The fake prince was exposed at the beginning, and I took office as emperor on the spot

Chapter 171 The Master of All Tactical Shifts! (Three-in-One)

That fifth-rank master elder was a retainer under Marquis Dingyuan, Ji Chuan.

A few days ago, when Zhu Xiuxiu was being redeemed, Ji Peng, the son of the Marquis of Dingyuan, spoke rudely and was slapped away by Hu Wenxin, Gu Fangchen's loyal old servant.

Although he didn't die on the spot, it was practically the same as dying on the spot...

Yes, castrate him on the spot.

Hu Wenxin, this old monster who has been surviving in the underground sword palace for countless years, was only turned into an old servant by Gu Fangchen. Otherwise, if he had been released, he would have been a standard old demon who wreaked havoc on the region.

They are ruthless; when they strike, they not only kill but also destroy one's spirit.

Compared to the former Gu Fangchen, Ji Peng was only slightly less powerful, but he was just as good at bullying men and women, and was especially known for his womanizing ways.

He was castrated on the spot and completely broke down. He's been acting like he's going to die these past few days at the Marquis's residence.

Marquis Dingyuan only has this one son. When he heard that something had happened to him, he was naturally resentful and unwilling. Upon hearing that Zhu Xiuxiu had left the city alone to go to Gushu, he immediately sent someone to intercept her on the way.

In his mind, since Gu Fangchen had gone out of her way to redeem Zhu Xiuxiu, she must have some feelings for her.

Even if there's no affection involved, it still comes down to saving face.

First, we'll control Zhu Xiuxiu, then deal with Gu Fangchen. By distracting him and waiting for him to come to us, we can easily capture him.

The idea is good, but unfortunately, the Marquis of Dingyuan is on the border, and the intelligence updates are too slow.

They only sent over a few grandmasters, and even Gu Fangchen herself couldn't defeat them, let alone his cart full of fourth-rank masters plus a martial saint.

The previous one who waited patiently for his prey to come up with at least a third-grade evil spirit.

Gu Fangchen was not waiting for the few people sent by Marquis Dingyuan.

"Hehehe~"

A strange laugh echoed in mid-air, startling both sides.

The fifth-rank grandmaster elder, along with the other two grandmasters and a fourth-rank expert who were lying in ambush around him, immediately raised their heads.

Looking up, they saw that the already overcast sky had suddenly split open, revealing a rift that stretched across the heavens. Blood-red light spread through the rift, as if an abyss had descended, emanating an extremely terrifying aura.

Immediately, a huge, bluish-purple hand, seemingly capable of blotting out the sky, reached out from the crack, pried open the crack, and tore it apart!

The moment the rift was torn open, a huge vertical pupil, a deep blue tinged with scarlet, could be vaguely seen opening within the blood-red light.

It was as if an ancient demon god had cast a glance at him, carrying an inescapable and supreme will.

"boom!"

As the rift tore open, the ancient demon god's purplish-blue hand reached out and grabbed at the people below.

Its momentum, descending from the sky, tore through the heavens, and as it brushed past the air, it resembled a meteor falling from the sky, leaving a long trail of flame.

The immense pressure caused the ground within a radius of a thousand miles to tremble and rumble, as if an earth dragon were turning over, with the land cracking, shaking, and tilting.

It possesses the imposing power of "the pillar of heaven breaking and the earth's axis shattering".

Judging from his aura alone, he's at least a second-grade expert!

Even Hu Wenxin and Si Jian were startled and their faces showed vigilance. Xu Zhenguan, who was driving the other carriage, was sweating profusely and his hand was trembling as he gripped the sword tightly.

The grandmasters on the other side, having witnessed something, turned deathly pale with fright. They forgot to utter any threats and fled in all directions, abandoning their armor and weapons...

Despite the terrifying scene of the sky collapsing and the earth splitting apart, Gu Fangchen remained remarkably calm.

He had used this method before; he was extremely familiar with it...

This is the unique illusion array of the "emotional" path – the "Mirage Array".

A mirage obscures the five senses, making the illusion appear real and indistinguishable from the real.

This formation is a third-grade formation, and its uses are naturally far more than the simple uses that Gu Fangchen used back then.

He initially used it merely to impersonate Qing Jian and Ding Xingfeng to fabricate their whereabouts, which was a complete waste of its potential.

Moreover, the third rank is only the limit for the user, not the limit for the formation.

