“Shadow” carried the three division leaders back to Grandmother Sky Gu’s side using shadow jumping. Unlike usual, he didn’t hide in the shadows, but said with a pale face:

“Grandmother, we lost.”

His tone carried unwillingness and bewilderment.

Even now, he couldn’t accept the fact of their defeat.

With their five-person strength, they could easily kill any Third Grade expert from any system. Even though warriors were tough-skinned, it would just take longer.

And with seven division leaders combined, even Second Grade warriors would fall.

Yet the reality was they had been easily defeated by a young Third Grade warrior—truly easily defeated, because that young man hadn’t suffered any serious injuries.

The wounds they’d inflicted on the young man would heal quickly for a Chaofan warrior.

“How should we respond?”

Shadow spoke while looking toward Long Tu in the distance.

Long Tu had stayed neutral due to his relationship with the opponent. Now, to calm Xu Qi’an’s rage and prevent him from pursuing total annihilation, they could only rely on the Force Gu Division.

Grandmother Sky Gu didn’t answer him. She walked to Ba Ji’s side and took out several bamboo tubes from his cloth bag. Removing the wooden stoppers, she fed the purple poison pills inside to Ba Ji.

Ba Ji greedily swallowed the poison pills. Gradually, his face turned deep purple, his whole body like a purple sweet potato.

Then, a miraculous scene occurred—at the wounds where Xu Qi’an had torn off his arms and legs, purple flesh began to writhe and grow. Soon, his hands and feet were restored to their original state.

But Ba Ji’s skin remained deep purple.

Poison Gu masters who had cultivated poison bodies possessed something similar to warriors’ immortal bodies, though fundamentally different.

Repairing broken bodies required large amounts of poison. Afterward, the poison body’s toxicity would become singular—whatever poison was used for repair, the poison body would become that type of poison.

For Poison Gu masters, this was equivalent to a major drop in strength, requiring a long time to absorb other poisons to recover.

“Extract the poison from Luan Yu’s body.”

Grandmother Sky Gu said.

Ba Ji nodded, even eager to do so—he urgently needed to replenish his poison.

Walking to the beautiful and charming Luan Yu, Ba Ji took a deep breath. Instantly, streams of blue-black poison smoke floated out from Luan Yu’s mouth and nose, absorbed by Ba Ji.

Ba Ji’s eyes brightened as he exclaimed in surprise:

“Such pure corpse poison, purer than all the corpse poisons in the Corpse Gu Division combined.”

Luan Yu awoke with a soft moan, her face pale. Her ribs, arm bones, and sternum had over ten fractures. Though she was a Chaofan realm expert with transformed vitality, she certainly couldn’t recover as quickly as Force Gu users and warriors.

Her first reaction was to endure the pain and look toward that young man in the distance, her eyes full of both wariness and fear.

Grandmother Sky Gu continued:

“Luan Yu, remove the Charm Gu from Chun Yan’s body.”

Luan Yu nodded, withdrawing her gaze. Pursing her lips, she endured the pain to stand and approached the Heart Gu master whose cheeks were flushed and who occasionally mumbled incoherently.

So when you’re aroused, you’re no nobler than other women… Luan Yu spat softly, placing her palm against Chun Yan’s chest. After a few seconds, the passion-addled Heart Gu master gradually calmed down and opened her eyes.

She immediately frowned, feeling the pain of broken bones.

However, Chaofan was still Chaofan—even though she didn’t specialize in physical combat, these injuries weren’t a major problem.

Chun Yan’s reaction mirrored Luan Yu’s exactly. She suddenly straightened her back, scanning her surroundings before her gaze landed on that Vajra divine body in the distance.

“Who exactly is he? How does he master so many Gu techniques?”

Chun Yan bit her lip, her gaze confused.

She voiced the puzzlement of all the division leaders. This battle had been extremely frustrating—their proudest techniques had failed to be effective against this young man.

Because he was similarly a Poison Gu master, Heart Gu master, Hidden Gu master, Force Gu master, and Charm Gu master. Currently, only Sky Gu and Corpse Gu seemed to be techniques he hadn’t learned.

In Gu Clan history, no one had ever been able to contain so many Gu insects. Dual Gu was already the limit—anyone who tried to master three or even four Gu techniques invariably ended with physical collapse.

At this moment, they saw Xu Qi’an crouch beside the Third Grade corpse and summon a dark golden pagoda.

