deltrittennovels Chapter 186 The Embroidered Thief
Chapter 186 The Embroidered Thief
Master Jianchi smiled and continued chanting scriptures. In an instant, the light of the golden lotus flower became even more dazzling.
Seeing this, Gu Qianbei couldn't help but marvel.
This is practically a fantasy technique.
Before long, Master Jianchi finished reciting the last line of scripture, and with a wave of his hand, the golden lotus flower floated into his palm.
He gently pinched the golden lotus flower between the tips of his thumb and forefinger, while his middle, ring, and little fingers were naturally slightly bent and relaxed, with his palm facing inward, and he held it in front of his chest.
Then, a faint smile appeared on his lips.
A smile as he plucks a flower!
At that moment, all the golden light on the golden hibiscus flower disappeared, leaving only the golden flower, which looked sacred and noble.
"This is the Golden Lotus Flower? It's truly amazing!"
Gu Qianbei was full of praise.
Master Jianchi flicked his finger and threw the Golden Flower at Gu Qianbei.
Gu Qianbei reached out and caught it, feeling that it contained a vibrant life force.
"Amitabha. The Golden Lotus Flower has been completed. I hope that Benefactor Gu will use it for the righteous cause."
"Thank you, Master. I will. It's getting late, so I won't bother you any longer."
Gu Qianbei bowed slightly, then turned and left.
Master Jianchi looked in the direction he left, a hint of curiosity flashing in his eyes.
"In just three months, this boy's cultivation level actually broke through from the mid-stage of the Innate Realm to the mid-stage of the Grandmaster Realm, a leap of a whole major realm..."
Such a rapid breakthrough is truly unprecedented.
Is it a natural talent, or a result of losing one's cultivation and starting over?
Even the master Jianchi could not find an answer for a while.
Master Jianchi had seen grandmasters in their twenties, but he had never seen anyone break through a major realm in such a short time.
Despite his doubts, Master Jianchi's curiosity was not strong, and he eventually closed his eyes and fell silent.
The chanting of sutras rose again, echoing in the quiet courtyard.
As soon as Gu Qianbei left Yunhe Temple, he changed his clothes, put on a mask, and headed towards Qianchousi's Beijing branch.
"With this golden hibiscus flower, the Night Rain Returns to Spring can finally be brewed."
This is a miraculous wine capable of healing all external injuries; it's considered a sacred item by all martial artists.
Gu Qianbei thought to himself, filled with anticipation for this new wine.
As they sped along, Gu Qianbei suddenly heard vendors calling out their wares from the deserted streets.
"Roasted chestnuts! Anyone want some delicious roasted chestnuts?"
Upon hearing the sound, Gu Qianbei paused and looked toward the source of the sound.
An elderly woman with gray hair emerged from the alley, her body hunched over, pushing a cart loaded with hot, roasted chestnuts that looked incredibly delicious.
"Roasted chestnuts? Granny Xiong? Granny Gongsun?"
Many names immediately flashed through Gu Qianbei's mind.
If I remember correctly, the person in front of me should be Gongsun Da Niang, the leader of the Red Shoes gang in the case of the Embroidered Thief.
This old lady Gongsun's hobby was going out on the street late at night under the pseudonym Granny Xiong to sell roasted chestnuts.
Then, poison one person randomly.
Simply put, this is a Ming Dynasty version of Jack the Ripper.
Of course, it wasn't as cruel as Jack the Ripper; he only used poison to kill people, without disemboweling them.
"I don't know if the woman in front of me is the Gongsun Da Niang from the movie or the Gongsun Da Niang from the original novel."
In the movie version, it was Xue Bing in disguise.
As Gu Qianbei was thinking this, he landed in front of Gongsun Da Niang.
Seeing Gu Qianbei suddenly appear, Gongsun Da Niang was not surprised. She simply raised her head slowly and looked at his strange mask.
"Young master, would you like some roasted chestnuts? My roasted chestnuts are fragrant and soft, absolutely delicious."
As Gongsun Da Niang thought about it, a slight smile appeared in her eyes. She was not afraid of Gu Qianbei's strange mask at all.
"Oh? I'll have to give it a try. Give me a pound, how much?"
"Twenty coins a catty."
"Not expensive."
Gongsun Da Niang quickly packed a bag of roasted chestnuts and handed it to Gu Qianbei.
