Blood Sea Ancestor had cursed the entire Gu World with an eternal wave of Blood Path Inheritances, or so the experts of the Righteous factions lamented as they researched said path with great fervor behind closed doors, away from public scrutiny. One or two weak Blood Guillotines, a slumbering Bladewing Blood Bat, or a wisp of Blood Frenzy was enough to allow a Gu Master to surpass their peers.
Blood Guillotine was especially hazardous. At its peak, the Gu could create a massive insect group to cover the sky and raze the ground with extreme prejudice. It was also effortless to advance—only requiring consistent consumption of a Gu Master. Of course, the Blood Guillotine Gu also needed the Gu Master's vital blood to multiply and increase its insect group. However, it sustained on the blood of beasts just fine without reproducing.
The cloud of buzzing, locust-like, blood-red insects was too spirited to be left as an errand Inheritance. It was out in the open—something that would have entered another expert's attention.
Qin Juan's clenched fists were white. A sense of dread washed over her.
The buzzing noise of the insect group was very grating and uncomfortable, but more revolting was the sight of the insects surrounding the corpses of a deer group, almost dried and without any blood, as their pelts sank and sat on their skeletal structure. Their hides were riddled with tiny holes, and slight bumps of dozens of locusts crawling within the body mapped the corpses! The woman swallowed, not out of nervousness but to keep the product of her disgust from unleashing out with a loud noise—which might lead to their demise.
Beads of sweat rolled down her face and body.
'What should I do?' She wanted to attack but understood she was outmatched. The insect group belonged to a Gu Master. They were in the open while the enemy was in the dark. In fact, they were lucky. The Gu Master, wherever they were, hadn't noticed her and Bai Shou.
'Should I contact the Sect?'
'No. The reinforcement will take too much time.'
'We need to retreat. Blood Path is one of the best offensive paths. However, the Refinement Path has limited options in combat. What can two of us do?'
The more she thought, the more Qin Juan felt spiraling out of her wits.
*Pat*
A warm hand firmly gripped her shoulder as if containing her fears at once. Qin Juan glanced back, noticing Bai Shou gesturing for her to remain quiet with an index finger on her lips. She nodded in return.
Regathering her composure, Qin Juan tried to signal their retreat.
Quietly, the duo began retracing their steps.
"Huff…" Qin Juan finally sighed in relief after continuously retreating for 30 minutes. There was no longer any sign of the Blood Path Gu, and she felt at ease due to the lack of any Blood Path Gu Master. "That was dangerous," she muttered and looked at Bai Shou. "Thankfully, we didn't attract anybody's attention."
However, the look on Bai Shou's face stopped Qin Juan in her tracks.
Sporting a deep frown that folded the flesh between her brows, Bai Shou quietly crouched and mapped their surroundings on the ground. Qin Juan watched curiously, noticing how Bai Shou drew arrows in several directions.
"Sister Bai?" Qin Juan whispered. "What's wrong?"
"You've never come across a Blood Path Gu Master before, did you?"
Qin Juan shook her head.
"Hmm. I thought so… the Blood Guillotine wasn't being controlled by anyone but was sent away to heal from its injuries. It was probably a large insect group before. However, someone or something cut its number to such a terrifying extent. And I'm sure the Blood Guillotine is not a wild Beast Group because it wasn't preying on everything indiscriminately. That could lead the Blood Guillotine to encounter other Wild Gu, which may retaliate."
"And?" Qin Juan lifted an eyebrow. "We retreated safely. Let's expose the Blood Path Demon in the nearby settlement or a sect!"
But the look Bai Shou tossed back allowed Qin Juan to realize her Senior might disagree with such a plan.
"We know where the Blood Guillotine is. Its owner will either return to it or command the insect group to move instead. We can follow it and locate the Blood Path Demon. The fact they sent the insect group to recuperate meant they were unwilling to lose the Rank 4 Gu—"
"Why didn't they recall the Gu into their Aperture then?" Qin Juan interjected, feeling Bai Shou was reaching into nothingness.
"Whatever the Demonic Path Gu Master is busy with… it is still an ongoing event. Recalling the Blood Guillotine will not heal its injuries; they may need it again. Of course, it can be any other event besides a battle. Still, the Demon must be at their wit's end to expose their location like this."
