Volume One: The Soul-Gathering Gourd and the Spirit-Igniting Lamp Chapter 71: Gu Mo, the Great Wronged One

A single, simple sentence was enough to make Gu Mo's heart clench, leaving him deeply shaken...

"Be careful of your ex-girlfriend!"

Gu Mo immediately frowned, repeating the words to himself.

There seemed to be a threat hidden in that sentence, and yet it also carried a note of warning.

By the time Gu Mo snapped out of his daze and rushed outside, Xia Wuqi of the White Lotus Sect had already vanished into the night.

Feeling the thick stack of hundred-yuan bills in his pocket, Gu Mo found it increasingly impossible to guess Xia Wuqi's true purpose.

He simply waved a hand, dismissing the matter, and returned to the counter.

"That guy must be insane. Are there no normal people among the so-called 'adepts' of the White Lotus Sect?"

As soon as he finished speaking, a lewd chuckle drifted in from outside the incense shop.

"Hahaha! Who is Brother Gu cursing at?"

Gu Mo looked up to see Xiao Yulou, with his immortal-like bearing, hands clasped behind his back, strolling in at a leisurely pace.

The moment Xiao Yulou entered, he was hit by a strong scent of tea, though beneath it lingered other fragrances.

Suddenly, Xiao Yulou wrinkled his brow and turned to the still-dazed Gu Mo.

"Brother Gu, were you just working on calligraphy or writing poetry?"

Gu Mo came back to himself, shaking his head in confusion. "Working on what? I just served a lunatic, that's all!"

He slapped the thick wad of bills onto the tea table.

Xiao Yulou's eyes nearly popped out at the sight. "Damn, did you rob a bank, Brother Gu?"

Gu Mo shot him a fierce glare, then recounted everything that had happened.

As soon as Xiao Yulou heard the name Xia Wuqi, his whole body shuddered, his face turning as pale as wax, sweat beading on his forehead.

He looked as though he’d seen a ghost in broad daylight.

"B-Brother Gu, the man who just came called himself Xia Wuqi? White Lotus Sect’s Xia Wuqi?"

Gu Mo nodded blankly. "So what? Does everyone from the White Lotus Sect throw money at strangers? That fool’s even cockier than the God of Wealth!"

Xiao Yulou sucked in a sharp breath, then stammered, "No wonder I caught a whiff of ink in the air!"

Gu Mo was even more baffled.

And then Xiao Yulou’s next words stunned him completely.

"Brother Gu, Xia Wuqi is the new leader of the White Lotus Sect!"

Crack!

Gu Mo’s mind was rocked by thunder.

"What? That brat doesn’t look a day over twenty—how could he possibly be the sect leader?"

Xiao Yulou sat down with a bitter smile. "Word is, not long ago the White Lotus Sect split into two over conflicts between old and new ideologies. Most of the elders broke away and founded the Blood Lotus Sect."

He paused, then continued, "Now, with Xia Wuqi newly installed as leader, the White Lotus Sect is practically powerless!"

Gu Mo scoffed, full of disdain. "So let them split! What does that have to do with me?"

But Xiao Yulou poured himself a cup of hot tea and shot Gu Mo a sideways glance. "Don’t you sense anything odd?"

Gu Mo furrowed his brow, puzzled. "What’s so odd?"

Xiao Yulou sighed, brow deeply creased. "Brother Gu, what’s the name of that old ghost you met in the Underworld?"

At that, Gu Mo’s heart clenched and his body tensed. "Old Ghost Xia? You mean the ghost who’s haunted the underworld for a century—is he related to Xia Wuqi?"

Xiao Yulou nodded slowly. "It’s entirely possible."

Crack!

More thunder echoed in Gu Mo’s mind.

In just a few hours, he’d heard more shocking news than in the rest of his life. He was beginning to think these White Lotus madmen must be bored out of their minds.

—

"I thought Xia Wuqi was some minor flunky in the White Lotus Sect. If Old Ghost Xia was so formidable, Xia Wuqi must be even harder to handle!"

Xiao Yulou, sitting across from him, forced a wry smile and explained, "From what I know, Xia Wuqi has had strange abilities since childhood. He wields a single calligraphy brush that can sway men’s minds—the martial world calls him ‘The Divine Tactician’!"

"What? The Divine Tactician? Is he some kind of fortune-teller too?"

Xiao Yulou shook his head. "The White Lotus Sect has always been mysterious—their arts are unorthodox, nearly on par with the Linglong Grotto. But as for Xia Wuqi, information is scarce."

He paused, then fixed Gu Mo with a serious look. "Brother Gu, you talked with him for quite some time—are you sure he didn’t control your mind?"

Gu Mo shook his head, still confused.

Xiao Yulou held up a finger. "Brother Gu, how many fingers am I holding up?"

Gu Mo contorted his face in annoyance. "Are you itching for a fight?"

But Xiao Yulou pressed on, "Brother Gu, what’s one plus one?"

"Equals your damn uncle! Are you done? If he really did control my mind, can’t you ask something more meaningful?"

With a flourish of his robe, Xiao Yulou asked, "Brother Gu, what are your parents’ names?"

Black lines appeared on Gu Mo’s face—enough, it seemed, to knit a pair of woolen trousers.

