Chapter 106: Chapter 41 The Golden Silkworm Falls Asleep, Liuli Runs Away
Qiu Changtian returned to his cave dwelling and first took a “Pure Yuan Qi Pill.”

After a brief period of refining, he took out the cone-shaped magic artifact and began to carefully examine it.

The cone was seven inches long and weighed about five ounces. The material felt smooth and delicate to the touch, with an inscription carved at one spot, arranged vertically from the base to the tip.

This was Ancient Immortal Seal Script, supposedly every inscription has countless meanings, and it’s only by different combinations of inscriptions that one could determine their ultimate meaning.

Therefore, since ancient times, only immortals could decipher Immortal Seal Script; it had never been decoded by any cultivator of the mortal world.

Of course, objects endowed with the essence of immortals also probably count as one of the ranks of immortals.

“Ah Jing,” Qiu Changtian once again sought help from an outside expert, his own immortal spiritual object, “do you understand the meaning of these inscriptions?”

“This probably means ‘splitting metal and cleaving stone,’” the Kunlun Mirror said uncertainly.

“Splitting metal and cleaving stone? Does it mean it’s meant to counter the Metal System and Earth System?” Qiu Changtian pondered.

“I don’t know about that,” the Kunlun Mirror said demurely, “but anything that bears the ancient inscription is definitely an artifact from the ancient times, no doubt about that.”

“I see,” Qiu Changtian said with a chuckle, “truly, listening to a single word from you is better than a whole conversation. Thank you, Ah Jing.”

Kunlun Mirror: ?

After putting away the cone, Qiu Changtian spoke indifferently:

“Load the file, Luo Yan.”

The Kunlun Mirror then began to broadcast:

[Location three: East Sea, Penglai Yuqing View.]

[Character identity: Luo Yan.]

[Mirror Flower Water Moon Template overlay, undergoing time-space travel.]

Getting up from the bed, Luo Yan went to check the iron cauldron in the corner of the room.

Three plump, white Hundred Poison Gold Silkworm Gu were curled up together at the bottom of the cauldron, fast asleep.

The Gold Silkworm Gu instinctively loves cleanliness, so Luo Yan put them in the cauldron and covered it with a lid to ensure not a speck of dust could enter.

But looking at the bodies of these bugs, the golden color had only reached the first segment of the outer shell and was very faint. He didn’t know when they would fully mature in color.

According to the records, the Hundred Poison Gold Silkworm Gu was successfully bred in the late period of the ancient Intercepting Cult, the king of all poisons, whose bite causes flesh to rot instantaneously;

And it’s also the king among insects, with a shell as tough as gold and steel, unbreakable as refined metal, impervious to swords and fire, no matter the magic artifact, just a bite with their large teeth and it instantly falls to pieces.

The only pity was that these insects had almost gone extinct with the decline of the Intercepting Cult, and even the ones Luo Yan had were too few, a mere three.

If he could be like the ancient cultivators of the Intercepting Cult, releasing tens of thousands of Hundred Poison Gold Silkworm Gu with a wave of his hand, forming a cloud in the sky, diving down like rain, buzzing into a symphony like the thundering boom of thunder.

Only then would it be like meeting gods and slaying gods, meeting Buddhas and slaughtering Buddhas, destroying heavens and earth.

With just two or three tiny insects like these, they could only be used to assassinate in secret.

Luckily, Luo Yan specifically checked the scriptures and confirmed that these three Hundred Poison Gold Silkworm Gus were one male and two females.

If there were resources and opportunities later, he would let them breed, to become his second trump card after the Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light.

Looking at the three Gold Silkworm Gus still asleep, Luo Yan had already planned their entire future.

Let them shine brightly and burn, realizing the full value of their existence as insects!

“Junior Brother!” Shi Liuli came rushing in once again, “Father is calling for you.”

Even before Miss Shi stepped through the door, her impatient voice had already preceded her into the room.

Luo Yan made a swift decision and skillfully tossed the three Gold Silkworm Gus back into the cauldron, pulled over the lid, pasted a Sealing Talisman on top, activated the formation on the floor, and erased all traces clean.

“Alright,” he said with a smile.

Why Elder Shi Ding was looking for him was, of course, not hard for Luo Yan to guess; he must have heard about the trip to the Five Elements Cave Heaven from Shi Liuli and realized that there was something off about Li Qinniang’s identity, so he had hurriedly sought him out for confirmation.

Therefore, upon meeting Elder Shi Ding, Luo Yan explained the whole situation truthfully:

She asked me to fix the flags of the formation, I checked all the flags, found no problem, and came back.

Luo Yan spoke honestly, as the prompt for the rise in Synchronization Value constantly popped up in his Sea of Consciousness, to the point where even Ah Jing nearly got numb from it.

I have never seen such a person so adept at lying!

