Chapter 113: The night of the full moon, the peak of the Forbidden City

The fifteenth of the ninth month, the night of the full moon.

Gu Qing, dressed in green robes with wide sleeves, stood atop the roof ridge, holding two swords in each hand.

Ximen Chuixue had arrived long ago. Having already married Sun Xiuqing, his demeanor carried a hint of gentleness. Below the Hall of Supreme Harmony, Sun Xiuqing and the members of the Emei Sect were there to support him. Ximen Chuixue tilted his sword; the blade was cold as a mirror, reflecting the brilliance of the bright moon.

A warm heart gradually cooled.

Ye Gucheng had also arrived. Like Ximen Chuixue, he was dressed in white, though there seemed to be something amiss at his chest.

Ximen Chuixue's gaze shifted over.

Ye Gucheng tapped his own chest and said indifferently, "A minor wound, it will not affect the battle."

Gu Qing had fed Ye Gucheng poison. Afterward, to detoxify, Ye Gucheng had specifically taken Tang Men's poison sand, pricked his own chest, and applied the antidote. The poison in his body had been completely purged. Ye Gucheng had chosen the location of this wound carefully, so it would not affect the battle.

Let this wound be the price for lying.

Only then did Ximen Chuixue look at Gu Qing. Seeing Gu Qing holding two swords in each hand—four in total—he said, "Focusing one's intent without distraction leads to the concentration of the spirit. The essence of the heart is called holiness. Only by devoting oneself entirely to one path can one transcend the ordinary and enter the holy. What you are doing is not sincere."

Ximen Chuixue was able to become a powerhouse precisely because of his persistence.

"Kites fly and fish leap; the duck's legs are short, the crane's are long. Each finds its own suitability; what is there to complain about to the heavens?"

Gu Qing said indifferently. Everyone's path is different; there is nothing to discuss.

Ximen Chuixue fell silent.

The bright moon shone upon the Hall of Supreme Harmony, like a dream, like frost.

Suddenly, sword Qi soared into the sky!

Gu Qing flicked both hands. A strip of silk appeared from each sleeve, wrapping around the hilts of the long swords, and simultaneously thrust them toward Ximen Chuixue and Ye Gucheng. The two men each used their swords to parry. Just as they were about to slice through the silk, the long swords suddenly retracted, and the long swords in Gu Qing's hands thrust out again.

One advance, one retreat; one in front, one thrusting.

Gu Qing used all four swords at once, executing two sets of the Jade Maiden Heart Sword Art. Every move and every stance was perfectly coordinated.

Ximen Chuixue's sword was like a thunderbolt, streaking across the sky like a rainbow beneath the full moon.

At this very moment, Ye Gucheng's sword light shifted, and the Flying Immortal from Beyond the Heavens was unleashed.

This was a sword of certain kill and certain victory!

No one could describe the perfection and dreamlike quality of this sword. Ye Gucheng's sword light merged with the moonlight, tracing a streak of light in mid-air.

Ximen Chuixue and Ye Gucheng were both the world's top swordsmen. Now, their swords were in harmony, operating as their hearts desired.

"Clang! Clang!!"

The silk strips in Gu Qing's sleeves flew out, wrapping around the long swords. For a moment, the two swords combined, defending against Ye Gucheng's Flying Immortal from Beyond the Heavens flawlessly. At the same time, Gu Qing himself flew up, his sword moves changing to the same Flying Immortal from Beyond the Heavens, pressing down toward Ximen Chuixue!

The onlookers nearby broke into cold sweats at the sight. Watching Gu Qing's sword moves swaying, he was still able to execute two sets of martial arts and two styles of fighting under the pincer attack of Ximen Chuixue and Ye Gucheng, yet they were as harmonious as one. To them, this was simply inconceivable.

"Clang!"

Gu Qing's Flying Immortal from Beyond the Heavens clashed with Ximen Chuixue's sword light. His sleeve then flicked upward, the Ancient Tomb Sect's 'Graceful and Empty Green' technique activated, the silk ribbons wrapping around the long sword and thrusting toward Ximen Chuixue.

Ximen Chuixue parried with his sword hilt, knocking the blade away. Sword light swirled as he lunged upward. On the other side, Ye Gucheng's sword was light and agile, circling one of Gu Qing's long swords. As he spun, he sliced through Gu Qing's sleeve ribbon, causing one of Gu Qing's four swords to fall with a "clatter."

"Whoosh!"