"Young master, these roasted chestnuts taste best when they're hot. You should try some."
Gu Qianbei reached out and took the roasted chestnuts. With a gentle press of his right hand, the chestnuts cracked open, still steaming slightly.
"It looks really good."
Gu Qianbei smiled, then immediately put it in his mouth and chewed it carefully.
Upon seeing this, a cold glint appeared in Gongsun Da Niang's eyes, and a sneer appeared on her lips.
Another lost soul!
"They are indeed fragrant and soft, top-quality roasted chestnuts. They would be even better with some wine."
As Gu Qianbei spoke, he picked up the Cangguang gourd and took a sip.
"I'm glad you're happy, sir. That way, you'll be more at ease on your journey to the underworld."
Seeing this, Gongsun Da Niang no longer hid it, and her cold smile was fully displayed on her face.
However, she was also somewhat confused.
This person actually has a habit of eating roasted chestnuts and drinking alcohol; it's really quite strange.
"Oh? Will I die from eating your roasted chestnuts?"
Gu Qianbei feigned surprise and asked softly.
"Yes, it will. Judging from your appearance, you must be someone from the martial arts world. How come I've never heard of a Granny Bear selling roasted chestnuts committing murder during the full moon?"
Gongsun Da Niang's face was full of mockery, but her eyes held a hint of anticipation.
She was hoping to see Gu Qianbei show fear.
Over the years, she has painstakingly cultivated the persona of Granny Xiong, not only to satisfy her desire to kill, but also to enjoy the fear these people felt before their deaths.
That was an excellent supplement for her.
Therefore, every full moon night, she has to sell roasted chestnuts.
But this time, she didn't get her wish.
Because Gu Qianbei's face did not show any fear, only a hint of mockery.
"Of course I've heard about it. I just want to see if this Granny Xiong really does kill indiscriminately."
Now it seems that this is indeed the case.
Then you have no reason to live.
As soon as he finished speaking, golden light gathered around Gu Qianbei, and the Stop Cup Sword slashed out instantly!
"What?!"
Gongsun Da Niang was shocked to see this and immediately stepped back, narrowly avoiding the sword.
Even so, most of her tattered clothes were cut off, revealing her new clothes underneath.
The next moment, with a tearing sound, Granny Xiong's skin completely shattered, and in its place was Granny Gongsun's pink skin.
However, at this moment, Gongsun Da Niang's eyes were filled with shock.
"You weren't poisoned? Impossible! I clearly saw you eat the roasted chestnuts!"
Gongsun Da Niang looked puzzled, recalling every detail from just now, but she couldn't find the problem.
"I did eat the roasted chestnuts, and they tasted pretty good. However, your poison won't harm me."
Gu Qianbei smiled faintly, then pinched open another roasted chestnut with his left hand and tossed it into his mouth.
You know what, these sugar-roasted chestnuts with added poison actually have a unique flavor.
Fragrant!
The poison is indeed potent, but Gu Qianbei just drank a sip of the Five Poisons Tempering Wine, and the poison will be neutralized in an instant, posing no threat to him whatsoever.
"Do you perhaps possess an immune system to all poisons?"
Gongsun Da Niang exclaimed in surprise.
"Whether it's true or not, it's none of your business. But you're unlucky to have run into me today."
I despise you the most, you beast who kills indiscriminately.
Since we've met, I'll see you off.
So that you won't leave behind too many debts in this world!
After Gu Qianbei finished speaking, a cold glint flashed in his eyes. He threw the roasted chestnuts on the ground, stepped on the Phoenix Dance Six Illusions, and attacked Gongsun Da Niang!
Eclipse Sword Technique!
The sun breaks through the white dawn!
The crimson sword unleashed an astonishing sword aura, and Gongsun Da Niang's expression changed slightly, but she did not show much fear.
The next moment, a pair of short swords appeared out of nowhere and were held in Gongsun Da Niang's hands.
clang!
Gongsun Da Niang easily blocked Gu Qianbei's sword strike by holding her two swords in front of her.
"Hmph, a mere mid-stage Grandmaster, you think you can kill me? Dream on!"
Gongsun Da Niang snorted coldly, her face full of disdain.
Gu Qianbei was not surprised by this.
