A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 461 Mo Family Leader
Wei Zhuang stared intently at Gai Nie, who was also brimming with fighting spirit. Just as they were about to clash, the sky suddenly darkened, and a large crimson bird soared high in the sky. Spheres began to fall from above. Upon seeing this, Wei Zhuang waved his hand, and Chi Lian and the others immediately retreated.

After the dozen or so spheres landed, they instantly transformed into spider-like mechanical beasts with iron claws, each about a foot long. The four iron claws moved swiftly, forming four sharp spinning blades, and the attacking snakes were quickly shredded into a mass of mangled flesh.

"People of the Mohist school."

Wei Zhuang snorted coldly, gripping the Shark Tooth sword in his right hand. Just as the demonic sword was drawn, a thunderous sound suddenly rang out from outside. Chi Lian and the others exclaimed in surprise. Wei Zhuang frowned and looked in the direction from which the sound came. There were two tiger-shaped mechanical beasts, each about ten feet long, with two disciples dressed in Mo family robes sitting inside each of them.

"The four mechanical beasts of the Mo family: Vermilion Bird, White Tiger, it seems the person who came is of high status."

Wei Zhuang was somewhat wary of the mechanical beasts. Just then, the two white tiger mechanical beasts suddenly rushed towards Gai Nie. Upon seeing this, Gai Nie immediately understood. After glancing at Wei Zhuang, he lightly touched the ground with his toes and landed squarely on the leaping white tiger. With a second push, he instantly leaped onto the Vermilion Bird mechanical beast. The Vermilion Bird flapped its wings and flew into the distance, quickly disappearing from sight.

After the two white tiger mechanical beasts landed, they roared at Wei Zhuang and the others, and then disappeared in a few leaps.

"Just let them go?"

Chi Lian looked at the empty medical manor and then at Wei Zhuang. Upon hearing this, the latter said calmly, "The real show has only just begun."

Among the Vermilion Bird mechanical beasts, Gai Nie looked at the short, stout old man in front of him, noticed the mechanical arm on his left hand, and sheathed his sword, clasped his hands in a salute.

"Could it be Master Ban of the Mo Family?"

"It is indeed I, Mr. Gai Nie, and I, Old Man Ban, thank you very much."

"Miss Duanmu and the others?"

"They have already used the Xuanwu to head straight for the Mechanized City via the underground river. Mr. Gai Nie, there is no need to worry. If it weren't for Mr. Gai Nie buying time, Miss Rong would not have escaped their clutches."

Old Man Ban bowed respectfully to Gai Nie, who quickly helped him up.

"It was all because of Gai Nie that the disaster was brought to Jinghu Medical Manor. If it weren't for that, the Medical Manor wouldn't have suffered such a calamity. Gai Nie feels really guilty."

Gai Nie sighed, and Old Man Ban said, "Mr. Gai Nie, there is no need to feel guilty. What Ying Zheng really wanted to deal with was the Mo family. Even without Mr. Gai Nie and Tianming, the destruction of the Medical Manor was inevitable."

"All the people Ying Zheng wanted to deal with were forced into the Mechanical City. It's possible that he intended to wipe them all out in one fell swoop. As for the old man saying that he would mobilize such a large force just for a sword saint and Jing Ke's child, I simply don't believe it."

Although he thought this in his heart, Old Man Ban still smiled broadly.

"These things are in the past, but the road ahead is the hard one. I sensed Gongshu Chou nearby just now. He didn't make a move immediately, so he must have other intentions."

At this point, Old Man Ban's expression turned serious. If there was anyone in the world who could rival him in mechanical arts, it was Gongshu Chou. This man's talent was no less than his own, and he had also innovated and created some deadly weapons specifically designed to counter the Mohist mechanical arts.

"The location of the Mechanical City is secluded, and it will be very difficult for them to find it. Master Ban probably became their guide the moment the mechanical beast appeared, pointing them in the right direction."