Under the guise of his false persona, Elder Shi Ding harbored no doubts, but merely let out a long sigh, signaling Luo Yan that he could leave.

After Luo Yan left, a person emerged from behind the screen, none other than the Pavilion Master of Penglai Jade Pure, Master of Xuan Du.

“This is strange,” the Master of Xuan Du said with surprise, “the people of the Heavenly Demon Path, disguised as cultivators from Wuzhi Cave, just to make your disciple run a fool’s errand?”

“Luo Yan is pure of heart, he should not have lied,” Elder Shi Ding said with a sigh.

“I don’t think your disciple is lying either,” the Master of Xuan Du said solemnly, “It’s just that this makes the situation even more confusing.”

“Nothing seems to be missing on the Wuzhi Cave’s end,” said Elder Shi Ding gravely, “At the time, they didn’t even know that there was a ‘Li Qinniang’ disguising as one of their sect’s cultivators.”

“So it seems that the enemy’s target is not within Wuzhi Cave,” the Master of Xuan Du sneered coldly, “If there is no outcome, there’s no need to worry about it either, lest we fall for the Heavenly Demon Path’s tactic of creating a diversion.”

“Hmm,” stroked his beard, Elder Shi Ding’s face remained clouded with concern.

His daughter and Luo Yan were of too low a realm, they couldn’t be entangled in the struggles between Yuqing View and the Heavenly Demon Path too early.

Indeed, over the next few years, it’s best to keep them within Yuqing View instead of going out.

……

A few days later.

“What? Grounded again?!” Miss Shi exclaimed in disbelief, “Why?!!”

“Per the orders of Elder Shi Ding, you are not allowed to enter or leave the sect at will…” the White Jade Puppet tasked with guarding the main gate of Yuqing View hadn’t finished speaking when it was smashed to pieces by Shi Liuli wielding the Divine Striking Whip with a loud snap.

Luo Yan, who was standing behind her, wanted to say something but hesitated, feeling helpless inside.

Having stayed at Yuqing View for so long, he knew that this White Jade Puppet was called “Nian Nu.”

Simply by attaching one’s Divine Sense to it, it could move freely like a robot with artificial intelligence, much more useful than a servant.

For this reason, each Nian Nu cost a fortune in Spirit Stones.

To see Miss Shi casually destroy one, Luo Yan genuinely felt a headache coming on.

Even the wealthy Heavenly Craft Workshop, capable of compensating the loss, might find such waste somewhat inappropriate…

“Junior Brother, let’s go quickly!” Shi Liuli suddenly cried out, grabbing his hand without further explanation, and soared into the sky with a surge of Sword Light.

Below the fleeing pair, a large flock of White Jade Kites took flight, beginning the chase for the culprit who had destroyed the sect’s property.

Luo Yan, wrapped up in the Sword Light beside her, stared blankly back at the scene they left behind, his mind filled with messy thoughts like “Who am I,” “Where am I,” and “What am I supposed to do.”

Fortunately, Miss Shi’s Flying Sword was powerful enough to quickly leave the pursuers far behind out of sight.

“Senior Sister,” Luo Yan reminded her, “We have left the territory of Yuqing View, so where shall we go next?”

“Next…” Shi Liuli seemed troubled.

She had originally planned to go shopping at the Fanghu Market, only to run into obstacles while trying to sneak out of the sect.

Now, having once again destroyed the gate-keeping White Jade Puppet, she expected her father to be furious when he found out.

If they were to continue shopping at Fanghu Market, they might get caught by her senior brother sent to retrieve her, and then she would be confined to the Heavenly Craft Workshop, unable to even leave the door…

Alright, decision made! We’ll have fun outside for a while, and when father probably cools down, we’ll go back!

“Next, let’s explore the various relics and secret realms of the East Sea! What do you say, Junior Brother?” Shi Liuli, thinking she found an appropriate reason, proposed to Luo Yan with high spirits.

Luo Yan almost grimaced upon hearing this.

Qiu Changtian’s last exploration of a secret realm was fraught with peril, nearly costing both him and Junior Sister Xu their lives.

Having barely escaped the secret realm, who would want to accompany Miss Shi on another adventure? Even the most iron-willed Daoist Heart couldn’t withstand it!

No way!

Of course, you can’t just bluntly say “no” to Miss Shi, because she would become furiously embarrassed and insist on going just because you said she couldn’t.

Therefore, Luo Yan feigned great interest and responded:

“That’s great, Senior Sister! I’ve been feeling cooped up in the Heavenly Craft Workshop myself. Why don’t we start by heading east, then turn south to search for uninhabited islands? How does that sound?”

[False persona, Synchronization Value +1.]

“That sounds wonderful!” Shi Liuli, unaware that Luo Yan had already scoured that island while cultivating the Five Elements Divine Light, leaving no chance for any relics to exist, eagerly agreed with keen interest.