If one has sufficient ability to use this illusion array, it is enough to create illusions that can deceive heaven and earth.

The user of this illusion is at least at the third rank.

From that "hehehe~" opening gesture, he could accurately determine which "love" person it was.

He had previously impersonated someone from the "Qingdao" school at the Qionglin Banquet, which was tantamount to using the methods of the "Qingdao" school to slap the "Qingdao" school in the face.

These self-proclaimed clever people, who think they can deceive the world, are even more arrogant than "Extinction" Dao. Of course, they are not convinced.

They will definitely come to him to avenge their humiliation.

Gu Fangchen and the others were people who understood the principles of "love"!

The "mirage" formation was so effective that it even fooled Ding Xingfeng for a moment. He appeared with a look of surprise and uncertainty, but then turned around and saw Gu Fangchen looking completely calm with her hands behind her back, putting on an act.

Old Ding raised an eyebrow and immediately realized that this was most likely just an illusion.

Facing the descending giant hand, Gu Fangchen neither dodged nor avoided it, but instead leaped into the air and drew the "Azure Tide" bow.

This bow was one of the collectibles I acquired in exchange with the "dentist".

Previously, due to insufficient strength, it had been kept hidden and not used.

Now that he has broken through to the fifth rank, he has just reached the threshold for use.

Moreover, during his trip back to Huangtian City, he plucked out all the "Mermaid Tears" from the treasuries of the Royal Palace and the Imperial Preceptor's Mansion.

There were a total of 1,126 pieces; it's like emptying their coffers.

In other words, this bow can be used 1,126 times now, and if more "mermaid tears" can be found, it can naturally be used even more times.

Gu Fangchen faced the strong wind, her long hair dancing wildly, but one could hear the cracking sounds of her bones and muscles straining under the weight.

However, at this moment, he is in the period when the [Day] buff of [Waiting for Flight] is in effect, and his physical strength is greatly increased.

With the extremely high physical strength provided by "Refining Magic", one can survive even after withstanding a third-grade attack.

At most, this is just a quick wipe; we can just tough it out.

"Ha! Ignorant brat! Trying to break a rock with an egg!"

A sneer echoed from high above, reverberating throughout the heavens and earth, sending chills down one's spine.

Although this illusion was not of the second rank, it still possessed the strength of the third rank. The few Grandmasters from the Marquis's Mansion who attempted to escape were all crushed into mincemeat with a "crack".

Despite the pressure, Gu Fangchen remained calm, narrowed her eyes, and shot an arrow into the sky.

The illusory giant hand reached out to intercept, but the next second, it sensed a trace of "human energy" on the arrow.

This "mirage formation" is yin in nature and is most afraid of the body's qi and blood. Therefore, it will be immediately broken as soon as it is touched.

In fact, if there is semen or blood, the same effect will be achieved.

He sensed the "human energy" on the arrow, and naturally hesitated subconsciously.

That is, the hesitation in that instant.

"call out--"

The arrow, formed from the "Mermaid Tears" fused with Gu Fangchen's essence and blood, shot into the sky. In an instant, a huge array unfolded in the sky, like the Milky Way opening its gates, and rain poured down like a waterfall.

The raindrops were slightly reddish, and when collected, they resembled blood rain.

As you pass through that enormous illusion, it creates a series of tiny holes, turning into a giant sieve in just a few seconds.

The advantage of the "Azure Tide" bow lies in its full-screen AoE attack and the ability to manually apply debuffs.

After trying everything, this body full of poisonous blood is still the most effective...

"you!"

The illusion in the sky vanished, and a cry of alarm and anger immediately came from the ground.

"Whoosh-"

The next moment, a dark shadow sprang out from underground and struck Gu Fangchen with a palm.

But Ding Xingfeng was no mere figurehead; at the same moment, he appeared behind the dark figure and unleashed a punch.

"Oh!"

A simple, direct punch landed squarely on the back, sending the dark figure flying back the way it came.

A human-shaped crater was punched into the ground.

The illusions in the sky completely dissipated, and the others then realized that the surrounding environment was not nearly as terrifying as they had seen before.

Basically, the exaggerated special effects were all meant to intimidate Ding Xingfeng, a pure martial artist; he naturally didn't think anyone else was a threat.

He hid underground, waiting for everyone's attention to be drawn to the illusion in the sky, and then seized the opportunity to strike.

