A tingling in his neck suddenly turned to intense pain, pain beyond what normal humans could endure…

Having experienced this twice before, Xu Qi’an knew this was the pain of the Seven Deadly Gu growing further into his body, stimulating his spinal nerves as it integrated.

Xu Qi’an remained cross-legged and motionless, eyes closed in concentration, enduring the pain.

After half a quarter hour, the pain eased, then disappeared. The Seven Deadly Gu had successfully passed through the second stage of maturity, entering the third stage “childhood period.”

Xu Qi’an kept his eyes closed, examining the changes brought by the Seven Deadly Gu. The Heavenly Gu’s ability remained unchanged—still “Moving Stars and Changing Constellations.” As the Seven Deadly Gu’s foundation, Heavenly Gu had been developed to its limit.

For the ability to glimpse fate, Xu Qi’an suspected the Seven Deadly Gu would need to reach at least a Transcendent level or even second rank.

Li Gu’s “Berserk” and Poison Gu’s “Poison Body” hadn’t changed. Love Gu gained a new ability—absorbing surrounding creatures’ lust force.

This ability meant he wouldn’t need to think about daily cultivation. He could just absorb surrounding creatures’ lust to nourish the Love Gu, advancing steadily like martial artists practicing breathing exercises.

Moreover, this lust force could be stored and released when fighting enemies.

Lust could sometimes be deadlier than poison because it stimulated bodily functions. A martial artist’s powerful vitality might resist deadly poison but absolutely couldn’t resist crazy hormone secretion.

Hormone secretion essentially wouldn’t harm the body, so the body’s defense mechanisms wouldn’t resist it.

Corpse Gu’s growth had two aspects:

First, increased number and quality of controllable walking corpses; second, the master’s will could descend into walking corpses, equivalent to avatars, controlling the corpses’ abilities.

Dark Gu had also transformed, with very balanced ability enhancement at this stage. Shadow jumping range expanded to “wherever the eye can see, jumping is possible.”

Additionally, the number of people it could carry increased from one to four.

The time one could remain a shadow also extended—as long as Xu Qi’an wished, he could stay hidden in shadows indefinitely until his strength was exhausted.

In terms of attack, Dark Gu gained a new skill called “Blindfold.”

It cast a shadow to blind the enemy’s five senses and six consciousnesses, turning them “blind,” though it couldn’t counter martial artists’ danger perception.

Defensively, Dark Gu also gained a new skill called “Shadow.”

Simply put, the body became a formless, quality-less shadow, making enemy attacks miss.

Finally, Heart Gu—at his current level, Xu Qi’an finally understood why Heart Gu was also called Beast Control Gu.

The Heart Gu mother Gu functioned like a central processor, perfectly mobilizing and commanding armies of beasts. There might be commanders in the world who understood warfare better, but no army’s coordination could surpass a Transcendent Heart Gu master.

Moreover, Heart Gu could influence low-intelligence creatures, including but not limited to humans, beasts, and tool spirits.

The higher the intelligence, the harder Heart Gu was to control, and vice versa.

However, this wasn’t absolute. If high-intelligence creatures were long controlled by Heart Gu, they would become low-intelligence creatures, unable to escape the Heart Gu master’s control.

This reminded Xu Qi’an of the forest area permeated with Heart Gu power, where creatures, regardless of intelligence, became death soldiers who only knew to obey orders.

But Heart Gu masters had a fatal weakness—low individual combat power and insufficient survival skills.

“Only shamans could match Heart Gu masters on the battlefield. I wonder how Lord Wei won the Shanhai Pass battle back then. Well, I can think of only cannons as a way to counter shamans’ corpse control and Heart Gu masters.

“Under firing range lies truth…”

As he pondered this, Xu Qi’an opened his eyes. His pupils suddenly contracted, back muscles tensing like a leopard ready to pounce.

Two zhang away stood a yellow-haired monkey, examining him with gentle eyes.

Because he sensed no hostility, Xu Qi’an suppressed his urge to strike, but didn’t completely relax—the Gu tribe happened to have methods that could counter martial artists’ danger prediction.

Moving Stars and Changing Constellations!

“This old woman came to see you.”

The yellow-haired monkey spoke human words, voice kindly, that of an elderly woman.

“You are…”

Xu Qi’an’s mind stirred, a name floating in his thoughts.

“The children call me Heavenly Gu Grandmother.”

The yellow-haired monkey smiled.

So it is her… Xu Qi’an remembered Li Na saying that the one who entrusted the Seven Deadly Gu to her, asking her to take it to the capital to find someone fated, was this Heavenly Gu’s Grandmother.

