Chapter 257: Resurrecting Jiang Ruoxu and Immortality

“Sect Leader!”“Sect Leader…”“Fight to the death!”

The Moon Worship Cult members were instantly stunned. No one had expected Ye Nantian, the Moon Worship Cult Leader, renowned as the world’s foremost devil, to be killed in a single strike.

After a brief moment of shock, many of Ye Nantian’s loyal confidantes rushed to attack Gu Mo.

Gu Mo stood on the sloped rooftop, his brow deeply furrowed. He was certain that Ye Nantian had been killed by his sword; he could sense no lingering aura. However, the system had not prompted him that the mission was complete.

But Gu Mo had no time to investigate, as countless Moon Worship Cult members were now assaulting him from all directions.

Snowflakes, like shattered jade, pelted the roof tiles. Gu Mo stood at the edge of the sloping roof, his robes billowing in the strong winds. The tall building beneath him groaned under the strain, and tiles clattered down. The Moon Worship Cult members, converging from every direction, were like devils emerging from hell. They glided over the ruins, their poisonous chains whipping from their sleeves, while the clang of copper bells and the whistle of bone flutes mingled with the wind and snow, weaving a chilling web of death.

*Clang—*

The clear ring of the Taixu Sword pierced the night.

Gu Mo glanced down at the approaching dark figures, his knuckles turning pale as he gripped his sword. The leading grey-robed elder flicked his sleeve, unleashing three poisoned darts. They traced an eerie blue arc through the snowy night, only to freeze three feet before Gu Mo. The Taixu Sword had left his hand, transforming into a streak of light. The white sword energy coiling around its blade moved like a living entity, shredding the projectiles into dust.

Gu Mo stomped lightly, and the entire building exploded with a roar, debris raining down like a torrential storm. He instantly shot into the air, the Taixu Sword weaving a net of light around him, each pass sending blood beads splashing. His right hand, meanwhile, clutched the Yuanhong Sword, which now erupted with a dragon-like hum, its markings suddenly glowing with a fiery golden light.

Sweeping across all directions—

Dense sword energy burst forth like a startled swan piercing through the snow. The first twenty cultists to charge didn't even have time to react before they were flung into the air by the sword energy, their protective astral qi crumbling before the blade-like impact.

As a mist of blood bloomed in the wind and snow, Gu Mo touched the tip of his foot to a falling stone, leveraging the momentum to spin and sweep. The Yuanhong Sword carved a glowing semicircle through the ruins, disintegrating every broken wall and crumbling remnant in its path. Bodies buried in the rubble were shaken airborne by the sword energy, only to crash heavily back into the snow.

The wind and snow suddenly turned viscous. The snowflakes swirling in the air were soaked with blood, mixed with fragments of flesh and severed hair, splattering onto the scorched ruins. The night was torn into shreds by the sword light.

The Taixu Sword, a white streak, darted like a swimming dragon, weaving hundreds of afterimages in the snowy curtain. The sword seemed to possess a will of its own, at times skimming against broken walls to shear off icicles, at others grazing the ground to raise snow waves a zhang high. Moon Worship Cult members in its path were instantly cut, blood blossoming, turning into a crimson mist before the droplets could even fall.

The ground cracked in a spiderweb pattern. Shattered bricks, wood splinters, and other debris were swept into the air by an invisible force, forming a black vortex ten zhang in diameter around him. Each swing of his sword brought a deluge of blood. The cultists sucked into the vortex were like grains fed into a millstone, their bones shattering as sword hums intertwined into a macabre symphony.

Witnessing Gu Mo’s brutal slaughter, the Moon Worship Cult’s morale instantly collapsed.

Amidst the chaos, the three protectors of the Moon Worship Cult who were present began to flee. Though running, Snake King and Madam Jiedao protected Yin Xiucai, who was engrossed in manipulating the compass in his hand.

Snake King snapped, “You dead scholar, what the hell are you doing? You got the Sect Leader killed!”

Madam Jiedao also cried out angrily, “You always brag about being the greatest formation master in the world, about how powerful your world-destroying formation is, and this is the result?”

