Above the Grandmaster

"Those who came this time were all elites of the Crimson Dragon Cult. Every one of them was proficient in the Hibernating Dragon Secret Technique and carried all manner of insidious poisons. They feared the Divine Eagle Great Formation, so their first move was to kill Chen Chuanshan, leaving the Divine Eagle Guard leaderless.

This was also this old man's miscalculation. I underestimated the Hibernating Dragon Secret Technique, which led to such grievous losses. If the Divine Eagle Great Formation could have been activated, then even if they had brought another Profound Martial Ninth Layer expert, things would not have come to this."

Prince Qing sighed. He had prepared two Grandmaster Secret Artifacts and used himself as bait, believing nothing could go wrong, yet he had still miscalculated.

Gu Yuanqing remained silent. Chen Chuanshan's death had truly caught him by surprise. Thinking back to when he had first obtained Mountain Observation, Chen Chuanshan had been the first high-level True Martial cultivator he had ever seen. With a Divine Eagle Phantom outside his body, his might had been peerless.

When those two had come to kill him under cover of night, it had also been Chen Chuanshan who led his men in holding back that old man from the Lingxu Sect. Yet such a figure had perished overnight, his body and Dao both gone.

"In a few days, this Prince will descend the mountain and return to the capital. Young Master Gu, is there any message you would like me to bring back?" Prince Qing asked.

"Your Highness is leaving as well?"

"The repairs to the Demon Realm Seal are nearing their end. After this battle, those people plotting in the shadows will likely not dare return for the time being. Besides, the Princess's Wedding is imminent. As a member of the Imperial Family's ancestral council, this Prince must also return to prepare the necessary matters."

At the mention of the Princess's Wedding, Gu Yuanqing frowned slightly and asked, "Your Highness once said that this Miaoxuan was not that Miaoxuan. May this junior boldly ask why this is being done?"

Prince Qing looked at Gu Yuanqing in some surprise, seemingly finding it strange that Gu Yuanqing did not know. After thinking for a moment, he smiled faintly. "This was His Majesty's decision. He should be the one to tell you in the future. This Prince can only say that the matter of the Princess concerns the Imperial Court, the Imperial Family's honor, and the stability of the dynasty. Some things are done out of necessity. I hope Young Master Gu can be understanding."

Gu Yuanqing hated it when people spoke in riddles, but since Prince Qing would not say anything, there was nothing he could do.

Li Changyan, however, opened his mouth as if to speak, only for Prince Qing to glare at him. He promptly shut his mouth.

The two ate lunch here before finally departing.

Great Gan Imperial Palace.

Li Haotian looked at the secret memorial in his hand, his brows tightly furrowed. He then passed it to Xu Lianying beside him.

"Chief Eunuch, what do you make of this?"

Xu Lianying accepted the secret memorial and glanced over it. A flash of surprise passed through his eyes before vanishing. After hesitating, he said, "This old servant does not dare make rash guesses about what Prince Qing has said."

"You have met Gu Yuanqing twice. Do you think it is possible that he is a Grandmaster?"

Xu Lianying gave a bitter smile and bowed. "Since Prince Qing says Gu Yuanqing is suspected to be a Grandmaster, then it is surely not mistaken. This old servant is incompetent. At the time, I truly failed to notice that Gu Yuanqing possessed such cultivation. When I first met him, this old servant dared to conclude that he was merely at the third layer of Origin Scholar. As for the second time, he should have had True Martial cultivation, though he possessed a technique for concealing it. This old servant did not probe him and thus does not dare reach a conclusion."

Li Haotian took back the secret memorial and read it again. Slowly, he said, "To break through from Origin Scholar to Grandmaster in just a single year is indeed far too inconceivable. But Royal Uncle has fought through countless battles and once reached the peak of the Profound Martial Ninth Layer. I trust his judgment. Yet Royal Uncle suspects that Gu Yuanqing may be above a Grandmaster. That is simply too unbelievable."

After weighing his words, Xu Lianying said, "Prince Qing cannot be blamed for making such an inference. A Flying Sword killed Xiahou Ming, the Crimson Dragon Cult Protector at the peak of the Profound Martial Ninth Layer, out of thin air from several li away. Even a Grandmaster could not possibly accomplish that. Even if this old servant exhausted all his strength, my True Qi could only injure someone thirty zhang away. To kill a Profound Martial Ninth Layer expert, I would need to be within ten zhang."

"Chief Eunuch, do you think he obtained that thing within North Spring Mountain?"

