Chapter 99: Gu Maiden (12)

When Xie Xuefeng woke up, he found his arm covered with Buddhist swastika symbols, and a golden needle inserted between his fingers. It felt as if insects were crawling beneath his skin, but the headache had vanished entirely.

Turning his head, Xie Xuefeng saw a monk clad in white robes sitting nearby. The monk’s eyes shone like bright stars, framed by a jade-like complexion and vermilion lips. His expression was gentle and approachable, exuding an otherworldly charm. Upon noticing Xie Xuefeng awake, the monk offered him a subtle smile that instantly lifted Xie Xuefeng’s spirits, dissipating much of his inner restlessness.

“Buddhist Monk Chengming.” With such distinctive presence, how could Xie Xuefeng not recognize this monk? Taking in the situation around him, he hastily expressed his gratitude, “Many thanks to the Buddhist disciple for removing the curse from me.”

Chengming gently shook his head, indicating that there was no need for formalities from Xie Benefactor. With focused attention, he lowered his gaze back onto Xie Benefactor’s arm. As the insects crawled from the forearm towards the hand, Chengming swiftly extracted the gold needle and placed a bowl, already containing a small amount of blood-tinged liquid, beneath Xie Benefactor’s hand.

Xie Xuefeng looked down and saw that the parasitic insect within him seemed eager to leave his body, descending towards the blood-filled bowl. In no time, the gu consumed all the liquid, its body swelling several times larger before…it became completely motionless, as if entering hibernation.

Chengming did not rush to kill the parasite. Instead, he retrieved a bamboo tube, transferred the dormant gu into it, and securely closed the lid.

Xie Xuefeng recalled how Buddhist Monk Chengming had previously dealt with poison gu incidents. Slave gu differed from ordinary toxic gu; their purpose was not merely to cause death but required control by a master to achieve intended effects. Consequently, there were two types: child gu and mother gu.

The child gu served as the slave, while the mother gu acted as the master. Buddhist Monk Chengming could trace the mother gu through the child gu, ultimately identifying the person who cast the spell. This method had once led to the capture of certain gu-using members from the demon cult, whom Chengming subsequently confined at Fanjing Temple.

It was rumored that after prolonged rehabilitation, ensuring they posed no further threat to the jianghu, the Buddhist disciple would eventually release these captives…

With his deep-seated hatred for Xiling, Xie Xuefeng had no intention of letting her off easily. He spoke up, “Buddhist Monk, if you go searching for this person, please take me along.

“The one who poisoned me with gu is a demoness from the cult. All their poison gu are crafted by that vile woman, known for her cunning deceit and despicable schemes. I fear, Buddhist Monk, you may not be able to handle her alone.”

Still, Chengming shook his head. Rising to his feet, he pressed his palms together respectfully and bid farewell to these two benefactors of the Xie family.

Seeing Chengming’s refusal, Xie Xuefeng anxiously pleaded, “Monk, that demoness ruined my marriage; I…”

Xie Changyue gently patted his son’s shoulder. “Buddhist Monk Chengming practices the vow of silence,” he explained. “His shake means ‘no,’ there’s no need to persist.” Turning to Chengming, Xie Changyue bowed gratefully once more. “Buddhist Monk, your assistance with Xuefeng’s predicament has been invaluable. Should you ever require anything, know that the Xies will not hesitate to help!”

Chengming nodded in acknowledgment. While such gratitude was unnecessary, he understood it would reassure Xie Benefactor. After offering another respectful bow to both father and son, Chengming departed the Xie residence.

Indeed, he intended to seek out that poisoner, hoping she would promptly desist and spare further harm to the jianghu.

Once Buddhist Monk Chengming departed, Xie Changyue remarked, “The monk’s martial prowess is profound; with his intervention, capturing that demon cult seductress should be assured. You can rest easy.”

