Chapter 312: The Heroes of This World Are as Numerous as Carp Crossing a River

"Sister!"

Gu Qing immediately rose and bowed to Lu Xueqi with a touch of flattery; Lu Xueqi had already drawn near and heard Gu Qing call her "sister," her expression flickering with surprise—she sensed the situation was unusual.

Inside the cabin, cups and plates lay scattered; Shen Xiaoyu's face was smeared with grease, and the entire space was in chaotic disarray.

Lu Xueqi stood outside the cabin; seeing the filth within, she had no intention of stepping in, instead fixing her gaze on Gu Qing from the deck. Gu Qing, meanwhile, moved lightly, swiftly exiting the cabin and arriving before Lu Xueqi. Though startled she had come here, he quickly explained in a few words that he was "Ye Fan."

Lu Xueqi was naturally cold as ice; upon hearing this, her expression gave no hint of joy or anger, yet she understood clearly.

"This man is Wan Renwang."

Gu Qing gestured vaguely toward Wan Renwang—he was a cunning and well-traveled Ghost King. After their interaction, Gu Qing had carefully concealed the Zhanlong Sword, keeping its edge hidden. But now, with Lu Xueqi arriving on her Tianya Sword, the blade was exposed right before the Ghost King's eyes.

So to divert the Ghost King's attention from Lu Xueqi, Gu Qing had to draw the fire himself.

"This is Miss Wan Renwang's daughter!"

Gu Qing pointed at Shen Xiaoyu with solemn seriousness: "She's here specifically to entertain guests."

Lu Xueqi's gaze was like frost, brimming with contempt as she sized up Wan Renwang.

"No!"

Shen Xiaoyu quickly denied it.

"She's surnamed Shen; I'm surnamed Wan—how could we possibly be father and daughter?"

The Ghost King calmly denied it, but in his heart, he had already decided to kill Gu Qing.

"So it's not true?"

Gu Qing feigned disappointment, yet his eyes never left the Ghost King—he knew the Ghost King was calculating and deep in strategy, but on the matter of Biyao, he would surely be provoked.

The Ghost King remained silent.

"Sorry, you said all these nearby pleasure boats are for entertaining guests..."

Gu Qing's words trailed off.

The Ghost King's expression turned icy.

"Then again, we've only just met and spoken so much—I still don't know if you even have a wife."

Gu Qing spoke casually.

The sudden mention of a wife was hell for the Ghost King; his face darkened instantly as he coldly said: "Master Ye, I summoned you here to slay demons and purge evil."

As the Ghost King spoke, chaos erupted on shore. Gu Qing turned his gaze and saw a hairy humanoid monster, its face grotesque and terrifying, sprinting toward one of the pleasure boats.

"The Shanxiao's here—run for your lives!"

"Spare me! Spare me!"

Around the boat, panic broke out; many, seeing the Shanxiao approach, leapt into the water, screaming for help.

"Master Ye!"

The Ghost King urgently urged: "The Shanxiao has appeared."

"Lu Sister, quickly restrain him!"

Gu Qing cried out.

Lu Xueqi leapt into the air, ready to subdue the monster, when suddenly a chilling chill struck her back. In the reflection of her swordlight, she saw Wan Renwang—who had stood calmly moments before—suddenly moved, casually striking toward Gu Qing's crown.

Caught off guard, Gu Qing panicked, stumbling helplessly; he barely twisted his body aside, but Wan Renwang seized his armbone in one swift motion.

"You… you…"

Gu Qing's face twisted in terror as he stared at his arm caught in the Ghost King's grip.

The Ghost King sneered, about to speak—when suddenly, the point of contact sent a terrifying suction force surging through him, pulling his blood, his three souls and seven spirits, and in that instant, he glimpsed endless yin spirits and malevolent phantoms, feeling overwhelming demonic energy surging back to devour him!

The Ghost King's palm had seized the Shi Hun Stick—the Xue Zhu and Soul-Sucking power simultaneously recoiled, catching him utterly unprepared.

"Clang!"

The Zhanlong Sword leapt from its sheath; a greenish blade-light flashed before the Ghost King's eyes, and as it swirled, two streams of red and blue light entwined and surged along its edge, slashing straight at him!

When he had slain Bai Xuan, Gu Qing had needed both hands to channel yin and yang to deliver that single strike. But now, having cultivated Taiji Xuanqing Dao to a higher level, his control over yin and yang had deepened—this single slash left the Ghost King with no escape, no retreat.

