BOOK 2: CHAPTER 470: SECRETS OF GU ARTS, INTERCEPTING THE DEMON ANCESTOR

Vol 2 Chapter 470: Secrets of Gu Arts, Intercepting the Demon Ancestor

The small courtyard was packed with people.

All the higher-ups of Jiushan Sect had gathered to observe Gu Chang with great interest.

Gu Chang looked nervous, while Zheng Fa stood nearby with a faint smile, finally understanding Elder Yu's joy.

"Gu Chang might have unraveled part of Gu God's secrets?" Uncle Pang stared at Gu Chang with disbelief.

"Gu Chang, explain it yourself."

Zheng Fa had no intention of stealing his disciple's spotlight. On the contrary, he hoped Gu Chang could establish some prestige to shoulder greater responsibilities in the future.

Seeing his master's encouraging and proud expression, Gu Chang took a deep breath and began:

"I may have discovered how Gu God controls the insect swarms."

"Speak! Start from the beginning!"

Uncle Pang urged impatiently. For Jiushan Sect facing insect swarm threats, this discovery was extremely important.

Yet he still found it hard to believe that Zheng Fa's disciple, who hadn't even formed a Nascent Soul, could uncover secrets of True Immortal level.

Zheng Fa nodded at Gu Chang, signaling him to elaborate—after all, this concerned the entire war situation. The gathering aimed to verify the theory's validity and identify potential flaws before implementation.

It was essentially presenting an academic report on the battlefield.

"Junior Sister and I studied gu insects and raised a question..." Gu Chang thought carefully before continuing slowly, "What exactly are gu?"

"Later I realized: without spiritual energy they're just insects, with spiritual energy they become gu."

"But then another question arose—why can gu absorb spiritual energy?"

Senior Sister Zhang froze, exchanging a glance with Zheng Fa that clearly said: "So many questions—truly your disciple."

Zheng Fa's smile deepened as a Nascent Soul stage disciple asked: "What's strange about gu absorbing spiritual energy?"

Jiushan Sect's academic discussions were always free-spirited. Unbothered, Gu Chang explained: "Think about it—humans absorb spiritual energy through complex neural structures. Even demons need corresponding spiritual circuits in their bodies to cultivate."

"Insects, even gu insects, rarely develop such complex structures." Gu Chang added, "Actually, I haven't found any gu insects with such structures, though perhaps Gu God has cultivated some."

Hearing this, everyone nodded, also finding the matter peculiar.

If gu insects could cultivate, it would contradict Jiushan Sect's previous research on spiritual roots.

Yet they clearly contained spiritual energy.

"So were our previous conclusions wrong?" Uncle Pang frowned.

"I believe they were correct." As a major contributor to spiritual root theory, Gu Chang stated firmly, "Moreover, I deduced the gu path precisely from spiritual root theory."

"What?"

Most listeners looked confused, while Zheng Fa's smile widened.

"Spiritual roots are essentially neural structures." Speaking about his specialty, Gu Chang grew more confident, "But nerves are fundamentally composed of cellular tissues."

"We mainly rely on various hormones to transmit messages."

Senior Sister Zhang showed dawning comprehension, while most remained bewildered.

"Though gu insects are structurally more complex than cells, don't they also communicate through similar substances?"

"After consulting some books Master brought, I discovered pheromone theory, which aligns perfectly with my hypothesis."

"Later, while cultivating blood samples, I found some spiritual energy-containing substances. Experiments confirmed these substances seem to make gu insects fight, mate and move accordingly."

"It's not individual gu insects that can cultivate, but... the swarm as a whole."

Silence fell. After a long pause, Uncle Pang slowly said: "You mean the swarm communicates through certain... substances, establishing complex organizational structures to substitute for our spiritual roots?"

"Exactly." Gu Chang pondered further, "Actually, delving deeper—our human bodies are essentially collections of various 'insects.' These 'insects' just have simpler structures and don't roam about."

Now everyone understood.

By Gu Chang's reasoning, human cells were special "insects"—though immobile, they could still be considered organisms.

