Chapter 1541: Casting Gu

Chapter 1541: Casting Gu

Deep within the Thousand-Spider Ancient Forest, where light could not penetrate, the miasmic fog hung heavy and dark.

Lord Qingchou, with his green face, fangs, and towering, grotesque frame, had fled for the better part of a day after his defeat before finally entering the depths of this dense forest.

Yet here in the heart of the Thousand-Spider Ancient Forest, the miasma was so thick he could not see his own hand before his face. Even Lord Qingchou could not discern his bearings.

After wandering back and forth for half a day, still unable to find his way, Lord Qingchou cursed under his breath and could only retrieve a Gǔ Box from his Human-skin Storage Bag.

Within the box was kept a Five-Patterned Venom-Striped Spider.

Bearing the pain, Lord Qingchou cut his finger and dripped his essence blood to feed the venomous spider.

The previously listless Five-Patterned Venom-Striped Spider, invigorated by the essence blood, seemed drawn by its mother body and began crawling persistently in one direction within the Gǔ Box.

The Five-Patterned Venom-Striped Spider in the Gǔ Box was like a living compass.

Lord Qingchou continued onward in the direction the venomous spider crawled.

After another hour or so of travel, the surrounding miasma gradually thinned.

Before him appeared pavilions and stone lanterns, nestled among bamboo and trees, where a secluded dao temple sat hidden.

The temple was eerie and desolate, exuding an aura that warned all living beings to stay away.

Lord Qingchou's expression turned somewhat solemn at the sight of this sinister temple, and then he stepped through the temple gate with his malformed body.

Once through the gate, he looked up to see spiderwebs draped over the corners of the hillside, and insect rune-patterns carved into the winding corridors. The eaves hung low, like pythons bowing their heads; the pavilions and towers interlocked, like centipedes taking their stance.

Though the drifting mist made it appear a transcendent immortal realm, every corner was perilous and steep, like a demonic hall of insect spirits.

Beneath the shroud of fog, even a ruthless killer like Lord Qingchou felt a faint chill creep into his heart.

Just then, a disciple of the Unorthodox Path clad in black robes approached and bowed respectfully, saying:

"Greetings, Lord Qingchou."

The moment Lord Qingchou saw those black robes, the detestable figure instantly surfaced in his mind. Startled and enraged, he nearly lashed out and killed the black-robed disciple on the spot.

His hand had already risen before he suddenly realized, this was the Thousand-Spider Dao Temple, and the one before him was merely a disciple of Master Wu, not that treacherous villain.

"Lord... what business brings you here?" The Unorthodox Path disciple's expression shifted slightly as he sensed the killing intent.

Lord Qingchou frowned and asked, "Where is Master Wu?"

The black-robed disciple clasped his hands and replied, "Master is in secluded meditation."

Lord Qingchou commanded, "Take me to him."

"When Master is in meditation, no one is permitted to disturb him. Please, Lord—" Before the disciple could finish, Lord Qingchou snapped:

"Enough noise!"

With that, he strode toward the main hall of the temple.

The black-robed disciple tried to block his way but was sent flying by a single slap from Lord Qingchou, crashing onto the stone railing.

Other Unorthodox Path disciples within the temple saw this and, faces flushed with anger, either cast Fāng Arts or commanded venomous insects and snakes in an attempt to stop Lord Qingchou.

But their cultivation was shallow, no match for Lord Qingchou, and they could not hold him back.

Nor could the insects and snakes bite through Lord Qingchou's flesh.

Lord Qingchou could not be bothered to tangle with these disciples. With a slight show of force, he dispatched a few of them, then moved like a ghostly fiend, closing the distance to the main hall's doors in a few swift strides and pushing them open directly.

The four pillars of the hall were carved with ancient insect rune-patterns. High above, a divine statue was enshrined, veiled in yellow cloth, its true form hidden.

Beneath the statue stood an altar table, upon which offerings of the five venoms were placed, with purple sandalwood incense burning.

In the swirling haze of smoke, an emaciated old man sat upon a prayer mat, clad in the Five-Poison Mystic Robe, surrounded by clay jars, insect carcasses, and medicinal wine.

Lord Qingchou pushed open the door and entered. Upon seeing the old man, he did not dare to act too presumptuously, but coldly demanded:

"Master Wu, did you send someone to harm me?"

Only then did Master Wu, wearing the Five-Poison Mystic Robe, slowly open his eyes. They were a murky brownish-green, like a serpent or insect wearing human skin. His voice was hoarse as he said:

"What nonsense are you spouting?"