Yin Xiucai constantly adjusted the compass, muttering, “Don’t blame me. Our cult’s intelligence was inaccurate. There was no information about Gu Mo’s lightness skill being so profound. Is that even lightness skill anymore? As for the Sect Leader, how was I supposed to know the difference between the fifth and first ranked martial artists in the world would be so vast? He was killed in one sword strike, I…!”

“Enough talk!” Madam Jiedao suddenly grabbed Yin Xiucai and dragged him into a nearby alley, shouting, “Ye Jinglan and Xiao Ziyin are coming from that way! They’ve found us!”

A small snake-head cane appeared in Snake King’s hand, and his expression became very grave.

Just then, Yin Xiucai suddenly roared, “It’s done! Formation, rise!”

At that instant, the compass glowed with bursts of light. And at that very moment, a dull rumble echoed from beneath the already dilapidated county town, as if thousands of giant pythons were coiling beneath the earth. The next second, thirteen pitch-black tornadoes burst from the ground, wrapping brown-yellow mud and broken beams as they shot skyward, tearing open a monstrous rift in the oppressive, pre-storm sky.

“Rise, formation, rise!”

Yin Xiucai stood disheveled amidst the ruins, his bronze compass spinning wildly. Blood lines drawn by its pointer connected on the ground, forming a complex array. Blood flowed down the compass's patterns into the earth, and identical blood-red runes appeared at the base of each tornado.

The tornadoes rose higher and higher, pulverizing houses into dust. Shards of wood, spinning at high speed, became sharp blades, cutting through the air with a piercing shriek. The thirteen tornadoes instantly intertwined in mid-air, then merged, forming a single colossal tornado that engulfed Gu Mo. Like giant pythons coiling, they twisted into a black dome a hundred zhang in diameter.

“It’s done, it’s done! I told you my world-destroying formation was perfectly fine!”

Yin Xiucai’s frenzied laughter mingled with the wind as he screamed hysterically, his hair flying wildly. Snake King and Madam Jiedao, standing beside him, also looked surprised and delighted. But in the next instant, their smiles froze.

A rift suddenly tore open in the sky. The lead-grey clouds churned, not with rain, but with what looked like crimson magma, or a fiery cloud that illuminated the night. The sky suddenly split into a monstrous fissure. When the first thunderclap detonated, the entire night sky looked like black silk torn by a giant beast. Dense lightning, like silver serpents, danced wildly, carrying the scorching smell of ozone as it struck the surging tornado below.

The massive tornado trembled violently under the pincer attack of magma and lightning, like an enraged beast. Yin Xiucai and the others watched the center of the tornado in horror. Lightning and flames intertwined furiously, emitting a dazzling light. A colossal Dharma Idol slowly emerged from the brilliance, its features exuding world-destroying majesty, wreathed in lightning and flame.

*Boom!*

The Dharma Idol pressed its palms down, unleashing an air current as ferocious as the creation of heaven and earth. The tornado let out an overwhelmed wail under this force, its black currents disintegrating inch by inch, dissolving into countless fragments in the air.

Simultaneously, blinding blood-red light erupted from the formation nodes throughout the city. With a series of deafening explosions, the ground shook violently. Houses collapsed with a crash, and massive fissures opened in the ground. The malevolent artifacts buried at the formation nodes were incinerated in the explosions, sending up plumes of thick black smoke.

All thirteen formation nodes exploded at once. Yin Xiucai’s compass shattered, and he was thrown over a dozen zhang by the air current, shouting, “Run!”

Immediately, he swiftly manipulated the blood-stained patterns on his compass. The surrounding street buildings instantly altered their layout and structure, blocking Ye Jinglan and Xiao Ziyin, who were in pursuit, causing them to lose their sense of direction.

Snake King and Madam Jiedao each slung an arm over Yin Xiucai, dragging him as they fled. The surrounding buildings continued to change, seemingly making way for them. Soon, a well appeared in front of them.

Yin Xiucai quickly said, “Quick, jump in! That well leads directly out of the city—”

However, before he could finish, a tremendous roar suddenly came from above. A house, spinning, flew towards them, crashing onto the wellhead with a loud *boom*.

