As he finished speaking, another familiar face popped up in the corner of the screen. Xuanwu Guard Luo Tiangang joined the call. He crossed his arms and said calmly, "These runes... look like an intrusion program, but I've never seen this pattern before. Boss, these are completely different from ordinary psychic viruses."

"It's not different, it's outrageous." The image of Ling Ruoxi, the Sky Sword Armor, also appeared on the screen. She carefully examined the rune chains on the large screen and marveled, "The arrangement of these runes is like a bug. They actively seek out loopholes. Once they get into the system, it's basically an irreversible disaster."

Xiang Fan stopped what he was doing and looked up at Ling Ruoxi, a gleam in his eyes: "Bugs? Gu... Did you just say that these things look like bugs?"

Ling Ruoxi nodded. "Yes, their movements are very similar to those of certain life forms. They are flexible and strange. They can even disguise themselves as ordinary program components and drill deep into the system."

"Gu..." Xiang Fan repeated the word in a low and cautious tone. "The logic and operation of these runes are somewhat similar to the core theories of the ancient Gu Dao. Self-reproduction, adaptive environment, intrusion control... It's simply a replica of Gu."

Ning Yuge took a bite of the spiritual fruit and nearly choked. "Boss, are you saying those things are Gu? Those ancient Gu Dao things? No way, there are still such weird things these days?"

Xiang Fan sneered, "What do you think you encountered on the virtual battlefield? An ordinary virus? If your mecha could block ordinary viruses, you would have been invincible long ago. Something that could cause such a tragic situation must be something extraordinary."

Luo Tiangang frowned. "Hasn't the art of Gu been lost long ago? What we saw on the battlefield before might have been some kind of modernized Gu program. However, I'm not sure who designed it."

"It doesn't matter who's behind this anymore." Ling Ruoxi raised her eyebrows, a teasing smile on her lips. "What's important is that my cousin's mecha was repaired to a worthless state last time. I bet his mood must be even worse than the mecha."

"Hey! Ling Ruoxi! Don't just watch the fun!" Ning Yuge glared at her. "The boss hasn't fixed my mecha yet, so don't make trouble here!"

"Stop arguing." Xiang Fan's voice was quiet, yet it held an irrefutable authority. He raised his hand to magnify the rune chains on the screen. "These things are more dangerous than you imagine. If they truly are modern Gu programs, then the designers behind them have not only revived the ancient Gu Dao but also deeply integrated it with the psychic network. This power, if abused..."

He didn't continue, but everyone understood what it meant.

Ling Ruoxi sighed: "So, this is another trouble. Cousin, if you accidentally encounter it again, I guess you won't even be able to repair the parts next time."

"Shut up!" Ning Yuge gritted his teeth, "Boss, are you going to fix it or not? Give me a word!"

Xiang Fan ignored their banter, his gaze still fixed on the rune model, a fragment from an ancient scroll within the sect's vast library surfacing in his mind. While the Gu Dao tradition had apparently been eradicated by the orthodox cultivation world, many remnants still circulated in secret. The Gu Dao's unique properties were too powerful and sinister. Once combined with modern technology, the threat posed would be incalculable.

"No matter what, I have to figure out the origins of these runes." Xiang Fan whispered, his fingers tapping the keyboard quickly again.

Luo Tiangang pondered for a moment and asked calmly, "Boss, what do you need us to do?"

"Not for now." Xiang Fan replied with a firm voice, "You guys should practice what you need to practice, and I will take care of these things."

Ling Ruoxi smiled and said, "Cousin, it seems the boss doesn't need you to mess around anymore."

Ning Yuge looked unhappy: "Whose side are you on?!"

The light on the communication screen gradually dimmed, and the laboratory fell silent once again. Xiang Fan stared at the rune model on the screen, a sneer curling his lips. "The inheritance of Gu Dao? Interesting."

The clacking of keyboards echoed through the lab, and rune models danced and flickered on the screen, as if engaged in an unknown confrontation. Xiang Fan's eyes gleamed coldly, a gaze filled with both fear and eagerness.