"I’ve never met my parents since I was born. You know that—are you trying to get punched?"

Hearing this, Xiao Yulou could only sigh.

A fraction of a second later, he seemed to have an epiphany. He locked eyes with Gu Mo, asking with concern, "Brother Gu, do you remember your ex-girlfriend?"

Gu Mo frowned deeply. As much as he was reluctant, the thought that Xia Wuqi might have tampered with his mind forced him to answer.

"My ex-girlfriend’s name is Li Hongyan—we were classmates in elementary school. Later, my grandfather sent me away to another city. The next time we met was last March, late one evening..."

He sighed, beginning to reminisce.

"Trying to make a living in a strange city was miserable. I kept hitting dead ends, couldn’t find a decent job. I was so broke I survived on a single bun a day.

Just when I was at rock bottom, I ran into Li Hongyan on the street. Years had passed, and she’d grown into a lovely young woman—not a beauty, but her pure smile was unforgettable.

For the sake of pride, I didn’t greet her, just kept my head down, hiding in the crowd. But she spotted me instantly, ran over, grabbed my sleeve, and called my name.

Next thing I knew, she dragged me to a nearby snack shop for a simple dinner—her treat, of course.

We chatted for a long time, and she told me she’d come to the city a year earlier, but things weren’t going well for her either—rent and utilities were a struggle.

Over the next while, our feelings grew, and we ended up renting a place together. It wasn’t until we became a couple that I realized..."

Xiao Yulou, listening eagerly, took out a cigarette and offered it to Gu Mo, urging him on.

"Brother Gu, don’t keep me in suspense—what did you find out?"

Gu Mo forced a bitter smile, lighting his cigarette, his delicate features twisting in the smoke.

"After we got together, I discovered that Li Hongyan was stringing along several guys—and she was still in touch with that bastard Sun Qiang!"

At this, Xiao Yulou’s eyes widened in shock, as if Gu Mo’s hair had instantly grown into a lush green prairie.

"Brother Gu... I really don’t know what to say."

Gu Mo exhaled deeply, letting the nicotine and tar burn through his lungs.

"It’s all in the past—no use feeling sorry now."

But Xiao Yulou was too intrigued to let the story go.

"And then?"

Faced with Xiao Yulou’s eager questioning, Gu Mo took another drag and continued his tale of regret.

—

"Later, after some humiliating investigation, I found out that this woman had been toying with my feelings from the start!

Our reunion, getting to know each other, falling in love—it was all because of a ‘truth or dare’ game at a KTV. And the one who suggested the dare was none other than that bastard Sun Qiang!"

Xiao Yulou’s confusion only grew. "Brother Gu, did you have some old grudge with Sun Qiang?"

Gu Mo shook his head with an air of indifference. "We had our share of friction in school. Sun Qiang was no match for me—grades, looks, popularity, you name it. He had nothing going for him except a bit of family money."

Xiao Yulou finally understood, pulling a face as shameless as ever.

"So, you were the ultimate sucker, Brother Gu!"

Gu Mo forced a wry smile, mocking himself. "A backup would have been bad enough—I was just a jack. When she needed a new spare, she’d let me prop things up for a while."

Xiao Yulou burst out laughing. "Brother Gu, you’re truly witty!"

A moment later.

Gu Mo, face clouded with worry, picked up his greedy little ghost and set off for home with Xiao Yulou.

Not far away in the darkness, four shadowy figures crouched under a tree, eyes locked on the incense shop.

"Wolf, this is the place!"

One of them pulled out a cigarette.

Click, click—

The flickering flame from the lighter illuminated a face marred by a hideous scar—a broad, brutal countenance filling the lens.

Beside him, the sleazy Sun Qiang grinned ingratiatingly at the thugs.

A closer look revealed that the scarred man had thick brows, a broad nose, and a fierce glare. The ghastly scar snaked from the crown of his head to his chin like a centipede.

"Xiao Qiang, just tell us what to do!"

Wolf, the scar-faced man, tugged at the gold chain on his neck, his voice rough.

The two other thugs looked every bit as unsavory—one black and skinny, the other pale and fat. No one would want to glance at them twice.

As they puffed away, Sun Qiang curled his lips maliciously. "Wolf, just go in and smash the place up. No need to make a big scene over a nobody like him."

Wolf shot him a fierce glare. "Why the hell do you need us for this? Didn’t you want to beat the guy up yourself?"

Sun Qiang could only keep grinning obsequiously. "There’ll be time for that later—first, let’s make him suffer a little."

After a final drag, the three thugs stood, flicking their cigarettes to the ground.

With a crisp snap, sparks flared and died.

Shouldering crowbars and pickaxe handles, the trio strode toward the incense shop.

From his hiding spot, Sun Qiang watched them go, sneering coldly to himself.

"Hmph! You three drifters really think you’re some big shots? If I wasn’t in a generous mood, you wouldn’t get these gold chains!"

He thought of his grudge with Gu Mo and spat a curse.

"You little bastard, I’ll smash your shop first. In a few days, I’ll let these three losers beat you to a pulp!

And even if the police catch them, it’ll never lead back to me!"

With that, Sun Qiang smoked his cigarette and stared at the shop’s entrance...