True Martial Ninth Layer? Slain with One Sword

!

"Was that really just a Grandmaster?"

Prince Qing fell into doubt. Gu Yuanqing was nowhere to be seen, and he could not be certain whether this had truly been Gu Yuanqing's doing. But such a method was simply beyond comprehension.

As a prince of the Great Gan Dynasty, Prince Qing had once stood at the peak of the Profound Martial Ninth Layer. Naturally, he was no stranger to Grandmasters. Their methods were profound and unfathomable, yet he had never seen anything like this.

With the power of a Grandmaster, every gesture carried the might of heaven and earth. They could kill from dozens of yards away and use True Qi to control external objects, but they could never control them from such a distance with such agility, as though the sword were held in hand. It was just that... the power within this sword seemed somewhat lacking.

Though the True Martial Ninth Layer and Grandmaster Realm were only one step apart, that step was the difference between clouds and mud. Xiahou Ming should not have been able to handle it so easily!

Xiahou Ming steadied himself from his shock and fury. This flying sword was incomparably swift, and its swordsmanship was exquisite, but its force was far inferior to when it had first arrived. Although it left countless wounds on his body, he had done his utmost to protect his vital points. These injuries did not matter much.

At that thought, the Profound Martial Phenomenon emerged around him again. A Crimson Dragon coiled protectively around his body, and the incoming flying sword immediately seemed to plunge into mud, utterly unable to break through his protective True Qi.

He shot Prince Qing and the others an unwilling look, then turned and fled.

This flying sword technique was too terrifying. Xiahou Ming did not know whether the attacker was too far away, causing the sword technique's power to be so weak. If he did not flee now, it might soon be too late.

Prince Qing pursued him with sword in hand, but both he and Qin Hu were injured, and their cultivation was inferior to Xiahou Ming's. After only a few steps, the distance between them grew wider and wider.

Gu Yuanqing watched from afar and murmured, "If it is only this Sword Control technique, then aside from the first strike, which trades distance for speed and can nearly match a True Martial Ninth Layer cultivator's full-force blow, the following attacks are still too weak."

Seeing Xiahou Ming grow faster and faster, about to escape North Spring Mountain's boundaries, Gu Yuanqing stirred his thoughts. The Crimson Dragon wrapped around Xiahou Ming suddenly vanished, the True Qi he had released was forced back into his body, and the flow of Qi within him stalled.

Xiahou Ming's expression changed drastically, terror filling his eyes. He tumbled to the ground, and as he looked up, a flash of cold light streaked past. The longsword had already pierced through his right eye and emerged from the back of his head.

By the time Prince Qing arrived, the Kunwu Sword had already turned into another streak of sword light and flown away. He stopped where he was and turned to look, only to see the sword light vanish atop the Back Mountain.

"Prince!"

Qin Hu caught up as well. Seeing the black-clothed man lying lifeless on the ground, he followed Prince Qing's gaze toward the Back Mountain.

"Was that Young Master Gu's... method?"

"Yes. A peak True Martial Ninth Layer cultivator was slain in a mere instant. The methods of a Grandmaster... truly inspire envy." Prince Qing withdrew his gaze and stared blankly at the corpse on the ground.

A Grandmaster? Was he truly only a Grandmaster? That faint suspicion from before had long been cast aside. A twenty-year-old becoming a Grandmaster was already unimaginable. If he were above a Grandmaster, it would be more believable to suspect that someone stood behind him, unwilling to show themselves and acting under Gu Yuanqing's name.

Or perhaps...

Prince Qing abruptly turned to look at North Spring Mountain. There was still one thing within this mountain that might be capable of creating such a Gu Yuanqing.

"Prince, what is it?" the steward asked in confusion.

Prince Qing drew a deep breath and said solemnly, "Have someone take this corpse back. We are going down the mountain."

Gu Yuanqing looked at the returning Kunwu Sword and held out his hand. The longsword fell into his grasp.

It was spotless now. The bloodstains had already been cleared away by Gu Yuanqing with Object Control while it flew back. Yet several chips had appeared along the blade, and its edge had visibly dulled.

