Beast Gu

The Mountain Ogre came on ferociously, swinging bone sabers and bone swords in its hands and whipping up gust after gust of wild wind. The male, female, and beast faces on its heads spat filthy words that turned into black vapor and surged straight at Xu Xuan's face.

Wind and thunder roiled beneath Xu Xuan's feet. Driving the [Cloud-Seeking Sun-Chasing Art] to its utmost, he barely dodged the attack, then slashed with [Constant Light], blazing with lightning. He cultivated the path of [Shock Thunder]; once he struck, thunder boomed in mighty waves, one rising before the last had subsided, seemingly without end.

The Mountain Ogre's strength far exceeded Xu Xuan's, but it had few tricks, relying only on the weapons in its hands and the black vapor spat from its three heads.

The creature's strength was truly terrifying. Although Xu Xuan wielded a Foundation Establishment magical sword, every blow he parried felt like a crushing weight of a thousand tons, jolting all the bones in his body loose.

After exchanging dozens of blows, Xu Xuan forced his Sword Qi through the Mountain Ogre's back and slashed it open, though the impacts had left his own hand somewhat numb.

He immediately pulled away and silently recited an invocation. Purple lightning surged within his Qi Sea, and a strand of pure thunder essence manifested, gradually collapsing into a single point.

"Yin-Yang clash; Shock Thunder emerges."

This was [Great Thunder-Prayer Radiance], the most powerful secret art in the Thunder Radiance Spirit-Inquiry Method, linked directly to the Life Foundation within Xu Xuan's Qi Sea.

That point of lightning settled onto his sword's tip, turning it a deep purplish crimson. Xu Xuan slashed, employing [Great Marsh Cloud-Sink] from the Congming One-Qi Sword Art. Clouds and thunder followed one another, and heavenly sound shook the air.

The Mountain Ogre sank into the rivers and marshes formed by Sword Qi, with nowhere to flee. Its ferocity erupted, and its six bone weapons merged into a savage-looking broad saber to meet Xu Xuan's strike. Black vapor spread from its three heads, and the beast face spat a Bone Talisman from its mouth.

Black markings covered the talisman, writhing endlessly like worms. The instant it appeared, shrill ghostly wails rang out, briefly arresting Xu Xuan's Sword Momentum. The broad saber struck Constant Light, and an overwhelming force surged through the sword.

The creature's Spellcraft was inferior, after all. Even with the talisman's aid, its black vapor met the lightning like piled snow beneath a blazing sun and promptly dissipated.

Purple lightning tore open the Mountain Ogre's flesh, exposing the stark white bones within. A hole the size of a human head had been blasted through its chest, yet it seemed unaffected and lunged fiercely at him again.

"This thing is already dead."

According to the Witchcraft Treatise on Gu, most Beast Gu of this kind possessed bodies through Gu Worms and controlled them that way. Unless he could find the core Gu Worm, his only option was to destroy the beast's body completely.

The Mountain Ogre refused to relent, slashing with its broad saber. Lightning had scorched its body black, but its ferocity remained undiminished.

With the creature pressing close, Xu Xuan had no choice but to release [Light of the Upper Heavens], which resembled a precious pearl. Refined from starlight, the pearl had neither form nor substance, and further tempering with lightning had endowed it with the wondrous ability to dispel evil. Thousands of rays of starlight spilled down and entwined the Mountain Ogre.

Only then could Xu Xuan break free. He unleashed [Long Breath Moves with the Clouds], his Sword Qi pouring down like a celestial river. It shredded the Mountain Ogre's male and female faces, while the sole remaining beast face had the crown of its skull sliced away, revealing a green worm inside its brain.

"That's the thing."

Xu Xuan was about to destroy the Beast Gu insect with a bolt of lightning when a chill wind struck from behind. Forced to defend himself, he drew his sword back and slashed.

The attacker rode a black wind and had waited a long time for this very moment. But Xu Xuan had read the Witchcraft Treatise on Gu and naturally knew that the Mountain Ogre before him was no ordinary creature. It had been implanted with Beast Gu and was being controlled by someone behind the scenes, so he had already taken precautions.

Lightning flared again. Xu Xuan intended to unleash [Great Thunder-Prayer Radiance], but the Mountain Ogre moved once more, dragging its wounded body forward to entangle him and interrupting the point of thunder essence he was gathering.

Black wind billowed, mingling with the black vapor rising from the Mountain Ogre's head and gradually shrouding everything around them.

Starlight streamed from [Light of the Upper Heavens], illuminating their surroundings. The Mountain Ogre rose again, the flesh on its head writhing as the green worm burrowed deeper inside, then lunged at him with its saber once more.

The attacker had hidden himself again, leaving Xu Xuan to deal with the Beast Gu while guarding against ambushes. Fortunately, the man lurking in the shadows had a pitifully unstable cultivation base; a single exchange had sent him flying.

"Black Wind Valley's cultivation method, sixth level of Qi Refining. Who is it-Xie Miao?"

His thoughts raced, and Xu Xuan guessed the attacker's identity. Black Wind Valley had only two Qi Refining cultivators. If it was not Xie Shu, it had to be Xie Miao. For Xie Miao to have broken through to the sixth level of Qi Refining at his age was truly strange.

