Chapter 151: Revisiting Old Grounds! Past Affairs of the Southern Border!

After Li Xiaoyao left, only the sound of Zi Xuan's heartbroken weeping remained in the Nv Wa Temple. Listening to her cries, Chu Yang suddenly recalled the scene of his first meeting with Zhao Ling Er.

That girl was also very fond of crying.

The Nv Wa clan's inheritance regarding crying was quite stable, just like their spiritual power.

Chu Yang still disliked such theatrics and interrupted, "Crying cannot solve problems; it only wastes time. In the years you were not in the Nanzhao Kingdom, everything that was meant to happen has already happened. Apart from making amends, doing anything else is meaningless."

Zi Xuan gazed at the Nv Wa statue, performed a spell to extract the Holy Spirit Bead from within her body, and held it out. "I implore the Goddess to take back this Holy Spirit Bead; Zi Xuan is not worthy of possessing it."

The Nv Wa Goddess did not take back the Holy Spirit Bead, instead falling into complete silence.

Zi Xuan stood up anxiously, calling out for the Nv Wa Goddess to manifest, like a little girl who had lost her mother, pacing helplessly around the Nv Wa Temple.

"It is quite clear that the Nv Wa Goddess does not approve of your way of making amends."

Chu Yang walked to Zi Xuan's side and urged her to take back the Holy Spirit Bead, but Zi Xuan continued to call out incessantly. Shaking his head, he turned and walked out of the Nv Wa Temple.

Arriving at a desolate, uninhabited spot, Chu Yang entered the Soul Palace.

As soon as he entered, Magic Chu Yang smilingly handed the newly upgraded Gu-Eating Insect to Xianxia Chu Yang. "The replication technology for the Gu-Eating Insect has reached perfection; there will be no more loss of cultivation, and we have even developed an upgraded version!"

Xianxia Chu Yang took the Gu-Eating Insect, examining it with curious eyes. "What does an upgraded version of the Gu-Eating Insect mean?"

Magic Chu Yang explained triumphantly, "The original Gu-Eating Insect could only consume demons, but the upgraded version can affect demons, monsters, ghosts, and spirits alike, provided they have a physical form."

Xianxia Chu Yang was greatly shocked; science was indeed the primary productive force.

"What about the Golden Silkworm Gu?"

Xianxia Chu Yang asked impatiently.

"The research difficulty for that thing is much higher than the Gu-Eating Insect, and the replication difficulty is immense. Perhaps we should prepare for failure. More importantly, the process from birth to maturity for a Golden Silkworm Gu is very long, and we haven't found a suitable way to accelerate it yet."

Magic Chu Yang wore a troubled expression. There was too little data on Gu insects; closing the door to build a cart was just a waste of time. To make a substantial breakthrough, they needed to collect more samples or obtain the Miao tribe's cultivation insights.

Xianxia Chu Yang thought for a moment and said, "I am currently in the Nv Wa Temple in the Nanzhao Kingdom, and Zi Xuan is by my side. She should recognize many Gu insects and could help find some materials."

Magic Chu Yang was overjoyed and nodded quickly. "That would be best. Get as many Gu insects as possible for research, and try to learn about Gu cultivation from her."

Subsequently, Xianxia Chu Yang took the newly refined upgraded Gu-Eating Insect and left the Soul Palace.

Nv Wa Temple.

Zi Xuan stood in a daze, having accepted the fact that the Nv Wa Goddess was no longer willing to pay her any heed.

"Since Senior Zi Xuan has time to be despondent, you might as well help me with something."

Zi Xuan turned to look at Chu Yang standing at the entrance, saying in a low voice, "You have seen what I look like now. It is not that I am unwilling to help you, but I am truly powerless."

Chu Yang shook his head with a smile. "No effort is needed; Senior Zi Xuan just needs to take me to a place."

Zi Xuan looked surprised.

