Blind Ghostwriter: Starts with the full level of Nine Yang Magic Skill

Chapter 117: Netherworld Epiphyllum
After returning to Linjiang County,

Gu Mo and Gu Chudong were forced to change their residence.

It wasn't that he had any enemies seeking revenge, but rather that Gu Mo was now incredibly famous. The battles at Fengming Ferry and Luoying Valley had made him one of the new Ten Great Masters, and his reputation as a great hero in Yunzhou had become quite a sensation.

The most direct trouble that this brought was that the place where Gu Mo lived before was quickly spread. Countless people from the martial arts world came to visit him every day. Some came to ask for advice, some wanted to challenge him in an attempt to become famous, and more were young people with aspirations who knelt down to be his disciples.

Gu Mo didn't even dare to show up, and directly asked Lu Yingchuan, the old knife master of the Big Knife Gang, to find another hiding place.

Faced with Gu Mo's request for help, Lao Daobazi was extremely nervous and went to do it himself. It only took him an hour to find a quiet place for Gu Mo to live.

Gu Mo offered the money, but the old knife-holder kept refusing. In the end, Gu Mo forced him to keep the money before he stopped. For Gu Mo now, he was not short of money, at least not the money for the house. There was no need to owe a big favor for that little money.

The old knife boss was actually still in fear, and kept thanking himself that he had not reached an irreconcilable point with Gu Mo because of his subordinates' affairs. He was also thankful that he had apologized so early. Otherwise, with Gu Mo's current reputation, Gu Mo would not even have to take action personally. He only needed to spread the word, and people who wanted to curry favor with Gu Mo would take action to destroy his Big Knife Gang. Whether they could defeat them was another matter, but at least his Big Knife Gang would not have a good life.

So, when Gu Mo came to him for help, he was quite happy, because Gu Mo's coming to him indirectly proved that he could still have some connection with Gu Mo, the Yunzhou hero and the newly promoted Grandmaster. Although Gu Mo's giving money to him rejected his intention of building a relationship with him by giving him the courtyard, he was one of the few people in the martial arts world who knew Gu Mo's residence, and this made him feel quite honored.

……

Gu Mo only informed a few people of the specific location of the new home, namely Zhuo Qingfeng, Chu Yuan, and Qu Heng. In addition, Tang Buyi and Yan Sanniang also needed to be informed, but the two of them were still in Dongping County and had not returned.

The very next day after Gu Mo moved into his new home, Zhuo Qingfeng came to his door carrying a jar of wine.

As soon as he entered the courtyard, Zhuo Qingfeng looked around and said with emotion, "He really has made a lot of money. This courtyard is really magnificent. It must be worth two thousand taels or more, right?"

"Almost." Gu Mo smiled.

"Tsk tsk tsk," Zhuo Qingfeng exclaimed in admiration, "It makes me want to be the ghostwriter."

Gu Mo smiled and said, "Welcome to Buer Villa. I'll tell Miss Yan that I'll give you the treatment of a gold medal ghostwriter."

"Okay," Zhuo Qingfeng said jokingly with a smile, "When the time comes, you can talk to Boss Yan and ask him to take good care of me."

As he spoke, Zhuo Qingfeng placed the wine jar on the table and said, "My monthly salary is so little. I can't afford to give you anything expensive as a housewarming gift. So I'll just give you this pot of wine. A small gift is worth a lot of thought!"

Gu Chudong muttered to the side, "Captain Zhuo, it's true that your gift is small, but your affection isn't much either. You've already opened the wine."

Zhuo Qingfeng chuckled and said, "Take a sip and try it for your brother!"

Gu Chudong complained: "You must have wanted to drink it yourself, you didn't buy it for my brother!"

Zhuo Qingfeng said with a smile: "I'll make it up next time, I'll make it up next time!"

Gu Mo smiled and said, "Chu Dong, go cook two dishes, and Brother Zhuo and I will have a drink!"

"Hey," Zhuo Qingfeng slammed the table and said, "Brother Gu is a wise man. Miss Chudong, please fry some meat. I can't live without meat!"

