“You don’t know?”
Longtu looked at Xu Qi’an in surprise. “You are but a step away from beyond-mortal, how could you not understand the essence of Gu arts?”
I’m a fraud, I’m not like you all… Xu Qi’an didn’t answer him.
Seeing he remained silent, Longtu continued,
“Any living being that directly absorbs the power of the Gu God would become a monster. The Gu insects and beasts near the Abyss are examples of this.
“To make use of the Gu God’s power, our forebears of the shaman clans paid a heavy price, exploring with their very lives to find a method to harness the Gu God’s power. This was the origin of the clan’s secret arts and the Life Gu.
“The Life Gu can neutralise the pollution of the Gu God’s power, allowing our people to absorb it without being corrupted.”
So the Life Gu is like a filter… Xu Qi’an nodded his head.
Baji took over the conversation,
“The Life Gu is still a Gu insect, though. If it absorbs the Gu God’s power, why doesn’t it become twisted and frenzied like the other Gu insects and beasts? It’s because it is restricted by its maturity stages.
“Once it reaches its bottleneck, it enters a slumber, expelling the pollution from the Gu God’s power.
“That is to say, it can’t, like ordinary Gu insects and beasts, rapidly become stronger by continuously absorbing the Gu God’s power.”
That makes things more stable and prevents mutation, but it also hampers the pace of cultivation… Xu Qi’an thought of the Sevenfold Gu inside his body, which for similar reasons could no longer absorb the Gu God’s power.
While they talked, Chunyan’s aphrodisiac was removed by Luanyu and she regained her consciousness.
She still seemed to remember what had just happened and didn’t dare meet Xu Qi’an’s gaze.
The leaders each departed, and Xu Qi’an followed Longtu back to the Strength Gu tribe. They crossed the vast plain and arrived at the foot of Bo Mountain.
By now it was dark. Outside the chief’s courtyard, a bonfire and a large cauldron had been set up. Lina was squatting beside the cauldron cooking meat, surrounded by seven or eight Strength Gu children, all under ten years old.
Xu Qi’an spotted his foolish little sister. Just like the children of the Strength Gu tribe, she sat by the cauldron, eyes wide, waiting hungrily for the cooked meat.
Her expression, her gaze, and even the way she swallowed her saliva was exactly the same as the tribe children.
Feels like Lingyin has perfectly integrated herself into the Strength Gu tribe… Xu Qi’an glanced around and noticed quite a few unfamiliar young men and women in the tribe, guessing that these were the hunters returning from outside.
“Every time her brother returns from hunting, Lina likes to bring out a portion of the spoils to cook for the tribe’s children.”
Longtu said with satisfaction, “She knows how to show kindness to others. She understands what it means to be chief better than her brother. Lina has always been clever.”
…Xu Qi’an didn’t know how to respond, so he simply remained silent.
“Lina, where are Nanzhi and Baiji?”
He walked to the cauldron and, lowering his head to sniff, found the aroma was actually quite poor.
The children around, including Xu Lingyin, immediately looked on guard, suspecting he had come to take a share.
“They’re inside the house.”
Lina didn’t even look up, wholly focused on cooking, tossing in a handful of fragrant spices from time to time.
Xu Qi’an and Longtu skirted around the children and entered the courtyard. In the inner yard, a young man with a bare torso was wielding a steel sabre, moving like the wind.
His body was all taut muscle, and when he swung the sabre, his arms and back muscles rippled, exuding a rugged masculinity.
“Dad!”
Seeing Longtu and Xu Qi’an enter, he immediately stopped and respectfully greeted them.
Longtu gave a grunt and introduced him to Xu Qi’an,
“This is my son, Lina’s older brother, his name is Mosang.”
Mosang looked no more than twenty-five. His features somewhat resembled Lina’s, thereby giving him a certain handsomeness, but a deep scar across his left cheek marred his look, while his fierce gaze made him appear unruly.
“A Central Plains man, Silver Gong Xu.”
Longtu introduced Xu Qi’an concisely.
Mosang had already learned of Xu Qi’an’s deeds from the elders who had returned, and didn’t dare show any disrespect, greeting him most courteously.
“No need to be so formal. Lina is my friend, and as her big brother, we’re all one family.”
Xu Qi’an nodded and smiled, thinking, just in terms of appearance, this Mosang seemed normal enough, not like Lina, whose foolishness was written all over her face.
Mosang immediately asked,
“Silver Gong Xu, who is stronger, you or my dad? I heard all five leaders lost to you today.
“Dad mustn’t be your match, I’d guarantee it.”
I take back what I said. There isn’t a single smart one in the Strength Gu tribe… Xu Qi’an glanced at Longtu, who looked both incredulous and eager for a match, and his lips twitched. He found an excuse and slipped away.
Father and son’s loud conversation drifted after him:
“No sense of decorum.”
