Chapter 108: This is Gu Qing Paying His Respects

Leaving Chunhua Pavilion, Gu Qing took Gong Sun Lan and others to rent a room, underwent disguise, blended into the crowd, and arrived at the house Shangguanfeiyan had arranged in the capital.

Gu Qing ensured no one was following, and instructed Gong Sun Lan and the others not to reveal their true faces until the night of September 15th.

“What do you intend to do?”

Gong Sun Lan asked, watching Gu Qing’s mysterious demeanor.

“Of course, something big.”

Gu Qing said firmly: “You and Ouyang Qing must not get involved in this matter at all—you must stay hidden here.”

In the final confrontation arc, Gong Sun Lan was written out, and Ouyang Qing was poisoned.

After giving instructions, Gu Qing taught Gong Sun Lan and the others Ouyang Feng’s antidote method, then took Gong Sun Lan’s two swords, disguised himself, and left to meet Lu Xiaofeng.

Lu Xiaofeng was also deeply concerned about Ye Gucheng, so the two traveled together.

Just as the two reunited, Mu Dao Ren and Gu Song Jushi arrived, bringing them beyond the capital to meet the Grandpa Turtle-Brat.

Grandpa Turtle-Brat was an oddity—he knew nearly all secrets in the world and could sell them for high prices, yet he spent money recklessly; thus, when penniless, he was Turtle-Brat, and when wealthy, he was Grandpa.

This old man Sun was short and thin, with a head as large as a Dou ; upon seeing Gu Qing, his eyes sharpened, scrutinizing him for a moment before slipping into a side kiln.

Master Sun knew all secrets, but normally communicated through the identities “Da Tong” and “Da Zhi,” requiring him to hide within a small cave.

Seeing this, Gu Qing silently activated the Yoga Tantra, stirring his throat chakra.

This Grandpa Turtle-Brat had been summoned by Mu Dao Ren, so Mu Dao Ren spoke first: “Is there any possibility of a draw in the battle on September 15th?”

Mu Dao Ren desperately wanted to know this answer.

“Unless one of Ximen Chuixue or Ye Gucheng extinguishes his killing intent, it’s impossible!”

“Da Tong’s” voice came from within, utterly certain.

Two top swordmasters, fighting each other, could never settle for a stalemate.

“You don’t even know me—why say it’s impossible?”

Gu Qing laughed.

“Because they are Ximen Chuixue and Ye Gucheng!”

“Da Zhi” shouted.

“Who is Gu Qing?”

Lu Xiaofeng suddenly asked.

Lu Xiaofeng had asked this once before, when Gu Qing was challenging the Green Robe Pavilion; back then, Old Man Sun could not determine Gu Qing’s origins.

“I still can’t tell.”

“Da Tong” said: “As far as I know, the ability to use two minds at once is a secret of the Ximen Demon Cult. Gu Qing uses two martial arts simultaneously—only the Demon Cult’s master, Yu Luocha, has ever done this. Recently, there were rumors Yu Luocha died… Gu Qing is not Yu Luocha.”

Originally, Old Man Sun suspected Gu Qing was Yu Luocha in disguise, with hidden motives entering the pass; but recent observations confirmed they were two different people, with entirely different martial styles.

Lu Xiaofeng and Mu Dao Ren both stared at Gu Qing.

In this martial world, mysterious heroes often appear—like Shen Lang of old, whose lineage and identity were unknown, yet who accomplished one great deed after another, and whose legends still echo today.

Gu Qing smiled calmly and asked: “Has Ye Gucheng really been poisoned?”

“Da Zhi” affirmed: “Yes!”

This answer startled Lu Xiaofeng.

“What cure exists for Ye Gucheng’s poison?”

Gu Qing asked again.

“Da Tong” said: “Within the capital, only three cures exist: first, find the Tang Clan for the antidote; second, find the imperial physician and use the royal treasury’s treasures to heal the poison; third, find Ximen Chuixue!”

