Volume One: The Soul-Guiding Gourd and the Spirit-Burning Lamp Chapter 52: Visiting Elder Chu

Clang, clang—the truck sped forward, rattling violently, and the air inside was thick with gloom and defeat.

Despite years of brutal and inhumane training, not a single one of these twelve armed men had managed to so much as scratch Gu Mo. None of them could easily accept this outcome—they were veterans, survivors of countless battlefields, men who had clawed their way from piles of corpses. But this man, Gu Mo, was simply uncanny.

A sharp cough cut through the silence.

Li Hetang, legs crossed, regarded his subordinates with a look of sardonic amusement before suddenly fixing them with a steely glare and barking out, “Who are you?”

At his words, the twelve despondent men instantly straightened, as if an electric current had jolted them to life. Eyes fixed straight ahead, they shouted in unison, “We don’t know!”

Li Hetang’s brows knitted. He pressed on, voice booming, “What’s your unit designation?”

“The Auxiliary Foodstuffs Company Transport Corps!”

“And what is our objective?”

The men, nearly wild with fervor at this point, roared back, “No cavities!”

Li Hetang’s face was a mask of fury, yet at this absurd answer, he couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

“That’s right! Our goal is to have no cavities! With dangers both within and without, it’s our duty to rid the country of these parasites!”

With that, Li Hetang swept his gaze around the truck, grinning, and waved his hand airily. “So what if he’s a supernatural? Why the long faces?”

The tension in the truck eased at once. One of the armed men managed a chuckle and addressed Li Hetang with a wry smile. “Boss, you’re a supernatural yourself. Us grunts can’t compare—there’s a gulf between us!”

Seeing his words had the desired effect, Li Hetang let out a few hearty laughs. “Oh, come on—didn’t I climb out of a pile of corpses too? What’s the difference? And besides, my ability…”

He stopped mid-sentence, leaving the rest unsaid. Those who understood, understood.

After a brief pause, Li Hetang raised a hand to his lips, coughed lightly, and continued. “According to the latest directive from ‘Codename Nine,’ we’re to begin gradually making contact with Gu Mo. I’ve always trusted you all, but…”

He let the words hang.

“That kid’s strength is truly extraordinary. Today’s failure was only because of that artifact he carries.”

One of the soldiers across from him grinned. “Exactly, Boss! That turtle shell of his is way too tough. Our custom knives couldn’t even scratch it.”

As he spoke, several men drew their special knives, displaying them.

“Yeah, even bullets would bounce off that thing!”

“And what’s with that kid’s green ghostly fire? Isn’t he alive?”

“Boss, we had info on that Priest Xiao, but where did Gu Mo come from all of a sudden?”

“Yeah, that Taoist can summon wind and rain, command lightning! He’s ridiculously strong!”

“If you ask me, that fire is the real trouble—it can defend and attack at the same time!”

At the mention of Gu Mo, the truck erupted in a lively din, the twelve men chattering energetically.

Li Hetang, however, coolly noted that all their custom knives now had curled, ruined blades—nothing more than scrap metal.

Surveying the damage, he stroked his chin, frowning. “Great Sage!”

At his call, a squad leader answered loudly from the corner, “What is it, Boss?”

Li Hetang glanced over, suspicion in his eyes. “Since your knives couldn’t pierce that golden shield, what about the tracking bugs…?”

The answer was clear from the squad leader’s helpless sigh.

A man who had never tasted defeat, Li Hetang’s lips curled into a wicked smile, his interest in this candle shop owner now thoroughly piqued. “Interesting.”

…

The scene shifts.

Liu Haiyang sped away in his black Passat, while Gu Mo and Xiao Yulou, faces somber, returned to the shop.

A mass of confusion and unanswered questions clouded their minds, thick and sticky as syrup. Gu Mo sat down at the counter, his face dark as thunder, while the ethereal Xiao Yulou pulled out a tea set, pointed in the air, and poured a stream of fragrant tea into a cup, filling the shop with its delicate aroma.

But even the purest tea could not dispel the shadows in their hearts. There was no denying it—an unspoken understanding had formed between the two. Neither mentioned what was on their mind; they simply passed several cups of hot tea back and forth in silence.

No one knew how much time had passed before Xiao Yulou, unable to contain himself any longer, frowned deeply and looked Gu Mo in the eyes. “Brother Gu, according to what you’ve said before, the underworld artifact and the ancient book your father left you were both delivered by Old Master Chu?”

Gu Mo nodded lightly, “Yes, it was Old Master Chu. Why?”

At this, Xiao Yulou’s expression changed dramatically, his voice trembling. “Brother Gu, have you never considered the details?”

Gu Mo was momentarily at a loss. “Brother Xiao, what are you getting at? Can you stop beating around the bush?”