Gu Chudong made a face at Zhuo Qingfeng and left for the kitchen.

Zhuo Qingfeng poured Gu Mo a glass of wine and said, "Originally, Lord Chu was planning to come with me to congratulate you on your new home today, but unfortunately, the new captain appointed by the Six Gates of Yunzhou arrived this morning and had to report to Lord Chu. So Lord Chu is not available to come today."

"A new captain?" Gu Mo asked doubtfully, "You're not really resigning, are you?"

"How can I do that?" Zhuo Qingfeng said, "If I resign, my master will definitely give me a hard time. Last year, after the cat demon case, I went to the Yunzhou headquarters and was severely beaten by my master. Later, my master thought about it and felt that my personality was too lively and not suitable for being out there alone, so he decided to transfer me back to work under him. Look, the transfer order came down before the New Year, and my replacement arrived today. Well, in at most half a month, after I finish handing over my affairs here, I will have to go to Yunzhou City. By then, I don't know how long it will take for you and I to see each other again."

Gu Mo said with a smile: "First of all, congratulations to Brother Zhuo on your promotion."

"What promotion? It's a horizontal transfer." Zhuo Qingfeng raised his glass and clinked it with Gu Mo.

The two men drank the wine in their glasses in one gulp. Zhuo Qingfeng immediately began to pour more wine and said, "However, it can be considered a promotion. It was my master who arranged for me to come to Qingyang County. Now I can consider it a complete success. Although the cat demon case caused some trouble last time, I got beaten up by my master, so it's over now.

Now, I'm going to Yunzhou headquarters to continue my duties as a captain. However, one of the four commanders there is old and is preparing to retire. Although my master didn't say it explicitly, I know he must be trying to push me up. However, I know that my qualifications are not enough. There are many veteran captains in the Six Gates who are more qualified than me, but they don't have a chief constable master.

Gu Mo smiled and said, "Why, Brother Zhuo, do you think it's not a good idea to rely on connections?"

"How could that be possible?" Zhuo Qingfeng chuckled and said, "I'm not a rookie. Officialdom is just like that. There's no such thing as absolute fairness and justice. I just wanted to tell you that I have a bright future and show off a little. Otherwise, I'd feel very pressured in front of you, the newly promoted Grandmaster and the great hero of Yunzhou!"

Gu Mo: “…”

In fact, the title of Yunzhou Hero is quite good, but Gu Mo doesn't know why. When he was in Qiandeng Town, Tang Buyi and Yan Sanniang called him that every day, and Shen Bai also called him from time to time. Now Zhuo Qingfeng brought it up again, which made Gu Mo inexplicably feel that this title is quite shameful.

Zhuo Qingfeng said with a smile: "Hero of Yunzhou, are you interested in joining the government? With your reputation and martial arts, if you join the Six Gates, you will be able to become an official in the capital in a few years!"

"Forget it, I can't stand the constraints." Gu Mo waved his hand.

The two chatted,

Gu Chudong quickly brought out a few dishes.
With the snacks, the atmosphere for the two of them to drink became even more exciting.

After drinking,

Zhuo Qingfeng almost drank up the jar of wine he brought.

However, both of them were masters of internal martial arts, and they only got slightly tipsy after drinking the wine.

After drinking, Zhuo Qingfeng said goodbye and left.

Gu Mo did not try to persuade him to stay any longer. He knew Zhuo Qingfeng's character. If he was willing to stay longer, he didn't need to ask. Since he was leaving, there was no need for him to ask him to stay. Zhuo Qingfeng never played false courtesy, he only played real.

"By the way, Brother Gu,"

When he reached the door, Zhuo Qingfeng suddenly remembered something and turned around and said, "Please remind Yan Sanniang that I have found some information from the Six Gates. Someone may be targeting Bu Er Villa recently. The other party may have mobilized official forces. I haven't found out the details, but the background must be not small. Tell her to pay more attention."

"Okay." Gu Mo nodded and said, "I'll remind her."

"Okay, don't give it away."

Then, Zhuo Qingfeng waved his hand and left quickly.