Half an hour later, the two arrived at the settlement of the White Miao tribe. Because the Moon-Worshipping Cult had dominated the Nanzhao Kingdom in recent years, the White Miao tribe had migrated from within the kingdom into the deep mountains.

Zi Xuan had returned once when Qing Er passed away, but she had been driven away by the previous Saintess.

Revisiting the old grounds now, her face was filled with sorrow.

"Why couldn't the Nv Wa Goddess let me return to ten years ago with Xiaoyao? That way, I could have died in Qing Er's place."

Zi Xuan muttered to herself.

"Fate is decreed by the heavens. Even if you could return to the past, it is likely you could hardly change what was destined to happen. That is why the Nv Wa Goddess warned Xiaoyao not to attempt to change things."

Chu Yang glanced at her and strode into the White Miao settlement.

In the span of over a decade, the White Miao population had plummeted, with numbers now less than one-fifth of their peak.

Having entered the deep mountains, they not only had to compete for living space with ferocious beasts but also had to deal with the Moon-Worshipping Cult at all times.

Chu Yang, dressed in Daoist robes, quickly drew the attention of the White Miao tribesmen.

A group of armed Miao soldiers soon surrounded him and Zi Xuan, their eyes full of hostility, as if they would launch an attack at any moment.

"Stop!"

A crisp voice, like the singing of an oriole, rang out, ordering the soldiers preparing to attack to stand down. The soldiers and the nearby White Miao tribesmen showed expressions of reverence, as if the newcomer held a lofty position.

Before long, Chu Yang saw a graceful woman whose beauty was no less than Zi Xuan's.

"Saintess!"

Everyone called out in unison.

Ming Yuanqing.

A disciple of the previous Saintess, Granny Puppet, and the biological mother of the next Saintess, Anu.

The wife of Wine Sword Immortal.

How should one address the wife of one's martial uncle?

Chu Yang suddenly felt a headache.

As soon as Ming Yuanqing appeared, she gazed at Zi Xuan with indifferent eyes. She had seen this woman when she was very young; her master had said that she would assist her in the future.

But in the end, it turned into Qing Er. She had helped Qing Er become the beloved Queen of Nanzhao with great care, but Qing Er had died.

When she and Qing Er needed help the most, this Nv Wa descendant who had lived for hundreds of years had never appeared.

Instead, it was only after Qing Er had perished together with the Water Demon Beast that she came running here to cry and make a scene.

Lost in memories, anger gradually appeared on Ming Yuanqing's face.

If Granny Puppet's feelings toward Zi Xuan were those of "hating that iron would not become steel," then Ming Yuanqing's feelings toward Zi Xuan were pure resentment.

If she had been present then, if she hadn't taken the Holy Spirit Bead, the situation in the Nanzhao Kingdom today might not have been like this!

"You are a sinner of the Nanzhao Kingdom and the Nv Wa clan; you should not appear here. My master made it very clear to you before she passed away!" Ming Yuanqing pointed outside. "Please leave here, and take your friend with you!"

She knew Zi Xuan had left for love, so her gaze toward Chu Yang was slightly off.

Chu Yang glared right back!

Just kidding!

According to the rules of the Jianghu, coveting one's martial uncle's wife was a crime punishable by being drowned in a pig cage. "I am a disciple of the Shushan Sect. I met Zhao Ling Er by chance on Fairy Island and escorted her to Shushan. Now, Ling Er is resting safely in Yuzhou City at the foot of Shushan."

"So much time has passed; Anu should have been in contact with the Saintess."

Chu Yang took a deep breath, forced a smile, and explained politely.

Ming Yuanqing's coldness vanished instantly, replaced by panic and a gaze full of guilt and apology. She immediately signaled the surrounding Miao soldiers to retreat and walked up to Chu Yang, asking softly, "May I ask if you are Daoist Chu Yang of Shushan, or Daoist Xu Changqing?"

Hearing the name Xu Changqing from Ming Yuanqing's mouth, Zi Xuan couldn't help but lose focus for a moment.

