Namo Immeasurable Bone Buddha

Within Insect Valley, herb gatherers, cargo carriers, those handling odd jobs... all the Gu Children gathered beneath the southern cliff face.

Before the crowd stood a slender woman. She was the Young Miss, Lu Yao, daughter of Insect Valley's Valley Master.

She had a lovely face, and her flower-patterned black dress was long on one side and extremely short on the other, leaving her fair left leg exposed. Facing the evening breeze from the valley entrance, she let her long skirt flutter wildly, her smile unrestrained.

"Greetings, Young Miss." All the Gu Children lowered their heads in salute.

Amid the crowd, Liu Feng steadied himself. As Lu Yao pressed her hand down in a gesture, he and the other Gu Children sat where they were.

Lu Yao swept a cold gaze over those below. Seeing that none of the Gu Children dared lift their heads, she nodded in satisfaction.

"My father captured a female exotic insect some days ago. It was recently refined into an Exotic Gu, yielding several Exotic Gu Eggs that require Gu Children to test-plant them."

The Gu Children had only heard Gu Servants mention Exotic Gu before. They knew Gu Servants were survivors of failed Exotic Gu plantings, but they did not understand the hidden intricacies involved.

As for the difference between exotic insects and Exotic Gu, though only one word separated them, they did know that much.

Gu were insects painstakingly cultivated by Gu Masters, and thus could be called "Gu insects." Yet the insects of the world were too numerous to count, while Gu were finite in number.

Lu Yao did not elaborate herself. At her beckoning, a female Gu Servant rose and explained the wonders of Exotic Gu on her behalf.

The female Gu Servant stepped to Lu Yao's side and called out, "I was once a Gu Child who test-planted the Exotic Gu 'Mountain God.' Though I failed to hatch the Exotic Gu Egg, I still gained considerable strength."

"With Exotic Gu, its Gu arts may be used by the host. You need not sit in meditation and cultivate bitterly every day like Daoists."

"Exotic Gu come in all manner of strange and wondrous forms. Planting different Exotic Gu grants different Gu arts."

"For instance, the Exotic Gu 'Cotton Spitter' spins threads into nets. It can attack or defend, strike down enemies from the shadows, and transform as the heart desires."

"The Exotic Gu 'Mountain God' can scout activity within a certain range and influence the minds of vegetation Spirit Monsters."...

Hearing the name Exotic Gu and the wonders of Gu arts, the Gu Children listened with rapt attention.

"Insect Valley's three Senior Brothers only became Gu Masters after successfully planting and hatching Exotic Gu Eggs." Liu Feng set aside the matter of the pebble for the moment and clenched both fists.

He knew the opportunity had arrived. Only by possessing Gu arts could one be considered a true Gu Master.

"The Exotic Gu 'Ox Eater' can greatly increase the host's appetite. Once hatched, it enhances strength and fortifies the body, rivaling any martial warrior..."

Lu Yao interrupted the female Gu Servant at that moment and raised her voice. "Those who successfully plant one will become Insect Valley disciples after meeting my father, with status equal to the three Senior Brothers. Even if you fail, you may still gain extraordinary strength like these Gu Servants."

"We are willing to test-plant for Insect Valley! We are willing to become the Valley Master's disciples!"

More than one hundred and eighty Gu Children raised their heads, their expressions fervent as they shouted wildly.

Yet the Gu Children present were no fools. They knew the risks were enormous. Their feverish expressions were merely a show, an unavoidable way to echo the Insect Valley Young Miss.

Liu Feng put on a false show of enthusiasm and shouted along with them. Seeing the other Gu Children all looking at Lu Yao, he too lifted his head and fixed his gaze on her.

But at that glance, his vision changed once more. This time, however, he did not foresee a scene of himself being beaten to death.

In his sight, the lovely Young Miss turned into white bones. Within that skeletal body hung a pure-white, strange Gu insect, while a small rat-like monster lay curled atop her spine.

That is Lu Yao's Exotic Gu? And that... seems to be a Spirit Monster she raised. I saw through her outer appearance! Liu Feng mused inwardly.