With a snap of his sleeve, Xiao Yulou replied disdainfully, “Do you really think Old Master Chu is just an ordinary man?”

A jolt of realization shot through Gu Mo. He bit his thumb, muttering to himself, “That’s right! Old Master Chu can cure corpse poison and he gave me the Fuxi Serpent Fist manuscript. So he must…”

He broke off, cold sweat breaking out all over. “Damn! Was I born with a pig’s head? I should have figured this out long ago!”

As he pondered, suspicion grew stronger.

Beside him, the Taoist flicked his sleeve again and asked, “Brother Gu, what’s Old Master Chu’s full name?”

Gu Mo, noting Xiao Yulou’s heightened anxiety, answered calmly, “His name is Chu Changhe.”

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yulou gazed at the ceiling, murmuring, “Chu Changhe… Gu Yanzhi… ‘The lone smoke straight across the desert, the great river round beneath the setting sun.’”

The implication was obvious. With such poetic names, how could there be no connection between the two old men? Only a fool would believe otherwise.

Gu Mo stood abruptly and addressed Xiao Yulou, “Brother Xiao, with so many questions now, why wait? Let’s visit Old Master Chu right now!”

Their eyes met, and Xiao Yulou nodded resolutely.

Time slipped by.

Gu Mo and Xiao Yulou soon stood before a small courtyard, arms laden with tea, fruit, cigarettes, and liquor as gifts. Gu Mo, upon arrival, found himself bewildered—the courtyard was almost identical to his own, from the stone table and benches to the well, as if cast from the same mold. The only difference was the absence of a white stone horse; instead, a peach tree in full bloom graced the yard, its blossoms vying for attention amidst the verdant riot of spring.

A gentle breeze carried their fragrance, and the falling pink petals lifted the heart.

After a moment, Gu Mo cleared his throat and called respectfully toward the house, “Grandpa Chu, are you home?”

Moments later, Old Master Chu emerged, dressed in black training clothes and holding an enamel tea mug, face beaming with a genial smile.

Xiao Yulou, upon seeing him, immediately sensed this was no ordinary old man. Chu was likely in his seventies or eighties, with kind features and slightly graying hair kept short, radiating the vigor of bamboo in the wind. His black training outfit was immaculate, and though his skin was yellowed and his face lined with wrinkles, his eyes were clear and piercing, his hands calloused from years of practice. Despite his age, his breathing and light steps spoke of a lifetime of discipline.

Sensing this, Xiao Yulou broke into a broad, ingratiating smile, his mind racing with cunning schemes: “Who would have thought there was such a master by Brother Gu’s side? It would be a crime not to wrangle some benefits from this!”

Meanwhile, Old Master Chu eyed the Taoist in black with curiosity. “This boy really does remind me of someone I once knew.”

“Why are you standing there, Mo’er? Come in!”

Gu Mo grinned sheepishly and opened the gate.

Within moments, both he and Xiao Yulou stood before Old Master Chu. Xiao Yulou formed a Taoist hand seal and bowed deeply. “Junior Xiao Yulou pays his respects to Senior Chu.”

Old Master Chu, seeing the gifts they carried, frowned and reprimanded Gu Mo in his aged voice, “Mo’er, it’s enough that you visit this lonely old man. Don’t be so formal next time!”

Gu Mo laughed and promised, but still set the gifts on the stone table. “Grandpa Chu, I’ve come to ask a favor today.”

Chu raised his white eyebrows. “Oh? What is it you want to know?”

Gu Mo met his eyes and said respectfully, “Grandpa Chu, I’ve started to grasp the Seven Star Heavenly Step you taught me, but the Fuxi Serpent Fist manuscript is all text—I can’t make heads or tails of it!”

Chu let out a hearty laugh and asked, “Mo’er, how far have you gotten with the Seven Star Heavenly Step?”

Gu Mo scratched his head sheepishly. “I’ve been practicing for a while but haven’t had much real combat. When I was surrounded by twelve armed men this morning, I tried it out. They were completely thrown by my movements. That’s why I came to seek your guidance…”

At this, Old Master Chu set down his mug and nodded slowly. “It seems the time has come for me to offer some proper instruction.”

Gu Mo’s face lit up with pure joy—this was exactly what he’d hoped for.

Old Master Chu’s eyes widened as he addressed Gu Mo gently, “Mo’er, show me a set of the Seven Star Heavenly Step.”

Gu Mo nodded, placed his feet apart, settled into a low stance, and began the comet-like steps.

A gust of wind stirred, and in a matter of breaths, Gu Mo’s feet traced the seven stars—his movement, outwardly erratic, was in fact light and ethereal, leaving onlookers gaping in awe.

After two minutes, as Gu Mo was about to finish, Old Master Chu suddenly flashed forward, appearing right in front of him.

With a ripping sound, Gu Mo let out a howl of pain.