Immediately after, a figure descended from the sky. It was Gu Mo. He held the Yuanhong Sword in one hand, while the Taixu Sword floated beside him, shimmering with white light.

“Gu… Gu Mo…” The three of them tensed up.

Gu Mo looked at the three, and the system’s bounty information appeared in his mind:

Target: Yin XiucaiMission Level: Six-starMission Reward: Max-level Vajra Divine Strength

Target: Snake KingMission Level: Five-starMission Reward: Max-level Eight Scattering Punches

Target: Madam JiedaoMission Level: Four-starMission Reward: Max-level Three Asura Blades

“Run!” Snake King suddenly roared.

But before his roar faded, he waved his long robe, and a dark green poisonous mist surged like a tide over the broken walls and ruins. A rustling sound came from deep within the mist as hundreds of red-scaled vipers raised their triangular heads, the venom dripping from their fangs corroding the ground and stones, sending up plumes of white smoke across the ruins. At the same time, Madam Jiedao’s fingers flew, and the puppets she flung from her sleeves swelled eerily in the air, transforming in an instant into blue-faced, fanged monstrosities. Their sharp claws tore through the air with a piercing shriek, completely sealing off Gu Mo’s retreat.

“Hmph.” Gu Mo let out a soft snort, and a moon-white light suddenly blazed around him. Innate Astral Qi condensed into a translucent shield, true qi circulating rapidly within it. The moment the poisonous mist struck the shield, it dissipated rapidly like hot soup poured on snow. The vipers that touched the astral qi instantly turned into blood, and the puppets’ sharp claws shattered inch by inch the moment they brushed against the barrier, wood splinters mixed with poisonous blood raining down.

Meanwhile, Yin Xiucai and the other two had already fled, their three figures moving like phantoms, escaping in three different directions.

However, the instant they took their first step, a sharp sword hum resonated from the void—the Taixu Sword, like a fleeting shadow, its blade dragging a verdant stream of light that tore through the night sky, proved to be three parts faster than their reactions. The sword light traced a mysterious trajectory in the air, instantly weaving a three-zhang square cage. Yin Xiucai watched in horror as the sword light pierced through his sleeve, icy sword energy grazing his skin. Before he could even cast his escape art, he was trapped in the center of the cage. Snake King’s snake-head cane had barely touched the sword net before it was shredded into iron filings by the sword energy. He didn't even have time to scream before the sword light coiled around his body like a spirit snake. Madam Jiedao’s blood centipede was about to lunge at the sword net when the Taixu Sword suddenly split into seven illusory figures, each precisely piercing a vital acupoint on her body.

“No—!”

The scream was cut short as the sword light shredded it, and the cage abruptly contracted. The moment the verdant light surged, the three figures transformed into a rain of blood amidst the sword light. Before the flesh and severed limbs could even fall to the ground, they were pulverized into dust by the fierce sword energy.

The Taixu Sword gracefully circled twice in the air, then lightly drifted beside Gu Mo like a swallow returning to its nest, hovering. The white light flowing over its blade reflected on his face, making it cold as frost. Only a single drop of blood dripped from the sword's edge, blooming into a blood flower on the scorched earth.

Killed Six-star Bounty Target.Received Six-star Reward: Max-level Vajra Divine Strength.Claim?

Killed Five-star Bounty Target.Received Five-star Reward: Max-level Eight Scattering Punches.Claim?

Killed Four-star Bounty Target.Received Four-star Reward: Max-level Three Asura Blades.Claim?

Of these three martial arts, Gu Mo was most interested in the Vajra Divine Strength. It wasn’t because it was the highest-ranked, but because it offered the greatest immediate boost to his combat power. This martial art originated from "Kunlun" and was a body-refining technique that integrated both defense and offense.

It cultivated the Thirty-Two Forms of the Buddha. Great mastery meant completely refining these forms into the physical body, allowing power to be unleashed without adherence to physical form, relying purely on spiritual intent. One would possess immense demon-subduing strength, an adamantine body, and be virtually indestructible.

