A "Born Genius" at Showing Off

The sun slanted westward, and night was about to fall.

A carriage left the Prime Minister's Residence, passed out of the Imperial Capital, and headed south.

No guards accompanied the carriage. Only a gray-clad driver wearing a bamboo hat guided it along.

Inside the carriage.

Gu Chenfeng and Gu Yanshuang sat facing each other.

"Big Sis, where are we going?"

Gu Yanshuang was wiping the two sections of a "detachable" spear with a cloth.

"The Hidden Dragon Mountains."

"The Hidden Dragon Mountains?"

Gu Chenfeng was rather surprised. He had heard of the place.

It had the highest concentration of martial sects near the Imperial Capital.

The Great Li Dynasty prized martial prowess and maintained an open attitude toward sects and similar organizations.

The Hidden Dragon Mountains were home to countless sects, with dragons and snakes mingling together.

"We've identified the first group of black-clad men who attacked you last night."

Gu Yanshuang spoke calmly.

The first wave of black-clad men last night clearly weren't death-sworn operatives. They hadn't even needed to be interrogated.

At the sight of the Great Li Dynasty's Imperial Guard banners, some had wet themselves in terror on the spot, dropped to their knees, and confessed without prompting.

"They were from a martial sect?"

"Yes. They came from a sect called the Four Directions Gate.

"Their sect master is a Source Sea Realm martial artist with quite a reputation in this area."

"The Four Directions Gate?" Gu Chenfeng's expression turned a little odd.

"You know this sect?"

"No, I'm just surprised. What madness possessed them to come after me?"

Within the Great Li Dynasty, aside from the Azure Cloud Sect, that supreme sect whose standing transcended all others.

None of the other martial sects, even the great sects with first-rate strength.

Would ever dare cause trouble near the Imperial Capital.

Much less intercept a carriage belonging to a young master of the Gu Lineage.

A sect confronting the machinery of the state head-on was simply courting death.

After the Great Li Dynasty swept through the nations of Southern Yan Province and became the region's overlord.

It established a series of rules to restrain the sects.

Some powerful, first-rate sects had once joined forces to oppose the Great Li Dynasty.

But Gu Beiwu, then at the height of his power, had led the empire's iron cavalry in a sweeping campaign against them.

After he destroyed more than a hundred sects, including seven first-rate great sects.

Every sect in southern Yan Province had obediently followed the Great Li Dynasty's rules ever since.

They had learned to fear the imperial court, while the Gu Lineage had left an even deeper shadow over their hearts.

The Four Directions Gate's actions were no different from digging up the earth over a wrathful god's head.

Gu Yanshuang was puzzled too. "There is something strange about this, but regardless, the Four Directions Gate participated in yesterday's ambush against you.

"Anyone connected to it cannot be spared."

Half an hour later, the carriage reached the Hidden Dragon Mountains.

The Hidden Dragon Mountains were a rolling expanse of peaks, said to number one hundred and eight.

The Four Directions Gate ranked among the top five powers in the Hidden Dragon Mountains.

It therefore occupied a main peak rich in source qi.

But now, at the foot of the Four Directions Gate's mountain, every major route in and out.

Had already been sealed off by the Gu Lineage's men.

Gu Yanshuang had sent men to blockade the Four Directions Gate Mountain Gate as early as last night.

Not wanting to draw too much attention, she hadn't mobilized the Imperial Guard.

Instead, she had deployed the martial guards trained by the Gu Lineage.

"What's the situation on the mountain?"

With her spear on her back, Gu Yanshuang arrived at the foot of the mountain with Gu Chenfeng and Ding Si of the Blood Tiger Guard.

She summoned a guard captain to ask about the situation.

"Reporting to you, Eldest Miss Gu. After we surrounded this Mountain Peak last night.

"We captured or killed everyone who tried to come down without permission."

"Roughly how many people are up there? How strong are they?"

"The Four Directions Gate has close to a thousand disciples, fewer than ten Source Qi Realm martial artists, and its sect master, Yan Sihai, is a Source Sea Realm martial artist."

Gu Yanshuang nodded.

"Keep guarding the foot of the mountain. Let's go."

Gu Yanshuang started up the mountain with Gu Chenfeng and Ding Si.

"Huh?"

Gu Chenfeng looked utterly bewildered.

"Big Sis, we're going to...?"

"Go up and smash the place."

There wasn't the slightest expression on Gu Yanshuang's beautiful, refined face.

"Uh... aren't all these men down here coming with us?" Gu Chenfeng asked in confusion.

"No need. It's only a martial sect. I alone am enough.

"Ding Si, protect the young master!"

"Yes!"

The gray-clad man in the bamboo hat silently followed beside Gu Chenfeng.

"But..."

Gu Chenfeng was still a little worried.

He knew his eldest sister was also a Source Sea Realm martial artist with an impressive cultivation level.

But the Four Directions Gate was, after all, a local power entrenched in the Hidden Dragon Mountains.

It had plenty of disciples and a Source Sea Realm sect master holding the fort.

