Xu Bai's Admirer

The woods were already dark, and the scene before them was even more eerie, with a woman standing on a branch, making it all the more terrifying.

Xu Bai remained silent, fixing his gaze on the direction.

The woman stood on the tree, and by the moonlight, Xu Bai could see clearly that she was an extremely beautiful woman. However, her clothing was different from that of ordinary people. Although the colors of her clothes were not very bright, they exuded a unique charm.

Especially her long, black hair, adorned with all sorts of silver jewelry, gave Xu Bai the feeling of those ethnic minorities from his previous life.

Beneath the Giant Tree, the female corpse covered in lividity began to move. She slowly raised her pale arms and placed them on the villagers' shoulders. In her empty eyes, the two Gu worms vibrated their wings, and their sounds echoed through the dark land. The villagers murmured to themselves, as if they had gone mad.

"Hehehe, I'm here. Take off your clothes, I'll take off my clothes too."

"You are so beautiful, so pretty."

"Let's get started, or my wife might come looking for me."

The villagers started taking off their clothes very quickly, as if they were in a hurry.

But before he could finish undressing, the woman in the tree suddenly raised her hand and shot out a beam of light. The light was jet black and stood out clearly in the moonlight.

Xu Bai, hiding in the distance, could see clearly that this dark light was not inherent to him, but rather appeared as a dark glow due to the reflection of moonlight. In reality, it was a winged Gu worm.

"Another Gu worm?" Xu Bai stroked his chin.

For some reason, this Gu worm gave him a different feeling. The ones he had seen before were all ferocious and terrifying, making him feel terrified, but this one was different. Instead, it made him feel particularly comfortable.

The worm merely circled in front of the villager, who screamed, his eyes rolled back, and he collapsed to the ground unconscious.

The next moment, the two Gu worms that had been hidden in the woman's eyes let out a shrill scream and chased after the Gu worms that the woman had just released.

In less than a second, the three Gu worms clashed and fought fiercely in mid-air.

Clearly, the two Gu worms were no match for the other one. In just a moment, they were torn to pieces by the other Gu worm and swallowed whole.

The woman hidden in the Giant Tree jumped from a great height and landed steadily on the ground.

The Gu worms, which were flying in mid-air, flew towards the woman and landed in her hand. With a flick of her right hand, the Gu worms disappeared.

"Attack!" Seeing this, Xu Bai said nothing more and rushed towards the woman.

Of course, he added one more thing before rushing out.

"It must be alive."

The Black Saber Hundred Rends suddenly exploded, turning into countless fragments that surrounded the woman. With just one command from Xu Bai, these fragments would transform into a sky full of starlight, piercing the woman like a beehive.

Wu Hua and Ye Zi followed closely behind and surrounded the woman.

This happened so fast that the woman clearly didn't have time to react. Her beautiful face showed surprise, but it quickly turned gloomy.

"I thought the Gu God Sect wouldn't join forces with outsiders. It seems my cousin didn't follow the Gu God Sect's wishes."

The sound was crisp, but it carried an indescribable chill.

"The Gu God Sect?" Xu Bai stroked his chin, as if he had grasped some of the meaning.

This woman just mentioned her cousin and that the Gu God Sect wouldn't join forces with outsiders. Could it be that this woman isn't his enemy, but has other motives? It's very possible, extremely likely.

Thinking of this, Xu Bai prepared to speak.

First, confirm the other party's identity. If they are not an enemy, then they are a friend. After all, the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

But before he could even speak, the woman impulsively attacked him.

The woman raised her hand, and a glint of light appeared in it. The silver ornaments on her head jingled, and then countless Gu worms flew out from her sleeves.

"You've allied with the Gu God Sect Cult, die!"

The countless Gu worms, with their terrifying aura, swept towards Xu Bai and his companions.

The sound of flapping wings followed one after another, sounding extremely chaotic to the ears and making one feel irritable.

The next moment, the Gu worm flying in mid-air stopped moving, remaining frozen in the air, neither advancing nor retreating.

Looking at the woman again, the silver ornaments on her head stopped swaying, because her whole body was covered in fragments, especially around her neck, where dozens of Black Saber Hundred Rends fragments were wrapped around her. If she moved even slightly, she would die.

"You were too impulsive. Why didn't you finish what you were saying?" Xu Bai laughed.

