Chapter 262: Legend

Gu Mo pondered Jiang Ruoxu's situation for a moment but, unable to fully grasp it, decided not to dwell on it further. He quickly located the Taixu Sword and the Yuanhong Sword, then departed with Gu Chudong, Xiao Ziyin, and the others.

The imperial city's army had already been decimated by Ye Jinglan's earlier assaults. Soon after, Gu Mo and Ye Jinglan's combined attack further shattered their ranks. They were already in disarray, and with Emperor Jiang's death, the army's defeat became an overwhelming rout.

Consequently, Gu Mo and his group encountered little resistance when leaving. They then returned to the Honglu Temple, gathered the remaining members, and quickly withdrew.

The emperor was dead, and almost no civil or military officials remained alive. Jiang's capital now lacked any leadership, so Gu Mo's group left the capital unhindered, strolling boldly out of the city.

Gu Mo, meanwhile, healed his injuries inside the carriage. Before Ye Nantian's death, the sword strike imbued with Jiang Ruoxu's power had caught Gu Mo off guard. Although he withstood most of the impact with his Innate True Qi and Great Vajra Divine Strength, the strike was too sudden. He defended too hastily, not even having time to activate the defensive form of his Limitless Returning Qi. As a result, his injuries were not light.

Nevertheless, he possessed multiple martial arts with miraculous healing properties. As long as he wasn't instantly annihilated, even if he were killed, theoretically, he could recover. Therefore, despite the severity of his injuries, the impact was not significant.

After traveling together for three days, they arrived at the edge of a desolate plain. The diplomatic delegations from both nations had reached the point where they would part ways, and the atmosphere became awkward.

Overall, the cooperation between the two delegations had been very harmonious during this period. Especially those who survived the imperial city battle; they were comrades who had fought back-to-back. And particularly over these past three days, although they hadn't encountered any resistance, everyone was very tense. Few people could casually leave the imperial city after assassinating another nation's emperor without feeling any pressure. Consequently, throughout these three days, both delegations had developed a tacit understanding to always have each other's backs.

Now, it was time to part ways. Everyone habitually prepared to bid farewell to those they had gotten along with, but they suddenly realized that after today, they would be enemies. The war between Qian and Chu, as anyone with foresight could see, was unavoidable; it was only a matter of time. Thus, the atmosphere became somewhat rigid.

Instead, Xiao Ziyin rode his horse to Gu Mo's carriage and cupped his hands in greeting, saying, "Grandmaster Gu, after you return to your country, someone will naturally deliver the remaining 100,000 taels of commission to you."

Gu Mo lifted the curtain, stepped out of the carriage, and cupped his hands, saying, "Thank you."

"It is I who should thank you," Xiao Ziyin replied. "We originally agreed to merely eliminate Ye Nantian, but unexpectedly, it stirred up such a huge disturbance, even revealing Jiang Ruoxu's physical body."

Gu Mo said, "Your Highness is very knowledgeable. Chu also sent masters to participate in the siege of Jiang Ruoxu back then. Do you have any conjectures regarding Jiang Ruoxu's condition? Was it truly an ascension?"

Xiao Ziyin responded, "Legends of ascension have always existed. For instance, Longhu Mountain, with which you, Grandmaster Gu, are familiar, has an Ascension Platform named after the concept of ascension. However, according to various ancient texts, ascension only occurs among Qi cultivators. I once consulted relevant texts at the Great Brightness Temple. One theory I find quite credible states that 'Knocking on the Heavenly Gate,' 'Inner Demons,' and 'Heaven Beyond Heaven' – three of the rumored Thirteen Taboos – combined constitute ascension."

Gu Mo promptly said, "Please, Your Highness, do not hesitate to enlighten me!"

"I wouldn't presume," Xiao Ziyin replied. "To be honest, Grandmaster Gu, my martial arts level is far from that. Therefore, I don't know much about this topic. However, you are the foremost martial artist in the world, with the highest cultivation in this era, so it is indeed beneficial for you to learn more about such matters. If you are interested, should you ever visit Chu, I will personally guide you through our imperial archives."

Gu Mo nodded slightly and said, "Thank you."

Xiao Ziyin continued, "It is rumored that when a Qi cultivator's realm reaches a certain level, they can ascend. This is known as 'Knocking on the Heavenly Gate,' the Fourth Taboo among the Thirteen. During this process, they will encounter 'Inner Demons,' which is the Ninth Taboo. Only after defeating the Inner Demons can one truly knock on the Heavenly Gate. Once the Heavenly Gate is opened, one can ascend as an immortal and enter the Immortal Realm. There are many legends about this Immortal Realm, but the one I find most plausible is the Seventh Taboo: 'Heaven Beyond Heaven'."