By cultivating his innate Dharma Idol, he could instantly step into the Spirit Refinement realm. Internally, he would possess Vajra Divine Strength qi and an indestructible body. Furthermore, mastering the innate Dharma Seal would manifest the external power of the Dharma Idol. The seventh generation inheritor had already developed seven Dharma Idols. Now, Gu Mo, upon achieving great mastery, was considered the eighth generation, possessing his own unique Dharma Idol.

Gu Mo had mastered many martial arts, but body refinement had always been his weakness. It wasn’t that he lacked defensive martial arts; Innate Astral Qi was a flawless defensive divine art, but its enhancement to the physical body was not substantial. This Vajra Divine Strength now compensated for his physical shortcomings.

Of course, the other two martial arts were also excellent. The Eight Scattering Punches was the unique skill of Ning Daoqi, the "Hermit," one of the three great grandmasters and the top expert of the Central Plains in "Twin of Brothers." Though named "Eight Scattering Punches," it was not a fixed set of eight moves but rather encompassed countless variations within eight core principles. The moves were unrestrained and unpredictable, like a heavenly steed soaring through the sky, unhindered by any fixed form. This martial art provided a considerable, though limited, boost to Gu Mo’s close combat abilities. After all, Gu Mo had already mastered dozens of martial arts, many of which were close-combat techniques, offering a wide array of unpredictable capabilities.

Purely in terms of close-quarters combat, his physical strength was previously his only lacking aspect. With his true combat awareness, Gu Mo believed no one in the world could be his opponent.

The third martial art, the Three Asura Blades, was a blade technique from "Number One in the World," used by Guihai Yidao. It consisted of only three forms, but when unleashed, it gathered the most malevolent energy of heaven and earth into the blade. Wherever the blade light passed, enemies felt as though they were in a hell of blades and fire, tormented as if in Avici Hell. This blade art was incredibly powerful. However, for Gu Mo at his current level, it served merely as a complementary enhancement. More precisely, at his current martial cultivation and realm, few martial arts could significantly benefit him; most served as icing on the cake or accumulated supplementary power.

After claiming the three martial arts, Gu Mo swiftly went after the remaining Moon Worship Cult members. However, by then, those cultists had long since abandoned their weapons and scattered, having lost all will to resist.

After a thorough slaughter, Gu Mo found Ye Nantian’s fragmented corpse. When he had killed Ye Nantian earlier, although the body was torn into pieces, Gu Mo had deliberately left the head intact. This was standard practice for a bounty hunter: to avoid destroying the head as much as possible for identification.

Gu Mo found the head he had purposely marked in the ruins; it was still wearing the ghost mask. Gu Mo touched it with his finger, and the mask shattered, revealing the face of a white-haired middle-aged man, his eyes wide open in obvious resentment.

“It’s Ye Nantian!” At that moment, Xiao Ziyin walked over, looked at the head on the ground, and said, “I remember Ye Nantian’s appearance; it’s precisely this.”

Gu Mo nodded slightly. The portrait of Ye Nantian he had seen also looked like this. Ye Nantian was very mysterious in the ordinary martial world; it was rumored that no one had ever seen his true face. However, the Moon Worship Cult was a stable and powerful force, constantly expanding, so it was impossible for Ye Nantian, as its leader, to never show his face at all—he simply had never made a public appearance. Therefore, Gu Mo and the others had all seen portraits of Ye Nantian and knew what he looked like.

Meanwhile, Ye Jinglan, who was approaching from the other side, was conflicted. He was certain that the Ye Nantian Gu Mo had killed was a fake, because he had deliberately scouted the area moments ago and detected no traces of Kirin blood. Thus, he was sure this Ye Nantian was fake, but he didn't know how to voice his suspicion.

After a moment of hesitation, he decided it was necessary to subtly hint at it. “Are you certain it’s Ye Nantian? Could it be a body double?”

Gu Mo looked up at Ye Jinglan. He had been wondering how to explain his own suspicion that this Ye Nantian was fake, and was surprised that Ye Jinglan shared his doubt. Immediately, he said, “Great minds think alike. I also find this Ye Nantian suspicious.”

