365: Zi Gu exposed

Regardless of whether True Lord Bone Fiend's words made sense, Green Vine would not believe them!

Over a month ago, when Wu Xu fled back with half of his Yao Beast body, he clearly stated that Wang Qiao's strength was formidable, far beyond that of an ordinary Peak Golden Core.

Moreover, this person was extremely ruthless; every move he made was aimed at killing him. If he hadn't escaped decisively, he might have truly died in Bone Fiend City!

A person who didn't hesitate to move against and kill a Late Stage Golden Core Great Yao—how could he so easily let True Lord Bone Fiend return?

'Liu Xuan!'

'You are even more interesting than I imagined!'

Green Vine really wanted to send more people to capture Liu Xuan again, to see how a mere Foundation Establishment Cultivator like him could have so many Golden Core True Persons surrounding him!

When they initially sent people to surround and kill Liu Xuan, they deployed three Golden Core Realm existences, among whom Wu Xu of the Void Rat clan was a Late Stage Golden Core Great Yao.

The goal was a swift kill to leave no future trouble, yet they failed so thoroughly that even Wu Xu nearly died there.

Now, killing Liu Xuan is even harder. I hear the Academy Head of the South Courtyard of the Beast Taming Sect has sent people to protect him. Coupled with the unfathomably powerful Wang Qiao, unless a Nascent Soul Yao Monarch personally goes, anyone else is just sending themselves to die.

Green Vine looked at True Lord Bone Fiend, "Liu Xuan let you return just by sending a message?"

"That is correct!" True Lord Bone Fiend replied, "Liu Xuan said he has always kept a low profile and does not wish to make enemies with anyone. Letting me return this time is his sincerity!"

Green Vine nodded slightly, waved her hand, and commanded, "You have worked hard this time. Go to the Jade Orchid Hall to recuperate for a while!"

The Jade Orchid Hall was in the core inner circle of the Peach Blossom Sect, close to the Peach Blossom Secret Realm where the Sect Master resided.

With True Lord Bone Fiend's former status, he never had the qualification to recuperate there.

'Green Vine truly doesn't believe my story!'

True Lord Bone Fiend knew clearly that Green Vine arranging for him to recuperate in the Jade Orchid Hall was ostensibly for him to heal, but in reality, it was to keep him under surveillance within sight.

If True Lord Bone Fiend were still the former True Lord Bone Fiend, he would definitely not want to go to the Jade Orchid Hall, but now... it suited his purpose perfectly!

"Your subordinate obeys!"

He bowed respectfully, then exited the grand hall and headed towards the Jade Orchid Hall.

After True Lord Bone Fiend left, Green Vine pondered for a moment, then also disappeared... Peach Blossom Secret Realm.

Countless flowers bloomed, filling the spring garden. The Peach Blossom Demon Lord asked while tending to the garden, "Little Green Vine, what is it that you need me for this time?"

Green Vine started from when she arranged for Wu Xu to surround and kill Liu Xuan several months ago, recounting the entire matter from beginning to end.

"All for such a small matter?" The Demon Lord of the Peach Blossom Sect squatted by a flower bed, without turning her head, speaking with a tone of slight reproach, "Didn't I tell you last time? A bit of Yao Beast Essence Blood is harmless. Just focus on your duties."

"Sect Master, that's not just a bit of Yao Beast Essence Blood!"

Green Vine immediately explained, "Liu Xuan has been expanding his Alchemy industry and hoarding large amounts of Yao Beast Essence Blood. Recently, he even gained the support of True Lord Haoran. Now, he has taken most of the Yao Beast Essence Blood from the entire northern battlefield!"

"Oh?"

"That is indeed too much!"

The Peach Blossom Demon Lord paused her movements, then continued bending over to tend the flower bed, saying helplessly, "But there’s nothing we can do, right?"

"Besides, what Liu Xuan said makes sense! He is refining Beast Pills, and those Yao Beasts from the Beast Taming Sect will eventually return them after consuming them."

"Speaking of Yao Beasts, most of the Yao Beasts in our Sect are ours. Why don't you try to send someone to buy Medicinal Pills directly from him!"