Gu Qing's long sword seemed to possess a demonic nature, drawing a large arc from bottom to top, swirling toward Ye Gucheng's chest.

At the same time Ye Gucheng knocked away one of Gu Qing's swords, he had already fallen into the encirclement of Gu Qing's sword path. The two sides' sword paths were like cocoons; Gu Qing's strike left Ye Gucheng with almost nowhere to dodge and nowhere to retreat.

The Xiang Swordsman Wei Ziyun was terrified at the sight, feeling that if he were facing this strike, he would surely die. Seeing Gu Qing facing the pincer attack of two men while his two-handed sword techniques remained relaxed yet controlled—advancing and defending, trapping and attacking—he was no different from someone fully focused on a single enemy. He was even more filled with admiration.

"Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang..."

In an instant, the sword screen in Gu Qing's hands unfolded, clashing a hundred times with Ye Gucheng's sword in a heartbeat. To the onlookers, these hundred strikes sounded like one long note, with almost no pause in between. The sword lights of both sides intertwined more densely, and their sword moves became more precise. In those hundred strikes, Gu Qing's sword light attacked suddenly, like a silkworm cocoon weaving together. It was originally a dead end, but Ye Gucheng's sword, like clouds from beyond the heavens, was ethereal and agile, finding a path to survival within those hundred strikes, rising up and retreating unscathed.

Gu Qing pursued Ye Gucheng, his body also dodging Ximen Chuixue's long sword. With Ximen Chuixue in close quarters, the 'Graceful and Empty Green' was difficult to deploy, so he used his sword moves in succession. His technique was incredibly fast; he would release one sword as soon as he thrust it, then grasp another to wield, receiving and thrusting in turn. With such incredibly fast technique, he used a set of Gongsun Sword Instruments, causing Ximen Chuixue to pause momentarily in a daze.

Lu Xiaofeng observed intently, sighing in admiration. He felt that Gu Qing's ability to multitask was truly unparalleled. Facing Gu Qing, Ximen Chuixue and Ye Gucheng really seemed to be fighting two Gu Qings at the same time.

It was no wonder that after Gu Qing issued the challenge, proud men like Ximen Chuixue and Ye Gucheng were able to accept it gladly.

However, although Gu Qing could multitask and fight multiple enemies, his internal energy was ultimately within one body. Wielding his Qi with such full force, Gu Qing would eventually be unable to hold out.

"Clatter!"

Ximen Chuixue thrust his sword, and in the rapid battle, he also knocked away one of Gu Qing's swords. The falling sword followed the slick tiles of the Hall of Supreme Harmony and landed on the ground with a thud.

Atop the Hall of Supreme Harmony, Gu Qing, having lost two swords, used his sword moves with less flair, becoming increasingly pure. All kinds of sword moves changed in his hands; at times the method was strict, at times the demonic intent was thick, and at times the two swords merged, fast and shadowless. In a trance, it seemed as if there were two Gu Qings atop the Hall of Supreme Harmony, separating and merging, entering a war of attrition with Ximen Chuixue and Ye Gucheng. With such rapid strikes, over a hundred and seventy moves had already passed.

The Old Man Wu Ming was also in the Forbidden City, watching the current excitement. He saw that Ximen Chuixue and Ye Gucheng's Qi had become impure after the continuous battle, while Gu Qing, at this very moment, was circulating his Qi violently, white smoke steaming from his body. Fighting two against one, he seemed to still have energy to spare.

Zhang Wuji, who possessed the Nine Yang Manual, would feel his Qi become impure and his strength wane after going all out for over two hundred moves when facing the Vajra Subduing Demon Circle. Yet Gu Qing, possessing various supreme arts, had his internal energy surging under the heavy consumption of Ximen Chuixue and Ye Gucheng, and many of the wonders within his internal energy were being excavated by Gu Qing like a treasure.

"Clang! Clang!!"

Suddenly, it had reached the one hundred and seventy-eighth move mentioned by the Old Man.

The Old Man narrowed his eyes slightly.

Wu Ming had long known that Gu Qing could apply two sets of martial arts and had anticipated this situation. However, operating two sets of martial arts simultaneously placed a huge burden on one's meridians. Under such high-intensity pressure, by the one hundred and seventy-eighth move, Gu Qing would tear his own heart meridians.

"Clang!" "Clang!"

The four swords clashed.

Under Gu Qing's full-force strike, Ximen Chuixue's sword, Ye Gucheng's sword, and Gu Qing's swords were all shaken into mid-air.

!