If it's the Gongsun Da Niang from the original story, then she is indeed an extraordinary master; in this world, she would be a grandmaster, no doubt.
This was a formidable opponent, but Gu Qianbei still dared to draw his sword because he was not afraid.
Having just broken the Heavenly Dipper Formation of the Seven Masters of Quanzhen, Gu Qianbei realized that he was capable of fighting against ordinary Grandmasters.
Therefore, he wanted to test his current strength level.
The woman before him, Gongsun Da Niang, was undoubtedly a formidable opponent.
She's strong enough and wicked enough; I don't need to hold back at all. All I need to do is think about how to break her head.
This feeling can excite him.
"How will you know some things if you don't try?"
Gu Qianbei smiled slightly, then took a sip of Wangmingyue and pushed his speed to the limit.
Phoenix Dance in Six Illusions!
Gu Qianbei created six afterimages, attacking Gongsun Da Niang from six different directions.
The speed was so fast that Gongsun Da Niang's expression changed drastically.
Even grandmasters might not possess such speed.
And this guy, who's at the mid-stage of Grandmaster level, actually used it so easily. Where did this monster come from?
Surprised, Gongsun Da Niang immediately became more vigilant and dared not underestimate her in any way.
At that moment, she directly used her signature move, Gongsun Sword Dance!
This is a long-standing sword technique, powerful and graceful, so much so that it's hard to tell whether it's a sword technique or a dance.
It can be said that it is a sword technique that is extremely suitable for assassination.
Because they can perform at banquets, captivating everyone with their beautiful swordplay, and then suddenly launch a surprise attack, making it very difficult for the target to resist.
Closer to home.
A ribbon floated from Gongsun Da Niang's body and instantly wrapped around the hilts of the two short swords.
Then, as if they came to life, the two short swords wandered and flickered around Gongsun Da Niang.
In an instant, sword shadows appeared one after another, weaving a large net of sword energy that completely enveloped Gu Qianbei's seven figures, each with its own afterimage, leaving him no chance to attack.
"Is this Gongsun Jianwu?"
Gu Qianbei was slightly surprised when he saw this.
Gongsun Da Niang's swordsmanship is truly remarkable.
Under the influence of the two ribbons, the two short swords moved with incredible speed, as if they were wielding swords.
"Sword control? Perfect, I know the proper way."
Gu Qianbei smiled slightly, then flung out the Stop Cup Sword in his hand.
Sword control!
The sword that had stopped its journey flew straight toward Gongsun Da Niang's face, its speed so fast that the sound of it cutting through the air was extremely sharp.
But Lady Gongsun just snorted coldly.
"What kind of power can such a straightforward sword technique have?"
As she spoke, Gongsun Da Niang waved her right hand, about to strike down the Stop-Cup Sword.
But just as the short sword touched the Stop Cup Sword, the Stop Cup Sword suddenly flew upwards.
"What?"
Gongsun Da Niang was startled, but then she saw the sword that had been flying into the sky suddenly swooping down like a falcon!
This sudden change caused Gongsun Da Niang's expression to change drastically, and she immediately retreated to avoid the sword's edge.
But in the instant she dodged, the sword that had stopped the cup also moved, piercing her throat in an unbelievable trajectory!
The speed and the strangeness of the transformation were something that Gongsun Da Niang had never seen before.
She thought her Gongsun Sword Dance was already incredibly amazing and bizarre, but she never imagined there were even more bizarre sword techniques in the world.
At this moment, she could feel that sharp energy in her throat.
Seeing this, she didn't dare to hesitate for a moment. She bent down and narrowly avoided the sword's edge, but a strand of her hair was cut off and slowly fell to the ground.
Gongsun Da Niang rolled over and returned to her normal posture, only to see the Stop-Cup Sword attacking from behind again.
For Gongsun Da Niang, the "Stop Cup Sword" was like an omnipresent ghost that she couldn't get rid of.
"It seems that simply dodging is not enough; we must control it."
Gongsun Da Niang immediately came up with a solution. She waved her ribbons with both hands and crossed her short swords to strike the Tingbei sword.
Ding!
The short swords crossed and pinned the Stop-the-Cup Sword to the ground. The Stop-the-Cup Sword swayed slightly but could not break free.
Seeing this, Gongsun Da Niang finally breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Gu Qianbei.