“No, the Buddhist disciple embodies purity and integrity, his intentions untainted,” Xie Xuefeng said bitterly. “He won’t kill the seductress, and we cannot let her live!”

Xie Changyue fully understood his son’s feelings. The enmity between their Xie and Meng families, along with the public humiliation endured by his son, all stemmed from that demon cult seductress!

“Once the monk captures her, it’s just a matter of waiting,” Xie Changyue consoled him. “We will undoubtedly find an opportunity to eliminate this remnant of the demon cult.”

“I can’t wait.” Whenever Xie Xuefeng imagined Xiling possibly enjoying herself with another man, his insides churned with pain anew. “I must kill her with my own hands!” With these words, he made to rise and search for her immediately.

“Your wounds haven’t healed yet. Focus on recovering first, there’s no rush,” Xie Changyue restrained Xie Xuefeng, adding, “Besides, if you couldn’t detect being poisoned before, confronting her remains too risky.”

Xie Xuefeng fell silent, begrudgingly acknowledging the truth in his father’s words.

Xie Xuefeng had to admit his father was right. Without knowledge of handling poisons and venomous insects, confronting someone who harbored countless such threats would likely result in falling under her control again…

Although he couldn’t confront Xiling openly, it didn’t mean Xie Xuefeng was powerless against her.

“I will expose the demon cult enchantress’s true nature to the public.” Xie Xuefeng turned towards Xie Changyue. “Father, please notify all major sects that remnants of the demon cult still exist; everyone must remain vigilant.”

Understanding the limits of acting alone, Xie Xuefeng aimed to harness the strength of the entire jianghu against this individual. And as for the man with Xiling… Xuefeng swore he wouldn’t let him escape either!

However, given the man’s exceptional disguise skills, finding him wouldn’t be easy…

As Xuefeng pondered further, something felt increasingly off. How could that man mimic Meng Qing so convincingly that even her parents noticed no discrepancy? If he managed to deceive the Meng family by assuming Meng Qing’s identity, then where was the real Miss Meng?

With his reputation tarnished, restoring it required bringing forth the genuine Miss Meng. Wouldn’t revealing her presence clarify everything?

“Father, is Miss Meng still at the Meng residence?” Xie Xuefeng needed to swiftly dispel the rumors of his incompetence. “I was under the control of a poison-induced enchantment; I never intended to disgrace Miss Meng. The Xie and Meng families must clarify this matter.”

Xie Changyue had been preoccupied with finding a cure for the enchantment and hadn’t yet had the chance to explain things to the Meng family. Moreover, given their attitude…it was uncertain whether they would even agree to meet them.

“Miss Meng is indeed there. After you left our estate, Meng Qing returned home.” Xie Changyue sighed deeply. “I’ll prepare a substantial gift and visit the Meng residence immediately…”

“I’m coming too,” Xie Xuefeng insisted, disregarding his injuries despite Xie Changyue’s attempts to dissuade him. “This cannot be delayed; I will personally apologize.”

Reluctantly, Xie Changyue helped his son up, and together they headed towards the Meng residence.

Throughout the journey, Xie Xuefeng felt the flickering gazes of people around him, sensing mockery hidden within their looks. Never before had he endured such scrutiny, and his anger simmered uncontrollably as waves of humiliation and pain washed over him anew.

Upon reaching the gates of the Meng Estate, they found them tightly shut, signaling an unwelcome stance.

Xie Changyue and Xie Xuefeng waited outside for an entire day, enduring countless onlookers, before finally securing a chance to meet with someone from the Meng family.

The Meng family servant escorting them inside sneered, “It’s all thanks to our kind-hearted young lady that she agreed to see you at all. Standing here like this has been quite disruptive…”

Xie Changyue, having traversed the jianghu for many years, had encountered every manner of person; such an attitude was hardly noteworthy to him. Moreover, the servant’s tone clearly reflected his indignation on behalf of Miss Meng. Xie Changyue bowed respectfully with a smile and said, “Our apologies for the disturbance.”

