Chapter 5: Mediator

“Brother, where should we go now?”

“To the outskirts. There’s a mountain temple there where we can temporarily settle.”

“Not staying at an inn?”

“Forget it. Tonight’s events aren’t over. Whichever inn we go to will have bad luck. Damaging property would be one thing, but we might also harm innocent people.”

Gu Mo knew deeply that the martial arts world was vast and grand, filled with romance, grudges, vengeance, and a sense of carefree living. Some gained fame overnight, while others were fleeting like a flash in the pan. However, what people usually saw was the splendor, often overlooking the dry bones buried beneath the flowers. Whether it was a righteous martial arts hero or a wicked master, fighting and killing might be exhilarating, but often, beyond the thrill, lay broken ordinary families and the tragic deaths of innocent people.

Gu Mo wasn't overly compassionate or benevolent, but he also didn't want to cause harm to others without reason. He preferred to avoid it whenever possible, though if it couldn't be avoided, then there was nothing to be done. Tonight’s affairs were certainly not over. Zhou Tong, the "flower thief," was worth three hundred taels of silver, and many bounty hunters had been tracking him. Now that he and his sister had unexpectedly claimed the bounty, it was uncertain if everyone else would accept it. Although they had repelled a group at the inn earlier, it was hard to guarantee that no one would still challenge them. Furthermore, Zhang Xiong was a hall master of the Broadsword Gang, and his murder would likely not be easily overlooked by the gang.

“Brother, can you still fight?”

“Fighting for another night wouldn’t be an issue.”

The Nine Yang Divine Art certainly lived up to its name as a divine skill, possessing many unique attributes, among which the self-sustaining and endlessly replenishing internal energy was incredibly powerful. In the martial arts world, all practitioners cultivated internal energy, as it could be understood as stamina in a certain sense; the deeper one's internal energy, the greater their endurance. Gu Mo’s Profound Void Blade technique wasn’t an aggressive, energy-draining martial art. Thanks to the Nine Yang Divine Art’s characteristics, his claim of being able to fight all night, while a slight exaggeration, wasn’t far from the truth.

“Brother, your internal energy isn’t Profound Void Internal Energy, is it?” Gu Chudong asked, voicing her doubt.

“A couple of days ago, when I was unconscious, I dreamed of a white-bearded old man who said I was exceptionally handsome and insisted on teaching me a divine skill...”

“Brother, if you can’t tell a story, don’t make things up, okay? I’m seventeen, not seven.”

“Hahaha... This divine skill isn’t suitable for girls to cultivate. When I dream of that white-bearded old man again, I’ll ask him to teach me a divine skill suitable for girls, and I’ll pass it on to you then!”

“Alright, I’ll be waiting! And, how did your Profound Void Blade technique suddenly become so powerful?”

“I dreamed of a white-bearded old man...”

“Brother, you’re trying to trick me again!”

“Hahaha...”

The brother and sister walked towards the city outskirts, playfully bickering, their mood light. Gu Mo felt relatively at ease about the upcoming troubles because he had the Nine Yang Divine Art, even though he had some concerns. As for Gu Chudong, as long as she was with Gu Mo and he was happy, she felt no pressure.

Meanwhile, in Linjiang City, their actions had already stirred up a significant commotion. Zhang Xiong’s murder wasn’t the most critical event in Linjiang City, but it shocked many people. After all, the Broadsword Gang’s "Wolf, Bear, Tiger, Leopard" reputation was well-known in the city. Although Zhang Xiong wasn’t a top-tier master, he had a considerable reputation, and being killed while accompanied by over twenty blade-wielding thugs naturally drew considerable attention.

South City, Bu’er Villa.

A black-clad swordsman arrived at Yan Sanniang’s room, bowing with cupped hands. “Boss, you weren’t mistaken; I was. That Gu Mo is indeed very strong. Zhang Xiong of the Broadsword Gang led over twenty skilled fighters to besiege him, but Gu Mo killed more than a dozen of them, and Zhang Xiong was beheaded. However, I’m a bit puzzled; how did you discern that Gu Mo was a master?”