The Heavenly Gu Elder’s wife.

“They say Heavenly Gu has the power to glimpse the future. Now I’ve witnessed it.”

Xu Qi’an remained vigilant, saying flatly: “Grandmother’s calculations are marvelous, able to determine I’d come to the Southern Frontier and be here.”

The yellow-haired monkey laughed, tone calm and gentle:

“No, Dragon Pattern told me Li Na returned to the tribe, that’s how I knew you were in the Southern Frontier.

“Glimpsing the future has many restrictions, it’s not possible anytime, anywhere. Otherwise, during the Shanhai Pass battle back then, the old man wouldn’t have lost. Well, perhaps the Supervisor blocked the heavenly mechanisms, preventing him from seeing the war’s outcome. This trick works on shamans too.

“They say Wei Yuan is a rare military talent, that’s true, but your Central Plains’ Supervisor probably did more things behind the scenes.”

Xu Qi’an nodded: “What brings Grandmother to seek me out personally?”

The yellow-haired monkey spoke slowly:

“You must have many questions for me, and this old woman also has things to tell you.

“But this visit is to give you advice. Just now, Xu Ping Feng’s disciple approached me.

“He’s persuading the Gu tribe branch leaders to ally with Yun Province rebels, jointly attack Great Feng, and divide the Central Plains.”

Damn… Xu Qi’an’s expression darkened. “Did the branch leaders agree?”

The yellow-haired monkey nodded:

“Twenty-one years ago at the Shanhai Pass battle, the Gu tribe lost. None of the branches accepted it, and so many died. This fire has been suppressed for twenty years, it would eventually need release.”

Xu Qi’an, well-versed in history from his previous life, nodded slightly. Setting aside positions, it was normal for defeated countries to harbor resentment and seek revenge.

“Long Tu didn’t agree, but if the war situation becomes unfavorable and the Gu tribe faces a crisis, the Li Gu tribe can’t just watch. The same goes for the Heavenly Gu tribe.”

“I understand Grandmother’s difficulty.”

The yellow-haired monkey nodded slightly, continuing:

“The Seven Deadly Gu was the old man’s backup plan. If Xu Ping Feng’s uprising fails, he can’t fulfill his promises, then the Confucian Saint’s statue can’t be repaired.

“So he left the Seven Deadly Gu as a backup to continue this karmic connection.

“But what this old woman wants to say is, if Xu Ping Feng’s uprising succeeds, he must bear this karma, help the Southern Frontier establish a nation, cede two provinces, use first-rank spirit master methods to condense fortune for the Gu tribe, repair the Confucian Saint statue.

“Then the Gu God will continue sleeping.

“From this old woman’s position, there’s no reason to refuse.”

Xu Qi’an remained silent.

“Now several children are lying in ambush at the Li Gu tribe, waiting to surround and kill you. If you don’t want to die, leave quickly. After some time, I’ll have Li Na find you. What you want to ask, what you want to know, I’ll convey through Li Na.”

The Heavenly Gu Grandmother said, controlling the yellow-haired monkey.

It seems the Gu tribe’s determination to attack Great Feng is strong. The tribe members have harbored resentment for a long, even the Heavenly Gu Grandmother is unwilling to go against the tide. Moreover, Xu Ping Feng’s promise to seal the Gu God is a condition the Gu tribe can’t refuse… Xu Qi’an frowned:

“I understand the Gu tribe wanting to attack Great Feng.

“The outcome will either be destroying Great Feng and dividing the Central Plains, or scattering the Gu tribe’s limited fortune, making them collapse and behave from then on.

“Grandmother, isn’t there a middle way?”

The Heavenly Gu Grandmother shook her head.

…Xu Qi’an fell silent for a moment, then suddenly remembered something and said:

“Oh right, I have a magical tool here, taken from Xu Ping Feng.”

He reached into his robe, lightly touched the Earth Book fragment, and took out a bracelet adorned with copper pieces, colorful stones, and jade pieces in Southern Frontier style.

The Heavenly Gu Grandmother’s gaze couldn’t leave the bracelet, her eyes showing complex emotions—sorrow, joy, reminiscence.

“Grandmother, please think again.”

Xu Qi’an said.

The Heavenly Gu Grandmother pondered, then changed her words:

“There are solutions, naturally.

“Let this old woman first tell you about the Shanhai Pass battle back then, so you understand why the Gu tribe is so hostile to Great Feng.

“The Buddhist sect mainly dealt with the Southern Demons who wanted to restore their country and the Northern Barbarian Demons. Great Feng dealt with the Shaman God Religion, which had a grudge against the Founding Emperor, and our Gu tribe.