Qin Juan thinned her lips disapprovingly. There was no need for such risks. And what for? Some resources?
Couldn't…
No.
Bai Shou wasn't from any Sect.
Qin Juan refrained from sighing and making it appear she pitied the Senior's greed for resources.
"Senior Bai… if it's just about resources…"
"Of course, it's about resources, Young Mistress."
Qin Juan bristled and grumbled.
"I'm a Lone Gu Master!"
"And I'm a man."
Qin Juan rolled her eyes.
"Listen. A Blood Path Gu Master should be dealt with seriously. We need several Gu Masters to ensure no trace of the Blood Path Gu is left behind!"
Qin Juan unconsciously adopted a more forceful tone and a stern frown as if reprimanding a junior until she realized how Bai Shou was coldly glaring back.
"I- I meant—"
"Huff. Fine."
Qin Juan blinked, unable to understand Bai Shou. She was clearly angry before… so why did she relent without any fight?
"Let's seek out the nearest Sect. I know of one, Sister Bai. Follow me." Qin Juan wasn't about to let go of this chance and hurriedly led her companion away before she changed her mind.
<<<>>>
Qin Juan knew about the 'target' for more than just a few days they met… and even when she felt guilty about the deception, she needed to focus on the mission. But the sudden discovery of a Blood Path Demon could not be ignored. It was the duty of the Righteous forces to root out every evil individual, and she would also be the first to speak for the unknown Gu Master's release if it turned out they weren't Demonic and had no criminal record. After all, Blood Path may be highly prosecuted, but there were still cases where a few heroes from the Righteous Faction utilized the Blood Path for Justice.
Still, she felt Bai Shou was acting slightly weird.
From what she had observed, Bai Shou liked exacting her way from others. The reports also suggested she wasn't agreeable with authority and wasn't entirely innocent. Qin Juan wasn't aware of the details, but she perceived Bai Shou as an individual who must have committed several unsavory acts to survive until now. But communicating with her also revealed her easygoing nature, which was rare in their world.
Perhaps only Qin Juan's Senior Sister appeared so cordial with others despite her Rank 5 cultivation. There were so many Gu Masters in the same realm that enjoyed acting like they were somehow made of a different—superior—stock.
So… Bai Shou's ready agreement threw Qin Juan off.
She couldn't spend more time thinking about the issue once they approached the nearby small-sized sect. Their appearance shocked the guards, and they quickly informed the Sect Leader of their arrival.
Unlike many ordinary small-sized sects, the Brown Yuan's Sect Leader was an Initial Stage Rank 4 Gu Master—a recent breakthrough perhaps—whose sect had yet to achieve other requirements for being considered a middle-sized sect. But that didn't matter to Qin Juan, who hurriedly relayed the information about the Blood Path Demon.
"We need to act at once, Sect Leader," Qin Juan claimed, even more surprised that Bai Shou let her take the lead. After all, everyone in the hall couldn't ignore the Rank 5 Gu Master seated languidly in the main seat.
"We must surround the region and weed out any traces of the Blood Path Gu. There might be a possibility we are offending a righteous Gu Master, but then they can still recover their Blood Path Insect Groups effortlessly. However, if it's a bloodthirsty demon, the consequences would be dire!"
The six Sect Elders and the Sect Leader exchanged glances until they all cast a doubtful look at Bai Shou, who seemed oblivious to their thoughts and instead spoke with a soft smile.
"We have been traveling for a long time. If possible, could you spare us sisters some space to rest after dealing with this issue?"
"Of course, Senior!" The Sect Leader nodded sincerely. "You two are heroes who interrupted your journey just to inform us about such a disaster. Please, allow me to lead my forces and eradicate the demon!"
"They might not necessarily be a criminal," Qin Juan interrupted with a frustrated expression. "Please! Be more mindful. We wouldn't anger a righteous Gu Master if we surround that stretch of the forest with good intentions."
Sect Leader nodded with a smile.
"I understand. Indeed, we shall give this stranger the benefit of the doubt. However, it would be the sect's shame to let someone else take the brunt for the territory we vowed to protect. The sun has also set. Allow the Brown Yuan Sect to host you tonight as I send my scouts to confirm the situation."
