The Quiet Village (Seeking Monthly Votes)

The next day, in the early morning.

Gu Mo went to the Yun family.

The Cangzhou Yun family was originally one of the Three Sects, Four Factions, Seven Great Noble Families of the Gan Country Jianghu, a top-tier family in the martial arts world. Two years ago, the Young Lady Yun Xiu took charge and became the family head. She seized the opportunity to become one of the Emperor Gan's appointed Four Great Imperial Merchants, achieving a half-step class leap, transitioning from a martial arts family to a courtly one.

Afterward, Yun Xiu decided to split the Yun family into two. One part remained in Cangzhou to retain their identity as a martial arts family, preserving the Yun family's foundation in the jianghu. The other part relocated to the Capital City, establishing the Chang'an Yun family.

Nowadays, although the Yun family in Chang'an City couldn't be said to be at their peak, they were still thriving, gradually gaining some reputation and establishing a foothold.

When Gu Mo arrived at the Yun family, everyone in the family was extremely excited and received him with great ceremony. Family Head Yun Xiu, who was originally going to the Imperial City to observe the ceremony, immediately changed her itinerary.

Although this Succession Ceremony was simplified, it still had a three-day process. As an Imperial Merchant, Yun Xiu should not have been absent. However, no one in the Yun family felt that Yun Xiu changing her plans today was wrong.

In the current Imperial Court, anyone with a clear head knew how high Gu Mo's status was in Gan Country. If necessary, even the Succession Ceremony could be halted directly.

Currently, in Chang'an City, countless people wanted to visit Gu Mo. However, without exception, whether they were court officials or nobles, unless Gu Mo actively sought to meet them, they would all be blocked by people from Ye Jinglan's Manor.

The Yun family was among those who wanted to see Gu Mo but couldn't. Fortunately, Yun Xiu had always maintained close contact with Gu Chundong and had managed to meet Gu Mo once with Gu Chundong a few days prior.

Even such a small matter had elevated the Yun family's reputation in the Capital City. Therefore, especially since Gu Mo was visiting today of his own accord, unless the Yun family members had lost their minds, they would absolutely not neglect Gu Mo for the sake of attending the Succession Ceremony.

At this moment, in the Yun family hall.

Only Yun Xiu and Gu Mo were alone together. The other members of the Yun family had retreated far away. No one worried that a man and woman being alone would bring any negative impact to Yun Xiu's reputation. On the contrary, the Yun family wished something would happen between Yun Xiu and Gu Mo. If they weren't afraid of offending Gu Mo, the Yun family would even have considered proactively spreading rumors themselves.

In the hall, Yun Xiu poured Gu Mo a cup of tea and asked, "Why did Great Hero Gu decide to go to Northern Zhou?"

"To find someone," Gu Mo replied.

Seeing that Gu Mo had no intention of elaborating, Yun Xiu, being understanding, didn't press further. She said, "When does Great Hero Gu plan to leave? You don't need to wait for the caravan; I can arrange for someone familiar to guide you."

"The sooner the better."

"Is tomorrow possible?" Yun Xiu asked.

"Yes." Gu Mo then asked, "How chaotic is the situation in Northern Zhou right now?"

Yun Xiu thought for a moment and replied, "In the north, there are no less than ten rebel factions occupying territory, fighting amongst themselves, with smoke and fire everywhere. The south is relatively better. After the Northern Zhou court relocated to Wutong City, their control over the southern regions is currently quite good. Our Yun family mainly trades with the Northern Zhou court in Wutong City."

Gu Mo nodded slightly and added, "By the way, I'm going to Northern Zhou to apprehend a bandit. It's possible I might need to deal with the court. I dislike such matters, so I'll have to trouble your arranged person to negotiate with the court on my behalf. Therefore, when choosing a guide, I'll need you to put in extra effort."

Yun Xiu quickly responded, "No problem. I'll arrange for two veterans of the jianghu who frequently deal with the Northern Zhou Honglu Temple to guide you. They are familiar with the route and the Northern Zhou government. If Great Hero Gu has any other needs, please feel free to command. The Yun family's current standing is entirely thanks to you, Great Hero Gu. You have shown great kindness to the Yun family, so not to mention this small matter, even if it meant going through fire and water, the Yun family would spare no effort!"