Gu Mo asked, "Are there any specific details about it?"

Xiao Ziyin pondered for a moment and said, "I once found an ancient text in the Chu imperial archives that recounted a story. The story goes that over 190 years ago, a scholar was traveling to Mount Taihang when a torrential downpour began. To seek shelter, he entered a cave.

"In the middle of the night, he detected a strange fragrance and followed it. He discovered a small opening deep within the cave. So captivated by the scent, he ignored the danger and squeezed through the opening. Unbeknownst to him, it led to an underground river.

"The scholar fell into the dark river, which was unfathomably deep and wide. He thought he was surely doomed but then saw a faint light. He swam desperately towards it and found a woman struggling in the water, being gnawed by a strange fish.

"The scholar felt pity and fought desperately to drive away the strange fish and rescue the woman. Afterward, exhausted, he sank to the bottom of the river. Unexpectedly, upon waking, he found himself back in the cave, where the woman sat high on a lotus platform, radiating myriad colorful lights.

"The breathtakingly beautiful woman claimed to be a Qi cultivator from Mount Taihang, who had cultivated for two hundred years and finally attained immortality. During her final 'Knocking on the Immortal Gate,' she encountered inner demons taking form and fortunately received the scholar's assistance. Grateful for his kindness, she vowed to descend to the mortal realm ten days later to help the scholar rise to prominence and enjoy a lifetime of wealth and glory, thus repaying her debt. After saying this, the woman ascended on the lotus platform.

"The scholar suddenly woke up to find that dawn had broken, realizing that everything from the night before was just a dream. Later, the scholar passed the imperial examinations, entered officialdom, and within a few years, became a prefect.

"But at that time, the country suffered from natural disasters, and the people were destitute, resorting to eating their children. Yet the emperor was incredibly inept, embarking on grand construction projects and increasing taxes. Simply because he pitied the people and petitioned the emperor, the scholar was arrested, imprisoned, and sentenced to have his family executed and their property confiscated.

"However, at the moment of his execution, a goddess descended and rescued him from the execution ground. This was exactly ten years after the Qi cultivator's ascension, which corresponds to one day in heaven for every year on earth. Afterward, with the goddess's assistance, the scholar led an uprising, overthrew the tyrannical dynasty, established a new one, and brought new life to the people. This scholar was none other than Emperor Gaozu of our Great Chu!"

After listening, Gu Mo said, "This is a very common myth about an emperor. Throughout history, founding emperors of various nations have similar legends. Frankly, these stories are fabricated to deceive ordinary people, making their rebellions seem legitimate under the guise of divine right."

Xiao Ziyin nodded slightly and said, "Looking solely at this story, there's indeed nothing particularly special about it. However, there's a second half to this story. During the process of establishing Chu, Emperor Gaozu and the goddess developed feelings for each other. But the goddess's time in the mortal world was up, and she had to leave, never to be seen again."

Xiao Ziyin paused, then said, "The story ends there. Later, at the Great Brightness Temple, I found a record about envoys from 'Heaven Beyond Heaven' visiting the mortal world. The timing perfectly matched the story of the goddess being taken back by a visitor from the immortal realm. Furthermore, it is clearly recorded that after the nation stabilized, Emperor Gaozu was continuously dedicated to searching for 'Heaven Beyond Heaven.' This fact should be verifiable by records in various countries. Many now claim that Emperor Gaozu was senile in his later years, seeking immortality. However, our imperial archives explicitly state that Emperor Gaozu sought not eternal life but 'Heaven Beyond Heaven,' and he long gazed upon the goddess's portrait. Later, when Emperor Gaozu sensed his destiny approaching, he abdicated in favor of Emperor Hui, leaving behind a final imperial decree. It stated that his time was near, and he would go to Mount Taihang to lie in eternal slumber beside the immortal form left behind by the goddess after her transcendence. In fact, even today, there is still a portrait of the goddess in our Great Chu imperial palace, and Emperor Gaozu's final imperial decree is also still preserved."

After listening, Gu Mo nodded slightly and said, "So, Your Highness implies that ascension is indeed a reality."

"I didn't quite believe it before, as both the story of Emperor Gaozu and the records at the Great Brightness Temple seemed more like legends; I always treated them as mere tales," Xiao Ziyin said. "But after witnessing Jiang Ruoxu's physical body this time, I've started to believe those records."

