Homecoming

Roar!

A deafening roar seemed to resonate deep within Xu Qi'an's heart.

He was jolted awake, and as if struck by a sudden inspiration, he turned around and saw a monster that left him speechless.

The monster's body blotted out the sky; its appearance could not be described in simple terms because its structure was too complex and terrifying.

It was a massive lump of flesh, with tendons bulging and muscles swelling, like a mountain made of muscle.

The muscles that make up the "mountain" have rows of pores that spew out dark green smoke that swirls in the sky and forms dark green clouds.

A viscous shadow flowed at the bottom of the mountain of flesh.

In the shadows, countless creatures mate wildly, oblivious to the world around them, their minds consumed only with mating and reproduction.

Behind the mountain of flesh followed a group of zombie-like monstrous beasts.

Xu Qi'an was able to determine the "front" and "back" of the flesh mountain because it had a pair of wise eyes that seemed to see through the sun, moon, mountains, and rivers, and through the fleeting years.

Gu God!

Without needing to verify, Xu Qi'an naturally knew its name.

The only surviving Gods and Devils from ancient times, one of the most superior beings in the world, an ancient behemoth that has slumbered in the Abyss for countless years.

Why did I see the legendary Gu God?

A question flashed through Xu Qi'an's mind. At that moment, he saw large swirling shadows in the wise eyes of the Gu God.

Xu Qi'an turned around to look.

"Roar!"

Another clear and resounding roar echoed as he saw the azure sky and the vast earth. He saw a true dragon soaring through the air, rising straight up; he saw a firebird gliding across the sky, the evening glow ablaze.

I saw the Cyclops wandering aimlessly across the vast land, with a setting sun behind him.

From the raging, boiling ocean, tentacles stretched out wildly, blotting out the sky and the sun.

I saw a black tortoise entwined by a giant snake.

They saw a giant, one-eyed, red serpent that could turn day into day when its eyes were open and darkness into night when its eyes were closed.

I saw a giant with twelve arms; a black-scaled serpent with nine heads; a golden lion with three tails; a round ball of flesh covered with eyes and tentacles; and a magnificent bird shimmering with five-colored divine light.

The screen shattered, and endless darkness descended.

Xu Qi'an suddenly opened his eyes. The familiar quiet room and simple furnishings gave him a great sense of security and brought him back to reality.

Ancient Gods and Devils?

What I saw were Gods and Devils from ancient times.

Why do I see them, who should have long since vanished into the river of time?

Xu Qi'an recalled the scene he had just witnessed, and felt a wave of palpitations wash over him; he was almost overwhelmed by fear.

Only then did he realize that his back was soaked with sweat.

"How terrifying! Every ancient Gods and Devils was incredibly powerful. It's unimaginable what kind of era that was."

He got up and went to the coffee table, poured himself a glass of hot water, and took a few sips with a blank expression. After a while, he felt like he had "come back to life" and gotten rid of that fear.

After calming down, he began to analyze the origins of those memory fragments.

They concluded that "they belong to the Gu God".

"The only thing I possess that is connected to the Gu God is the Seven Deadly Gu. So the question is, why does the Seven Deadly Gu contain fragments of the Gu God's memories?"

"As the only treasure in the world that combines seven different Gu techniques, the Seven Deadly Gu indeed holds a secret."

Xu Qi'an frowned, and in this state of confusion, he couldn't help but think back to when he was a newcomer.

"In my style, when I encounter something I can't figure out, I just turn around and go to Duke Wei, dumping the headache on him."

Xu Qi'an laughed, but then fell silent.

He rubbed his face, clearing his mind of distractions, and examined the upgraded Seven Deadly Gu.

First, there's the Heavenly Gu, which remains unchanged. It can predict the weather, sense the changes in the twenty solar terms, and possesses the core ability "Shifting Stars and Changing Constellations."