"I never expected you to know sword control. This is a sword technique that only those who have broken through to the Celestial Realm can master. How did you learn it?"
Gongsun Da Niang looked puzzled.
Legend has it that only a powerful being who has established communication with heaven and earth can completely tame their sword, reach the state of sword enlightenment, and then ride the sword.
This mysterious masked person definitely doesn't have the cultivation level of a Celestial Being, otherwise she would have died long ago.
However, the fact that someone without that level of cultivation could do something that only a celestial being could do shows how extraordinary the power behind them must be.
Gongsun Da Niang began to wonder if she had offended some powerful force.
"My sword control technique is different from theirs. However, I won't explain that to you."
You're too careless; you can't control the sword from stopping its flow like that.
Gu Qianbei smiled faintly, and Gongsun Da Niang immediately sensed something was wrong.
When she looked at the Stop Cup Sword, she saw that the blade that had been controlled by the two short swords had disappeared, leaving only the hilt, which resembled a wine cup, rushing towards her!
Just as the hilt of the sword appeared three feet in front of her, the sword blade that had disappeared suddenly reappeared.
call out!
Gongsun Da Niang's pupils contracted, and she quickly dodged.
But it was too late.
Blood splattered!
Her left arm had already been pierced by the sword that stopped the cup, and her entire arm was almost severed.
"How is this possible?"
Grandma Gongsun looked on in disbelief, clutching her injured arm, and frantically retreated into the distance.
"The Grandmaster's reaction was still sharp; at this distance, he was able to dodge this fatal blow."
Gu Qianbei shook his head slightly, holding the returning sword with a look of disappointment.
His sword was aimed directly at Gongsun Da Niang's throat.
Unexpectedly, it only resulted in a cut on my left arm.
That's quite a big difference.
"Good lad, you actually managed to make me look so pathetic."
Gongsun Da Niang looked at Gu Qianbei with a face full of resentment and venom.
"Don't rush me. You're not just in a sorry state today; I'm going to make you pay for this."
Gu Qianbei smiled slightly, his left hand pointing at the blade of the Tingbei Sword, and then he began to write golden sword energy runes in the void.
The sky cleared after the snow!
"What kind of sword move is this?"
Seeing the spectacular special effects, Gongsun Da Niang was once again shocked.
She learned a lot tonight.
One after another, sword techniques she had never seen before were displayed, leaving her dazzled.
It would have been better if these sword techniques hadn't been aimed at killing her.
"go!"
Gu Qianbei has mastered the "After the Snow Clears" technique, and the casting animation is now much faster.
At this moment, he waved his left hand, and the sword energy runes flew rapidly towards Gongsun Da Niang.
"this……"
Gongsun Da Niang's pupils contracted, sensing that the golden runes were deadly, and she immediately dodged repeatedly.
Each time the golden rune missed its target, it created a deep crater in the ground, demonstrating just how terrifying it was when it struck a person.
Gongsun Da Niang was running around frantically, but the injury to her left hand affected her speed.
Before long, she was in grave danger.
Gu Qianbei took out the Cangguang Gourd and drank a sip of Dragon Tiger Wine to restore his internal energy.
Using the Snow After Clearing skies at full power consumes a significant amount of internal energy. Although there is still a considerable amount of internal energy left, it is best to replenish it first.
He is, after all, a grandmaster; we cannot be careless.
"This kid is drinking while beating me up, he's so arrogant! I've never seen such an arrogant grandmaster!"
When Gongsun Da Niang saw this, she was furious.
Since breaking through to the Grandmaster level, I have never suffered such a great loss.
This kid is really strange. He's only a mid-stage Grandmaster, where does he get so many powerful and bizarre sword techniques?
"Bind!"
Just as Gongsun Da Niang was cursing under her breath, Gu Qianbei let out a loud shout, and then five sword qi runes appeared beside her at the same time.
"Oh no!"
Gongsun Da Niang cried out that something was wrong, already sensing the threat of death.
She tried to dodge, but found herself in a trap with nowhere to escape unless she could teleport underground.
This was precisely the method Gu Qianbei had modified based on the fishing net formation he had previously witnessed in the Valley of Heartbreak.
Using the sword energy runes after a snowfall as a fishing net, and employing the ingenious trapping techniques within them, enemies can be trapped and killed within the sword energy runes. This not only binds enemies but can also strangle them!
