jiang Kingdom's borders, it only took a few days to reach its capital.

On the day of their arrival, the Jiang Kingdom Emperor hosted a welcoming banquet in the imperial palace. Although the civil and military officials of Jiang Kingdom were not overly enthusiastic, they were not overtly cold either, and all protocols were perfectly observed. After the banquet, after leaving the imperial palace, Princess Xiao Ziyin of Chu Kingdom came to call.

In the hall, Xiao Ziyin bowed to Gu Mo. "Hero Gu, Ye Nantian's exact whereabouts have been confirmed. He is in Jianbei Commandery in Jiang Kingdom, but Jianbei Commandery is currently a bit problematic."

Gu Mo asked, puzzled, "What trouble?"

Xiao Ziyin sighed. "You must have noticed the low spirits of those Jiang Kingdom ministers in their imperial palace today, didn't you?"

Gu Mo nodded slightly. "Isn't that to avoid suspicion? If they were too warm and close to the Qian Kingdom's embassy, they might offend your Chu Kingdom."

"That's secondary," Xiao Ziyin said. "The main reason is that northern Jiang Kingdom is currently suffering a natural disaster. It's already March, but Jianbei Commandery and its surroundings are still under heavy snow. Many places are even experiencing snow-sealed cities, including two commanderies adjacent to Jianbei. This snow disaster began last September. Jiang Kingdom's treasury is almost depleted from disaster relief, and they still don't know how long this snow disaster will last!"

Gu Mo asked, "Does this affect our search for Ye Nantian?"

Xiao Ziyin nodded. "After the snow disaster appeared, a Wusheng Cult emerged in Jianbei Commandery, actively operating with the slogan 'Wusheng Old Mother, Save the World from Calamity and Misfortune,' and the local government has been unable to suppress them. If my predictions are correct, that Wusheng Cult was concocted by Ye Nantian, and its purpose is self-evident: he intends to rebel. Now, Jianbei Commandery is also in the midst of a natural disaster, so our mission to apprehend and kill Ye Nantian might be more difficult than expected. It could take longer and involve greater risks. I had to inform you beforehand. Additionally, I want you to know that I am not trying to use you to deal with the Wusheng Cult, but to find Ye Nantian, we must start with the Wusheng Cult!"

Gu Mo nodded. "It's fine. I am a professional executor. Since I accepted this bounty, I only care about the result, not the process."

"Then, Hero Gu, when shall we depart?"

"The sooner, the better!"

"Then we will depart for Jianbei Commandery tomorrow."