As for the skill of peeping into the secrets of heaven and briefly foreseeing the future, the Seven Deadly Gu is too advanced for it to master.

The Dark Gu's two abilities, Shadow Leap and Shadow Stealth, have been greatly enhanced.

The range of the shadow jump has been increased to a radius of 300 meters, and there is no longer a "buffer". Previously, when Xu Qi'an performed a shadow jump, there would be a buffer of less than one second (his body would melt like a shadow).

Shadow stealth is faster and more covert, and can be considered a form of escape technique, and can carry a person with it.

In addition, a third ability has been added: Shadow Possession!

Xu Qi'an can remain in the shadow of his target for up to two hours.

However, it is important to be aware that the two previous side effects may worsen, and a third side effect may be added:

He practices "shadow possession" for 15 minutes every day.

"It's alright, I can hide under a woman's skirt. The Seven Deadly Gu is just inhuman," Xu Qi'an complained.

The improvement of the Power Gu lies in the addition of a self-healing ability.

For Xu Qi'an now, his self-healing ability is completely useless.

The enhancement of the Heart Gu is in two aspects:

First, it deepens the impact on intelligent beings; second, it controls the increase in the number of less intelligent animals.

The first one can be used to influence the enemy, just like Qi Huan Dan Xiang used against Tai Ping Dao.

The second advantage is its suitability for warfare; one person can be a small legion.

However, it is important to note that if the host's affection for the animal deepens and they cannot control themselves well, they may develop the terrible thought of "why not have offspring with it?"

The variation of the poisonous insect lies in the fact that, if it so desires, it can transform its saliva, blood, hair, and so on into highly toxic substances, or into any poison it has ever tasted.

For example, if Xu Qi'an had ingested a poison that could be used as medicine, he could transform his hair or nails into that poison, which could then be used to save lives when necessary.

Or perhaps he has tasted some kind of poison that makes one feel numb all over, and he could turn his saliva into that poison, then transfer it into the Imperial Advisor's body when they kiss, thus allowing him to do whatever he wants.

Of course, unless the God of Gu appears in person, there is no poison in the world that can affect the Imperial Advisor.

The side effect is that his craving for poison intensifies every day, and he becomes picky; if he doesn't get a variety of poisons within half a month, he will throw a tantrum.

The love potion can differentiate into as many as eighteen offspring potions, and the aphrodisiac gas it secretes is even more potent. If Xu Qi'an so desires, he can make those around him engage in group sex anytime, anywhere.

In addition, the Love Gu has gained two new abilities:

First, increase the duration of sexual intercourse.

Second, enhance personal charm.

The first option was undoubtedly a double-edged sword for Xu Qi'an, a martial artist.

The second type is essentially a lower-spec version of the allure.

The side effect is that, in addition to the original perverted nature, there is an additional requirement to have intercourse once every half month. Of course, with Xu Qi'an's current rank of third grade, he can suppress this side effect.

It's just that it's not needed.

Finally, there's the Corpse Gu.

The number of offspring has increased from four to eight, and the ability to retain skills from the deceased has been upgraded to retaining part of the deceased's remnant soul, making the puppet more agile and stronger in combat.

The worsening side effects can be summarized in one sentence:

No naked corpses! No naked corpses! No naked corpses!

I'll say it three times because it's important.

"The side effects of the Corpse Gu are completely contrary to my hobby of dissecting corpses. I should be glad that I hadn't inherited the Seven Deadly Gu when the Fu Fei case happened."

Otherwise, neither Huang Xiaorou nor Consort Fu would be able to escape.

The Corpse Gu is the most perverted, followed by the Heart Gu. Xu Qi'an silently complained.

His expression immediately changed as he thought of a question:

Why do I find the Corpse Gu more perverse than the Heart Gu? Is it because beasts and humans are more acceptable than humans and corpses? Is this thought influenced by the Heart Gu?

Xu Qi'an's lips twitched violently.