This woman's Gu worms are much more powerful, but the woman herself is very fragile and has no way to defend against his fragments.

How should I put it? It's like a game I played in my past life. There was a summoner class in the game, which is similar to this. The player's own strength is relatively weak, but the things they summon are very strong.

This type is better suited for ambushing enemies than for direct combat.

"You shameless scoundrel, I'm going to fight you to the death!"

The woman clearly knew she had been taken hostage, but she showed no fear and prepared to continue manipulating the Gu worms, seemingly wanting to compete with Xu Bai to see whether the knife or the Gu worms were faster.

Things seemed to be getting out of control. At this moment, Wu Hua spoke up and took out the token in his hand.

"Wait a minute! I am Wu Hua, the Chief of the Bureau of Surveillance. We are not members of the Gu God Sect!"

The situation was quite obvious, and Wu Hua could see it too. This woman must have a different background, so it was best not to start a fight at this point.

He was one of the people who knew Xu Bai best, and he also knew Xu Bai's personality. Even if this woman was not from the Gu God Sect, if she wanted to fight Xu Bai to the death, Xu Bai would not hesitate to take action, at most leaving her with a breath.

So at the crucial moment, he still took out his own sign, which eased the awkward atmosphere a little.

The surrounding Gu worms suddenly paused, and the woman frowned as she saw the plaque in Wu Hua's hand.

"You're from the Bureau of Surveillance, aren't you from my cousin's side?"

Wu Hua nodded and said, "Put these things away first. We won't harm you, since we probably have the same goal."

The woman thought about it carefully, and finally waved her hand, putting all the Gu worms back into her sleeve.

However, Xu Bai's fragments were not retrieved and remained in their original position. "What do you mean by this?" the woman asked, having noticed this as well.

She had already stopped, so why was Xu Bai still persisting?

Xu Bai laughed and said, "We've proven our identities, so you should prove yours too. It's only polite to reciprocate. If you can't prove yours, it's better if we keep communicating like this."

His earlier guesses about the woman's identity were just guesses. Without concrete proof, these guesses would never be confirmed, so Xu Bai did not stop.

The woman froze on the spot, then gritted her teeth and prepared to reach into her bosom.

The next moment, the woman took out a wooden box, and then opened it to reveal a golden Gu worm.

The Gu worm was entirely golden, and even though it was just a worm, it didn't inspire any fear in people. Instead, it was quite beautiful, possessing an indescribable magnificence and beauty.

"Golden Silk Gu, are you a direct descendant of the Miao Sect?" Wu Hua.

The woman nodded, clearly acknowledging it.

Xu Bai nudged Ye Zi beside him and asked, "What is Golden Silk Gu?"

Ye Zi quickly replied, "The Golden Silk Gu is a legacy of the Miao Sect, and only direct descendants can possess it. It can be used for both offense and defense. The Miao Sect is a very powerful lineage, no less so than Wu Hua's Vajra Temple..."

She began to explain to Xu Bai, her voice very soft, but everyone present could hear her clearly.

After Ye Zi finished explaining, Xu Bai suddenly realized what was going on.

Miao Sect is a profession that specializes in using Gu poison and is also a very large lineage. It is full of experts, and their greatest skill is controlling Gu insects.

But the method they used was normal, letting the Gu worms fight each other.

It's not the extremely cruel method used by the ancient gods, where they raise Gu worms in corpses.

The most representative example of the direct lineage of the Miao Sect is the Golden Silk Gu.

The Golden Silk Gu can be used offensively, breaking rocks and accumulating gold; it can also be used defensively, making it as solid as a rock.

Most importantly, it is possible to prove her identity.

If a direct descendant of the Miao Sect betrays the Miao Sect, they will lose the trust of the Golden Silk Gu and will no longer be able to use it; the Golden Silk Gu will turn to ashes.

Xu Bai glanced at the woman, his eyes clearly conveying the message: she should try it immediately and let him see if it had the desired effect.

The woman gritted her teeth; forced by circumstances, she had no choice but to do as Xu Bai said.

A beam of light shot out and landed on the Golden Silk Gu. The Golden Silk Gu seemed to wake up from its slumber, flapping its wings and flying away.

