Chapter 444

Listening to the Heaven Corpse Gu's offhand voice, Yunhe furrowed his brows.

After guarding against the Heaven Corpse Gu for so long, he still ended up getting hit by accident?

And the Heaven Corpse Gu continued:

"Junior brother, don't be nervous; as long as you hand over that gu furnace to me according to our agreement, this fragment of divine soul will have no effect on you. You remain the foremost cultivator below a late Nascent Soul grand master, the 'Old Devil Yun' who strikes fear at the mere mention."

At the same time, Yunhe could feel that from the Heaven Gu Patriarch's fragmented divine soul, threads of the Heaven Corpse Gu's qi were slowly spreading throughout his sea of consciousness.

It could be foreseen.

If that fragment of the Heaven Corpse Gu's soul were to take root completely in his sea of consciousness, even if he wouldn't turn into a Heaven Corpse Gu corpse later, he would become the Heaven Corpse Gu's puppet, forever at its mercy.

That was naturally not what Yunhe wanted to see.

However, he was not completely without defensive measures.

The Heaven Corpse Gu quickly sensed the pull from the Corpse Soul Gu on its fragment of divine soul.

But the Heaven Corpse Gu was not panicked about this; it merely smiled and said, "Indeed, letting your gu worms swallow this fragment of my soul is not a bad choice."

"But then, junior brother, would you still dare to use your gu worms?"

The Heaven Corpse Gu's qi that was gradually spreading in Yunhe's sea of consciousness was stripped away bit by bit and devoured by the Corpse Soul Gu.

"How about this instead?"

Moreover, the Heaven Corpse Gu thought this actually caused Yunhe no loss, after all it was merely taking back what originally belonged to it.

After a pause, it slowly asked:

He narrowed his eyes.

After the Corpse Soul Gu devoured the Heaven Gu Patriarch's divine soul, it could then imitate his soul aura.

"I, as your elder brother, can swear a heart-devil oath."

Furthermore, the Heaven Corpse Gu could then retrieve its own divine soul to make itself whole.

The next moment.

Moreover.

Yunhe's Corpse Soul Gu was no ordinary gu worm; if he could advance its level further, he would be confident in resisting the Heaven Corpse Gu's corrosion.

Yunhe could even sense the Heaven Corpse Gu's teasing gaze, as if it had already figured him out.

The Heaven Corpse Gu even added a sentence.

And it would also gain the possibility of further advancement.

Yunhe's expression turned solemn.

Actually, Yunhe also had his own plan.

"Junior brother, have you thought it through clearly?"

Although the Heaven Gu Patriarch was affected by the Heaven Corpse Gu's fragmented divine soul, he still retained some rationality and autonomy, indicating that over such a long time, the Heaven Gu Patriarch had developed a certain resistance to the Heaven Corpse Gu's remnant soul.

Among them, it is the Heaven Corpse Gu's physical body.

From this, it can be seen that most of its body inside the gu furnace remains very important to it.

Since consuming the Heaven Corpse Gu's offspring would be affected, and his Corpse Soul Gu had already devoured not just one or two of those offspring, if it were truly going to be affected, it should have shown effects long ago; this time makes no difference.

In the Heaven Corpse Gu's view, Yunhe had no other choice unless he was willing to abandon his gu worms.

Yunhe was by nature not someone who liked being threatened.

As for the Corpse Soul Gu's foundation for advancing a stage, it comes from the Heaven Gu Patriarch's divine soul, and

Yunhe slowly opened his eyes and looked toward the gu furnace on the high platform that had fallen still.

He might as well go all the way and swallow the Heaven Corpse Gu's physical body as well.

This way, the Heaven Corpse Gu would be completely whole, both in body and in soul.

Since the pot is broken, might as well smash it?

No.

Would you still dare to use it?

Seeing Yunhe's determination, the Heaven Corpse Gu spoke again: "Although I, as your elder brother, am very interested in your gu worms, I can make a concession; as long as you hand over that gu furnace to me, I will take back this fragment of divine soul and guarantee it will have no effect on you, junior brother—how does that sound?"

If the Corpse Soul Gu could completely digest the Heaven Corpse Gu, regardless of its grade or level, it would certainly be able to advance further!

Although the Corpse Soul Gu may not match the Heaven Corpse Gu in level, if it advances further, even if it does not reach the legendary 'Soul Gu' level, undergoing a single transformation would not leave it without the ability to oppose the Heaven Corpse Gu.

And the Heaven Corpse Gu's voice also became solemn at this moment.

At least for a short time, the Heaven Corpse Gu can retain sufficient autonomy.

Faced with the Heaven Corpse Gu's look of having him figured out, he merely took a deep breath and then slowly said, "Eaten."

But the point is.

It is obvious that, after hearing the Heaven Gu Patriarch's explanation and roughly guessing the cause of the Insect Sect's downfall, Yunhe already felt strong repulsion toward his own gu worms consuming the Heaven Corpse Gu's offspring, let alone directly devouring the Heaven Corpse Gu's divine soul.

In a moment, the Heaven Corpse Gu felt the pull from the Corpse Soul Gu on its divine soul.