“Ximen Chuixue?”

Lu Xiaofeng asked in astonishment.

“Precisely Ximen Chuixue!”

“Da Zhi” said: “Everyone knows Ximen Chuixue’s sword is the most deadly—but few know he is also the best at curing poison.”

In the original Lu Xiaofeng Chronicles, during the Jin Peng Dynasty arc, Shi Xiuxue and Sun Xiuqing were both poisoned; Shi Xiuxue died in Hua Manlou’s arms, while Ximen Chuixue took Sun Xiuqing away and cured her completely, then married her. Lu Xiaofeng then inquired about the Honest Monk’s whereabouts, but Old Man Sun knew nothing; finally he asked: “Who is the man accompanying Du Tongxuan?”

Whoever caught Lu Xiaofeng’s attention was surely a master.

But as soon as he asked, a short bamboo whistle sounded from the side.

Hearing this sound, Gu Qing understood instantly.

The Prince of Pingnan’s faction planned rebellion and needed allies; their contact point was Ouyang Qing’s brothel, so during the coup preparations, both Ouyang Qing and the often-visiting Grandpa Turtle-Brat were suspects—and needed silenced.

After this whistle, a small snake would bite and kill Old Man Sun.

But Gu Qing knew this, and as Old Man Sun entered the kiln, he had already activated his throat chakra.

“Come out!”

Gu Qing’s throat chakra emitted a voice that drowned out the whistle.

The throat chakra, located in the throat between brain and torso, is the center of communication and signal transmission between mind and body; through it, one can unleash sonic power, and even compel the weak-minded to answer any question truthfully.

!

Gu Qing’s sudden sonic blast shattered the silence, making Lu Xiaofeng and Mu Dao Ren’s hearts tighten, causing Gu Song Jushi to go momentarily blind; from a distant tree, a figure suddenly fell.

Inside the kiln, Old Man Sun screamed and scrambled out, crawling on hands and knees.

“Snake… snake…”

Old Man Sun, trembling, emerged.

At that moment, Lu Xiaofeng flashed back, holding the fallen figure—a child of about ten.

Seeing the bamboo whistle in the child’s hand, Old Man Sun turned deathly pale.

“You’re too cruel.”

Lu Xiaofeng said unhappily: “He’s just a child.”

Gu Qing’s sonic wave had killed the child outright.

“A child wouldn’t kill!”

Gu Qing said coldly: “Whoever kills is no longer a child.”

To kill is to lose innocence—to kill is to cease being a child.

Lu Xiaofeng looked at the child’s corpse, then crawled into the cave and emerged holding a short snake—also dead from Gu Qing’s sonic wave.

“Where are Da Tong and Da Zhi?”

Gu Song Jushi asked.

“There is no Da Tong or Da Zhi—there is only Grandpa Turtle-Brat.”

Lu Xiaofeng looked at the shaken Old Man Sun, his heart sinking—he sensed this duel between Gu Qing, Ye Gucheng, and Ximen Chuixue was far more complicated than it seemed.

In this capital, an invisible current flowed beneath the surface.

“One final question.”

Gu Qing looked at Old Man Sun and asked: “Where has Ye Gucheng taken refuge?”

It was a remote temple with only two monk’s rooms; when Gu Qing and Lu Xiaofeng arrived, they saw a monk, discarded bandages, and sticky pus and blood on them.

Ye Gucheng had already begun his performance.

Gu Qing pushed open the door—Ye Gucheng’s face was pale as death.

“The cart is ready.”

Gu Qing stepped forward and said to Ye Gucheng: “Come with me—I’ll get you medicine.”

“Medicine?”

Ye Gucheng was startled—Gu Qing’s first words to him were this.

“If even the Tang Clan can’t produce the antidote, I’ll bring you the finest physician in the world to heal you!”

Gu Qing spoke with an aura of peerless heroism: “Just lie down in the cart like A Zhu!”

This is Gu Qing paying his respects!

(End of Chapter)