Chapter 51

Chapter 51

"How does Uncle Ji plan to stimulate the Gu King?"

Murong Ling knew they wouldn't tell her the connection between 'Returning to Purity' and the leader of the demonic sect, figuring it's better to worry about herself for now. Could Ji Qinghe actually want her to swallow this nearly dead silkworm?

Ji Qinghe said, "Once the Gu enters the body, if the Gu King is inside you, two tigers cannot share one mountain. The Gu King will inevitably repel the female 'Returning to Purity' Gu, awakening it for a fight to the death..."

"Enter the body!?"

Murong Ling's tone shot up. If not for Yan Suiyu watching closely behind, she might have been scared off. Having never dealt with Gu insects in her seventeen or eighteen years of life, especially fearing insects, this was alarming.

Ji Qinghe spoke lightly, as if it were no big deal.

"Is that so."

Ji Qinghe, naturally handsome, looked even more innocuous when smiling. He grabbed Murong Ling's wrist, her whole body shivering from his cool touch, unable to pull away.

Ji Qinghe leaned in, smiling, "Then, forgive the discomfort, Ling'er. It will hurt a bit, just endure for a moment and it will be over."

He actually planned to do it!

Mo Jiao thought, "Ji Qinghe, you deceitful scoundrel!"

If he acted now, could he snatch the female Gu? But doing so would surely expose him to Ji Qinghe, who, although he had never seen him in his reduced size, was the person most familiar with 'Returning to Purity's' power.

Of course, if he made a move, Zhong Yixiao might also discover his true identity...

Especially now, as Zhong Yixiao, fully focused on eavesdropping on the next room, holds him tightly, Mo Jiao would receive a frowning look and a "you're disobeying again" glance at any slight movement.

Is his own life more important, or is Zhong Yixiao?

But it seems Mo Jiao's hesitation was too long, as the next room had already placed the female Gu inside Murong Ling.

Initially, Yan Suiyu, disliking Ji Qinghe holding Murong Ling's delicate wrist, took her hands from Ji Qinghe, his expression as cold as ever.

"Master, let me do it."

It was as if touching Murong Ling would infect Ji Qinghe with plague, and Yan Suiyu's grip was so strong that it quickly bruised her wrist, leaving her to glare at him, furious but unable to speak.

With someone else to do the task, Ji Qinghe nodded in agreement.

"That's fine."

As he spoke, Yan Suiyu drew a dagger from behind his waist. Before Murong Ling could ask what he was doing, she felt a sharp pain in her wrist, a nearly invisible blood line appearing on the blade, and her wrist was cut.

The sudden pain made Murong Ling gasp, and Ji Qinghe comforted her with a smile, "It won't hurt, just endure a moment."

"Of course, it doesn't hurt you!" Murong Ling thought angrily.

Murong Ling glared at them in anger, biting her teeth, as Ji Qinghe placed the female Gu on her pale wrist. The cut wasn't deep, but it was enough to draw blood, which slowly began to drip onto the table. Ji Qinghe pushed a cup forward, collecting the blood.

"Don't waste it, we'll replenish it later."

"How terrible this person is…" Murong Ling's eyes brimmed with tears.

The female Gu, placed before the wound on her wrist, seemed to sense the scent of blood and slowly awakened from its slumber, crawling towards the wound with a prickly itch. As it touched the blood and slipped into the bloodstream like a fish to water, Murong Ling screamed, her arm tightly gripped by Yan Suiyu.

The female Gu, entering her body, moved against the bloodstream, creating a small purplish bulge on her pale arm that quickly vanished.

Watching the entire process, Murong Ling nearly retched, knowing the Gu was inside her body.

Suddenly released, Murong Ling slumped beside the table, staring blankly at her still-bleeding wrist.

Ji Qinghe explained, "It's starting. Don't worry, Ling'er. Yan's control is precise. You won't die from this blood loss. After the Gu King awakens, I'll have someone bring you food to replenish the lost blood."

Murong Ling felt a cry in her heart and an odd sensation in her body where the Gu passed, uncomfortable but not painful, bracing for the ordeal to come.

With the female Gu inside, the Gu King's awakening was imminent, threatening severe pain if it fought within her.