Two golden lights suddenly appeared. One of them landed on the woman, completely enveloping her, while the other gathered on the Golden Silk Gu, giving off a sharp and aggressive feeling.

"Now, is that enough?" the woman said through gritted teeth.

I'm so angry. This feeling of being coerced is awful. I feel like a monkey being watched.

Xu Bai still didn't release the fragments and asked, "It can be used for both offense and defense, so why didn't you use it from the beginning?"

The woman rolled her eyes, nearly fainting from anger. "How could I possibly react when you're so fast?"

Xu Bai: "..."

That's definitely what happened; his fragments did indeed come apart quite quickly.

However, there was something wrong with what this woman said.

He's a slow-paced person, and it's been a long time since then.

"Benefactor Xu, let's release her for now. It seems there's no problem," Wu Hua cleverly smoothed things over, and couldn't help but touch his bald head.

Look, if another fellow disciple from the Vajra Temple were to come, who could persuade Xu Bai? It would still have to be me.

Xu Bai thought for a moment, then swung the hilt of his knife, and the scattered fragments reformed into the blade, which he then tucked back into his waistband.

The woman breathed a sigh of relief, and when she touched her fair forehead, she found it was covered in cold sweat.

The feeling she just experienced was terrifying. She knew that if she actually took any action, it could lead to horrific consequences.

Even now, thinking about it still makes me feel lingering fear.

However, she quickly recovered.

"My name is Miao Xiao, and I come from the Miao Sect," Miao Xiao introduced herself. "Are you all from the Bureau of Surveillance?"

"More than anything, I'd like to know what's going on with your cousin?" Xu Bai asked instead of answering.

From what I just heard from this woman's conversation, her cousin should be a member of the Gu God Sect.

Miao Xiao found this man strange; he spoke in a completely unreasonable way. However, seeing that the Director of the Bureau of Surveillance in front of her seemed to listen to him, she stopped arguing and also revealed her purpose.

"This is what happened..."

In the dead of night, in the quiet woods, Miao Xiao's voice rang out, accompanied by birdsong. Xu Bai also figured out the ins and outs of the matter.

Miao Xiao's cousin, named Miao Zheng, is an outstanding talent in the Miao Sect lineage.

Although the Miao Sect practiced the use of Gu poison, it was recognized by the Great Chu Kingdom because they did not harm anyone and their actions were considered normal.

However, the Gu worms they raised were not very efficient because they always used very orthodox methods of raising Gu.

The Gu God Sect was originally founded by people who defected from the Miao Sect.

They raise venomous insects using corpses, doing utterly heinous things, but their efficiency is indeed much higher than others.

Over time, many people with impure motives joined the Gu God Sect.

The Gu God Sect grew stronger and stronger, gradually emerging from its previous state of hiding into the open.

Fortunately, the Great Chu Kingdom acted decisively, inflicting heavy losses on them, which allowed them to once again disappear into the shadows.

But some things can't be eradicated completely.

When there is a shortcut to something, many people are willing to take the shortcut, even if the shortcut is flawed, it cannot stop some people from staying or leaving.

Previously, although the Great Chu Kingdom had tried every means possible, they had still managed to retain their roots, so they had been secretly recruiting people with questionable ideas.

Things only recently became serious after Miao Xiao's younger brother, Miao Zheng, betrayed the Miao Sect and joined the Gu God Sect.

In fact, many people had secretly defected before, but this time the matter was more serious than before, because the Gu God Sect had somehow managed to get Miao Zheng to take away a Golden Silk Gu.

As mentioned before, the Golden Silk Gu only recognizes the direct descendants of the Miao Sect. Once a member of the Miao Sect develops other ideas or betrays the Miao Sect, the Golden Silk Gu will be unable to control it and may even turn to ashes.

As for why this happened, that's a secret of the Miao Sect, Miao Xiao didn't say.

Miao Zheng took away a Golden Silk Gu through an unknown method. If it is used for any conspiracy or trickery, the Miao Sect may be held liable.

Therefore, the Miao Sect immediately sent people to hunt down Miao Zheng, and sent many people, including many experts.

Unfortunately, they failed to find Miao Zheng's whereabouts. On the contrary, they were sabotaged by the Gu God Sect, causing these experts to suffer heavy losses.

In the end, only Miao Xiao managed to track Miao Zheng down to this place, having lost all trace of him.