"Though the Kunwu Sword is sturdy, during Sword Control, it receives no reinforcement from True Qi or vital essence. Clashing head-on with experts makes it easy for it to be damaged."

Though this battle had been brief, Gu Yuanqing had gained much from it. At the very least, he now had an intuitive understanding of the extent of his Sword Control technique.

"Within North Spring Mountain, I am invincible beneath the Grandmaster Realm. As for whether I can contend against a Grandmaster, I will have to try before I know."

Gu Yuanqing lightly brushed a finger over the chips in the Kunwu Sword.

"This was my first fine sword. What a pity."

He looked once more toward the Front Mountain. Seeing that Prince Qing had already gone down the mountain, he stopped paying attention.

Within North Spring Mountain, he could still lend him a hand. Beneath the mountain, however, he was merely a True Martial Eighth Layer cultivator comparable to the True Martial Ninth Layer.

This night was destined to be anything but peaceful. That Sword Cry had awakened everyone on North Spring Mountain.

They all knew that the Crimson Dragon Cult coveted this place. How could they not realize that something had happened now? The experts within the mountain came down one after another, weapons in hand.

Before long, more wounded were brought back up the mountain. Others wailed aloud in grief; elders of their sects had fallen to poisonous hands.

But none of this had anything to do with Gu Yuanqing. He lay in bed and slept peacefully. Yet even in his dreams, he remained vaguely within Mountain Observation. Should anything major occur in the mountain, it would wake him at once.

It was a habit formed through years upon years of Mountain Observation. By now, Mountain Observation had gradually become as natural to him as breathing.

The next morning, after Gu Yuanqing absorbed the Qi of Heavenly Gang and Earthly Sha and finished breakfast, Prince Qing brought Li Changyan to the Back Mountain.

The weather was fair today, with bright sunlight and no wind in the mountains.

A tea table had been set a yard from the cliff's edge. Gu Yuanqing and Prince Qing sat at opposite ends, while Li Changyan stood behind Prince Qing.

"Thank you, Young Master Gu, for saving me last night." Prince Qing cupped his hands in salute.

Li Changyan looked at Gu Yuanqing with a complicated expression. He was also among the few who knew that Gu Yuanqing had slain a peak True Martial Ninth Layer cultivator last night.

"Since I gave my word to Your Highness, I naturally would not break it. As for saving Your Highness, I dare not claim such credit. Even if I had not acted, nothing would have happened to Your Highness." As he spoke, Gu Yuanqing's gaze flicked toward a jade pendant hanging at Prince Qing's waist.

Prince Qing was slightly taken aback, then laughed. "Truly, every generation produces its own talents. I never expected that even this could not escape your notice. I killed rather too many people in my early years, and His Majesty was uneasy about letting me leave the capital alone. Before I departed, he lent me this jade pendant in case of emergencies. However, this secret artifact does not share the same lineage as my Cultivation Method. If I wish to use it, the price I must pay is greater."

Li Changyan glanced at his grandfather's waist. Even he had only learned now that his grandfather truly carried a second Grandmaster Secret Artifact.

"Your Highness is a War God of his generation. Since you used yourself as bait, you naturally had a foolproof plan. This junior merely added flowers to brocade." Gu Yuanqing smiled faintly, then asked, "How was the battle below the mountain last night?"

"Apart from Xiahou Ming, the Crimson Dragon Cult Protector who intended to assassinate me, the Crimson Dragon Cult also sent six others, all high-level True Martial cultivators. One of them was also at the True Martial Ninth Layer.

"One True Martial Seventh Layer elder from the six major sects met a cruel end, three high-level True Martial cultivators were severely wounded, and seven young True Martial cultivators were killed.

"Within the Imperial Court, the Demon Suppression Division lost three Profound Tier Garrison Commanders, while two Earth Tier Garrison Commanders were severely wounded. As for the Imperial Guards..."

Prince Qing paused slightly before saying heavily, "Chen Chuanshan, Deputy Commander of the Divine Eagle Guard, died in battle. Two Lieutenants died in battle, along with sixty-seven ordinary soldiers!"

Gu Yuanqing's expression shifted slightly. "How could the casualties be so severe? Even General Chen..."