socalfunplaces Chapter 63 The mastermind appears, attempting to assassinate Zhuge Zhengwo?
Chapter 63 The mastermind appears, attempting to assassinate Zhuge Zhengwo?
Chapter 63 The mastermind appears, attempting to assassinate Zhuge Zhengwo?
"Qingya, this is the latest battle report! Something feels off to me; Gu Jianhun is being far too shrewd!"
Yin Susu handed a slip of paper to Xu Qingya. It was the latest intelligence sent by the Sky Eagle Sect's secret agents. Linglong Pavilion also had a copy, so the two pieces of information were corroborated and made more complete.
Xu Qingya placed the two slips of paper together, extracted the key information, and explained softly, "Who said Gu Jianhun was a brute? That assessment is clearly wrong!"
"Based on Gu Jianhun's words and actions, this person is reckless and unscrupulous, making enemies everywhere. If this kind of killer isn't a brute, then who is?"
"Gu Jianhun is a reckless man in daily life, but he is a veteran of countless battles. In battle, Gu Jianhun is more cunning than a fox and more ferocious than a tiger."
"He actually knows the 'Buddha's Palm' technique!"
"In the world of martial arts, who doesn't have a trump card?"
"Why did he let Murong Fu go? That's not like him. There are definitely more people eyeing the 'Buddha's Palm' than the 'Dragon-Slaying Saber.' He's just asking for trouble!"
"Because the Ancient Sword Soul—is injured!"
"When Murong Fu was defeated, he was practically a wooden stake; a single, casual strike would have been enough to kill him. Even if he was severely wounded, surely he could still lift a sword?"
"Someone doesn't want him to kill Murong Fu! They're releasing their aura from the shadows to interfere with his judgment."
"Who would do such a thing?"
"have no idea!"
Xu Qingya truly did not know who did it.
Logically speaking, the most suspicious person should be Murong Fu's father, Murong Bo. If Murong Bo were on the battlefield, he would definitely have launched a sneak attack.
This person neither wanted Gu Jianhun to die nor Murong Fu to die, and tacitly maintained a balance between the two.
The lone soldiers have been pursuing the Ancient Sword Soul.
Ancient Sword Soul has always been in a state of depletion of essence, energy, and spirit.
Who's so bored?
What benefits can you get from doing this?
Xu Qingya's mind went into a state of thought, and he subconsciously rubbed his fingers. This time, the touch on his fingertips was not the calluses from holding a knife for a long time, but a warm and smooth surface.
At some point, Yin Susu took off her shoes and socks and placed her jade feet in Xu Qingya's palm. This was a secret she had learned from Qin Nanqin at great expense. Yang Yan had personally tried it several times and thoroughly studied Xu Qingya inside and out.
"Susu, I have a question. If you got the Dragon Slayer Saber, what would you do with it? Would you use it as a weapon, melt it down and reforge it, or sell it to some faction and cause more conflicts in the martial arts world?"
"Our family has a tradition of unarmed martial arts, and we have little interest in swordsmanship. It's unnecessary to use it as a weapon. Re-forging it would be a waste. It's better to keep it in the warehouse for now and use it to make connections with certain powerful forces."
"Aren't you going to show it off?"
"What's so special about this thing? Instead of showing off the Dragon Slayer Sword, show off your good son-in-law. Your appearance is worth more than a hundred Dragon Slayer Swords."
Yin Susu clicked her tongue in boredom.
Yang Yan went to the Linglong Pavilion branch to gather intelligence. Xu Qingya temporarily belonged to her, so they should spend more time together. What was the Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber compared to Xu Qingya?
Yang Yan returned shortly afterward.
"Qingya, the imperial court has intervened!"
"Who?"
Zhu Xiawu, the chief constable of the seven provinces of Jiangnan, nicknamed "Iron Hands, Iron Face, Iron Clothes, Iron Net," is said to be exceptionally meticulous in his investigations. He has only handled a dozen or so cases, but in each case, he has dealt with several notorious bandits. Everyone involved in the cases has complete faith in him!
What are Zhu Xiawu's plans?
"He wants to have a decisive battle at Jiangling Wharf. He can't let Gu Jianhun leave by boat. Waterways are too unpredictable. Once he gets on a boat, he'll be impossible to catch."
What did Mr. Zhuge have to say?
"Just yesterday, the Liancheng treasure was completely excavated. Mr. Zhuge was worried about unforeseen circumstances, so he escorted the jewels back to the capital. They have already traveled a hundred miles."
"Has Mr. Zhuge really left?"
"This kind of thing can't be faked! He would definitely personally escort the priceless treasure that is worth more than a country!"