The Ghost King's palm seizing Gu Qing's arm and Gu Qing's sword counterattack occurred in an instant. The moment the Ghost King felt the suction force, the blade was already across his throat—such swift, decisive retaliation, delivered precisely in the gap of his false triumph, caught him utterly off guard.

"Swish!"

The blade cut through.

In that instant, the Ghost King dissolved into black smoke and retreated—but the Zhanlong Sword passed through, leaving a trail of blood on the spot.

Both sides now drew apart.

Wan Renwang stood with arms crossed, his face slightly pale; he glanced at Gu Qing's sword and sneered: "So you're the master of the Zhanlong Sword."

In that instant, Lu Xueqi had returned to Gu Qing's side, Tianya Sword in hand, standing shoulder to shoulder with him.

"Mr. Wan."

Gu Qing spoke coolly: "The more one schemes, the more easily one falls into unforeseen traps—and loses everything." As he spoke, he casually swept his sword—and the Shanxiao beside them suddenly burst into fur, revealing the form of a man.

Gu Qing had long cultivated the Dao Heart Demon Seeding Art, using spirit to command matter. When the Shanxiao appeared near him, his spirit swept over it instantly—he knew it was a man in disguise.

Wan Renwang stared at Gu Qing's now utterly different demeanor, recalling how he had shouted "Don't look down on the poor youth" moments before—and realized he had been played.

"A plan poorly concealed brings disaster upon its master."

Wan Renwang smiled openly, recalling his own scheme—he had accidentally learned of a scholar in Zhushan City who lost money on a pleasure boat and disguised himself as a Shanxiao to extort cash, and he used this as a pretext to set a trap, hoping to lure the Qingyun Sect or Tianyin Temple's Pu Fang into killing the Shanxiao, thereby destabilizing Pu Fang's mind before surrounding and attacking him.

Even if he couldn't kill him, he could shatter his Buddhist heart.

But his plan had been uncovered.

Wan Renwang looked at Gu Qing, recalling how he had spoken of his wife and daughter, then the demonic and bloody aura he felt upon touching Gu Qing's arm, and finally that dazzling sword strike—he realized he had been led by the nose, and sighed: "Heroes of this world are as numerous as carp crossing a river…"

As he spoke, Wan Renwang looked to the sky—a golden light approached from afar, heading straight for them. He waved his hand and vanished.

Wan Renwang was already wounded—he could no longer fight to the death.

Lu Xueqi's gaze was cold as she watched Wan Renwang depart, then said: "That man is about equal to our Qingyun Sect's chief."

The Ghost King should be stronger than a Qingyun chief.

Gu Qing watched the Ghost King's retreating back—if not for careful planning, defeating him even by a single move would not have been easy.

It was only after Gu Qing reached the seventh level of Taiji Xuanqing Dao that his Void-Shattering technique had become truly sharp.

A golden light descended, and a tall monk materialized within it, his eyes brimming with malice as he fixed them on Gu Qing and Lu Xueqi.

"Greetings, Elder of Tianyin Temple."

Gu Qing bowed casually, addressing the monk, then led Lu Xueqi to the side of the "Shanxiao," who was weeping uncontrollably. Gu Qing smiled warmly and asked: "You're crying so hard—your life's been hard?"

The Shanxiao, who had been crying already, now wept even harder.

The Tianyin monk had been about to demand answers, but now he silently stood aside, watching Gu Qing handle the Shanxiao.

"I'm surnamed Zhang…"

The Zhang man, still sobbing, recounted his story: he was a scholar who had been betrothed since childhood, but as his family declined, the Liu family grew disdainful. Yet Liu's daughter refused to break the engagement; she made a wager with her family, gave all her private savings to Zhang, and told him to propose.

"On the day I went to propose, I boarded this boat."

Zhang pointed to the boat, furious: "They're not human—they forced me to gamble on board, left me with debts…"

Naturally, the proposal failed.

Gu Qing said: "I heard in Zhushan City that Miss Liu would rather marry a beggar than a scholar—was that you?"

Zhang wept bitterly. All his debts were from gambling—he had no defense, and could only watch as Liu's daughter, in a fit of spite, married a beggar.

Gu Qing leapt onto the pleasure boat, used Soul-Sucking techniques to interrogate several times, confirmed Zhang's story was true, then took money from the boat and returned it to Zhang.

Zhang bowed and thanked him profusely before hurrying away.

After handling this, Gu Qing and Lu Xueqi turned to the Tianyin monk.

"Amitabha."

The monk's voice was loud and hoarse: "I am Pu Fang."

Upon hearing the name, Lu Xueqi's grip tightened involuntarily—she too had studied Dafan Borei, and before a Tianyin monk, she always felt a pang of guilt.

