520: Causes of the epidemic

"Fellow Daoist Xuanji Zi, it's actually you? Uh, Your Majesty is here too?"

Tang Ku saw the middle-aged man carrying a sword in front of him at a glance and couldn't help but say in surprise.

The Shu Mountain Sect Head, Xuanji Zi, was looking at Tang Ku with an expression of surprise and delight.

"Holy Monk, it has truly been a long time... Hmm, previously I was summoned by Your Majesty, and I gathered cultivators from all over the mountains and ranges to jointly establish in various prefectures of the Great Tang... Hmm, what was that called again?"

Xuanji Zi looked troubled, appearing to have completely forgotten the organization they had established.

"That's called the Defense System!"

Li Chengqian tucked his hands into his sleeves, calm and composed, and said with a smile.

"Right, the Defense System. I heard this was proposed by you, Holy Monk. You said it was to establish a comprehensive defense state that integrates cultivators, demon cultivators, and technological power, so that no matter what methods the enemy uses, we always have a systematic way to deal with them... Hehe, this is truly a brilliant idea; I can't help but admire you!"

Xuanji Zi laughed. He admired Tang Ku to the point of prostration now; besides his heaven-defying cultivation, he also possessed wisdom rarely seen in ordinary people.

"These are all minor matters. In the future, even without my proposal, they would still be gradually realized."

Tang Ku looked at Li Chengqian with an incredulous expression. Seeing the uncontrollable smile at the corner of his eyes, he couldn't help but ask: "However, Your Majesty's attitude... Could it be that you have already found the cause of the epidemic?"

Li Chengqian said in surprise: "How did you know?"

"I heard that for the past two days you've barely eaten or slept, and were so worried you were about to bang your head against the wall. But today, not only are you calm, but there's also an unconcealable joy in your eyes. I think there must be a breakthrough!"

Tang Ku smiled bitterly.

Li Chengqian also smiled: "Then you'll have to ask Daoist Xuanji Zi!"

Tang Ku and Old Pig looked at Xuanji Zi with questioning eyes. The old Daoist smiled and said: "Holy Monk, what we are seeing before us is neither an epidemic nor something like a curse... Hmm, how to explain this... You must know that within Shu Mountain, there are many tribes. Those people from ethnic minorities usually don't study our ordinary arts, but instead Cultivate a kind of art to command snakes, insects, rats, ants, and even various strange plants to help them live and work. They call this kind of art..."

"Gu?"

Tang Ku's heart stirred, and he blurted out.

Xuanji Zi was stunned for a moment, then stroked his beard and smiled: "Correct, the Holy Monk is truly learned, guessing it right away... Hmm, yes, it is called Gu. There are many strange Gu arts in the barren lands of the Southwest, as well as the sorcery transmitted from foreign countries, which are basically of the same origin as this kind of evil art."

"So, everyone turning out like this is not due to poisoning, nor an epidemic, nor any curse, but being afflicted with Gu?" Old Pig frowned slightly. "Then how can this kind of Gu be cured?"

Xuanji Zi said: "Using medicine to suppress it only treats the symptoms but not the root cause. To cure everyone, there is only one way, and that is to find the Gu source and destroy it!"

Tang Ku smiled bitterly and helplessly: "I finally understand why neither Spiritual Qi nor medicine was useful, and why even the Flat Peaches couldn't cure this illness. So it was actually Gu art? I had only heard of it before, but I never expected to see it for real!"

"Master, you know about this thing?" Old Pig asked in surprise. "Why is it that after being afflicted with Gu, medicine is ineffective?"

"Because once something like Gu enters the human body, it will parasitize on one of the body's organs, becoming an interdependent symbiont!"

Tang Ku said in a deep voice, "Spirit Medicine that could originally heal the body, or things like Spiritual Qi, will enter the Gu through the human body and become the Gu's nutrients. These medicines and Spiritual Qi will instead make the Gu stronger and harder to control. If it weren't for maintaining this symbiotic relationship, plus the fact that a portion of the energy does indeed enter the body, these people would have died long ago!"

"So that's how it is!" Old Pig thought for a moment, then said, "In that case, the so-called Gu source should be at that Huichang Temple, right?"

"It's highly likely!" Tang Ku narrowed his eyes slightly. "Although I don't know the background of that monk Yiyuan, it's basically certain that this guy definitely doesn't have any good intentions!"

"Then what are we waiting for, Your Majesty the Emperor? Quickly order everyone to assemble and surround and suppress Huichang Temple!" Old Pig said anxiously. "I'm afraid those commoners won't last long!"

Li Chengqian immediately looked bitter and said: "It's not as easy as Elder Pig says... Hmm, although this Huichang Temple is not big, it is currently the faith of many high-ranking officials and nobles, and even the powerful clans. As the saying goes, pulling one hair affects the whole body. If we dare to act against Huichang Temple without evidence, it will force these guys to rebel!"

Tang Ku, however, suddenly smiled and said: "My Disciple is dead... died at the hands of this bunch of fake monks!"

Li Chengqian's expression stiffened, then he suddenly stood straight as if at attention and said: "Rest assured, Holy Monk. I will immediately send troops to surround and suppress Huichang Temple and let this bunch of fake monks see the military might of our Great Tang!"

Well, he could see at a glance the chill and danger hidden in Tang Ku's smile.

If he didn't express his stance, by the next day he might receive news that Huichang Temple had been razed to the ground, and the heads of all the nobles might be rolling in the streets!

Tang Ku, however, suddenly shook his head and said: "It is enough that Your Majesty has the heart, but this matter cannot be solved by a Mortal army, even if their equipment has reached the level of Heavenly Soldiers and Generals, it won't work... I would like to ask Your Majesty to grant me the authority to act on my own discretion. As long as I can act as I see fit, I and my Disciples will solve this matter!"

Li Chengqian asked worriedly: "Holy Monk, do you... have confidence?"

"Sixty or seventy percent... I must find a way to first find that so-called Gu source, save the lives of the whole city, and then come back to deal with this bunch of villains who eat people without spitting out the bones!"

Tang Ku sneered, "I hope their bones are hard enough!"

After saying this, Tang Ku fell into a brief silence.

No one saw Tang Ku's anger, but Pigsy understood him best. Once he fell into silence under such circumstances, it could basically be said that he was now extremely angry, and the anger of a True Buddha meant heaven and earth collapsing.

"Hehe, I hope their bones are hard enough, so they won't be killed with a single punch..."

Old Pig also thought the same.

"Bajie, go back and tell Wukong to take the Junior Brothers and Junior Sisters to hide outside Huichang Temple and wait. When I summon them, we will raze Huichang Temple to the ground..."

Tang Ku said in a deep voice, "I will go and meet that so-called virtuous monk first... Hehe, actually, I am a bit looking forward to seeing who the person behind them really is."