Chapter 170

Chapter 170: State Preceptor

“What’s going on?” Li Shuang’s face changed as she hurried to use her spiritual power, supporting the people’s backs so they could lie down slowly.

In just a short moment, everyone had fainted.

On their exposed skin, veins stood out sharply. Bright red blood surged inside them as if it might spray out at any second.

Looking closely, you could even see tiny Gu worms swimming through their blood vessels.

Their life force weakened at a frightening speed.

No one dared waste time. They pressed spiritual power into each person’s heart meridians to protect them.

After a round of busy work, the dozen or so people were still unconscious, but for now their lives were no longer in danger.

Luo Ming Yue asked, her voice tight: “Third Junior Brother, what is this? Do you have any ideas?”

Of all of them, Sui Jin understood the Heavenly Sovereign Society best.

With a grave look, Sui Jin drew out a silver needle and carefully guided a Gu worm out from one person’s vein.

The moment the Gu worm left the blood, it collapsed into a puddle of bloody water.

But right where it had been, another Gu worm appeared out of thin air, even stronger than the first.

Sui Jin said quietly: “It’s Blood Gu. These are all Child Gu. Normally the Child Gu stays hidden, but if the holder of the Mother Gu deliberately stirs them, the Child Gu shows itself.”

“Sealing them with spiritual power is only a stopgap. If we don’t kill the person holding the Mother Gu, these people won’t live more than three days.”

He frowned. It was definitely Blood Gu.

But why? [Why?]

They had already wiped out the entire underground kingdom. By rights, the controller of the Mother Gu should have been that heart or the Three Great Devil Guards, and all of those were dead.

Luo Ming Yue’s face darkened: “So the mastermind is still alive. Not only alive, he’s purposely stirring the Child Gu. That’s a provocation.”

The person in the shadows could have waited until their group parted ways with the rogue cultivators, then triggered the Blood Gu to kill without leaving a trace.

Instead, he did it right in front of them.

That was naked mockery and challenge.

They had thought they destroyed the Heavenly Sovereign Society and won a great victory, but the true mastermind was still hidden.

Li Shuang said calmly: “Since he provoked us openly, his target isn’t these rogue cultivators. His target is us. He will come again.”

Her words had just fallen when a warm voice rang out: “So it’s all you Senior Brother and Senior Sister here. Liu An failed to welcome you!”

A Golden Core Stage cultivator flew toward them. His aura carried traces of Sword Sect techniques.

Liu An landed quickly, a flattering smile on his face: “Greetings, Senior Brother, Senior Sister.”

He looked older than Li Shuang and the others, yet he called them Senior Brother and Senior Sister with practiced ease, waist bent the whole time.

“Liu An,” Luo Ming Yue said as she looked him over, “Master mentioned you. You’re a Sword Sect Outer Disciple, right?”

“Yes, yes,” Liu An replied at once. “My talent is average. Golden Core Stage is the end for me. Since my cultivation can’t move forward, I began to crave the splendor of the Mortal Realm. I asked to leave the sect and became State Preceptor of the Chenrong Kingdom.”

Still smiling, he said eagerly: “You came so far and didn’t send word. If you had, one command from me and the whole city would have come out to welcome you. But it’s not too late. Give me a moment to give the order, and when you enter the city, the crowds will greet you.”

Luo Ming Yue raised a brow and said coolly: “No need. We don’t like pomp.”

Liu An blinked, then nodded quickly: “Yes, yes. You pursue the path to immortality. I’m not like you. I only think about enjoying this life.”

At Golden Core Stage, one’s lifespan is five hundred years.

Many who can’t progress choose to give up further cultivation and enjoy the Mortal Realm instead.

With their strength, they are at the bottom in a major sect, but in the mortal world or among rogues they count as powerful figures.

To live freely for five hundred years is not a wasted life.

Watching Liu An, Li Shuang felt calm.

She had no wish to judge his choice. Cultivation does not always reward effort. Choosing a different road is not necessarily wrong.

But then she looked at him and asked: “Lord State Preceptor, look around here.”

Liu An glanced at the huge collapsed stretch of land, then seemed to remember something. He said hastily: “I sensed fighting near the capital’s outskirts, so I rushed over. It turns out it was you, Senior Brother and Senior Sister. In that case, no amount of noise is too much. Your strength is like sun and moon in the sky, dazzling and—”

He slipped into flattery.

Li Shuang cut him off: “There was a full underground kingdom here, built into a demonic lair. This place is close to the capital. All these years, as State Preceptor, you noticed nothing strange?”

Liu An’s expression changed at once.

Though he came to enjoy the Mortal Realm’s pleasures, he still carried a mission. As a Sword Sect Outer Disciple, he was responsible for watching over the capital.

Yet Li Shuang said there was a demonic lair beneath their feet. That was a serious failure on his part.

Sweat beaded on his forehead. His voice trembled: “These years, I followed the sect’s orders and made regular checks. I never found anything wrong. As for demonic energy, I never sensed any.”

He dropped to his knees in a panic: “Senior Brother, Senior Sister, please spare me. I truly don’t know how this happened.”

Li Shuang and the others traded looks, a little helpless.

This Liu An’s personality was hard to describe.

“Get up first,” Luo Ming Yue said. “Take us to the capital and find a place to settle these people.”

Liu An glanced at the unconscious crowd on the ground and agreed at once.

Luo Ming Yue summoned a flying boat with a flick of her hand. Liu An bowed and scraped: “Senior Sister’s flying boat is too fine. A lowly person like me—”

“Enough nonsense,” Luo Ming Yue said, impatient. “Get on.”

Only then did Liu An huddle in a corner, not daring to move a step.

The flying boat was fast.

In less than an hour, they reached the Chenrong Kingdom’s capital, Luoguo.

Under Liu An’s lead, the flying boat went straight into the imperial city and set down before an ornate building with carved beams and painted eaves.

Liu An said carefully: “This is the Hall of the National Preceptor. If you don’t mind, please stay here for now. If anything displeases you, I’ll have it fixed at once.”