Upon hearing this, Xu Bai stroked his chin and asked, "What is the highest level of those experts you sent?"

"Half-Step Transcendent," Miao Xiao.

"That's it?" Xu Bai frowned and said, "The Golden Silk Gu is so important, and you only sent people of this level to chase after it? Are you kidding me?"

Based on the importance mentioned earlier, Xu Bai estimated that at least a Transcendent or Extraordinary person would be sent, but unexpectedly, it was only Half-Step Transcendent.

Miao Xiao was taken aback, and said, "For a lineage, Half-Step Transcendent Realm is already considered a master... Moreover... the Miao Sect is different..."

Although we were once on par with powerful forces like the Vajra Temple, things are very different now.

Xu Bai looked at Wu Hua, meaning, "Your Vajra Temple was mentioned earlier, please explain."

Wu Hua touched his bald head, a habit he had recently developed.

He suddenly found his bald head very comfortable to touch, and over time he became fond of it.

Seeing Xu Bai's questioning gaze, he explained.

"The Miao Sect was secretly harmed by the Gu God Sect a long time ago, and many of its experts have already turned to ashes."

"Of course, because of that incident, both sides suffered heavy losses."

"Before this incident, the Miao Sect was on par with the Vajra Temple. However, even under those circumstances, the Miao Sect did not back down an inch, and its reputation is still recognized in the Miao Sect."

Xu Bai said "Oh," and then he understood.

He paced back and forth, analyzing what Miao Xiao.

After a moment, he stopped and said.

"What is your strength?"

"Third rank." Miao Xiao. "Although the experts we chased after have all collapsed, the Gu God Sect didn't fare any better; they also paid the price."

"Have you ever thought about why you were specifically allowed in?" Xu Bai suddenly said, "What you just said is that even Half-Step Transcendent expert fought to the death, yet you, with your third-grade strength, were able to go so far. Don't you think there's something wrong with that?"

Miao Xiao was stunned. Clearly, she hadn't considered this issue. Now, after Xu Bai's reminder, she realized it.

"Could it be... that I have some value?"

If that's really the case, then that's the only way to put it.

She had value to come in, and the other party deliberately let her in like this.

Xu Bai nodded and said, "I think they ambushed me here, and then suddenly let you in. You might become their accomplice. I'm not saying you're bad, I just think they might use you."

This was Xu Bai's thought. He had just analyzed it carefully and combined it with his current situation to arrive at this conclusion.

Why did Miao Zheng choose Lingyun Prefecture as his escape route, and not somewhere else? Don't forget, Xu Bai is currently in Soaring Cloud Prefecture, which is a necessary route for him to Upper Capital. Considering that those people in the shadows would definitely want to deal with him, and that they specifically let this woman in, he realized this.

Interception?

helper?

Miao Xiao became more and more confused as she listened, and couldn't help but scratch her head, making the silver ornaments on her head jingle.

How is this related to an ambush? She's just here to chase after a traitor.

"This..." Miao Xiao didn't know how to address Xu Bai, so she skipped the formality and asked directly, "Who are you, and why are you involved in the assassination attempt on you?"

Xu Bai was about to speak when Wu Hua spoke first.

Wu Hua clasped his hands together and said loudly, "This is the infamous Blood Slaughtering Saber Wielder, whose swordsmanship is extremely fierce. He is also a legendary multi-cultivation genius. Blood Slaughtering Saber Wielder, you know him... ah!"

"Thump!"

A crisp yet deep sound echoed through the woods.

Xu Bai withdrew his right hand and touched the knuckles of his index finger.

It feels great.

Wu Hua covered her head, staring at Xu Bai with disbelief.

Just now, Xu Bai hit him on the head.

It hurts!

"Benefactor Xu, I can't bear to hit my own head."

"If you mention the Blood Slaughtering Saber Wielder' again, I'll hit you again." Xu Bai raised his hand.

Ye Zi covered her face.

It's like rubbing salt in the wound. This is the title that the young master hates most in his life, and this monk actually dares to mention it. It's only because the young master and this monk have an unusual relationship that the young master would dare to do this. If it were anyone else here, the young master would have already given them a good beating.

Previously in Wind Flower Prefecture, the young master of the Jiang Family also addressed him as "Young Master," and the head of the Jiang Family personally came to apologize.