At the pagoda’s top, a phantom dharma body materialized—plump in build with kind eyes and brows, holding a jade bottle.

Golden fragments of light floated from the bottle’s mouth like spring rain, sprinkling onto the corpse.

The corpse’s broken head visibly recovered at a rapid pace.

Then, this Third Grade corpse stood up and respectfully gave Xu Qi’an a military salute, shouting:

“Greetings, Sir Xu!”

Having enjoyed playing the superior officer, Xu Qi’an nodded with satisfaction.

Corpses came in two types. One was purely puppet-like, possessing only physical strength.

The other was made from those recently killed in battle, retaining some of their lifetime skills and techniques.

When he had punched through the corpse’s head, if it had been the second type, the remaining soul inside would have dissipated, losing the partial skills and techniques from life.

But this Third Grade corpse was already the type with its soul completely dissipated, retaining no lifetime abilities.

Therefore, when the physician Dharma’s body repaired the corpse, there was almost no loss.

Luan Yu, Chun Yan, Long Tu, and the others stared at this scene, their emotions churning.

“He even knows Corpse Gu techniques…”

Chun Yan mumbled.

The two small snakes on her earlobes made angry “hissing” sounds, trying hard to extend their bodies as if wanting to leave their master and deal with that hateful enemy.

Cold sweat suddenly poured down the division leaders’ backs as they faced this great enemy, inevitably feeling dejected and despairing.

“Besides the Gu God, no one can master so many Gu techniques.”

The purple-bodied Ba Ji said in a low voice.

Gu God… Luan Yu and the others looked at each other, feeling an inexplicable horror.

At this moment, Luan Yu saw that “mysteriously-identified” young man slowly turn his head, grinning fiercely at their group as he walked over.

“Hiss hiss!”

The two small snakes on Chun Yan’s earlobes immediately suppressed their ferocity, curling up trembling.

“Long Tu!”

Luan Yu cried out: “Are you still going to stand idle?”

“Shadow” and Ba Ji, the two division leaders in relatively good condition, stood in front of the women, facing a formidable enemy.

Long Tu remained silent for a moment before walking toward his clansmen.

“Tui tui tui…”

Xu Ling Yin on his shoulder spat vigorously at Ba Ji and the others.

Grandmother Sky Gu, leaning on her cane, circled past everyone’s side to meet Xu Qi’an.

“Grandmother?”

Shadow’s expression changed.

Sky Gu, like Heart Gu, wasn’t known for combat power, its abilities focused on other areas.

Grandmother Sky Gu would likely be instantly killed before such a warrior, with no chance of rescue.

“It’s fine!”

Grandmother Sky Gu smiled, walking straight toward Xu Qi’an. What happened next made Luan Yu and others doubt their eyes and ears.

“Grandmother, did I do well?”

Xu Qi’an bowed with cupped hands, asking with a smile.

“You showed reasonable restraint.”

Grandmother Sky Gu nodded, saying: “Go talk with them now, you know what to do, right?”

Xu Qi’an nodded, passing by Grandmother Sky Gu to approach the division leaders. He first nodded in greeting to Long Tu, then swept his gaze over the bewildered and wary division leaders, smiling:

“If I wanted to kill you now, do you think Long Tu alone could stop me?”

Long Tu from the Force Gu Division raised his eyebrows, his face full of unwillingness and eagerness to try.

Luan Yu, Chun Yan, Ba Ji, and Shadow remained silent.

What was the use of discussing this now? They were still unwilling to accept it, but their current condition wouldn’t allow them to join Long Tu in an encirclement attack. Being stubborn now would bring no benefit. The wise adapt to circumstances, so they maintain their silence.

“Don’t be unwilling to accept it. I haven’t even used my ‘Intent’ yet, nor my treasures and supreme divine weapons. Even if all seven division leaders of your Gu Clan joined forces, what could you do to me?”

Xu Qi’an extended his palm, holding the Futu Pagoda, and smiled:

“The Buddhist Master Faji Bodhisattva’s Futu Pagoda—you may not have seen it, but surely you’ve heard of it.”

Chun Yan and the others’ expressions changed, their remaining unwillingness dissipating like smoke.

“So, you all owe me your lives.”

Xu Qi’an said: “I’m not one to repay enmity with virtue. You tried to kill me, so don’t blame me for killing in return. Sparing your lives is a favor that must be repaid.”

