A familiar presence

Li Lingsu's eyes lit up, and she rubbed her hands together excitedly:

Brother Yang, what brilliant plan do you have?

In terms of female confidantes, Li Lingsu was temporarily hopeless. Not to mention the beautiful royal princess, the number one beauty of the Great Feng Great Feng and Luo Yuheng, the leader of the Human Sect, alone were enough to make him admit defeat.

Now that he heard that Yang Qian had come up with a way to suppress Xu Qi'an, the Holy Son was quite pleased.

Yang Qianhuan picked up his teacup and lifted a corner of his veil. Chu Caiwei and Li Lingsu leaned forward abruptly, trying to steal a glimpse of his face.

Yang Qianhuan silently put down her teacup and stopped drinking.

"Ahem!" The Holy Son cleared his throat. "Brother Yang, please continue."

He and Chu Caiwei looked regretful.

The three girls on the side looked bewildered, unable to understand what Li Lingsu and the girl in the yellow dress were doing.

Yang Qianhuan, with her back to everyone, said:

"In fact, Xu Qi'an's actions only brought him temporary fame. People like us care about lasting reputation, not just momentary fame. Although Confucian School are disliked, they have a saying that is quite good."

"A virtuous person should establish virtue, merit, Establishing Words —these are the three immortal achievements. Why should I compete with Xu Ningyan for a moment's pleasure?"

"I want to become a figure who will be remembered for generations and recorded in history."

At this point, Yang Qianhuan's tone became enthusiastic, and she said:

"Brother Li, the Central Plains are in chaos now. The rebel army in Yunzhou is fierce, and refugees are rising up in rebellion everywhere. This chaotic period will surely be written into the history books. If I can gather refugees in this chaotic world and compete for the Central Plains..."

"Finally, after quelling the rebellion, restoring a bright and clear world to the Central Plains, and a peaceful and prosperous era to the court, my name, Yang Qianhuan, will surely surpass that treacherous dog Xu Qi'an."

"Let Xu Ningyan has repeatedly robbed me of fortuitous opportunity, know that fortunes can change in an instant."

If you can quell a rebellion, why don't you just become emperor? Then, not only Xu Qi'an, but even your supervising teacher wouldn't be as glamorous as you. Li Lingsu was full of complaints.

Hearing this, Zhao Susu roughly understood that this Senior Brother Yang from the Bureau of Astronomy had a grudge against Xu Yinluo, and it seemed that Xu Yinluo had taken away his fortuitous opportunity.

Therefore, Senior Brother Yang wanted revenge.

But it sounds a bit strange. If the intention is revenge, shouldn't it be directed at Xu Yinluo?

But it sounds like he's aiming to surpass Xu Yinluo and achieve even greater fame and fortune—what kind of revenge is this?

Zhao Susu looked at her two sisters and noticed the same confusion in their eyes.

"If we can establish a renowned reputation and become a valiant army, Senior Brother Yang will indeed be recorded in history and remembered for generations to come."

Despite her doubts, Zhao Susu smiled and echoed her sentiment.

She was telling the truth. Throughout history, those who gained power, whether they ultimately failed or achieved great things, have all left their mark on history.

"Clap clap clap!"

Chu Caiwei clapped her hands vigorously, admiring her senior brother's intelligence.

Li Lingsu hesitated for a moment and said:

"Brother Yang's plan is sound. Heroes rise up amidst chaos, and with Brother Yang's skill and abilities, it won't be difficult for him to make a name for himself in history."

Hearing the approval of the crowd, Yang Qianhuan felt increasingly confident and cheered for her own cleverness.

"However, trying to suppress Xu Qi'an is a bit..." Li Lingsu shook her head slightly.

"Brother Yang, you might not know this yet..."

Yang Qianhuan's heart sank. "What do you know?"

Li Lingsu said:

"Xu Qi'an joined forces with the Southern Demons to drive the Buddhist School out of the Hundred Thousand Mountains, restoring the Southern Demon Kingdom and recreating the Kingdom of Ten Thousand Demons. This is an achievement worthy of being recorded in history books. In addition, he single-handedly changed the situation in the Nine Provinces and reversed the decline of the Central Plains, which is a feat that is destined to be remembered in history."