"Ugh! They are so slow!" Qin Juan complained. Although the sect offered the duo different rooms, she eventually entered Bai Shou's room due to her inability to sleep. Meanwhile, Bai Shou continued to lie on the mattress.
"You know… I should exploit my rank more. Let's make more stops through different small and mid-sized sects and bunk there instead of sleeping on the ground."
Qin Juan shot the woman a nasty glare.
"How can you be so calm?"
"Well… you are only so restless because it's your first time. It's always the hardest."
The older of the duo exhaled at the obvious but unappreciated pun.
"What is going on, Sister Bai? It's the second time you hinted at my lack of experience."
An ominous premonition gripped Qin Juan's chest as Bai Shou tossed her an amused look.
"You did admirably, considering it is your first time… but I suppose it's just a matter of experience."
Qin Juan sat on the mattress near Bai Shou's legs, who settled her hands under her head.
"First, what do you think an injured Blood Path Gu Master would do? Easy—they would replenish their losses. A Blood Path Gu Master only commits so many atrocities because it is very easy to do so with high rewards to the boot. Only rare individuals handle such temptations without losing their sense of self. So, if our assumption of the Blood Path Gu Master is correct and they were indeed locked in a conflict, the chances of the nearby settlements facing a blood tide become astronomically high."
Bai Shou did not allow Qin Juan to speak, continuing with ease.
"Second, what makes you think the sect wouldn't want to research the Blood Path? If they are lucky, they will find the weakened Blood Path Gu Master and assassinate him, successfully snatching their Gu. The current Sect Leader recently advanced and would nurture the ambition of raising the Sect's strength and reputation. What if involving the sect cursed the nearby villages and innocents to a lifetime of exploitation for Blood Path resources?"
Qin Juan's expression grew ugly.
"And worst of all," Bai Shou's expression grew stern. "What if we missed an extremely lucrative opportunity because of you?"
She sank in silence, feeling somewhat defeated.
"I- It should be fine as long as we're doing good," Qin Juan claimed.
"And you wonder why I call you a Missy."
Qin Juan clenched her fists.
'Say what you want… but Senior Sister would be proud of my decision!'
"Oh, well…" Bai Shou punctuated with unconcealed amusement. "I'd say you still did an admirable job."
Qin Juan looked at Bai Shou, who had her eyes closed.
"It's not easy being decent as a Lone Gu Master. Now, let me rest."
"Come on, Sister Bai. I can't sleep like this! Let's chat about refinement techniques."
"I heard masturbation induces a good sleep. Try that."
"W-What?!"
<<<>>>
Qin Juan paced around in her room, her cheeks flushed and radiating intense heat as she rushed out of Bai Shou's room once the latter threatened to sleep naked.
'Does that woman have no shame?' Qin Juan grunted and couldn't help but stop thinking about Bai Shou's scandalous suggestions.
What would Senior Sister think?
Heck! What would little Sun Yao think?!
But if it could relieve her tensions…
Qin Juan had just sat on the edge of her bed.
'What am I even expected to do?' She whined. 'The Sect just gave me a mission with no end date… but the rewards are worthwhile. The Elder said they would contact me when the time is right.'
She sighed, feeling slightly alone.
Another reason Qin Juan wanted to chat with Bai Shou was to curb this sense of loneliness.
'Even if Sister Bai said I did well… there's no denying I might have snatched her opportunity. Do I need to make up for it?'
She lay on the mattress, her thoughts drifting elsewhere. There was the option of nurturing her Aperture, but she was already at the cusp of her breakthrough, and Qin Juan did not want to become vulnerable outside the Sect's territory. After all, advancing to the next rank was a long and arduous process filled with consistent pressure against the Aperture's wall.
Still, the thought of completing the mission left Qin Juan giddy.
'Soon, I can advance my Refinement Set with a significantly better and reinforced soul!'
*-zzt*
The woman's expression froze as she looked around, instantly going pale with fear. Her heartbeat skyrocketed, and she rushed from her bed to light the candles and lamps.
Soon, her fearful gaze observed a tiny, inconspicuous mosquito.
*Huff*
Qin Juan exhaled, only realizing after the fact how her shoulders were shaking—how her breath trembled.
'Just a mosquito…' she licked her dried lips, her mind flashing with the recollections of the Blood Guillotine's cruel consumption process. The thought of innocent humans subjected to such things…
*Bzzt*
Qin Juan grew annoyed.