Ye Jinglan was greatly relieved to hear Gu Mo concur. He had been afraid Gu Mo wouldn’t believe him, but now that Gu Mo himself harbored doubts, he said, “Since Brother Gu also thinks it’s not real, then it certainly isn’t.”

Gu Mo added, “Ye Nantian is a demonic leader, after all, and the fifth most powerful person in the world. I find it hard to believe he would be killed so easily. I think further investigation is necessary.”

Seeing Gu Mo and Ye Jinglan in agreement, Xiao Ziyin chuckled slightly and said, “Since you both say so, then I naturally have no other opinion.”

Just then, several of Xiao Ziyin’s accompanying guards approached. Their commanding officer cupped his hands and reported, “Your Highness, we have just captured some survivors and interrogated them about Sanchuan County.”

Xiao Ziyin quickly asked, “What is the situation here? Where have all the people gone?”

“They were killed,” the guard commander bowed. “The Moon Worship Cult supported a Wusheng Cult to plot rebellion, but simply intercepting the court’s relief grain wasn’t enough for military provisions. So, the Wusheng Cult massacred the city, using human flesh as military rations. Sanchuan County is now a dead city; everyone has been killed.”

Xiao Ziyin, Gu Mo, and the others were all shocked. However, those present were all seasoned individuals who had witnessed great turmoil, and they quickly recovered from their shock. Xiao Ziyin asked, “So… the refugees who came today were fake?”

“They were real refugees,” the guard commander explained. “However, the Wusheng Cult deliberately guided them there to mislead us and prevent us from discovering that Sanchuan City was a dead city. They reportedly spent two months setting up a grand formation here, specifically to kill Great Hero Gu.”

Xiao Ziyin and Ye Jinglan instinctively looked at Gu Mo. At this moment, Gu Mo had a guqin on his back, a flying sword floating beside him, and an extraordinary sword in his hand. Coupled with the utterly devastated county town around them, they were at a loss for words.

“Did they not know that Great Hero Gu directly charged formations at Bright Moon Plain in Southern Jin and even defeated Su Qianqiu, who used the ‘Guardian Sword of the Nation’?” Xiao Ziyin remarked.

Ye Jinglan replied, “Such a major event, they couldn’t possibly be unaware. It’s just that perhaps this formation has its unique characteristics.” Then, Ye Jinglan asked, “Brother Gu, how did you feel facing this formation head-on just now?”

Gu Mo pondered for a moment, then said seriously, “This formation was quite powerful. It almost pulled me into the ground.”

Ye Jinglan: “…” For a moment, he couldn’t tell if it was praise or sarcasm.

At this moment, Zhuo Qingfeng and Gu Chudong arrived belatedly. These two had been directly thrown out by Gu Mo at the start of the battle. Afterward, they prudently stayed clear, watching from a distance without participating.

Later, after listening to Gu Mo and the others’ conjectures, Zhuo Qingfeng began his analysis. “Actually, whether Ye Nantian is real or fake isn’t important. What’s crucial is that tonight’s ambush seems off. Ye Nantian shouldn’t have orchestrated this.”

“Why?” Ye Jinglan asked, confused. “Their massacre for human flesh as military provisions makes perfect sense, and waiting here specifically to kill Brother Gu is also plausible, as Brother Gu’s deterrent power is unbearable for any martial artist. It’s no secret that Brother Gu came to Jiang to pursue Ye Nantian. Since Ye Nantian was plotting rebellion with the Wusheng Cult here and couldn’t escape, his only option was a preemptive strike to kill Brother Gu. It’s perfectly reasonable for Ye Nantian to use a body double to ambush Brother Gu. If they could kill him, fine; if not, he could feign death to deceive Brother Gu and all of us. There’s nothing wrong with this plan, is there?”

