The Holy Child with Gu Body Reappears?

Chapter 94 The Holy Child with Gu Body Reappears?

Li Yuan's brow twitched slightly, but he remained silent.

Wei Shufen continued, "I suspect they are using those children to raise poisonous insects."

"It's not the ordinary way of raising them, it's the most vicious method."

"Put many Gu worms in a container and let them kill each other. The one that survives at the end is the Gu King."

"But that method didn't use insects. It used people. Living, breathing people."

"They lock many children together, implant different types of Gu (a type of poison) into their bodies, and make them kill each other. The Gu then devour each other within their bodies, and finally..."

She didn't continue. Her voice was trembling, but she forced herself to finish: "The child who survived last, the Gu in his body was the Gu King."

"That kind of Gu can control other Gu, and make all the insects obey it."

"Whoever controls that Gu will control an army of Gu worms."

"At that time, it won't just be one busload of people or one village that dies."

The carriage was eerily quiet.

The flames of the two candles suddenly flickered at the same time, as if startled by something.

The pair of feet that were exposed under the tarpaulin had been covered by a cloth by the train police at some point, leaving only a blurry outline.

Li Yuan closed his eyes and remained silent for a long time.

He was thinking about something, something that Wei Shufen didn't know and couldn't possibly know.

He was thinking about the woman named Wei Shufen from his past life, and the four words she uttered before she died.

He was thinking about the Medicine Immortal Society, the secret society that she said had "changed its nature at some point."

He was thinking about Gu poison, a method originally intended to heal and save lives, but which had been used by countless people to harm others.

He was thinking about the good and evil in the world, about the difference between two single thoughts, and about the lights that stubbornly shone in the darkness.

Then he opened his eyes and looked at Wei Shufen.

There was a light in those gentle eyes that was hard for others to detect.

It wasn't pity, it wasn't sympathy, but something deeper and more peaceful.

Like the moon reflected in a deep pool, no matter how turbulent the water, the bright moon remains there, shining quietly.

How many people are left in your village?

Wei Shufen was taken aback, not expecting him to ask this: "Including the elderly and children, there are about a hundred people. But fewer than thirty are capable of fighting."

"What about the Medicine Immortal Gathering?"

"I don't know. They're very well hidden. There are people everywhere on the periphery, but the core members have never been seen."

"My master said that their headquarters is deep in the mountains, a place that even the people of our Miao village dare not easily approach."

"So you came out to gather information not to go back and report, but to call for reinforcements."

Wei Shufen's face flushed slightly, but she did not deny it: "Yes. My master said that our Miao village alone cannot defeat the Medicine Immortal Association."

"But the nearby villages are either too scared to get involved because of the Medicine Immortal Society."

"Either they would have infiltrated us long ago, and we wouldn't be able to tell who our friends are and who our enemies are."

"We can only look outside."

She raised her head and looked at Li Yuan, her eyes filled with not only pleading but also a hint of something she herself couldn't quite define, almost...

The stubborn one: "I know this request is unreasonable."

"But I really have no other choice. I don't know many people, and I can trust even fewer."

"Those so-called prestigious sects are too far away. By the time they arrive, it will be too late."

"Those wandering martial artists either lack the skills or are simply unwilling to get involved in this mess."

She took a deep breath, her voice choked with emotion: "I don't want you to fight for me, nor do I want you to risk your life for us."

"I just want to ask you, for the sake of those innocent people, for the sake of those children, to show us a way out."

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"You are knowledgeable and experienced; you must know what to do in this situation."

After she finished speaking, she lowered her head.

The cup of herbal tea finally slipped from her hand, rolled twice on the table, and came to rest next to Li Yuan's teacup.

Tea spilled all over the table, dripping down the seams and onto her blue skirt, leaving a dark stain.

Li Yuan stared at the spreading tea stains and remained silent for a long time.

Outside the window, the night remained deep.

The train was passing through a mountainous area, with tunnel after tunnel, and light and darkness alternately rushed into the carriage, stretching everyone's shadows to varying lengths and disappearing into thin air.

The passengers were already fast asleep from exhaustion; some were snoring, some were talking in their sleep, and some were holding their children tightly, not letting go even in their dreams.

Wei Shufen lowered her head and waited.

She didn't know how long she had been waiting.

All I know is that I waited very quietly, so quietly that I could hear my own heartbeat.

Then she heard that voice.