After watching Zhuo Qingfeng leave, Gu Chudong said, "Brother, Captain Zhuo said... I'm afraid the Guangyang Marquisate is going to take action against Sister Yan."

Gu Mo nodded.

I had met Bai Jingqi, the second son of the Guangyang Marquisate, and Grandmaster Meng Qingkong at Buer Villa before. That time, Bai Jingqi had already issued an ultimatum.

"Miss Yan will be back in a few days, tell her," Gu Mo said, "and see if I can help then. I hope the Guangyang Marquisate will take Buer Villa's reputation into consideration!"

……

As time passed, the name of the Yunzhou hero continued to spread throughout Yunzhou, and it became more and more intense. As his reputation spread, the rumors became more and more outrageous, and it was almost impossible to distinguish between the true and the false.

However, no matter what the outside world is like,
Gu Mo has been staying at home recently, or basically not going out. His main thing at home is to guide Gu Chudong in her cultivation.

Considering Gu Chudong's current situation,
The main internal skill he cultivated was Mingyu Gong, but he had already reached the seventh level and his progress was very slow, unless he had an epiphany at some point.

Other martial arts, such as the Tiyunzong, the Finger-Tanning Magic, and the Xuanxu Sword Technique, have progressed very rapidly under Gu Chudong's seventh level of Mingyugong, which is like mastering one method and then mastering all methods.

Gu Mo began to teach Gu Chudong the Lonely Nine Swords again.

Therefore, Gu Chudong now focuses on Mingyu Gong and Dugu Nine Swords, and her combat power is improving very rapidly. However, these two martial arts require a high level of comprehension. Only Gu Chudong has a master brother who does nothing but guide her. If it were someone else, even if they obtained the magical skills, they would not know how many years it would take to learn them.

In addition to guiding the cultivation, Gu Mo also found a time to take out the Heavenly Silkworm Treasure Clothes and gave them to Gu Chudong. That thing was indeed a rare treasure, with great defensive effects.

As time passed, the turmoil of the battle between good and evil in the martial arts world gradually began to subside.

Yan Sanniang and Tang Buyi also returned to Linjiang County in early February. Both of them gained a lot. Not to mention Buer Villa, Gu Mo was originally the ghostwriter of Buer Villa. Now the popularity of Zhuifeng Tower of Buer Villa has directly overshadowed several other old-fashioned Zhuifeng Towers. Yan Sanniang, who was already well-known in the martial arts world, has become more famous again.

However, the one who gained the most fame was Tang Buzhi.

As the saying goes, your identity when you go out is given by yourself. Tang Buyi fully proved that the saying is right with his actions. When he was at Fengming Ferry, facing the siege of martial arts heroes, Gu Mo stood up resolutely and called himself Linjiang's timely rain.

As the name of Gu Mo, the hero of Yunzhou, spread, Tang Buzhi, the timely rain of Linjiang, really gained a lot of fame.

At that time, in that situation, Tang Buyi stood up to support Gu Mo. This incident alone was enough to prove his loyalty.

Therefore, when he called himself the Timely Rain, everyone in the world believed him.

Suddenly, Tang Buyi's reputation as a timely rain really caught on. Consequently, during this period, the reputational issues brought on by the previous owners, the Yang family, were resolved by Tang Buyi, and the Changfeng Escort Agency seemed to have surpassed its original reputation and enjoyed a second spring.

When Tang Buyi came to Gu Mo's house to play, he also said that he had actually recruited several masters with great reputations in the martial arts world, and the Changfeng Escort Agency was suddenly revitalized.

During this time,
Tang Buyi was beaming with joy every day, and he would come to Gu Mo's house every few days to share good news, such as receiving a big order, or a famous hero coming to Linjiang City to visit him specially, etc.

According to Tang Buyi, almost all the senior members of the Tang family in Zhushan County are now confused. His father, Tang Tianhao, is particularly doubtful about his life, as he often encounters people outside who say, "So you're the father of Timely Rain Tang Buyi. I've heard so much about you!"