Zhuo Qingfeng shook his head slightly. “There’s a big problem. If they could precisely know our whereabouts, they couldn’t possibly be unaware that we are a two-nation envoy, including the Chu Princess. Leaving aside whether this grand formation could kill Brother Gu, let’s assume the Moon Worship Cult’s plan succeeded, and Brother Gu was killed. Would they kill the Princess? Would they kill the rest of us? If yes, Qian and Chu would simultaneously demand accountability, especially Chu, who would not let it go. What kind of rebellion would Ye Nantian be waging then? How many Wusheng Cults would it take to fight both Qian and Chu? If no, their massacre here would surely be exposed, inevitably leading to armies. They wouldn’t even get to rebel. Therefore, Ye Nantian’s correct approach should have been to lead us in circles, delay time, and after the Wusheng Cult’s plan succeeded, hide back in the Hundred Thousand Mountains. Yet he chose the least intelligent method. This means the sole purpose of killing Brother Gu is not valid. If it were truly to kill or deceive Brother Gu with a feigned death, it implies he doesn’t care if the Sanchuan County massacre is exposed or attracts armies. This suggests his true intention isn’t rebellion, and thus, slaughtering the city to prepare human flesh as military provisions doesn’t hold. Therefore, his massacre must have another purpose!”

Ye Jinglan said, “Then, is it possible that the Wusheng Cult has made full preparations, unafraid of the Sanchuan massacre being exposed, and is ready to fight the imperial army?”

Zhuo Qingfeng nodded. “Possible. If so, it would be reasonable. Ye Nantian’s play would then be to kill if he can, or feign death to deceive Brother Gu if he can’t. Everyone knows Brother Gu isn’t interested in anything beyond bounty hunting, so he’d definitely leave Jianbei Commandery.”

Ye Jinglan said, “So, now we need to verify whether Ye Nantian has another purpose besides rebellion, or if it was purely to draw Brother Gu away.”

Zhuo Qingfeng said, “On one hand, we need to quickly inform the Jiang imperial court about the Sanchuan County massacre. On the other, we must notify Jianbei City as soon as possible. If Ye Nantian’s actions today were purely to draw Brother Gu away, it means the Wusheng Cult is highly likely to launch their rebellion soon. If the Wusheng Cult genuinely succeeds in rebelling and gains army protection, killing Ye Nantian will be extremely difficult. We would also lose government assistance, unable to track his whereabouts, and by then, Ye Nantian might have retreated to the Hundred Thousand Mountains without our knowledge.” After speaking, Zhuo Qingfeng looked at Xiao Ziyin and asked, “What does Your Highness say?”

“Master Zhuo’s analysis is very reasonable,” Xiao Ziyin said. “However, Sanchuan County is over four hundred li from Jianbei City, and heavy snow blocks the roads everywhere. If our entire team travels, it will be greatly delayed, probably taking five or six days to arrive. It would be best to select a lightness skill expert to go alone, but I’m concerned about a second ambush along the way.”

Ye Jinglan immediately said, “No need to worry. I’ll go with Brother Gu. Together, we’ll face no danger. Brother Gu, what do you say?”

“No need,” Gu Mo waved his hand. “I can go alone.”

Ye Jinglan said, “Brother Gu, I know your martial arts are unrivaled, but we can look out for each other. Don’t worry, my skills won’t hold you back!”

Gu Mo shook his head slightly. “Brother Ye, you misunderstand. What I mean is, I’ll be faster alone…” As he spoke, Gu Mo handed the Yuanhong Sword to Gu Chudong, then stepped forward with a flick of his sleeve. The Taixu Sword, floating behind him, traced a cold gleam in the air, arriving like flowing frost and gracefully stopping at Gu Mo’s feet.

With two light steps, his feet were firmly on the sword. In an instant, sword light surged, carrying him skyward, his robes fluttering like a soaring swan. The sword light vanished into the deep night clouds, becoming a wisp of clear radiance, breaking through the clouds among the stars. Only the lingering hum of the sword remained in the night wind, like ethereal music fading into the boundless night.

“I will return within one hour.” Gu Mo’s voice came from the night sky, though he was already out of sight.

Instantly, everyone stared dumbfounded at the night sky.

“Flying… he flew away on his sword?” Zhuo Qingfeng rubbed his eyes. “No, isn’t that a sword immortal’s technique from legends?”