Gu Mo asked doubtfully, "What kindness have I shown the Yun family? Family Head Yun, don't mention the matter of me apprehending Shangguan Shang back then. You paid me to do a job; it was a transaction and can't be considered kindness."

Yun Xiu said, "I must also thank Great Hero Gu for that matter. If you hadn't helped me then, my presentation wouldn't have been successful, and I wouldn't have become the family head. However, that's not what I was referring to."

"Great Hero Gu, when you went to Yun Province to investigate the Green Leaf Hall Master's case, you eventually discovered that the Green Leaf Hall Master's identity was Old Madam Lin of the Lin family. In reality, Old Madam Lin, or rather the Lin family, was backed by Your Highness Prince Qi."

Gu Mo nodded. "I know. When I entered the palace last year, His Majesty told me that although Old Madam Lin of the Lin family was the Green Leaf Hall Master, it was because the Lin family was in decline. To prevent the Lin family from falling into ruin, she collaborated with Prince Qi, Li Zhongyi, and secretly established the Green Leaf Hall."

Yun Xiu nodded slightly. "Actually, after the Lin family was exposed, Prince Qi's schemes in Cang Province were half-ruined. He continued to support new replacements, and my family and I were the replacements he chose.

It was precisely because he acted as a matchmaker that our Yun family had the opportunity to become Imperial Merchants. However, last year, His Majesty began to liquidate Prince Qi and his forces in order to establish a Crown Prince. Our Yun family was originally unable to escape this calamity.

But, because I had a past connection with you and Sister Chudong, my Yun family was given a chance. As long as we proactively severed ties with Prince Qi's Manor, bygones would be bygones and we would not be pursued further. Our Yun family thus escaped disaster and still retained its status as Imperial Merchants."

Gu Mo realized. "So that's what happened in between. This can be considered a blessing in disguise. From now on, the Yun family will turn misfortune into fortune and surely soar to the heavens."

Yun Xiu chuckled playfully. "Fortunately, I never refused Sister Chudong's request for me to be her sister-in-law..."

Gu Mo smiled slightly and didn't reply.

Although Yun Xiu said this in a joking tone, she was constantly observing Gu Mo's expression. Seeing that Gu Mo didn't respond and showed no emotional change, she couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment.

Often, jokes were a way to test the waters.

Of course, Gu Mo understood this principle, so he didn't take the bait.

He had no intention of getting married for the time being.

The next day, at dawn, just as the sky began to lighten.

The Yun family sent someone to see Gu Mo. The Yun family was very proactive regarding Gu Mo's affairs. If they could deepen their relationship with Gu Mo through this matter, it would be extremely beneficial to the Yun family.

Two direct descendants and masters from the Yun family came to see Gu Mo. They were brothers. The elder brother was named Yun Song, and the younger brother was named Yun Qing. Both were around forty years old, with considerable Martial Arts Cultivation. They were long-term responsible for leading entire caravans between Northern Zhou and Gan Country.

These two were not only familiar with the routes but also frequently dealt with the Northern Zhou government. Moreover, they were experienced and had ample experience in the martial world, perfectly fitting Gu Mo's requirements for a guide.

Ye Manor, at the entrance.

Gu Chundong saw Gu Mo off at the door, saying reluctantly, "Brother, how long will you be gone this time? Will it be months like when you went to Penglai Island before?"

"No," Gu Mo smiled slightly. "I have a secret weapon now, so I should be able to find the target very quickly."

Just like last year when he went to Penglai Island, Gu Mo did not let Gu Chundong accompany him this time. This was because the opponent he would face was not human, but a Heart Demon that had roamed the mortal realm for seven hundred years, rumored to have single-handedly obstructed the Path to Immortality.

Therefore, he would not take Gu Chundong to face the danger.

"Then you must be careful about your safety!"

Gu Chundong felt a little worried in her heart. Although she had great confidence in Gu Mo's Strength and firmly believed that Gu Mo was Invincible Under Heaven, when Gu Mo said he wouldn't take her along, she couldn't help but feel a little concerned.

