They brought Lord Ghost with them in the hope that they could detoxify him immediately once they found the gu worm. However, they never expected to get lost when they reached this place.
"I'm fine," Lord Ghost said, suppressing the pain. His breathing became tremulous.
Yi Qing felt Lord Ghost's pulse in the dark. Her soft fingertips, slightly cool to the touch, made Lord Ghost have the urge to hold them in his palm.
"How could this happen?" Yi Qing asked in surprise.
The gu worm in Lord Ghost's body seemed to be stimulated again and was now extremely active. The medicine she had given him before could no longer suppress it.
"I'm not afraid of death," Lord Ghost said softly.
"Aren't you worried about all the silver you haven't spent yet?" Yi Qing said as she felt along his wrist to seal his acupoints.
In the darkness, Yi Qing's focused eyes sparkled brightly, making Lord Ghost forget about the pain.
Yi Qing didn't notice Lord Ghost's strange expression. After sealing his acupoints, she let out a sigh. "Everyone, be careful. There might be lucky grass around here."
Yi Qing could distinguish the smell of burning lucky grass from that of lucky cakes, but in this environment, she couldn't tell the smell of the lucky grass flowers. The gu worm in Lord Ghost's body was extremely sensitive to that smell, which was why this happened.
Lord Ghost was carried on someone's back. They hadn't walked far when they really saw lights and a large expanse of lucky grass under the moon.
The flowers of the lucky grass were crystal clear and graceful in the moonlight, giving a beautiful feeling. However, it was these very flowers that could be refined into lucky cakes that made people addicted and ruined their families.
"You guys stay here and keep watch. We'll go find the witch doctor," Yi Qing said as she pulled Xiao Jinghan and walked inside.
There were people patrolling around. Xiao Jinghan and Yi Qing avoided them and looked for the witch doctor.
"How do you know where the witch doctor is?" Xiao Jinghan asked, looking at several lit thatched cottages in front of them.
"By the smell," Yi Qing said as she pulled Xiao Jinghan inside. "The cultivation and refinement of gu worms are very dangerous, so they're usually not done in crowded places."
Xiao Jinghan thought it made sense and protected Yi Qing as they continued forward. On the way, they saw several thatched cottages where lucky cakes were being refined. The seeds of the lucky grass were very small, with a thin layer of pulp on the surface. Collecting that layer of pulp and slowly refining it would result in something more valuable than gold.
Yi Qing accidentally stepped on some firewood, making a cracking sound.
"Who's there?" A patrolling man immediately ran over.
Xiao Jinghan took Yi Qing and jumped into the grass on one side to hide.
"You're too nervous," another patrolling man said, looking around and seeing no one.
"The situation has been tense recently. We've been told to be vigilant."
"I think you're just too nervous. There are so many barriers outside. If there really were someone coming, we would have received a signal long ago."
...
Yi Qing let out a slight sigh.
About a quarter of an hour later, Yi Qing finally found a thatched cottage. This one was special. There were many dried insects hanging under the eaves, as well as various bottles and jars.
"This should be the place," Yi Qing said quietly as she approached the window.
Just then, a signal flare shot up into the sky, and torches were immediately lit up around them.
Xiao Jinghan was about to rush out when he saw people gathering in another direction. The sound of weapons clashing could be heard.
"Are there other people coming?" Yi Qing asked in surprise.
"Let's go," Xiao Jinghan said as he pulled Yi Qing into the room.
Wu Peng was wearing a loose witch doctor's robe. His hair was casually tied up with a wooden hairpin, looking messy. He was in a hurry to pack his bottles and jars when a long sword was placed against his neck.
"Let's talk it out," Wu Peng said, holding his bottles and jars tightly.
Xiao Jinghan signaled Yi Qing, who walked over to take the bottles and jars Wu Peng was holding. But Wu Peng refused to let go.
"I'm only looking for a certain kind of gu worm," Yi Qing said. She had thought the witch doctor would be an old man, but he looked quite young.
"Tell me what it is, and I'll give it to you," Wu Peng said, protecting his things.
"The one cultivated with lucky grass. It can enter a person's body unnoticed and quickly take their life."
"All the gu worms here can do that," Wu Peng said proudly.
"The one taken by Ping Xinian," Yi Qing said, listening to the fighting outside. She was worried that if Lord Ghost and the others were discovered, it would be over.
Wu Peng was stunned for a moment.
"You know Ping Xinian?" Yi Qing asked, noticing the change in his expression.
"The one she took was the Illusionary Life Gu. It can be planted unnoticed. Once planted, there's no chance of survival," Wu Peng said as his finger moved slightly, pressing on a green bottle.
Yi Qing immediately took the green bottle. "Is this the Illusionary Life Gu?"
Wu Peng was anxious. "She took it a long time ago. If it wasn't used, the gu worm must be dead. If it was used, the person must be dead."
Yi Qing thought for a moment. "The Illusionary Life Gu? Do you mean that the person who has this gu worm seems to be alive?"
Wu Peng wanted to cover his mouth, but he was holding too many things in his arms to do so.
Xiao Jinghan moved the sword in his hand slightly.
Wu Peng had no choice but to say, "The Illusionary Life Gu requires planting the Death Gu first to confirm that the person is dead, and then planting the Life Gu. Then the person can be like a living person."
"Isn't it just a walking corpse being parasitized?" Yi Qing thought this method was similar to the glass puppets of the Northern Di tribe.
Wu Peng nodded. "This can keep the corpse alive like a living person for half a year to a year."
"What if only the Death Gu was planted?" Yi Qing thought Lord Ghost must not have had the Life Gu planted. He was still alive when she met him.
"Death is certain," Wu Peng said confidently.
"What if the person is still alive?" Yi Qing looked at Wu Peng.
"Impossible. If the person can survive for a day, I'll cut off my head and let you use it to hold gu worms," Wu Peng said firmly.
"I mean, what if the person is really still alive?" Yi Qing was very sure.
Wu Peng looked at Yi Qing's confident expression and began to doubt himself.
At this time, Xiao Jinghan heard someone approaching. He immediately grabbed Wu Peng and hid behind the door.
"Lord Wu Peng, there's a sneak attack. We'll escort Lord Wu Peng away first," the guard outside called out.
Xiao Jinghan exerted a little force with his hand.
"I'm still packing my treasures. Don't come in. Go protect the lucky cakes quickly. You don't need to worry about me here," Wu Peng ordered.
"Yes," the guard said hurriedly and left.
Wu Peng was like the God of Death to them. He didn't need protection at all. It was just out of respect.
"Is there really someone still alive?" Wu Peng asked Yi Qing suspiciously after he heard the person leave.
"Yes," Yi Qing nodded.
"It's impossible," Wu Peng thought over and over again.
"If the person is really still alive, how can we save them?" Yi Qing looked at Wu Peng.
"If the person is really still alive, raise the Life Gu in lucky dew. Cut open the skin of the person who has been poisoned by the gu worm. The Death Gu will sense the Life Gu and the lucky dew and leave the person's body," Wu Peng said generously.
Yi Qing thought for a moment and immediately went outside to send their signal. Lord Ghost's body couldn't hold on for much longer. Since there were the Life Gu and lucky dew here, they had to detoxify him immediately.