Ye Jinglan swallowed, looking at the equally stunned Gu Chudong. “Sister Chudong, tell me honestly, has your brother become an immortal?”

Gu Chudong’s mouth was agape in disbelief as she said, “He really flew! I thought my brother was joking when he said he’d create a sword-riding technique, but he actually did it! Hahahaha, my brother is a god, hahahaha…”

Xiao Ziyin, standing nearby, had deep shock in her eyes. She contemplated more than Ye Jinglan and the others. Previously, Gu Mo was the world’s greatest martial artist, with unparalleled skill. However, at least in Xiao Ziyin’s eyes, his individual power was still somewhat weak compared to national foundations or ancient sects like Confucian, Buddhist, or Taoist ancestral temples with their long-standing legacies. He was merely the “walking number one,” but if it came down to ingrained power, Gu Mo would still lose.

But now, with this sword-riding technique, she instantly understood that while major powers had inherent unbeatable foundations, Gu Mo also possessed such an innate, unbeatable foundation. A freely operating ‘number one under heaven’ unconstrained by environment, coupled with a sword-riding technique that allowed him to escape ambushes at any time, already surpassed the great forces with their accumulated heritage. He had transcended the limitations of divinity and humanity.

Immediately, Xiao Ziyin grabbed Gu Chudong’s hand and said, “So, Sister Chudong, let’s continue discussing that matter we talked about last time, about me becoming your sister-in-law!”

Gu Chudong: “??”

In the imperial capital of Jiang, the Imperial City.

Under the cloak of night, the Jiang Emperor entered the Imperial Study. He gently turned a vase on a bookshelf, and a section of the wall slid open, revealing a secret passage. He quickly stepped inside, swiftly moving through the dimly lit corridor until he arrived at a spacious hall. In the center of the hall was a massive blood pool.

“Ye Nantian,” the Jiang Emperor spoke.

The blood pool instantly churned, and a black-robed figure wearing a skull mask emerged from it—unmistakably Ye Nantian, the Moon Worship Cult Leader. However, as Ye Nantian stepped out of the blood pool, a huge vortex appeared within it, emitting wisps of black mist.

Ye Nantian glanced back and said, “I cannot stay out for too long. If I do, your grandfather will become uncontrollable.”

The Jiang Emperor said grimly, “How much longer until you can revive my grandfather’s immortal body?”

Ye Nantian replied, “Soon. Why are you so impatient, Your Majesty? Three to four hundred thousand commoners in Jianbei Commandery have already been killed, so what’s the rush now?”

The Jiang Emperor said displeased, “Of course you’re not in a hurry. Over four hundred thousand lives used to refine the ‘immortal蠱’ for you, granting you an undying body, yet I’ve seen no benefit whatsoever.”

Ye Nantian said, “Your benefits will come soon. Once your grandfather’s immortal body is successfully revived, with his adamantine body and unparalleled combat awareness, plus my undying body serving you, dominating the world will be within reach. Jiang will be invincible!”

The Jiang Emperor said, “You must speed up. I feel a slight unease. By my calculations, today should be the day Gu Mo and his group enter Sanchuan County. I fear the plan will fail.”

Ye Nantian said, “With the arrangements in Sanchuan County, killing Gu Mo is virtually impossible, but we can deceive him away. My double has been cultivated for decades; his martial arts and appearance are like mine, possessing sixty to seventy percent of my cultivation, so he won’t be exposed. As for Gu Mo, I’ve studied him. He seems meddlesome, but is actually emotionally detached. As long as his sister isn’t harmed, he’s only interested in bounty targets. Everyone knows his fixation is killing bounties. So, after he kills my double, he won’t care about Jiang’s fate. Even if everyone dies, he’ll at most sigh, but won’t linger.”

The Jiang Emperor said, “That’s precisely the problem. I’m afraid he’ll see through your double.”

