Xuanshuang as Bone

Gu Jingchuan stood proudly before the four, a surge of qi bursting from around him. Except for Liu Yunshen, Lei Zhaoye, Gong Liefeng, and Cai Yuelin were instantly forced back!

"Some skill!" Gu Jingchuan swept his gaze over Liu Yunshen, slightly surprised. He immediately clasped his fists and smiled at the others. "My apologies."

"The Gu Clan possesses billions in wealth and stands among the eight great clans of the Chu Kingdom. Why are you not enjoying your riches at home, sir, and instead coming here?" Lei Zhaoye asked warily.

Gu Jingchuan sneered. "Shouldn't I be asking whether you all need help now?"

"If you sincerely help us rescue Miss Cao, I am willing to offer up all the gold!"

"Oh?"

Gu Jingchuan stared deeply at Liu Yunshen, then suddenly smiled. "The Gu Clan does not lack such a trifling sum."

"Then what do you want?" Lei Zhaoye stepped forward.

"I want the Four Swords Sect, once it establishes itself in the future, to forever remember the favor the Gu Clan has done today!"

"On what grounds?" Cai Yuelin asked again. Gu Jingchuan stepped forward, his voice chilling. "On the grounds that I, Gu Jingchuan, can wield the Heart-Penetrating Art, and on the grounds that my strength rivals the peak of the second realm of qi refinement!"

A fierce blast of air overturned the Eight Immortals table in the room.

Liu Yunshen and the other three involuntarily staggered back.

"My sincerity is sufficient. What do you all think?" Gu Jingchuan stared at the four, finally settling his gaze upon Liu Yunshen!

"A gentleman's word!"

The four extended their palms. Overjoyed, Gu Jingchuan placed his palm atop theirs as well. "A fast horse needs but one whip!"

"You said we were conspiring loudly, but now..." Lei Zhaoye stared at Gu Jingchuan, cold sweat appearing along his spine as fear gripped his heart. "I had been circulating my power and keeping watch the whole time, yet before he appeared, I sensed nothing at all!"

Gu Jingchuan flicked the index finger of his right hand. An invisible ripple spread, and clear, tranquil zither music filled the entire guest room!

"Seven Nether Soul-Locking Note!" Lei Zhaoye, Gong Liefeng, and Cai Yuelin cried out together.

"The Gu Clan's foundations run deep. While you were discussing matters just now, I had already arranged for my second brother to play the zither and form an array, severing the room from within and without." Gu Jingchuan smiled at Liu Yunshen. Listening closely to the music, Liu Yunshen frowned. "In days past, King Zhuang of Chu obtained a treasured zither whose lingering notes lasted three days, and the King of Chu neglected court for seven! This zither's tone is moving, like weeping and pleading. It seems to have come from a woman's hands!"

Gu Jingchuan was delighted. "Brother Liu is even versed in this art? But my second brother is not a woman."

Lei Zhaoye stepped forward. "Delays breed changes. We must act quickly."

A short while later, everyone surrounded Liu Yunshen. Cai Yuelin held rouge, Gong Liefeng cradled fragrant powder, and after smearing him thoroughly, the two turned the originally handsome Liu Yunshen into something like a witch.

Gu Jingchuan and Lei Zhaoye burst into laughter. "Do either of you actually know what you're doing?"

Liu Yunshen was not angered and wiped his face with water. Gong Liefeng sighed bitterly. "How would the two of us know how to do this..."

"How about I do it!" Gu Jingchuan picked up the eyebrow brush and turned to the other three. "You all go outside first."

Lei Zhaoye snorted.

"Who cares to learn your disguise technique!" Cai Yuelin made a face.

Only Gong Liefeng sighed without speaking.

Gu Jingchuan studied Liu Yunshen's face, his brush moving swiftly. In only a moment, he rose and stared deeply at the jade-carved visage before him. "Brother Liu has excellent bone structure. It is only because you have yet to reach adulthood that your features are seventy percent softer and rounder, giving you such a beauty capable of toppling cities! Once you grow up, your facial bearing may yet change greatly!"

Liu Yunshen picked up a bronze mirror and cried out, "I really turned into Miss Cao! So this is the disguise technique!"

"Let me see! Hahaha!"

Cai Yuelin sidestepped and leaped behind the folding screen, immediately widening his eyes. "Good heavens!"

Lei Zhaoye and Gong Liefeng came closer, exclaiming in amazement without pause!

"Brother Gu's methods are truly unique!" Liu Yunshen rose with easy grace, and even carried three parts of Cao Langao's bearing!

"Oh! You're so tall!" Standing beside Liu Yunshen, Cai Yuelin was a few inches shorter! Lei Zhaoye laughed. "Women of Qing Prefecture are naturally forthright and generous. Junior Sister Cao is tall as well; from a distance on the mountain, it would not be easy to notice!"

