The top of the sky.
Although it is the top of a snowy mountain, there is no wind or snow, let alone strong winds, only black ice that never melts all year round. According to common sense, with the natural cold wind blowing all year round, the top of Tianjue Peak should be shaped like a sharp knife. Coupled with the temperature below freezing, it should be unimaginably sharp.
But in fact.
At the top, what caught everyone's eyes was a table-sized platform made of black ice. In the center of the platform was a dark iron sword. Next to the iron sword, a middle-aged man in a golden robe with a footless golden dragon flying into the sky was sitting cross-legged.
Wang Zhixin, the Grand Commander of the Imperial City.
"Um?"
Almost as soon as everyone approached the summit, Wang Zhixin opened his eyes, and in an instant there seemed to be a flash of lightning in the air.
"... Compared to the past, not only has your strength greatly improved, you have even gained two equally extraordinary friends. I guess you escaped from the Tomb of the First Emperor alone, right? But you used a fake name to fool this governor, which is unheroic."
“Hahahahahaha.”
Gu Moli was not embarrassed at all by having his fake name exposed. Instead, he laughed out loud: "When the fake becomes real, the real becomes fake too. How do you know if my real name is Li Zhiji?"
"Oh?"
Wang Zhixin raised his eyebrows: "Are you really called Li Zhiji?"
"No."
Wang Zhixin: “… ..”
This guy really deserves a beating.
After a moment's silence, Wang Zhixin spoke again as if nothing had just happened: "Anyway, since you are here, sir, then don't leave."
"I didn't want to leave anyway."
Gu Moli's expression remained unchanged: "What sword test conference? When I heard that this so-called sword test conference caused turmoil in the martial arts world, I knew it was definitely a conspiracy of some powerful force. Then, using the almighty conspiracy theory, I realized that it was the imperial court that secretly arranged it."
"Oh?"
Wang Zhixin seemed quite surprised when he heard this: "How did you know?"
"nonsense."
Gu Moli curled his lips and said, "The idea of overseas master craftsmen is pure nonsense. We are all warriors from the Central Plains. Who doesn't think that the overseas martial arts world is a bunch of rubbish and cannot withstand a single blow? So how could anyone care if an overseas blacksmith came to hold a sword-testing competition at the top of Tianjue Peak?"
"If there is no one here who secretly makes this known to everyone, these masters will have to come and investigate for the sake of their reputation."
"That's really a ghost."
“Hahahaha!” Wang Zhixin was not annoyed when he heard this. Instead, he laughed and shook his head: “Not bad, not bad, it is indeed true. It’s just a pity that people in the martial arts world care so much about fame and fortune, especially the famous sects. They have no doubts about such a simple truth.”
"They even judged others by their own standards and directly concluded that he was some overseas country bumpkin who came to the Central Plains to seek fame and fortune, without even considering the possibility."
"He is really stupid. He must have practiced martial arts to the point of damaging his brain."
"but... .."
At this point, Wang Zhixin changed the subject again, leaving Gu Moli behind and turning to look in the direction of the poet swordsman: "You shouldn't be stupid, right?"
"From your expression, you don't seem surprised that I'm here."
"In that case, why did you come?"
The poet swordsman did not answer immediately, but looked past Wang Zhixin and looked at the iron sword inserted in the center of the Xuanbing Platform. His eyes once again revealed a bit of anger: "... I naturally came here for Tianjue Peak. The court conspired to plot against Sword Master Xiao, and now they want to plot against Tianjue Peak, the holy land of swordsmanship."
"Aren't you ashamed?"
"... ..ah?"
The poet swordsman's words made Wang Zhixin a little stunned. It took him a while to come back to his senses: "... Are you here for Xiao Rumo?"
"certainly!"
The poet and swordsman's true energy exploded. Although he was just a casual cultivator, his true energy was extremely pure, not inferior to those from famous sects at all. His majestic momentum even resembled that of the former Xiao Rumo. The overflowing sword energy even directly activated the protective shields of Gu Moli and others.
“Wow.”
Wang Zhixin narrowed his eyes slightly, looked at the poet swordsman for a few times, and then nodded: "I see, who are you to Xiao Rumo? His disciple?"
"... ... There is no point in saying more."
The poet and swordsman shook his head. Since he had guessed that this might be a plot by the imperial court, he naturally knew that the imperial court would not agree to his request. There was no point in talking further since they were not on the same page. So he did not say much, but directly raised his body and flew up!
"You can't stand on the top of the sky!"
"Go down!"
The sword energy was like a rainbow, piercing straight towards Wang Zhixin on the Xuanbing platform. Facing this attack, Wang Zhixin did not dodge or evade, but continued to sit cross-legged in the same place. He raised his sleeves and a blazing and clear light came out of his cuffs, accompanied by the sound of a sword, and slashed fiercely at the figure of the poet and swordsman.
clang clang!
The swords collided, and as expected, the poet and swordsman flew back, his sword energy burst out, and he fell under the Xuanbing Platform and retreated several steps. He almost missed a step and fell off the cliff. Fortunately, he managed to stabilize his body.
"This move is called Sleeve Blue Dragon. It is the first move I learned since I started practicing swordsmanship."
"You can take my blow."
"There is hope for enlightenment."
Wang Zhixin stood up slowly, and in his hand he had grasped a sharp long sword. From the handle to the blade, a green dragon was coiled.
One of the eight divine objects in the world!
Embroidered Spring Knife!
"Martial artists in the martial arts world do not seek to make progress, and practice martial arts only for fame and fortune. There are few people who are purely devoted to martial arts. Therefore, among the martial arts masters, most of them only enter the Tao, and there are only a few who can achieve the Tao, and there is no one who can achieve the Tao. From today on, you should practice hard for twenty years, and you should have hope of achieving the Tao."
After briefly commenting on the poet and swordsman, Wang Zhixin looked at Gu Moli and the other two, frowning, "It's just... sir, I can't figure out these two friends of yours. They don't seem to have any skills, but their strength is not inferior to that of a master, as unpredictable as a deep pool."
"This is the secret of my lineage."
Gu Moli said perfunctorily, and then said: "But General Wang, the situation you set up today is not a replica of the situation at the Emperor's Mausoleum, using the so-called sword test conference to attract all the master swordsmen in the world here, and then kill them all by yourself?"
Wang Zhixin did not refute when he heard this: "So what?"
"If that's the case."
Gu Moli nodded seriously: "Excuse me for being blunt, but Commander Wang, you are more suitable for martial arts training. Planning and scheming are not suitable for you."
Wang Zhixin: “…”
"puff."
The overly straightforward judgment finally made Hua Qiong behind him couldn't help but smile with her hands covering her mouth. The poet and swordsman who was originally filled with righteous indignation but was injured by Wang Zhixin and had to stand still and hold his breath couldn't help but smile. Even Wang Zhixin himself shook his head after a moment of silence.
"Sharp-tongued."
"But what you said is true, sir. After all, I am just a warrior."
"I can't govern a country, I can't lead an army, I can't do anything to build a country. I can only practice martial arts and then suppress you little pawns."
Gu Moli smiled slightly upon hearing this: "You have sharp teeth and a sharp tongue."
Swish!
The previous second, Wang Zhixin and Gu Moli were laughing at each other as if they were in sync, but the next second, Wang Zhixin suddenly attacked and chopped Gu Moli's neck with his Embroidered Spring Knife!