Because Gu Mo wasn't bringing her meant the danger level was very high.

"Don't worry, I'll be back soon." Gu Mo smiled slightly and added, "After I leave, don't slack off. Listen to Hongyi's guidance and cultivate when you should. Also, you must bring Hongyi with you wherever you go."

"Understood!" Gu Chundong said with a giggle, "Big Brother, you're Number One Under Heaven, and Sister Hongyi is Number Two Under Heaven. It's safest to follow her!"

Just then, Hoofbeats could be heard, and a fast horse galloped over.

"Big Brother, I'm not late, am I?"

The person who arrived was Ye Chen. Ye Chen was different from his listless state yesterday; he was extremely energetic, looking refreshed. He smelled of rouge and powder, clearly showing that the Ten Complete Great Tonic Pill Gu Mo had prepared for him yesterday had taken effect.

In reality, Gu Mo's Ten Complete Great Tonic Pill wasn't some miraculous Spirit Pills and Potent Medicine. It simply stimulated blood and qi, enhanced desire, and stimulated the user's mind so they wouldn't have time to dwell on psychological trauma.

Seeing Ye Chen, Gu Chundong immediately pouted and mumbled, "Big Brother, you're taking him but not me... My martial arts aren't weak either!"

Gu Mo said, "Ye Chen is my secret weapon."

"Why?"

"You wouldn't understand even if I told you," Gu Mo said. "With Ye Chen around, my Blade Catcher career can reach another level. He means a lot to me!"

Ye Chen was very touched. "Big Brother, am I that important to you? Is my martial arts not even worth mentioning in your eyes? If you take me to Northern Zhou, I was actually afraid I'd be a burden!"

"Don't underestimate yourself. You are very important to me. I really hope you can accompany me to capture wanted criminals in the future!"

"Big Brother..."

Ye Chen was truly moved. He knew Gu Mo's strength; they were not on the same level at all. Taking him along was equivalent to bringing a burden, yet he never expected that his position in Gu Mo's heart was so high!

Gu Mo patted Ye Chen and said, "Let's go. The Yun Family Caravan is already waiting for us outside the city."

Gu Chundong looked at Gu Mo, then at Ye Chen, and always felt that Gu Mo saying Ye Chen was his secret weapon might have some hidden meaning!

In fact, Gu Mo wasn't speaking nonsense.

Ye Chen truly was his secret weapon. The reason he didn't directly Sword Ride to Northern Zhou, besides the fact that going to Wutong City alone to negotiate with the court would be troublesome and time-consuming, was mainly because he wanted to bring Ye Chen along.

He had great confidence that the trip to Northern Zhou wouldn't be in vain, and that was because Ye Chen was with him.

After all, with the Thunder-Testing Sacred Body, who else could it be!

The Yun Family Brothers traveled frequently between Northern Zhou and Gan Country and were very familiar with the routes. Moreover, along the way, the Yun Family had taken care of all the necessary arrangements. Even after entering Northern Zhou territory, their passage remained unimpeded.

Since Gu Mo and Others were all Martial Arts Masters, their speed was also beyond that of ordinary people.

Departing from Chang'an City, they entered Northern Zhou territory in half a month.

However, after entering Northern Zhou, even though the Yun Family's trade routes were well-arranged, their speed inevitably slowed down. This was because Northern Zhou was too chaotic now, with wars everywhere and displaced civilians. In many places they passed, even the government was gone.

Even Gu Mo and Ye Chen, who had been traveling the jianghu for years and had seen all sorts of tragedies, still felt their mood becoming increasingly grave after entering Northern Zhou.

One evening, the sky suddenly turned gloomy, and heavy rain was imminent.

The group of four arrived outside a small town.

Yun Song cupped his hands and said, "Great Hero Gu, this town is called Mud Bottle Town. It's the only market town within a radius of twenty to thirty li. There's an inn inside, so we can rest here for a night and replenish our dry rations. We're almost at Wutong City now, about five days' journey away."

Immediately, the group of four entered the small town.

Mud Bottle Town.

The town lived up to its name, resembling a dilapidated mud bottle carelessly discarded in the wilderness. It was drab and deathly still. As the four led their horses into the town entrance, an indescribable cold silence washed over them.

