Chapter 52: Cold Ice True Qi

Madam Wang sighed helplessly and asked, "What does Hero Gu wish to know?"

Gu Mo replied, "Just two questions. First, who are you, Madam Wang? With your almost indistinguishable disguise skills, you can't be an unknown figure in the martial world, can you?"

Madam Wang chuckled lightly, "I am merely a virtuous housewife. What fame could I possibly have? Naturally, I'm an unknown."

"I don't think so!"

Outside the door, Zhuo Qingfeng's voice sounded. He and Chu Yuan walked in, having already expelled the poison. Both were masters of internal energy and seasoned veterans of the martial world, so ordinary poisons couldn't affect them. However, this "Zombie Dust" was truly astonishing, a masterpiece of Poison Spider.

The powder, when scattered in the air, was colorless and odorless. No matter how profound one's internal energy, if one stayed for the time it takes an incense stick to burn, the poison would spread throughout the body. However, its effect didn't last long; it would disappear after, at most, the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

But the time it takes for an incense stick to burn... was already enough time to die a thousand times over.

This time, they were lucky; Gu Mo's timely appearance prevented them from repeating the tragic fate of the Tong brothers and the dozen or so Six-Fan Gate experts.

Zhuo Qingfeng looked at Madam Wang, who was held in Gu Mo's hand, and said, "Madam's skills are truly astonishing. I've just been thinking carefully; there are few in the martial world with such disguise abilities. And exactly thirteen years ago, a wicked master proficient in disguise just happened to disappear. That person was known as Granny Ghost Face. Madam Wang, that's you, isn't it?"

Just at this moment, a system notification sounded in Gu Mo's mind:

New target detected.Wanted Target: Granny Ghost Face.Mission Level: Two-star.Mission Reward: Cold Ice Scripture....

At this moment, Madam Wang refused to admit it, saying, "Sir Zhuo, you've guessed incorrectly. I am not Granny Ghost Face; I merely happen to be proficient in disguise as well."

Zhuo Qingfeng frowned.

Gu Mo, however, suddenly spoke, stating with certainty, "There's no need to doubt. She is Granny Ghost Face."

Madam Wang looked puzzled.

Zhuo Qingfeng asked doubtfully, "Hero Gu, how are you so certain?"

"If I say it is, then it is," Gu Mo replied.

Zhuo Qingfeng was speechless.

However, Zhuo Qingfeng didn't dwell on Madam Wang's identity. Instead, he asked, "Tell us, Madam, about the question that concerns us most right now, which I presume is also Hero Gu's second question: Where is Wang Yuanbao?"

Madam Wang chuckled lightly, "Sir Zhuo, do you think I would tell?"

Zhuo Qingfeng said, "Madam, you are now in our hands. Why endure suffering?"

Madam Wang sneered, "Sir Zhuo, there's no need to say more. I will not betray..."

Just then, Gu Mo suddenly applied force with his hand, and with a crisp "snap," Madam Wang's neck was broken. Her eyes were wide open, unable to rest in peace. Until her dying breath, she never imagined Gu Mo would simply kill her like that.

Killed a two-star wanted criminal.Received two-star reward: Max-level Cold Ice Scripture.Claim?

Gu Mo silently thought "claim" in his mind, and in that instant, the Cold Ice Scripture was cultivated to the Grand Completion realm.

Few people knew of the Cold Ice Scripture, but many knew of Cold Ice True Qi, which originated from Zuo Lengchan, the Alliance Leader of the Five Mountains Sects. His Cold Ice True Qi came directly from the Cold Ice Scripture. This is an extremely Yin-cold internal cultivation technique. Practitioners can transform their internal energy into an extremely cold aura, its frigidity far surpassing ice and snow. Those afflicted would feel as if they were in an ice cellar, their blood seemingly freezing, their bodies gradually stiffening, their movements becoming sluggish, and they might even be frozen stiff and unable to move within a short period. While this internal cultivation technique cannot compare to the Nine Yang Divine Skill in quality, its martial arts philosophy and spirit are not bad, making it a first-rate martial art in the martial world.