However, Xie Xuefeng could not tolerate such disrespect. Born as the darling of the heavens, he was the son of the Alliance Chief, blessed with exceptional talent and striking looks. Everywhere he went, he received praise and admiration. He had even played a crucial role in the eradication of the demon cult from the jianghu. How dare some insignificant servant look down upon Xuezhu-gongzi!

Yet Xie Xuefeng had no choice but to endure it. Suppressing his discontent, he focused ahead and stepped through the gate.

As they entered the hall, Xie Xuefeng’s keen hearing still picked up whispers behind them.

“Tch, what a pretender! A silver-tipped spear like him trying to marry our young lady—what audacity!”

Xie Xuefeng trembled uncontrollably, his sword nearly leaping from its scabbard within his sleeve.

“Hold steady, stay composed!” Xie Changyue hastily urged.

Xie Xuefeng knew he couldn’t resort to violence within the Meng residence; doing so would irreparably damage relations between their families. He had no choice but to endure it.

“Ah, Alliance Leader Xie and… Xuezhu-gongzi,” Father Meng greeted them from his seat at the front of the hall. His expression instantly turned frosty upon seeing Xie Xuefeng. “What wind brings you ‘back’ here?”

Father Meng deeply regretted choosing this son-in-law, never expecting him to cause such immense harm to his daughter. Had they known, they would have preferred leaving Meng Qing unmarried rather than subjecting her to a lifetime of worry and distress!

Mother Meng’s eyes were red from crying ever since learning about her daughter’s ordeal. Upon spotting the visitors, she indignantly exclaimed, “How dare you show your faces at the Meng estate!”

In haste, Xie Changyue recounted how his son was poisoned by a demonic enchantress, emphatically asserting that it was a malicious trap with no intention to deceive the Meng family.

“I am perfectly normal.” Uttering these words filled Xie Xuefeng with humiliation—having to justify himself over such matters seemed utterly absurd and laughable! “My marriage to Miss Meng…it wasn’t due to any inability on my part, but rather because I fell victim to a sorceress’s scheme,” Xie Xuefeng explained, looking towards Father and Mother Meng. “May I request a moment alone with Miss Meng? I wish to express my sincere apologies to her.”

Xie Xuefeng wanted to ascertain if Miss Meng was indeed the man who had impersonated her. If so… it meant the Meng family had been deceived as well, providing an opportunity to mend their relationship. He could then have the Mengs publicly clarify his innocence.

Instead of revealing the deception at the wedding, he planned to claim that Miss Meng Qing was abducted by a demoness within the bridal chamber. Both families would be seen as victims of this demoness’s trickery, allowing them to join forces in pursuing her and rescuing Miss Meng.

Just as Mother Meng was about to reject Xie Xuefeng, Meng Qing emerged from the inner room.

After swapping back identities with her second brother, news of Xie Xuefeng’s predicament had already spread throughout the Meng household. Meng Qing wasn’t sure how her brother managed this feat, but there was no doubt that her marriage to Xie Xuefeng was now nullified. Furthermore, she could use this incident as justification to never marry another man, which greatly pleased her.

Although slightly remorseful towards Xuezhu-gongzi, Meng Qing firmly believed that marriages without affection were painful. Rather than subject both their futures to misery, it was better to end things now…

Thus, Meng Qing came to see Xie Xuefeng one last time, intending to bring closure to their relationship.

As soon as Meng Qing appeared, Xie Xuefeng’s brows unconsciously furrowed. His previous admiration for her beauty had vanished completely; now, even the sight of her face made his stomach ache. Memories of what transpired in the bridal chamber last night resurfaced, and with a grim expression, he found it impossible to treat this “Miss Meng” with any semblance of normalcy.

Xie Xuefeng’s change could not go unnoticed by those present.

Father Meng rebuked him, “Xie Xuefeng, do you harbor some dissatisfaction towards our Qing-er?”