“Dad, you plainly want to fight Silver Gong Xu, so why not just go for it instead of beating around the bush?”
“If you had half of Lina’s wits, I would have made you the chief by now.”
Xu Qi’an made his way straight to the inner courtyard and easily found the room where Mu Nanzhi was, pushing the door open. The simple but spacious room contained Mu Nanzhi, dressed in a pale lavender dudou and white silk trousers, holding a sweat cloth and carefully wiping her arms and neck.
When she saw someone enter, her expression changed dramatically. Realising it was Xu Qi’an, her fright lessened, a blush crept onto her cheeks, and she turned her back, angrily saying,
“Get out, get out…”
Xu Qi’an gazed at her fair, jade-like back and, like Xu Lingyin staring at food, swallowed his drool.
Creak~ He closed the door and waited a few minutes, until Mu Nanzhi’s voice came from inside:
“Come in.”
Xu Qi’an entered, looking around. “It really is a bit sparse, not even a bathing tub.”
Mu Nanzhi nodded demurely, pretending not to be embarrassed at all, but secretly squeezed Baiji a bit harder in silent revenge.
The little fox who was supposed to stand lookout had ignored Xu Qi’an’s intrusion, causing her to lose her innocence.
“We ran into some trouble recently…”
Xu Qi’an told her what had happened in the Abyss and sighed,
“I think I’ve figured out Xu Pingfeng’s methods now. There’s always a second aim hidden behind his first goal. If one fails, he immediately switches to his next plan. He never lets himself walk away with nothing.
“I’ll have to watch out next time we meet.”
Mu Nanzhi wasn’t interested in violence and bloodshed, she was the sort of frail girl who wouldn’t dare kill a chicken. As long as Xu Qi’an came to no harm, she was content.
“Later, I’ll need you to plant some poisonous herbs and fruit. Not too many, just enough to give the Poison Gu tribe a taste first.”
It’s a pity I don’t have diabetes, or I’d have come personally… he added as a joke in his heart.
“Alright!”
Mu Nanzhi nodded. Since entering the jianghu, she had often helped Xu Qi’an plant poisonous herbs to satisfy his strange hobby.
Xu Qi’an rescued Baiji from her embrace and said, exasperated,
“It’s only a child, stop bullying it.”
Hearing that Silver Gong Xu was standing up for her, Baiji was delighted and protested in a soft voice,
“What’s wrong with having a look? Sister Yeji used to sleep with Silver Gong Xu every day back in the Hundred Thousand Mountains.”
…Xu Qi’an expressionlessly dunked Baiji’s head into the basin.
…
At night, the Strength Gu tribe held a bonfire party in the square outside the chieftain’s courtyard.
The theme was eating meat, eating meat, and eating more meat.
Lina had just returned from travelling through the Central Plains, and, apart from Xu Qi’an, she had become the centre of attention in the tribe.
After the third round of meat, an elder said loudly,
“Lina, tell everyone about your thrilling adventures in the Central Plains. You left for a while, and now you’ve come back as a fourth rank. Everyone is very curious.”
It was worth mentioning that the Strength Gu tribe had no wine, as brewing alcohol required a large amount of grain, and the tribe was not that wealthy.
Occasionally, they would exchange food for wine from the other six tribes, so wine was considered a luxury. Thus, in the Strength Gu tribe, anyone who had a jug of wine in hand could walk with an air of pride, ignoring their family ties.
Lina, who had been happily eating meat, looked up in confusion.
“Lina sis, come on, tell us!”
“Lina, I hear the Central Plains are very prosperous. You went there once and came back fair-skinned like a Central Plains lass, and you’ve reached the fourth rank. You must have had a colourful experience.”
“Speak up, we’re dying to hear it.”
Men and women, young and old, all egged her on in unison.
Pfft, as if she had any colourful experiences. She just freeloaded at my house the whole time… Xu Qi’an almost covered his mouth to keep himself from laughing out loud.
Lina stood up, looking embarrassed, and stammered,
“W-well, of course, my journey to the Central Plains was spectacular. All the way there, I used my wits and strength to outsmart the Central Plains people, overcame all sorts of hardships, made a great name for myself in the martial world, and once I arrived in the capital, I devoted myself to cultivation.
“A-and I did many things that, in all the histories over the past thousand years, no one has ever done.”
Her brother, Mosang, asked, “For example?”
Lina was stumped. Her eyes darted around, then she said loudly, “For example, I helped Xu Ningyan kill the National Dukes, kill the Emperor. If you don’t believe me, you can ask him.”
Everyone looked at Xu Qi’an.
You had nothing to do with killing the National Dukes, but you did help when it came to Yuanjing… Xu Qi’an didn’t call her out on it, and nodded generously.
Immediately, Lina was rewarded with her tribespeople’s applause and cheers.
