Learning to Control Gu

Learning to Control Gu

"Senior, Xiao Yudao isn't my wife. To be precise, we hardly know each other." I glared at Xiao Tianxing again, well aware that he had a way to deal with this but was deliberately keeping me in suspense and making fun of me, refusing to tell me. This old zombie was mad and muddled from time to time; I had to think of some way to cure him of it.

After saying that, I deliberately let out a long sigh.

Seeing that I did not beg him and only sighed, Xiao Tianxing asked curiously, "What are you sighing about?"

I deliberately shook my head and said, "Senior, the Seven-Colored Gu has already been eaten by Green Nest-Head. There's no way another one can be raised in such a short time. Without a betrothal gift, Ma Bianlang will definitely seize Xiao Yudao. With the situation before us, no one can break this deadlock. Not even you. Don't worry. Even if I have to risk my life, I'll rescue Xiao Yudao and Ma Erlei. You don't need to worry about it. I can handle it myself."

Xiao Tianxing grew anxious and shouted, "You foolish son, how could I not have a way? I'm telling you, I've already thought of one, two, three, four, five, six, seven—a hundred ways."

I shrugged and said, "If it's a way that involves killing people, don't say it."

This time it was Xiao Tianxing's turn to widen his eyes. He said, "I, Xiao Tianxing, act by wisdom. I am absolutely not some brutish warrior who only knows slaughter. Boy, listen carefully. I'll tell you the solution right now."

Joy leapt in my heart. Xiao Tianxing had fallen for it. I nodded as if reluctantly. "All right, then. Tell me."

Xiao Tianxing said, "Breaking the deadlock isn't difficult. We only need to get the Seven-Colored Gu back. Once Qingya Village obtains its treasure insect to guard the village and has the betrothal gift, no reason or excuse will stand. If they still want to forcibly snatch the Earth Egg and your wife..." Seeing me glare at him, he hurriedly changed his words. "Seize Miss Xiao Yudao, then that would be banditry."

I said awkwardly, "But the Seven-Colored Gu has already gone into Green Nest-Head's mouth. It must have turned into a puddle of seven-colored filth long ago. Where are we supposed to get another Seven-Colored Gu?"

"Foolish son. The Seven-Colored Gu is, after all, the divine Gu insect ranked second in the Miao Borderlands. It won't be that easy. The half-formed Gu King Insect only just swallowed it; it won't digest it so quickly." Xiao said, "Take out Green Nest-Head. I'll smack the Seven-Colored Gu out."

I was overjoyed. If it was really still in Green Nest-Head's belly, then things would be easy. I took the bamboo tube from the black cloth bag. Green Nest-Head had secretly eaten the Gu insect in the ancestral hall and was now sleeping peacefully inside the tube.

When I handed the bamboo tube to Xiao Tianxing, Green Nest-Head startled awake. Its body sprang, and like a green arrow, it flew out from inside and stuck directly to the stone wall of Corpse-Raising Cave.

It must have sensed danger.

Xiao Tianxing gave a cold laugh and shouted, "A tiny Gu King Insect dares act wildly before this old man?"

Xiao Tianxing's figure flashed, and he rushed right in front of Green Nest-Head. Green Nest-Head's body sprang, shooting toward another place. Just then, the Golden-Tailed Scorpion on Xiao Tianxing's palm was flung out, striking the fleeing Green Nest-Head squarely.

Green Nest-Head fell to the ground. Xiao Tianxing pursued it at once, reached out with two fingers, and pinched Green Nest-Head directly. Green Nest-Head could not move, and its body instantly wilted.

I discovered that although Xiao Tianxing was mad and muddled, the moment he came into contact with Gu insects and dealt with them, his whole person seemed especially wise, full of intelligence; every lift of his hand and step he took carried the bearing of a master.

Xiao said, "Foolish son, go to the side of that pile of stones and pick up a suitable jar. I'll squeeze the Seven-Colored Gu out."

I nodded and walked in the direction Xiao Tianxing pointed. Beside the stones was a neat row of black jars, their mouths sealed. These jars had been there for a very long time. They should have been Gu insects that Qingya Village raised here.

I chose a black jar with no movement or aura at all, carried it out, and returned to Xiao Tianxing.

Xiao Tianxing was no longer pinching Green Nest-Head, but had placed it on his palm instead. His palm moved in a steady rhythm, and Green Nest-Head had no way to escape at all.

I lifted the oiled paper from the black jar, and not even a trace of Sha Qi came out. It was clear that the Gu insect inside had died long ago.

Xiao Tianxing's palm slowly closed, gradually gripping Green Nest-Head in his hand. He shouted, "Troublemaker, spit the Seven-Colored Gu out for me at once. If you dare challenge me, I'll pinch you to death."

Threatened, Green Nest-Head's body deformed in Xiao Tianxing's palm, and gradually a seven-colored insect was squeezed out. The insect was about ten centimeters long, its body like a half-transparent phantom. As it was squeezed out, its insect body swayed a few times.

This meant the Seven-Colored Gu was alive.

The whole process lasted about half a minute. The Seven-Colored Gu fell into the jar. Xiao Tianxing tossed Green Nest-Head to me. Green Nest-Head had wilted, and I threw it back into the bamboo tube.

I asked curiously, "Senior, Green Nest-Head is bright green, and even now I still haven't figured out where its eyes, nose, and mouth are. I really can't understand how it ate the Seven-Colored Gu."

