Chapter 260: You

"Husband..."

Liu Sheng Xueji and Liu Sheng Piaoxu rushed forward upon seeing Gu Qing leap from the water, intending to wipe the droplets from his body with handkerchiefs—only to find his entire robe slightly swollen; after landing, his internal energy had already dried every drop of water, leaving him clad in a perfectly dry garment.

"When Husband acts, success is assured."

Liu Sheng Piaoxu smiled gently as she watched the ice coffin being pushed out.

For Liu Sheng Piaoxu, causing trouble and slashing enemies alongside the one she loved was pure delight.

"It's still a pity."

Gu Qing said.

The Tianchi Strange Hero left behind two secret manuals: the Golden Hardness Divine Art and the Absorption Technique. Throughout the entire story, these two manuals were likely acquired early by Gu Santong; after seeing Zhu Wushi, he initiated a second cycle, fabricating the lies of "Virgin Practice" and "Non-Virgin Practice."

Gu Qing reached inside, hoping to find some secret techniques, but found nothing—only emptiness—and couldn't help feeling disappointed.

"Su Xin, Su Xin..."

Zhu Wushi stared at Su Xin lying inside the ice coffin, lost in a daze. Over the years, he had seen Su Xin only rarely, yet each time, her presence stirred his soul—but now, the more he looked, the more rage he felt.

"Gu Qing, what did you do to Su Xin?"

Zhu Wushi glared at Gu Qing. Su Xin had long lain within the ice coffin, her clothes stiff and frozen—but now, Zhu Wushi saw her garments soft and limp, bearing signs of disturbance, her skin marked with handprints and fingermarks.

Clearly, Gu Qing had molested Su Xin below.

"Illness does not hide from medicine—I am a physician too."

Gu Qing spread his hands and said.

Originally, to break through his meridian points, Gu Qing had studied medical texts exhaustively; later, he gained Wang Lianhua's Lianhua Treasure Mirror, extracted countless secrets from Wei Wuya, and absorbed the medical treatises of the Xiaoyao Sect—his medical knowledge was unparalleled. Seeing Su Xin, a living corpse with rigid limbs, he naturally inspected her condition and pondered what this mysterious Tianxiang Doukou truly was.

Gu Qing meant well.

"You're shameless!"

Zhu Wushi flew into a rage, raised his hand, and unleashed a massive force of absorption that surged toward Gu Qing—behind Gu Qing stood Liu Sheng Xueji and Liu Sheng Piaoxu, and Zhu Wushi seized this moment to leave Gu Qing with no escape.

Gu Qing stood utterly still within it, letting Zhu Wushi apply the Absorption Technique—yet every pulse of qi that reached Gu Qing vanished like a mud ox sinking into the sea, leaving no trace.

Absorption? Gu Qing was a professional.

Seeing Gu Qing so unshaken, Zhu Wushi clenched his other hand—the earth immediately rose, soil and stone gathering into a mass, poised to smash down upon Gu Qing.

"Sssssssss..."

Gu Qing curled his fingers slightly, spun his five fingers—and invisible sword qi pierced through layers of obstruction, arriving before Zhu Wushi's face.

Zhu Wushi slashed to block, disrupting his technique—right then, Gu Qing was already at close range, delivering a rapid succession of kicks. Zhu Wushi twisted his arms to seize Gu Qing's left leg, preparing to activate the Absorption Technique—when suddenly, he felt an uncanny force in Gu Qing's leg, numbing his arms and making the grip impossible. At that instant, Gu Qing flipped and kicked straight for Zhu Wushi's face!

"Bang!"

A shadow suddenly appeared before Zhu Wushi, reaching out to block Gu Qing's strike.

"Dragon Subduing Divine Leg: Flying Dragon in the Heavens!"

After acquiring the Twenty-Eight Palms of Dragon Subduing in the Heavenly Dragon world, Gu Qing fused various leg techniques and core concepts from the Eighteen Palms of Dragon Subduing to create the Dragon Subduing Divine Leg, designed to complement the Eighteen Palms. Now that this strike missed, he immediately unleashed a whirlwind of leg shadows, kicking rapidly forward.

The blue shadow before him instantly merged, sprouting eight arms, each movement blocking Gu Qing's leg attacks flawlessly.

These were the Four Ghosts of Xiangxi.

In The First Under Heaven, the Four Ghosts of Xiangxi were bodyguards of Wan Qiansan, the richest man in the world. Their Phantom Shadow Art was unpredictable—even Cao Zhengchun had suffered at their hands. Had they not leaked martial secrets while training for Iron Dan God Marquis, they would never have died at Zhu Wushi's hands.

Now, because of Su Xin, Zhu Wushi had invoked Wan Qiansan's connections and summoned the Four Ghosts of Xiangxi to ensure absolute safety.

After Gu Qing's series of kicks, the Four Ghosts of Xiangxi immediately surrounded him front, back, left, and right, striking simultaneously.

