Chapter 32

The Lu Family Manor was filled with cheers as everyone applauded Gu Qing, feeling that it was a blessing for the Central Plains Jianghu that such a prodigy had emerged.

Jinlun Fawang's face was purple. He crawled up. After being named the Imperial Preceptor by the Mongols, he had intended to become the number one person in the world. Coming to this Hero Assembly at Dashan Pass, he had also wanted to demonstrate his invincible momentum, but he had not expected to be repeatedly schemed against by Gu Qing and defeated despite being weaker.

Jinlun Fawang's shameful defeat also caused an uproar among the Mongol warriors, who rose together and surrounded Jinlun Fawang.

"If you master and disciples keep losing like this, you really have no face left."

Yin Kexi said with a smile.

Jinlun Fawang had lost uglily, but Yin Kexi was happy to hum softly.

After Ni Ni Mo Xing was killed by Gu Qing, Yin Kexi had met Jinlun Fawang through the introduction of the Mongols. He had been quite unconvinced by this Golden Wheel Imperial Preceptor. Yin Kexi had come here because Jinlun Fawang wanted to show off his strength, win the position of Alliance Leader, and subdue Yin Kexi. Seeing Jinlun Fawang crash and burn, Yin Kexi was naturally happy.

"This Hero Assembly, the Mongol side is simply not as skilled."

Yin Kexi decisively conceded for Jinlun Fawang, saying: "We are leaving now."

Having seen the excitement, Yin Kexi prepared to leave. As for fighting... Gu Qing was indeed tricky, and there were many heroes around. Yin Kexi did not want to fight for no reason, so he chose to leave decisively.

Jinlun Fawang took a deep breath, stared at Gu Qing, and then turned to leave.

The Mongol warriors supported Huo Du. He had previously tried to sneak attack Gu Qing with hidden weapons, and after Gu Qing dodged, he had beaten him repeatedly. But in the end, he had still been pricked by Gu Qing's Jade Bee Needle. Jinlun Fawang had deep internal energy and could still endure it, but Huo Du could no longer hold on, groaning continuously in his coma, looking ferocious and terrifying.

"Just letting them go like this?"

Gu Qing pointed at Jinlun Fawang's group and asked Guo Jing.

Gu Qing had already done his best; shouldn't Guo Jing put in some effort now?

"When two armies are at war, one does not kill the envoy."

Guo Jing said: "Besides, there are many Mongol people outside. If we act forcefully, it will inevitably lead to a bloodbath."

As Guo Jing spoke, Jinlun Fawang and Yin Kexi walked on their own, not looking back once. They looked like losers, yet they acted with such spirit, as if they had won.

The Hero Assembly was now considered over.

"Swish!"

Gu Qing's figure drifted and moved, rushing toward Jinlun Fawang and the others.

Jinlun Fawang and Yin Kexi listened to the sound and identified the position, turning back abruptly. Seeing Gu Qing's face already close by, they acted without thinking, each slamming a palm toward Gu Qing with a boom.

Both were great masters of the era. The event was sudden, but they turned and swung their palms in one go, their palm power condensed and vast. However, as they turned, Gu Qing's figure changed instantly, drifting past them. He still held the broken sword, which he threw toward Huo Du.

Huo Du was the grandson of Jamukha and was known as a prince among the Mongols, with a very high status. Yin Kexi naturally moved to protect him, and Jinlun Fawang, as Huo Du's master, naturally would not ignore it. The two reached out together, shattering the broken sword Gu Qing had thrown.

But in this very move, Gu Qing had already reached out, grabbing the neck of the Mongol official who had come with them, and retreated.

Jinlun Fawang and Yin Kexi intended to rescue him, but Gu Qing simply held the chubby Mongol officer in front of him. If they attacked, he would do as they pleased; if they did not attack, Gu Qing would bring this person before Guo Jing and the others.

Jinlun Fawang and Yin Kexi ultimately did not strike, watching as Gu Qing dragged the chubby Mongol officer back.

This back-and-forth took only a blink of an eye. The Jianghu people in the arena did not understand the many gambits in Gu Qing's move; they only saw Gu Qing capture the Mongol officer in a flash and press him before Guo Jing and the others.

"Let's settle our private score!"

Gu Qing looked at the Mongol official and slapped him heavily across the face.

The sound was crisp and loud, attracting everyone's attention. They watched as Gu Qing slapped the Mongol official and then began to punch and kick him.