Taking on the entire Four Directions Gate alone was treating them as though they weren't even people.

"No need to worry, young master. With the eldest miss taking action herself.

"Never mind the Four Directions Gate. There probably isn't anyone in the entire Hidden Dragon Mountains who can match her."

Ding Si offered reassurance from beside him.

Gu Chenfeng was taken aback. Although he had seen Gu Yanshuang fight before, she had always killed her enemies with a single move.

He really didn't know the full extent of his eldest sister's strength.

Ahead of them, Gu Yanshuang strode along the mountain path, holding a section of the spear in each hand.

She joined them and twisted.

Click!

The ten-foot-long spear was assembled.

Gu Yanshuang looked toward the summit, channeled her qi, and spoke.

"Everyone in the Four Directions Gate, drop your weapons and kneel, and your lives will be spared!"

Carried by surging source qi, Gu Yanshuang's voice traveled far, enveloping the entire Four Directions Gate Mountain Gate.

Gu Chenfeng sighed inwardly. When it came to showing off, he was still far too weak.

His eldest sister had surrounded the whole Four Directions Gate single-handedly and even announced, "Surrender and you'll be spared."

Now that was a "born genius" at showing off.

The Four Directions Gate gave no response to his eldest sister's declaration.

As the three of them hurried along the mountain path.

Dozens of Four Directions Gate disciples soon appeared on the road ahead, weapons in hand and ready for battle.

"Who goes there? Why have you trespassed on our Four Directions Gate Mountain Gate?"

Gu Yanshuang kept walking and spoke coldly.

"Drop your weapons and kneel, and your lives will be spared!"

The dozens of Four Directions Gate disciples showed no intention of surrendering.

Some even looked Gu Yanshuang up and down with greedy eyes.

"This girl's tender as fresh dew, but she's got quite a mouth on her."

"That's right. There's not a single power in the entire Hidden Dragon Mountains that would dare demand our Four Directions Gate kneel and surrender."

"Little beauty, did you see how bored we brothers were and come to serve yourself up?"

"Hahahaha...!"

The men let out strange, ill-intentioned laughter.

Gu Yanshuang wasted no more words on them and instead addressed Gu Chenfeng behind her.

"You've developed some proficiency with the Tiger-Subduing Spear Technique.

"But your execution and transitions between moves still aren't fluid and natural enough.

"Watch my spear technique carefully and compare it with yours."

Gu Yanshuang slowly tightened her grip on the shaft.

Hum!

The spear vibrated.

A gem at its butt emitted a faint red glow, reflecting the red tassel near its tip.

Suddenly, an infinitely sharp aura rose from within Gu Yanshuang.

Like a divine weapon freshly honed, it shone with a chilling edge!

"The Six Harmonies Great Spear in my hands is ten feet and eight inches long. It has three internal harmonies and three external harmonies.

"The internal harmonies unite heart, qi, and courage. The external harmonies unite hands, feet, and foundation."

By now, the Four Directions Gate disciples on the mountain path had realized something was wrong.

But in Gu Yanshuang's eyes, they were already dead.

The next instant.

Whoosh...!

Gu Yanshuang moved.

Like a phantom, she shot up the steep mountain path.

"Watch out!"

Realizing their opponent possessed extraordinary strength, the Four Directions Gate disciples hurried to meet her attack.

They swung their various weapons viciously.

Gu Yanshuang dragged her spear along the ground, sending sparks flying.

Before she reached them, she had already hurled it.

Whizz...!

Shhk! Shhk! Shhk!

A streak of red light pierced several men in succession, pinning them dead to the mountain path.

Gu Yanshuang darted forward like lightning, pulled out her spear, and moved.

To Gu Chenfeng, she was a fiery red figure weaving through the crowd like a streak of light.

That spear seemed to come alive in an instant.

Her sweeping thrusts were like a blade reaping waves of wheat, cutting enemies across the waist.

Her crushing blows were like strikes that could cleave Mount Hua, bursting her enemies' brains.

Her piercing thrusts were like a venomous snake flicking its tongue, punching through throats and hearts.

Her rising strikes were like a phoenix dipping its head, stabbing into the crowns of her enemies' skulls.

Every movement was swift to the extreme.

Like drifting clouds and flowing water, they unfolded in one unbroken sequence.

Pfft! Pfft! Pfft...!

A string of bloody blossoms burst into bloom along the mountain path.

Then fell into the dust, as fleeting as flowers that bloomed for a single night.

The battle was already over.

Among the dozens of Four Directions Gate martial artists, some had died horribly, their bones broken, their sinews torn, and their faces unrecognizable.

Others bore only a tiny spot of red between their brows or atop their heads.

Their unfocused eyes even retained a trace of bewilderment.

Just then, cries of battle rang out farther up the mountain path.

More Four Directions Gate disciples, stronger than the last, charged down.

Spear in hand, Gu Yanshuang pushed off the ground, covering several yards with every step as though strolling through a quiet courtyard.

Gu Chenfeng followed close behind, his eyes shining, while Ding Si dutifully guarded him from the side.