Mortal Bones

 "But... but we can't just let that kid go!"

Zhou Gu still felt unwilling.

"Then what do you suggest? Should we have someone take care of that kid? If he were still as unknown as before, it wouldn't be a big deal. But now, after making a name for himself, he's sure to catch the attention of the higher-ups. Trying to deal with him now, I think you're courting death!"

Zuo Ju coldly snorted at Zhou Gu.

"If I had known earlier, I should have found a chance to get rid of him!"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Gu grabbed his hair fiercely, then said with a malicious look.

"Can the person who helped you swap the sign be trusted?"

Zuo Ju suddenly asked Zhou Gu.

"Of course, I trust them."

Zhou Gu patted his chest and promised Zuo Ju.

"That's good. Today's match was too eye-catching. The people on the mountain will definitely notice it, we can't leave any evidence behind."

Zuo Ju nodded, frowning.

"Big Brother, it shouldn't be a problem. If the higher-ups investigate, they'll only check if that kid used any pills to cheat. They won't look into the sign-swapping thing. We can't be that unlucky."

Zhou Gu confidently patted Zuo Ju's shoulder and said.

"Shut your raven mouth!"

Zuo Ju slapped Zhou Gu's hand away, then shot him a helpless glare.

...

The next day.

"Senior Brother, how did Xiao Taiping perform in yesterday's match?"

Early in the morning, Zhao Linglong rushed to the Seven Peaks' Sword Trial Square and immediately asked Du Guqingxiao about the previous day's Four Mountains Tournament.

"You came at just the right time."

Qingxiao stood in the center of the Sword Trial Square, smiling and raising a letter in his hand.

"Just received it."

He added.

"Let me see!"

Zhao Linglong said, her foot stepping on a silken ribbon as she soared toward Qingxiao to snatch the letter from his hand.

Qingxiao simply sidestepped and flicked her forehead lightly, saying, "Let's look together."

"Fine, fine, we'll look together, but why hit me?"

Zhao Linglong covered her forehead, feeling aggrieved.

Qingxiao ignored her, tearing open the envelope.

"Huh? This handwriting, why does it look so familiar?"

Zhao Linglong suddenly exclaimed in surprise.

"It's from your senior sister Ziyan from Six Peaks. Her junior disciple happened to be assigned to oversee the Four Mountains Tournament at the West Wind Pavilion."

Qingxiao answered while unfolding the letter.

"What do you mean my senior sister Ziyan? She's clearly your junior sister!"

Zhao Linglong flashed a mischievous smile at Qingxiao.

"If you keep this up, in a few days, even if I borrow the Mountain Patrol Mirror, you won't be able to watch the Dragon Gate Tournament with me."

Qingxiao threatened with a deadpan expression.

"Second Senior Brother, I'm sorry."

Zhao Linglong quickly apologized.

However, as she spoke, she suddenly noticed that Qingxiao had no reaction, his eyes completely focused on the letter in front of him.

"Could it be that Xiao Taiping lost?"

Zhao Linglong's heart tightened, and she immediately leaned over to look at the letter —

"Senior Brother Qingxiao, the person you asked me to inquire about, Xu Taiping, truly made a splash at the West Wind Pavilion's Four Mountains Tournament yesterday. First, he defeated a Martial Cultivator in the Open Door Realm with a single punch, then broke through the Old Master's Indestructible Skill and Flowing Water True Qi. Afterward, he continued to win effortlessly in the subsequent matches, earning the qualification to enter the Dragon Gate Hall."

"As for the other matches, let's not talk about them. Just the one with Qin Yuan..."

At this point, Zhao Linglong withdrew her gaze in astonishment, then leapt into the air, cheerfully saying, "Great! Xiao Taiping won, and it was a big win!"

"It wasn't just a big win."

At this moment, Qingxiao, having finished reading the entire letter, shook his head.

"Second Senior Brother, what do you mean by that?"

Zhao Linglong, still excited, looked at Qingxiao in confusion.

"According to the description from Ziyan's junior disciple, when Taiping broke Qin Yuan's Indestructible Skill and Flowing Water True Qi, he only used the Blue Ox Fist. Furthermore, when breaking the Flowing Water True Qi, an Ox Demon phantom appeared, so he deduced that Taiping must have comprehended the true meaning of the Blue Ox Fist."

Qingxiao answered with a serious expression.

"True meaning of the fist? Taiping is so young, how could he possibly comprehend the true meaning of a martial art?"

Zhao Linglong was in disbelief.

"This is just the speculation of Ziyan's junior disciple. After all, he wasn't in charge of the ring where Taiping fought. Hearing is believing, seeing is understanding. To truly know Taiping's current strength, we'll have to wait and see the Dragon Gate Tournament."

Qingxiao shook his head.

"Right, right."

Zhao Linglong nodded repeatedly. She was now eager to see the Dragon Gate Tournament.

"But doesn't Xiao Taiping have terrible luck? He ends up facing two powerful opponents. I see that Sister Ziyan mentioned in the letter that both of these people have the strength to participate in the Dragon Gate Tournament."

She took the letter from Qingxiao's hand and glanced at it again before casually saying.

"Luck?"

Qingxiao raised his sword-like eyebrows at her.

"Yeah, this luck is really terrible. I should go to the Five Ancestor Statues on the peak and pray, hoping they bless Xiao Taiping."

Zhao Linglong said seriously as she considered it.

"This doesn't seem like luck."

Qingxiao shook his head.

Now that Zhao Linglong had mentioned it, Qingxiao, with his sharp instincts as a high-level cultivator, immediately felt something was off.

"It's not luck? Second Senior Brother, do you think this was intentional?"

Zhao Linglong suddenly realized.

She was carefree, but after years of experience, she still had some vigilance.

"Don't worry about it, I'll take care of this."

Qingxiao took the letter from Zhao Linglong's hand and expressionlessly put it back in the envelope.

"Although the Seven Peaks Selection depends on Taiping alone, if anyone thinks they can manipulate him just because they believe he has no backing, they're gravely mistaken."

Qingxiao said in a slightly cold tone.

He was someone who appeared cold on the outside but had a warm heart. Since he had decided to help Xiao Taiping, he would help him all the way.

...

Some things, if the higher-ups are determined to investigate, no one can hide.

"Bang!"

At the West Wind Pavilion, Pavilion Master Liu Songshan first kicked Zhou Gu, sending him flying, then slapped Zuo Ju across the face with a loud "smack."

"You two idiots!"

Liu Songshan's forehead was bulging with veins as he pointed at Zhou Gu and Zuo Ju, angrily berating them.

"You dared treat such an important event like the Four Mountains Tournament as a joke? You even dared to swap the signs? How brave of you!"

He practically shouted these two sentences.

"Pavilion Master, this was all my plan, it had nothing to do with Big Brother Zuo. Please, Pavilion Master, plead with the mountain to only expel me and spare Big Brother Zuo."

Zhou Gu, who had just gotten up, crawled toward Liu Songshan and pleaded.