Chapter 192: Gu Xiulian’s Move

Taoist Master, upon hearing Meng Liuchuan’s shout, I felt a bit puzzled. How did a Taoist master suddenly appear? Japan doesn’t have Taoist priests—who could this master be?

“After waiting so long, it’s finally my turn. Why is there even a camera, like we’re filming a movie?” The voice sounded young. When the person fully emerged, I finally recognized him—Gu Xiulian, holding a ruler in his hand, crystal-clear and translucent—it was my jade ruler.

I asked, “Gu Xiulian, how did my ruler end up in your hand?”

Gu Xiulian replied, “What do you think?”

Following closely behind Gu Xiulian was Zhang Dandan, who walked out with his head lowered, not daring to look at me, and remained silent.

After a while, Zhang Dandan finally spoke, “I didn’t go back. I came to find you… to switch your ruler.” His voice was soft, devoid of the boldness he once had, no longer the hero he used to be.

I understood—he had his reasons. He had only been caught up in an accident when I brought him along to kill a mountain boar spirit. Unfortunately, the boar spirit, Yang Pao, was a disciple of the Flying Centipede, Gu Xiulian’s martial nephew.

Though Gu Xiulian didn’t particularly care for his senior brother, the Flying Centipede, or the boar spirit, he couldn’t accept someone killing them.

And Zhang Dandan’s presence in Jiangcheng? That was Gu Xiulian’s doing.

Gu Xiulian had struck a deal with me and also liaised with the Japanese, planning to play both sides from the start. In essence, he had no principles.

But I had trusted him back then!

Gu Xiulian asked, “Tell me—did you kill my senior brother, the Flying Centipede?”

I scoffed, “Does it even matter now?”

Gu Xiulian froze for a moment before replying, “No, I suppose not.”

Meng Liuchuan interjected, “Taoist Master, no need to ask. It was him who killed your senior brother.”

Gu Xiulian remained silent, gripping the jade ruler tightly. “This is a treasure of the Ghost Sect. If I exert enough force, I believe it can snap.”

Meng Liuchuan shouted, “Wait! Cameras, focus on the Taoist Master—make sure you capture this clearly!”

Zuo Shan’s lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but his expression was complex, as if struggling with a decision. Slowly, he inched forward.

Meng Liuchuan watched me intently. “Make sure you film the Ghost Sect inheritor’s reaction.” The ninja handling the camera quickly adjusted the lens to my face.

Yu Yuwei drew her sword, its glow dazzling. Shadows shifted—ninjas were lurking in the darkness.

Meng Liuchuan sneered, “All of you are going to die. None of the three families will be spared!”

Huang Xiaochui laughed mockingly, “Oh? Are you the King of Hell? You think you can just decide who dies? Let me ask you something, you cripple.”

Meng Liuchuan, on the verge of achieving his goal, replied smugly, “I won’t argue with you. I’m in a good mood today. Ask away.”

Huang Xiaochui asked, “How many men did you bring?”

“Not many. Just a few more than you,” Meng Liuchuan said.

Gu Xiulian smirked. “Master Xiao, you must have many questions.”

“Was it you who painted the living coffin murals for the Xia family?” I asked.

Gu Xiulian admitted, “Not me personally, but I commissioned them. I provided special pigments mixed with unique incense—enough to drive an unstable mind into madness, making them see hellish ghosts.”

“Was it meant for me?”

Gu Xiulian didn’t deny it. “Yes. You killed Yang Pao. My senior brother died because of you. My master was humiliated. I wanted you dead, but without bearing the sin of murder. You know how it is—this is the age of law. Killers face execution. So my best option was letting ghosts kill you or driving someone else to madness to do the job. Yet you still escaped.”

Seeing his honesty, I pressed, “Did you steal the seven corpses from the city hospital?”

Gu Xiulian shook his head. “No. I read about it in the papers—seven corpses walking out. It looked like corpse herding, a secret art I’m not skilled in. But if you don’t believe me, then sure, I did it.”

I knew if Gu Xiulian had done it, he wouldn’t deny it.

I turned to Meng Liuchuan. “Did you steal the seven corpses?” Glancing at Abe Lips, who shook his head.

Meng Liuchuan scoffed, “We have money. If we wanted seven corpses, we’d buy them, not steal them.”

Jun Ge, now awake, gasped. “Then it wasn’t you?”