However, during this period,

Yan Sanniang was rarely seen as she was extremely busy. Apart from coming more frequently during the first few days after returning to Linjiang City, she seldom came in the next two or three months. Even when she came, she came and left in a hurry.

……

At noon that day, it started raining in Linjiang City.
The spring rain is like silk, falling quietly in the sky.

The fine rain threads weave a gentle net, lightly covering the entire city. Looking up, the whole city is filled with hazy mist. Buildings and streets are looming in the rain and fog. Pedestrians walk slowly with umbrellas, and their pace is also slowed down by the poetry of the spring rain.

Yan Sanniang was holding an oil-paper umbrella with a painted black plum blossom on it, strolling leisurely in the long bluestone alley. She was dressed in green and came to the outside of the Gu family's house. Just as she was raising her hand to knock gently, the door opened.

It was Gu Chudong who opened the door. A look of joy appeared on her face as she called out, "Sister Yan, you haven't been here for a long time. I missed you."

Yan Sanniang was not surprised why Gu Chudong happened to open the door for her. She was used to it. Almost every time, she didn't need to knock on the door, and the Gu Mo siblings would know she was coming.

She looked at Gu Chudong, smiled softly, and said, "Sister, I miss you too!"

Yan Sanniang followed Gu Chudong into the courtyard, passed through the corridor of the east wing, and came to the outside of the main hall, where she saw Gu Mo sitting on a chair carving a wood carving.

Yan Sanniang placed the umbrella at the door and slowly walked into the hall. She came to Gu Mo's side, stared at the wooden sculpture, and asked with some surprise, "Is this me?"

Gu Mo nodded and said, "I told you last year that once I mastered my carving skills, I would carve a statue for you. Please wait a moment, I just need to finish it."

Yan Sanniang quickly sat aside and waited quietly.

After about an incense stick of time,
Suddenly, Gu Mo's fingertips stopped, he put down the carving knife, held the about three-inch high wooden sculpture steadily with his right hand, and then blew gently. In an instant, wood chips and dust flew everywhere.

When the dust settled, a lifelike statue came into view. It was Yan Sanniang.

The statue had bright eyes and eyebrows, and its clothes fluttered in the wind, just like a real person.

Yan Sanniang stared at the wood carving in a daze for a moment.

"Sister Yan, how is it?" Gu Chudong approached Yan Sanniang and whispered, "My brother's craftsmanship is pretty good, isn't it? His carvings were so ugly before, but now they're impressive!"

Yan Sanniang nodded slightly and said, "Gu Mo, have you... seen me before?"

"No." Gu Mo shook his head.

"Then how do you know my appearance..." Yan Sanniang said at this point, suddenly realized: "Is the profound internal strength really so mysterious?"

Gu Mo smiled slightly and said, "Miss Yan, this is for you."

Yan Sanniang took the wooden sculpture and held it in her arms, staring at it intently. Her slender fingers gently stroked the face of the figure and whispered, "If that's the case, I imagine that when your eyes are healed in the future, you'll be able to recognize me when you see me, right?"

"Of course." Gu Mo said.

Yan Sanniang smiled faintly and said, "Gu Mo, sister, I've been busy with many things at Bu Er Villa lately, and I haven't been able to spare any time. However, I haven't forgotten the important matter. I have contacted Qi Miaoxuan, and he promised to treat your eyes."

Gu Chudong said in surprise: "Really, Sister Yan!"

"Really," Yan Sanniang said, "but you need at least 10,000 taels of silver and a copy of the rare treasure he's interested in. I don't need to worry about the silver; you have more than enough now."

Gu Mo is indeed not short of money now. During his trip to Dongping County, he brought back the heads of the fat and thin Taoist priests, Ju Shanyin, the starving ghost, and the hanged ghost. The government received 10,000 taels of silver from the head of Ju Shanyin alone, and the other miscellaneous money added up. Just that one head is enough for Gu Mo and Gu Chudong to live a life of feasting and drinking for several lifetimes.