"Shhhhhhhhh!!!"

Eight arms from all directions struck at once.

Gu Qing stood calmly within the storm, instantly applying the Tianshan Plucking Plum Hand—his entire martial repertoire fused into one seamless whole: palms slashed, fingers stabbed, fists punched, elbows struck. Amid the four attackers, his hands and feet moved like shadows, fearless, unyielding, twisting and shifting within the narrow space.

Zhu Wushi watched Gu Qing coldly, trying to discern his martial lineage—but every move Gu Qing made was nearly identical to those of the current world. Especially his posture, perilous yet poised, on the verge of flight—each time in utter desperation, he found a new path, even stepping on the legs and knees of the Four Ghosts, borrowing their force mid-combat, blending footwork, stance, and leg techniques into flawless evasion.

Such feats opened Zhu Wushi's eyes wide.

Formerly, Zhu Wushi had believed he mastered the martial arts of the Eight Sects and understood the secrets of countless styles—yet now, seeing Gu Qing, he realized Gu Qing surpassed him utterly in fistwork, footwork, and body movement.

The only thing Zhu Wushi could overpower Gu Qing with was his vast internal energy.

Seeing Gu Qing locked in prolonged combat with the Four Ghosts, Zhu Wushi shifted slightly toward Liu Sheng Xueji and Liu Sheng Piaoxu.

If Gu Qing laid hands on Su Xin, Zhu Wushi would lay hands on the Liu family's daughters!

"Bang bang bang bang!!!"

A series of impacts erupted simultaneously. As Zhu Wushi turned his head, Gu Qing suddenly flashed out of the Four Ghosts' encirclement and stood before him. Zhu Wushi glanced sideways—seeing the Four Ghosts' attacks colliding as if they were turning on each other.

"Remarkable borrowing-of-force technique."

Zhu Wushi understood: in that instant, Gu Qing had drawn the Four Ghosts' strikes, forcing them to clash with one another. Fortunately, the Four Ghosts were elite masters—they adjusted instantly and returned to surround Gu Qing again.

Zhu Wushi, the Four Ghosts of Xiangxi—five men.

In this world, no one could escape their combined assault.

Gu Qing leapt and let out a long roar—his entire internal cultivation erupted at once: vast, mighty, scorching, icy... In that instant, it surged like a tidal wave across the heavens, crushing the hearts of the martial world atop Mount Tian Shan, plunging them into darkness, making the clouds above churn and shift unpredictably.

The Four Ghosts of Xiangxi, closest to Gu Qing, felt the greatest impact. They gritted their teeth against the discomfort and lunged for him.

"Shhh!"

Visually, all four Ghosts seized Gu Qing's location—but his body dissolved like a vortex, scattering instantly. When they stared again, Gu Qing's figure had stepped back a single pace.

This was the Phantom Shadow Art!

Though crudely applied, it was undeniably the Phantom Shadow Art.

During his fight with them, Gu Qing had already discerned their general qi pathways and borrowed a fraction of their technique.

"Amazing! Amazing!"

A stout, broad-shouldered man with a kind face stepped forward, clapping repeatedly: "Young Master Gu, you're young and gifted—mastering the Phantom Shadow Art after just one look? Admirable, admirable."

The speaker was none other than Wan Qiansan, the richest man alive.

As the saying goes: wealth can command ghosts and even move gods. Wan Qiansan, through his immense fortune, not only commanded the Four Ghosts of Xiangxi but also brokered deals with the Iron Dan God Marquis to help establish the First Under Heaven Manor.

Gu Qing looked at Wan Qiansan. Usually, the richest men were hollow fronts, mere fronts for others—even if cut down, they'd lose little wealth. But Wan Qiansan was different: his fortune made even the Emperor wary, and he could fund entire armies.

This was no ordinary richest man.

"Young Master Gu," Wan Qiansan stepped before Gu Qing and said, "I know you may have misunderstandings with the God Marquis, but today, on my behalf, could you please cease hostilities?"

As he spoke, Wan Qiansan offered Gu Qing a martial manual.

Yi Jin Jing!

Gu Qing took it casually, and before the eyes of the Iron Dan God Marquis and the Four Ghosts, he lowered his gaze to flip through the manual—filling the God Marquis with murderous intent, yet he did not strike.

"This manual is excellent."

After reading it, Gu Qing returned it to Wan Qiansan's hands and said, "You have this manual—why hasn't Shaolin come to reclaim it?"

Wan Qiansan smiled confidently: "Many in the world owe me favors—across trades, sects, and paths. Shaolin opens its gates wide; accepting a small favor from me is only natural."

Gu Qing nodded—he knew this man was flaunting his wealth.

Only because Gu Qing's system rewarded good deeds—if it were a pay-to-win system, he'd have already killed Wan Qiansan on the spot.