Upon hearing Gai Nie's words, Master Ban's expression changed drastically. He hurriedly went to the control lever, pulled it, and immediately the wings of the Vermilion Bird mechanical beast flipped up and then returned to normal. After inspecting the entire mechanical beast, Master Ban looked at the broken bronze centipede mechanical beast, about the size of a finger, that his disciple had presented to him, and his face was very grim.

"This is Gongshu Chou's Soul-Chasing Seventh Brother. Any object possessed by him will be tainted with a special scent, which Gongshu Chou can detect even from miles away. Although the one on the Vermilion Bird has been removed, the two White Tigers have probably also been afflicted with this hidden trick."

On the other side, Gongshu Chou stood on the head of a huge mechanical snake that was several meters long. A bronze centipede on the mechanical arm kept shaking its tentacles. After a while, Gongshu Chou nodded in satisfaction, reached out and patted the snake's body. The mechanical snake swam to Wei Zhuang.

"Chief Wei Zhuang, please."

Gongshu Chou gestured for them to join him, and Wei Zhuang and the others boarded the snake's body. Gongshu Chou then activated the mechanical snake and chased after the White Tiger mechanical beast in the direction it had retreated. The remaining soldiers followed on horseback, and the sound of hooves faded into the distance, leaving behind only a dilapidated medical village.

In the Xiaoshengxianzhuang, at the Gaoya Wuhui Pavilion, Gu Xu and Yan Lu were playing chess. Seeing that another white piece had been captured, Yan Lu placed a white piece in a corner, which captured another black piece. After this cycle repeated three times, Gu Xu chuckled and put the black piece back into the chess box.

“If this continues, we will never finish this game. This first move was initiated by me, and I have lost.”

Yan Lu was taken aback upon hearing this, then shook his head and replied, "It should be Yan Lu who admits defeat. Yan Lu has no way to break through from other aspects, so he can only continue to entangle himself in this way, which is already a low-level approach."

"Whether it's superior or inferior, being able to remain undefeated is good. The meditation technique that Second Master cultivates is truly profound."

After praising it, Gu Xu stood up, looked at the white clouds rolling outside the pavilion, and took a deep breath.

"The defeat of the Mohists is inevitable. Next will be the Confucians, followed by the Agriculturalists and the Daoists. The empire's established plan is already laid out. Have you Confucians already come up with a countermeasure?"

"Confucianism focuses solely on scholarship and avoids discussing state affairs. If even if we retreat to this level, the empire still cannot feel at ease, then..."

Although Yan Lu did not finish speaking, Gu Xu understood that as long as the empire could tolerate the existence of Confucianism, Confucianism could make changes for the empire. However, this idea was still too conservative, but it was the best choice for Confucianism at present.

"Ah."

Gu Xu gave a faint reply, while Yan Lu's heart stirred slightly. Looking at Gu Xu, who showed no outward expression, Yan Lu didn't know how to ask.

"Second Master, we have known each other for quite some time. I will ask you directly if you know about the Seven Mansions of the Azure Dragon."

"The Seven Mansions of the Azure Dragon!"

Upon hearing these four words, Yan Lu swayed slightly, his heart churning with turmoil. He stared intently at Gu Xu, then turned away with a sorrowful expression, gazing at the gathering and dispersing white clouds.

"What would you like to ask, sir?"

"The mission of the Yin-Yang School throughout history has been to unravel the secrets of the Seven Mansions of the Azure Dragon. Now that the world is unified, those seven mysterious bronze boxes have all fallen into the hands of the Yin-Yang School. However, the key to unlocking the bronze boxes still requires a person and an object." "A person, an object?"

Yan Lu looked puzzled; this was the first time he had heard of how to unravel the secret of the Azure Dragon's Seven Mansions.

"Both the people and the artifacts are in the Mo family. The people are the forbidden Dongjun Yanfei of the Yin-Yang School and Gao Yue, the beloved daughter of the Mo family's leader, while the artifact is the Illusionary Sound Box."

"The Illusionary Sound Box, a treasure of the Yin-Yang School that has been missing for over a hundred years, how could it be in the Mo Family's possession?"

