Chapter 156: This Is Called Using the Enemy

Although the Female Bodhisattva of Great Joy had many disciples, they seemed devoid of emotion; after her death, they merely buried her body and carried on as usual, with no dramatic scenes of them risking their lives to avenge her against Gu Qing and others.

"Is this your solution?"

Blue Scorpion swayed her slender waist as she approached gracefully.

Originally, Blue Scorpion had wanted to rescue Long Xiaoyun, but Gu Qing had stopped her; she had remained by the Female Bodhisattva of Great Joy's side, guarding Long Xiaoyun and watching to see how Gu Qing would save him, never expecting the outcome to be so blunt and brutal.

One sword, finished.

"What, are you dissatisfied with this result?"

Gu Qing asked with a smile.

"Of course I'm dissatisfied!"

Blue Scorpion's eyebrows arched sharply, her voice cold.

Gu Qing's ability to kill the Female Bodhisattva of Great Joy so easily made Blue Scorpion's careful stealth, constant vigilance, and elaborate plan to coordinate an inside-out attack seem like a joke.

Gu Qing studied Blue Scorpion's expression and chuckled: "You came here to get beaten, didn't you?"

Blue Scorpion snorted and said: "Last time, you fled because you were afraid to fight."

The last time they clashed, Gu Qing used "Women Can't Bear It," forcing Blue Scorpion to spread her legs on the road, ready to enter the next round of combat—only for Gu Qing to throw her into the water.

"There are too many people today."

Gu Qing glanced around and said: "If you're truly impatient, I'll let you have a taste of my Wrong Soul Hand first—just to tide you over."

"Pah!"

Blue Scorpion turned and walked away.

Gu Qing wandered roughly through the Miao village, chatting with several of the Female Bodhisattva of Great Joy's disciples, trying to uncover the secrets of her martial arts—but these scriptures were passed down orally, and among all the disciples, only Zunzibao had fully inherited them; after the Female Bodhisattva's death, Zunzibao had vanished without a trace. With no chance to obtain the scriptures, Gu Qing did not pursue them.

The Female Bodhisattva of Great Joy's scriptures were never a priority for Gu Qing; he had merely probed casually, with a calm mindset.

At this moment, Li Xunhuan blocked Gu Qing's path with Long Xiaoyun and Long Xiaoyun's father.

"You deliberately left Xiaoyun with the Female Bodhisattva of Great Joy."

Li Xunhuan said calmly.

During this time, Long Xiaoyun had been complaining to Li Xunhuan; Li Xunhuan, being exceptionally intelligent, had already pieced together the entire sequence of events.

Gu Qing met Li Xunhuan's righteous gaze and smiled, admitting: "Yes."

"Why?"

Long Xiaoyun's father roared: "Xunhuan trusted you so completely!"

Long Xiaoyun had suffered terribly because of Gu Qing!

"That's true."

Gu Qing said frankly: "I betrayed Li Xunhuan." Looking at Long Xiaoyun's father, he added: "You are my benchmark—I learned all this from you. You can't just allow yourself to betray Li Xunhuan and forbid others from betraying you."

Long Xiaoyun's father, who had been filled with rage, was silenced by Gu Qing's words; he opened his mouth but could not speak.

"Is this called 'using the enemy's own method against him'?"

Li Xunhuan said.

Gu Qing nodded: "Yes."

Both Long Xiaoyun and his father loved to betray others; Gu Qing made them feel what it was like to be betrayed.

Li Xunhuan stared at Gu Qing and asked: "Is this done for my sake?"

Li Xunhuan vaguely sensed that all Gu Qing's behind-the-scenes maneuvers were meant to help him be with Lin Shiyin.

Gu Qing nodded again: "Of course it's for your sake."

Li Xunhuan suppressed his anger and said: "Do I need your arrangements?"

This was essentially forcing Li Xunhuan into moral compromise.

"Oh my…"

Gu Qing shook his head: "Of course you don't need them—you're the famed Little Li the Probe, a saintly figure who saves everyone, always arranging lives for others, never allowing others to arrange yours."

"Saintly figure," "great man"—these terms were fine, but Gu Qing spoke them with a tone of sarcasm.

Li Xunhuan said coolly: "I don't deserve such a title."

"You do, you do."

Gu Qing said: "You love imposing your own plans on others—why are you so upset when I arrange things for you?"

Li Xunhuan's face stiffened; he snapped: "Using the enemy's own method against him."

This was karma coming back to him.

Gu Qing nodded, looking deeply wounded: "How's this, Li Xunhuan? I've taken the blame of a despicable villain and arranged a perfect life for you—do you like it?"

Li Xunhuan sighed painfully; Lin Shiyin had once asked him, "Have you ever considered my feelings?" Back then, he had only felt his own arrangements were flawed; now he felt the bitterness within them.

"I was wrong…"

Li Xunhuan bowed his head in apology.

Long Xiaoyun's father lowered his eyes and sighed deeply.

Long Xiaoyun looked at Gu Qing's wounded expression, Li Xunhuan's apology, and Long Xiaoyun's father's shame—he felt his lungs about to burst. He had given the most, suffered the most, yet was now completely ignored.

"Why?"

Long Xiaoyun wanted to ask why, saying: "You know this will make you lose Li Xunhuan's friendship forever."

Long Xiaoyun understood his own position—he knew Li Xunhuan's charisma overshadowed his father's clownishness, and Gu Qing's actions served only Li Xunhuan.

"Who said I wanted to be friends with him?"

Gu Qing asked, puzzled.

Li Xunhuan stared at Gu Qing in shock—he had always regarded Gu Qing as a true friend, never expecting him to say this.

"From the beginning, I've always regarded Li Xunhuan as an opponent."

Gu Qing raised two fingers, staring at Li Xunhuan: "I've always wanted to test whether these two fingers of mine can catch Little Li's Flying Dagger!"

Li Xunhuan stared at Gu Qing, seeing his seriousness, and shook his head: "I hope I never have to test this."

Gu Qing's finger technique was extraordinary—he could catch weapons—and Li Xunhuan knew this; but once Little Li's Flying Dagger was released, it showed no mercy, often resulting in death or grievous injury.

Gu Qing smiled and glanced behind Li Xunhuan: "Why is Lin Shiyin here?"

Li Xunhuan instantly turned around.

"Zhao…"

In that instant he turned, Li Xunhuan heard the sound of a blade piercing flesh; when he turned back, he saw Gu Qing's sword drawn, its tip piercing through both hearts, impaling father and son—Long Xiaoyun and Long Xiaoyun's father—on a single blade.

In that single turn, Gu Qing killed Long Xiaoyun and his father!

"Why?"

Li Xunhuan's fists clenched involuntarily.

Long Xiaoyun also lowered his head, staring at the blade through his body, unable to believe his life would end here—his countless schemes now meaningless.

"This boy is honey on the lips, poison in the heart, with profound scheming."

Gu Qing pointed at Long Xiaoyun and said to Li Xunhuan: "Once you've offended such a man, you must never leave him alive."

Long Xiaoyun glared at Gu Qing, blood trickling from his lips: "Honey on the lips, poison in the heart, profound scheming—aren't those your own traits?"

Gu Qing smiled at Long Xiaoyun: "This is called 'using the enemy's own method against him.'"

(End of Chapter)