He remained as gentle and calm as ever, neither too loud nor too soft, yet he seemed to possess a power that could pierce through all darkness: "After you get off at Huaihua, you will lead the way."

Wei Shufen suddenly raised her head.

Those bright black eyes were wide open, their pupils reflecting the dim light of the carriage and the figure in the pale white Taoist robe opposite them.

Figure.

Her lips trembled slightly; she wanted to say something, but couldn't utter a single word.

Li Yuan had already closed his eyes.

His breathing was as steady as ever, as if those words were nothing more than the most ordinary instruction he had given during his long journey.

The cup of tea, now completely cold, was still beside him. He neither drank it nor pushed it away; he simply let it sit there, quietly cooling.

Wei Shufen looked at him for a long time.

Her eyes reddened, and tears welled up, but they didn't fall.

She bit her lip hard, forcing back the sob that was about to spill out.

She lowered her head, bowing deeply, deeply, to the figure in the moon-white Taoist robe.

That drop was deeper and heavier than any of the previous ones.

She didn't say thank you.

Because she knew that those two words were too light, too light to bear the weight of her feelings at that moment.

She simply kept her head down, letting the train's sway gently around her, letting the night outside the window slowly envelop her, and letting the two candlelights cast her and the figure opposite her in the same direction.

Much later, she straightened up.

She wiped her eyes with her sleeve, sniffed, and then spoke. Her voice was still a little hoarse, but it had already regained its soft yet crisp tone: "When we get to Huaihua, I'll take you to get something to eat first."

"There's a rice noodle shop over there. I always have to eat a bowl whenever I pass by. The broth is made from bones, and the chili sauce is homemade. It's so fragrant."

"Do you eat spicy food? You should be able to, right? Don't you Taoist priests eat meat?"

"It's okay, they also have vegetarian dishes. Their pickled bamboo shoots are especially flavorful; I guarantee you'll want to eat them again and again."

"Then we went to find my two junior brothers, one named Awang and the other Amu. They are both honest people, but they talk a lot, so don't find them annoying."

"And then..."

She counted on her fingers, one item at a time, speaking faster and faster with increasing energy, and the light in her eyes grew brighter and brighter.

It was as if all the gloom, fear, and helplessness from before had been dispelled by something at this moment.

Li Yuan didn't open his eyes, but the corners of his mouth turned up slightly, revealing a very faint smile.

That smile was as faint as a distant mountain, yet it seemed to melt away the distance of thousands of miles.

Outside the window, the night remained deep.

But in the distance, on the horizon, there seemed to be a faint, almost imperceptible light.

That was the first ray of dawn before sunrise, still hidden behind the mountains, separated by countless peaks, rivers, and tunnels, but it was already there.

The train continued forward.

The sound of wheels rolling over the rails was still monotonous and heavy, but it seemed to have gained something more.

That is rhythm, cadence, an ancient yet youthful pulse emanating from the depths of this sleeping land.

With the swaying of the train, it beats and beats, like a heartbeat, like breathing, like something in this world is slowly awakening.

The pair of feet that were visible under the tarpaulin had been completely covered up at some point.

The candle was still burning, but the flame no longer flickered; it shone quietly and steadily, as if it were watching over something.

We've arrived at Huaihua Station.

As the train pulled into the station, the sky was just beginning to lighten with the first hint of dawn.

The thin layer of dawn light shone through from behind the mountain ridge, turning the platform's roof a bluish-gray.

The chill of the night hadn't completely dissipated, seeping in through the cracks in the car window, carrying a scent of grass, trees, and earth.

That's the taste of the mountains, the taste of Miao region.

Li Yuan opened his eyes.

Across from me, Wei Shufen had fallen asleep at some point.

She leaned against the window with her head tilted to one side, her silver crown askew, and several thin silver chains hanging down, swaying gently with her even breathing.

Those bright black eyes were closed, with long eyelashes casting a small fan-shaped shadow beneath them.

Her lips were slightly parted, and her breathing was very light, as if she was afraid of disturbing something.

She was still holding the teacup, which had long since gone cold, her fingers clenched tightly as if afraid it would fall.

Li Yuan didn't wake her. He just quietly looked out the window.

The platform was already crowded with people: vendors carrying loads, passengers with luggage, and people holding signs to greet passengers. They walked back and forth under the dim lights, their shadows stretching long.

In the distance, the mountain shadows overlap, stretching from deep indigo in the foreground to light gray in the background, all the way to the horizon.