Who knows whether, after devouring it, the future Corpse Soul Gu will still be a Corpse Soul Gu?

But compared to being affected by the Heaven Corpse Gu, although Yunhe felt the pain of having spent great cost and effort over the years to cultivate his Corpse Soul Gu, he also had no other choice.

The biggest problem is that, under constant influence from the Heaven Corpse Gu, the Corpse Soul Gu cannot focus its energy on transformation; once its mind falters, it might become a puppet of the Heaven Corpse Gu.

Yunhe remained silent; the Heaven Corpse Gu seemed to sense his resolve and thus let out a cold snort, saying, "In that case, I will gladly accept your gu worm, elder brother."

However, for Yunhe, the influence of the Heaven Corpse Gu can be avoided to some extent.

For example.

First, send the Corpse Soul Gu to the Yao Shou Shijie.

Even though the Heaven Corpse Gu's origins are extraordinary, coming from the upper realm, influencing the Yao Shou Shijie from either the upper realm or the cultivation world is not something that happens overnight.

As long as we seize this interval, letting the Corpse Soul Gu completely digest the Heaven Corpse Gu and complete its advancement transformation, all troubles will vanish.

When the time comes.

Not only can it eliminate the restraints and influence of the Heavenly Corpse Gu, but the Corpse Soul Gu can also obtain great benefits.

Even if we step back ten thousand steps.

Even if the Corpse Soul Gu is ultimately still affected by the Heavenly Corpse Gu, as a gu insect cultivated from a wisp of his own divine soul, Yunhe can still react immediately and completely eradicate it!

Moreover, his attempt is not entirely without a chance.

Having obtained the memories of the Tian Gu Lao Zu, although he hasn't yet had time to carefully organize them, he also 'saw' in that earlier fleeting glance some of the backup measures left by the Tian Gu Lao Zu when he was refining the Heavenly Corpse Gu.

Most of those backup measures had actually already been used by the Tian Gu Lao Zu and his junior fellow disciple, the Xuanfeng Dao Ren, but some of them have not yet been used.

These backup measures cannot subdue the Heavenly Corpse Gu.

But it is still possible to slightly restrain some of the influence brought by the Heavenly Corpse Gu.

For example

"Eat it."

Yunhe took out a milky-white worm egg from his storage bag.

The bee egg of the Thousand Extension Bee.

Originally it was prepared to be given to the Goldshadow Eight-Winged Bee for its next metamorphosis, but now we have no choice but to give it first to the Corpse Soul Gu.

The Qianyan Bee itself possesses extremely strong 'instability', allowing it to mutate according to conditions and environment; even if it is merely a dead egg, it can help the Corpse Soul Gu complete its metamorphosis.

More importantly, it can to some extent suppress the Heavenly Corpse Gu.

Gurgle—

From Yunhe's palm crawled a grayish-white flesh worm as thick as a thumb—this is the mother worm of the Heavenly Corpse Gu.

However.

After successively devouring the divine souls of the Heavenly Gu Ancestor and the remnants of the Heavenly Corpse Gu, the current state of the Heavenly Corpse Gu mother worm is very strange.

Originally just like an ordinary flesh worm, it constantly bulges with bubbles on its body, as if about to burst.

Meanwhile.

Although the Corpse Soul Gu now exudes an aura like that of the Heavenly Gu Ancestor, it also constantly emanates the aura of the Heavenly Corpse Gu on its body.

Moreover, the Heavenly Corpse Gu's aura is gradually becoming richer.

Even part of the aura originates from the deepest part of the Corpse Soul Gu.

Quite obvious.

This is the portion that the Corpse Soul Gu failed to fully digest after swallowing the offspring of the Heavenly Corpse Gu.

Originally, that portion was not enough to significantly affect the Heavenly Corpse Gu, after all, though the Corpse Soul Gu is inferior to the Heavenly Corpse Gu, it is still an extraordinary Fourth Level Gu worm.

But if it suddenly erupts at the critical moment of the Corpse Soul Gu's metamorphosis or advancement, it might still have some effect on the Corpse Soul Gu.

However, now under the provocation of the Heavenly Corpse Gu's remnant soul, it has also been summoned.

This is a hidden danger of the Corpse Soul Gu.

Yunhe can only console himself, considering it's fortunate that he discovered it early; if it were to act up at the crucial moment of his Cultivation Base breakthrough, he would probably not fare well either.

He raised his hand and drew it in.

The Gu cauldron on the high platform was seized into his hand.

He directly employed his overbearing divine sense to invade the cauldron, forcibly erasing the divine sense imprint left by the Heavenly Gu Ancestor.

That is, the Heavenly Gu Ancestor is dead; otherwise, erasing that divine sense imprint would likely take considerable time.

This cauldron is certainly not an ordinary object.

Without exaggeration, this is the most precious treasure of the entire Heavenly Insect Sect aside from the inherited technique 'Thousand Gu Myriad Insects Art', and it is a Fourth Level Supreme Magic Treasure!

Fourth Level Supreme!

Even Yunhe, despite possessing many magic treasures and having invested vast resources, only has a Fourth Level Upper-grade Magic Treasure, lacking a Fourth Level Supreme Magic Treasure, which shows how difficult it is to obtain a Fourth Level Supreme Magic Treasure.