Just how many mosquitoes are there?
*Bzzt* *Bzzt* *Bzzt* *Bzzt* *Bzzt* *Bzzt* *Bzzt*
The woman frowned and looked around, finding nothing. Hesitantly, Qin Juan stepped out of the room and discovered a dark cloud racing towards the sect, almost blotting away the moon.
She stood rooted.
There was too much.
The insect group threatened to blanket the sky. Each locust was similar to a hungry beast twisted with violence.
"Huh."
Qin Juan's head snapped sideways as she noticed Bai Shou standing beside her.
"Don't worry. You get used to it."
She watched Bai Shou smile as she looped a comforting arm around her, helping her stand straight despite her trembling shoulders. Qin Juan… she was trembling.
"I'm sorry," Qin Juan's eyes reddened. There was guilt in her watery eyes, but more than that was fear.
"Oh, forget about it."
Bai Shou chuckled, somehow transforming into Qin Juan's pillar. "What we encountered seems a rarer turn of events. I'm 80% sure our Blood Path friend chose to use his brain and control this sect from the shadows. Now that we discovered them… well, they will clean house."
'If only I didn't stop Sister Bai…' Qin Juan regretted her choice. She believed she was doing the right thing. However, her decision led to such a catastrophic consequence.
"We cannot stay here. Everyone will die."
Qin Juan's body shuddered.
She killed them.
A murderer…
She was worse than a Blood Path Demon.
But the nomadic Rank 4 Gu Master soon realized escaping the cloud of Blood Guillotine was easier said than done when it surrounded the sect from every direction.
"It's still a Rank 4 Blood Guillotine… tsk. Things would be simpler if I advanced my body refinement."
Qin Juan wished to argue that the Body Refinement methods available to a Refinement Path Gu Master still couldn't deal with the fearsome Blood Guillotine. However, Bai Shou must have a reason to speak of this matter, right?
The Sect had already sounded the alarm as disciples began to attack the cloud of insect groups using their long-range methods.
Instead of joining the assault, as even the Elders appeared to attack the approaching insect group, Qin Juan followed Bai Shou through the halls.
"Ah! Seniors! Please, help us!" One of the elders flagged them, instantly requesting their assistance.
"Of course," smiled Bai Shou. "Say, where is the Sect Leader in such a crucial moment?"
The Elder blinked, and Qin Juan watched Bai Shou strike the man.
"Sister Bai!" Qin Juan gasped as what looked like an ordinary punch sent the elder flying against a wall.
"No, Sister Qin," Bai Shou glanced back, still maintaining that smile of hers. "You've yet to learn about how most sects are. It's perhaps a more important experience compared to Refinement Techniques. So, you will follow me—and learn."
Qin Juan looked at the unconscious elder, finally registering something else.
How is Bai Shou so strong?
"Aagghhh—"
*Chhk*
*Bzzt*
Explosions and the buzzing sound fused with pained screams that began echoing throughout their surroundings.
*Crash*
A fraction of the buzzing insect group tore through the bricked wall intensely as the duo reacted instantly and retreated, each using their Movement Gu to put some distance.
*Roar*
*Howl*
Dragon and Tiger roars emerged from Bai Shou's feet as she moved a significant distance quickly. However, Qin Juan wasn't far. A pale blue fire erupted from her feet and covered her ankles, burning her sandals and the edges of her pants underneath the robe. Her steps felt a lasting burn mark on the floor.
Rank 4 Dragon Travel Tiger Steps.
Rank 4 Burning Streak.
Burning Streak was a Fire Path Gu instead of the Refinement Path, the latter being rarer and not quick enough in most cases.
As if finding prey, the Insect Group grew agitated and chased after the duo.
"What should we do, Sister Bai?" Qin Juan asked as the duo had to make a swift turn, for another stream of insects emerged from the broken walls and cut off their path.
Bai Shou, still calm, momentarily reminisced about the insect groups chasing her and Bai Ning Bing in Qing Mao Mountain. She'd already thought of a few methods to never get caught lacking by the Blood Guillotine or a Blood Path Gu Master, for that matter.
"Look for the disciples—Anyone!"