Gu Qianbei stretched out his left hand, clenched it tightly, and shouted in a low voice, "Sword Qi Annihilation!"
The next moment, five sword-qi runes instantly wrapped Gongsun Da Niang up like a giant rice dumpling!
"what!"
Gongsun Da Niang let out a miserable scream, and then countless sword wounds appeared all over her body, blood flowed all over the ground, and she became barely breathing.
Just then, a figure landed nearby; it was none other than Lu Xiaofeng, whom they hadn't seen in a long time.
Lu Xiaofeng was astonished when he saw this.
"this……"
He took in the full power of the snow after it had just cleared, and was equally awestruck by the brilliance of the swordsmanship.
Lu Xiaofeng looked at Gu Qianbei, but because he was wearing a mask, he didn't recognize him at first.
But when he saw the Stop-Cup Sword in Gu Qianbei's hand, he immediately realized what was going on.
I had heard Zhu Ting boast about this sword before; it was his masterpiece.
Upon seeing the Cangguang Gourd at Gu Qianbei's waist, his guess became even more certain.
But how could this person be Gu Qianbei?
The difference in strength is too great.
Gu Qianbei naturally saw Lu Xiaofeng as well.
Seeing the constant changes in the other person's eyes, he knew that the other person had recognized him.
"Is it Brother Gu?"
Lu Xiaofeng asked directly, and Gu Qianbei didn't hide anything, taking off his mask and revealing a smile.
"Long time no see, Brother Lu."
"It really is you! When did your swordsmanship become so amazing?"
"Naturally, it involved many hardships."
A playful smile appeared on Gu Qianbei's lips.
"Your hardships have increased far too quickly in just three months."
Upon hearing this, Lu Xiaofeng couldn't help but complain, then turned his gaze to Gongsun Da Niang, who was lying on the ground, unable to get up.
"What's going on here? Who is this person? Why are you fighting? And why is it like this?"
Lu Xiaofeng looked completely puzzled.
She was Granny Xiong, who liked to kill people with roasted chestnuts, and also Granny Gongsun, the leader of the Red Shoes.
As it happens, I've become her target today, so I'll not hesitate to rid the people of this scourge.
"You came at the right time. If you had come any earlier, you could have helped me deal with her."
Gu Qianbei said with a smile.
"What? She's Granny Xiong?"
Upon hearing this, Lu Xiaofeng was startled and immediately went forward to check, only to find that Gongsun Da Niang had already passed away.
"Dead?"
Lu Xiaofeng immediately frowned, lost in distress.
"Brother Lu, what's with that expression? Do you perhaps know this Granny Gongsun?"
Gu Qianbei asked.
"Of course I don't know her. But I'm investigating the case of the Embroidered Thief, and this Granny Gongsun is an important clue. That's why I came here tonight to see her."
I never imagined that she would die at your hands before I even met her.
That's how I ran out of leads.
Lu Xiaofeng sighed helplessly.
He doesn't have much time left to handle the case.
Now that Gongsun Da Niang is dead, he really has no clue what to do.
Gu Qianbei suddenly realized what he meant.
So that's how the plot has progressed.
Lu Xiaofeng was also very busy during my absence.
"So it's the case of the Embroidery Thief. The culprit in this case isn't Granny Gongsun, so there's no use in looking for her."
"Um?"
Upon hearing Gu Qianbei say this, Lu Xiaofeng immediately turned to look at him.
"How do you know? Do you perhaps know who the real mastermind is?"
"This case isn't actually difficult; it's just that it's the case that's blind to the obvious."
"Is it the darkest place under the lamp?"
Lu Xiaofeng seemed to be deep in thought, a hint of caution in his eyes, clearly indicating that he had thought of something.
Just then, Gu Qianbei frowned and looked into the distance.
"Who's there! Show yourself!"
Gu Qianbei condensed a cyan-gold leaf in his right hand and flung it out instantly!
Ten thousand leaves fly and flowers flow!
shhhhhh!
The myriad leaves and flying flowers slammed into the wall not far away like a tornado.
With a loud bang, the wall exploded open, and a figure jumped out.
"This friend is too impulsive; did he really hit so hard right away?"
The figure landed, revealing his true identity—it was Jin Jiuling, the deputy chief constable of the Six Doors!