"Young Master Gu, the martial world now widely claims you killed Jian Jingfeng and Liao Kong."

Wan Qiansan said, "I can pay to investigate and find the real killer."

Wan Qiansan truly came to make peace.

!

Gu Qing turned to the Iron Dan God Marquis and asked with a smile, "What do you think?"

Zhu Wushi said coolly, "This matter is murky and complex—investigating further is wise. But Young Master Gu, you unearthed Su Xin—this is unforgivable!"

Su Xin was Zhu Wushi's lifeline.

This lifeline, seized by Gu Qing, left Zhu Wushi utterly uneasy.

Even now, Zhu Wushi was pondering: how did Gu Qing learn of Su Xin? How much did he know of the past? And was his own disguise beginning to crack?

"I was just checking on Tianxiang Doukou."

Gu Qing said casually.

Earlier, Gu Qing had sent internal energy into Su Xin's body to test how mysterious this fantasy Tianxiang Doukou was, how vast the life force it sustained... Had it not been tied to Su Xin's life, he'd have simply drained its medicinal power slowly to examine it.

"Young Master Gu, do you have news of Tianxiang Doukou?"

Zhu Wushi's eyes widened.

"Yes."

Gu Qing said casually.

This sent Zhu Wushi into turmoil—he looked at Gu Qing with less suspicion, his gaze now tinged with eagerness, even grabbing Gu Qing's arm and shaking him: "Where is the Tianxiang Doukou?"

Gu Qing cast Zhu Wushi a cool glance.

Zhu Wushi immediately understood and said: "The deaths of Jian Jingfeng and Master Liao Kong are indeed tragic. But within the First Under Heaven Manor, there are extraordinary talents who, upon examining their corpses, determined both were poisoned."

"The martial world assumes Young Master Gu's skill was too great to kill them—but if they were poisoned by underhanded means, many could have done it."

At this moment, Zhu Wushi began "whitewashing" Gu Qing.

"Who did it?"

Gui Hai Yidao asked coldly.

Zhu Wushi paused briefly, then said: "Based on my intelligence and deductions, it was Cao Zhengchun. He wanted to strike at my Zi Zi No. 1, to destroy Yidao—so he killed Qilinzi, Jian Jingfeng, and Master Liao Kong..."

Zhu Wushi had already planned his escape route before acting.

"What?"

Gui Hai Yidao's killing intent surged.

"Young Master Gu, we lacked sufficient evidence earlier, so we did not announce it promptly."

Zhu Wushi bowed to Gu Qing, his eyes still holding a plea.

"What a coincidence."

Gu Qing knew Zhu Wushi was merely putting on a show, and smiled naturally: "One of the Tianxiang Douchou has fallen into Cao Zhengchun's hands."

"Really?"

Haitang hurried forward and asked.

"Of course it's true!"

Gu Qing said seriously.

Upon hearing this, Haitang rejoiced for her righteous father, the Iron Dan Divine Marquis.

Recently, Gu Qing's reputation in the Jianghu had deteriorated, causing many to chase him to Tianshan; along the way, these men suffered heavy casualties. Now, hearing that the very Gu Qing they pursued had made peace with the authorities, each felt deep resentment.

"Why should we accept this?!"

An older man from the Jianghu cursed loudly: "We admit Gu Qing is powerful, but we can't just surrender like this! If Gu Qing becomes a good man, what does that make of our sacrifices?!"

Along this journey, Gu Qing, Liu Sheng Xueji, Liu Sheng Piaoxu, and Guihai Yidao have cut down many.

"What does it matter?"

Gu Qing looked at the Jianghu man and smiled: "It's just your bad luck."

Gu Qing had no conflict of interest with these men, but each of them was foolish enough to come chasing him—and now that they've been cut down, it's entirely their own doing.

"Fellow Jianghu brethren…"

Wan Sanqian addressed the Jianghu crowd: "As for compensation arising from Gu Qing's actions, I will not hesitate—I will see that everyone is properly reimbursed…"

Hearing of the compensation, each Jianghu man straightened up.

After speaking with each of them individually, Wan Sanqian turned back and bowed to Gu Qing.

"Regarding Gu Daxia's reputation, the Hu Long Mountain Manor stands ready to guarantee it with our lives."

At this moment, Zhu Wushi suddenly said: "If any further bloodshed arises in the Jianghu due to Gu Daxia, come straight to me, Zhu Tie Dan—I, Zhu Tie Dan, will take full responsibility."

As Zhu Wushi spoke these words, he looked at Gu Qing.

Guihai Yidao, the number one in the world, would later, because of these words, implicate Zhu Wushi in his crimes, thereby enabling Zhu Wushi to eliminate Cao Zhengchun.

Gu Qing chuckled and said: "Iron Dan Divine Marquis—not bad."

Gu Qing also wished to befriend the Iron Dan Divine Marquis.

Without me, your family will fall apart!

(End of Chapter)