“Who exactly are you?”

“What do you want?”

Luan Yu and Chun Yan spoke simultaneously, wariness not diminishing in their eyes, but hearing that Xu Qi’an had other purposes and seeing room for negotiation, they lost the courage to fight to the death.

Shadow and Ba Ji didn’t speak, though they shared the same confusion.

“You know my identity very well, or you wouldn’t have tried to kill me. What you want to ask about is the Gu techniques, right?”

Xu Qi’an spoke while glancing at Grandmother Sky Gu. Seeing she didn’t object, he continued:

“My Gu techniques come from the Seven Fatal Gu.”

Seven Fatal Gu… Chun Yan and the other three looked at each other, expressions bewildered, clearly never having heard this name before.

Long Tu and the six elders from the Force Gu Division shared the same confusion.

“Let this old woman explain.”

Grandmother Sky Gu spoke slowly:

“The Seven Fatal Gu was the old man’s life’s work. It combined the Gu Clan’s seven types of Gu techniques, using Sky Gu as the foundation to contain the other six types. After decades of refinement, a single larva survived.

“The Seven Fatal Gu was the old man’s backup plan for sealing the Gu God. Whoever receives the Seven Fatal Gu must accept this karmic responsibility to help the Gu Clan seal the Gu God. I cannot reveal more details.”

Revealing heaven’s secrets would invite divine punishment—both mystics and Sky Gu practitioners must obey these rules.

Everyone remained silent for a long while, struggling to digest Grandmother Sky Gu’s words.

Creating the Seven Fatal Gu was, for the Gu Clan, an act that broke their rules.

It would disrupt the Gu Clan’s current structure, but the matter of sealing the Gu God made the division leaders reluctantly accept.

“Rest assured, the Seven Fatal Gu is unique—there won’t be a second one. Moreover, this Gu cannot be contained by ordinary people. In all Nine Provinces today, perhaps only he could do it,” Grandmother Sky Gu consoled.

So the talk of a “destined person” was just an excuse. She gave the Seven Fatal Gu to Li Na, but it was meant for me… Xu Qi’an suspected Grandmother Sky Gu had glimpsed certain future events.

Or perhaps that old Sky Gu master had seen certain future events, leading to this arrangement.

Regrettably, he knew his questions wouldn’t be answered—heaven’s secrets couldn’t be revealed.

“So, back then, while the Sky Gu elder was plotting with the Overseer’s senior disciple about the national fortune, he was also implanting the Seven Fatal Gu into his body, nurturing him in secret. If the Overseer’s senior disciple failed, we would still have someone to help seal the Gu God.”

Heart Gu master Chun Yan spoke thoughtfully.

Her words brought sudden understanding to everyone present, feeling this must be the truth.

“No wonder he could become Da Feng’s First Warrior, no wonder he possesses such high combat power, with seven major Gu techniques approaching Chaofan realm—it turns out he’s been cultivating our Gu Clan’s secret techniques since childhood.”

Long Tu nodded. This differed from his earlier guess but was more acceptable and logical.

Being so young yet mastering seven types of Gu techniques and approaching the Chaofan realm—no matter how capable Wei Yuan was, it would be unacceptable.

But if he had been “nurtured” by the old Sky Gu master, cultivating Gu techniques since childhood, it made perfect sense.

Grandmother Sky Gu shook her head: “I had Li Na take the Seven Fatal Gu to the capital.”

The scene suddenly fell silent.

The division leaders couldn’t help looking at Li Na, their expressions stiff, bewildered, shocked…

Li Na nodded: “Yes, Grandmother had me take it to the capital to find the destined person.”

This year’s matter… Chun Yan and the other leaders found it hard to accept.

They began to question who truly represented the Gu Clan’s orthodox tradition.

Long Tu stared silently at his daughter, asking word by word:

“Why didn’t you tell us?”

Li Na replied matter-of-factly: “I forgot.”

Seeing Long Tu grab the wooden stick from the little girl on his shoulder, Grandmother Sky Gu hurriedly continued:

“As for sealing the Gu God, he represents one possibility, and the Overseer’s senior disciple’s promise represents another. We can choose to cooperate with either the Overseer’s senior disciple or Xu Qi’an.”

Between these two possibilities, if the Gu Clan leaders were to choose, they would choose cooperation with Xu Pingfeng.

They could both seal the Gu God and have their revenge.

That was exactly what they had chosen.