Unfortunately, Gu Fangchen saw through his disguise the moment he appeared.

Gu Fangchen took a pill to suppress her injuries, walked over, squatted down, and said with a smile:

"Guan Yue, I advise you not to move rashly. This is a Gu made with 'Heart-Planting Poison'."

He raised his hand, and the crimson demonic flower in his palm seemed to come alive, shimmering with chillingly vibrant colors.

Lying below was a fat man, as heavy as a mountain. He had been punched by the Martial Saint, and his face was pale as he coughed up blood. He was about to run away when he heard this, but his expression changed drastically as he looked at himself.

The rain fell from the sky, eventually settling into the soil, and naturally it also landed on him.

In other words... this guy discovered his true form was underground a long time ago!

Moreover, this guy recognized his real name at a glance, which clearly shows that it wasn't him waiting for a rabbit to run into the tree stump; Gu Fangchen was doing the same thing!
"Chichi..."

At this moment, faint red veins appeared on the parts of Guan Yue's fat limbs and body that came into contact with the rain, and they quickly transformed into red demonic flowers.

Furthermore, when he tried to use his spiritual power to expel the toxins, they became even more active. In an instant, the red lines occupied his heart meridian and spread throughout his limbs and bones.

Guan Yue was horrified.

He knew that Gu Fangchen herself was a victim of the "Heart Poison," but since the poison had taken root in him, it was now his too!

This thing, capable of being used as poison or a form of witchcraft, has countless uses...

Conversely, he could also be the "biochemical mother" that spreads this poison.

Seeing this, the others also felt a chill run down their spines and subconsciously looked at themselves, trying to recall whether they had come into contact with the rain.

Hu Wenxin and Si Jian reacted particularly strongly, their faces turning pale, fearing that Gu Fangchen was not satisfied with enslaving them and would need to add another layer of protection.

Only after finding no red marks did I breathe a huge sigh of relief.

Even Ding Xingfeng twitched his lips and almost wanted to move two steps to the side.

The "Heart-Planting Poison" is such an incurable poison that even someone with his strong physique would likely suffer from it if he couldn't detect and force it out immediately.

If Gu Fangchen has mastered the method of making Gu poison from "heart-planting poison", it would be too terrifying. Anyone who fights him in the future would have to be wary of him suddenly self-destructing, and they would not even be able to have physical contact with him.

The problem is... I've never heard of anyone turning "Heart-Planting Poison" into a controllable Gu poison before. Even the "Medical Saint" and "Poison Saint" of previous dynasties didn't have such an ability.

But Ding Xingfeng thought that Gu Fangchen came from "Tan Yuan" and had shown many abilities beyond comprehension in the past, so he felt that it would not be surprising if he took out another "Heart-Planting Poison" Gu.

When Guan Yue saw the red flowers blooming on her body, she froze on the spot, her face ashen, and immediately regretted her earlier arrogance.

However, if he were to do it again, his strategy would probably be the same.

In any case, the only way to break through to the Martial Saint level is through divine means, and the "Mirage Formation" is the first choice.

Unless he knew from the beginning that Gu Fangchen knew this move, it would be impossible for him to withdraw directly from the opponent's attack range.

However, he was unaware that Gu Fangchen had turned the "Heart-Planting Poison" into a Gu, and he was also unaware that Gu Fangchen possessed the "Azure Sea Tide" bow.

This is the inevitable first encounter that can't be avoided...

But Mizuki isn't a player, so she doesn't have the chance to roll back and start over.

He hesitated for a moment, then heard Gu Fangchen transmit a playful voice:
“Miss Zhu Guanyue, there is no cure for the ‘Heart Poison’. Whether you want to live or not is entirely up to you. Think it over before you choose.”

He looked down at Guan Yue, a slight smile playing on his lips, and said calmly:
"You look really ugly. I prefer your original appearance, or... next time you can choose a nicer human skin."

Gu Fangchen glanced sideways at Zhu Xiuxiu, who had already fainted from fright.

"Just like your sister, so beautiful."

The fat man below froze, looked up at Gu Fangchen, and his eyes instantly revealed a look of disbelief and shock.

This person not only knows about her "skin-wearing technique," but also knows her background?!
After she joined the "Path of Love", the first thing she did was to kill the person who led her into the path. From then on, the only person who knew her real name and appearance was the Dao Master.