At this moment, the lattice door of the quiet room was pushed open from the outside, and the Grand Preceptor, holding a whisk, stepped across the threshold and entered the room.

"I noticed you're awake now. Your breathing was a little off earlier. What happened?"

She asked with great concern.

Xu Qi'an gently twitched his nostrils and smelled the scent of perfume, a delicate fragrance that wafted into his nostrils.

Upon closer inspection, Luo Yuheng had applied light makeup and looked even more beautiful.

She must have dressed up for me. This version of Luo Yuheng is the real, normal woman. Xu Qi'an was about to say a few words of praise when he was suddenly startled. The image of Luo Yuheng reflected in his pupils was that of a catgirl with animal ears.

A mature, sophisticated catgirl with animal ears.

Xu Qi'an closed his eyes, then opened them again. The catgirl was gone, replaced by a centaur. The upper body was that of a cold and beautiful imperial advisor, dressed in a feathered robe and carrying a whisk, while the lower body was that of a horse.

"Smack!"

Xu Qi'an slapped himself hard.

Luo Yuheng frowned slightly:

What are you doing?

Xu Qi'an silently exhaled, "Let's bring back my views on choosing a partner and my values."

"No problem, no problem, Imperial Preceptor, don't worry."

He immediately realized that it was Luo Yuheng's strange charm, entangled in karmic fire, that made him see a new image in her besides the "kind aunt" image.

Non-human girl!

This new image was influenced by the Heart Gu. After making certain compromises and combining his past life's experience, he came up with an image that could both satisfy the Heart Gu's yearning for beasts and be acceptable to him to a certain extent.

The Imperial Advisor is truly a mirror that reveals the true nature of perverts. Xu Qi'an forcibly suppressed his lustful thoughts and said:

"Imperial Preceptor, I need to return to my residence."

Luo Yuheng hesitated for a moment, then said softly:

"If there's nothing urgent, stay at Lingbao Temple until dusk."

"Tomorrow is the 'evil' among the seven emotions, which is the most difficult negative emotion to control."

"To be on the safe side, we will not engage in dual cultivation tomorrow. I will set up a seal to allow myself to spend tomorrow in a deep sleep."

"So."

Xu Qi'an understood; she meant that he should make up for tomorrow's time for dual cultivation now.

After a fierce battle, in the heat of the moment, Xu Qi'an embraced two round, firm, long legs and said:

"Imperial Advisor, could you meow?"

"Grand Preceptor, even barking is fine."

"Grand Preceptor, do you even know how a horse neighs? Why are you stabbing me with your sword?"

Less than half an hour after the court assembly ended, almost every well-informed official in the capital knew about the commotion that had occurred during the day.

Xu Household Xu Xinnian, the future Erlang -in-law of the Grand Secretary, acted as a vanguard in the "donation policy," angrily rebuking the officials and criticizing the nobles in the Golden Palace. He pleaded with His Majesty to adopt his plan and call for donations.

According to officials in Beijing who were standing on the steps outside the palace at the time, Xu Erlang engaged in a verbal battle with the officials, and his insults left none of the nobles in the hall daring to challenge him.

Although Xu Erlang won in the verbal contest, he ultimately could not defy the prevailing trend. Under the strong opposition of the nobles and officials, the court assembly ended in a near-farce.

For a time, Xu Cijiu became a prominent figure and the center of attention.

"I've long heard that His Majesty is going to call for donations. The national treasury is empty, so it should be filled by taxes. How can we be asked to give away our money?"

"Alas, His Majesty is young and impetuous, and acts without regard for rules."

"You are unaware of this, but this scheme to solicit donations was devised by Xu Xinnian. His Majesty initially refused, but this scoundrel's silver tongue painted the plan in such a rosy light that His Majesty believed that as long as we donated silver, the disasters in various regions could be easily resolved."