Qin Juan didn't know why Bai Shou would say that. She felt a guilty pit in her stomach, knowing that the answer might be searching for a scapegoat. Still, the duo rushed away, quickly approaching the valiant sect disciples and Elders fighting for their lives—
Where were the Elders?
Qin Juan's eyes widened when she failed to locate any Rank 3 Elder.
Did they die?
Already?
In contrast, the disciples grouped together and fought from each side, tens of their brothers and sisters lying not far from them with shriveled corpses.
"Seniors!"
One of the aged Rank 2 Gu Masters quickly called. However, the insect group formed a wall between the two parties—clearly controlled by someone capable of viewing everything.
Bai Shou, however, remained indifferent to the group. She looked around before her gaze squared on one of the more grotesque corpses. Instead of the insects feasting upon it, hundreds of tiny creatures bit their way out of the corpse.
"There, Sister Qin! Protect me!" Bai Shou whispered hastily, not even knowing if Qin Juan was capable of doing that. But despite the twists and turns and being clueless about Bai Shou's goals, the thought of her strange senior showing such trust managed to warm her confused and chaotic heart. Qin Juan nodded, her gaze instantly appearing stern and cold.
"Leave it to me, Sister Bai."
Rank 4 Stable Cauldron.
Rank 4 Fire Refinement.
Qin Juan used two of her Gu at once, creating what could be called a simple but nonetheless effective Killer Move. The Stable Cauldron, once used to house the Gu Refinement process, appeared with bright orange flames, slamming into several insects at once and rotating around the duo as they moved towards the corpse Bai Shou wanted to reach. The insects impacted by the cauldron instantly turned into ashes, creating a safe area.
'That is…'
Qin Juan's eyes widened, and she finally understood Bai Shou's plan.
Rank 5 Beating Refinement.
Rank 5 Multiply Gu.
An intense red glow covered Bai Shou's fists alongside a crazy consumption of Primeval Essence when she slammed her clenched fists onto the corpse!
The corpse didn't stand a chance. The woman's body burst apart in disgusting chunks. But the red glow suddenly fizzled away!
The surrounding insect groups stopped attacking as Bai Shou stood up.
<<<>>>
'Beating Refinement, eh?' The same boy Bai Shou saw in Yuan Yang City sat above clouds, witnessing everything. 'But… something isn't right. Could it be a new method of Body Refinement? A Strength Path Gu Master, at most, with all their Body Refinement, could only house eight beast strength phantoms at a given rank—which increases exponentially once they ascend. The power generated from using the ancient approach of Borrow Strength or the modern Overlord series wouldn't surpass the limits of the Body Refinement either.'
Although not a Strength Path Gu Immortal, the boy appeared to be calculating something.
'Using it alongside the Rank 5 Multiply Gu should only refine the Blood Guillotine in that corpse by 40%. Sure, it could be slightly more since Beating Refinement was also a Rank 5 Gu Worm… She used both fists, which shouldn't surpass 85% completion… then how did she refine the Blood Guillotine at once?'
The boy believed his intuition more than anything. However, aside from mild curiosity, something else attracted his attention the most.
'What will she do next? That's an enticing size of an Insect Group…'
'She is also quick-witted enough to stop running from the issue and resolve it at the source. Not every Refinement Path Gu Master has such a mentality… it's not like she is only a Refinement Path Gu Master. A bold mindset birthed from Strength Path would do that.'
'What would that boldness achieve now?'
The boy narrowed his eyes before gazing elsewhere. His vision pierced through the clouds and landed on a small band of escaping Gu Masters, two of them being at Rank 4.
'I'll have to create a mission to deal with that group… ugh, that's a fraction of my Sect Contribution. There's also the underground ruins. Let's observe the girl first before dealing with it.'
'So? What are you going to do now?'
<<<>>>
Qin Juan held her breath as the swarm of Blood Guillotine created a dense cloud above the ruined sect. It was now controlled by one person, who sat at the edge of a ruined tower and overlooked the sect disciples dealing with the corpses according to their customs.
"Sister Bai…"
"Why was it so easy?"
Qin Juan heard Bai Shou's question, which, from its sound, was rhetorical.
"I'll tell you why. Because the Blood Path Gu Master was smarter than we expected. They weren't here for a fight. What they wanted was to escape… after completing their objective. Maybe the Sect's higher-ups knew about it or not… whether they were part of the demon's faction or controlled by them will always remain a mystery."