Earlier, beside the Medicine Pit, he had escaped a deadly calamity.

Now, the beauty before his eyes had become white bones. Strip away the outer appearance to reveal the truth—did that not perfectly accord with Buddhist teachings?

He and his younger brother had once wandered through several prefectures with their parents. They had heard many tales of mysterious arts and wondrous methods, and knew a little of Buddhism as well.

Could this pebble be connected to Buddhism? Liu Feng formed his own guess.

Before the crowd, Lu Yao rather enjoyed the Gu Children's gazes, and a smile rose at the corner of her lips.

"Exotic Gu Eggs are not something ordinary Gu Children can endure. Before test-planting, I will have the Gu Servants arrange for you to first raise Gu in the Gu Cave and strengthen your bodies."

"We shall obey the Young Miss's instructions in all things."

"Before you enter the Gu Cave tomorrow, I will bestow superior Insect Medicine upon you. Dismiss yourselves."

The Gu Children accepted the order and rose, each wearing an expression of delight.

But as they turned to leave, some wore grim faces while others had crazed eyes. Every one of them changed expression, for most knew that they were likely in for trouble.

The Gu Cave was filled with Gu insects. How could anything good come of entering it?

Seeing the other Gu Children rise and leave, Liu Feng quickened his pace, intending to return to his quarters and inspect that "pebble."

They had not gone far when a large group of figures appeared at the valley entrance.

The Poisonous Miasma had been dispersed with medicinal powder. More than a hundred figures filed in one after another. The man at their head had abnormally thick arms dotted with fleshy lumps, his build resembling that of the Gu Servant Liu Xing.

The difference was that Mad Dog Liu Xing had failed to plant the Exotic Gu "Ox Eater," while this man had succeeded. He was a genuine Gu Master.

"Third Senior Brother has returned with newcomers." Someone among the Gu Children recognized him.

At that, the Gu Children who had not yet gone far all turned deathly pale. Their ominous suspicions had been confirmed!

There were one hundred and forty-eight newcomers in all, men and women alike, every one dressed in rags.

Seeing so many newcomers, Liu Feng's heart grew heavy as well.

He and the other Gu Children all understood that these were replacements for them! This showed that many would likely die while raising Gu in the Gu Cave. He had to find some means of preserving his life.

With that thought, he hastened his steps.

At midnight, a bright moon hung high over Insect Valley.

Deep within a cave at the foot of the mountain, Liu Feng sat alone in his Stone Chamber.

The Stone Chamber was very small. Aside from a table, a bed, and a dim green lamp, there was nothing else.

He listened intently for a long while. Only after there had been no movement outside for some time did he look toward his right arm.

"I have never heard what lies within the Gu Cave. I do not know how dangerous it is. This thing may become my means of preserving my life!"

With two fingers of his left hand, he dug into the wound on his right arm. A colorful "pebble" was squeezed from his flesh and exposed beneath the lamplight.

"It displayed strange phenomena several times today. First, others' movements slowed. Then I glimpsed scenes of the future. After that, I saw through Lu Yao's outer appearance. Unfortunately, none of it was under my control!" Liu Feng wanted to actively draw upon the Seven-Colored Pebble's wondrous uses.

Under the lamplight, he examined it closely. The colors upon the pebble numbered exactly seven, neither more nor less.

Within each of the seven colored regions was a single speck of light: seven colors, seven stars.

"It came into contact with my flesh and blood. Blood-recognizing treasure methods are probably useless, or it would have reacted long ago." The only thing Liu Feng could think of was Qi, so he placed the pebble against his lower abdomen, close to his dantian.

He had entered Insect Valley half a year ago and had only cultivated Poison Qi last month. His understanding of the mysteries of human Qi and heaven-and-earth primordial qi was not deep.

The few things he knew were all from the Gu Servants' explanations, and the Gu Servants' talk of primordial qi and Qi Refining had merely been repeated from others.

Yuan meant beginning. In other words, primordial qi was the root of all things.