Yan Sanniang continued, "As for the natural treasures, I've also gotten some specific information. In the Lingnan region, on the border of Yunzhou, there's a mountain called Cangshan, where traces of the Netherworld Epiphyllum have appeared. This Netherworld Epiphyllum is one of the natural treasures that Qi Miaoxuan specifically mentioned as being of interest."

"Netherworld Epiphyllum!" Gu Mo asked in confusion, "What is this Netherworld Epiphyllum used for?"

Yan Sanniang said, "Legend has it that the Netherworld Epiphyllum grows at the Yellow Springs Ferry. Simply put, it's on an ancient battlefield, a place once littered with corpses. The Netherworld Epiphyllum feeds on corpse qi and resentment, and should be the most poisonous thing in the world. However, this Netherworld Epiphyllum emits a fragrance that purifies the poison. It's even rumored to be able to bring the dead back to life. There's also a saying that this treasure is deeply versed in the laws of the cycle of life and death and possesses great mysteries. This item is priceless."

However, this thing is extremely rare, rarely seen in the world, and extremely difficult to capture, because it has no roots. Although it is a flower, it can move freely, walking between life and death, back and forth between the realms of reality and illusion. Even if you see it, you may not be able to catch it.

Gu Chudong quickly asked, "Then...how do we find it?"

"It's alright," Yan Sanniang said. "The so-called wandering between reality and illusion is just a rumor. If it were really that bizarre, how were those Netherworld Epiphyllums caught in the past? With your brother's martial arts skills, as long as he can find the flower, capturing it shouldn't be a problem. The difficulty lies in finding it. Cangshan is huge, and there are many people who would go looking for the Netherworld Epiphyllum."

Gu Mo chuckled and said, "Since Miss Yan has mentioned this, there must be a way, right?"

Yan Sanniang nodded slightly, took out a sandalwood box from her bosom, and said, "I bought this from a friend. It's a section of the stalk of a Netherworld Epiphyllum. All Netherworld Epiphyllums in the world are attracted to each other. This stalk can sense Netherworld Epiphyllums and is also attracted to them. Basically, as long as it is within a radius of one or two miles, it will be sensitive. This is the most practical tool for finding Netherworld Epiphyllums."

Gu Mo quickly asked: "Miss Yan, this thing must be expensive. I have to pay you back for how much you spent. If I don't have enough now, I will pay you back when I make money in the future."

"No need," Yan Sanniang said, "I already said I bought it from a friend. I only gave him three or five hundred taels. Just remember it as a favor."

Gu Mo asked doubtfully, "But doesn't Qi Miaoxuan have a third condition? He only wants to treat people who are his approved friends?"

Yan Sanniang laughed and said, "It's just a condition set to reject others. If he's willing to treat me, then we're friends. If he's not willing to treat me, then we're not friends. If the condition isn't met, it's just because social etiquette is so troublesome, so I just set a condition to make it easier to reject him!"

"I see. The right of interpretation belongs to him."

Yan Sanniang nodded, took out a few sheets of rice paper from her bosom, and said, "This is detailed information about the Netherworld Epiphyllum, as well as Qi Miaoxuan's address. You should go to Lingnan as soon as possible to find the Netherworld Epiphyllum. That old man Qi Miaoxuan likes to run around everywhere, so it's hard to find. If you miss it this time, it will be difficult to find it next time."

"Okay, we'll leave tomorrow."

"Don't wait until tomorrow," Yan Sanniang said. "The Netherworld Epiphyllum was originally called the Netherworld Flower because it only appears on the night of the full moon on the 15th day of every year. It only lasts for that one night and then disappears, just like the Epiphyllum, which appears only briefly. That's why people in the martial arts world call it the Netherworld Epiphyllum."

As she spoke, Yan Sanniang looked at Gu Mo and said, "The journey to Lingnan is long and arduous. You and your sister have never been there and don't know the route at all. If you go on your own, it will take forever to get there. I've contacted a group of traveling merchants who trade local specialties between Lingnan and Linjiang County all year round. They're leaving for Lingnan today. You should pack up now and go with them so you can arrive before the fifteenth of next month."

Gu Mo and Gu Chudong both thought it made sense and agreed.

(End of this chapter)