Chu Yang cupped his hands. "I am Chu Yang of the Shushan Sect. Xu Changqing is my senior brother. I have come to the White Miao tribe today for a favor, and I hope the Saintess can help."

For Chu Yang's sake, Ming Yuanqing finally allowed Zi Xuan to enter her long-lost home, leading them to her hut. However, her attitude remained cold.

But toward Chu Yang, she was like a different person, always amiable and approachable.

"I must thank Daoist Chu for saving Anu and Tang Yu. I told Anu long ago that the Moon-Worshipper was a dangerous person, but that child was naive and thought he was a good man, not knowing the monster behind his facade!"

Mentioning Anu, the feelings Ming Yuanqing displayed were no different from any ordinary mother.

"Saintess, don't worry about Anu. She and Ling Er are in Yuzhou City, guarded by Elder Shi and Tang Yu, and looked after by my martial uncle, the Wine Sword Immortal."

"Speaking of my martial uncle, he is very fond of Anu. He should have been wandering the world, but now he stays in Yuzhou City and goes nowhere. The two of them are truly fated."

"I don't know why, but whenever he is with Anu, he keeps shedding tears."

Listening to Chu Yang vividly recount Anu's time in Yuzhou City, Ming Yuanqing revealed a loving smile, but upon hearing the name Wine Sword Immortal, the smile vanished instantly.

Chu Yang saw that the time was ripe and stopped talking. Ming Yuanqing would sooner or later seek out the Wine Sword Immortal.

Or perhaps the Wine Sword Immortal would sooner or later seek out Ming Yuanqing for a confrontation.

"Daoist Chu has been talking for so long, but I haven't asked what matter you need the White Miao tribe to help with?"

Ming Yuanqing hurriedly interrupted the topic.

"I am quite interested in the Gu insects of the Miao border and have come today for this purpose. However, please rest assured, Senior, this is a fair trade, and I will pay a reward that satisfies you."

Chu Yang reached into his robes and took out a jade bottle, pouring out several Blood Bodhi.

"What are you saying, Daoist Chu? The White Miao tribe still owes you a great debt of gratitude. Forget about a few Gu insects; as long as it is not a sacred object of the Nv Wa clan, we can give you anything!"

Ming Yuanqing said with certainty.

Chu Yang revealed a smile.

Dealing with sensible people is a pleasure.

Next, the two talked for a long time. Chu Yang not only obtained the methods for raising Gu insects from the White Miao tribe but also acquired many Gu insects.

Unfortunately, there was no Golden Silkworm Gu.

According to Ming Yuanqing, the Golden Silkworm Gu cannot be raised by human effort but is born from the gathering of heaven and earth's spiritual energy. Every Gu insect has the potential to evolve into a Golden Silkworm Gu.

No wonder Magic Chu Yang said the replication of the Golden Silkworm Gu was difficult...

It seems he can only find another way, thinking of other methods, perhaps some "technology and ruthless techniques."

After achieving his goal, Chu Yang still left many Blood Bodhi for Ming Yuanqing, using the same explanation he had used when trading the Gu-Eating Insect with Zhao Ling Er.

Ming Yuanqing feared it would delay Chu Yang's cultivation and could only turn this repayment of gratitude into a transaction, but she left behind a promise.

No matter what the matter, as long as Chu Yang needed the White Miao tribe, they would do their utmost to help him.

Ming Yuanqing personally escorted Chu Yang outside. Before leaving, she seemed to remember something and said softly, "If Daoist Chu is in urgent need of a Golden Silkworm Gu, you can head to the Ten Thousand Mountains south of the Nanzhao Kingdom, where there are many Gu insects born of heaven and earth."

"But remember, you can only act on the edge of the Ten Thousand Mountains; do not go too deep. There are the Black Witch tribe and the Sixty-Three Savage tribes, who are fierce, combative, and very dangerous."

"But the most dangerous thing is..."

"Silence!"

