*Cough* *Cough*
*Tss*
Bai Shou's vision swam as she experienced the most disgusting sense of vertigo. Her cheeks swelled before she coughed blood, which evaporated before hitting the floor. She quickly activated all her healing gu worms, dealing with the poison and injuries from the backlash of a failed refinement.
Eventually, she wiped the sweat off her forehead and brows before exhaling sharply, appearing more disappointed than worn out.
She failed.
Bai Shou was dreadfully aware how challenging it was to compile a gu recipe from the scratch. It was nothing like modifying an already established concept. Still, she believed to have discovered a way to refine something called the Fake Mind Gu, her creation, by reverse refining the gu worms she collected in the auction using the theft path materials.
Alas, it led Bai Shou to a disappointing but, nonetheless, a concise conclusion.
While not a theft path master, Bai Shou had a decent mental catalog of its material and recipes. Furthermore, the Fake Mind Gu was another human path gu worm and had minor involvement from the theft dao.
Still, she couldn't succeed.
'Whoever calls failure the mother of success is one dirty motherfucker.' Bai Shou grunted with a slightly ugly expression. While she failed and now had the grand opportunity to restart her work, she was also out of necessary theft path materials which were exchanged using an equally rare food path gu worm, the Nine Eyes Liquor Worm.
Regaining her composure, she left her humble residence and enjoyed the warm surroundings despite living on Banlu Mountain's peak. All around her was lush vegetation and a stretch of materials hers to farm and sell.
Needless to say, Bai Shou wasn't free enough to tackle with such menial tasks and profits. Fortunately, her reputation was more than enough to convince Ju Lin's parents and few other former neighbors from her earlier residence to work for Bai Shou. She had posted several other missions for more ordinary disciples to find work.
"Ju Lin."
Bai Shou smiled, gently greeting the overworked girl. "Any troubles, dear?"
Bags heavy under her eyes, the once bright and vibrant girl shot Bai Shou an accusatory glare but didn't respond with scathing remarks because for all her childishness, several events forced her to grow swiftly compared to many other inner and elite disciples. The rank 1 gu master understood the value of the opportunity her master offered, and as she was told, all good things came at a cost.
"No." Ju Lin nodded, preserving her energy. She still got breaks from the work, so she could annoy Bai Shou during those moments, she vowed internally.
"Oh?" Bai Shou smirked, embers of amusement in her gaze. "No troubles? I'd imagine a few rank 3 outer disciples must have had something to say about a rank 1 gu master supervising them."
"They did." Ju Lin didn't bother avoiding the matter as Bai Shou sat besides her, overlooking the records in her hands. The girl added briefly. "One of the disciples threatened me, saying he could kill me because I'm still not a sect disciple. All I had to do was pay Brother Han two days' worth of contribution points to break that asshole's legs."
"And?" Bai Shou inhaled deeply, feeling rejuvenated by the earthen scent present everywhere.
"And then I paid Brother Han three days' worth of contribution points to break that asshole's legs two more times at his convenience."
"Hmm. So, you understand the power of wealth. But I have a question, Lin. How long do you think you can use wealth to control Disciple Han until it eventually blinds him?"
Ju Lin paused and looked up, blinking.
"Display of wealth is only trumped by the display of might. Why did you not appoint someone else?"
"Huh?"
Bai Shou smiled, reaching out to rub her head until she let out a pitiful whine.
"I granted you wealth, but it's not something to preserve, flaunt, and lust for. It's a tool. Why did you not spend your wealth and advance your cultivation?"
"Because you asked me to watch over the operations on this mountain." She replied. "Mother and father also helped me with many things and taught me about different ways of management."
"Indeed. You did not waste all that wealth because I would hold you accountable. What are you doing right now?"
Ju Lin looked at the parchments on the table.
"Filing records," she said.
"Could someone else do it for you?"
Ju Lin frowned and nodded.
"But you asked me to take care of things while you were gone."
Bai Shou chuckled. There were some things even Ju Lin's parents couldn't fearlessly teach her because they were raised and nurtured by the sect with utmost loyalty. They were men and women tainted with the reverence for the chain of command. They needed more experience to read between the lines.
"Stop doing whatever it is you're doing and think about my words. Maybe you'll learn something new."
Bai Shou rubbed the girl's head again before leaving the disgruntled girl.
'Huh. So that's why all the ancient masters leave cryptic messages. It's kind of fun to fuck around like this.'
<<<>>>
Jirou Na could barely contain her excitement. All her children would be soon near her. Though callous and steel-hearted, she still loved her sons and wished them the best. Creating distance between them was a surprisingly good method to weed out hidden enemies. Dealing with them kept her family, her sons, their wives, and her grandchildren safe.