At the very moment of claiming, Gu Mo immediately achieved Grand Completion. This was a very strange feeling. Inside Gu Mo's body, he instantly possessed two completely opposite internal energies—one cold, one hot. Yet, they managed to coexist without interfering with each other. The Nine Yang True Qi was like a vast ocean, while the Cold Ice True Qi was like a long river, surprisingly forming a primary and secondary flow, akin to all rivers flowing into the sea....

"Why did you kill her?"

Zhuo Qingfeng looked with a bewildered expression at the corpse Gu Mo had thrown to the ground.

Gu Mo spread his hands and said, "She already said she wouldn't talk. Why keep her around?"

"You could have interrogated her!" Zhuo Qingfeng retorted.

Gu Mo waved his hand and said, "That would be a waste of time. In fact, things are quite clear now. Tracing Wang Yuanbao's whereabouts should be simple enough. Besides, Madam Wang isn't the only one here. The Wang family has many people, and Wang Yuanbao even has five sons, doesn't he?"

As he spoke, Gu Mo began flicking his fingers, quickly shooting out several steel beads that broke the legs of all the crossbowmen who were preparing to escape.

Gu Mo said, "They might be death warriors!"

Before Gu Mo could finish speaking, Zhuo Qingfeng and Chu Yuan made their move. Both were members of the Six-Fan Gate and were extremely skilled at interrogation, having handled such matters many times. Their first action was to dislocate the jaws of the crossbowmen to prevent them from taking poison hidden in their mouths, and then they used acupressure to immobilize them.

"Actually, there should be secret rooms or hidden passages in this courtyard," Gu Mo said. "I think Wang Yuanbao is most likely in this courtyard. Otherwise, having nearly a hundred crossbowmen here wouldn't make much sense; I believe their main purpose is to protect Wang Yuanbao. Madam Wang was desperate to go inside just now, likely trying to use a hidden passage to escape."

Zhuo Qingfeng and Chu Yuan exchanged a glance and said, "Let's go in and search."

At this moment, Gu Chutong ran over and grabbed Gu Mo, saying, "Brother, let's just wait. We should wait for the county yamen's people to arrive before searching. What if there are people ambushed inside, and they've prepared strange poisons?"

Zhuo Qingfeng smiled and said, "Where would there be so many strange poisons? Ordinary poisons in the world can't even be colorless and odorless. And among the poisons that can be, there are almost none that Hero Gu's internal energy cultivation wouldn't detect. It's unlikely a colorless and odorless poison could even harm Hero Gu."

"Caution ensures safety for ten thousand years," Gu Chutong said, unceremoniously exposing their weakness. "Aren't you two also martial arts masters? Didn't you still get poisoned? That Poison Spider is in league with Madam Wang and her group. The only reason Poison Spider is in Yong'an County is because he's following orders. Who knows if he's concocted other strange and peculiar poisons for them?"

Zhuo Qingfeng and Chu Yuan were both speechless.

Chu Yuan quickly said, "Qingfeng, Heroine Gu is right. There are countless talented individuals, eccentrics, and deceptive tactics in the martial world. Take Madam Wang, for instance; she's an extraordinary person with remarkable skills. Hero Gu and Heroine Gu might as well stay outside as backup; we two will go in and pursue."

Gu Mo said, "Actually, we already notified the county yamen before we came. With the warrant Sir Chu gave earlier, the county magistrate of Yong'an County wouldn't dare to be negligent; he has already gone to mobilize the county soldiers. The two of you can wait a bit."

Zhuo Qingfeng shook his head and said, "If Wang Yuanbao is really inside, and we wait for a while, I'm afraid he might have already escaped far away!"

As he spoke, Zhuo Qingfeng cupped his hands towards Gu Mo and Gu Chutong and said, "Hero Gu, Heroine Gu, the outside is entrusted to you."