Lord Qingchou's face was flushed with anger. "I encountered a thief, clad in black robes, who claimed to be a Fāngshì. He said you, Master Wu, had sent him to help me kill the enemy. But at the critical moment, this man actually struck against me, causing me to... suffer a great loss..."

Just as he was speaking, a clamor of voices arose outside. A group of disciples from the Dao temple, filled with righteous indignation, rushed to the doorway. Upon seeing Master Wu, their faces showed fear and shame, and they said:

"Master, your disciples... failed to stop this man..."

Master Wu's gaze was icy cold as he waved his hand.

These disciples of the Unorthodox Path retreated in panic.

Master Wu lightly brushed his hand, and the great hall's doors closed once more, cutting off all sight and sound from outside.

But within the entire hall, there were only the idol, Master Wu, and Lord Qingchou, making it all the more eerie and deathly still.

Lord Qingchou glanced at Master Wu, then lowered his gaze, not daring to look at the idol.

Though he could not see the idol's true visage anyway.

Master Wu, meanwhile, frowned in thought, then pinched his fingers in calculation. Once he was certain in his heart, he raised his head to look at Lord Qingchou and said slowly:

"I did not send anyone to assist you..."

"In my sect, no fellow disciples have come to visit in recent days either. You have been deceived by an outsider."

So he truly had been deceived... Lord Qingchou was furious in his heart.

He had harbored this suspicion himself.

But regardless of whether it was true or false, he ultimately needed to confront Master Wu face to face and clarify the matter.

Otherwise, when undertaking their great enterprise later, even the slightest misunderstanding could lead to major blunders.

Master Wu looked at Lord Qingchou, his gaze slightly heavy: "So... you still failed to kill Gu Changhuai?"

Lord Qingchou's expression turned ugly.

Master Wu took a slight breath, his face turning cold and sinister: "After all this time, with me casting spells to trap him for you for so long, you still couldn't kill him?"

Lord Qingchou said darkly: "It was almost done. If not for that black-robed thief deceiving and harming me, that dog Gu would already be nothing but bones by now."

Master Wu paid no heed to these excuses, only saying: "Regardless, Gu Changhuai must die within the Qingchou Prefecture Realm."

Lord Qingchou's face showed displeasure, but he still cupped his hands and said: "Yes..."

After pondering for a moment, Master Wu found it strange and asked:

"You mean to say... there was a black-robed cultivator, impersonating a Fāngshì, who deceived you and rescued Gu Changhuai from your hands?"

Lord Qingchou nodded. "Yes."

Master Wu asked: "Was this person at Late Golden Core Stage, or Peak Golden Core?"

Lord Qingchou held back for a long while before spitting out two words: "Early stage..."

Even the sinister and experienced Master Wu could not help but change his expression slightly.

"Early stage Feathered Ascension?"

Lord Qingchou's face was the color of pig's liver. "Golden Core..."

Master Wu's gaze at Lord Qingchou gradually turned somewhat off, suspecting that there might be something wrong with Lord Qingchou.

Lord Qingchou gritted his teeth and said: "This thief's cultivation appeared to be Early Golden Core Stage, but his skills were utterly miraculous..."

Master Wu said: "No matter how miraculous, is he not still Early Golden Core Stage?"

Lord Qingchou remained silent.

Master Wu did not wish to speak harshly, for Lord Qingchou was not his disciple, this man was, in the secular sense, a being of great ferocity.

The success of Qingchou's grand scheme still depended on him to fight and suppress.

Master Wu asked again: "Since this man is so extraordinary, what abilities does he actually possess?"

Lord Qingchou said: "Fireball Technique, Water Manipulation Technique..."

Master Wu waited for a long while, and when he saw that Lord Qingchou had stopped speaking, he asked: "And then?"

Lord Qingchou said: "That's all... just these..."

Even the sinister Master Wu could not help but feel a surge of anger. "That truly is... quite extraordinary..."

A Fireball Technique... what tremendous skill that must be.

Master Wu asked coldly: "You cannot defeat him?"

Lord Qingchou's face twitched. "I can defeat him... but... I cannot land a hit."

"Cannot land a hit?" Master Wu's gaze could not help but turn somewhat contemptuous.

Lord Qingchou was both furious and resentful. "His Movement Technique... is too good... slippery and evasive, like a water ghost..."

Master Wu said: "No matter how good his Movement Technique, is he not still at Early Golden Core Stage?"