When the Zhu family fell into decline and their property was confiscated, she narrowly escaped the calamity, but was deceived by the doctrine of "love" and became a believer.

Now that her younger sister has finally been able to leave Huangtian City, she naturally escorted her immediately and killed the shameless scoundrel who had humiliated her sister!
That's why they acted impulsively.

Unexpectedly, the other party had been waiting for her all along...

Guan Yue completely gave up, barely managed to get up, took a deep breath and said:
"I admit defeat... How can I cure this poison?"

When Gu Fangchen saw that she believed her, her smile widened.

Of course he...

They had absolutely no ability to refine "Heart-Planting Poison" into Gu poison.

His expertise lies in array formations and alchemy. Although he has some knowledge of Gu techniques, he has not yet reached the point where he can refine "Heart-Planting Poison," otherwise he would not need to rely on the power of "Refining Magic."

The arrow that Gu Fangchen just shot was merely a disguise.

The real purpose was hidden in the "Mermaid Tears".

Besides practicing martial arts, Gu Fangchen has also been busy these past two days, engraving different formations on each of the "Mermaid Tears" he has.

The magical power inherent in "Azure Sea Tide" comes from the "Azure Sea Pearl" embedded in it.

Shooting arrows with this bow can alter celestial phenomena, turning rainwater into a barrage of sharp arrows.

"Mermaid Tears" was originally only responsible for resonating with "Azure Pearl" and serving as a consumable arrow to be launched.

However, as an excellent material for spellcasting, using it only as an arrow is a waste of its potential.

Therefore, the most efficient and correct way to use it is to endow each "mermaid's tear" with its own function.

In the instant they explode as arrows, they can instantly form an array using the rain!
It is not only efficient, but also covert.

It can be used for both offense and defense, and has multiple functions.

It went from a relatively good bow to a top-tier artifact!
However, the difficulty lies in adjusting the construction of each formation to perfectly integrate with the torrential rain.

This was not a difficult point for Gu Fangchen.

Players have already figured out how to use this bow, and how to modify the formation is just a matter of memory.

The "Mermaid Tear" that Gu Fangchen just launched was engraved with an illusion array.

This illusion array is actually a modified version of the "Mirage Array," or rather, an advanced version, called "Mirror Flower Water Moon."

Of course, this name, like "Teleportation Array 1.14514," was also chosen by Gu Fangchen herself.

This "mirage" is a perfect "mirage" that is not afraid of popularity.

It requires more spiritual power to activate than the "Mirage Array", but fortunately his current spiritual strength is sufficient.

Mixing in with the "mirage array" that Guan Yue herself had created, in the chaos just now, it was like hiding a tree in the forest.

Guan Yue attempted to distract herself with the "Mirage Formation," but Gu Fangchen did the same, using the breaking of the "Mirage Formation" to distract her, causing her to unknowingly fall into the illusion of "flowers in a mirror and moon in the water," mistakenly believing that she had been poisoned by the "Heart-Planting Poison."

Thus, the first step in infiltrating the demonic sect... has been completed.

Gu Fangchen knew perfectly well that the Demonic Sect would do everything in its power to stop him from going to Gushu this time.

Given the Demonic Cult's usual practices, this disorganized group, though outwardly friendly, will surely unite, study all his weaknesses, and cooperate fully in his schemes.

Jiangnan is the stronghold of the "Qing" Dao, and the "Qing" Dao will definitely make a move at this gathering.

Since that's the case, he won't obediently play the yang game with the demonic sect.

As the saying goes, a master of all tactics!

This time, he's going to infiltrate the Demonic Sect and steal their home!

Guan Yue floated up from the pit, her bloated skin peeling off, and the sticky blood streaks pulling down her wet long hair, instantly transforming her from a fat, bloated woman into a delicate woman with gloomy eyes and even a touch of scholarly air.

In terms of appearance, she does resemble Zhu Xiuxiu by a third, but their temperaments are worlds apart.

The younger sister was gentle and weak, but the older sister was like a slippery and cold venomous snake.

But the crimson demonic flowers on her body still clung to her skin like a malignant sore, climbing and seeping into her very being.

As Hu Wenxin and Si Jian watched her kneel down, her face full of resentment, they both felt a familiar sense of shared suffering...

Absolutely right! That's exactly the eerie feeling of being completely under someone's thumb in an instant!