Ximen Chuixue was looking at the swords in the sky. By the thirtieth move, Ximen Chuixue had already discovered that his sword had slowed down. Now that his long sword had left his hand, for Ximen Chuixue, there was only death. But looking at the long sword slowly falling from the sky, Ximen Chuixue recalled everything since he began learning the sword, and suddenly reached his hand upward.

The sword in his hand was gone, but the sword in his heart remained!

If the sword is slow, then use the slow sword!

Everything of the past was like an obsession. Suddenly, Ximen Chuixue "let go."

When he met Gu Qing with his sword finger, Ximen Chuixue saw that Ye Gucheng was the same. The three men's moves alternated. The swords in the air had already fallen. Suddenly, the three men had four swords again. Suddenly, Ye Gucheng's sword was in Ximen Chuixue's hand, Ximen Chuixue's sword was in Gu Qing's hand, and Gu Qing's sword was in Ye Gucheng's hand.

The three men no longer "clung" to their swords.

Sword lights alternated, sword bodies flew. The three men each used swords, yet were not restricted to using swords. In the end, it was impossible to distinguish between sword moves and palm moves.

Gu Qing was still executing moves, plainly and simply breaking through the limits mentioned by the Old Man.

Wu Ming let out a breath because of this, and his gaze toward Gu Qing became even more unique.

Shangguan Xue'er saw those long swords flying and shooting rapidly. The three men had swords in their hands one moment and no swords the next. Within it were the blurred shadows of the Hundred Flower Misleading Fist. In the end, these long swords fell one after another, nailing themselves onto the roof ridge of the Hall of Supreme Harmony. Ximen Chuixue and Ye Gucheng sat on the roof ridge, panting incessantly.

They were exhausted.

Gu Qing stood on the spot, white smoke steaming from his body, and blood dripped from the center of his brow.

Was Gu Qing hit?

Gongsun Lan and Lu Xiaofeng both leaped over to Gu Qing's side. Seeing Gu Qing still panting continuously, his body covered in sweat, Gongsun Lan gently wiped his brow, seeing that there was no wound there, and then thin drops of blood condensed within.

This was an anomaly formed when Gu Qing's blood, Qi, and spirit were evaporated to their peak.

"Tell Daoist Mu that he can wrap the dumplings now."

At this moment, Gu Qing let out a long breath, sat on the roof ridge of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, and gathered his internal energy and calmed his blood and Qi with his breathing.

This steaming of blood and Qi made Gu Qing feel a bit dizzy for a moment.

... It might be high blood pressure.

Gongsun Lan supported Gu Qing, her gaze filled with brilliance, and let Gu Qing sit on the roof ridge of the Hall of Supreme Harmony first.

The night of the full moon, the peak of the Forbidden City, Gu Qing faced the sword from the west, broke the Flying Immortal from Beyond the Heavens, and retreated unscathed. This was already the most remarkable miracle in the Jianghu.

From now on, the most widely known number one person in this Jianghu would be Gu Qing.

And this battle would also spread far and wide in the Jianghu.

How could Gongsun Lan not love such a person?

Lu Xiaofeng stood at the corner of the hall, calling out about wrapping dumplings, causing a burst of cheers below the Hall of Supreme Harmony. Daoist Mu, the Honest Monk, and Dugu Yihe, while gratified, also smiled bitterly. Asking them to wrap dumplings was indeed a bit difficult.

Lu Xiaofeng looked at Ximen Chuixue, then at Ye Gucheng, and felt a bit of admiration for Gu Qing, but said, "Gu Qing, the Hall of Supreme Harmony is so high; if you don't beg me, you won't be able to get down."

Because the Emperor was watching this decisive battle, most people were below the Golden Throne Hall. There were only five people on the Golden Throne Hall.

Gongsun Lan's lightness skill was very high, but carrying Gu Qing still required some assistance.

Lu Xiaofeng looked up at the sky. Even if Gu Qing became the number one person, he still had to beg him!

Gu Qing raised his eyes and said, "Do you believe that with just one word from me, you will lie down before me and kiss my shoes?"

Lu Xiaofeng shook his head, not believing it.

Gu Qing smiled and said calmly, "Hua Manlou's eyes can be saved."

As soon as these words were spoken, Lu Xiaofeng, who had been smug, stiffened. He looked at Gu Qing in shock, and then, in front of the Emperor below the Golden Throne Hall and many Jianghu people, Lu Xiaofeng, overjoyed, lay down before Gu Qing and began to kiss Gu Qing's shoes frantically.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 114 =====