At this point, Xiao Ziyin asked, "Grandmaster Gu, it is widely known that when a person dies, their sword perishes with them. With your unparalleled martial arts, is it possible for someone to die while their sword intent remains?"

Gu Mo shook his head slightly and said, "Sword qi can be stored if there's a special medium, but sword intent is highly unlikely. Therefore, Jiang Ruoxu is not dead; Emperor Jiang likely wasn't lying about this."

Xiao Ziyin said, "Actually, among those who survived the siege of Jiang Ruoxu back then, many claimed that Jiang Ruoxu appeared not human, but like a ghost, completely impervious to ordinary blades and swords. It wasn't that Jiang Ruoxu was fast or had strong defenses; he simply couldn't be touched, just like a legendary ghost. However, at the time, not many people thought deeply about it. After all, martial arts in the world are diverse and strange, and Jiang Ruoxu was a Qi cultivator known for his elusive methods, so some special techniques were considered normal. Now that I think about it, Jiang Ruoxu likely wasn't human at that time. Legend says that those who ascend to immortality shed their mortal bodies and become divine spirits, and gods are vastly different from humans; earthly things cannot harm them. Therefore, Jiang Ruoxu was ultimately defeated only because someone summoned heavenly lightning. So, Jiang Ruoxu should have already transcended his mortal form, but for some reason, he didn't ascend; instead, he succumbed to qi deviation. Perhaps during 'Knocking on the Heavenly Gate,' he underwent the transcendence but failed to overcome the inner demon tribulation."

Gu Mo nodded slightly and said, "Thank you, Your Highness, for your generous insights!"

Xiao Ziyin quickly waved his hand, saying, "I haven't been able to provide you with much help, Grandmaster Gu. How about this: once I return to my country, I will specifically research texts on this subject. If I find any useful information, I will write to you."

Gu Mo cupped his hands and said, "Then I thank Your Highness. Upon my return to Qian, I will be staying at Longhu Mountain for some time. So, Your Highness's letters can be sent there."

Xiao Ziyin said, "I hear Grandmaster Gu has a very good relationship with Heavenly Master Zhang Daoyi. You could also research relevant literature and texts at Longhu Mountain. As the ancestral home of Taoism, with a thousand years of heritage, it surely holds many documents on this subject."

Gu Mo nodded, saying, "I will inquire when I get there. However, such information might be a secret of the sect's heritage and not suitable for external dissemination."

"That's true."

With Xiao Ziyin's remark, both fell silent. After a good while, Gu Mo said, "Your Highness, it's getting late. Let us part ways here!"

Xiao Ziyin nodded and said, "Grandmaster Gu, if you ever find yourself in Chu in the future, please do let me know so I can extend my hospitality!"

"Alright."

Xiao Ziyin took two steps, then suddenly turned back and asked, "Grandmaster Gu, do you remember the question I asked you when we first formally met?"

"What question?" Gu Mo asked, puzzled.

Xiao Ziyin said, "Seven hundred years ago, after Qin lost its grip on power, the nations fractured and have remained divided for seven centuries, with constant warfare. My question then was, how many more years do you, Grandmaster Gu, think it would take for the world to reunite? Now I want to ask, Grandmaster Gu, do you think it's better for the world to remain perpetually divided like this, or is it better for a capable and ambitious leader to emerge, trading a bloody era for centuries of peace, as a 'short, sharp shock' is better than prolonged suffering?"

Gu Mo shook his head slightly and said, "I don't concern myself with such matters."

Xiao Ziyin cupped his hands, then walked towards Gu Chudong, who was not far away, and began chatting with her endlessly.

At this moment, Ye Jinglan approached Gu Mo, sighing with a tsk-tsk sound. "I was just over there discussing with Brother Zhuo whether this Eldest Princess of Chu would use a honey trap on you, Brother Gu. Brother Zhuo even suggested you turn the tables on her!"

Gu Mo glanced toward Zhuo Qingfeng. Zhuo Qingfeng's martial arts were mediocre, and it was already quite difficult for him to survive the imperial city battle. His injuries were very severe, and unlike Gu Mo, he lacked self-healing abilities, so it was uncertain how long his recovery would take. He still couldn't even get out of the carriage. However, no matter how severe his injuries, it never stopped him from having peculiar ideas.

Gu Mo pursed his lips and said, "Speaking of which, Brother Zhuo has been constantly probing Xiao Ziyin during his time in Jiang. Has he managed to uncover anything?"