"Qingya, let's go to Jiangling to watch the excitement. Don't get involved in the fighting recklessly, lest we be ambushed. I have a feeling this time there will be heavy casualties."
Yang Yan frowned, feeling that the matter of the Ancient Sword Soul was orchestrated, and there was an eerie atmosphere everywhere.
How devastating was it?
Yin Susu asked casually.
"The martial arts world of Jingzhou is about to be reshuffled!"
Yang Yan looked at Yin Susu seriously.
"Is it really necessary to go to such lengths over a dragon-slaying sword?"
"Someone is sowing discord among them."
"Who is it?"
"Blackwater Channel, Heavenly King Zhu!"
Yang Yan concluded unequivocally: "The matter of the Liancheng Treasure is not completely over. Zhu Datianwang wanted to get involved, but was scared away by Mr. Zhuge. Although he did not participate in the treasure's struggle, the people he brought have been lurking in Jingzhou and Xiangyang, ready to launch a surprise attack at any time."
Yin Susu asked curiously, "Why would Zhu the Great Heavenly King risk his life in Jingzhou when he's doing just fine in the Three Gorges?"
Yang Yan held up three fingers: "I can roughly guess what he's thinking. First, Jingxiang is more prosperous, so he can indulge in debauchery. Second, Jingxiang has convenient transportation, which makes it easy to expand outwards. Finally, sticking to the Three Gorges Water Fortress will make people lazy and lose their ambition."
Xu Qingya added, "Is Yan'er perhaps referring to the idea that one is born in hardship and dies in comfort? Ordinary people like a peaceful life, but for those underworld tycoons, once they get used to a comfortable life, it could very well lead to their demise."
Yang Yan sighed, "Famous mountains and rivers, and wealthy prefectures are basically home to famous sects. The only opportunity in the Black Waterway is Jingxiang. They started their businesses by waterway and established themselves in Jingxiang, which can save them a lot of trouble."
Yin Susu gasped, "You two have analyzed so much, but I don't understand. What does this have to do with us? Why do we have to fight to the death?"
Yang Yan glanced at Xu Qingya: "If the decisive battle were to take place elsewhere, we could watch from the sidelines. But since it's in Jingxiang, don't forget that the foundation of Qingya's lifelong martial arts lies in the Spring and Autumn Saber Technique!"
"So, we—"
"Let's go to Jingzhou! Defeat Gu Jianhun before Zhu Xiawu launches his so-called all-out attack!"
South of Jiangling City, the ruins of Tianning Temple.
With the triple bombardment of the sinkhole, the sluice gate mechanism, and the stunning shot, coupled with the tireless digging by 3,000 soldiers day and night, this place has long been reduced to ruins.
However, before leaving, Zhuge Zhengwo allocated a sum of money to the local county government, instructing them to level the ground, fill in the tunnel pits, and then rebuild the dock.
The ancient sword spirit was dozing off in the ruins.
He is so tired!
Continuous battles, continuous harassment, continuous killings.
The ancient sword spirit has reached its limit.
"Whoosh!"
A dark figure drifted down from the night sky, and Gu Jianhun suddenly awoke, gripping the Dragon Slayer Blade tightly in his right hand.
"It's you! You dare to come see me!"
The ancient sword spirit glared angrily at the dark figure.
The shadowy figure said calmly, "Ancient Sword Soul, you asked me for advice on how to persuade the Emei Sect, and I told you the method, but you messed it up yourself. If you had secretly stolen the Dragon-Slaying Saber and hadn't caused all this commotion, you would already be at Emei, proposing marriage to Abbess Fengling!"
"Bullshit! Don't think I don't know what you're thinking! Who created the pursuers? How did they find my trail? When I wanted to kill Murong Fu with one blow, who ambushed me?"
"We're each getting what we need!"
"Did you get what you wanted?"
"The situation is out of my control. Zhuge Zhengwo left too decisively; the plan has to be postponed!"
"I need to remind you of something: don't think you can control everything! I might die, but before I do, I'll definitely sell you out completely!"
"What can you betray me for?"
"Of course, it's your deepest secret!"
Gu Jianhun extended his finger and flicked it twice.
The shadowy figure said in a deep voice, "I need the Murong clan's 'Star Shift' technique. Murong Fu cannot die. As for your injuries, this is more than enough compensation!"
The shadowy figure tossed a bottle of pills to Gu Jianhun.
The medicine bottle, made of millennia-old jade, can effectively lock in the medicinal power of the pills. Even after being stored for three or four hundred years, it can retain most of the medicinal power. For large forces, this item is priceless, with a starting bid of at least ten thousand taels.
If you smash the medicine bottle, you can make it into jade pendants, amulets, or longevity locks to ward off cold and evil spirits. A piece the size of a candy bean can sell for three or four hundred taels of silver.