"Shameless! Utterly shameless! Xu Xinnian will stop at nothing to advance his career. Why doesn't he squander his entire fortune? We only have limited salaries; we're barely scraping by."

"Hmph, just a petty official."

"He's not just a scoundrel, he's a gigolo. If it weren't for his effeminate face that seduced the Prime Minister's daughter, he would be nothing."

Forced donations are unwelcome, even abhorrent, in the eyes of any group, regardless of the era or the group.

Loyal individuals who are truly devoted to their country and its people are, after all, a minority.

Xu Xinnian, Xu Xinnian's rise to the position of Grand Secretary and his promising future already attracted a lot of envy, making him the object of ridicule and contempt from all levels of officialdom.

Hanlin Academy.

Xu Xinnian, at the center of the storm, ignored all the rumors and gossip and focused on writing a notice.

"Cijiu."

Several junior scholars entered the hall, filled with righteous indignation, and said:

"The curses outside are deafening; these muddle-headed fools have wasted so many years of studying the classics."

"Hmph, they're used to a life of luxury, why would they care about the lives of ordinary people?"

The Hanlin Academy was the most upright of the upright officials, always looking down on ordinary officials.

If ordinary officials are likened to mud, then they are like self-proclaimed lotus flowers.

His usual arrogant attitude is annoying.

But they are indeed purer and more open-minded than ordinary officials, and their minds have not been corrupted by the big dye vat of officialdom.

Xu Erlang thought for a moment, then took out a sheet of Xuan paper, picked up his brush, and wrote:

"For six hundred years, the court has nurtured scholars; how come both civil and military officials have fled?"

Several junior scholars' eyes lit up, and they clapped their hands in praise, "Brilliant!"

At this moment, the stern and rigid Grand Secretary of the Hanlin Academy, Ma Xiuwen, walked in with his hands behind his back and a blank expression.

"Gentlemen!"

Xu Xinnian and several other junior scholars bowed and paid their respects.

Matthew Wen was a rigid man, often expressionless, which made his face appear stiff. He gave a curt "hmm" and said:

"Xu Cijiu, come to my hall."

After saying that, he turned and left.

Several junior scholars gave Xu Xinnian a look that said, "You'd better watch yourself."

Xu Xinnian gave a wry smile, a rare occurrence as he felt a chill run down his spine.

He bowed to his colleagues, then quickly left for the place where Matthew Wen was sitting in court.

Matthew sat behind his desk, holding a brightly colored blue-and-white porcelain teacup in his hands. Through the rising steam, he stared at Xu Xinnian for a few moments.

"Pour your own tea!"

He said calmly.

Xu Xinnian shook his head. "My stomach is full of tea, I can't eat anymore."

Matthew didn't force him; he remained silent for a while, then suddenly said:

"Prime Minister Wang's idea?"

Xu Xinnian shook his head. "It was my own idea; the Grand Secretary didn't know about it at first. It wasn't until His Majesty adopted my plan that I informed the Grand Secretary."

Matthew Wen suddenly realized, "I knew it! How could Prime Minister Wang possibly let you do something that would incur public wrath? Cutting off someone's livelihood is like killing their parents. Robbing someone's money isn't much better."

He took a sip of hot tea and continued:

"It would be difficult for His Majesty to even reach into their pockets to take money, let alone you."

"You haven't even left the Hanlin Academy yet, and you've already ruined your reputation. All the goodwill you gained from standing with the officials at the Meridian Gate to denounce the Prince of Huai has been squandered because of this incident."

Xu Xinnian remained composed and dignified. "Truly loyal people will not resent or hate me because of this."

Ma Xiuwen was a Grand Secretary of the Hanlin Academy, responsible for instructing young officials of the Hanlin Academy, and Xu Xinnian was also considered his student.

Scholar Ma shook his head. "In the end, we must blend in with the world. Let me be frank with you, this plan won't work."