"You, a Late Golden Core Stage cultivator, truly cannot seize him?" Master Wu could not restrain himself and questioned again.

Lord Qingchou naturally refused to admit it, his face ashen, his voice hoarse:

"I was struck by that dog Gu's killing move, suffering severe injuries. My vital essence was greatly depleted, my Blood Qi in chaos, and I could not go all out... That is why I could not seize him."

Master Wu looked at Lord Qingchou, his brows deeply furrowed.

He began to suspect whether this beast Lord Qingchou had truly eaten too many people and ruined his mind.

Everything he had said so far did not sound like the words of a sane man.

Any Golden Core Cultivator with a normal mind could not have fabricated such a shabby lie.

Master Wu frowned: "Then in this battle, you truly gained nothing? Could not even graze that villain's skin?"

Lord Qingchou was silent for a moment, then said: "I gave my all... and cut off a lock of his hair..."

The air fell into a dead silence.

Had an ordinary cultivator heard this, they would surely find Lord Qingchou somewhat ridiculous.

But Master Wu was a master of the Unorthodox Path. Finding it ridiculous as well, upon hearing the word "hair," a fierce glint immediately appeared in his murky eyes.

"Hair?"

"Yes."

"How did you cut it?"

"After nearly a thousand rounds of fierce combat with no victor, I finally employed a clever ruse—feinting east while striking west. At the critical moment, I channeled the power of my heart meridian, doubling my escape speed, and thus managed to cut three strands of hair from that villain's temple..."

Lord Qingchou said with a solemn expression.

Master Wu's expression was somewhat peculiar. Had he not heard it with his own ears, he would truly have thought that Lord Qingchou had accomplished some remarkable feat.

Still, having three strands of hair was not bad.

To ordinary people, three strands of hair might be insignificant.

But to Fāngshì of the Unorthodox Path, the body, hair, and skin received from one's parents were all extremely important mediums for sorcery.

Master Wu said: "Where is the hair?"

Only then did Lord Qingchou carefully, with his bloody hand, produce three strands of ink-black hair and present them to Master Wu.

These were what he had painstakingly cut from beside Mo Hua's cheek after tremendous effort.

Master Wu took the strands of hair, and his heart inexplicably trembled slightly.

This was the intuition of the Unorthodox Path, telling him that these strands of hair truly held some mystery within them.

This was not the hair of an ordinary person.

Master Wu nodded slightly, preparing to perform the technique, but in the end, doubt still arose in his heart, and he asked:

"That thief... what is his origin?"

Lord Qingchou shook his head. "All I know is that he is an extremely sinister villain... his origin is unknown."

Master Wu asked again, "Then is he a true Fāngshì, or a false one?"

Lord Qingchou shook his head again. "I cannot tell. He looks somewhat like one, but then again, he seems not to be..."

Master Wu inwardly cursed this green-faced fool for being utterly stupid, unable even to distinguish whether someone was a Fāngshì.

He had no choice but to ask more precisely: "Then what does he look like?"

Lord Qingchou recalled the fleeting glimpse of that face beneath the hood and said, "Like moonlight, or like white jade, carved with exquisite perfection, most detestable."

Master Wu frowned. "Then he is very young?"

Lord Qingchou nodded. "Looking at that face, it was tender enough to drip water. His cultivation age is at most no more than fifty..."

Master Wu found it increasingly strange and asked again, "Then when he fought with you, did he ever employ Unorthodox Path Fāng Arts?"

Lord Qingchou thought for a moment, then shook his head. "He never used Fāng Arts... aside from fireballs, a water-control technique, and his Movement Technique, there was nothing else..."

"Ah, right," Lord Qingchou suddenly remembered something and added, "He also understands formations..."

Master Wu was taken aback. "Formations?"

Lord Qingchou nodded, his pupils slightly constricting. "That boy's attainments in formations are profound and unfathomable, utterly incomprehensible..."

Seeing that even Lord Qingchou, this enemy, praised him so highly, Master Wu felt a chill of wariness in his heart.

Then, after pondering for a moment, he nodded and said, "Too young in years, yet proficient in formations... then he cannot be a Fāngshì."

Any path of cultivation, if one wished to master it thoroughly, required vast amounts of time, day and night of study, focused refinement.

A cultivator's lifespan, time, and Divine-Sense were all limited.

Especially Divine-Sense—though seemingly formless, it was an extremely precious cultivation resource.