"Brother Yang, suppressing him is as difficult as ascending to heaven."

After he finished speaking, he noticed that Yang Qianhuan was sitting quietly, as still as a 160-pound child.

Zhao Susu and the other two remained silent, their faces filled with sorrow. Even though they had just met, they could feel the deep grief of their senior brother Yang, a grief that seemed to flow like a river.

Silkworm Island.

In the valley, miasma permeated the air, impenetrable to sunlight and carried away by the sea breeze.

"The Netherworld Silkworm is an extremely powerful mythical beast. The silk it spins can even entangle martial artists at the Transcendent Realm, and it is also highly poisonous."

Xu Qi'an held Mu Nanzhi's hand and carefully walked to the edge of the valley, looking down at the dark, deep valley.

"What kind of silkworm can eat extraordinary beings? I think you're making this up, but I have no proof." Mu Nanzhi pouted, holding the little white fox, and stood on tiptoe to look into the deep valley.

She said she didn't believe it, but her expression was very cautious.

Xu Qi'an slapped her buttocks hard, making her stumble and almost fall into the abyss.

"Xu Ningyan! I'll fight you to the death!"

Mu Nanzhi turned pale with fright, threw Bai Ji aside, and, with a sob in her voice, bared her teeth and claws, ready to fight him to the death.

"Should we hide inside the pagoda?"

Xu Qi'an raised his head to prevent her from scratching his face and asked with a smile.

Mu Nanzhi threw a tantrum, and upon hearing this, she was both eager to join in the fun and a little scared.

"If things turn bad, I'll take you into the tower."

"Oh well..."

Xu Qi'an embraced the Flower Goddess's slender waist and leaped into the valley.

The highly poisonous miasma rushed towards them, but it had no effect on the two of them. Xu Qi'an had inhaled too much poisonous gas along the way and had already fed the poisonous Gu, so he even felt a little regretful now.

Because the poisonous gases inside the valley are more potent and more complex than those outside.

Bai Ji covered her pink nose with both paws, even though a secondary poisonous gu had been implanted in her body, which would absorb the toxins for her.

"Click!"

The two landed slowly, and a crisp sound came from beneath their feet—it was several pieces of dry bones.

Xu Qi'an looked around. The valley was dark black, with pale, withered bones scattered everywhere, like garbage carelessly discarded. Most of the animals were birds and fish, with a few other animals.

Human bones are almost invisible. This place is located in the Southern Frontier border region near the sea, and the Southern Frontier was originally the territory of the Demon Race. No human fishing boats would sail here.

Where can I find the Netherworld Silkworm?

Mu Nanzhi turned her head and looked around; it was quiet all around, not a soul in sight.

Xu Qi'an's ears twitched slightly, and he smiled, "They're here!"

He heard a wriggling sound, a dense wriggling sound.

A moment later, the thick, miasma-like fog ahead suddenly trembled, and a beam of black light shot out from the depths of the fog.

"Puff!"

Xu Qi'an pulled Mu Nanzhi back, and the black light embedded itself in the spot where they had been standing. It was a ball of silk covered in black slime, and the silk was light gray in color.

Xu Qi'an glanced at it and knew immediately that this was not the Netherworld Silkworm he was looking for, as it was not old enough.

He took a deep breath, puffed out his cheeks, and blew hard.

The miasma in the deep valley was instantly dispersed, creating a brief moment of clear skies, and wisps of miasma from afar drifted over to fill the void.

Taking advantage of the clear visibility, Xu Qi'an and Mu Nanzhi saw the enemy in front of them: a dozen or so half-human, half-silkworm monsters.

They have grayish-black skin, human upper bodies, and fat silkworm lower bodies.

There were both men and women, and neither of them was wearing clothes.

Its face is not much different from a human's, except that its eyes are like black gemstones with no whites, and it has two small, sharp teeth protruding outwards.