Her anticipation, however, came crashing down as Jirou Meng Hou came running with sweat streaming down his face.
"What?" Jirou Na screamed, astonished. "Shu Zhe dared imprison your brothers?!"
She couldn't sit still but her body refused to move. Her maternal instinct screamed for her to act instantly, to rush out and challenge Shu Zhe for hundreds of rounds in combat before severing her head and nominating herself as the next sect leader.
But that was impossible.
Not only had Jirou Na become experienced enough with sect politics but she was also aware the sect leader was not based on combat power alone. They were not in Northern Plains. Moreover, a sect leader was supreme elders' subordinate. Only the mysterious gu immortals wielded the power to appoint the next sect leader.
Jirou Na inhaled deeply, trying to ease her nerves.
"What of my grandchildren?" She questioned after a moment, her voice quivering with fury and frustration.
"Their families are still detained. I had my men look after them and rushed to inform you about their imprisonment," Jirou Meng Hou answered. He was one of the enforcers of the Disciplinary Hall and often used its authority to deal with his opponents. So, he was also aware how much worse the circumstances could plummet into if left unchecked.
Jirou Na gritted her teeth, her fists clenched tightly.
"Why were they caught?"
"Some core members of the hall moved and caught them due to colluding with demonic forces outside the sect. I couldn't stop them, mother. Please punish me." Meng Hou lowered his head.
"You could have done nothing."
Jirou Na exhaled, loosening her fists.
"It seems we underestimated Shu Zhe. She saw right through us from the very beginning."
It also revealed Jirou Na could not use force to confront Shu Zhe. The latter had more resources and years of planning to stump the former. There was also the psychological pressure most gu masters experienced when they found themselves against a wisdom path gu master.
Jirou Na could not help but wonder.
'What else did Shu Zhe plan? What more does she know?'
Her frustrations only grew at the thought of being unable to earn anything outstanding in the most recent auction despite several choices.
"Give me some time, Hou'er. Go. Make sure your brothers aren't treated too harshly. Also send for your eldest brother. There's no reason to hide things when already exposed."
Jirou Meng Hou nodded and left his mother alone.
Sitting down, Jirou Na retrieved a letter gu worm.
It was from her fierce competitor.
'Le Tao and Di Qing wanted to forge an alliance until Shu Zhe was forced down from her seat.'
Calculative flickers lit her eyes as the strength path elder pondered over her option. She was a cunning woman. Otherwise arriving in Central Continent, much less becoming an elder in an ancient sect would have been a fantasy.
'Did Shu Zhe predict this alliance and struck preemptively?' Jirou Na's heart sank. The knowledge about the sect leader's injuries left a sense of ease in everyone because the rumors were very complete.
She inadvertently thought of the so-called traitor.
Those in higher positions possessed a broader view of the surroundings. It was clear to Jirou Na that there was never any traitor. Instead, Shu Zhe's injuries might have made her unfit to lead the sect any further, steering the supreme elders to incite this momentary conflict to choose someone worthy!
'So, all my actions must display wisdom, power, and righteousness.'
Jirou Na worked her jaw. It was never about defeating Shu Zhe but becoming the next sect leader. So, her actions must not reflect poorly on her character. That wasn't to say underhanded schemes did not have a place in this battle. Didn't Shu Zhe already use such a scheme to imprison two of Jirou Na's sons?
Everything was proper if her actions wore a mask of righteousness.
'But I'm not Shu Zhe's opponent in such a battle.'
Jirou Na sighed, painfully aware of her limitations. Just one act from Shu Zhe left a deep impression about the latter's abilities.
'Alone, I'm not her opponent. But Shu Zhe does not have the resources to confront me and Le Tao. Meanwhile, I can take enough precautions against Le Tao before we remove Shu Zhe from her seat.'
'That's to say, Le Tao and Di Qing have the same thoughts.'
'And Shu Zhe can only be removed if she's dead or one of the supreme elders appoint someone else.'
'Killing Shu Zhe inside the sect is impossible unless we discover or forge evidence related to her being a demonic gu master.'
But why would any supreme elder act in half measures?
They decided Shu Zhe was not fit to lead the sect.
They released the information about her injuries.
They revealed her affiliations with Nu Wu.
And to a few, they exposed that inside Shu Zhe's aperture was seeds of demonism in the form of blood path gu worms!
Jirou Na was one of those few.
But none of it could be proved.
And this greatly worried Jirou Na because it displayed another side of the supreme elder's decision.
'They might choose to heal Shu Zhe if we cannot remove her. So, we are only given a chance to change things and must rely on ourselves. It's a test.'
It's how the ancient sects operated.
Brilliance nurtured competence.
'Shu Zhe has no weak links save for her injuries.'