Xie Xuefeng lowered his head. “No, it’s just that I was injured by a demon cult enchantress, feeling quite unwell…”

Meng Qing strode directly up to Xie Xuefeng and cooed, “Xuefeng~”

Her second brother had informed her that Xie Xuefeng couldn’t withstand such a voice; upon hearing it, he would surely…

“Eugh—” Xie Xuefeng felt his stomach churn violently. Forget touching Meng Qing, merely being close to her triggered an overwhelming urge to flee.

Father Meng, Mother Meng, and Xie Changyue were left speechless.

Xie Changyue regretted bringing Xie Xuefeng along. This—this wasn’t just failing to resolve their animosity; it was openly deepening the enmity right before the Meng family’s eyes!

“It’s you!” Suppressing his overwhelming disgust with sheer willpower, Xie Xuefeng grabbed Meng Qing’s wrist and snarled, “You dare to impersonate Miss Meng?!”

Meng Qing cried out in pain, “Xie Xuefeng, what are you doing?!”

As soon as Xie Xuefeng made a move, Father Meng sprang forward from across the hall, landing swiftly like a hawk beside him. With fierce agility, he unleashed a direct strike toward Xie Xuefeng.

Father Meng’s martial prowess was among the top ranks even within the jianghu. The force of his blow shook Xie Xuefeng, causing him to immediately cough up blood.

“You insolent boy,” Father Meng roared angrily, “not content with ruining the marriage, now you attempt violence against Qing-er! Do you think our Meng family lacks defenders?!”

Already injured, Xie Xuefeng had endured a night suspended from the bedpost, leaving both his body and mind severely distressed. Father Meng’s punch left Xie Xuefeng unable to straighten his back, doubled over in agony. As he spat out blood, he pleaded, “My esteemed father-in-law, you’ve misunderstood me. It’s that demoness’s accomplice at work—the ‘Miss Meng’ here is not Meng Qing; this person is actually a man!”

Meng Qing clutched her wrist and tearfully threw herself into her mother’s arms, sobbing, “Xuefeng has been like this since last night. He keeps saying I’m a man and feels nauseous at the mere touch of me. Even if he wasn’t poisoned, there must be something seriously wrong with him!”

Mother Meng had always possessed a fiery temper, and upon hearing this, she could no longer contain her fury. She whipped out a leather belt from her waist, gently patted her daughter’s back, and declared, “Mother will set things right for you!”

Seeing Father and Mother Meng poised to unleash a mixed double assault on Xie Xuefeng, even Xie Changyue couldn’t remain idle any longer. If he continued to stand by, his son might not survive. Hurrying to intervene, he pleaded, “Xuefeng was bewitched; his mind isn’t clear. Dear relatives, please don’t stoop to his level.”

“Get lost! Who’s your relative!” With her whip raised, Mother Meng showed no hesitation, ready to lash out regardless of who stood in her way. “Xie Changyue, since you dared to cause trouble here at the Meng residence, don’t blame me for being inhospitable!”

Witnessing this spectacle, Meng Lianzhou, disguised as a servant, doubled over in laughter, clutching his stomach.

Xie Xuefeng truly never learned his lesson—suffering consequences yet still seeking confrontation. Why did he insist on coming here? Once the commotion had reached its peak, Meng Lianzhou turned to leave the Meng residence. He still needed to find his “husband” and recount this amusing incident…

Upon returning to their four-sided courtyard residence, Tong Ling instructed Sanar, “Take the silver and banknotes given by the little gongzi with us. Hide anything else you can’t carry within this yard; we need to prepare to leave.”

“Leave? Where are we going?” Sanar showed no reluctance; as long as he could stay with the priestess, he would follow her anywhere.

“To find a secluded place to settle down,” Tong Ling replied. “Xie Xuefeng will soon expose my identity, and some idle wanderers of the jianghu might come after me.”

