Fangxian Heretical Path

Chapter 189 Opportunity No Longer Deserved (5.6 words)
"Disciple Fang Shu greets Master!"

Fang Shu stepped forward, immediately attracting everyone's attention.

The immortal Longgu looked him over with interest and asked, "What is it?"

Fang Shu didn't mince words and said directly:
“Reporting to Master, I have listened to the teachings in the temple’s scripture hall more than a hundred times and have been in the mountains for nine years. Now I am applying to become an inner disciple. I beg Master to allocate one of the Yin and Yang Gu pits to me so that I may cultivate.”

The surrounding Gu Hall disciples, upon hearing Fang Shu's request for the Gu pit, immediately displayed expressions of amusement, with several of their gazes directed directly at the fifth brother, Huai Liangxing.

They then saw that Huai Liangxing's face was indeed gloomy, and his brows were tightly furrowed.

Fang Shu showed no regard for this person. Standing inside the hall, he continued with a firm tone, as if making a vow:
"If I receive this assistance, I will do my utmost to share my master's burdens and accumulate merit, so that I may enter the inner sect with dignity and honor!"

These words elicited varying degrees of displeasure or mockery from the disciples in the hall. However, because the Immortal Dragon Maiden was present, no one dared to utter a word, and they all merely sized Fang Shu up and down with their gazes.

It should be noted that among the people present, apart from the second senior brother Hao Junliang, none of the others have entered the inner sect; they are all still only outer sect members.

The reason they couldn't become inner disciples wasn't because they didn't want to, but because they had competed in the past, only to be rejected for various reasons. Now, Fang Shu's confident words were like piercing their old wounds.

The immortal Longgu did not speak immediately, but was also sizing up Fang Shu.

Fang Shushen was under the gaze of everyone, and he keenly sensed the coldness of his fellow disciples, but he did not show the slightest fear.

At this critical juncture where he was being asked for benefits, whether he was telling the truth or exaggerating, he had to hold his ground; otherwise, how could he possibly ask for the Gu pit?

Let's get the benefits first!
"You little Jiu, your ambition is commendable."

After a long silence, the Dragon Maiden finally spoke. She seemed to have discerned something from Fang Shu, and chuckled softly:
"We did make a promise back then that we would discuss it again after you had lived through nine years. Now time has passed so quickly, and nine years have gone by in the blink of an eye."

As the voice sighed, the Dragon Maiden spoke up: "Little Five."

Huai Liangxing stepped forward in response, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "Disciple is here."

"Which side of the Yin-Yang Gu Pit are you willing to give to Ninth Junior Brother?"

When the immortal Long Gu said this, everyone thought that Huai Liangxing would agree to it and wondered whether she would give up the Yang or Yin number.

Unexpectedly, Huai Liangxing did not speak immediately, but lowered his head and pondered silently.

"Hmm?" When the Dragon Maiden Immortal's expression calmed down and she looked over indifferently.

With a thud, Huai Liangxing knelt down again:
"Reporting to Master, this disciple is willing to entrust both Gu pits to Ninth Junior Brother for management!"

These words surprised everyone present, even Long Gu Xianjia's eyes paused slightly. Only Fang Shu glanced at him, secretly guessing that this fellow would not be so kind and must have other ideas.

As expected, before the Dragon Maiden could ask for the reason, Huai Liangxing said again:

“Master, please understand… This disciple wishes to ask Ninth Junior Brother for a chance.”

He kowtowed repeatedly, speaking rapidly, his voice trembling with sobs:

"This disciple wishes to follow the temple's rules and compete with Ninth Brother for the resources. If I lose, the Yin-Yang Twin Pit will be offered immediately without complaint. If I am fortunate enough to win, I only ask that Ninth Brother grant me another three years, no, just one year!"
A year later, regardless of whether I have mastered the罡气 (罡气 is a kind of internal energy cultivation technique), I will definitely hand over the management of both pits to my Ninth Junior Brother. I will also include my notes and insights on Gu refining accumulated over many years of managing the Gu pits, to help him manage the Yin-Yang Gu pits, as compensation.