The mountains slowly awoke in the morning light, like a sleeping giant turning over and falling back into a deep sleep.

The steam whistle blared.

Wei Shufen suddenly woke up with a start, and the chains on her silver crown rattled for a while.

She blinked and saw that the figure in the moon-white Taoist robe opposite her was still sitting steadily, before she breathed a long sigh of relief.

"Have we arrived?" she asked, her voice still hoarse from just waking up.

"arrive."

She quickly stood up, hurriedly tidying her hair, straightening her silver crown, and patting the tea stains on her skirt.

The blue pleated skirt was wrinkled, and the silver ornaments were crooked.

She didn't bother to tidy up properly; she simply tossed the bundle over her shoulder and glanced back at Li Yuan.

In that glance, there was expectation, trepidation, and a trace of dependence that she herself was unaware of.

"Let's go." Li Yuan stood up.

Inside the carriage, the passengers were still fast asleep.

Last night's nightmare seemed to have been left behind; now, everyone's face showed exhaustion and peace, as if they had survived a disaster.

Some people were holding children, some were leaning against the window, and some were curled up in their seats. Their postures were different, but their breathing was even.

As Li Yuan walked through the passageway, a woman who was feeding her child water suddenly looked up.

She recognized him, and her lips moved as if she wanted to say something.

Li Yuan shook his head slightly, and the woman stopped talking. She simply held the child and bowed her head deeply towards his back.

It was chilly on the platform.

Wei Shufen shrank her neck and looked around.

There weren't many people at Huaihua Station in the early morning. A few scattered passengers walked out of the station, their pace quickening as if they were eager to escape this deserted place.

In the distance, breakfast stalls had already been set up, steam rising from the steamers, carrying the aroma of rice cakes and soy milk, which was especially tempting in the cold air.

"Awang! Amu!"

Wei Shufen suddenly shouted and waved towards the exit while standing on tiptoe.

Two young men emerged from the crowd, one tall and one short, both dressed in dark Miao-style short jackets and carrying bamboo baskets.

The taller one had a long, thin face, high cheekbones, and narrow eyes, and looked somewhat shrewd.

The shorter one has a round face, a憨憨厚厚 (honest and simple) look, and when he smiles, he reveals two tiger teeth.

"Senior sister!" The shorter one ran over, the contents of the bamboo basket jingling all the way.

"You've finally arrived! We waited all night, thinking something had happened to you!"

He ran up to them, then suddenly saw Li Yuan. He stopped in his tracks, and the smile on his face froze.

His gaze swept over Li Yuan, then around him again, before he leaned close to Wei Shufen's ear and whispered, "Senior Sister, who is this? Your new disciple?"

Wei Shufen slapped him on the back of the head: "What nonsense are you talking about!" She paused, glanced back at Li Yuan, and seemed to be considering how to introduce him.

"Li Yuan." Li Yuan nodded slightly: "Mianshan Daluo Palace."

The short man's eyes widened instantly.

The taller one also walked over quickly. When he heard the words "Daluo Palace", his steps clearly paused, and a glint of shrewdness flashed in his narrow eyes.

The two looked at each other and saw the same shock in each other's eyes.

The Great Luo Palace, a natural-born Dao Child.

This name carries immense weight in the world of supernatural beings.

Miao Gu masters from small towns like theirs had only heard of them in rumors and never imagined that they would one day see one in person.

"Li...Li Yuandaozi?" the short man stammered, his two canine teeth flashing in the morning light.

"Are you that Daoist Li Yuan? The one who invited the Celestial Master to the Lu family's birthday banquet?"

Wei Shufen slapped him on the back of the head again: "No manners! Call me senior!"

The short man quickly changed his tune and hurriedly bowed.

The taller one was more composed. He clasped his hands in a salute and said in a low voice, "Awang greets Daozi."

He glanced at Wei Shufen, then hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but didn't.

Wei Shufen knew what he wanted to ask, so she briefly recounted the events: the poison in the tea, the exploded corpse, the insects filling the carriage, and the golden light that dispelled everything.

Awang and Amu's faces grew paler and paler.

After Wei Shufen finished speaking, Amu was speechless. He just stared at Li Yuan with a look of awe and disbelief.

Awang remained silent for a long time before asking in a low voice, "Does Daozi mean that the people from the Medicine Immortal Society have already made their move on the train?"