Dashing Student

Under the leadership of the King of Ten Thousand Gu, the three left the Tomb of the Gu God and appeared in a dim canyon.

The rock walls on both sides of the canyon were towering, with jagged rocks casting ghastly shadows in the twilight.

The damp air was filled with the scent of decaying wood, occasionally interrupted by the hoots of night owls, adding to the eerie atmosphere.

Suddenly, a violent tremor reached their ears, causing the entire canyon to shake.

Loose stones tumbled from the rock walls, startling a flock of bats resting in the crevices.

It was evident that the Tomb of the Gu God had completely collapsed!

Hu Die looked at the distant plume of dust, patting her chest in lingering fear.

She turned her gaze to her father, who was slumped on the ground; his face was as pale as paper, with beads of sweat glistening on his forehead.

Unable to hold back, she took a step forward, her voice trembling, "Father, what on earth happened? How did you end up in the Tomb of the Gu God? Who was that person who looked exactly like you I saw earlier?"

Hu Lie leaned weakly against the rock wall, a trace of lingering fear appearing on his face: "I had entered the mountains to obtain treasure medicine, but once there, I felt something was summoning me!"

As he spoke, his gaze became distant, as if he was back in that uncanny moment.

"So, I inexplicably followed the summons and ended up in the Tomb of the Gu God!" Hu Lie said, unconsciously clutching his clothes: "As for the person you saw who looked like me... it was a doppelgänger created by the Gu God using a secret technique!"

At this, he struggled to stand, his bloodshot eyes filled with gratitude: "Thanks to Young Friend Chen's righteous intervention in eliminating the Gu God, otherwise..."

His voice choked suddenly: "After the Gu God parasitized my doppelgänger and left, the Gu line of the Miao Border would have completely lost its legacy!"

Upon hearing this, both Chen Nan and Hu Die couldn't help but gasp, clearly not expecting the situation to be so perilous!

The mist in the canyon gradually dispersed, making Hu Lie's figure look particularly thin.

With a long sigh, his voice hoarse, he said: "The Gu God was once a terrifying presence in the Miao Border a thousand years ago. All the wizards of the Miao Border joined forces to seal it, but it never gave up trying to break the seal and kill all wizards for revenge!"

"Many of our sect leaders have died at the hands of the Gu God!"

Hearing this, a light flashed in Chen Nan's eyes: "The incomplete Gu Sutra?"

He recalled feeling something in the Ten Thousand Mountains calling him while cultivating the Gu Sutra!

Now, he finally understood the key!

"It seems the Great Elder has already handed the Gu Sutra over to you!" Hu Lie forced a smile: "You are right, the incomplete Gu Sutra is the Gu God's bait. This Cultivation Technique was accidentally obtained by the third Sect Leader of the Poisonous Insect Sect and later became the sect's legacy scripture!"

"Unfortunately, the scripture is incomplete. Many sect leaders wanted to complete it, so they ventured into the mountains, but there was no return!"

Hu Die suddenly shivered, recalling the eerie white bones she saw in the Tomb of the Gu God, with tattered clothes still faintly showing the Poisonous Insect Sect's insignia.

Her voice trembled slightly, "So they all became prey for the Gu God, who used their flesh and blood to boost its own Cultivation?"

"That's indeed the case!" Hu Lie nodded heavily, the flickering fire reflected in his clouded eyes.

He turned towards Chen Nan, his calloused hands respectfully cupped together: "Thanks to Young Friend Chen's generosity and action in slaying the Gu God, otherwise the Miao Border would have been devastated, with corpses strewn all over!"

"You are the savior of the Miao Border!"

Chen Nan startled, hurriedly replied: "Senior, please don't say that. I merely did what I was able to do within my capacity!"

Hu Lie smiled but said nothing more, yet his gaze toward Chen Nan was full of appreciation. This fellow not only possessed outstanding abilities but was also very humble, with not a trace of pride!

Such a quality is indeed rare!

Thinking of this, he removed the black jade thumb ring from his hand and handed it to Chen Nan, sighing: "What heaven arranges is the best, this Sect Leader Token should return to its rightful owner!"

This time, Chen Nan did not refuse!

For his purpose in entering the Ten Thousand Mountains was to save Hu Lie and become the leader of the Poisonous Insect Sect, only then could he rescue Shen Qinglan!

"Let's rest for a night and return in the morning!" Chen Nan placed the thumb ring on his hand and then sat cross-legged, processing the complete Gu Sutra!

Chen Nan sat cross-legged, his hands forming a sealing technique, his eyes slightly closed.

The night wind in the canyon gradually subsided, and the surroundings fell into silence, with only the occasional sound of insects breaking the peace.

His consciousness sank into his sea of awareness, with the complete Gu Sutra appearing before his eyes.

The ancient text wove like serpents in the void, emitting a faint green light.

The previously incomplete parts were now completely filled, and the profound mysteries of Gu Technique surged like a tide into his mind.

Cultivating Gu, Refining Gu, Controlling Gu, Devouring Gu!

Each chapter contained the supreme laws of Gu Dao, and compared to the incomplete version, the complete Gu Sutra not only documented more exquisite Controlling Gu techniques but even included a forbidden secret technique, the Soul-devouring Gu Technique!

In simpler terms, it could devour the souls of others and bolster one's own spiritual power!

"No wonder the Gu God could survive for a thousand years, it could swallow others' souls!" Chen Nan felt shocked, but more so, he was overjoyed!

If he could devour the souls of other cultivators, his cultivation practice should indeed yield twice the result with half the effort, right?

Just as he was digesting the content of the scripture, a sharp pain suddenly came from the depths of his sea of awareness, which was the remnant soul power of the Gu God!

Even though the consciousness of the Gu God had been annihilated, its vast spiritual power, like an unowned object, still entrenched itself within Chen Nan!

"Since it's ownerless, this Daoist will graciously accept it!" Chen Nan's eyes flashed with a brilliant light, and he activated the Soul-devouring Gu Technique without hesitation!

"Boom!"

His sea of awareness was struck as if by lightning, with the vast spiritual power surging like furious waves, the residual soul of the Gu God being broken down and devoured bit by bit.

The pain was like a myriad of ants gnawing at his heart, the veins on Chen Nan's forehead bulged, cold sweat dripped down, yet he gritted his teeth and persisted, not moving back an inch!

And at this moment, his Soul Power was also wildly surging!

Originally his spiritual power was like a stream, but now within a short period, it transformed into a river, and it even continued to expand!

"Crack!"

As if some shackle broke, his perception spread instantly—a hundred feet, a thousand feet, a thousand yards...everything in the canyon clearly mapped in his mind!

The poisonous insects lurking in rock crevices, the sound of underground water, Hu Die's anxious breathing, Hu Lie's weak pulse...

Even, he could vaguely perceive the movements several miles away!

Feeling his soul power's transformation, the corner of Chen Nan's mouth curled into an intriguing smile: "My current soul power should be comparable to the legendary Foundation Establishment Stage, right?"