Chapter 122: Kill Bluebeard

Winter, early winter.

Cold wind brushed against the face.

The Palace Mistress wrapped herself in a thin coat, gazing at Gu Qing, who still wore his autumn robes, utterly composed in the chill, showing no sign of shivering, even exuding a certain elegance.

"Maintaining body temperature with internal energy consumes stamina!"

The Palace Mistress said coldly, finding it pretentious.

"That's you."

Gu Qing said: "I'm cold-resistant."

After strengthening his heart with Good Deed points, his body temperature regulated itself in this cold weather, placing him in a low-consumption, cold-resistant state.

The Palace Mistress snorted. Since parting with the old man on the boat, she had been in cold silence with Gu Qing—rarely speaking unless at mealtime, when they exchanged brief greetings and ate together mechanically.

If fleeing wouldn't turn their cold war into a hot one, she would have abandoned Gu Qing long ago.

"Do you remember what my father told you?"

The Palace Mistress asked coldly.

They had disembarked by the sea and ridden straight toward the frontier, passing numerous sects—Gu Qing ignored them all, as if driven by clear purpose—but the Palace Mistress no longer wished to follow him like this… This wasn't the Jianghu she had envisioned, merely a mindless "flight" through it.

It was meaningless.

Gu Qing replied: "What did your father tell me?"

"You tell me."

"Your father said, 'The bee's two hindquarters are as large as cocoons, meaning the flowers on the front mountain have already bloomed.' Your nickname is Bee. He told me to beat your ass until it swells!"

In the scroll "Phoenix Dancing the Nine Heavens," the old man once told Lu Xiaofeng that his daughter's nickname was Bee—a species that devours the male after mating.

The Palace Mistress flushed crimson and shouted: "'The bee's two hindquarters are as large as cocoons' means her belly is swollen!"

"Oh…"

Gu Qing drew out the syllable.

The Palace Mistress immediately realized he was teasing her. She instantly activated the Jade Orchid Hand and struck his body with a flurry of blows.

The Jade Orchid Hand was an extremely fearsome martial art capable of dislocating tendons and misaligning meridians, inflicting injuries without leaving visible traces—once struck, the victim might feel nothing at first, but the affected area would be permanently ruined.

Now, fueled by rage, the Palace Mistress struck once on Gu Qing's back. As her palm made contact, she was stunned—her next two strikes came instinctively; only when she realized what she'd done did she understand she had landed all three blows on the back of his heart.

These three consecutive strikes left the Palace Mistress stunned, staring at Gu Qing as if he were already dead.

No one could survive the Jade Orchid Hand!

For it was the ultimate among ultimates!

Gu Qing turned his face toward her, his eyes also showing surprise as they met hers.

In that moment, their gazes seemed to span life and death.

"You…"

The Palace Mistress's eyes shifted through countless emotions. Gu Qing had repeatedly mistreated her; their journey had been filled with cold words. She had imagined killing him—but never this way.

This accidental strike felt like a wish fulfilled, yet left her with an inexplicable emptiness.

Perhaps because, in all her life, Gu Qing was the only one who had ever truly "struck" her.

"I'm fine… Next time, obey…"

Gu Qing suddenly spoke.

"I'm fine" sounded like reassurance, telling her not to be burdened by his death; "obey" sounded like a dying wish. The Palace Mistress understood it this way and nodded.

Then Gu Qing turned around, flicked the reins, and walked toward a gambling den.

Silver Hook Gambling Den.

At its entrance hung a silver hook, as if luring gamblers to their doom.

This gambling den had a rule: open at night, close at dawn. It was said daytime was for earning money—the den encouraged people to work; night was for spending—the den then encouraged consumption.

The sky was still early; few people lingered around the den. After dismounting, Gu Qing handed the reins to a nearby man and told him to watch the horse well.

"Wait… you're really fine?"

The Palace Mistress watched Gu Qing, lively as ever—nothing like those who had been struck by the Jade Orchid Hand. That technique was a profound method of tendon-dislocation and bone-separation, capable of inflicting hidden injuries; victims suffered unbearable agony, unable to live or die.

Yet Gu Qing seemed truly unharmed.

The Palace Mistress followed behind him, slapped his back, and subtly sensed his internal energy—it flowed like molten mercury, heavy yet smooth, surging throughout his body like a river, as solid as a bronze wall… Such a person had already achieved the Golden Immortal Body!

!

At once, the Palace Mistress felt her emotions had been wasted. She raised her hand and unleashed the Jade Orchid Hand without restraint, striking his back a dozen times—until his clothes were shredded—then finally stopped.

The gambling den was not yet open; their arrival broke the rules. Someone had already come to dissuade them. Now, seeing the Palace Mistress's relentless palm strikes and Gu Qing standing motionless like a golden statue, they realized neither was to be trifled with, and immediately rushed inside to report.

Gu Qing and the Palace Mistress walked calmly inside. The entire gambling hall had been cleared, all games prepared for guests.

"Are you two here for the first time?"

A burly man stepped forward, offered Gu Qing tea, then asked.

Gu Qing nodded and said: "We're here to find Bluebeard."

Bluebeard was the owner of the Silver Hook Gambling Den. Fang Yufei had once given him a wife, and at the end of the Silver Hook Gambling Den arc, Bluebeard died from her poison.

"Our boss isn't here," the burly man replied.

Gu Qing smiled faintly and strolled toward the mural on the wall. At its edge, he pressed his palm against the wall, channeled his internal energy, and instantly located the hidden door. With a casual push, it opened.

Those in the gambling den were stunned, rushing forward to stop him.

The Palace Mistress extended her hand—her palm shadows shifted instantly. Those charging at them were all dislocated and broken, writhing in agony on the ground. Then she flashed forward into the hidden chamber, where she saw a table: Gu Qing sat on one side; across from him sat Bluebeard.

The palace mistress extended her hand, and in an instant, her palms blurred into countless shadows; every man charging forward had his tendons torn and bones dislocated, collapsing to the ground in agony, before she vanished in a flash and entered the hidden door, where she saw a table with Gu Qing seated on one side and a blue-bearded man opposite him.

The Palace Mistress narrowed her eyes, searching for signs of disguise.

"What does this gentleman seek?"

Bluebeard asked.

Gu Qing stared at Bluebeard and said: "Fang Yufei isn't here, is he?"

Lu Xiaofeng had suddenly intervened in the Raksha Card affair, involving Chen Jingjing—Fang Yufei would surely come to rescue her… for Fang Yufei truly loved Chen Jingjing.

Fang Yufei was the boss of the Silver Hook Gambling Den arc.

Wu Ming had ordered Gu Qing to seize two factions. Gu Qing thought of Fang Yufei and the Raksha Cult, and came here to stir up trouble.

Bluebeard frowned slightly and asked: "Has the Silver Hook Gambling Den offended you two?"

Gu Qing shook his head, answering indirectly, then looked at Bluebeard and said: "Your identity is simply too useful."

Gu Qing planned to kill Bluebeard and take his place.

My grandmother is old; she broke her leg falling while walking with a cane. These days, she has no energy even for midnight updates, and my posting times grow later and later. Please forgive me.

My grandmother is old; she broke her leg when she fell while walking with her cane, and lately she hasn't had the energy to even stay up until three in the morning, so updates have been coming later and later—please forgive me.

(End of chapter)