“It doesn’t matter even if he sees through it,” Ye Nantian said. “He won’t find me anytime soon. He can’t possibly realize the entire Jianbei Commandery has been massacred. Even if they reach the next place and find it’s a dead city, they’ll need to keep confirming. By the time he verifies the entire commandery has been purged by running to several places, he’ll only suspect the Jianbei garrison. But the Jianbei garrison commander has already returned to the capital. By the time they rush back to investigate, you can use your imperial authority to stall, and then hand over the commander, saying I’ve returned to the Hundred Thousand Mountains. What can Gu Mo do then? Even if he persists or notices something amiss, by then, I will have successfully revived your grandfather Jiang Ruoxu’s immortal body. At that point, Gu Mo won’t be able to stir up any trouble. So, Your Majesty, you needn’t worry. With Jiang Ruoxu’s immortal body plus my immortal form, Gu Mo is nothing to fear!”

The Jiang Emperor pondered, then slowly nodded after a long while. “If you say so, I am reassured. That Gu Mo is the world’s greatest, he can even disperse armies. He’s practically inhuman. I face great pressure from him.”

Ye Nantian said, “Your Majesty, rest assured. Once the immortal body is revived, a mere Gu Mo will be nothing.”

“Alright then,” the Jiang Emperor waved his hand. “Hurry. I’ll leave first. Staying here too long might arouse suspicion.”

“Farewell, Your Majesty!” Ye Nantian bowed.

The Jiang Emperor took two steps, then suddenly turned back. “Ye Nantian, you wouldn’t deceive me, would you? I trust you so much; I’ve harmed hundreds of thousands of commoners for you. You wouldn’t let me down, would you?”

Ye Nantian quickly replied, “Your Majesty, our interests align. You wish to strengthen Jiang, and I need a patron. I would never let you down!”

The Jiang Emperor nodded. “I trust you. It was just a casual question; don’t take it to heart.” With that, the Jiang Emperor departed.

Watching the Jiang Emperor leave, and sensing he had exited the underground palace, Ye Nantian scoffed. “Trust, the most ruthless thing in the imperial family. As for patrons, only one’s self is the strongest patron!”

Murmuring, Ye Nantian waved his hand. From the blood pool vortex, a crystal-clear, glass-like body floated up, faint blood vessels clearly visible within it. Ye Nantian tore off his black robe, revealing a body entirely composed of dense, liquid-like, blood-red worms. Even his face was covered in these crawling blood worms. He was not a person at all, but a humanoid monster made of blood worms.

Ye Nantian walked into the blood pool, approached the glass-like body, and gently caressed it. Faint, strange runic patterns were vaguely visible. He chuckled softly and murmured, “Indeed, the Emperor never speaks a word of truth. I already guessed that I wouldn’t merely revive the immortal body, but would seize the chance to merge with it. To think he secretly prepared the Heaven-Imprisoning Formation. What a pity, Emperor Jiang, Emperor Jiang! I truly look forward to seeing your expression when the Heaven-Imprisoning Formation is broken!”

Slowly, the blood worms on Ye Nantian’s body frantically crawled onto the glass-like body. Soon, Ye Nantian was reduced to a skeleton and a layer of skin, with only a flame-burning heart beating in his chest. Inside that heart, a blood worm flickered in and out of sight.

Meanwhile, the Jiang Emperor, having left the underground palace, arrived at a palace where Jiang Ruoxu’s spirit tablet was enshrined. The Jiang Emperor respectfully offered incense, gazing at the spirit tablet. He said in a deep voice, “Grandfather, if you truly ascended to immortality, please bless your grandson to establish a lasting legacy. Now, your grandson must retrieve the Spirit-Binding Cord you left behind. That Ye Nantian thinks breaking the Heaven-Imprisoning Formation will allow him to control the immortal body you left upon ascension, little does he know that the Heaven-Imprisoning Formation is merely a distraction. My true reliance is your Spirit-Binding Cord!”

The Jiang Emperor knelt and respectfully kowtowed three times. Then he rose and dismantled the spirit tablet, retrieving a faint, golden-glowing silk thread from within. The Jiang Emperor bit his finger, and a drop of blood fell onto the silk thread. It seemed to come alive, floating up and entering his finger through the wound.

After a long while, the Jiang Emperor sneered, “Heh, Ye Nantian, Gu Mo… ‘Number One Under Heaven’…”