Chapter 859 Background (Second Update)
Gu Jiao slowed her pace as she thought about this, falling slightly behind.
She didn't rush to follow, but instead looked up and gave him and the Black Wind King a deep look.
Without a doubt, only the Xuanyuan family could excite the Black Wind King so much.
So whether he answered or not, Gu Jiao was certain.
As for who he was in the Xuanyuan family, Gu Jiao had a vague guess in her mind, but she still needed to confirm it further.
The Ghost King brought a man and a horse... or more precisely, the Black Wind King. Gu Jiao was just there; she was now the Black Wind King's little follower.
They walked for quite a while, leaving one forest and entering another, crossing a stream, and finally arriving at another hilltop.
Gu Jiao never understood where he wanted to take them, and she felt like he was going in circles.
Gu Jiao voiced her doubts: "Where do you want to take us? To where you live?"
You give me a direction, and I'll find it myself. I promise I won't go in circles.
The Ghost King paused for several seconds, probably pondering how to say those words.
Then he thought of something and said slowly, "Look...at...the...scenery."
Take Xiao Ayue to see the scenery on the back mountain.
Gu Jiao: "..."
Can we not look at the scenery?
—The objection was invalid.
Gu Jiaorao was sleepy, so she climbed on and fell asleep on Black Wind King's horse.
When she woke up, she found herself no longer in the mountains and forests, but in a large cave.
The walls of the cave were covered with luminous pearls, which illuminated the entire cave with a faint glow, and the Black Wind King silently guarded her side.
As for that... Ghost King of the Xuanyuan family, he's not here.
Gu Jiao thought he had gone to guard the cemetery again, so she got up and went out to find him. As soon as she got to the door, she saw him sitting outside the cave in the same posture as he had in the cemetery.
Seeing that he didn't exude any hostile aura, Gu Jiao walked over and sat down beside him.
Black Wind King also quietly came out, looking like he was going to keep an eye on his own brat to make sure he wasn't bullied by his old master.
Gu Jiao asked, "Um, may I take your pulse?"
That's how polite you have to be when talking to a big shot!
“I am a doctor,” Gu Jiao said.
He did not refuse.
Gu Jiao took his arm, placed three fingers on his pulse, and took his pulse.
His pulse was very strange.
Injury was inevitable.
But it seemed that it wasn't just an injury; there was a pulse in his body that was sometimes strong and sometimes weak.
It was this pulse that allowed him to unleash unfathomable power.
Gu Jiao pondered for a moment and said to him, "Your face is dirty, let me wipe it for you."
After saying that, she took out a handkerchief and tentatively brought it close to his face. Seeing that he did not refuse, she felt relieved and wiped all the dirt off his face.
When that weathered face was fully revealed to Gu Jiao, her guess was confirmed.
"I saw your portrait in the Imperial Preceptor's Library..."
"Who are you……"
Gu Jiao called out his name.
...
"Hey! Wake up! Where did that kid go?"
Inside the small thatched hut, Tang Yueshan was shaken awake by Shangguan Qing.
Tang Yueshan could understand a little bit of the Yan language, but he couldn't speak it very well.
"Wh-what?" he asked in Zhao language.
Shangguan Qing switched to Zhao language in an instant: "I'm asking you, where did your companions go?"
"Huh? Who are you?" Tang Yueshan fainted as soon as he entered the forest and woke up just now. He had no idea what had happened and didn't realize that he had encountered someone who could speak the language of Zhao in Yan territory.
"Sigh, forget it!" Shangguan Qing sighed. "I'll just have to look for him myself. That kid... he's probably gone to the back mountain!"
Tang Yueshan stared at Shangguan Qing's retreating figure, completely bewildered by what he was saying: "Hey, have you seen my companion? A young man in blue robes with a red birthmark on his left cheek."
Shangguan Qing waved his hand: "He probably went to the back mountain! I'm looking for him too!"
Upon hearing this, Tang Yueshan, disregarding his sleep, quickly sat up, grabbed his precious bow and arrows, and followed.
A night breeze blew by, and Tang Yueshan became more awake.
They were currently in a small village in a valley, and the forest in front of them was the very place where he and Gu Jiao had been ambushed.
"Young man, may I ask what exactly happened just now?" he asked politely.
Shangguan Qing said, "You and your companion were saved by this Ghost King, but unfortunately your companion was disobedient. I told him not to go to the back mountain, but he sneaked over there in the middle of the night!"
Hearing that Gu Jiao was alright, Tang Yueshan secretly breathed a sigh of relief. What's so special about sneaking off to the back mountain? There's no place in the world that girl wouldn't dare to go.
The more you tell her she can't go, the more she wants to go.
Next time, just tell her directly that you absolutely must go for a walk in the back mountain, and she'll definitely be too lazy to go.
Tang Yueshan muttered to himself, then suddenly remembered something and turned to look at Shangguan Qing, who was wearing a mask, and said, "Young brother, you speak Zhao language quite well. Are you also from Zhao?"
...
Outside the cave, Gu Jiao stared intently at the other person's face.
He looks somewhat different from the middle-aged man in the portrait. He has experienced vicissitudes and bears the marks of time, but his features and character remain the same.