These words caused a stir in the hall, prompting everyone to speculate wildly:
"That good-for-nothing surnamed Huai has been dragging this on for nine years, and he still won't accept his fate?" "It seems this guy is finally about to accept his fate. If not, he's planning to go down the mountain."

The immortal Longgu quietly observed the other party without making a sound.

Fang Shu remained expressionless at the scene.

Huai Liangxing's move, seemingly a concession, was actually a strategic retreat.

This guy should have given up his spot in the first place, but he actually wanted to drag things out and even turned it into a betting contest. He's really good at playing dirty tricks.

Suddenly, the second senior brother, Hao Junliang, reacted.

"How dare you! Your master's Gu pit is not a place for you to gamble and fight amongst yourselves!"

The other person frowned, stepped forward, and shouted at Huai Liangxing, then lowered his head and said:
“Master, it is my fault for not disciplining him properly. I will take my fifth junior brother down here and give him a stern reprimand.”

But Huai Liangxing ignored his second senior brother Hao Junliang, who was still kowtowing, making the golden bricks in the hall clang loudly.

His voice trembled as he said, “Master! My cultivation is at a critical juncture. I am just one step away from passing the Six Tribulations, refining my Qi, and continuing my path.”

I humbly beg my master to give me one last chance.

Upon hearing this, the Dragon Maiden's expression finally changed slightly.

But the other party looked at Fang Shu with a half-smile and said:
“I don’t care, but if I give you a chance, who will give your Ninth Junior Brother a chance?”

If you delay for another year, your ninth junior brother will miss out on becoming an inner disciple. You should be understanding and ask him first.

The words of the Immortal Dragon Maiden were reasonable and clear. The other disciples, upon hearing this, all nodded in agreement.

So, Huai Liangxing's cultivation is cultivation, but how can other people's cultivation not be cultivation?
Putting themselves in each other's shoes, everyone felt that they didn't want to be delayed, let alone for a year, or even just three months or a month, lest they miss out on such an important life event.

Under the mocking gazes of the crowd, Huai Liangxing actually turned his head to face Fang Shu, bowed, and began to plead:
"I hope Ninth Junior Brother will give me another chance!"

This year, I, as your elder brother, will definitely compensate you, junior brother, from other sources and help you compete for an inner sect position.

These words drew even more ridicule from the others.

Before Fang Shu could speak, Second Senior Brother Hao Junliang scolded again, "Fifth Brother, what nonsense are you talking about? Apologize to Ninth Junior Brother now!"

But to everyone's surprise, Fang Shu, who had been quiet, suddenly spoke up:

“Yes. I am willing to give Fifth Senior Brother this opportunity.”

Surprisingly, he agreed to the matter immediately.

Swish!
Everyone stared in astonishment at Fang Shu's face, as if trying to scrutinize him. Even the Dragon Maiden's eyes showed surprise.

No one understood why Fang Shu would agree to such a thankless task... Could it be that he really had a big appetite, or that he was short-sighted and valued those two Gu pits more than joining the inner sect?
Huai Liangxing was overjoyed and his expression became excited.

"Thank you so much, Ninth Junior Brother!" he said hurriedly, as if afraid that Fang Shu would change his mind.

After speaking, Huai Liangxing glanced at the people around him and added, "Whether it's a battle of magic or a battle of Gu refining, I'm willing to do it all, it's all up to you, junior brother. And I will definitely restrain my cultivation and not bully the weak."

Fang Shu raised his face and smiled:
"Why bother? Let's just see who has the real power."

Upon hearing this, Huai Liangxing was secretly delighted, thinking that Fang Shu was indeed young and thin-skinned, and had actually succeeded in provoking him twice.

After a few brief exchanges, everyone's gaze gradually turned to the Dragon Maiden, awaiting her instructions.

Although Fang Shu agreed, whether this matter could proceed still depended on Long Gu's approval.

"Since everyone has their own obsessions, then..."

The Dragon Maiden paused, her voice distant, as if declaring a judgment on a trivial matter unrelated to herself: "As you request."