Ming Yuanqing's words were not finished, but she was rudely interrupted by Zi Xuan, who displayed a tough attitude in front of Ming Yuanqing for the first time.

This was the first time Chu Yang had heard of the Ten Thousand Mountains south of the Miao border; this was clearly not a setting from the original *Chinese Paladin*, but should be a blend of other world lines.

What kind of story involved the Ten Thousand Mountains?

The Black Witch tribe? Chu Yang suddenly remembered the Black Miao tribe that was at odds with the White Miao.

Ming Yuanqing's face showed a trace of apology for the first time, nodding to Zi Xuan. "This is the greatest taboo of the White Miao tribe; it should not have come from my mouth."

Zi Xuan sighed. "If Daoist Chu wants to know, let us find a place with no one around. This matter is not glorious for the Nv Wa clan."

The two left the White Miao settlement and did not return to the Nv Wa Temple, instead sitting in a broken pavilion thirty miles away.

"Daoist Chu should know that every generation of Nv Wa descendants has a Saintess by their side. The Nv Wa clan has been passed down for how many years, and the position of Saintess has been passed down for just as long."

"The significance of the Saintess is to help the Nv Wa descendant grow rapidly. But thousands of years ago, there was a Saintess whose talent and intelligence were unparalleled in her time, so much so that even the Nv Wa descendant of that time was far inferior to her."

"Gradually, that person was not satisfied with the position of Saintess. She sought longevity and realized the Great Dao, wanting to walk her own path. This was understandable; everyone has the right to choose."

"But her actions directly caused the split between the White Miao and Black Miao tribes. She took a portion of the Black Miao people to the Ten Thousand Mountains, calling themselves the Black Witch tribe."

"She also stole a large amount of treasures from the clan, causing the Nv Wa clan to be unable to recover for a long time. Fortunately, the three most fundamental items—the Heaven Snake Staff, the Holy Spirit Cloak, and the Holy Spirit Bead—were not taken by her."

"She should not have, she should not have used evil methods to seek longevity, creating a monster based on the resentment of heaven and earth. As long as it continuously absorbs the resentment of its enemies, it can continuously grow stronger, just like the Evil Sword Immortal of today."

"The only difference is that resentment is easier to produce than evil thoughts, especially in battle."

"It can even be said that as long as someone wants to kill that monster, it can obtain a steady stream of nourishment from them."

"That woman was not like the Shushan Sect Leader, who quickly realized his mistake and sealed the Evil Sword Immortal; instead, she aided the tyrant, helping that monster continuously grow."

"Until one day, she discovered that the monster had become so powerful that even she had no way to control it, and she felt despair."

"She returned to the Miao border, hoping to borrow the power of the Nv Wa descendant to eliminate that monster."

"For the sake of the common people, the Nv Wa descendant agreed, and the two went to the Ten Thousand Mountains together. However, just as the action reached a critical moment, that woman actually developed feelings for the monster she had created herself and showed mercy."

"The action failed, the Nv Wa descendant died as a result, and the treasures were sent back here by the Black Witch tribe. That woman was full of regret and could only find another way to seal the monster."

"In the end, she used her own flesh and blood as a bond to seal that monster in the Demon-Suppressing Stone Cave deep in the Ten Thousand Mountains."

"That woman was called Ling Long, and the monster she created is known by the people in the Ten Thousand Mountains as the Beast God."

Only after hearing the end did Chu Yang understand what story this was.

*Zhu Xian*!

Ancient books in the Shushan Library had mentioned the Qingyun Sect, but Chu Yang had never seen the Qingyun Sect with his own eyes in the Central Plains, nor could he find any information about it.

Including the Fenxiang Valley and Tianyin Temple, there were no similar sects in the entire Central Plains.

Over time, Chu Yang had thought it was a misunderstanding, never expecting to hear the story of Ling Long and the Beast God from Zi Xuan's mouth today.

Ling Long was actually a Saintess from thousands of years ago! (End of Chapter)