This shows that the young master really dislikes this title.

Ye Zi thought to herself, "I wonder who was the first to name it."

It doesn't matter who calls it; what matters is who takes it.

One night, Ye Zi asked Xu Bai what would happen if they found out who took it. Xu Bai's answer was simple—he would skin him alive.

Wu Hua, of course, did not know the reason, but he also knew that Xu Bai seemed to dislike this title very much, so he did not mention it again.

"But... it actually sounds pretty nice when you tap it."

Wu Hua subconsciously tapped the door open, which looked very strange.

Miao Xiao didn't care about any of that. When she heard the words "Blood Slaughtering Saber Wielder," she froze on the spot, her big eyes wide and clear, filled with shock and disbelief.

"Ah!"

In the quiet woods, Miao Xiao rang out.

Before Xu Bai's eyes, Miao Xiao began to frantically tidy her clothes, while adjusting the silver ornaments on her head, as if afraid they would get messed up.

The whole process was very chaotic, and her fair and beautiful face turned bright red, as red as a sunset.

Xu Bai: "..."

Is it because his life has been too peaceful lately, so he's acting strangely? Just Wu Hua tapped his own head, and now this woman is behaving this way again.

What the hell is this?! "You... hello! Lord Xu!" Miao Xiao, her face flushed, and stammered, "I... I..."

The remaining half of the sentence was left unsaid because after uttering "I" for a long time, "I" couldn't come up with a coherent explanation.

Xu Bai pointed to his head. "If you have a problem here, I suggest you get it treated. I know someone named Yun Zihai. He has a congenital deficiency, like kidney deficiency, so he has some achievements in medicine. Do you want me to introduce you to him?"

"No, no, no, that's fine." Miao Xiao continued to wave her hand, her excitement impossible to hide.

At this moment, Ye Zi's expression turned strange, and she tentatively asked, "You wouldn't... admire my young master, would you?"

"Huh?" Miao Xiao was stunned, then lowered her head and stammered without saying a word.

Xu Bai was startled. "Calm down first, we need to get down to business, okay?"

Based on what Ye Zi just said and the behavior of the woman in front of me, I've figured it out pretty accurately. Perhaps Ye Zi is right.

I have fans? That doesn't make sense.

Xu Bai thought that people would probably keep their distance from him because of his personality, but he didn't expect that there would be someone who was his fan.

"Okay, okay!" Miao Xiao said, taking a few deep breaths to calm down, her excited eyes undisguised.

"Finally, we've seen living people!"

Xu Bai: "..."

"I'm sorry, I got a little excited just now." Miao Xiao stared intently at Xu Bai and said, "Lord Xu may not know, but many young people in our Miao Sect admire you. You rose from humble beginnings to stand above everyone else, which we admire."

Xu Bai rubbed his forehead and said, "Let's get down to business. By the way, don't you think this village is strange?"

It's a good thing to have people admire you. Although he doesn't think he has any special qualities that would make others admire him, these days, such worship is quite absurd.

For example, in a past life, some people might casually perform a dance, and no matter how badly they danced, there would always be one or two people who liked it.

Xu Bai recounted what he had encountered in the village.

He figured that since Miao Sect, Miao Xiao must have a way of finding clues.

Miao Xiao finally calmed down, but her gaze never left Xu Bai.

It's not about feelings, it's just a simple admiration, like when you see your idol and don't want to look away.

"I suspect that he may have been poisoned by a Gu." Miao Xiao explained, "The villager just now was tempted by a Gu worm, but there is a condition before he can be tempted by a Gu worm: he must be carrying the Gu worm himself. After all, although our Gu worms have some achievements in the realm of the soul, they are not very high and cannot be controlled for no reason."

As he spoke, Miao Xiao approached the unconscious villager, raised his hand, and released a Gu worm. After the Gu worm appeared, it flew around the villager, making strange vibration sounds.

A moment later, the unconscious villager suddenly opened his mouth, and an ugly Gu worm flew out of his mouth and fought with the Gu worm in mid-air, but was quickly torn apart and eaten by the Gu worm.

"That's right, that's how it is. I guessed correctly, they've all been infected by the Gu worms." After seeing this scene, Miao Xiao became even more certain of her guess.