Xu Lianying's tone became solemn. "Your Majesty means the North Spring Sword Sect's Secret Sword? That is indeed possible. It is said that this Secret Sword points directly above the Grandmaster realm. Back then, the ancestor of the North Spring Sword Sect comprehended the Big Dipper Seven Swords from the Secret Sword and thus ascended to Grandmaster. Legend says that even until his death, he never fully penetrated all the secrets within it. If Gu Yuanqing obtained the Secret Sword, it is not impossible for him to have gained such methods from it. His ability to command a sword would then follow naturally."

Li Haotian clasped his hands behind his back. After a moment, he slowly said, "We shall discuss this matter later. Chief Eunuch, convey My decree. Summon Zhang Ji, the Divine Eagle Guard Commander, into the palace. The Demon Cave Seal cannot be left without someone to guard it. We must settle this as soon as possible."

As the Demon Realm Seal repairs progressed, less and less Demonic Qi leaked out, weakening its effect in tempering the Qi of Heavenly Gang and Earthly Sha. Yet more and more people gathered on the mountain, all waiting for the Seal to be fully repaired so they could leave.

But the atmosphere on the mountain was exceedingly heavy, for several coffins stood in their respective courtyards.

Gu Yuanqing sighed. Such was the human world; no one knew whether tomorrow or misfortune would arrive first.

Unwilling to witness such a miserable scene, he immersed his entire body and mind in cultivation.

Within the Spiritual Mountain Trial, Gu Yuanqing's opponent today was Kong Shengbing, the North Spring Sword Sect Leader. The North Spring Sword Sect had been destroyed by his hand.

At the peak of the Profound Martial Ninth Layer, this was the most powerful opponent Gu Yuan had encountered in the Spiritual Mountain Trial.

Sword light flickered as Gu Yuanqing unleashed the Great Yi Illusionary Sky Steps. His figure repeatedly appeared where it could not possibly appear. Under the Empowerment of Sword Intent, seven-foot Sword Aura surged and receded along his blade, making his swordsmanship even more profound and unpredictable.

Yet even so, Kong Shengbing stood in the arena like a pillar of heaven. Expressionless, his swordsmanship was calm and effortless, every stroke flowing as he wished.

The Big Dipper Seven Swords—each of the seven sword arts had reached a miraculous level.

He blocked or evaded. His footwork seemed unhurried, yet no matter how Gu Yuanqing struck with his sword, he could not harm him in the slightest.

His attainments in the Sword Dao were the greatest among all those Gu Yuanqing had fought. His condensed Sword Intent was likewise no weaker than Gu Yuanqing's.

Moreover, his Profound Martial Phenomenon was a longsword. This sword merged as one with the sword in his hand, making his sword force incomparably sharp. Whenever Gu Yuanqing's sword collided with his, a notch would be left in its blade.

Clang!

The two swords collided, and Gu Yuanqing's sword snapped in the middle. Kong Shengbing's sword had once again struck the earlier notch.

The sword force swept across Gu Yuanqing's neck. His body continued retreating backward, but his head remained where it was, rolling to the ground.

Gu Yuanqing withdrew from the Trial Ground, gasping heavily. The fear in his eyes gradually faded before he began analyzing the gains and losses of the battle.

"This is already the fourth battle. Kong Shengbing was likely already a Half-Step Grandmaster, yet in fighting him, I could not find even the slightest chance of victory!

If my swordsmanship, combined with the Great Yi Illusionary Sky Steps, followed an unorthodox path, then his swordsmanship had fused the essence of the North Spring Sword Sect's sword arts and followed the vast, righteous path. Relying on his understanding of swordsmanship, he won calmly and effortlessly.

If the North Spring Sword Sect had not been destroyed, perhaps it would not have taken him long to enter the Grandmaster realm. What a pity!"

After resting briefly, Gu Yuanqing once more carried his sword to the cliff's edge to cultivate, incorporating the understanding he had gained from that battle into his own swordsmanship.

Gradually, his swordsmanship began to change. He no longer clung to the unorthodox path alone. Instead, the orthodox and unorthodox intertwined. At first, there were still sluggish points in the shifts of his swordsmanship, but slowly, the transitions between the orthodox and unorthodox became like an antelope hanging its horns, leaving no trace to be found.

In the end, he stood at the cliff's edge as though entering enlightenment, his Sword Intent slowly transforming.

No one knew how long passed before he opened his eyes.

"Clap clap clap!" A burst of applause sounded.

Gu Yuanqing turned back and cupped his hands. "Your Highness, I have kept you waiting for a long time."