The Mountain Ogre gave Xu Xuan little room to maneuver. His Sword Qi had mangled the creature until not a patch of flesh remained intact, leaving stark white bones exposed and slowing its movements. The Beast Gu therefore stimulated the monstrous body with even greater abandon. At once, the Mountain Ogre's flesh swelled, and black vapor spread.

The creature exploded with a bang, scattering flesh and blood. Surging force blasted Xu Xuan away. Only then did Xie Miao finally move, no longer hiding within the black vapor. He had regained a middle-aged appearance, and Xu Xuan almost failed to recognize him.

Knowing the power of Xu Xuan's Sword Qi, Xie Miao dared not meet it head-on. He merely slipped aside and struck with his palm, holding a bone saber whose inscribed incantations flickered. It pierced Xu Xuan's protective lightning bit by bit, but he withdrew it immediately after breaking the skin.

Xu Xuan's Sword Qi, however, had already gathered. [Constant Light] blazed in his hand, and thunder followed his will, shaking without cease. He swept his sword upward against the momentum and landed a solid blow on Xie Miao.

But another Bone Talisman rose, forming a lustrous white protective light. It shielded Xie Miao for an instant, allowing him to escape by a hair.

Whatever method Xie Miao had used to break through to the sixth level of Qi Refining, his cultivation remained as flimsy as pasted paper. He could not withstand a single strike from Xu Xuan and had only managed to touch his magical body by relying entirely on the Beast Gu and Bone Talismans.

Determined to root out evil completely, Xu Xuan wanted to pursue him, only to see his opponent release another Bone Talisman. Black clouds surged, carrying him straight away from the area and into the territory of East Secret Mountain.

Xu Xuan could only abandon the pursuit. Turning toward the Mountain Ogre's head, he saw a green beetle with a human-like face crawl out. The Gu Worm tried to flee, but he blasted it to ash with a bolt of lightning.

"So this is Beast Gu. It really is formidable, though it falls somewhat short of what the secret method describes."

According to the Witchcraft Treatise on Gu, three of these Gu Worms should have been implanted, each hidden within the monstrous body. Yet there had only been one, for reasons he could not fathom.

The village had been reduced to utter rubble by the fighting. Xu Xuan also killed several small creatures at the Fetal Breath stage that had yet to awaken their intelligence. After searching the place inside and out, he finally cleared it completely.

"I can't let the mortals return yet. Black Wind Valley might send more creatures here."

Still, how Xie Shu had made contact with the people of the Wilderness of Witches troubled Xu Xuan.

"It seems they still have some misgivings. Otherwise, they could simply send a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Why bother acting through this Black Wind Valley lot?"

The Great Shamans of the Wilderness of Witches stood at the same level as Purple Mansion cultivators. Within the immortal path, they could also be addressed as True Persons. Xu Xuan had received information that there was more than one Great Shaman there, but he still did not know who was plotting against his sect.

He had originally intended to seize an opportunity to steal some Fire Poison from certain places in the Wilderness of Witches, but that was likely impossible now. Someone was watching him, using Black Wind Valley to reach for his sect's mountain home.

"For now, I should finish refining the [Thunder-Sleeping Gu] first and see what wonders this Gu Path holds."

Xu Xuan tidied things up, confirmed that his injury was nothing to worry about, and returned to Green Luo. Something was amiss in Black Wind Valley, and he needed to remain on guard.

East Secret Mountain.

Xie Miao had suffered grievous wounds. Although the Bone Talisman had blocked some of the Sword Qi, the remainder had still burrowed into his magical body. Like maggots clinging to bone, it could not be dispelled, only suppressed with all his strength. The slightest lapse could let it shred his internal organs.

He rode the wind all the way back to the valley, landed, and staggered into the great hall.

Inside, Xie Shu sat on the throne, his expression somewhat cold and sinister. Yuan Zheng had already departed, saying he wanted to visit the Hollow Sword Gate. Both sides were laying their plans to prepare for any unforeseen developments.

Xie Miao entered the hall, unable to speak. He merely handed over the bone saber stained with Xu Xuan's blood and lowered his head, not daring to look up again.

From his seat, Xie Shu told him to withdraw. Only then did Xie Miao dare return to his cave abode to suppress his injuries.

Looking at the blood on the bone saber in his hand, Xie Shu thrust it straight into his own abdomen. His flesh parted like mud, swallowing that trace of blood into his belly bit by bit.

"The sixth level of Qi Refining. Once you break through to the ninth level and seek your nature, I'll guide you through your breakthrough to Foundation Establishment."

Xie Shu's expression darkened. Xu Xuan was Yuan Zheng's first choice, but if things failed here, they would turn to Zuo Mohe of the Hollow Sword Gate.

Xie Shu had remembered Wen Fufeng's light, effortless sword strike all those years ago to this very day. His hatred and envy had only grown fiercer with time. He had made up his mind: when the time came, he would subject Xu Xuan to transformation by his Demon Embryo, merging the two into one. What did it matter if he became a Witch Sword? What did it matter if he died?

I will see your legacy severed and every last one of your disciples dead.

Demonic wind rose again within the hall, only this time accompanied by the chirring of insects.