Chapter 106: Using Love to Soften Ye Gucheng

Fog, thick fog.

The steed, startled, bolted away; the carriage jolted and swayed.

After a muffled groan from inside, Gong Sun Lan straightened her robes and stepped out to breathe fresh air. Ouyang Qing and Xue Bing, who were also driving, paid no mind—even laughed at it.

“Lady, no need to explain.”

Ouyang Qing, raised in a brothel, had heard this sort of thing too often: “Before death, a man must go mad once.”

There are few famous swordsmen in the world, but Ximen Chui Xue and Ye Gucheng stand at the very top. Gu Qing’s strength is high—he might defeat one with certainty, but facing both means certain defeat… yet even in a certain defeat, if one has the heart to strike ruthlessly, there remains a sliver of hope to turn the tide.

After all, among masters, a hair’s breadth can decide life or death.

But Gu Qing chose “harmony.”

To seek “harmony” with Ximen Chui Xue and Ye Gucheng is to invite death—don’t blame anyone else.

After meeting Mu Dao Ren and others at Danjiang, the group pressed straight toward Jingcheng, with few stops along the way; before they knew it, the towering ancient city walls of Jingcheng came into view.

As they neared the city, Gong Sun Lan spotted someone familiar.

Shang Guan Fei Yan, dressed in a pale blue lady’s robe, and the lively, twelve-year-old Shang Guan Xue Er.

“Sister.”

Shang Guan Fei Yan whispered, her gaze pitifully fragile.

Ouyang Qing and Xue Bing, seeing Shang Guan Fei Yan’s slender waist swaying in the morning breeze, as frail and delicate as a white flower, each felt a chill.

They both knew of the rift between Shang Guan Fei Yan and Gong Sun Lan over the Red Shoes.

“Come here to play the victim?”

Xue Bing raised her whip and lashed toward Shang Guan Fei Yan.

“You’re being utterly unreasonable!”

Shang Guan Xue Er cried out sharply, leaping forward, one hand seizing Xue Bing’s wrist, the other striking her face without mercy.

Seeing the girl was so young and using the common seventy-two-locking-hands technique, Xue Bing dismissed her, anticipating her move and casually shoving—only for Shang Guan Xue Er’s locking hands to shift instantly, gripping Xue Bing’s forearm.

“You’re using your martial arts wrong.”

Xue Bing, though pained, wasn’t injured; she prepared to teach Shang Guan Xue Er proper technique with the seventy-two-locking-hands. But Shang Guan Xue Er’s strikes unfolded—each move, each step, the most common in the Jianghu—yet when close, they became deceptive, appearing as if misapplied, yet the “mistakes” had their own logic, leaving Xue Bing’s orthodox style helpless, struck repeatedly.

“Brat!”

Xue Bing, furious, prepared to use her true skill.

“Enough.”

Gu Qing stepped out of the carriage, halting both sides. Shang Guan Xue Er, seeing him, cried out, “Master!”

“Your disciple?”

Xue Bing was furious—she’d been bested by this little girl through carelessness.

“Yes, my disciple.”

Gu Qing looked at Shang Guan Xue Er with approval: “This girl loves to deceive. When I trained in the Green Robe Pavilion, exploring the reversal of martial principles, I created the Ten Thousand Flowers Deception Fist…”

Gu Qing’s Ten Thousand Flowers Deception Fist drew from the Hundred Flowers Deception Fist in The Book and the Sword—rooted in ordinary martial arts, yet applied deceptively, confusing opponents with false targets, obscuring the true landing point of each punch. It was Gu Qing’s reflection on Reverse Nine Yin.

The Solitary Sword Technique is orthodox; this fist technique is reversed. Both are frameworks: the more one has seen and experienced, the more refined the sword and fist become.

This deceptive fist technique suits Shang Guan Xue Er, who loves deception, perfectly.

“Master.”

Shang Guan Xue Er hurriedly said: “Your duel has shaken the Jianghu. Hundreds of martial luminaries are coming—five sect leaders, ten gang bosses, twenty to thirty head Biao heads, elders from Shaolin and Wudang, and martial clans… My sister and I rented a house so you won’t be disturbed before the battle.”

This time, Gu Qing was facing Ximen Chui Xue and Ye Gucheng—the stakes were enormous. Many martial elders had bet their fortunes on Ximen and Ye winning.

They believed Ye and Ximen’s combined strength was foolproof—but if they got the chance, they’d still strike Gu Qing to weaken him, ensuring his condition worsened by the final duel.

But Gu Qing’s appearance surpassed everyone’s expectations.

Gong Sun Lan half-covered her face, feeling closer to widowhood. “Sister.”

Shang Guan Fei Yan approached Gu Qing but first flattered Gong Sun Lan: “If you’ll forgive past grievances, I’m willing to bring the Green Robe Pavilion under your wing.”

Gong Sun Lan sneered: “You know Gu Qing is going to die—you’re looking for a new patron?”

Controlling the Green Robe Pavilion depends on strength.

While Gu Qing stands behind the Green Robe Pavilion, Shang Guan Fei Yan can manipulate its operations. But if Gu Qing is gone, no matter how many tricks she has, she cannot hold her position—and will be bullied.

To Gong Sun Lan, this was Shang Guan Fei Yan planning her future.

“No!”

Shang Guan Fei Yan, though appearing frail, her eyes fiercely resolute, said: “I believe in Gu Qing!”

Shang Guan Fei Yan had absolute faith in Gu Qing.

“Where does this belief come from?”

!

Gong Sun Lan asked, baffled.

“Just believe!”

Shang Guan Fei Yan said—even knowing Gu Qing’s appearance would draw special attention from Jingcheng’s martial circles, she still believed.

Because Gu Qing always acts with reason.

Others cannot fathom it.

“Besides, Ye Gucheng is wounded!”

Shang Guan Fei Yan added.

Ye Gucheng is wounded?

“At Zhangjiakou, Ye Gucheng encountered the Tang Clan of Shu. He used ‘Fairy’s Flight from Beyond,’ but was struck by poison sand.”

Shang Guan Fei Yan relayed the latest news from Jingcheng: “No matter what, Ye Gucheng cannot maintain his full strength.”

Gong Sun Lan, Xue Bing, and Ouyang Qing exchanged glances.

They’d all assumed Gu Qing was dead—yet now the situation had turned unexpectedly.

“How careless of him.”

Gu Qing smiled: “No choice—I must go to Ye Gucheng and cure his poison.”

Ye Gucheng was not poisoned—the poison sand was merely an act. But deep within him lay a deadly scheme, one that would turn against himself and ensure he could never leave the Forbidden City.

For Gu Qing to make dumplings, he must destroy this plan.

Fortunately, Ye Gucheng is now “poisoned.”

“You’re going to cure Ye Gucheng’s poison?”

Gong Sun Lan felt even more lost.

“Of course.”

Gu Qing said firmly: “As my opponent in the final duel, he must stand whole and unharmed atop the Forbidden City. And curing his poison will move him.”

Move Ye Gucheng?

Gong Sun Lan thought this even more absurd—like making dumplings.

“What makes you think you can move a sword saint?”

Gong Sun Lan couldn’t understand.

“With love!”

Gu Qing opened his arms, his face filled with solemnity: “I will move him with love!”

(End of Chapter)