"I've long heard your name."

Gu Qing spoke indifferently: "At Caomiao Village, when Pu Zhi was first struck by the Seven-Tailed Centipede, if he had fought to the death with that man, do you think he could have survived?"

Pu Fang, who had been closest to Pu Zhi, had withdrawn from Tianyin affairs after Pu Zhi's death. Hearing Gu Qing's question, he nodded: "Under those circumstances, death was certain."

"Pu Zhi carried the Blood-Sucking Pearl. Over time, its malevolence seeped into his heart. When evil thoughts arose, I stopped him—I saved a great monk of Tianyin Temple."

Gu Qing said briefly: "Under these circumstances, how should Tianyin Temple repay me?"

Should we thank you?

Pu Fang stared at Gu Qing. Everything Gu Qing said was reasonable—he had saved a great Tianyin monk. Tianyin Temple owed him gratitude.

Lu Xueqi glanced at Gu Qing. When she learned Tianyin monks were coming up the mountain, she sensed trouble and followed Gu Qing down, intending to help mitigate blame when Tianyin came to accuse him. She never expected his questions would make Tianyin look guilty.

"Master Gu, no matter how clever your words, I still must…"

Pu Fang began to speak, but Gu Qing cut him off.

"Did I force him to pass on his secret scriptures?"

Gu Qing demanded.

Pu Fang fell silent, simply watching Gu Qing, his body surrounded by Buddhist light—he had resolved to take Gu Qing to Tianyin Temple.

"Actually, I just saved you from disaster."

Gu Qing spoke softly.

The Ghost King's intent was to destroy Pu Fang—Gu Qing was merely a minor player. But this minor player broke through the net and triggered a major upheaval.

Pu Fang, hearing the full story, recalled Pu Zhi's words: "I suspect Gu Qing possesses foreknowledge techniques"—his mind grew unsettled.

"Forget it. You can't decide anything."

Gu Qing waved dismissively: "I'll visit Tianyin Temple in due time. When I do, I'll give you a proper explanation."

Behind the Tianyin Temple lay a wordless jade tablet, containing the fourth scroll of the Heavenly Book; to fully cultivate the Heavenly Book, Gu Qing could not alienate the Tianyin Temple.

Monk Pufang found Gu Qing's words sharp and logically structured—he had already lost the verbal duel. Yet to resort to force was problematic: Gu Qing was one opponent, and beside him stood Lu Xueqi. Moreover, Gu Qing had mentioned he intended to visit the Tianyin Temple, giving Pufang no justifiable reason to strike.

"Hmph…"

Monk Pufang had not expected that his furious arrival would end with him departing, seething with suppressed rage.

Watching Monk Pufang depart on golden light, Gu Qing turned his head toward Lu Xueqi beside him. Their eyes met—and suddenly, Gu Qing reached for her hand.

"Slap!"

Before his hand could reach her, Lu Xueqi swatted it away.

"…"

Gu Qing made no further attempt. He and Lu Xueqi walked side by side back into Zhushan City, found a tavern, and were about to rest when outside, noise erupted—a old man hurried in, carrying a little girl, urging the innkeeper to close early and the like.

"Grandpa, are you afraid?"

The little girl said to the old man.

"How could your grandpa be afraid?"

The old man seemed nettled, then added: "That fellow has roamed the Jianghu for years—this is the first time he's been humiliated. Of course he'll seek revenge!" As he spoke, his gaze fell upon Gu Qing and Lu Xueqi. He paused, then stepped closer, studying Gu Qing's facial features. After a moment, he said: "Your face? Truly, a celestial descending from heaven!"

A celestial descending from heaven?

Seeing the old man and the little girl approach, Gu Qing casually lifted the girl into his arms. He looked at her tiny form, picked up chopsticks, and placed a few peanuts on her plate. Then he turned to the old man: "What do you mean by 'a celestial descending from heaven'?"

The old man studied Gu Qing for a long while, then shook his head fiercely: "I must be ill—to stare so long at a face like yours…"

Gu Qing knew the old man before him was almost certainly Zhou Yixian, and the girl in his arms must be Xiao Huan. In Zhuxian, Zhou Yixian was a man of ability, though he rarely revealed it.

"Rattle."

Gu Qing pulled out a money pouch and placed it before the old man: "Please, Master, enlighten me."

Zhou Yixian, seeing the money pouch, beamed instantly: "Your face? Nothing special. All actions are permissible—except one: if you plan to go east, go at night, and don't ride your sword."

(End of Chapter)