The Whole Story

"First Master, Second Master!"

A' Yue cried out happily.

But neither of them responded. Like old monks in meditation, they sat upright on the blue stone, their faces thin and withered. It was clear they had gone many days without food or water.

If not for their Great Grandmaster cultivation and deep reserves of vitality, they would likely have starved to death long ago, becoming two piles of dry bones in the mountains.

Shen Yi crouched down to examine them closely.

He saw that both men had their brows tightly furrowed, as though enduring some terrible pain. The key lay in the vital points over their hearts, where three gold needles, each as thin as ox hair, trembled faintly.

Shen Yi narrowed his eyes. His eyesight was astonishing, and he could see that the three gold needles were vibrating at some imperceptible frequency as they slowly shifted outward.

"It's Gu insects."

A' Yue leaned closer for a look, then said with certainty:

"Second Master used gold needles to block the Gu insects outside the heart gate, but it's only a deadlock. The Gu insects feed on blood and qi. My masters have gone without food or drink, so they already have no way to replenish their blood and qi. With the Gu insects draining them as well, one side waxes while the other wanes—Second Master's gold needles are about to lose their hold."

"Once the Gu insects enter their hearts, they'll be affected and controlled by them, just like the senior brothers."

Shen Yi's expression turned grave.

They had to get the Gu insects out of the two men immediately. If they entered the heart, it would be too late.

After all, the heart was a vital pass of the human body. Whether it was true qi or Qi Poison,