Ye Jinglan shook his head slightly, saying, "Aside from surmising that Chu likely intends to wage war against Jiang, he hasn't probed out anything else. However, I did discover something."

"What is it?" Gu Mo asked.

Ye Jinglan said, "The martial art cultivated by Her Royal Highness is not ordinary. Or perhaps, this Eldest Princess is akin to me; her body conceals a certain ice-attributed energy that is no weaker than my Qilin blood. A few days ago during the imperial city battle, when I fought closely beside her, I could clearly sense that the energy within her was not true qi."

Gu Mo nodded and said, "That's quite normal. Which imperial family doesn't have some hidden heritage? Even a small nation like Jiang possesses Jiang Ruoxu's physical body. How could Chu, the most powerful nation in the world, not have something extraordinary?"

"That's true," Ye Jinglan nodded.

"Oh, right," Gu Mo asked, "weren't you going to retrieve the drop of Qilin blood from Ye Nantian's body? Did you get it?"

"I did," Ye Jinglan replied. "My drop of Qilin blood grants immense demonic power, allowing for powerful bursts of energy. Ye Nantian's drop, however, provides infinite energy, allowing for endless regeneration. Brother Gu, once I've fully integrated this drop of blood, I want to spar with you!"

"Anytime," Gu Mo chuckled.

Ye Jinglan smiled too. Soon, both fell silent. After a while, Gu Mo asked, "Is there any danger?"

"It's my own choice!"

After parting ways with the Chu delegation, another seven or eight days passed before they finally entered Qian's border. Immediately, Gu Mo and his sister, Gu Chudong, separated from Ye Jinglan, Zhuo Qingfeng, and the rest of the Qian delegation. The delegation was heading to the capital to report, while Gu Mo and Gu Chudong were bound for Longhu Mountain in Luzhou.

Last year, he had arranged with Zhang Daoyi to visit the Ascension Platform in the fifth month. That period offered the best enlightenment effects at the platform, and they could also gather some enlightenment fruits. This should allow Gu Chudong to quickly achieve mastery, or at least a foundational understanding, of the Heavenly Dragon Eight Tones.

However, the siblings were not in a hurry, as the Enlightenment Tree wouldn't bloom for over a month. So, they traveled leisurely, stopping frequently. Gu Mo guided Gu Chudong's cultivation while also pondering how to advance his own martial arts.

The battle in Jiang's imperial city had been quite beneficial for Gu Mo. He had always believed that with dozens of high-level martial arts under his belt, he was unmatched in close-quarters combat regarding techniques. But after that day's head-on confrontation with Jiang Ruoxu's physical body, he realized a problem. While it was true he knew countless techniques, he was still constrained by the specific forms and characteristics of various martial arts. Even with techniques like Eight Scattered Palms and the Grand Profound Sutra, which allowed him to fight freely, he was still confined by the frameworks of different martial arts. Therefore, he began contemplating how to break free from these frameworks and seek a state where one technique could effortlessly manifest myriad others.

Meanwhile, while Gu Mo was en route to Luzhou, Xiao Ziyin had already returned to Chu's capital. However, upon entering the city, she was immediately summoned to the imperial palace. Led by a eunuch, she arrived at the Imperial Study and waited for a while before footsteps sounded outside the door.

A young man entered. The young man had dark hair tied in a crown, eyebrows sharp as if cut by a blade, and phoenix eyes that held authority. He strode steadily into the Imperial Study, his wide sleeves brushing past the screen. His presence exuded an overwhelming pressure, like a surging undertow, causing all palace attendants to hold their breath and bow their heads wherever he passed. The emperor's gaze swept across the room filled with scrolls; his aura, authoritative without needing anger, fully displayed the supreme majesty of the Son of Heaven. Most remarkably, within his pupils, another pair of pupils faintly appeared. This was none other than Emperor Xiao Zhaolin of Chu, the rumored sage born with double pupils.

"Greetings, Your Majesty!" Xiao Ziyin immediately rose and bowed.

Xiao Zhaolin waved his hand slightly and said, "Imperial Sister, there's no need for formalities. You've worked hard during this time. First Southern Jin, then rushing non-stop to Jiang. Your trip to Jiang was full of perils. Fortunately, Imperial Sister is unharmed; otherwise, I would not be at ease!"

"This is my duty," Xiao Ziyin replied.

Xiao Zhaolin chuckled softly, then suddenly asked, "Imperial Sister, have you found out? What exactly is Gu Mo?"

Xiao Ziyin replied, "He is human, a born sage just like you!"

"Human? How can he be human?"