But as they walked, Gu Mo and Others felt something was wrong. It was too quiet.

It wasn't the silence of an uninhabited place, but a chilling "emptiness." The bluestone slab road was relatively clean. The low adobe houses and wooden houses on both sides had their doors and windows tightly shut, but not locked.

Under the dimming daylight of dusk, it exuded an indescribable weirdness.

"This..." Yun Song reined in his horse, his brow furrowed. His years of traveling the jianghu and his alertness made him instantly tense. "How can there be no one here?"

Yun Qing said, "Could it be that there's a war about to break out nearby, so everyone in the town has fled?"

Yun Song nodded slightly and said, "We'll know if we take a look. If it was a collective escape, they would have taken all their food and property."

"That makes sense," Yun Qing cupped his hands. "Great Hero Gu, Great Hero Ye, let's go and check."

Immediately, the Yun Family Brothers walked towards the civilian residences nearby.

Soon, after entering four or five houses consecutively, they returned with very grave expressions.

Gu Mo asked, "How is it?"

"Something's wrong," Yun Song said. "It wasn't a collective escape, nor was it a bandit raid. We just checked a few houses, and the furnishings inside were all in order. Moreover, the rice, flour, food, and property were all still there. These people seem to have disappeared suddenly, and not long ago. There are clear signs of their recent lives."

Gu Mo's gaze swept across the empty street and the closed doors and windows. His Divine Sense spread out like invisible tentacles, but only felt a void of deathly stillness. There were no spiritual fluctuations of any living beings. He said gravely, "It's going to rain heavily. Let's find a place to rest first."

The Yun Family Brothers exchanged a look, suppressed the unease in their hearts, and led Gu Mo and Ye Chen towards the center of the town. The horseshoes striking the bluestone slabs made crisp and abrupt echoes, which sounded particularly jarring in this deathly stillness.

Soon, they saw a relatively tall two-story wooden building. A crooked, dust-covered sign hung at the entrance – "Youfu Inn". The inn's main door was ajar, and the inside was pitch black.

"This is it."

Yun Song stepped forward and cautiously pushed open the creaking wooden door.

The inn's hall was also empty. Tables and chairs were arranged relatively neatly, the area behind the counter was vacant, and the wooden staircase leading to the second floor looked like a gaping maw leading to an unknown abyss in the dim light.

Yun Song lit a candle, then took out dry rations and a water pouch from his bundle and placed them on the table. He said, "Great Hero Gu, Great Hero Ye, please sit for a while. Yun Qing and I will go upstairs to check for clean rooms and see if anyone is around."

Gu Mo took the water pouch and nodded. "Alright."

Yun Song and Yun Qing, the two brothers, drew the short swords at their waists, holding a candle in one hand, and cautiously stepped onto the stairs. Their footsteps echoed in the empty hall, each step feeling like it was treading on someone's heart.

Soon, the two brothers were upstairs.

Gu Mo and Ye Chen sat downstairs. Gu Mo drank water, while Ye Chen ate a dry biscuit. They looked out at the dim street. A strong wind howled, blowing all sorts of debris around the street.

Time passed bit by bit.

The two downstairs waited in silence.

The sky outside grew darker, with low-hanging dark clouds. The air was so stuffy it was suffocating, and the predicted heavy rain seemed ready to pour down anytime.

However, there was no sound from the Yun Family Brothers upstairs for a long time. No shouts, no sounds of fighting, not even footsteps had disappeared.

Deathly stillness.

A stillness more profound and viscous than at the town's entrance descended.

Ye Chen stuffed the last bit of dry biscuit into his mouth, wiped his mouth, and said, "Huh, Big Brother, the Yun Family Brothers... haven't they been up there for a while? Why is there no movement at all?"

Gu Mo was slightly taken aback. "That's right!"

Immediately, Gu Mo stood up abruptly. "Let's go up and take a look!"

Then, the two of them went upstairs.

The corridor on the second floor was extremely dim, with only a broken window at the end letting in a sliver of pale, faint light.