If they had memories of being bosses and NPCs in "Mirror in the Dust," they would understand the helplessness of being speedrunned before they even realized what was happening...

Gu Fangchen turned around first and said to Ding Xingfeng:
"Master, you go to Gushu first, I will be back soon."

This is a repeat of the same old trick, but since it's a surprise attack, no one will suspect that he suddenly left the team halfway.

Because absolutely no one can guess what he's planning to do this time...

"Chen'er..."

Ning Caiyong reached out and grasped Gu Fangchen's hand, pursed her lips, feeling a mix of reluctance and worry about having to part ways so soon after only two days of peace.

Gu Fangchen patted her hand and assured her:
"This time it's simpler than last time. I'll have at most three days. I'll definitely be back safely."

"Don't worry about anything that happens. Just let Zhenguan handle it. I've already taught him how."

Ning Caiyong believed him and nodded.

Gu Fangchen added:
"And... please take good care of Xiuxiu for me."

His words were clearly meant to threaten Zhu Guanyue, but Ning Caiyong misunderstood and said softly:
"Mother knows that you had no choice before. If Miss Xiuxiu is willing, it is not impossible to take her as a concubine."

Gu Fangchen: "..."

He glanced at Guanyue beside him and saw that the latter's face had indeed turned pale.

In a sense... it was a valid threat.

Gu Lianxian opened her mouth, knowing that this guy was definitely going to do something naughty again, but this time... it seemed that she had joined in voluntarily.

Although she didn't want to do anything bad, what if this guy told everyone that she barked like a dog?
She was completely coerced...

The little lamb shut its mouth again, closed the curtain, sat back in the car, sat obediently, and pretended not to see anything.

Watching the convoy depart, Gu Fangchen turned to look at Guan Yue and said calmly:

"The leaders of the Demonic Sect should be meeting in Jiangnan these days, discussing how to kill me and also to cover up the leak with Gu Yuandao, right?"

Guan Yue nodded: "Yes."

Gu Fangchen then said:
“Take me to the ‘Weichuan Chamber of Commerce’.”

He even knows where the headquarters of the "Qingdao" (情道) sect is located in Jiangnan!

Guan Yue was startled. Her original plan to deceive Gu Fangchen, take him to the wrong place, and find a trap to trap him vanished instantly.

Gu Fangchen seemed to have anticipated her thoughts, and gave a forced smile:

"Hehe... Don't misunderstand, I don't need you to lead the way, I just need you to prove my identity."

Guan Yue is one of the two protectors of the "Love" path, namely "Moon at the Bottom of the Well" and "Flower in the Water," and is the two people with the highest status besides the Dao Master.

He redeemed Zhu Xiuxiu partly to make his mind clear, but partly to lure her sister out...

There are so many people I wronged in my past life. If I were to make amends to them, I would have to make amends to each and every one of them for eternity.

The fact that they specifically redeemed Xiuxiu from her servitude was indeed for a specific purpose.

Upon hearing this, Guan Yue was taken aback, and a sense of curiosity and confusion arose in her heart.

Prove identity?

What status?
Hasn't his fake prince identity already been reversed and solidified by him?

However, she soon found out exactly what identity Gu Fangchen needed her to prove...

……

Not long after Gu Fangchen and Guan Yue left, several figures hurriedly arrived.

It was the support personnel from the Marquis of Dingyuan's mansion, but all that awaited them were pools of mud and a chaotic environment all around.

The power of the "Azure Sea Tide" bow, combined with the poisonous blood on Gu Fangchen's body, although not actually very strong, directly created an effect resembling a thousand miles of barren land.

The men were so frightened that they ran away in a panic and scrambled back to report the situation.

……

In a secret room at the Weichuan Chamber of Commerce.

The Dao Lords secretly gathered again, but this time, the Dao Lord of the "Emotion" Dao was also present.

The conversation was probably heading towards something like "This child must not be allowed to live"...

The door to the secret room was suddenly opened.

Guan Yue, who had regained her fat and chubby appearance, walked in, which surprised the Daoist Master of the "Love" Dao. But then, everyone sensed Gu Fangchen following Guan Yue in!
As soon as Gu Fangchen entered, she looked at the Daoist Master of "Love" and angrily said:

"You brat, how dare you impersonate me!"

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

P.S.: Posted first, revised later. 6000 words, please vote with monthly tickets!

(End of this chapter)