Green Vine's heart stirred; this did seem like a very good solution. The Yao Beast Essence Blood originally had to be bought with money; now, buying Beast Pills is the same... "The point isn't there!" Green Vine quickly shook her head, "The point is I suspect True Lord Bone Fiend has a problem!"

"True Lord Bone Fiend? What problem does he have?" The Peach Blossom Demon Lord asked.

"I suspect he has already defected to the Beast Taming Sect, and his return this time is to scout information for them!"

"Scouting information!" The Peach Blossom Demon Lord still had that indifferent tone, "He’s only an Early Stage Golden Core True Person, what kind of waves can he stir up? Can't you just handle it!"

"It's not about scouting information, it's that this matter is very strange!"

Green Vine explained, "I understand True Lord Bone Fiend. He is profit-driven, cowardly, and despicable. How could someone like him sincerely work for the Beast Taming Sect?"

"I suspect there is a bigger conspiracy involved!"

The Peach Blossom Demon Lord finally showed a little interest. She stood up and walked to Green Vine's side, "You arranged for him to go to the Jade Orchid Hall, were you hoping I would personally see what he is up to?"

Green Vine nodded, "I suspect this Liu Xuan is just bait, and the one scheming behind him is True Lord Haoran. And his goal might be Yao Monarch Bai Leng!"

The Peach Blossom Demon Lord's delicate eyebrows furrowed. Yao Monarch Bai Leng was an ally she had invited from the Demon Court, and furthermore, her most trusted sister.

With a flash of light, the Peach Blossom Demon Lord's figure vanished, and simultaneously, a trace of pink mist appeared above the Jade Orchid Hall.

The Peach Blossom Demon Lord did not startle the snake. Her Nascent Soul Divine Sense passed through the Formation to observe True Lord Bone Fiend, who was sitting cross-legged in the cultivation room.

"Hmm?"

"This is... a Gu worm?"

His Physical Body was protected by a top-quality Divine Soul defense barrier, making it impossible for ordinary Nascent Soul Cultivators to easily see through True Lord Bone Fiend's current condition.

But the Peach Blossom Demon Lord was different. Her cultivation was Late Nascent Soul, nearly at Perfection, and she herself cultivated a Fourth-Tier Gu worm capable of creating illusions: the Heart-Bewitching Silkworm. She was extremely sensitive to the aura of Gu worms.

Inside the cultivation room, True Lord Bone Fiend suddenly opened his eyes. His Divine Sense swept around; everything seemed normal, yet he had a strong feeling of insecurity.

"Such strong perception!"

The Peach Blossom Demon Lord moved her thoughts, and a chubby worm appeared above the Jade Orchid Hall. Light and shadow intertwined, illusions arose, and True Lord Bone Fiend immediately fell into an illusion, unconsciously releasing his Divine Soul.

"Hmm? Not his Gu worm, but... a sub-gu!"

The Peach Blossom Demon Lord had intended to directly use the illusion to investigate True Lord Bone Fiend's memory, but she discovered that the core of True Lord Bone Fiend's Divine Soul was occupied by a semi-transparent spider Gu worm. If she probed too deeply, she would be instantly discovered.

Gu worms are usually nurtured outside the periphery of the Divine Soul; how could one occupy the core? She instantly understood that True Lord Bone Fiend was merely a Puppet controlled by a sub-gu.

'To control a Golden Core True Person with just one sub-gu, how powerful must the Mother Gu be?!'

The path of Gu worms is strange and powerful, but nurturing Gu worms is extremely difficult, countless times harder than raising Yao Beasts.

The Peach Blossom Demon Lord obtained the Heart-Bewitching Silkworm when she was still a Qi Refining little demon and had cultivated it for nearly two thousand years, yet it was only at the early Fourth-Tier now!

This semi-transparent spider sub-gu involved the very foundation of the Divine Soul. Being able to completely control an Early Stage Golden Core True Person was something even her Heart-Bewitching Silkworm could not achieve!

The spider Mother Gu was not only powerful in its Realm but also possessed an extremely high essence, likely far above the Heart-Bewitching Silkworm.

"True Lord Haoran!"

"Those who claim to be righteous are indeed the most full of wicked intentions, just as expected!"

There was only one Cultivator in the South Courtyard of the Beast Taming Sect capable of controlling this type of Gu worm, so the Peach Blossom Demon Lord naturally suspected him.