"Thank you, Master!" Huai Liangxing was overjoyed and immediately bowed deeply.

Fang Shu also took a deep breath, his eyes burning, and emotions spreading through his heart.

After giving her reply, the Dragon Maiden Immortal fell silent. She even closed her eyes, as if the upcoming magical duel in the hall was not even a fight between cats and dogs, but merely the buzzing of two little insects.

Seeing this, the second senior brother Hao Junliang sighed and could only step forward to preside over the duel between the two in place of the Dragon Maiden Immortal.

After a moment of contemplation, the second senior brother spoke first: "This duel is a private contest among the disciples of this hall. Whoever wins or loses has nothing to do with the outside world. Do not spread it afterward, lest it damage the harmony among the brothers."

Huai Liangxing was the first to nod in approval: "Senior brother has considered everything thoroughly."

The other disciples, including Fang Shu, also expressed their agreement.

"Don't worry, Senior Brother Hao, we understand."

The crowd then slowly dispersed, not needing to go too far. The space inside the Gu Palace was quite large, more than enough for two people to fight.

After Fang Shu and Huai Liangxing stood face to face, they listened to their second senior brother's brief explanation.

Suddenly, a voice transmission appeared in Fang Shu's ear: "Ninth Junior Brother, do you really want to compete with Fifth Brother in magic, instead of competing in Gu insects and Gu techniques?"

The two of you... have a significant difference in cultivation age, and such a contest of magic always carries some risk.

It was that second senior brother who secretly transmitted his voice to Fang Shu, indicating that he still had a chance to back out and change the way he fought for the Dao.

However, Fang Shu only glanced at the other party, shook his head slightly, and then focused all his attention on Huai Liangxing.

Seeing this, the second senior brother sighed softly and decided not to say anything more.

On the contrary, Huai Liangxing guessed the two's telepathic communication and spoke slowly: "Second Senior Brother, please rest assured. In this battle, I will not use my power to suppress others. Whatever method you use, I will use the same method."

This fellow was full of confidence. He was confident that, despite his advanced age, his decades of experience in spellcasting and insect manipulation were not fake!

If he weren't constrained by his background, he would have been a prominent figure in the temple long ago, instead of having to compete for food with a newcomer.

The second senior brother did not speak again, but nodded to Huai Liangxing, then slowly left the scene and took out a talisman coin from his sleeve.

Whoosh! The talisman coin was thrown out of the air by the second senior brother and landed between the two of them. The moment it landed was the start of the duel.

With a clang, the talisman coin landed, the metallic sound still ringing out, before Fang Shu had already seized the initiative.

He pointed his fingers like a sword and slashed them in the air. Several talismans flew out from his sleeve with a "whoosh," their spiritual light flashing as they rushed towards Huai Liangxing.

In mid-air, these talismans transformed into fireballs, ice spikes, or wind blades, hissing incessantly.

But they were all just low-level or even non-existent talismans, which only temporarily obscured Huai Liangxing's vision before turning into spiritual light and disappearing.

A hissing sound then echoed through the Gu Palace.

Huai Liangxing shook his robe and slowly walked out from the layers of spiritual light. Beside him, several blood-red clouds, shaped like ghost faces, swirled around him, howling and wailing, making the air tremble.

This scene was witnessed by those around them, causing many to subtly change their expressions and think to themselves, "The Five Poisons Soul-Eroding Sand Curse."

The sixth senior brother, standing to the side, immediately narrowed his eyes and began to introduce the topic at an extremely fast pace:
"This incantation is made by grinding the five poisonous creatures—centipede, snake, scorpion, gecko, and toad—into powder, mixing it with the blood from the practitioner's fingertip, and refining it into the 'Soul-Eating Poison Sand Gu.' Once the incantation is complete, it can be stored as a blood mist that covers the entire body. Anyone who touches it will turn into a cloud of blood mist."

When it emerges, the sand transforms into reddish smoke and clouds, ever-changing in form. Upon contact with the body, it penetrates the pores, engulfing the victim with five poisons. Within three days, the soul dissipates, the internal organs decay, and the body turns into putrid liquid.