Qin Juan listened quietly.
"The one I punched was quietly devoured by the Blood Guillotine swarm. This just makes things more confusing… after all, no other Elders left any corpse. And even if I get an answer… it wouldn't change a thing."
"Back in the South, my village was destroyed by the Blood Guillotine, Sister Qin."
Qin Juan glimpsed.
"Rank 4 Blood Guillotine can create upto 10 Million Insects at any given point, and the Rank 5 variant can create a maximum of 100 Million Insects. I'm starting to see the charm in Blood Path."
"Sister Bai!" Qin Juan sputtered, trying to dissuade such notions from taking root in her heart. "There's no charm to murdering thousands of innocents—children! We would never be alive if the heroes of the world did not cull the Blood Path. Our future would be tainted with blood, grief, and misery. Please—"
"But… it's so easy," Bai Shou interrupted. "A wave of my hand and the insect group above us would lay waste to my enemies. And yet, it's so… inefficient."
*Splat*
Qin Juan's eyes popped wide open when Bai Shou crushed the Rank 4 Blood Guillotine between her fingers. Connected to the Gu, the swarm of locusts perished instantly, their carcasses raining upon the sect, making others gasp in surprise.
"Refinement Path consumes too many resources, but I want to find a way to preserve them—to make the resources outlast the Gu. Blood Path is the opposite of it."
The thought sincerely resonated with Qin Juan, who didn't know how Bai Shou had come to disdain the Blood Path's approach of mindless massacre when they could just as easily reuse humans…
Was it so hard for the Blood Path Gu Masters to control their urge and just take a fraction of the human blood? Blood Donation Drives couldn't be so challenging, right?
Qin Juan perked up once Bai Shou looked over her shoulders, smiling at her.
"Sit with me, will you? You were amazing with that Killer Move. Directly hijacking the Blood Guillotine would not have been so simple if it wasn't for you."
Well, it would have been even simpler. But who was Bai Shou to rid that wide smile off Qin Juan's face.
As for Qin Juan…
"Yes!" She hurriedly settled beside Bai Shou, a massive grin on her face.
***
Alternative Title: Bai Shou: I'm a Man *Qin Juan: Scoffs In Disbelief*; Lo Jik: Hey, Sweetheart *Qin Juan: Surprised Pikachu Face, Red Face, and Nervous Sweating*; Qin Juan's Dilemma: Oh, No. She's Hot… Also, Oh, No. He's Hot; Qin Juan, Xiao Die, and Shen Cui Would Get Along Swimmingly Well; Bai Shou: Wanna See Me Sleep Naked?; The Slut Never Changes; Naive Qin Juan; The Blood Path Encounter; Teaching Qin Juan; Brother/Sister Monkey Is At It Again; Bai Shou: Sigh, a Blood Path Demon Killed My Villagers *Gu Yue Mo Chen Rises From The Grave: Liar! You DID!*; Taking Beating Refinement Out For a Test; Peak Growth; From Running Away From Blood Path To Making It Retreat; Costs of Keeping Up With The Act; Great Love Immortal Venerable: Creates Liver Formation; Greater Lover Immortal Venerable: Invents Blood Drive and Organ Donation Programs; Average Blood Path Demons: Hahahaha! Blood Shed Goes Brrrrr; Expert Human Path Righteous Gu Master: Hmm, Human Farming; Ren Zu When He Watches Human Path Immortals Ruining The World: Well, Fuck; The Ancient Sect Once They Watch Qin Juan Revering Bai Shou: Well, Fuck; Heaven's Will Once It Realizes Bai Shou Gets Memories Every Time Fang Yuan Resets: Well, Fuck; Bai Shou Once Bai Ning Bing Gets a Sizeable Boner For Her Ass: Well, Fuck *Bai Ning Bing: Hey, You Said It. Not Me* *Unzips*; Fang Yuan Once He Realizes He's Not The Protagonist Of The Fanfiction And His Dream of Immortality Is At Risk: This Is My, An Insignificant Character's, PERSEVERANCE *Explodes With Chad Energy*
***
A/N: It's been a long time since Alternate Titles looked so… massive. Heh.
***
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