Chapter Five: Clues of the Heavenly Dragon (3)

The uninvited guest’s casual remark once again made the atmosphere subtly tense. Gu Zhiheng and Chu Xingran exchanged a glance—man and ghost, both understanding each other instantly: the old woman sitting across from them was the five-hundred-year-old centipede spirit they were seeking.

But now that she’d taken human form, how could they possibly extract her heart? And even if they did, could Gu Zhiheng really bring himself to consume a human heart?

“You jest, Master Chen Yuan. I wouldn’t dare deceive you,” he replied sincerely, even somewhat humbly.

Gu Zhiheng had no idea what sort of relationship existed between the two, but he knew this suddenly appearing child was nothing short of a troublemaker.

Why say that? A girl not even two years old yet, scurrying around as if she could take flight at any moment. And listen to her—her pronunciation was more precise than his own. With just these two things, what normal child could possibly behave this way? It was obvious at a glance she was no ordinary little one.

Though she was adorably cute, making anyone want to pick her up and pinch her chubby cheeks, sometimes cuteness was the perfect disguise.

Perhaps this pair—one old, one young—were simply too bizarre; Chu Xingran found himself growing more and more irritated. He slapped the table and stood abruptly. “I didn’t come here for pleasantries. If you’re Gui Zhi, then die!”

Blunt as always, this fellow never bothered with any superficial formalities.

Chen Yuan was unfazed by Chu Xingran’s outburst—perhaps she’d seen it too many times to be surprised, her face betraying no emotion.

Gu Zhiheng also knew there was much Chu Xingran kept from him. Just like this little brat in front of him—he didn’t know her very well at all. If he hadn’t heard her name just now, he would never have connected her to the secret histories—there was simply no resemblance between the two.

Fortunately, there was a centipede spirit in human form before him; otherwise, all this would have been much harder to accept.

“All right, let’s settle this quickly. Once daylight comes, I won’t dare act,” Chen Yuan said, glancing at Chu Xingran but speaking to Gu Zhiheng.

Just because she looked like a child didn’t mean she was unaware—Gu Zhiheng’s true strength was far from what he displayed. For all his apparent frailty, if he and Chu Xingran joined forces, they would still not be a match for Gu Zhiheng.

Sure enough, as soon as Chen Yuan finished speaking, Gu Zhiheng sprang into action.

“My apologies, elder. After your death, I’ll be sure to return your body to your family,” he said. How polite, how courteous!

Because of the various elders of the Gu family and Chu Xingran’s influence, Gu Zhiheng had studied mystical arts from childhood—skills most would consider nonexistent. After so many years, he had naturally achieved considerable mastery.

He picked up a bamboo branch from the ground and, moving with light, fluid steps, approached Gui Zhi. Only at times like these did his sickly appearance fall away.

When it came to fighting, Gu Zhiheng was much like Chu Xingran—but, unlike Chu Xingran, he could restrain himself and didn’t act recklessly.

“Master, the heavenly retribution that befell the Gu family is theirs to bear. What does it have to do with the likes of you?” Gui Zhi’s expression didn’t change, though the murderous gleam in her eyes grew sharper.

Even if she was outmatched, she would still fight.

She had lived for over five centuries and had finally managed to attain human form—how could she allow herself to be hunted and devoured so easily?

So what if they were of the Gu family? They’d declined and faded away, nothing left now but an empty shell. What good did it do?

“You talk too much. If I want you dead, you’ll die. Didn’t I also fall at the hands of the Gu family?” Besides, the Gu family hadn’t wiped everything out—what was the point of all this?

If Chu Xingran ever lost her temper, Mingshui Town would vanish from the earth.

Could she not discern what truly mattered?

“Chen Yuan, you coward! You deserve to spend your life buried underground out of sight!” Who wants to die when they can live?

She wasn’t wrong—Chen Yuan was indeed a coward, destined to live his days in the dirt. After all, he was an earth dragon—a creature now known as an earthworm or perhaps a caecilian.

Originally, Chen Yuan and Gui Zhi had known each other long ago, but due to matters involving the Gu family, their relationship had soured.

Who knew how many years had passed since they’d last met? The last time, both had still been in their original forms.

Listening to their bickering, Gu Zhiheng grew increasingly irritated, unable to bear the suffocating tension.

“Enough! Whether you want to die or not is no longer your choice. It’s time to go!” he shouted, unable to suppress his frustration any longer.

Facing Gui Zhi, whose eyes now blazed with murderous intent, he infused the bamboo branch with mystical energy and struck at her.

But Gui Zhi, a spirit several centuries old, dodged with ease.

Still, she could not conceal her shock at Gu Zhiheng’s strength—the pressure he exuded was overwhelming.

Had she not evaded that blow, her flesh would have been torn open, perhaps even damaging her vital essence.

While Gu Zhiheng and Gui Zhi battled, Chu Xingran and Chen Yuan sat drinking tea, occasionally offering commentary.

“My little one is so dashing when he fights, though he’s still a bit too soft-handed,” Chu Xingran remarked, clearly besotted with Gu Zhiheng’s good looks.

Chen Yuan rolled his eyes. “Dashing? With his skills, he ought to have dealt with Gui Zhi in three moves, not waste time probing back and forth.”

After all these years, how had this woman grown only more foolish?

“All the techniques those old Gu men taught him, yet when it matters, he still hesitates. What kind of example is that?”

Chen Yuan took a sip of tea, only to see Chu Xingran glaring fiercely at him.

Suddenly, with a loud crash, the house behind them collapsed.

Dust billowed everywhere. Amid the ruins, a figure could be seen, shrouded in black mist.

Looking closer, Gui Zhi had reverted to her original form—a celestial dragon as thick as a water vat.

Though her length was obscured by debris, she was at least several dozen meters long.

“Young man of the Gu family, I’ve shown you nothing but respect, yet you truly mean to take my life!” The words spilled from her foul, insectile mouth, sending a wave of nausea and disgust through the air.

A stench assaulted them; Gu Zhiheng’s patience finally snapped. With a tap of his toe, he leapt skyward.

The bamboo branch lashed down hard on Gui Zhi, and blood sprayed forth in an instant.

The air was not only thick with the scent of blood, but also a pungent, fishy odor. Chu Xingran raised an eyebrow, tilting her head to look at Gu Zhiheng, her eyes overflowing with affection.

From the start, Chu Xingran had known Gui Zhi was the five-hundred-year-old centipede spirit—indeed, she knew the truth about all the other spirits as well.

But these were things Gu Zhiheng could not be told. When it came to the Gu family’s affairs, she could only offer guidance from the sidelines, never fully involve herself.

As for the clue about the celestial dragon—she had orchestrated it from the very beginning.