"No one has objections to the plan, I trust." Seeing them nod, Gu Jingchuan immediately clapped his hands. The zither music did not stop. A youth seven feet eight inches tall entered the room, offering no salute as he stood arrogantly by the door.

"This is my second brother, Gu Feibai. He has always had this sort of temperament, so please do not take offense." Gu Jingchuan pointed at the youth who had yet to reach adulthood, then suddenly froze. "Second Brother, weren't you the one playing the zither just now?"

Gu Feibai's face reddened. He suddenly lifted his head. "It was Xuanshuang. Her zither skills are better than mine!"

Gu Jingchuan flew into a rage and raised his hand to slap him. "Fine! It would have been one thing if you kept a whore outside, but you even leaked the Gu Family's secret arts!"

Gu Feibai angrily replied, "Big Brother may insult me, but you may not insult Xuanshuang! I will marry no one but her in this life!"

"You... you are going to anger me to death! If Father finds out, he will surely cast you out of the family!" Gu Jingchuan's chest rose and fell, his furious brows unable to settle.

Lei Zhaoye was stunned, and he raised a thumb at Liu Yunshen. "Brother, you are truly incredible. You actually heard that the one playing was a woman!"

Liu Yunshen stepped forward to console him. Gu Jingchuan waved his hand, but eventually sighed and pointed at his second brother. "You... you beast, bring Miss Shui in first. One more person means one more measure of strength!"

Gu Feibai snorted and walked out, covering his face.

Before long, a fair and graceful woman entered the room with a sword case on her back and a yao zither in her arms. She transmitted her voice to them all, "This humble woman is Shui Xuanshuang. Greetings, fellow cultivators!"

A frost-glinting water sword pierced straight through the heavens! Everyone held their breath.

Cai Yuelin and Gong Liefeng looked at each other in speechless astonishment. Lei Zhaoye was frightened and ashamed. "The Four Swords Sect has truly declined. In terms of sword intent alone, we are actually inferior to a woman!"

"Everyone, though my younger sister-in-law's cultivation is not profound, her swordsmanship is superb, not beneath that of my second brother or myself." Gu Jingchuan took the initiative to introduce her.

Shui Xuanshuang looked somewhat excited. Gu Feibai was overjoyed. "Brother, you accept Xuanshuang?"

"What choice do I have? You have already redeemed your younger sister-in-law from Jade Pavilion! Must I force a good woman into prostitution?" Gu Jingchuan glared angrily at his second brother.

"What a man!" Gong Liefeng raised his thumb! Gu Feibai was overjoyed and stepped forward to grip his arm. "Brother, you understand me!"

Liu Yunshen removed Benevolent Heart Ripples from his waist and tossed it to Gu Jingchuan. "Lend it to Miss Shui!"

"This is!!!" Gu Jingchuan stared at the sword, examining it again and again. He took a piece of black cloth from his robes and tightly wrapped the scabbard before solemnly handing it to Shui Xuanshuang. "Younger Sister-in-law, this thing is extraordinarily sharp. You must be exceedingly careful when using it."

"Thank you, Young Master, for lending me your sword!"

"Time waits for no one! Let's depart!"

Of the six, aside from the Gu brothers and Shui Xuanshuang, who had disguised themselves, Lei Zhaoye, Cai Yuelin, and Gong Liefeng escorted the black-clad "Junior Sister Cao," whose figure was difficult to discern, swaggering toward the north gate of the Heavenly Capital.

On the first and second floors of Peace Inn, the hidden riffraff from various sects stared fixedly at the bundles carried by the four, their greedy, vicious gazes like wolves'.

A man drinking in a corner of the first floor had no one seated at any of the three tables around him! The waiter smiled bitterly. "Ever since that baleful star sat down, no one has dared approach. This morning's business is ruined!"

"Waiter, the bill!"

"Coming!" The waiter accepted a large silver ingot, his eyes narrowing into slits with delight. "Take care, sir!"

The "baleful star" had a sun, moon, and stars embroidered upon his lapels, while his arm guards bore magnificent golden bell patterns. As he left the inn, he watched the young people of the Four Swords Sect from afar and could not help chuckling. "These little fellows are quite amusing! I just wonder how many will survive!"

Jie Xiao, sent by Zhu Xun to assassinate Liu Yunshen, was sitting quietly with five attendants in a private room on the second floor.

"Eldest Sister is really something else. To kill a kid in the first realm, she needs five of us second-realm experts, and even called for Brother Jie!"

Jie Xiao opened his eyes, a savage gleam intimidating all who saw it. The five were all at the first tier of the second realm, and for a moment, they were silent as cicadas in winter.

"When the chaos begins, take that youth's head! Remember, Eldest Sister repeatedly instructed us not to scratch his face!"

The six transformed into several gusts of wild wind and swept away!