But Jirou Na did not feel any suffocation from the pressure.
She retrieved another letter gu worm from an unknown source. Its appearance had greatly confused her when she received it until she inspected its content.
A weak link.
It said:
Bai Shou is a demon from the Southern Border. He massacred many and is Tie Clan's number one enemy. Bai Shou is a fickle mask worn by Gu Yue Lo Jik.
The letter further contained shocking revelations related to the man named Gu Yue Lo Jik, a gu master blessed with several cores of ancient strength path inheritances and a mind so demonic that left his enemies restless.
And…
'Master-level attainments in flying, strength path, and refinement path.'
That left Jirou Na speechless back then. However, the more she thought about it, the colder the chill she felt rushing down her spine.
'Does Shu Zhe know?' Jirou Na narrowed her eyes. If Bai Shou could be exposed as Lo Jik, then all the blame could be pinned on Shu Zhe regardless of her stance and the truth. It would not matter if she knew or not.
In fact, it would be better if Shu Zhe did not know.
Ignorant preys were easier catches than those wary of their surroundings!
<<<>>>
Xu Hao opened his eyes, his lips twisting into a content smile. His existence outside of the sect became the greatest strength to his schemes.
'Did Feng Jiu Ge truly believe I will give up my benefits for his daughter?' He sneered, recalling the idea he proposed in the meeting. Not only did he become the voice of reason, but he also used the revelations from said reasoning to recruit Shu Ye and scheme against Feng Jiu Ge.
Feng Jin Huang was untouchable within the sect as long as Feng Jiu Ge lived. However, Xu Hao would not let his allies or treasures live peacefully. Bai Qing's eagerness during the earlier meeting, coupled with his methods and divinations, let Xu Hao pinpoint Bai Shou as the couple's target. And the wisdom path gu immortal had a firm belief the couple did not care about the mysterious inheritance in the sect as much as Bai Shou herself.
'Influencing Le Tao and Jirou Na using that letter gu worm took some expertise. Sigh, it's because of the distance between us.'
Xu Hao exhaled softly.
His scheme had already begun, and his methods were not something mortal elders had the ability to unravel. Feng Jiu Ge might be smart, but he did not have complete wisdom path inheritance of Xu Hao's level to counter!
'But to think Heavenly Informant already retrieved such complete data on Gu Yue Lo Jik was a surprise.'
Xu Hao narrowed his eyes, assuming correctly.
'Did he use his immortal killer move?'
The confusing aspect was something else.
'Did the death of one mortal elder warrant the loss of so many gu worms? I hear that the immortal killer move Heavenly Informant consumes several materials and injures the core gu worms. Why did Heavenly Informant go so far for one Bai Shou?'
'And does he already know about his status as an otherworldly demon?'
The one thing Xu Hao was definite of was that the inheritance in their sect had not leaked or it would have already attracted too much attention!
As for Bai Shou and the possibility of her being the one to unravel its mystery?
Xu Hao couldn't help but sneer.
Several factors, including Bai Shou's marriage to Shu Zhe, proved her to be a nuisance than a possible subordinate or ally. If Xu Hao couldn't use Bai Shou, it was best she perished in this wonderful conflict sponsored by Feng Jiu Ge himself!
<<<>>>
Pools of poison, cobwebbed cracks, and a sea of flame consumed the once fertile Spirit Plains as its occupant sect, the Spirit Rhino Sect, faced one of its most dangerous tribulations yet. The once elaborate structure was now brought to ruin.
Pained cries, horrified shouts, and courageous roars echoed throughout the sect's destruction as several gazes suddenly focused on a singular point.
A massive box loomed over the sect, blocking the sect.
It was dark grey in color and released the aura of a rank 5 gu worm. But it was much more than a rank 5 gu worm.
"Haha! We will destroy the Spirit Rhino Sect as the first act after our advancement!"
Those ruthless words sank several disciples' hearts. They gritted their teeth when a defiant voice roared in reply.
"Spirit Rhino Sect is my life's work! My legacy will stand tall for thousands of years after my death. How can you, oh foolish Pig Triplets, ruin it?!"
Sect Leader Lin stood ramrod straight. Determination burned further inside the reflection of the sea of fire in Sect Leader's eyes as he activated his gu worms.
Inside the giant floating box sat three obese men. They all shared the same features. However, one of them was an initial stage rank 5 gu master. The second was an upper stage rank 4 gu master. And the third was an initial stage rank 4 gu master.
"Hehehe! Looting is really the best." The one with the highest cultivation laughed cruelly as he licked his thick lips. "We must destroy another mid-sized sect, Eldest Brother. After all, you and second brother advanced together!"