Yan Lu was increasingly alarmed as he listened. Could there be some connection between these two families?
"That's not important. What's important is that this time, in addition to Gongshu Chou and Liusha, the Yin Yang School will also be involved in attacking the Mohists. Perhaps they're already on their way."

After Gu Xu finished speaking, Yan Lu frowned. The Yin Yang School had many experts. The two protectors, Moon Goddess and Star Soul, and the five elders were all top-notch experts. Since the Yin Yang School was sent by Ying Zheng, at least one of the two protectors must have been dispatched, and at least half of the elders must have been dispatched. In this light, unless the Mo family relied on the Mechanical City, it would be difficult for them to contend with them.

"It's only a matter of time before the city of the mechanical city falls. Zifang will not be in any danger on this trip. But I still maintain that once the empire breaks through the Mohist school, it will be natural for it to suppress the Confucian school with its overwhelming momentum. Especially your Confucian prime minister, who is the one who respects the law."

After speaking, Gu Xu turned around and glanced at Yan Lu, who seemed to be deep in thought, before walking towards the outer room.

Yan Lu gazed at the distant mist, sighed softly, and murmured to himself, "So even Confucianism can't escape this storm?"

Hidden among the mountains, the city of the Mechanized City is built into the mountainside. The terrain there is unique, with steep cliffs and deep valleys stretching for hundreds of miles, making it difficult to climb. Below, there is a rushing, turbulent river with hidden reefs and rocks. Without the guidance of Mohist disciples, ships would run aground and sink. Even more strangely, there is a sea of ​​clouds that changes unpredictably, with the weather alternating between sunshine and rain. People often lose their way in the vast sea of ​​clouds and end up in the turbulent currents, unable to return.

"The Mohists have certainly chosen a good location. If I'm not mistaken, the interior of this mountain has probably been hollowed out. Only a constantly flowing water could keep such a massive mechanical city running. Hmm, the Mohists are indeed quite capable. Chief Wei Zhuang, what are your thoughts?"

Looking at the surging river and towering, precipitous peaks before him, Gongshu Chou glanced at Wei Zhuang beside him. Upon hearing this, the latter said calmly, "The Mechanical City was built on water, and it will also be destroyed by water. If we only focus on the water, it will be very easy to break through from the inside."

"Chief Wei Zhuang hit the nail on the head. Indeed, the water is the weakness of the Mechanized City. As long as the poison is dissolved in the water, the Mechanized City will immediately lose its fighting power. However, the Mo family must have thought of this weakness. They must have a backup plan. In particular, the river is surging, and even a large dose of poison will be diluted. Therefore, we still need to get the overall map of the Mechanized City first. And this thing should be in the hands of Old Man Ban if there are no surprises. Once I have this thing, I will start from the point and expose the whole thing. Chief Wei Zhuang, this is your specialty. I will wait here for good news."

Gongshu Chou bowed to Wei Zhuang, then turned and left with his disciples.

"grown ups?"

Chi Lian stepped forward and looked at Wei Zhuang, who said, "Tell Lin'er and Yin Fu to sneak in and find the main map as quickly as possible."

"Yes."

Chi Lian departed in response. That night, two figures shot towards the distant mountain peaks like birds. Even with the clouds obscuring their view, the Heavenly Eye Mirror given to them by Gongshu Chou, combined with Yin Fu's own Bat Blood Technique, allowed them to easily find the most suitable path. The Mo Yu Qilin, whose hand he was holding, was still shrouded in black robes and masked, making it impossible to see his face.

"Hehe, when we get to the Mechanical City, I'll distract them while you disguise yourself as a Mo family disciple and complete the leader's task as soon as possible. Hmm, it's been a long time since I've had a proper meal. This time I'm going to eat my fill."

With a sharp laugh, Yin Fu and the two flew through the sea of ​​clouds, their bodies sinking down to land steadily on a tall banyan tree. After checking that there were no guards around, Yin Fu and Mo Yu Qilin quietly landed and then separated. Yin Fu flew towards the place with the densest blood energy, while Mo Yu Qilin walked in the opposite direction, its figure disappearing into the darkness.