“Among the seven branches, the Corpse Bone branch’s Yi Shi most hates Great Feng, because his father died under Wei Yuan’s Seven Days Killing Formation. Next is the Love Gu branch—back then, Great Feng troops plundered over half the Love Gu branch women, destroyed their cultivation, and put them in various pleasure districts.

“The Poison Gu branch caused heavy casualties to Great Feng troops. Wei Yuan, in anger, personally led thirty thousand cavalry on a thousand-li raid, wiping out the Poison Gu branch warriors, capturing five thousand Poison Gu tribe members, and burying them all.

“Even today, the Poison Gu branch’s population remains the lowest of the seven branches. However, it was precisely because the Poison Gu branch’s clan chief, elders, and elites were almost all killed that Ba Ji could emerge to become a leader.

“He doesn’t harbor much hatred for Great Feng, and the Poison Gu branch relies on the Southern Frontier’s abundant poisonous plants and creatures, having no ambition for Central Plains territory. He barely counts as neutral. But his attitude can’t determine the tribe members’ attitudes.

“The Poison Gu branch still hates Great Feng to this day.

“Heart Gu, Dark Gu, and Li Gu can’t be said to harbor a deep hatred for Great Feng, but certainly have no goodwill.

“As for this old woman’s Heavenly Gu branch, hatred can’t shake Heavenly Gu’s wisdom, but the Gu God has always been an important issue for our branch. Whoever can seal the Gu God can gain our support.”

Lord Wei was too ruthless back then, cutting from East Street to west street without blinking… Xu Qi’an’s brows furrowed tightly.

Such a Gu tribe could never become Great Feng’s ally.

The Heavenly Gu Grandmother smiled:

“What needed saying, I’ve said. How to handle it is up to you.”

After speaking, she beckoned, drawing the bracelet to her, and carefully putting it on her wrist. The yellow-haired monkey then left.

…

Facing Yi Shi’s questioning, the Grand Elder threw away his walking stick, puffed out his chest displaying bulging muscles, and coldly snorted:

“Xu Qi’an is the Li Gu tribe’s friend.”

Yi Shi’s hoarse voice said:

“He’s also the Gu tribe’s enemy. We won’t fight on Li Gu tribe territory. But if you dare interfere, don’t blame me for being impolite.”

The other elders all threw away their walking sticks, puffing out their muscle-developed chests:

“Want to fight? Come on!”

Heart Gu branch’s Chun Yan rolled her eyes, saying irritably:

“Don’t you know these muscle-bound wild monkeys’ personality? Want to play with death by messing with their heads?”

Li Gu tribe members were most susceptible to provocation—once fired up, they wouldn’t recognize even close relatives.

Luan Yu said with a smile:

“Elders, don’t mind him. The Gu tribe branches are connected. We understand if the Li Gu tribe can’t act directly.

“Just watch later. Don’t worry, this slave will leave him alive.”

The six elders’ expressions finally improved as they snorted:

“Troubling Xu Qi’an is your business, but now get off Li Gu tribe territory. As long as he’s still in the Li Gu tribe for one day, we won’t let you act recklessly.”

They still wanted to save Xu Qi’an’s life.

With the Gu tribe leaders all out in force, even without Long Tu’s involvement, this many masters wasn’t something Xu Qi’an could handle.

Though he had killed Jingang, even an Arhat wouldn’t dare come alone to the Gu tribe.

And if Xu Qi’an died here, little Ling Yin would surely harbor resentment in the future.

Heart Gu master Chun Yan’s ears twitched slightly as she listened for a moment, then said softly:

“He’s not in the Li Gu tribe. He left with the Li Gu tribe elders earlier and hasn’t returned.”

She communicated with snakes, insects, rats, and birds around the Li Gu tribe, gathering intelligence from them.

Worth noting, that animals were extremely scarce around the Li Gu tribe.

Snakes, insects, rats, and such mainly survived because they were good at hiding, avoiding being completely wiped out by the Li Gu tribe’s brutes.

“Where did he go!”

Yi Shi asked deeply.

“Don’t know.” Chun Yan shook her head.

Just then, her lively almond eyes suddenly brightened as she turned to look toward the plain’s end:

“He’s back.”

Without hesitation, the Dark Gu leader stirred up a mass of shadow, enveloping the leaders and making them vanish under the tree shade.

The Grand Elder and others’ expressions changed drastically as they gazed into the distance, seeing a young man in cyan robes standing motionless at the plain’s end, seemingly waiting.

“Bad, why did he come back at this time?”

The Grand Elder angrily cursed.