However, the greatest function of this cauldron lies in nurturing Gu worms; its capabilities for offense and killing are almost nonexistent.

Otherwise, if the Heavenly Gu Ancestor had used this cauldron against Yunhe from the start, Yunhe might not have been able to cope.

But a Five Level Lower-grade Magic Treasure specialized in nurturing Gu worms also offers obvious benefits to the Gu worms.

Even the Heavenly Corpse Gu must abandon most of its body and a small portion of its soul to break free from this cauldron's restriction.

Clang!

He lifted the lid of the cauldron.

Accompanied by a rising mass of white smoke.

Yunhe then saw a pitch-black flesh worm lying still inside; compared to the Corpse Soul Gu, even without aura, it gave Yunhe a feeling far beyond what the Corpse Soul Gu could provide.

"Heavenly Gu Ancestor, you really are..."

He couldn't help but want to sigh again at the Heavenly Gu Ancestor's boldness.

But he restrained himself.

The urgent task, if one wishes to protect the Corpse Soul Gu, shield it from the Heavenly Corpse Gu's influence and complete its metamorphosis, is that this cauldron is also crucial.

Yunhe lightly shook his palm, placing the Corpse Soul Gu into the cauldron.

"From now on, it's up to you."

He muttered.

Of course.

He also wouldn't rely solely on the Heavenly Corpse Gu itself; he would provide whatever assistance he could.

For example, driving the cauldron, and for example, feeding the Nurturing Gu Pill.

Yunhe made a hand seal, and the cauldron hovered in midair.

Immediately afterward, he rapidly cast dozens of magic seals one after another onto the cauldron.

Fortunately, he possessed part of the Heavenly Insect Old Ancestor's memory, and moreover he cultivates the Thousand Insects Myriad Worms Technique; otherwise he would not be able to freely control that insect furnace.

Indeed.

As he unleashed the spell seal, the insect furnace gradually emitted wisps of white smoke, accompanied by a faint halo, and began to take effect.

And the Corpse Soul Insect within the furnace, which had been struggling in pain, gradually calmed down, and the "bubbles" bulging on its body also gradually subsided.

The Corpse Soul Insect that had "recovered" lunged at the Heavenly Corpse Insect's carcass inside the furnace without hesitation.

Even though it clearly knew the Heavenly Corpse Insect might bring harm to itself, the Corpse Soul Insect still began to gnaw at it almost instinctively.

It might lose its self under the influence of the Heavenly Corpse Insect.

But it might also undergo metamorphosis by relying on the Heavenly Corpse Insect.

Yunhe seized the insect furnace hanging in midair, took a deep breath, and the furnace vanished from his hand.

Having been transmitted to the Yao Shou Shijie, the influence of the Heavenly Corpse Insect was temporarily reduced to a minimum, granting the Corpse Soul Insect some time.

"Next, we need to refine the Nurturing Insect Pill as quickly as possible."

Yunhe let out a slight sigh of relief.

Immediately afterward, he staggered on his feet and nearly fell.

He was possessed.

Even if he eradicated the Heavenly Insect Old Ancestor at the fastest speed, it still imposed a considerable impact on him.

His divine sense swept the stone chamber again, dispelling the arrangements he had left behind, restoring the Heavenly Insect Sect's mountain guard array to its original state, whereupon he flew toward the entrance guarded by his external incarnation.

"Huh?"

At this moment, somewhere in the Eastern Border Cultivation Realm.

A figure flying at high speed suddenly halted its motion.

"It disappeared?"

Beneath the hood, a grayish-white face was revealed, upon which countless black threads seemed to writhe and flow.

If Yunhe were here, he might recognize it as the likeness of the Abyssal Tribe cultivator Ling Ya!

It is precisely the Heavenly Corpse Insect flying toward the Heavenly Insect Sect!

In its field of view, the outline of Heavenly Ridge Mountain could already be faintly seen.

But it knows.

Now it's already too late to go back.

It simply cannot figure it out.

Why Yunhe could so quickly resolve all the troubles within the Heavenly Insect Sect ruins, and even more so, it does not understand.

"Why did it disappear?"

The Heavenly Corpse Insect is confident that, even if Yunhe sends his remnant soul to any corner of the Eastern Border Cultivation Realm, it can sense, influence, and even locate it.

But at this moment it can also feel that its connection with that remnant soul has been severed.

This is not something a mere mid Nascent Soul Yunhe could accomplish.

The Heavenly Corpse Insect furrowed its brow.

It appeared not so much annoyed as merely puzzled.

How was it done?

The Heavenly Corpse Insect cannot figure it out.

"It seems my junior brother's secrets are far more numerous than I imagined."

It slowly exhaled, gazing toward the direction of Heavenly Ridge Mountain, its eyes flickering.

Fortunately, it also likes to make multiple preparations when doing things.

Even if it can no longer obtain the divine soul and body it left behind, it now has a way to make up for its deficiencies, its confidence stemming from this Abyssal Tribe Ling Ya body now under his control.

(End of chapter)