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Chapter 532 The Heart-Stealing Gu

The trees in the Hundred Miasma Forest were towering and blocked out the sun. The further one went in, the more one felt as if they had no idea of ​​time. However, the rumors were true. The further they went, the more rare herbs and flowers they encountered. With Song Tanxi by their side, Qing Sang didn't need to help at all. Xiao Hui helped pick the herbs and flowers, and learned something along the way.

Various poisonous insects, snakes, and ants appeared one after another, but were dealt with by Qingluo the moment they appeared. Knowing that Qingsang was afraid of insects, everyone consciously surrounded Qingsang, preventing them from getting close to him. They didn't encounter many strange beasts, probably because Erfu was nearby.

At first, upon entering the forest, one could hear the sounds of other adventurers in the distance. However, as one ventured deeper, the surroundings became increasingly quiet, and even the sounds of the forest itself could no longer be heard. The atmosphere of danger grew stronger and stronger.

"Do you still remember the way? I feel like we keep changing directions." After traveling for half a day, Qingluo asked impatiently. She was speaking to Lan Suyu, but her eyes were still fixed on the road ahead, constantly paying attention to her surroundings.

"What's the rush? I'm looking for it now, aren't I?" Lan Suyu rolled her eyes at Qingluo, unhurriedly. "This road isn't fixed; we need to find an entrance."

"What do you mean?" Qing Sang asked.

“I told you this is the training ground for Gu veins, right? Although returning alive from the Hundred Miasma Forest is the test, that's the final trial. The two days each month when the miasma dissipates are the time for ordinary disciples to train, and also a good opportunity for them to find treasures. But the Hundred Miasma Forest is too big; getting lost and unable to find your way back would be troublesome. So when they enter the Hundred Miasma Forest, they all go to the elders to receive a Madder Gu. This Gu feeds on Madder, its entire body is Madder red, and it has no use, but as long as Madder is planted all over its birthplace, it will accurately return to its birthplace within a thousand miles. Following its guidance, you can find the Gu vein. But if you leave this area, the Madder Gu will die quickly, so once you leave the Hundred Miasma Forest and there are no Madder Gu, you can't find the Gu vein.” Lan Suyu said as she walked, her clothes fluttering, and thousands of strands of silk were scattered out with them.

"So, the opening you're referring to is the Madder Gu?"

"I suppose so. Someone who carries something this important would definitely keep it safe. So, only those who find the Gu lineage can find the Madder Gu. And those who search for the Gu lineage only need to find traces of the Gu worms." From the moment she entered the depths of the Hundred Miasma Forest, her countless threads continuously spread out, sensing traces of her kind.

"Found it." Lan Suyu looked to her right.

When they quickly arrived at the place Lan Suyu had sensed, they saw no one and no signs of a struggle. Lan Suyu walked to a tree, and with a slight movement of her fingers, a spider with crimson eyes crawled out, spitting out a thread of red silk. Strangely, the silk was also red, gently landing on Lan Suyu's hand. Lan Suyu raised her other hand and lightly touched the spider's head as if petting a beloved pet. A moment later, she flicked her finger, and the spider vanished.

After the spider disappeared, Lan Suyu frowned slightly, looking thoughtful.

"What did you find?" Qing Sang asked curiously.

"It's the Heart-Eating Gu." Upon hearing this, Qing Sang, Song Tanxi, and Liu Shuangyue all simultaneously recalled how Qi Mingyue had used the Heart-Eating Gu to control their dearest loved ones, causing a series of tragedies. They thought a long time had passed, but bringing it up again still stirred their anger. Qi Mingyue was dead, but the culprit, Chang Li, was still alive.

“The Heart-Eating Gu is generally used to control other people’s actions. But in the trials of the Hundred Miasma Forest, the focus is more on dealing with the dangers of the forest itself, so the Heart-Eating Gu is usually not needed,” Lan Suyu continued, her curiosity piqued by their sudden change in expression. “What? It seems you’ve already experienced it? This Heart-Eating Gu is quite interesting.”

The three of them looked at her at the same time. Even Song Tanxi, who was usually gentle and considerate, had a terrifyingly cold gaze, not to mention Liu Shuangyue and Qing Sang.

Lan Suyu dropped her playful grin and pouted, looking bored. "Alright, alright, I won't say anymore. But this Heart-Eating Gu is quite common among Gu, and anyone with a little skill can refine it. Let's go!" With that, she turned and walked in another direction. As long as they found traces of Gu worm activity, it meant they had reached the depths of the Hundred Miasma Forest, and finding other traces would be quick.

Qing Sang handed each of the remaining people a red leaf. Her leaves could ward off evil spirits and would give a warning if they sensed the approach of a Gu worm. Xiao Hui and Bai Qianhe received a few more leaves.

Following Lan Suyu, they found several more traces of Gu worm activity, one of which was also caused by the Heart-Eating Gu, but they didn't find any people or corpses. However, based on these traces, they slowly approached the depths of the Hundred Miasma Forest, getting closer and closer to the Gu vein.

Until they found the place where they had just arrived, they saw the corpses of two men. Strangely, they looked as if they were asleep, their faces peaceful, and there were no signs of a struggle on their bodies. However, they did not rush forward. Qingluo flicked her fingers, and the collars of the two men fell open, revealing strange red lines radiating outwards from the center of their hearts, resembling a blooming spider lily from afar.

"The Flower Heart Gu feeds on the hearts of living people. It gets its name from the fact that after being infected, the heart is eaten, causing blood vessels to burst and resembling a flower blooming on the chest. When the flower blooms, the Flower Heart Gu is complete." Lan Suyu stepped forward, swung her dagger, and cut open the skin of the two people's chests. Sure enough, they were empty inside; the hearts were gone.

"Be careful." Lan Suyu's expression turned serious. "The Heart-Stealing Gu is extremely difficult to cultivate; only direct descendants have the necessary conditions."

"What is this 'Heart-Stealing Gu' used for?" Qing Sang asked. Only direct descendants can cultivate this kind of Gu worm, and two of them appeared at once, so it must be more than that.

"The larvae of the Heart-Eating Gu need to be nourished by the blood of a direct descendant until they mature. Then, a living person's heart is sacrificed. This living person should ideally be a cultivator, the higher the spiritual power, the better. And the Heart-Eating Gu is a necessary condition for modifying pure bloodlines." Lan Suyu paused abruptly after speaking, thinking of the Heart-Eating Gu from earlier, the commotion in the Hundred Miasma Forest that had lasted for more than a year, and those people who had come into contact with her before and then disappeared.

"They have probably already started their bloodline modification program, or even started a year ago."