Both the Unorthodox Path and Formations were disciplines of cultivation that relied on Divine-Sense.

Whether one studied the Unorthodox Path or Formations, to reach the hallowed halls and achieve some measure of success, one needed to pour in vast amounts of Divine-Sense in practice, day and night without cease.

Therefore, the Unorthodox Path and Formations were nearly mutually exclusive.

Both were great devourers of Divine-Sense.

If one studied the Unorthodox Path, there would be no surplus Divine-Sense left to practice Formations.

If one studied Formations, one could not possibly have the remaining energy to delve into Fāng Arts.

To study both at once would surely be grasping for too much, and in the end, one would accomplish nothing—neither could be mastered well.

Among certain ancient monsters, there might be cases of cultivating both Formations and the Unorthodox Path, but this itself was extremely rare.

Moreover, ancient monsters had long lifespans, giving them ample time to slowly cultivate both the Unorthodox Path and Formations.

But the thief Lord Qingchou spoke of was different.

He was so young, yet already possessed considerable attainments in Formations.

That meant that in his mere few decades of cultivation, nearly all his Divine-Sense had been devoted to the practice of formations.

That being the case, it would be impossible for him to have also learned any advanced Unorthodox Path Fāng Arts.

Even if he had learned some, the Fāng Arts he knew would likely be few and far between, and could not possibly boast any extraordinary attainments...

Master Wu nodded, feeling that the facts were roughly so, and slowly set his mind at ease.

Though Lord Qingchou was cunning, he was not studious and knew little of Formations and the Unorthodox Path.

But Master Wu, a master of the Unorthodox Path, could not possibly fail to understand the intricacies of this matter.

Master Wu once again combed through the cause and effect in his mind, confirming there was no flaw, before speaking:

"This old man will use this strand of hair to perform Gu Arts and peer into this person's cause and effect."

"If this person has some extraordinary background, then we shall retreat for now and plan at length."

"But if this child's Fate Pattern is weak, his Divine-Sense Thought unsteady, and he lacks any foundation in the Unorthodox Path, then do not blame this old man..."

A trace of cruelty flashed in Master Wu's eyes, "I shall directly use Gu Arts to curse him until blood flows from all seven orifices, killing him on the spot."

Lord Qingchou was overjoyed to hear this and said, "As expected of Master Wu with your vast Divine Power. Then I shall trouble you, Master."

Master Wu stroked his beard and gave a slight nod.

Afterwards, Lord Qingchou stood guard nearby.

Master Wu, meanwhile, began to prepare the ritual for the Unorthodox Path "Gu Arts."

He first took out a large gu jar and placed it on the ground, then reached into a nearby black vat with his bare hands to pull out several living venomous insects.

Some of these insects resembled centipedes, some were like scorpions, others were venomous snakes as long as a pinky finger, and the most sinister of all was a Human-faced Spider...

Master Wu placed these venomous insects together into the gu jar, then began adding various toxins to stimulate their ferocity.

Afterwards, Master Wu tossed Mo Hua's three strands of hair into the gu jar. Once the gu insects were raised and devoured the hair, he began forming hand seals, chanting incantations, and performing the Fāng Arts of the Gu Arts.

This series of rituals was the secret Fāng Arts inheritance of his school.

Master Wu performed it openly before Lord Qingchou, yet did not fear that he might learn it.

Because the ritual was tangible, but the true mystery lay in the intangible Divine-Sense Thought.

Even if others watched, they could not discern the inner workings at all.

This was the most difficult and most arcane aspect of Unorthodox Path Arts.

Lord Qingchou stood guard nearby, indeed unable to comprehend the mysteries of Gu Arts, but his heart was shaken profoundly, and his ferocious gaze flickered without cease.

In the center of the great hall, after Master Wu completed the ritual of the Unorthodox Path Gu Arts, he began to concentrate, channeling his Divine-Sense Thought to follow the hair in the gu king's mouth and peer into the unknown cause and effect.

He wanted to see just what kind of person this brat Lord Qingchou spoke of truly was.

A Late Golden Core Stage cultivator like Lord Qingchou couldn't even capture him, truly useless...

With the Five Poisons protecting his body, Gu Arts driving the curse, and the hair as a guiding thread, Master Wu's Divine-Sense Thought seemed to merge into the void, beginning to probe toward the unknown cause and effect.

Amidst a haze of mist, he soon saw a somewhat slender figure.

This figure wore a black robe, with a fair and handsome countenance.

(End of Chapter)