"So gu insects becoming gu is like our cells changing through cultivation?"

"Precisely."

"Then Gu God..."

"Gu God should be the collective of all gu insects—those gu are her cells."

Zheng Fa regarded Gu Chang with admiration. His disciple had delivered a pleasant surprise.

Connecting pheromone theory was simple—modern entomology research was quite advanced.

But applying it alongside spiritual root theory to explain gu arts' truth required real insight.

Essentially, this theory suggested Gu God's Dharmakaya was the insect swarm itself—each gu insect functioned as her cell, explaining why Nine Nether Emperor said her Dharmakaya was special.

Gu God's consciousness likely emerged from swarm intelligence, much like human intelligence arising from complex interactions between simple cells.

Gu arts were a cultivation method replacing biological complexity with swarm organizational complexity.

Uncle Pang observed the lab's gu insects, seeming to shudder: "So we've been under Gu God's surveillance all along?"

"Uncle, as long as we block communication between gu insects, Gu God can't sense us."

"Ah, right."

Uncle Pang exhaled deeply, then worried: "If the swarm remains intact, doesn't that make Gu God immortal?"

"Your reasoning makes sense..." Zheng Fa's expression turned serious, then he shook his head, "But I think there's another possibility."

"What?"

"The swarm has divisions—different groups function like different human organs... So there's likely a 'brain swarm.'"

Nods spread through the crowd.

Senior Sister Zhang spoke: "You mean we should locate this brain swarm to kill Gu God?"

That was indeed his thought.

Zheng Fa already planned to visit Haori Mountain, but Gu God's methods were too unpredictable for comfort.

"Our understanding of gu arts remains shallow—we might not eliminate her completely." He told Senior Sister Zhang, "But at least we can severely wound her, preventing immediate threats."

Uncle Pang asked: "How find this brain swarm?"

"Gu Chang, continue."

"If my deduction is correct, by mapping the swarm's communication hierarchy, we can identify corresponding groups." Gu Chang said confidently, "Or with more gu insect varieties, we can determine inter-swarm relationships, tracing upward to find the command swarm."

"Samples? Capturing insects?"

Zheng Fa nodded slightly: "I'll collect them."

Uncle Pang studied Gu Chang before sighing with a smile: "This disciple suddenly makes me feel old."

Zheng Fa gave Gu Chang an approving look. Before he could speak, Elder Yu leisurely remarked:

"My grand-disciple... oh? Do you have any grand-disciples?"

"...I do!" Uncle Pang gritted his teeth.

"Shall we compare grand-disciples then?" Elder Yu reconsidered magnanimously, "No, that's unfair. How about I let you use your disciples against my grand-disciples?"

"Old Yu, you're just relying on Zheng Fa—"

As Uncle Pang grumbled, Zheng Fa took out Creation Jade, his expression turning puzzled upon reading it.

Everyone quieted, sensing something amiss.

It was a message from Nine Nether Emperor:

"The Four Sects will enter Xuanwei through the Underworld."

"Emperor, you already let people through once."

Did Nine Nether Emperor offer after-sales service?

"This time it's real."

"Hmm?"

"Leiyin Temple and Taishang Dao requested the Underworld open reincarnation channels for the Four Sects to enter Xuanwei."

Zheng Fa's heart sank—this boded ill for him.

Why would Nine Nether Emperor agree?

"They'll connect their dominions to the reincarnation cycle." Nine Nether Emperor anticipated his doubts, "This greatly benefits reincarnation's perfection... and is necessary for Underworld development. I cannot stop it."

Recalling previous Underworld chaos, Zheng Fa understood Nine Nether Emperor's position.

Fundamentally, the Underworld's foundation was Reincarnation Compass and Life-Death Register, not Nine Nether Emperor himself—he might lack ultimate authority here.

"Thirty years." Nine Nether Emperor continued, "That's the maximum delay I can give you."

"I understand. Thank you, Emperor."

Putting away Tongjian, Zheng Fa looked solemn.

"What's wrong?"

After Zheng Fa shared the news, everyone's expressions darkened.