But in terms of facial features, the man and woman were both handsome and pretty, with very good looks.

"Such robust Qi and Blood!"

"This delicious treat just fell right to my doorstep, hehe~"

"I want to eat his internal organs; they're the most delicious thing."

"Hmm, the female beside him is strangely alluring."

"Eat, eat, eat them all, hahaha!"

"I'd much rather see them trembling and begging for mercy."

The Netherworld Silkworms chatted freely, scrutinizing the two prey who had walked right into their trap. As for Bai Ji, she was too small and was ignored.

Of course, to Xu Qi'an and Mu Nanzhi, their sounds were just meaningless hissing.

I thought the Netherworld Silkworm was in the form of a silkworm, but I didn't expect it to have a human head and a silkworm body. Can they turn around and wipe their butts after they poop? Although their strength is not bad, they are not even extraordinary. There must be an even stronger being behind them. Xu Qi'an pointed his fingers like a sword and tapped his brow.

The gold paint immediately shone, quickly spreading and covering the entire body.

"Laugh!"

The ring of fire behind his head exploded, and the scorching heat steamed up the miasma.

"Extraordinary, truly extraordinary!"

One of the Netherworld Silkworms in front let out a shriek and turned to run away.

The remaining Netherworld Silkworms scattered like birds and beasts, fleeing into the depths of the valley.

"They ran away like that?" Mu Nanzhi blinked, somewhat disappointed.

"This is completely different from what you said. You're teasing me again."

Still thinking about how she had scared her earlier, she angrily kicked Xu Qi'an again.

"Don't rush, letting the little one go will naturally attract the big one."

Xu Qi'an laughed, and as he spoke, he deliberately released the aura of a transcendent realm, with flames blazing and the scorching heat causing the valley to crack.

Mu Nanzhi only felt a little hot and had no reaction to the pressure from the extraordinary martial artist. On the contrary, Bai Ji was trembling and huddled in her arms like a quail.

About ten breaths later, Mu Nanzhi felt a tremor beneath her feet. Then, she heard the sound of boulders rolling down in the distance, as if a mountain had collapsed.

In Xu Qi'an's perception, a powerful and terrifying aura emerged from the ground and headed towards them.

As the thick fog dispersed, a gigantic silhouette emerged. Gradually, the silhouette became clearer, revealing a colossal monster before them. Its upper body resembled that of an old woman with loose skin.

A bloated, obese lower body.

Unlike the gray ghost silkworms that appeared before, this giant silkworm's skin was as dark as the deepest night.

Compared to this Netherworld Silkworm, Xu Qi'an and Mu Nanzhi were as insignificant as ants.

"Who are you?"

The Netherworld Silkworm uttered strange syllables as it scrutinized Xu Qi'an.

In its eyes, Xu Qi'an not only possessed abundant Qi and Blood and energy and unfathomable inner strength, but also had a familiar aura within him.

Those black, jewel-like eyes stared at Xu Qi'an for a long time, then their expression suddenly turned serious:

"It's a poison!"

This Netherworld Silkworm was at the Transcendent Realm, stronger than an ordinary Rank 3, but not quite Rank 2. What language was it speaking? It didn't sound like meaningless howls. Xu Qi'an knew that this was the true Netherworld Silkworm that the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox had mentioned.

The Netherworld Silkworm, capable of devouring beings of the transcendent realm.

Killing it won't be easy. First, Bai Ji and Mu Nanzhi need to be taken into the Floating Pagoda. However, we don't know what tricks this strange beast has up its sleeve, and it's of high status. Making a rash move might lead to an unexpected disaster. As Xu Qi'an thought this, he summoned the Floating Pagoda.

"You are a Gu, what are you doing here? What do the affairs between you Gods and Devils have to do with us, your descendants!"

The Netherworld Silkworm loudly questioned, and upon seeing the humanoid creature conjure a glowing pagoda, it immediately arched its body, its lower abdomen swelling as if it were pregnant with something.

Tensions were high between the two sides.

