The Inescapable Gu-Worm: A Debt of Sentiment

With eyes wide, brimming with bewilderment and confusion, Lin Xingjian respectfully inquired of Yao Guang.

“Master, why do I feel Gu-worms stirring within my abdomen?”

Yao Guang sat serenely upon her meditation cushion. The warm tea cup in her hand paused for a fraction of a second, and a flicker of disappointment crossed her placid, water-like countenance, as if she were frustrated that her disciple wasn’t living up to his potential. She almost rolled her eyes at him.

“You ask your Master?”

“How would I know? Am I to crawl into your belly and transform into a Gu-worm myself?”

“Calm your mind and carefully recall precisely when you might have ingested this creature.”

“Uh, this…”

Lin Xingjian was instantly speechless, his hand subconsciously rising to scratch his head as he desperately attempted to unearth any clue regarding the Gu-worm’s origin from the depths of his memory. Outside, the wind grew increasingly frantic, wailing and howling, causing the delicate bamboo curtain in front of the residence to rustle and sway.

“Think back very carefully; the Gu-worm’s physical form is not yet enormous, so it likely entered your abdomen no more than half a year ago.”

Yao Guang’s brows were knitted tightly as she spoke slowly. She understood clearly that her knowledge of the Gu Sect was merely the tip of the iceberg. Her deduction was based solely on her limited understanding.

The path of Gu was a treacherous and mysterious one, with Gu-worm types so diverse and bizarre that there were easily hundreds, if not thousands, of varieties. Some Gu-worms were exceptionally peculiar, capable of lying dormant within a human body for as long as six months or even a full year, only to slowly hatch at some unsuspecting moment. Other Gu-worms were fiercely tyrannical, resembling ravenous beasts as they voraciously devoured a cultivator’s flesh and blood. In a mere seven days, they could grow from tiny larvae to the size of a clenched fist.

Lin Xingjian slowly closed his eyes, his brows furrowing into deep lines. No matter how much he racked his brain, he still couldn’t recall even the slightest sign of a Gu-worm being planted within him. Even if he had experienced such an encounter, shouldn’t he have already vomited out the Gu-worm by now?

Wait!

Vomited out?

Lin Xingjian abruptly opened his eyes, his pupils dilating as a flash of insight streaked like lightning through his mind. He clearly remembered that he had indeed vomited out that particular Gu-worm. Yet, the Gu-worm’s condition after being expelled was vastly different; it had lost its former vitality and vigor, becoming listless and withered.

Initially, Lin Xingjian had merely assumed that his two consecutive acupoint strikes had severely wounded the Gu-worm, which had intended to nest, thus forcing it to be expelled from his body. Thinking about it now, could it truly be that the first acupoint strike wasn’t strong enough?

No, that wasn’t right.

It was highly probable that during the first instance, the Gu-worm was plotting some unspeakable scheme within his body, and only after his second acupoint strike did it complete its mission, allowing its shell to be naturally expelled. This would explain why the Gu-worm was so weak afterward. It had completed its instinctual purpose after being nourished by his vital blood: laying eggs.

In that instant, Lin Xingjian felt the hairs on his entire body stand on end, as if he were tightly enveloped by an invisible, chilling aura. If a Gu-worm possessed the ability to lay eggs and produce offspring inside a host, it was enough to demonstrate the terrifying nature of its capabilities.

Aside from some special circumstances, there were only two common methods for cultivating Gu-worms. One was the method of nurturing them with vital blood, a tactic employed by most Gu cultivators. The other was laying eggs to hatch offspring. This method had stringent conditions, and the Gu-worms born from it were usually exceptionally powerful.

Lin Xingjian’s face was as pale as paper. In his mind, the image of Yu Linglong transmitting a message to him suddenly surfaced, specifically the “child” she had spoken of!

What “child”?! That was clearly a Gu-worm!

There could be no mistake. The Gu-worm in his belly was the result of Yu Linglong’s “As If a Dream Command Gu” being planted; moreover, its power was extraordinary. Although this Gu-worm had been in his abdomen for less than half a month, it already possessed instinctive sentience, capable of spitting out a child Gu to protect its host from danger—a truly terrifying capability.

These thoughts occurred in the blink of an eye. From Yao Guang’s perspective, Lin Xingjian had merely frozen for an instant before turning completely pale with fright.

“Disciple, what’s wrong? Your face suddenly turned so pale; have you recalled something?” Yao Guang asked with a look of concern.

While Lin Xingjian had a foreign object lodged in his abdomen, she wasn’t overly worried yet. The Gu-worm was currently curled up in his Dantian and lower abdomen; if it were truly harmful to him, he wouldn’t have survived this long. Furthermore, the creature had even saved his life. All these signs suggested that the cultivator who planted this Gu-worm harbored no immediate ill intent.

“Master, can you please find a way to help me remove this Gu-worm?” Lin Xingjian’s face was etched with distress. Recalling Yu Linglong’s embrace before she left, the girl’s gentle yet eerie smile sent shivers down his spine.

“This…” Yao Guang frowned slightly and let out a soft sigh. She didn’t inquire further about the Gu-worm’s origin, assuming even Lin Xingjian wasn’t entirely clear on it. “Disciple, your Master is not an expert in the Gu Sect, nor have I ever practiced its techniques. If I were to forcibly try and remove the Gu, I fear it might trigger terrifying side effects.”

“At best, your meridians would be severely damaged, requiring several years of seclusion to recover. During this time, you would endure intense physical pain while your cultivation stagnated. At worst, your Dantian and meridians would be utterly destroyed, rendering you unable to cultivate and turning you into a cripple for life.”

Upon hearing Yao Guang’s words, Lin Xingjian felt his head spin. Another calamity spawned from a previous commission. No more accepting outside jobs! Even if he had to die, he would never accept such cursed tasks again!

“Your Master suggests that you seek out some Gu cultivators, preferably seniors at the Foundation Establishment stage or above. They understand its intricacies better. If you don’t know anyone, I can introduce you to an old friend from the Gu Sect.”

“Master, will this truly be effective?” Lin Xingjian asked, his eyes filled with apprehension.

Yao Guang remained silent for a long moment before speaking. “It’s difficult to say. The path of Gu is extremely bizarre; some special Gu-worms planted by Foundation Establishment cultivators cannot be removed without harm even by Nascent Soul realm cultivators. As the saying goes, ‘only the one who tied the bell can untie it.’ If you know who planted the Gu in you, it would be best to seek that person out to have it removed.”

“Don’t worry, Disciple. Currently, this Gu is still dormant after consuming its own energy to protect you; it won’t awaken for a while. It has been lurking in your body without diminishing your flesh and blood, so the person who planted it likely had no intention of harming you. Do you need my help to find them?”

“Uh, no, Master,” Lin Xingjian replied, a helpless and bitter expression crossing his face.

He understood that Yu Linglong wouldn’t harm him, but the problem was that this was a “debt of sentiment” he owed! The current situation was entirely different from those involving Bai Qingxue or Zhang Jingya. Despite those women possessing formidable strength, Lin Xingjian could still attempt to escape their grasp through wit and cunning. This time was different.

The Gu-worm in his belly was an inescapable handle Yu Linglong held over him.