Xiao Tianxing tossed a few Golden-Tailed Scorpions into the jar, sealed the oiled paper, raised his head to look at me, and said, "It doesn't need eyes, a mouth, or a nose. Its body turns into a sheet of skin, and it can wrap up any Gu insect it wants to eat inside. As for the poison of ordinary Gu insects, it's long since become immune and simply won't be afraid of it."

I suddenly understood. No wonder Green Nest-Head's body was soft and could even stick to stone. So it could turn itself into a large pancake; when it saw a Gu insect, its body would roll up, swallow it down, and then slowly digest it.

I said in shock, "It nearly fooled me. It's not harmless at all."

Crackle, crackle—the black jar gave off violent movement. The Seven-Colored Gu was devouring the Golden-Tailed Scorpions. Xiao said, "The Seven-Colored Gu lost half its life. After eating the poisonous scorpions, it should recover. If you return this thing to Ma Shi and he still tries to play tricks, then we won't be polite."

I replied, "They still want to take my Earth Egg and seize Xiao Yudao. Then I'll tear through their hypocritical masks and get serious with them."

Xiao Tianxing walked behind me and placed his hand on my spine. "Foolish son, I'll help you force out this Five-Colored Gu inside you. Try and see whether you can be like me, playing Gu insects in the palm of your hand."

"All right!" I answered.

I gradually felt heat spread through my back, followed by a faint tingling numbness and stabbing pain. It was the same feeling I had when I warmed myself by the fire in the ancestral hall of Qingya Village.

The Five-Colored Gu began to move. Soon after, a tearing sensation came from my back, as if something were burrowing outward. I gritted my teeth and endured, not letting out a groan. After about a minute, the tearing sensation suddenly disappeared.

Xiao Tianxing came around from behind me, now holding a Five-Colored Gu in his right hand. The Five-Colored Gu was much tamer than the Seven-Colored Gu. In Xiao Tianxing's hand, it looked just like a caterpillar.

"Foolish son, you have an Innate Poison Insect in your body. Ordinary Gu insects can't harm you at all. A low-grade Gu insect like the Five-Colored Gu can at most scratch an itch for you. You also have the Three-Corpse Snake Gu, so there's even less need to be afraid." Xiao said, "Now concentrate. Gather all the strength in your body into your right hand."

I clenched my teeth, exerted strength in my right hand, and focused all my attention and will on it. Xiao Tianxing threw the Five-Colored Gu directly onto the center of my right palm. The instant it landed, the originally docile caterpillar released poisonous gas, along with a fierce resentment.

My right hand went numb, and intense stabbing pain came from my palm. The Five-Colored Gu recklessly burrowed into my arm. The pain twisted my brows together, and I shouted, "I can't stop it. I can't control it at all."

After the Five-Colored Gu had burrowed halfway in, Xiao Tianxing reached out, pinched it, and forcefully pulled it out. He said, "Forget it. This Five-Colored Gu does have some ability. You've only just come into contact with witchcraft and Gu; asking you to control Gu really is somewhat difficult. Today was only to let you experience it. In the future, you can slowly try on your own."

Xiao Tianxing directly pinched the Five-Colored Gu to death and threw it onto the ground. A puff of green smoke dispersed, leaving only a puddle of filth. He said, "When you eat in the future, pay attention to whether others have tampered with your food. If Gu has been placed in the dishes, there are ways to discover it. For example, if the food smells frighteningly fragrant, or if the color is wrong, or the smell is wrong. If you want to break the Gu, tell the person who placed it that you already know he used Gu, then place your chopsticks crossed over the bowl!"

The more Xiao spoke, the clearer his train of thought became. I memorized everything one by one. The candle had burned down by more than half, and my head gradually grew dizzy; I even felt somewhat nauseous. It seemed I could not stay too long in this Corpse-Raising Cave filled with corpse qi.

I rubbed my temples and said, "Senior, my head hurts badly. It feels like I've breathed in quite a bit of corpse qi, and I'm a little nauseous. I'll walk toward the cave entrance for a bit. Right, are you really going to stay here for three years?"

Xiao Tianxing nodded and said, "Barring any accidents, I'll breathe in corpse qi here for three years, and after I've fully recovered, I'll leave. By then, my memories should have completely returned. Don't worry. If you get captured again, I'll still rescue you. Foolish son, if you escape danger, where will you live?"

I said, "Senior, you live in a mountain cave. After I escape danger, I'll also live in a mountain cave. If you get lonely in your cave, come to Camellia Village and find me. The cave near the stream is my, Xiao Kunlun's, blessed cave dwelling."

I revealed a smile.

"Father will remember. I won't get muddled and forget. If I get the chance, I'll go see you, good son. Although you have an Innate Insect in your body, you can't breathe in too much corpse qi." Xiao Tianxing's expression seemed somewhat reluctant. "Hurry and save your friends."

He sprang up and quickly ran deeper into Corpse-Raising Cave.

For some reason, tears actually rolled down from the corners of my eyes.

Holding the small half of a candle, I slowly walked outside, avoiding the venomous scorpions. When I reached the exit, the corpse qi was not so strong anymore. I breathed in a mouthful of fresh air, and my head cleared a great deal.

The rain had already stopped, but the sound of dripping water kept coming. I leaned against the side of the cave entrance and slowly fell asleep. When I opened my eyes, I saw a girl dressed in red wedding robes, her jet-black eyes staring at me.

"Are you Ma Bianlang?" the girl asked.