Just then, Bai Ji, nestled in Mu Nanzhi's arms, whispered:

It speaks a language of Gods and Devils.

"Gods and Devils language?" Xu Qi'an, still poised to strike, asked.

How did you know?

Bai Ji said, "Of course I know, I can also speak the language of Gods and Devils."

Not to mention Xu Qi'an, even Mu Nanzhi was taken aback. In her memory, Bai Ji was a fox cub who cried all the time.

"The Queen Mother knows the language of Gods and Devils! I learned it from her when I was born. None of my other older sisters learned it, but I did."

Bai Ji held her head high.

Look how smug you are. Xu Qi'an thought for a moment and said:

"Then tell it, 'I've come to ask for silkworm silk, what will I offer in exchange?'"

If we can obtain Netherworld Silkworm Silk through trade, that would be far better than a bloody battle.

Upon hearing this, Bai Ji nodded, stretched her neck, and uttered a series of strange syllables at the Netherworld Silkworm in a high-pitched voice.

The Netherworld Silkworm, poised to attack at any moment, paused upon hearing the familiar Gods and Devils language. After listening patiently, it remained silent for a moment before saying:

"You just want silk?"

"Little fox, first make him answer me, what is his relationship with the Gu?"

Bai Ji translated the words of the Netherworld Silkworm.

"Tell it that I only obtained the power of the Gu," Xu Qi'an said.

After listening to the little white fox's translation, the Netherworld Silkworm did not hesitate and stated its conditions:

"I need your Essence Blood, not too much, just three drops will do."

Clearly, it also knew of Xu Qi'an's strength and believed that if it could obtain what it needed through exchange, there was no need to take action.

The Netherworld Silkworm's abdomen swelled up like a ball, slowly moving upwards through its chest cavity and throat, before finally bursting out violently.

Puff puff puff. Thin, pure black threads scattered across the sky, landing in the valley, sticking to the stone walls, and emitting a pungent, poisonous fumes.

After finishing its silk, it was slightly panting, indicating that it had expended considerable energy.

However, this does not affect combat strength, so we are not afraid of this human going back on their word.

The Netherworld Silkworm Silk is jet black, extremely poisonous, and incredibly tough. It can communicate with the underworld and welcome ghosts. Records about the Netherworld Silkworm Silk flashed through Xu Qi'an's mind.

This comes from the "Materials Science" secret manual of the Bureau of Astronomy.

Xu Qi'an opened his palm, and a vortex of energy swelled up in his palm, drawing the Netherworld Silkworm Silk into his palm.

He collected the silkworm silk into the fragment of the Book of Earth, then fulfilled his promise, summoning the National Guardian Sword from the Book of Earth, slicing open his wrist, and forcing out three drops of golden Vajra Divine Blood.

The moment the Zhenguo Sword appeared, Youmingcan subconsciously narrowed his eyes, thankful that he had chosen to exchange rather than fight.

"Got it."

Xu Qi'an flicked out three drops of his Essence Blood.

The Netherworld Silkworm crawled forward a short distance, eagerly opening its mouth to catch the Essence Blood that Xu Qi'an shot out.

"So delicious!"

With a comfortable groan, the loose flesh of the Netherworld Silkworm quickly tightened, its rough skin became delicate, and its wrinkled cheeks became firm again. In a short while, it transformed from a frail old woman into a fair-skinned, beautiful, and charming young lady.

It gazed at the two humans and the fox, and sighed:

"I have survived from ancient times to the present. Even though the lifespan of extraordinary beings is endless, they will inevitably decline in the end. The Essence Blood of the extraordinary realm can repair my increasingly depleted vital Qi and Blood."

Is it a descendant of Gods and Devils and demons who has survived from ancient times? Xu Qi'an was deeply moved after hearing Bai Ji's translation.

At this moment, the Netherworld Silkworm stared at Mu Nanzhi, let out a soft "Eh," and said:

"The scent emanating from her is..."

PS: I fell asleep last night, but thankfully I managed to finish this chapter.