Ye Chen held up a candle, and the two moved forward quickly. As they rounded the corner into the second-floor hall, their pupils contracted sharply, and a chill shot straight from the soles of their feet to the crown of their heads!

Terrifying!

An indescribably terrifying scene!

In the hall, dozens of corpses hung densely!

They were all hung from the beams and door frames with rough hemp ropes around their necks. Judging by their attire, these corpses didn't look like villagers from the local town, but rather like bandits and robbers.

Corpse after corpse bore weapons like swords, sabers, and axes. Many had fierce, ferocious faces, but now their complexions were azure purple, tongues lolling out, eyeballs bulging. Their bodies swayed gently in a breeze from an unknown source, like a slaughterhouse hung with cured meat!

They were all dead, but death had occurred within the last two to three days.

And amidst those corpses, two familiar figures were conspicuously hanging—Yun Song and Yun Qing!

Like the other hanged victims, their necks were encircled by rough hemp ropes, their toes an inch off the ground. Their bodies swayed slightly, their faces displaying the same azure purple as the other corpses, their eyes wide open, "gazing" blankly in the direction of the staircase entrance.

"What are they doing?" Ye Chen said, "Do these two guys think others are swinging on a swing and decided to join in?"

Gu Mo: "..."

However, jokes aside, Ye Chen was quick. His body moved like lightning, instantly appearing beside the Yun Family Brothers. He condensed a sharp point of Qi on his fingertip and precisely severed the hanging ropes.

The two of them quickly laid the Yun Family Brothers flat on the ground.

Gu Mo rapidly pressed his palms onto their chests, channeling true qi to stimulate their heart meridians.

Under the stimulation of Gu Mo's true qi, Yun Song and Yun Qing's bodies convulsed violently. Immediately after, they coughed intensely, gasping for large mouthfuls of air. The azure purple on their faces rapidly receded, returning to a healthy color.

They opened their eyes blankly. Their gazes were initially vacant, then focused. Upon clearly seeing Gu Mo and Ye Chen squatting before them, their faces filled with extreme confusion and a hint of terror.

"Cough, cough... Great Hero Gu? Young Master Ye?" Yun Song struggled to sit up, his voice hoarse. "What... what happened to us?"

"You don't remember?" Ye Chen asked urgently, pointing at the terrifying scene hanging around them. "You came up to investigate, and then you hanged yourselves! Just like these people!"

"Hang... hanged myself?" Yun Qing's eyes widened in terror. He instinctively reached for his neck, where a distinct, burning rope mark indeed lay. He looked around at the hellish scene, instantly terrified out of his wits. His face turned deathly pale again as he said, "We just came up, and then, I think I saw someone, who suddenly smiled at me, and then I don't remember anything..."

Yun Song also looked shaken, saying, "I remember it the same way. I suddenly saw someone. Before I could even react, I saw that person smile, and then I had no memory."

Ye Chen frowned, "Big Brother, could these two have run into a ghost?"

Gu Mo shook his head slightly, "It's likely someone used some sort of trick."

Ye Chen said, "Then why did only they two see someone smiling? We came up too, why didn't we see anything?"

Ye Chen shrugged, raising his candle and shaking it to illuminate the hanging corpses. "It couldn't be them smiling, right..."

Then, before he could finish speaking, Ye Chen suddenly saw that several of the people hanging beside him were smiling at him.

"Oh my, you really are smiling?"

As Ye Chen's words fell, he suddenly attacked, unleashing several palm strikes. Those corpses directly snapped their ropes and flew backward.

"Big Brother, did you see that? Those corpses just smiled! Oh, my dear mother! The corpses smiled! We really ran into ghosts! Did you see it?" Ye Chen asked.

Gu Mo shook his head, "No."

Ye Chen's face changed, and he said, "Oh my mother, Big Brother... there really are ghosts?"

Gu Mo waved his hand slightly and said, "No ghosts, I didn't see the corpses smiling either, but I just felt spiritual fluctuations. Someone here has played some tricks..."

As he spoke, Gu Mo shot out several sword qi from a distance. With a few "clang clang" sounds, several black stones fell from the roof beams and walls.