Xu Bai stroked his chin and said, "So what is the purpose of doing this? Is it to harm people or to raise poisonous insects?"

"I don't know." Miao Xiao said directly, "I'm not sure either, but it's probably just raising Gu, since that's what the Gu God Sect does."

Xu Bai thought for a moment and said, "Let's go back to the village first."

He raised his right hand, and the golden compass needle reappeared, still pointing to the village's location, proving that there was still a problem with the village.

If there's a problem, then solve it. Once you know where the problem lies, just stay there.

Miao Xiao looked left and right, nodded vigorously, and followed Xu Bai.

Now he has no help, and his companions have all disappeared. He can only follow Xu Bai now. Moreover, following his idol is the greatest honor.

The Fourth-Rank Puppet carried the villagers, and the group returned to the village without stopping. After casually placing the villagers in a corner, Xu Bai and the others walked back to the pavilion.

Xu Bai took out the Heavy Sword Method and started grinding the progress bar again.

There's definitely something wrong with this village.

He thought for a moment and said, "Is it possible to remove the Gu worms from these villagers?"

Miao Xiao sat next to Xu Bai, looking up at Xu Bai's face. After hearing this, she nodded and said, "It can be removed. These Gu worms in the villagers' bodies do not seem to cause direct harm. They are just used as a catalyst, just like the villager before."

"After taking it out, will we be able to find any clues?" Xu Bai asked again.

Miao Xiao shook his head and said, "I can't find it. This is just the trigger. Anyone who is skilled in raising Gu can make it. It's very difficult to find."

Xu Bai fell into deep thought.

Ye Zi took Xu Bai's arm and said, "Since these villagers won't be directly harmed, why don't we keep them for now and see what the other side wants to do with these Gu worms? Let's play the long game and catch a big fish."

Xu Bai hummed in agreement.

By waiting patiently and then luring the snake out of its hole, we might be able to find useful clues.

Feng Shui Calculation Scripture, there is definitely a problem here, so leaving this place here can help us find clues.

"Let's check the situation again tomorrow morning after these people come out," Xu Bai said.

After saying that, he picked up the Heavy Sword Method again and continued to study it.

Everyone nodded and waited patiently as Xu Bai had instructed.

Time passed gradually, the night ended, and a pale dawn appeared in the sky.

The next day.

The villagers get up quite early, and by this time, some people are already walking on the road.

Xu Bai noticed that the villagers seemed strange. They all had pale faces and were mysterious, as if they were hiding some secrets they didn't want others to know.

The paleness might be related to the Gu worms in his body, but the secretive look in his eyes proves that something is amiss.

Xu Bai put the book back in his bag and was thinking about how to make a breakthrough when he heard footsteps.

The old man I met last night was walking up to me with a cane and two male villagers with him.

"Gentlemen, I will have someone take you to the city today." The old man was also pale, and his cloudy eyes darted around, avoiding eye contact with Xu Bai and the others.

Xu Bai stroked his chin and said, "We're not leaving today. Last night, a caravan sent a message by carrier pigeon saying they would be passing by, so we'll just go with them."

The old man was visibly stunned when he heard Xu Bai say that, and it took him a long time to react. "This... isn't that a bit inappropriate?"

Xu Bai smiled and said, "There's nothing wrong with it. We won't disturb the villagers. We'll just sit in this pavilion."

The old man opened his mouth as if to say something, but then stopped and turned away.

The two villagers standing next to the old man exchanged a glance, remained silent, and followed him away.

The whole process was very brief, and the conversation between the two was very straightforward. One wanted to see the other off, while the other refused to leave, and the old man left just as decisively.

"There's something going on here," Wu Hua said, touching his bald head.

Xu Bai watched the old man's departing figure, a slight smile playing on his lips, "He's in such a hurry to get us to leave, it seems he doesn't want us to know something. After I refused, he didn't try to persuade me again, which proves he's already thought of a solution."

These villagers are clearly up to something; you can tell just from their expressions.

He felt that this was the key to solving the problem.

"Benefactor Xu, according to your idea, we will soon have a clue," Wu Hua said, putting down his hand.

Xu Bai stood up, walked to the railing of the pavilion, and leaned against it.

"Perhaps, tonight."

This trip to Soaring Cloud Prefecture was a major turning point for Xu Bai, and it was extremely important.