The old Gu Master, already gaunt with protruding eyes, now widened his eyes even more, his face tight against his cheekbones.
“I won’t kill you...”
Around his body, a cloud of multicolored mist formed, bursting into blooming
Gu Flowers
. “I’m going to turn you into a
Gu Puppet
.”
Before the mist could spread, Lei Jun’s
Fire Vault Thunder
exploded, dispersing it once again. But from the roaring flames, a streak of golden light broke free, flashing instantly toward Lei Jun.
It was the
Golden Silkworm Gu
!
Fortunately, Lei Jun was prepared. Even before releasing the
Fire Vault Thunder
, he had already activated another
Spirit Talisman
.
Golden light enveloped him, forming a shield on all sides. The ferocious
Golden Silkworm Gu
hit the golden barrier but couldn’t immediately bite through it.
“An
Exceptional Golden Barrier Talisman
,” the old Gu Master muttered, unsurprised. When he fought Li Zhenchang and Chu Andong earlier, he’d encountered similar situations. Disciples of Tianshi Mansion often carried
Exceptional Talismans
or protective treasures bestowed by their elders.
Not to mention, Lei Jun’s cultivation and strength seemed unusual...
But the old Gu Master was from the
Yin Mountain
of the Witch Sect, no pushover himself.
Blood oozed from his wounds, dark and corrupt. With a wave of his hand, the filthy blood turned into a mist and spread toward Lei Jun’s golden shield.
“Sssssssss!”
White smoke hissed into the air. The toxic blood, combined with the relentless gnawing of the
Golden Silkworm Gu
, gradually eroded a hole in the shield.
This
Golden Barrier Talisman
, though gifted by Yuan Mobai, was limited by the materials used and couldn’t last indefinitely. But Lei Jun had already layered an additional
Superior Golden Barrier Talisman
of his own design.
The
Golden Silkworm Gu
, exhausted now, kept biting at the golden light but couldn’t break through.
At this moment, Lei Jun finally saw the
Golden Silkworm Gu
clearly—it was as tiny as a spring silkworm, but its entire body was pure gold and oddly shaped.
He flicked his finger, activating a
Dark Thunder Talisman
. Black lightning water surged over the
Golden Silkworm Gu
, silently exploding and knocking the Gu to the ground.
But the old Gu Master took advantage of this opportunity to release more Gu insects.
The swarm rushed forward, breaking through Lei Jun’s second layer of defense provided by the
Superior Golden Barrier Talisman
.
As the Gu swarm closed in, Lei Jun calmly activated another
Five Thunder Talisman
. This time, the five-colored light vanished, leaving only gold.
In the next moment, golden lightning enveloped Lei Jun like a protective barrier. From a distance, it looked similar to the
Golden Barrier Talisman
, but up close, arcs of lightning danced across its surface.
This was the
Metal Thunder
form of the
Five Thunder Talisman
—strong in defense and offense. The Gu insects were blocked by the lightning, many of them electrocuted into blackened husks.
I’m running out of Gu insects. I can’t keep this up. I need to break through his turtle shell quickly...
The old Gu Master gritted his teeth and charged forward, a rare move for him.
As he surged ahead, his remaining Gu insects gathered in front of him, forming a monstrous creature that was neither fully insect nor fully canine. It had six eyes on its head and six legs beneath its body.
The Tengu Gu!
Unlike other stealthy and subtle Gu, the
Tengu Gu
was ferocious and overpowering. It smashed through Lei Jun’s
Metal Thunder Barrier
, its jaws opening wide, swallowing the lightning as though it were nothing. Its six blood-red eyes glared fiercely, and it lunged at Lei Jun.
Then—
“Smack!”
The
Tengu Gu
slammed into a shield of light.
In the center of the shield was a strange black scale—the
Dragon Horse Scale
—radiating light outward into a sturdy shield. The shield wobbled slightly but didn’t break.
How many layers of defense does this guy have?!
The old Gu Master’s eyes bulged in disbelief.
Then, the light shield of the
Dragon Horse Scale
vanished.
No one was behind it.
The old Gu Master’s hairs stood on end, a chill crawling up his neck.
Crap!
He was too close now.
Just as the thought flashed in his mind, a short staff with one thick end and one thin end struck the back of his head.
“Who goes into a battle without a helmet these days?” Lei Jun remarked calmly, wielding an
Upper Qing Golden Bamboo Staff
. He gave the old Gu Master another solid whack on the head.
The old Gu Master screamed, falling forward.
But as he did, his frail, shrunken body suddenly swelled.
A moment later, his skin burst apart, spraying filthy blood and poisonous gas in a massive explosion.
Life Gu!
A Gu Master’s final desperate move—taking the enemy down with them!
Lei Jun’s expression remained unchanged.
The
Breath-Taking Flag
unfurled, its earthy yellow light forming layers of stone and dirt to protect him, blocking the toxic explosion.
“You... still have more?!”
The old Gu Master’s eyes filled with horror and disbelief as blood streamed from his face. Unable to hold on any longer, he collapsed backward, dead with his eyes wide open.
In that brief moment, the once-ferocious
Tengu Gu
looked back, confusion and helplessness on its grotesque face.
With its master dead, the
Tengu Gu
lost control, breaking apart into a swarm of Gu insects. They swarmed the old Gu Master’s corpse, devouring it.
Before they could do more, Lei Jun threw a
Chain Flame Talisman
. The raging flames reduced the insects to ashes.
He followed up with a
Warding Talisman
to purify any lingering toxins, preventing them from spreading.
After confirming no one else was around, Lei Jun checked his surroundings.
Chu Andong was badly injured but alive, though unconscious. Li Zhenchang was trapped in an ice formation, struggling but safe.
Lei Jun stabilized Chu Andong’s injuries before turning his attention to the old Gu Master’s belongings.
Though the body was devoured, his belongings remained intact. The tools and herbs related to witchcraft piqued Lei Jun’s academic curiosity, but that could wait.
He was more concerned about why the
Breath-Taking Flag’s
Tianshi Seal
had reacted to the old Gu Master.
Though the Gu Master came from the Witch Sect's
Yin Mountain
, he didn’t seem to possess a treasure as significant as the
Tianshi Seal
.
Lei Jun sifted through the items carefully.
Finally, a strange bone plate caught his attention.
“This thing...” Lei Jun murmured, puzzled.
The bone plate was long and narrow, resembling an envelope. Its material seemed unremarkable, but an intricate talismanic seal was etched on its surface.
It resembled the seal Lei Jun had found in the depths of
Qiántiān Peak
on
Tianxu Mountain
.
Could it be connected to the
Tianshi Seal
?
The bone plate had been inert, but when Lei Jun brought out the
Breath-Taking Flag
, the seals resonated.
Suddenly, the bone plate flared with purple lightning.