The realization made her body tremble, legs shaking and face filled with fear, tongue numb as if she was struck mute by terror.

Ji Qinghe remained silent, simply watching her, awaiting the Gu King's awakening.

Clearly, any dealings with 'Returning to Purity' or Mo Jiao had long been disregarded by Ji Qinghe.

The awakening of the female Gu stirred the male Gu in Mo Jiao, causing a throbbing pain in his chest. He bore it silently, not wanting Zhong Yixiao to notice, as the Gu grew restless.

Soon, Murong Ling's expression contorted in agony, her hands clutching her abdomen despite the risk of staining her dress with blood, her clenched teeth releasing pained groans.

Yan Suiyu stepped forward as Murong Ling fell to the ground, her forehead beaded with sweat, curling and rolling on the floor in pain.

Ji Qinghe stopped Yan Suiyu with a gesture, his expression indifferent but eyes gleaming with anticipation, shaking his head, "No worries, just wait a bit longer."

Zhong Yixiao naturally heard the commotion from the next room. Even if he disliked Murong Ling, witnessing Ji Qinghe's cruel methods, he couldn't help but clench his fists, his brows furrowed in disapproval.

Suddenly, the child in his arms started to tremble, eyes shut tightly, with a cool sweat covering his forehead, appearing to be in great pain.

Realizing something was wrong, Zhong Yixiao touched the child's forehead, which had suddenly become feverish. Yet, the child clutched at his chest, as if the pain originated there, prompting Zhong Yixiao to ask in a low voice, concerned about being discovered, "What's wrong?"

The pain swept through his body, every joint aching subtly, with the most severe pain emanating from the Gu in his chest. Mo Jiao shook his head, his consciousness sharpened by the physical torment, though his body grew increasingly weak.

Mo Jiao mustered his energy, wrapping his arms around Zhong Yixiao's neck, hanging onto him in total dependence.

"...It's okay, I'm fine."

His breath became incredibly faint, stirring panic in Zhong Yixiao, who considered leaving to find a doctor for Mo Jiao, yet he was torn due to the situation with Zhuang Feiyu and the others...

Ultimately, the child's alarming condition compelled Zhong Yixiao to prioritize his safety over rescuing his friends, moving towards the window with the child in his arms.

Mo Jiao opened his moist eyes, asking hoarsely, "Aren't we going to save them?"

Zhong Yixiao, lips pursed and expression solemn, shook his head, holding the child tighter and gently patting his back to comfort him.

Clearly, the child's well-being was paramount.

As Zhong Yixiao leapt from the window, utilizing his light skills to silently depart from the inn, the commotion in Ji Qinghe's room finally ceased.

Murong Ling lay curled on the floor, her complexion extremely pale, yet relieved as the wave of pain receded, leaving her exhausted and resting on the spot.

"It's done."

Ji Qinghe stood up, approached Murong Ling with a smile, and inquired, "I wonder which Gu won?"

Murong Ling breathed heavily, replying dryly, "What do you think?"

Ji Qinghe clapped and laughed, "It seems the Gu King has won."

Murong Ling, her abdominal pain just ceased and feeling weak all over, couldn't be bothered with Ji Qinghe and snorted, continuing to feign death. The cut on her wrist had scabbed over, no longer bleeding but had soaked her purple dress and the floor with patches of crimson blood.

When she finally recovered, aware of her disheveled state and slowly sitting up from the floor, she felt a throbbing pain at the cut on her wrist as if something was trying to burst out.

Yan Suiyu, always vigilant, was the first to react. He stepped forward, pulling Ji Qinghe behind him for protection, urgently warning, "Master, be careful!"

Ji Qinghe was still bewildered when suddenly, upon hearing Murong Ling's muffled groan, he shifted his gaze towards her and abruptly widened his eyes in shock.

Murong Ling's face was also full of astonishment as the wound on her wrist suddenly burst open, and a worm smaller than the previous mother worm emerged. It was entirely moon-white, tinged with a thin layer of blood light. It slowly crawled out of the wound, and in a moment of dead silence, it suddenly unfurled a pair of wings much larger than its body, revealing deep blue wings.