Lina proudly puffed out her chest and put her hands on her hips.
“So, Lina, what was your title in the Central Plains?”
A child asked loudly.
“L-Lady Flying Swallow! Yes, the people of the Central Plains all called me Lady Flying Swallow.”
Lina responded loudly as well.
If Lady Flying Swallow knew she’d become a little dark-skinned brat in the Southern Marches, she’d come looking for you with a sabre… Xu Qi’an’s face twitched. He saw Xu Lingyin sitting with several children in the crowd, clapping and cheering loudly for “Lady Flying Swallow”.
She had already become a child of the shaman clans.
The bonfire party ended amid laughter and cheer. Xu Qi’an didn’t get enough of the “flattery” he was hoping for and secretly grumbled that the Strength Gu tribe were a bunch of uncouth people.
He took Xu Lingyin back to their room to sleep.
Because Baiji had let slip something by accident, Mu Nanzhi had been so angry she stormed back to her mother’s house—The Stupa Tower.1
Little Pea, under his intimidation, brushed her teeth and washed her feet carefully, then rolled around comfortably in bed.
“Big Bwother, am I going to be living here for a long time?”
Xu Lingyin lay on the bed, looking at him with big, dark, shiny eyes.
“Do you miss your parents?”
Xu Qi’an patted her on the head.
“I do.”
Xu Lingyin nodded vigorously, then added, “But not when I’m eating.”
“So, do you like it here?”
“I like it! There’s endless meat to eat.” Xu Lingyin waved her arms and shouted.
Lingyin is naturally made for wandering the jianghu. Other children her age would be crying themselves to death if they don’t see their parents for some time… Xu Qi’an tucked her in with a smile.
“Go to sleep.”
Xu Lingyin’s chubby hand patted the empty space beside her. “Big Bwother, you sleep too.”
Not long after, snoring could be heard.
Xu Qi’an tucked her in, blew out the candle, and the room fell into darkness.
…
Heaven Gu tribe.
The candle flame was like a bean, casting a dim light in the room. Heaven Gu Grandma sat on the edge of the bed, mending clothes.
The candle flame suddenly flickered. Without looking up, Heaven Gu Grandma smiled warmly,
“There’s tea on the table, just brewed.”
The person who had appeared silently beside the table picked up the teapot, lifted the upside-down teacup, and, as he poured, asked,
“Grandma, what is the Sevenfold Gu?”
Heaven Gu Grandma was silent for a while, then said slowly,
“About eighty years ago, the power of the Gu God surged out in a torrent, several times greater than what we’ve seen today. The old man went to the Abyss to investigate and brought back a strange Gu insect.
“It was very weak, but it was naturally born with seven kinds of Gu techniques. However, the seven powers were extremely chaotic, hard to balance, and it could explode and die at any time.
“To nurture it, the old man came up with an idea: using the Heaven Gu as a foundation to bear the other six powers.”
So, the Sevenfold Gu appeared during the great eruption of the Gu God’s power… Xu Qi’an frowned,
“Why is it so special?”
Other than the Gu God, no living creature could wield all seven Gu techniques at once, the Sevenfold Gu was the only exception. That was evidence enough of how extraordinary it was.
Heaven Gu Grandma shook her head and said,
“That time, when the Gu God’s power erupted, not only did the Sevenfold Gu appear, but the Confucian Sage’s statue also cracked at the same time. The old man then began to ponder how to repair the seal and eventually set his sights on the fortune of the Great Feng.”
Gu God’s power erupts, the Sevenfold Gu appears, the Confucian Sage’s statue cracks… Xu Qi’an’s heart skipped a beat, and he suddenly felt a chill down his spine.
The Sevenfold Gu only has instinct, no independent consciousness. I can confirm that, I hope I’m just overthinking it. Even if anything does go wrong with the Sevenfold Gu, with my current strength, I can easily suppress it.
If the day comes when the Sevenfold Gu becomes my most powerful trump card, that would really be dangerous. But fortunately, my talent in martial arts isn’t bad…
His mind raced with thoughts.
Seeing he didn’t speak for a while, Heaven Gu Grandma’s wrinkle-covered face broke into a kindly smile,
“Is there anything else you want to ask?”
Xu Qi’an put away his thoughts and returned the smile,
“I really do!
“Grandma, that monkey of yours that went to the Abyss today, what did it see? And what did it hear?”
Heaven Gu Grandma’s smile slowly faded, and she sighed,
“How did you know?”
Slurp~ Xu Qi’an took a sip of tea and said calmly,
“Since I entered the beyond-mortal stage, more and more people only remember my unmatched talent and illustrious achievements, but very few still remember what I relied on in the beginning, what made my name.
“I didn’t expose Grandma during the day simply because it would have been inconvenient.”
………..
figure of speech ↩
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