He paused, then said in a deep voice, "I just went out for a walk, and there were countless people criticizing you, and those who envied you were eager to take advantage of the situation to get back at you. Be prepared to be impeached tomorrow."

Xu Xinnian bowed and said, "Thank you for the reminder, sir."

Matthew waved his hand. "Go ahead."

Xu Xinnian returned to the office, several of his close associates, the junior officials, came over again and said:

"After Cijiu and finishing my duties, let's go to the Imperial Academy of Music for a drink and forget all these unpleasant things."

It was normal practice and a common phenomenon for officials to go to the Imperial Academy of Music- run entertainment district) in groups after work.

Xu Xinnian was about to refuse on his first instinct, but then a colleague said:

"It's freezing cold, and I can barely hold a pen. I need the warm breasts of the girls from the Imperial Academy of Music to comfort me."

Xu Cijiu hadn't been with a woman for several months, thought about it and agreed, saying:

"However, I have matters to attend to at home tonight and must return before dusk, so I will not be staying at the Imperial Academy of Music tonight."

Dusk!

Using his unpredictable and mysterious Gu techniques, Xu Qi'an left Lingbao Temple and followed the bustling crowd towards the Xu Residence.

No matter how severe the disasters were in other places, the capital, especially the inner city and the imperial city, was always peaceful and prosperous, and the people were rich and healthy.

"That makes it easy to be blinded by a single leaf!"

He sighed and walked along, glancing around at the street.

Soon, he found his target: an old man selling green tangerines.

An old man sat on the side of the street with two baskets of green oranges in front of him.

Green tangerines have a sour taste and can help resolve phlegm, relieve coughs, and moisturize the lungs. The tangerine peel has a strong flavor and can be burned after being dried to repel mosquitoes.

Its medicinal value is extremely high, so its sales have always been very good.

"The Imperial Advisor has applied too much rouge; I need to remove the smell."

Xu Qi'an instinctively bought a bag of green tangerines, then used the juice from the peel to remove the smell of perfume from his body.

Then, he suddenly realized—why do I need to get rid of the scent of cosmetics?

The reason why green orange juice was used as a cover was because Xu Dalang's character was a simple and honest boy who "wouldn't even go to a brothel".

The whole family thinks so.

But as his fame grew, he could no longer suppress the title of the head of the Jiaofangsi (a government-run entertainment Imperial Academy of Music).

Today, there's no need to hide it anymore.

"Sigh, my youth is over."

Xu Qi'an carefully used orange peel juice to remove the smell of rouge, then carried a bag of green oranges home.

You can give it to Lingyin!

Consider it a gift her older brother brought her when he came home.

He strolled leisurely to the gate of the Xu Residence, his ears twitched, and he turned his head to look behind him, only to see Xu Erlang riding home on a fine horse.

Erlang also saw Xu Qi'an, his face beaming with joy. He hurriedly reined in his horse, dismounted, and called out:

"Big brother!"

Xu Qi'an was about to nod in response when he saw Xu Xinnian take a bag of green tangerines out of his saddlebag.

At this moment, Xu Xinnian also noticed the butter paper bag in his older brother's hand. Upon closer inspection, he realized it contained green tangerines!

"."

The two brothers looked at each other in silence for a moment, neither of them mentioning the matter. As they nodded to each other, Second Uncle Xu returned.

"Ningyan!"

Second Uncle Xu was overjoyed to see his nephew whom he had not seen for a long time, even though he had already learned from Xu Lingyue the night before that his Dalang had returned.

"You're finally back! Your aunt has been worried about you every day."

Second Uncle Xu dismounted and, while speaking, took a bulging butter paper bag from his saddlebag.

Second Uncle Xu's face froze when he saw the green oranges in his nephew's and son's hands.

Father and son, uncle and nephew, brothers—they looked at each other in silence.

"My youthful days are over, "Xu Qi'an murmured to himself.

P. S.: Please vote with monthly tickets. I'll update first and then correct typos.