Ye Chen leaned over to look and said, "It's Ba Lin Stone. This is a famous rare stone in the martial arts world, highly sought after by warriors who cultivate illusion techniques. This stone contains extremely strong spiritual power, and cultivators of illusion techniques can achieve twice the result with half the effort!"

As he spoke, Ye Chen looked up and said, "Big Brother, did someone use this Ba Lin Stone to set up a spiritual formation here to harm people? Can we track down who is behind this?"

Gu Mo shook his head slightly and said, "This is a formation, and no one is remotely controlling it, so it can't be traced."

Ye Chen looked at the corpses and frowned, "These people don't look like good people, more like bandits and robbers. Could it be that someone who upholds justice set up a formation here to kill these bandits? If that's the case, I'm afraid we were caught in the crossfire!"

Gu Mo said slowly, "If that's the explanation, then the people in the town all disappeared to hide from these bandits?"

"Boom!"

A deafening thunderclap exploded in the sky without warning. The pale lightning instantly tore through the dim space inside the inn, making the hanging corpses look like ghostly figures dancing wildly.

Immediately after, raindrops the size of beans poured down like a river from the sky, hitting the rooftops and streets with a deafening "whoosh," instantly shrouding the entire Mud Bottle Town in a misty water screen.

The sound of rain and thunder intertwined, as if to completely drown the eerie and deathly still small town.

Gu Mo frowned slightly, not because of the thunder and rain, but because his spiritual sense, far keener than that of ordinary people, clearly captured a trace of "life" that was out of place in this dead silent environment amidst the lingering sound of thunder. That aura did not come from inside the inn, but was coming from outside the town and slowly approaching Youfu Inn.

"Someone's coming," Gu Mo said.

Ye Chen immediately restrained his gaze and sharply scanned the staircase entrance, while Yun Song and Yun Qing subconsciously tightened their grip on their sword hilts, backing to back, tensely on guard. Having just experienced a bizarre life-and-death ordeal, any slight disturbance was enough to keep their nerves on edge.

Several people went downstairs. The light in the hall was even dimmer than before, with only the faint light filtering in from the rain curtain outside and the occasional flash of pale lightning providing illumination.

They walked to the inn entrance and stood under the eaves, their gazes piercing through the dense rain curtain, looking towards the depths of the town.

The rain curtain was hazy, obstructing their line of sight.

But in Gu Mo's perception, that aura was becoming clearer and closer.

After a while, a blurry figure appeared in the rain and mist, gradually becoming clear.

The person was holding an oil-paper umbrella. The umbrella surface seemed to be ordinary yellow, but it looked somewhat old under the dim rain curtain. Beneath the umbrella was a young monk, about twenty years old.

He walked straight to the eaves of Youfu Inn and stopped a few steps away from Gu Mo and the others. He slightly lifted the edge of the umbrella, revealing his entire face.

The little monk clasped his hands together, bowed slightly to Gu Mo, and his voice was clear and his tone was calm, yet it clearly cut through the sound of the pouring rain:

"Amitabha. Several benefactors, this humble monk has been ordered by Maitreya Buddha to specially invite you to Little Leiyin Temple."

Ye Chen couldn't help but whisper, "Big Brother, is this monk crazy?"

Gu Mo stared at the young monk, feeling a bit strange.

Because when this monk spoke of Little Leiyin Temple and Maitreya Buddha, there was no sign of him lying.

With Gu Mo's current cultivation, he could sense anyone lying in front of him.

Gu Mo didn't speak, and Ye Chen asked, "Monk, why is your Buddha looking for us? And where is Little Leiyin Temple?"

The Little Monk clasped his hands in prayer again, his face still wearing that calm, almost indifferent smile. "The Buddha says that the worries and desires in the hearts of you benefactors can be fulfilled once you reach Little Leiyin Temple.

As for where the temple is, if you follow this little monk, you will naturally know. The Buddha says this is a good affinity, benefactors need not worry too much."

Ye Chen transmitted his voice, "Big Brother, this feels a bit off, a little creepy. What do you think? Should we go?"

"Let's go."

Immediately, the group, holding umbrellas, followed the young monk. Soon, they left the town and ascended a mountain. In the distance, they saw a brightly lit manor.