"Oh, you." The triplet with the lowest cultivation laughed fondly, his voice rough and deep. "As we advance, so does our output from the formation I learned from the inheritance. It's truly an amazing thing—to create a formation around a house gu worm. But it's just a simple method. The inheritance eluded that a true formation path killer move of this nature creates a structure using hundreds and thousands of gu worms!"
The younger brothers smirked as they glanced at each other. Compared to them, their eldest brother had a lower talent. But he was the one who raised the duo, committing vile crimes just for a piece of bread when they were mortals.
Even if the youngest brother had the highest rank, he always listened to his eldest triplet.
"Now, follow my lead. We cannot make any mistake with our killer move or the backlash will be terrifying."
The second brother nodded, as if reliving some terrifying memories.
"Fortunately, the Rank 5 Hidden Box protects us from the elements, allowing us to display our best attacks!"
"Hmm, I will listen to eldest brother."
"Let's kill them!"
They laughed inside the box as it suddenly plummeted.
Sect Leader Lin took off with another defiant roar. However, before his blazing body could slam into the house gu, he tilted and flew away without looking back!
"No!"
"Don't abandon us!"
"Sect Leader Lin!"
"Be strong, warriors!" Sect Leader Lin roared. "I will avenge all of you a thousand folds!"
*Boom*
The massive Rank 5 Hidden Box collided in the middle of the sect, killing hundreds of disciples at once!
*Huff*
'I got out in time.'
A young boy, his face covered with ash and the rest of his body drenched with blood, hid behind a rhino's corpse and watched the Pig Triplets destroy its target before commencing the usual plunder.
Of course, Sect Leader Ron, now Yin-Yin, knew about the triplets. They would have never dared barge into his demonic sect!
'My entire body is sore.' Yin-Yin gritted his teeth. He'd been violated and humiliated everyday in the sect's prison. Worse still, acting as a victim of injured soul and shattered mind, Yin-Yin soiled himself every time.
'Wisdom Carriage Master!' He moved stealthily, his heart burning with rage. 'First, you destroyed my sect. Then you go ahead and die to some unknown bitch and your brother is the one who destroyed this body's mind! I hate you all!'
'And that Bai Shou! It's because of her this body… I was humiliated and debased to no end! I will return all these favors!'
A great demonic head survived, escaping into the wilds.
Another group of demonic gu masters experienced a surge in strength.
Soon, the entire continent will welcome a wave of bloodshed.
<<<>>>
'Hah!' A figure dressed in dark robes scaled an unnamed mountain, finally witnessing a distant peak attracting a wave of people, caravans, and business! Despite his conspicuous attire, he was a mortal without any hint of a gu master's aura.
In the distance was a colorful mountain. It was an astonishing sight.
The mysterious man had never truly seen an entire mountain covered with colorful house gu worms, buildings, and more!
'Shang Liang Mountain… Shang Clan. I'm finally here.'
***
Alternate Title: Bai Shou Living Her Best Life Peacefully *Opps: Damn that Bai Shou*; Other Disciples: What's Your Killer Move? *Ju Lin: I'm Rich*; Ju Lin Learns Management; Failure; Failure Mind?; Failure is the Mother of Success— *Bai Shou: SHUT*; Bai Shou Gets Hit With Every Debuff in Existence After Gu Refinement Failure; Wrong Recipe *Other Refinement Path Fanatics: First Time?*; The First Step of Becoming a Master: Become Cryptic as Shit; Jirou Na's Surprise; Shu Zhe's Strike; Caught Children; An Underhanded Attack; Knowing Limitations; The Hidden Forces; Supreme Elders' Test; Mortal Elders: Thinking Supreme Elders are Truly Profound With all the Tests *Le Gu Immortals: Just Pick One Sect Leader. Don't Care, Lol*; Xu Hao's Scheme; Another Gu Immortal After Bai Shou's Ass; Dude Can't Catch a Break; Exposed Completely; The Need to Provide Evidence; Bai Shou's Folly: Not Knowing Shu Ye Hates Shu Zhe *Shu Zhe's Folly: Not Knowing the Fate of Literally Every Single Chick Who Hooked Up With Bai Shou*; Bai 'Fuck and Set a Kill Countdown' Shou; Bai Shou is a Legit Deathnote Aah Threat; Heaven's Will Calmly Adding Another Name on the Fucknote; The Demons; Pig Triplets on the Move; Sect Leader Lin Chill AF; Sect Leader Lin Sheds Tears; THE BRAVE SECT DISCIPLES; Triplets Being Functional Siblings AF; Formation Supremacy; Ron Runs; Yin-Yin's Rage; Yin-Yin Got the Oil Treatment; Hidden Figure in the Shang Clan City; The Trend Shifts in Favor of Demonic Path *Bai Shou, Who Recently Joined the Righteous Path: Fuck*
***
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