“I didn’t discern it, actually,” Yan Sanniang said with a smile. “It was simply that at the yamen, I happened to see the siblings collecting the bounty. Gu Mo’s demeanor struck me as extraordinary. Although he had become blind, there was no sign of unease from his blindness; he was incredibly calm. If he had been blind for many years, adapting to that life would be normal, but he had only recently lost his sight. To possess such a calm demeanor then is truly remarkable.”

“I see,” the black-clad swordsman nodded. “Now that you mention it, that’s indeed the case. His mental fortitude is strong. However, he’s probably in a lot of trouble now. Zhang Xiong was one of Old Blade Lu Yingchuan’s men. That Old Blade isn’t someone to be trifled with, and his ‘Wolf, Bear, Tiger, Leopard’ subordinates are formidable as well. Although his blade-wielding thugs aren’t as numerous as rumored, he still has three or four hundred of them.”

Yan Sanniang waved her hand. “Old Blade is old now, in his sixties or seventies. He lost his youthful ambition long ago and only wants to live out his retirement in peace. If it weren’t for the fear of being targeted after retiring from the martial world, he’d even be willing to leave it behind and enjoy his twilight years. The Broadsword Gang seems powerful, but in reality, besides the ‘Wolf, Bear, Tiger, Leopard’ quartet, are there any other notable figures? They are nothing to fear. Send a letter to Old Blade in my name, inviting him to dinner at Hundred Flowers Restaurant. I’ll arrange a few tables and mediate between the Broadsword Gang and Gu Mo.”

“What about Gu Mo?” the black-clad swordsman asked.

“I’ll go see him again,” Yan Sanniang said with a slight smile. “I can’t let other ‘Pursuit Towers’ snatch him away from me. Gu Mo’s appearance is perfectly timed. If he can quickly capture a few well-known wanted criminals, then my Bu’er Villa’s transition into the ‘pursuit business’ will be a success!”

Any business needs a reputation. Establishing a "Pursuit Tower" requires taking risks among bounty hunters. If Gu Mo can capture a few more famous wanted criminals and become well-known among bounty hunters, everyone will know that Bu’er Villa is behind him, and naturally, many bounty hunters will come seeking their services. Moreover, Gu Mo, as a visually impaired individual, is highly representative, further highlighting Bu’er Villa’s intelligence and support capabilities, making them even more appealing to bounty hunters.

As Gu Mo and Gu Chudong were heading towards the city outskirts, they encountered Yan Sanniang once again. The moment Yan Sanniang spoke, Gu Mo recognized her voice.

“Boss Yan, what a coincidence?”

“Not a coincidence at all, Young Hero Gu; I came specifically to find you.”

As Yan Sanniang spoke, she walked closer to Gu Mo. Immediately, a unique floral scent wafted towards him. Gu Mo subtly took half a step back. This gesture amused Yan Sanniang, though she didn’t mind too much. She said, “I also didn’t expect that so soon after we parted, you would cause such a commotion. The ‘Wolf, Bear, Tiger, Leopard’ and Old Blade are not to be trifled with. You’ve really offended the Broadsword Gang now.”

Gu Mo chuckled softly. “Or perhaps it was the Broadsword Gang that offended me?”

“Uh...” Yan Sanniang paused for a moment, then smiled. “Young Hero Gu, you truly are... quite imposing. I won’t beat around the bush. To show my sincerity in wanting to cooperate with you, I’ll take on the dispute between you and the Broadsword Gang. I’ve already arranged to meet Old Blade to mediate a truce between you. In truth, there’s no insurmountable enmity between you and the Broadsword Gang. After all, the one who bore a grudge against you was Zhang Xiong, and you’ve already killed him.”

“If a truce is possible, then certainly, thank you very much.”

Gu Mo immediately agreed. His objective was to be a bounty hunter, primarily capturing or killing wanted criminals, and he had no interest in a prolonged conflict with the Broadsword Gang. There was no inherent conflict of interest to begin with, and the instigator, Zhang Xiong, had already been killed by him. As long as the Broadsword Gang was willing to let the matter drop, he didn’t care.