After giving a long introduction, the sixth senior brother clicked his tongue and said, "The fifth brother is really hypocritical. He says nice things, but when he faces his fellow disciples, he uses such fierce spells."

Huai Liangxing realized that his family's secrets had been almost completely exposed by Lao Liu in just a few words, and he was even ridiculed by the other party.

His smile faded, and his expression turned serious. He didn't linger any longer.

This fellow bowed to Fang Shu:

"If your methods are merely these ordinary external things, then I thank you for your help."

"Go." He flicked his finger, and the blood mist beside him condensed into three scorpions about an inch in size, their stingers swaying, emitting a pungent stench, and they came straight for Fang Shu.

Fang Shu stomped his foot, his body drifting backward like a willow catkin, while simultaneously flicking his sleeves.

Two streams of energy, one black and one white, burst forth from his sleeves, swirling around his body and lunging towards the blood-red scorpion.

A hissing sound filled the air as the two sides' Gu worms entangled and tore at each other in mid-air.

"A mere trifle!" Huai Liangxing smiled upon seeing this.

He made a hand seal with his fingertips, and the crimson mist condensed again, transforming into several centipedes and venomous snakes that pounced on Fang Shu from both sides.

With the three poisons converging, Fang Shu's yin and yang energies could not ultimately sustain him, so he could only open his mouth, and a tongue sword flew out from it.

With the enhancement of his manipulation technique, the sword was ablaze with heat, shattering the incoming poisonous mist.

At the same time, as he cast the spell, his surging true energy also rose, demonstrating his current fifth tribulation cultivation level.

This weather finally made Huai Liangxing's expression tighten.

"This Xiao Jiu has actually survived the fifth tribulation?!" Exclamations of surprise rose from the surrounding crowd.

Many people's eyes revealed understanding, thinking to themselves that it was no wonder Fang Shu dared to try; it turned out that he was confident that his cultivation level was already comparable to that of the Fifth Prince.

Even so, no one, including his second senior brother, was optimistic about Fang Shu. The difference between those who had just entered the fifth tribulation and those who had reached the peak of the fifth tribulation was still very large.

In particular, the tongue sword that Fang Shu took out was immediately obvious to everyone. It was not even of the fourth level of tribulation quality. Taking it out to fight against a cultivator who was refining evil spirits was simply laughable.

Sure enough, Fang Shu's tongue sword only managed to shatter the poisonous mist twice before its blade trembled. The secret runes and restrictions on its body were almost corroded away by the poisonous energy, and it was about to be scrapped on the spot.

Left with no other choice, he could only swiftly retract the object into his sleeve and instead move around the hall on his own, avoiding Huai Liangxing's magic.

This scene softened Huai Liangxing's expression.

But then his eyes flickered, and suddenly without a word, he waved his hand and unleashed the remaining poisonous blood mist around him, which transformed into geckos and toads, pouncing towards Fang Shu.

Furthermore, the opponent's aura surged violently, revealing a formidable killing intent, truly indicating that he had reached the peak of the Fifth Tribulation Realm.

"A hundred poisonous mists, five insects stealing the soul."

Huai Liangxing chanted incantations, determined to finish the battle quickly. He unleashed the full power of the Sixty Toads' Five Tribulations Magic, activating the Poison Sand, aiming to defeat Fang Shu on the spot and deliver the final blow!
However, when his Soul-Eating Poison Sand Gu surrounded Fang Shu, an unexpected situation occurred: the sand gu suddenly froze, unable to advance an inch.

"What is this?" Huai Liangxing asked, his face filled with surprise and doubt.

The people around also twitched their eyelids and stared intently.

Fang Shu was holding a banner. He suddenly emerged from the Five Insect Poison Gu and looked at Huai Liangxing, gently waving the banner in his hand.

Whoosh!

The Yin-Yang Gu worms that had been scattered around after being dispersed by Huai Liangxing suddenly gathered and formed a formation, all targeting Huai Liangxing.