The pills that are worth storing in this kind of medicine bottle must be the most precious of all. Gu Jianhun opened the medicine bottle and the fragrance of the medicine wafted out. After just a few sniffs, he felt comfortable all over and showed an expression of enjoyment on his face. However, he did not hesitate for a moment and immediately put the medicine into his mouth.
"The Great Elixir of Rejuvenation, what a grand gesture!"
Gu Jianhun certainly knew what kind of pill this was.
The Shaolin Great Rejuvenation Pill is a top-grade elixir from Shaolin Temple. It can treat internal and external injuries, revive the dead and heal bones, and also greatly increase one's internal energy, allowing for a complete cleansing and marrow-refining process.
However, the medicinal materials for refining the Great Rejuvenation Pill are extremely precious, and the control of the heat during the refining process is even more delicate. If you are not careful or lose focus, a batch of pills will turn into waste, which is more wasteful than burning money.
The Shaolin Medicine King Academy opens its furnace twice a year, successfully producing two or three pieces each time, and refining four or five pieces annually. Even if the number is somewhat reserved, it will certainly not exceed ten pieces.
With eight branch academies of Shaolin and three thousand monks, how could such a small amount of pills be enough to go around? If they were lucky, they might have one or two left over, but if they were unlucky, they would be spending more than they earned. There were probably only seven or eight Great Rejuvenation Pills that could be used directly within Shaolin.
The fact that the shadowy figure could casually hand over a Great Rejuvenation Pill to the Ancient Sword Soul reveals the shadowy figure's true intentions.
I'm heartbroken!
Who the hell complains about having too many life-saving medicines?!
The shadowy figure said quickly, "Ancient Sword Soul! The Blackwater Path plans to use you to disrupt the martial arts world of Jingxiang. I advise you to leave quickly, otherwise, that bastard Zhu Shunshui will definitely take the opportunity to ambush you and devour you!"
"Zhu Shunshui wants to eat me, but what about you? You've cooperated with me so many times, what's your purpose?"
"For love!"
The dark figure sighed and drifted away.
Gu Jianhun meditated to cultivate his inner energy and restore his power.
The shadowy figure was a friend that Gu Jianhun made by chance when he was provoking others everywhere. Although they were called friends, they were actually business partners who helped each other while also sabotaging each other.
The Lion's Roar, Vajra Finger, Dragon Claw Hand and other secret manuals of Gu Jianhun were all provided by the Shadow. The fact that Gu Jianhun was continuously chased and had nowhere to run was also arranged by the Shadow. This person is meticulous and ruthless. Even someone as strong as Gu Jianhun is wary of him.
Ancient Sword Soul didn't know the secret of the shadowy figure, so he could only try to scare him. Unfortunately, the shadowy figure wasn't fooled. He was always so calm, as calm as a clay puppet. His heart had long since died, leaving only a desolate wasteland.
The dark figure flew dozens of feet away, found a relatively high rooftop, sat down gently, and casually took off his mask, revealing a shiny bald head.
"King Zhu, you're so slow!"
The shadowy figure muttered into the dark alleyway, "You've done too many shady things, you're a disgrace wherever you go. I'm worried that in two years, you'll even forget what you look like!"
A somber voice echoed from the darkness: "I've forgotten what I look like. Do you remember?"
"Of course I remember!"
"Oh? What do you look like?"
"Hypocritical and repulsive, everyone who cooperates with me wishes they could kill me!"
"Yes, I really want to kill you!"
"Why don't you make a move? I could escape from Zhu Shunshui, but I can't escape from you!"
"I want to know your reasons for doing all this. Everyone has desires; what are your desires?"
"I just answered this question once, and I'll answer it again now. No matter who asks me, no matter when or where, there will always be only one answer."
I did it for love!
Everything I did was for love!
You can choose not to believe it!
But I hope you can respect my love!
"You just betrayed me!"
"Zhuge Zhengwo has left Jingzhou, and the assassination plot against him has failed. Rather than making a scene, it's better to make a clean break and discard what needs to be discarded!"
"What if you were the one who should be abandoned?"
"Whatever you want!"
The shadowy figure calmly stood up, put on a mask, and used the "Crossing the River on a Reed" technique to leave. Zhu Datianwang disappeared silently into the depths of the alley.
No one knew that at some point, several conspirators were plotting to assassinate Zhuge Zhengwo, and every step from planning to execution was incredibly imaginative.
The wildly imaginative plan, due to an unexpected event that was both reasonable and unreasonable, all became a waste of effort.
Is it really useless?
The shadowy figure looked up at the moon.
"Disciple, are you ready?"
The frame-up plot has been restarted!
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