"The Emperor means in thirty years, the Four Sects' Golden Immortals can enter Xuanwei through reincarnation?"

"Yes. Currently, Xuanwei's Heaven-Earth Membrane still blocks Golden Immortals, forcing them to detour through the Underworld."

The Underworld's reincarnation connected myriad realms, naturally becoming Golden Immortals' passage into Xuanwei.

Silence filled the courtyard.

"In thirty years, we must attain Golden Immortal-level strength." Zheng Fa smiled, "Heavenly River Sword Formation training cannot stop."

All nodded slightly—the Slaying Immortal Sword Formation's power approached Golden Immortal level, representing Jiushan Sect's greatest hope.

"I must visit Nine Luminaries Heaven soon." Zheng Fa continued, "According to Nine Nether Emperor, Fusang Wood's essence should be Taiyi-level. Perfecting it may give us another Golden Immortal countermeasure."

Zheng Fa's plan was straightforward—dual preparations.

Uncertain whether the Slaying Immortal Sword Formation could advance in thirty years, he needed insurance.

Now even Nine Luminaries Heaven's dangers couldn't deter him.

Seeing everyone's concern, Zheng Fa reassured them: "With One Qi Transforming into Three Purities, at least my life isn't at risk."

Senior Sister Zhang nodded: "When do we depart?"

"Not urgent. First, let's surprise Gu God."

...

In a Haori Mountain valley, several Lu Clan disciples "delivered goods" to Gu God.

On the secluded mountain path, one disciple glanced back.

Behind them stretched a line of prisoners, bound together with ropes, faces ashen with despair.

The disciple muttered gloomily: "We've almost captured all the rogue cultivators."

"...Shut up!"

A middle-aged man ahead hissed.

Whether fearing to disturb valley-dwelling Gu God or sharing the same dread—once rogue cultivators were gone, who would be next?

Descending further, they felt entering an enormous pit, seeing only oval sky above.

Their feet met hard, bronze-colored ground with cold glimmers.

The disciple suddenly shouted: "This isn't a valley—it's a cauldron!"

"We're inside a cauldron!"

Everyone halted, the captive rogue cultivators trembling uncontrollably.

"Listen!"

Chittering sounded ahead as countless gu insects swarmed from darkness.

Packed in the valley, they fought viciously, devouring each other.

Detecting living prey, the twisted insects grew frenzied, surging forward in towering waves.

"Exalted One!" The middle-aged man finally begged, "Spare us!"

"Relax, they won't eat you—just hungry." Sitting atop insect waves, Gu God said coldly, "That Zheng Fa is truly detestable."

"Zheng Fa?"

"He keeps hunting me, failing which he captures my descendants." Gu God's eyes burned with hatred, "Skilled in mass capture techniques, he's devastated my descendants."

"Then... if he finds you, Exalted One..."

"Find me?" Gu God laughed, "Let him try!"

"Back when Heavenly River slew Demon Ancestor and crushed Holy Dynasty, didn't I still outmaneuver him?"

The Lu Clan members exchanged glances—knowing from Underworld events that Heavenly River Venerable indeed failed to kill Gu God.

"Heavenly River searched everywhere himself, sent disciples scouring the land." Gu God boasted, "None found me. I'm omnipresent, omniscient—his disciples became my descendants' food!"

Taking pride in being beaten into hiding was strange—but considering it was Heavenly River Venerable, perhaps understandable.

Gu God then eyed the hundreds of captive rogue cultivators: "Release them—let the children feast."

After unshackling the prisoners with magical ropes, the Lu Clan members fled on artifacts.

Most rogue cultivators, though spiritless, sprinted desperately after them.

Only three seemed paralyzed with fear, stumbling toward the insect swarm.

Witnesses pitied these three while feeling grateful—the insects busy eating them bought others more escape time.

Even Gu God watched these fools with amusement—until her expression suddenly changed:

"Who are you?"

Golden flames erupted from an ordinary-looking man's palm, striking Gu God's face as a cheerful greeting sounded:

"Jiushan Sect's Zheng Fa pays respects to Gu God."