At the mention of people targeting the priestess, Sanar’s hand instantly gripped his sword hilt. “I’ll protect you!”

“On the contrary, I hope interesting characters do show up.” Tong Ling’s lips curved upwards, her voice carrying a hint of amusement. “Whether they can catch me or not depends entirely on their abilities.”

[So quickly shifting to the phase where the female supporting character is fleeing for her life?] m577 was surprised. [Weren’t you planning to first stir chaos in the jianghu using poison and gu techniques, transforming into a demonic villainess before having to escape?]

Tong Ling explained, “Xie Xuefeng is utterly infuriated with me. Even without causing significant harm yet, he’ll go to great lengths to besiege and pursue me relentlessly.”

“To deal with me, he’ll spread propaganda labeling me as a demoness from the cult and blame all the poisonous gu incidents in the jianghu on my head,” Tong Ling explained, unperturbed. “Of course, those gu were indeed concocted by the female supporting character, so it’s not entirely baseless.”

“He will mold me into an unparalleled villainess,” Tong Ling said cheerfully, showing no signs of concern. “With him actively promoting me as such, why should I bother doing anything myself?”

Recalling Xie Xuefeng’s past actions, m577 had no doubt that he would indeed carry out these schemes.

“The more he hates me, the less likely he is to let me go,” Tong Ling remarked casually. “And if I simply wander around the jianghu, people will come seeking me on their own. Isn’t that effortless?”

[…]

M577 knew all too well what fate awaited those who approached her willingly; if Xie Xuefeng truly followed through with his plans, he would be unwittingly delivering prey straight to its host.

Once Sanar finished packing their luggage, Tong Ling climbed into the carriage and asked, “Sanar, how’s your sword training progressing?”

“It’s satisfactory,” Sanar replied nonchalantly as he chose a random direction and drove the carriage away with the priestess.

“After we settle into our new residence, it will be time for you to challenge Xie Xuefeng.” Tong Ling leaned close to Sanar, gently stroking the youth’s snow-white hair. “Remember what I’ve told you—give him plenty of cuts.”

Sanar’s ears turned bright red, and in a low voice, he responded, “Yes.”

For most of the day, Chengming tracked the mother gu, observing that its location kept changing constantly. He pursued from the eastern part of the city all the way to the west until finally pinpointing its approximate position, at which point he stopped.

Chengming lifted the lid of the bamboo tube and poured out the gu insect inside.

The gu had significantly shrunk, indicating it rapidly digested his blood. This particular gu was far greedier than any he’d encountered before; even his blood couldn’t fully satisfy it, risking loss of connection if not closely monitored.

With a light cut on his fingertip, Chengming fed a few more drops of his blood to the gu. Only then did the creature stop feigning death and swiftly scuttle across the ground.

Chengming followed the slave gu as it moved steadily forward. The direction of its crawl grew increasingly erratic, and after traversing a considerable distance, this slave gu finally seemed to locate its master. With unprecedented speed, it darted towards a residential compound.

Without hesitation, Chengming lightly pushed off from the ground, floating like a wisp of smoke to the entrance of the estate. Upon entering, his brow furrowed, and with a surge of protective true qi around him, several nearly invisible gu insects fell into his palm.

Simultaneously, a woman’s delicate voice carried across the courtyard, filled with charming reproach: “An uninvited guest who not only trespasses but also harms the host’s beloved pets—isn’t that rather presumptuous?”

Chengming paused, considering his actions. He stepped back two paces, gently knocking on the gate twice before waiting outside with hands respectfully lowered.

The woman inside chuckled softly, “So you do understand etiquette. Come in.”

Chengming re-entered the courtyard, still holding those captured gu insects. As he spotted the purple-clad woman standing beneath a tree, Chengming hastily lowered his gaze and bowed with one hand.

“A monk?” At the sight of him, the woman’s laughter became even more lilting. “What brings a monk to seek out a lone, fragile maiden like myself?”