Shadow smiled bitterly: “Grandmother, you knew all along. Why didn’t you tell us before, why didn’t you stop us?”

Had they known Xu Qi’an mastered Gu techniques and was immune to Charm Gu, Poison Gu, and Heart Gu, understanding their techniques thoroughly, they would never have come to die.

Grandmother Sky Gu shook her head:

“You complain about me not telling you beforehand only because you’ve been beaten afraid. If I had told you earlier, you would have taken another approach, such as using this young one as a hostage.

“Wasn’t it good to fight? It beat out your killing intent and anger, making it possible to sit down and talk.”

Everyone was speechless.

This is called using force before diplomacy—first beating down your sharp edge, then offering benefits to discuss cooperation… Seeing the groundwork had been adequately laid, Xu Qi’an continued:

“I spared your lives because I hope you’ll reconsider cooperating with Da Feng?”

“Impossible!”

“The clan members won’t agree, and neither will I.”

Ba Ji said “impossible,” while the latter came from Luan Yu.

Except for the Corpse Gu Division, the Poison Gu and Charm Gu Divisions’ members held a deep hatred for Da Feng.

“First listen to my conditions.”

Xu Qi’an smiled: “First, I won’t help your Gu Clan seal the Gu God. Though I don’t know how to seal It, you should believe in the old Sky Gu master.”

Luan Yu said coldly: “This is the karma you should bear for containing the Seven Fatal Gu.”

Xu Qi’an glanced at her: “The fact that you’re still alive is my bargaining chip.”

Luan Yu fell silent.

Ba Ji said flatly: “We can refuse to ally with Yun Province and not attack Da Feng. This is the most we can do.”

Ignoring him, Xu Qi’an looked at Long Tu:

“I can promise on behalf of Da Feng that after suppressing the rebellion and restoring cultivation, we’ll provide enough grain to feed the Force Gu Division for the next ten years.”

Long Tu and the six elders’ eyes brightened with excitement.

He then looked at Ba Ji: “For the Poison Gu Division, a certain amount of premium poisonous herbs and fruits each year. We can discuss the specific quantities later.”

Ba Ji opened his mouth, wanting to refuse, but his mouth wouldn’t allow it.

Then, he turned to Luan Yu, paused, and asked:

“What do you want?”

Among the Gu Clan’s seven divisions, the Charm Gu, Poison Gu, and Corpse Gu Divisions held the deepest hatred for Da Feng.

He had “healed” the corpse beside him as a bargaining chip for negotiations with the Corpse Gu Division, not hoping for them to completely let go of past grievances, but just wanting them not to ally with Yun Province.

But for the Charm Gu Division, Xu Qi’an temporarily had no bargaining chip.

Luan Yu sneered: “Stay in the Southern Border with me for three years. Since you know Charm Gu techniques, you should understand what I mean.”

Xu Qi’an instinctively looked around, seeing the timid Mu Nanchi still shrinking in the distance, not having come over. He sighed in relief, then after examining Luan Yu’s curvaceous figure, nodded:

“Three years is impossible, three months at most.”

…Luan Yu was stunned. She hadn’t expected Da Feng’s First Warrior would agree to such a request, so readily.

For a moment, she didn’t know whether to refuse or accept.

If she accepted, the clan members would certainly object and cause trouble. But to refuse… Luan Yu looked at Xu Qi’an’s strong physique, her mouth seeming blocked, unable to speak words of rejection.

Xu Qi’an then turned to Chun Yan and Shadow, saying:

“I will have Da Feng send envoys as soon as possible to discuss alliance matters with the Gu Clan. You can state what you want.”

His promises so far were just appetizers—getting the Gu Clan to send troops to aid Da Feng couldn’t be so trivial.

Just as when the beast barbarians had sent a delegation to the capital seeking help, the alliance treaty they signed required the beast barbarians to pay vast quantities of livestock, wool, and other resources.

For Da Feng to gain the Gu Clan’s aid, they would certainly need to pay corresponding compensation.

Shadow frowned:

“Yu Shi won’t agree. His hatred for Da Feng runs too deep.”

“If you all agree, what can the Corpse Gu Division do even if they disagree?” Xu Qi’an smiled:

“I don’t need his troops either. I have ways to make him choose neutrality.”

As his words fell, a giant bird came flying from the horizon, circling above the mountain valley.

It was a bird corpse puppet—Yu Shi had arrived.