I was equally surprised. I had assumed it was Abe Meng Liuchuan or Gu Xiulian. But if neither group was responsible, who took the corpses? Did they walk out on their own?

But if they revived, why crash a truck into Jun Ge and then vanish?

Only one possibility remained—someone was stirring chaos, diverting my attention to Meng Liuchuan and Gu Xiulian.

I couldn’t help but laugh. “How foolish. Three self-proclaimed geniuses, all outplayed.”

Gu Xiulian stiffened, tapping the jade ruler. “Me, fooled?”

Meng Liuchuan retorted, “If not for that idiot Abe Lips, I’d be the victor already. The Abe Group would’ve secured Jiangcheng’s big deal, and Meng Xiaoyu would’ve been ruined.”

Abe Lips chimed in, “My goods would’ve entered her nightclubs too.”

Furious, Meng Liuchuan slapped him. “Shut up! You don’t get a say.” Abe Lips retreated.

I burst into laughter, clutching my stomach.

Gu Xiulian frowned. “What do you mean? How were we fooled?”

I explained, “Both of you targeted me, thinking you’d take me down. I wasn’t focusing on you, but someone led me to. Meanwhile, someone else is searching for something.”

Gu Xiulian pondered. “Impossible. I’ve never been used.”

I sighed. “It’s a deadlock now. No matter what I say, it won’t change. Meng Liuchuan wants me to admit the Ghost Sect’s defeat. You, Gu Xiulian, want to kill me for your brother’s death. The real mastermind has cornered me perfectly. Killing me fulfills all your desires—you won’t even realize you were played.”

Meng Liuchuan sneered. “If Einstein weren’t ahead of me, I’d be the world’s smartest. I don’t get used. Taoist Master, enough talk. Break the jade ruler—I need footage. Hurry!”

Gu Xiulian shrugged. “If I break this, you still won’t confess?”

I shook my head.

“Then I have no choice,” Gu Xiulian said.

As I stepped forward, Meng Liuchuan blocked me. Yu Yuwei’s sword flashed, intercepting his strike.

A hero’s sword—but today, it was wielded by a heroine, radiant beyond words.

Jun Ge shielded Xiao Jian and He Xiaomao. “I’ll protect them.”

Huang Xiaochui brandished a bronze hammer—small but deadly if it hit.

Meng Liuchuan lunged, his ghostly legs swift. His breath reeked of dark sorcery—he was still draining life force. Without my jade ruler, I couldn’t risk getting close.

Ninjas emerged from hiding—dangling from rafters, hiding in trash, blending into pillars—wielding flails and daggers.

Jun Ge growled, “If I weren’t injured, I’d slaughter you all.”

Yu Yuwei’s sword hummed. “Hah!”

Jun Ge’s eyes lit up. “So the ancient art of Chinese swordsmanship still lives.”

Huang Dahui adjusted his sweat towel, swinging his bronze hammer with a crisp ring.

Jun Ge marveled, “A lost martial art revived. Even if I die today, it’s worth witnessing this.”

The battle erupted.

Yu Yuwei’s blade sliced through thrown knives. Huang Xiaochui crushed a spiked flail with one strike.

Grace and power—the duality of Chinese martial arts.

I retreated, hurling talismans, but Meng Liuchuan dodged. Gu Xiulian circled me. “Xiao Qi, last chance—confess!”

I spat, “Betraying friends for treasure? Even our founder, Donglingzi, wouldn’t stoop so low.”

Meng Liuchuan’s leg struck my chest—my robes blackened instantly.

Rolling away, Jun Ge yelled, “Did you forget everything I taught you?”

Kicked down again, I pushed up with one hand. “Meng Liuchuan, today, I’ll show you the Ghost Sect’s true power. I’ll tear your ghostly limbs apart—leave you the cripple you once were.”

At the mention of “true power,” Meng Liuchuan hesitated. Legends of Ye Guyi’s prowess still haunted him.

I inhaled deeply, gathering energy. My chest burned—the five worms within me stirred anew.

Gu Xiulian, hearing my resolve, finally made his choice. Smirking, he clasped the jade ruler. Though hard, jade is brittle—snapping it would be effortless for a trained cultivator like him.

But before he could—

Zuo Shan, despite his limp, charged headfirst into Gu Xiulian’s gut.

“You forget—I was once a Ghost Sect disciple too,” Zuo Shan gasped.

Caught off guard, Gu Xiulian hissed as two centipedes crawled from his sleeves. “You’re dead.”