Gu Jiao called him again.
Perhaps it had been too many years since he had heard that name; he was momentarily dazed, and after a long while, he murmured, "Xuan...Yuan...Qi..."
Gu Jiao told him with certainty, "Yes, you are Xuan Yuanqi."
“Dead…” he said.
Gu Jiao nodded: "That's not wrong. Xuan Yuanqi is dead, but the world now has a second Lord of Shadows."
“Shadow…” A moment of confusion appeared in his eyes.
It seems he's been guarding the cemetery alone for too long, and his mind has become somewhat hazy. Although he hasn't lost his memory, many of his memories have faded or become confused.
Xuanyuan Li was the Grand Marshal, and Xuanyuan Qi was the Grand General. Both brothers were men of unyielding integrity from the Xuanyuan family, and were figures who struck fear into the hearts of the Jin and Liang people.
It's truly lamentable that he's ended up in this state.
Gu Jiao said softly, "It's okay, take your time to think about it."
He did indeed begin to think back seriously.
Gu Jiao did not disturb him during this time.
Liao Chen always believed that Long Yi killed Xuan Yuan Qi, but in fact Xuan Yuan Qi did not die.
Gu Jiao was very curious about what exactly happened between Long Yi and Xuan Yuanqi back then.
Furthermore, why did he believe he was dead? And why was he unwilling to allow his "body" to be laid to rest?
He closed his eyes and completely entered a state of self-forgetfulness.
Gu Jiao waved her hand in front of his eyes.
"No reaction? So if I were to ambush you now, I could succeed, right?"
As Gu Jiao spoke, she stretched out two fingers and swiftly poked them into his eyes!
He made no attempt to evade the issue.
Gu Jiao's finger stopped just an inch in front of his eyes: "It really is. Never mind, you can think about it all you want, anyway, no one's coming from the back mountain."
No sooner had he finished speaking than a series of furtive footsteps came from the path ahead.
Gu Jiao glanced at Xuan Yuanqi, who was meditating beside her, and gestured for Black Wind King to stay here while she went to check on him.
The cave is located in a remote area. To reach the path outside, one must pass through a narrow gap between two cliffs in front of the open space and then push through a thicket of bushes and thorns.
As Gu Jiao walked out, she bumped into the person who had just arrived.
Suddenly, a figure appeared, and Tang Yueshan drew his bow and arrows.
Gu Jiao said, "It's me!"
Tang Yueshan was taken aback, and stared intently at Gu Jiao: "Hey, oh my god, it really is you."
Luckily I reacted quickly, otherwise I would have been exposed.
Damn it?
Do you guys speak so rudely?
Fellow traveler!
Shangguan Qing withdrew his gaze from Tang Yueshan and strode towards Gu Jiao: "You didn't run into the Old Ghost King, did you? Hey? What's with the blood on your face?"
Gu Jiao said without changing her expression, "Oh, young man, you're hot-tempered and had a nosebleed."
I absolutely refuse to admit that I couldn't beat that guy!
Before Shangguan Qing could find a flaw, she continued, "Also, I ran into the Old Ghost King."
Shangguan Qing looked unconvinced, convinced that the boy in front of him was bragging.
With this kid's skills, he'll definitely be judged as an enemy by the Old Ghost King, who will tear him apart.
Shangguan Qing snorted, "Then tell me, where is the Old Ghost King? We just went to the graveyard, and he's not here."
Shangguan Qing had visited the back mountain several times, and each time he encountered the other person at the graveyard.
Gu Jiao said mischievously, "So you've never been to the Old Ghost King's lair? Are you a close friend of the Old Ghost King?"
Shangguan Qing, stung by the remark, snapped, "He invited me several times! I just haven't had the time to go!"
Gu Jiao raised an eyebrow: "Oh."
Shangguan Qing: "...!!"
On his way here, Tang Yueshan had already learned from Shangguan Qing that there was a very powerful guy living in the back mountain. He seemed to have some mental problems and was extremely wary of martial arts practitioners.
I wonder who's stronger between me and me? Oh well, it's inconvenient to fight with the two little ones here.
Tang Yueshan said, "Let's leave here first."
Gu Jiao looked at the two of them and said, "You two go first, I have something to do."
Tang Yueshan asked, "Aren't you going back to Quyang tomorrow morning?"
“He might not be able to return. Let’s wait a few more days…” Gu Jiao wasn’t sure how many days Xuan Yuanqi would be in meditation, so she paused and said, “Let’s wait a few days first.”
She had an unusually strong intuition—she couldn't leave Ghost Mountain, otherwise she would never see Xuanyuan Qi again and would forever miss the answer she wanted.
Shangguan Qing looked at Gu Jiao with suspicion: "You're not really going to see the Old Ghost King, are you?"
Gu Jiao said, "You don't need to worry about my side. On the contrary, on your side, Jie Xingzhou and the assassins from Jianlu have returned. Knowing Gongsun Yu as I do, he will never let this go. Tomorrow morning, the Jin army will enter the mountains to suppress the bandits."
Shangguan Qing snorted coldly and said, "Don't worry, I have my own plan!"
(End of this chapter)
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