Such brutal behavior was completely different from the young hero's appearance just a moment ago, making Sun Bu'er and Hao Datong turn their faces away, looking as if they were not familiar with Gu Qing.

They were all too familiar with this behavior of Gu Qing's.

"I don't know you at all, what private score do I have with you?"

The Mongol official felt he had been beaten unjustly. At this moment, with blood streaming from his nose, he covered his face and shouted, bowing his head.

"You don't know me?"

Gu Qing kneed him and said coldly: "I know you! From Shaanxi to Henan, you were the one secretly orchestrating conspiracies along the way. Every time I mentioned a bit of money within the Beggar Sect, you received the news and then sent it to the Mongols, letting them surround and intercept me, right?"

Gu Qing had been keeping track of this debt for him.

The Mongol official looked up at Gu Qing and suddenly realized: "You are Shi Hao!"

The Beggar Sect had mentioned a young hero who killed the descendant of Khasar and then killed Ni Ni Mo Xing. The Mongols had already put him on their must-kill list. Now that Gu Qing mentioned it, the Mongol official made the connection.

"Peng Zhanglao, so it was you!"

Lu Youjiao recognized the Mongol officer at this moment and called out.

This man had once been an elder of the Beggar Sect and had once supported Yang Kang in making things difficult for Guo Jing and Huang Rong. Because his specialty was the Soul-Capturing Technique, which could make people unaware and then let them be manipulated, Peng Zhanglao had excellent performances in many versions of the story.

Now that he recognized Peng Zhanglao, Lu Youjiao understood why the Beggar Sect had been leaking information. With such an elder-level traitor who was familiar with the Beggar Sect and possessed the Soul-Capturing Technique, Peng Zhanglao could naturally know everything about the Beggar Sect.

"That's right, it's him."

Gu Qing kicked Peng Zhanglao again and said: "Along the way, as long as I had contact with people from the Beggar Sect, the Mongol side would immediately know my whereabouts. So I quietly investigated and found out that all of this had to do with Peng Zhanglao. When I came to Dashan Pass, this person was far away from me, so I left him alone for now. Today, he came before me, and I recognized him!"

So it was impossible to let him go!

Peng Zhanglao looked up at Gu Qing. He was loyal to the Mongols, and investigating Gu Qing was just part of his job. He came to this assembly because he was familiar with the Beggar Sect and acted as a guide. Guo Jing and Huang Rong had seen him and treated him as normal, never thinking that Gu Qing had marked him!

"Young Hero Gu, I have a request!"

Lu Youjiao stared at Peng Zhanglao and said to Gu Qing: "I want you to hand him over to us to be dealt with according to the sect rules!"

There were many Beggar Sect disciples in the arena. Upon learning that Peng Zhanglao was a traitor, they unanimously clamored for Lu Youjiao to execute Peng Zhanglao according to the sect rules.

Gu Qing nodded, looked at Peng Zhanglao, and asked: "Are you going to beg for mercy?"

"Yes, yes."

Peng Zhanglao was originally a person who clung to life and feared death. At this moment, he hurriedly begged for mercy, saying: "I beg you to spare me; I will never investigate your whereabouts again."

"That's good!"

Gu Qing nodded, collected Peng Zhanglao's merit points, spared him, and then looked at Lu Youjiao, signaling that it was now up to him.

Lu Youjiao thanked Gu Qing repeatedly and had the Beggar Sect people take Peng Zhanglao into custody, to be executed later.

This back-and-forth double-dipping allowed Gu Qing to collect two waves of merit points, with the Beggar Sect providing over fifty points.

"You..."

Peng Zhanglao's face twisted; he had not expected Gu Qing's "sparing" to be done in this way.

Jinlun Fawang stared deeply at Gu Qing and said: "Shi Hao is you, Ye Fan is also you. Fine, I will remember you."

"Ye Fan" was the one who had suddenly appeared in Peng Zhanglao's reports when Daba went to intercept "Shi Hao." Now, Jinlun Fawang had figured everything out.

"Imperial Preceptor, save me!"

Peng Zhanglao called out repeatedly.

Jinlun Fawang did not look back and left directly.

If Gu Qing had asked Jinlun Fawang for Peng Zhanglao, Jinlun Fawang could have argued, but Gu Qing had captured Peng Zhanglao behind their backs, so Jinlun Fawang had nothing to say. At this moment, he acted as if Peng Zhanglao did not exist and left without any attachment.

"Ergouzi has no value."

Gu Qing cut off Peng Zhanglao's hopes.

(End of chapter)