Qi, meanwhile, was the most basic substance sustaining the human body. A person's life depended entirely on this qi. Only by cultivating correctly could one inhale and exhale primordial qi, refining it into True Qi.

Daoists also refined Qi, but according to the Gu Servants, Daoist Qi could be yin or yang, lightning or rosy clouds, changing in countless ways and capable of performing all sorts of Daoist arts.

Of course, Gu Masters relied mostly on Gu insects for their methods and had no need to painstakingly refine Qi like Daoists.

"I'll try mobilizing this Qi." Liu Feng acted the moment the thought arose.

The Poison Qi in his dantian was shaped like a pellet of gas. It slowly dispersed, immediately stirring the Gu insects within his body into activity.

Under the lamplight, Liu Feng sat cross-legged on the ground. As Poison Qi and Gu insects were drawn forth together, his lips rapidly darkened, and the blackness spread across his entire face in the blink of an eye.

Then there were his hands. Not only did the nails on all ten fingers turn black, but even the veins in his hands became bluish-black. What flowed within them was poisonous blood!

The skin on his arms bulged as great numbers of Gu insects forced apart the surface of his skin. At a glance, it seemed as though fleshy buds had sprouted all over his body.

In this horrifying state, he was not much better than the Gu Servant Liu Xing—demonic, wicked, and bizarre.

This was only the outward manifestation when a Gu Child exerted his power. A true Gu Master's real appearance when fighting for his life would be even more terrifying. No wonder so many unorthodox Daoists called Gu Masters the truly evil cultivators.

Slowly, the Poison Qi within his body obeyed Liu Feng's guidance, approaching the Seven-Colored Pebble thread by thread. Yet the pebble remained utterly still.

"I know nothing of Buddhist cultivation methods. It seems I must find some Buddhist cultivation texts to study. Only then might I be able to control this thing." Liu Feng felt somewhat discouraged.

The night had grown deep, and the lamplight was fading. Little oil remained in the lamp.

With a long sigh, he prepared to give up for the night. Resting well and restoring his energy was what mattered. But at the next glance, his expression changed abruptly—his shadow had vanished at some unknown moment.

His gaze shifted slightly upward. Where was the pebble in his hand? Both hands were already empty!

Liu Feng suddenly realized something. He swept his gaze around, and the Stone Chamber was still a Stone Chamber, yet the stone table and bed had both disappeared.

It was as if he stood within Mirror Flower, Water Moon. At another glance, even the Stone Chamber had become unreal!

The small Stone Chamber expanded infinitely before his eyes, becoming a boundless expanse of gray haze in an instant.

When did I enter a dream? The thought rose in Liu Feng's heart. He absolutely did not believe he was still in reality.

Leaving aside the shift from the Stone Chamber into this space, within the gray fog before him, a colossal body as tall as Min Mountain silently emerged. It was a White Bone Buddha.

Looking closely, the White Bone Buddha had Sixteen Bone Faces and Thirty-Two Bone Hands.

Of its sixteen faces, twelve had opened eyes. Their pupils were also bone, each round and smooth like a White Bone Sarira, while the remaining four faces kept their eyes tightly shut.

Though this White Bone Buddha's dharma form was astonishing, its entire skeletal body was steadily turning to ash. The gray fog in this wondrous realm seemed to be part of the Buddha body's ashes.

"This old monk has, in the end, no hope of ascending to heaven." A vast Buddhist voice echoed as the White Bone Buddha's body swiftly turned to ash.

Liu Feng had long since stood stunned as a wooden chicken, at a loss amid the gray fog.

A pile of Medicinal Mud made from mountain beasts' corpses and medicinal herbs, a seven-colored pebble—and behind it all stood a White Bone Buddha.

It lowered its head. The twenty-four open eyes upon its twelve faces all looked toward the tiny figure within the gray fog.

"Namo Immeasurable Bone Buddha. My Buddha is compassionate. Benefactor, you have affinity with my Buddha... This old monk has a karmic bond to grant you."