It was a phoenix butterfly, only two inches in length, looking like a gemstone with an ice-blue transparency that deepened layer by layer from ice blue to the deep blue of the ocean, dazzling and beautiful as if from a painting.

And this phoenix butterfly, shedding a mist of blood in the candlelight, seemed even more brilliant, its wings like the starry sky, dropping specks of starlight with every flutter, creating a mesmerizing illusion that captivated Murong Ling at first sight, making her forget the disgust of having a poisonous worm emerge from her body.

Ji Qinghe slowly smiled, as everyone watched the phoenix butterfly clumsily leap onto Murong Ling's fingertip, then dance gracefully around her, clearly fond of the body it had resided in for many years.

Eventually, it landed back in Murong Ling's hands, prompting her curious poke and the spark of joy and curiosity in her eyes as she turned to look at Ji Qinghe.

"What is this?"

Ji Qinghe's gaze remained fixed on the phoenix butterfly, not shifting for a moment.

"The Gu King has emerged."

"This butterfly is the Gu King?" Murong Ling blinked in surprise.

"Correct."

Ji Qinghe looked at Murong Ling as if she were a country bumpkin but still patiently explained, "It's not a butterfly but a special moth, the Gu King my master created. In Xuan Yue Palace, it's known to all and feared by many. Even within the Gu faction, it's a name that terrifies."

Murong Ling nodded, somewhat understanding, then saw the Gu King suddenly shrink back into a small worm-like form and burrow back into her wrist wound.

Murong Ling: "..."

Watching it crawl out and then back into her body, Murong Ling felt a chill run down her spine, no longer finding the Gu King beautiful.

Ji Qinghe was somewhat disappointed. He was about to capture the Gu King when the clever creature sensed danger and hid. Indeed, living long makes one smarter than humans.

But soon, Ji Qinghe felt his head grow heavy and dizzy, noticing Yan Suiyu also shaking his head with a hand on his forehead, only Murong Ling was unaffected, energetically gasping in pain from holding her injured wrist.

Guessing something, Ji Qinghe picked up the cup filled with Murong Ling's blood and actually took a sip.

Murong Ling was shocked, "You're drinking human blood!"

After wiping the blood from his lips and washing down the taste with warm tea, Ji Qinghe leisurely explained, "As expected of the Gu King. While it fluttered around the room, it spread its wing's poison powder everywhere, affecting me and Xiao Yan unknowingly."

Murong Ling's eyes sparkled, caught by Ji Qinghe who then said, "Unfortunately for you, the Gu King's poison is tough but your blood is the antidote. Xiao Yan, drink some antidote to ease Murong Ling's worries for us."

Murong Ling: ...I wasn't worried.

Realizing why he felt dizzy, Yan Suiyu was relieved by Ji Qinghe's wisdom. Taking the cup Ji Qinghe handed to him, he noticed the bloodstain on the rim left by Ji Qinghe.

Yan Suiyu paused briefly, his ears reddening as he drank Murong Ling's blood, then accepted a cup of tea from Ji Qinghe, drinking from the side Ji Qinghe hadn't touched, his gentle smile unfading.

"Have some tea to moisten your throat."

Yan Suiyu silently took the cup, the same one Ji Qinghe used, discreetly drinking from the untouched side, Ji Qinghe merely glanced before looking away.

Murong Ling, dusting off her dress, stood up, ignoring her dishevelment but suddenly feeling relieved, "Since the Gu King is proven to be in me and awake, Uncle Ji should be fine now, right? But I feel uncomfortable all over and would like to bathe, please prepare it for me."

"Murong Ling, don't push your luck!"

With her typical heiress temperament, Murong Ling had been enduring them solely because she lacked leverage. Now knowing the Gu King was in her and could poison Ji Qinghe and Yan Suiyu, she no longer feared them, sure Ji Qinghe would acquiesce to her trivial request.

As expected, Ji Qinghe nodded with a smile.

"It's no trouble, Uncle will prepare for you. Murong Ling, either dress your wound yourself or let Xiao Yan help."

"Master!" Yan Suiyu showed his displeasure.

Ji Qinghe was indifferent.