Meanwhile, Gai Nie and Old Man Ban returned to the Mechanized City safely. After reuniting with the others, Old Man Ban led them towards the main hall. Along the way, Gai Nie and Tianming met several leaders of the Mo family, including Da Tiechui and Xue Nu. On the broken bridge of the Mechanized City, Gai Nie encountered a sprightly old man with white beard and black hair who had caused Yuan Hong to react. He saw the old man reach out and grasp the sword, and Yuan Hong suddenly flew out of its sheath and was held in his hand.

“Yuanhong, after so many years, it has finally returned to this place.”

The old man ran his fingers along the sword, and a clear, melodious sword cry rang out, followed by a series of trembling sounds. The old man glanced at Gai Nie who was walking towards him and said in a low voice, "It is not an insult for the Yuanhong Sword to fall into your hands. However, there is another sword in this city called Shuihan. Although it is ranked seventh in the sword manual, its power is not bad. It is the counter to your Yuanhong. You should be careful when you encounter it."

As he spoke, the old man reached out and pushed the Yuanhong Sword back into its sheath. Gai Nie asked, "I don't know about the matter of taking charge of Shuihan?"

"It's Xiao Gao."

The old man replied calmly, then called out to Old Man Ban before leading a group of disciples toward the Sword Pool.

"That's Master Xu, a master swordsmith of the Mohist school. The Water Cold Sword was made by him. Mr. Gai Nie, let's go."

Old Man Ban led Gai Nie and the others onward. Ever since entering the Mechanized City, Tianming hadn't stopped moving. He held Yue'er's hand, pointed here, looked there. In Shao Yu's eyes, he was a complete country bumpkin, and he looked down on him, but on the surface he still looked like he was listening attentively.

"This place is simple, so please make sure you stay here for now, Mr. Gai Nie. If you need anything, just tell your disciples. This old man has important matters to attend to, so I won't keep you company any longer."

Old Man Ban led Gai Nie and Tianming to a simply decorated cave and said to Gai Nie.

"Thank you for your trouble, Master Ban. This place is already very good."

Gai Nie clasped his hands in a salute to Old Man Ban, who nodded slightly. After glancing at Tianming, who was touching the wind chimes hanging in the cave, Gai Nie turned and left the cave, hurrying towards the council hall.

Inside the council hall, several figures sat around the stone table. The head seat was empty, while to his left sat a handsome young man with a high nose and fair skin. His eyes were sharp, yet there was a hint of melancholy in them. He appeared aloof and otherworldly. Beside him leaned a long sword that exuded coldness. This man was Gao Jianli, the leader of the Mo family, second only to the Grand Master. The sword he wielded was the famous "Water Cold Sword".

To his left was a beautiful woman dressed in a dark blue open-front silk dress and adorned with crystal ornaments. However, her eyes were cold, making it clear that she was not an easy person to get along with. On the table in front of her was a jade flute that was entirely emerald green. This woman was Xue Nu, another leader of the Mo family.

Sitting opposite Gao Jianli was a burly man with an honest face, his hair tied in a bun at the back of his head, his bare upper body bound by four chains, with a tiger-head bronze plate at the junction, and a man-sized iron hammer at his feet. This man was none other than Big Iron Hammer, the most impatient and explosive of the Mo family's leaders.

Below the large iron hammer was a slender, unremarkable man with short, brown-yellow hair parted in the middle and tied in a small braid at the back, with two strands of hair hanging down on his forehead. He wore a two-tone open-fronted cloth robe and was playing with a flywheel in his hand. Even in this solemn council hall, he still had a somewhat cynical demeanor.

"Dao Zhi, stop playing. If Master Ban sees you playing with the spinning wheel again, he might have Master Xu take it back."

Gao Jianli spoke calmly, and the cynical young man snorted, but eventually put it away and sat up straight.

(End of this chapter)