The commotion startled Huai Liangxing, who exclaimed inwardly, "This is bad!"

He immediately pulled a handful of insect eggs from his sleeve, smashed them on the ground, and was about to jump out.

The insect eggs burst into a flurry of moths, enveloping his body, concealing his aura, and lifting him up to help him escape.

But the next moment, all the Yin-Yang Gu worms that Fang Shu had cast were in place, and the formation was roughly formed, blocking the fang from all sides, making it impossible for him to escape.

This is a strategy of feigning weakness to gain the upper hand later.

Huai Liangxing was alarmed and looked at Fang Shu with a troubled expression.

Fang Shu smiled and finally uttered a word: "The Yin-Yang Two-in-One Insect Locking Formation, I would appreciate your guidance, Senior Brother."

As they spoke, the formation was fully formed. Fang Shu hardened his heart and, without hesitation, immediately made the Yin Corpse Gu and Yang Huo Gu collide within the formation, instantly igniting clusters of Yin-Yang Desire Fire.

Ahh!

A sharp pain in his head and a surge of desire immediately overwhelmed Huai Liangxing, causing him to cry out in pain.

He was like a headless fly, frantically running around in the formation, trying to break free, but instead, he became even more aroused by lust.

So this fellow hurriedly shook off his sleeves.

He flicked his sleeves, and countless crimson sand grains tumbled out, jingling and clanging. The grains transformed into poisonous insects upon landing, taking on various forms—scorpion tails, snake tongues, toad tongues, gecko claws—attempting to break the formation with magical spells and poisons.
"Want to go?"

Fang Shu loosely clenched his left hand, as if grasping an invisible rope, and pulled hard.

The entire Yin-Yang formation snapped shut with a "crack," shrinking from three zhang (approximately 10 meters) to seven chi (approximately 1.5 meters) in an instant. The lust within intensified, crushing all the poisonous insects into tiny, crimson specks.

Inside the formation, Huai Liangxing, his hair disheveled, stared at Fang Shu with eyes full of pain, resentment, and disbelief, but he couldn't utter a single word, only wildly dancing and shouting.

By this point, everyone knew that the outcome was already decided.

Many people also stared intently at the banner in Fang Shu's hand, realizing that this was Fang Shu's true trump card.

Among them, the second senior brother Hao Junliang glanced at Long Gu and planned to step forward to announce the result.

But that's it.

Fang Shu, who was outside the formation, suddenly moved and deliberately crashed into the formation.

This move delighted Huai Liangxing, who was in pain, thinking that with Fang Shu's attack, he still had a chance to turn the tide.

But a voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz suddenly rang in his ear: "Senior brother, you no longer deserve a chance."

With a whoosh!
Fang Shu shook the banner in his hand, and the banner pole flew out of his hand, plunging into Huai Liangxing's head from a distance.

Huai Liangxing's expression changed drastically, and he hurriedly tried to avoid it.

Before anyone could react, the Hundred Gu Banner of the Flood Dragon Spine, enhanced by the manipulation technique, moved with incredible speed, like a spear, and pierced through Huai Liangxing's forehead, penetrating his skull.

"Ninth Junior Brother! You!"

At this moment, gasps of surprise rang out from all around:

"Junior brother, spare their life!!"

Fang Shu, however, acted as if he hadn't heard.

He continued to penetrate the formation, looking at Huai Liangxing's astonished and incredulous face with a cold smile in his eyes. Then, he gripped the flagpole, seemingly surprised but actually deliberately giving it a jolt, shaking the soul out of the other's mind.

Whoosh!

Huai Liangxing's eyes were filled with despair. He could no longer resist the yin-yang lust, and in an instant, he transformed into a human-shaped torch, his entire body ignited from the inside out.

The man finally collapsed to the ground, unable to even let out a scream.

Less than a hundred breaths later.

The duel between the two inside the hall had already ended, and the result was tragic, with one person killed or injured.

For a while.

The scene was quiet. The disciples of Long Gu, who had witnessed the entire duel, stood silently, their thoughts frozen.
(End of this chapter)