The hour of Mao was approaching, and the area around the viewing platform was already packed shoulder to shoulder, overcrowded.
Compared to yesterday, it was infinitely livelier.
Those with outstanding talent naturally came to win the favor of the Third Miss of the Mo Family, hoping to gain the Mo Family’s support.
Among the weaker contenders, many came just for the spectacle, enjoying gossip and idle chatter.
“Fellow Daoist, you are not today’s challenger. I ask you to obediently leave the stage, or don’t blame the Mo Family for turning their backs on you.”
A steward from the Mo Mansion said with a fake smile, one accustomed to wielding power and bullying others.
He treated Gu Shenzhi as just another insignificant outer sect disciple of one of the four clans and saw no reason to show him a friendly face.
Gu Shenzhi raised an eyebrow, feigning surprise: “You can represent the Mo Family?”
“Of course. One quarter of the servants in this mansion answer to me. If I can’t represent the Mo Mansion, then who can?”
The steward said with considerable arrogance.
Just as he was feeling smug, the black-clothed youth’s next words nearly scared him to death on the spot.
“Elder Mo Zhe, is this really the Mo Mansion’s way of receiving guests?”
Those words struck like thunder right beside his ear.
The steward turned back nervously, only to find the Mo Family’s Second Elder Mo Zhe glaring darkly at him.
“Just a dog they raise, never representing its owner. Please forgive Young Master Gu,” Mo Zhe said solemnly, cupping his hands respectfully toward the junior.
Seeing this, the steward immediately realized he had offended someone formidable.
His face went pale, and with a thud, he knelt down, repeatedly kowtowing until his head bled.
“Sir, I know I was wrong. Please show mercy! I have an eighty-year-old mother above me, and a three-year-old below…”
Gu Shenzhi ignored the steward’s pleas as if they were wind passing by his ears.
Turning to Mo Zhe, he asked, “Second Elder, how do you think this disobedient dog should be dealt with?”
“Death by cane,” Mo Zhe said flatly.
“Hey, such a minor indiscretion, must it come to that? In my opinion, just strip him of his cultivation and demote him to the lowest rank of servants.”
“Then it will be as Young Master Gu says.”
At that, Mo Zhe twisted the steward’s limbs and meridians on the spot, then struck a palm to destroy his dantian.
He then ordered someone to drag the half-dead former steward away.
At the same time, he silently thought: This youth is ruthless. In all these years as a steward, it’s impossible he hadn’t offended anyone.
Being demoted to the lowest rank of sweeping servants is surely worse than death for that man.
“Are you satisfied, Young Master Gu?”
The black-clothed youth nodded, then asked, “Who was originally designated as today’s challenger?”
“It was the current Young Master of the Ling Sword Sect, Lin Yongning.”
Gu Shenzhi slowly stepped forward. As he brushed past Mo Zhe, he whispered, “What, just because Lin Yongning is the current challenger, I, the former Young Master of the Ling Sword Sect, am not allowed?”
Without further consultation, Gu Shenzhi loudly announced to everyone, “Elder Mo Zhe has already discussed it with me. Plans have changed.”
“Today, I will be the challenger!”
Now, the Mo Family elders had needs for him, and behind him stood the Moonshadow Sect.
If he wasn’t a little arrogant and domineering, Gu Shenzhi felt it would harm his sect’s prestige.
The lives and fortunes of Mo Zhe and the other three elders depended on Gu Shenzhi and the Moonshadow Sect backing him, so they naturally could not oppose.
Although Mo Xulin was furious and angry, considering Bai Qi’s ambiguous relationship with this black-clothed youth, he could only grit his teeth and endure.
In any case, as long as Lin Yongning won in the end, Mo Xulin would fulfill his promise to Bai Qi, making the challenger’s identity irrelevant.
Moreover, in Mo Xulin’s eyes, no matter how talented Gu Shenzhi was, his dantian had once been destroyed. Even if restored, he could never be a match for Lin Yongning now.
The elder generation of the Mo Family cautiously weighed the pros and cons and dared not act rashly, but the younger generation could not tolerate it.
On the Ling Sword Sect’s exclusive viewing platform, Mo Lin bowed his head and said coldly to a sword-browed, star-eyed youth, “Brother Lin, do not be angry. I’ll make him get off right away.”
As soon as he finished, Mo Lin leapt onto the arena, drawing his sword and pointing it at the black-clothed youth.
“If we actually let someone so unruly marry my sister, wouldn’t the Mo Mansion become the biggest joke?”
Gu Shenzhi lightly ran his finger along the blade of [Liuhong], slowly channeling his true spirit into it, then coldly asked, “Who gave you the courage to share the stage with me again?”
“Just a discarded disciple of the Ling Sword Sect. What qualifications do you have to act so high and mighty here!”
Sword aura swirled around Mo Lin, and the pressure of a Spirit Realm master burst forth.
In a blur, he blinked three times and suddenly appeared in front of Gu Shenzhi, slashing fiercely.
There was no clashing of blades or flying blood.
At this moment, Gu Shenzhi perfectly stopped the [Qiuniu] sword—carrying violent sword energy—with a single fingertip.
Under the erosion of the Benevolent Sword Heart, Mo Lin’s [Qiuniu] sword completely lost its sword intent and sword energy.
How could it possibly shake a single finger wrapped in Gu Shenzhi’s rampant sword energy?
Mo Lin’s eyes suddenly widened in shock.
He hastily retreated, intending to defend himself, but a wave of sword energy, vast as a sea, was already upon him.
This was a realm Mo Lin could only look up to, and Gu Shenzhi had done it with just one finger.
If Mo Lin hadn’t deliberately held back, he might have already been split in two.
Panting heavily, blood faintly seeped from the corner of his mouth, and even the [Qiuniu] sword trembled as if it had seen a monster.
Gu Shenzhi did not rush to press the advantage, instead slowly closing in and asking coldly, “Who gave you the courage?”
Faced with the steadily advancing opponent, Mo Lin desperately slashed out several sword auras, but all were blocked by Gu Shenzhi’s finger without even touching his clothes.
“If you had known in advance that my cultivation had not declined and that my swordsmanship had advanced day by day, if you had known this would be the outcome, would you still have had the courage to challenge me again?”
A devilish whisper echoed in Mo Lin’s ears, fear spreading through his heart like wildfire.
At this moment, he finally recalled the terror of being dominated by Gu Shenzhi in the past.
“I warn you, don’t come closer. This is the Mo Family’s territory!”
“So what?”
Gu Shenzhi did not stop but quickened his pace, like a butcher with a knife slowly walking toward a lamb to be slaughtered.
As old memories resurfaced, the youth in front of Mo Lin had become a towering, invincible giant in his eyes.
He no longer had the slightest will to resist and could only wait silently for the killing blow.
Gu Shenzhi easily knocked aside the [Qiuniu] sword in Mo Lin’s hand, the sword’s edge pressing against his throat.
A little deeper and it would take his life.
“If you’d fought to the death, that would at least be commendable courage. I might have spared you some fight.”
Gu Shenzhi sneered coldly, disdainfully saying, “Your swordsmanship barely improved at all. What have you been busy with all these years? If I’d known, I should have prepared a willow branch to use against you—using a sword on you is an insult to me.”
ps: Recommendations are appreciated; the author will update diligently!