Chapter 1222: It's Not Impossible [Requesting Monthly Tickets]
"They just ran away like that, what a coward!"
Gongxi, filled with hatred, pounded the ground with his fist.
No sooner had he finished speaking than the Gu worms at the wound began to rage and gnaw at his flesh. The pain was so intense that Gong Xichou's eyes nearly popped out, and his hard mouth instantly softened as he whispered for mercy: "Big brother, big brother, it hurts—I was wrong, I take back what I said."
Ji Moqiu's icy expression softened slightly as she said, "Begging me is useless. Your unstable emotions will frighten the Gu worms."
These venomous insects are timid and easily startled.
Gong Xichou could only suppress his agitated emotions with a bitter expression.
Ji Moqiu picked up the half-dead, dark red Gu worms near the wound and casually tossed them into the campfire to burn as firewood: "War is about winning, not about fools engaging in brawls. What's the point of you winning against that herb gatherer? Can it affect the final outcome?"
Gong Xichou sat shirtless by the campfire, wincing in pain as the muscles beneath his delicate skin twitched uncontrollably.
He took several deep breaths to suppress the excruciating pain, his entire body covered in cold sweat as if he had been pulled out of the water. If an uninformed person were to witness this scene, they would most likely laugh at Gongxi Chou for being all bark and no bite—the more powerful a martial artist is, the more they can endure.
Let alone a few deep, blackened wounds that expose bone, even missing limbs or intestines spilling out of their bellies and hanging from their armor wouldn't stop them from continuing to fight. As long as they had a breath left, they wouldn't cry out in pain or show weakness, lest they become a laughingstock.
As a top-tier fighter, how could Gong Xichou be so delicate?
You really can't blame him for lacking patience.
Firstly, the Gu worms his elder brother used this time were even more potent than tiger venom and strong medicine. To achieve a near-miraculous effect comparable to a elixir of life in a short period, some sacrifices were inevitable, but Gong Xi Chou wouldn't die from the pain anyway. Secondly, while this herb gatherer's martial arts attributes might be fine against others, against Gong Xi Chou, every move was guaranteed to be a critical hit. Gong Xi Chou was filled with resentment and unwillingness.
He muttered, "No wonder that old man never had any children his whole life."
Regardless of the attribute of the martial arts aura of other martial artists, whether it is gentle, violent, or aggressive, it is all full of vitality.
The herb gatherer is different; his martial arts attribute is fire, yet it's filled with deathly aura. Gong Xi Chou himself has died once, his soul tainted by the aura of death. Even though Ji Mo Can prayed to the gods for a life in exchange for his own, allowing him to return to the mortal realm, this experience left Gong Xi Chou with a hidden weakness. In a sense, the herb gatherer can be considered Gong Xi Chou's natural enemy.
If it were just ordinary restraint, it wouldn't be so bad; with a little caution, Gong Xi Chou wasn't unbeatable. However, the deathly aura within the Herb Gatherer's martial energy was covered by a balanced and peaceful vital energy, making it extremely difficult to detect at first glance. Gong Xi Chou was also injured; his wounds were severely corroded by the deathly aura, and several of his vital meridians were nearly destroyed. Only then did he realize how troublesome this man was!
No wonder the hundred ghost patterns on that Mo Dao were so lifelike. At first, I thought it was just a cool decoration, but after being entangled by the death aura, I realized that he really dealt with "ghosts".
The Mo Dao was already formidable, and when combined with its troublesome martial energy...
Gong Xichou looked down and, through the not-yet-fully-healed wound, saw the intestines inside his abdomen. He gasped again: "With such domineering and insidious martial energy, it's a miracle his seed could even survive..."
Dying Gu worms kept crawling out of the wound.
They had absorbed the life force of death; their once snow-white bodies were now as black as ink. The worms looked drunk, and once they crawled out of the wound, they were too weak to move. The lieutenant watched intently from the side, wanting to help pick the worms out, but he didn't have the courage.
The high priest just said that these Gu worms should not be touched carelessly.
Their mouthparts were coated with venom that could sharpen one's senses tenfold. Even a small bite, like a cut on the finger, could cause pain comparable to being disemboweled. The lieutenant could only watch with a contorted expression, occasionally wiping the sweat from the bulging veins on Gong Xi Chou's forehead. As more and more Gu worms were thrown into the campfire, Gong Xi Chou's most horrific wounds had almost healed, leaving only a few pale pink marks.
The lieutenant exclaimed that it was amazing.
This speed of healing is something even the most skilled physicians would envy.
The lieutenant couldn't help but recall that not long ago, the sky suddenly cracked open, spewing out a battle-damaged dragon covered in blood and with mottled scales. He had thought for a moment that the dragon was not going to survive, after all, the wound was too deep, with its upper and lower body only held together by the remaining third of its flesh, and its broken internal organs mixed with foul blood flowing out.
The lieutenant, thinking he had been exposed, drew his sword and stood guard against the strange, monstrous dragon. A short while later, a somewhat familiar figure fell from the dragon's head; the lieutenant immediately recognized the person.
The other party's appearance was extremely similar to that of their own general.
He is the general's elder brother!
The lieutenant rushed forward to help him up.
The high priest, covered in blood from an unknown battle, emanated a pungent stench that even made the lieutenant hold his breath. The high priest fumbled for his ever-present wooden staff, forcefully dispelling his dragon mimicry. As the dark green light receded, only the great general remained, his chest heaving weakly. His once imposing armor was now tattered and mangled. The great general sat weakly, frowning as he picked up his intestines and stuffed them back into his stomach, attempting to stop the bleeding with his martial energy, but to little avail.
The bleeding wouldn't stop.
At this rate of bleeding, the general won't even have a chance to die from the festering wound and high fever; he'll turn into a dried-up corpse in no time.
In critical moments, the high priest is the one you can rely on.
He pulled out handfuls of Gu worms from somewhere, his left hand parting the general's wound, while his right hand stuffed the worms back inside. Perhaps the space inside was too cramped, some worms were squeezed out, and he expressionlessly poked them back in with his finger. The deputy general watched, his guts aching, wondering if this would only hasten the general's death.
As it turns out, witchcraft is also very powerful.
After treatment, the general recovered almost completely, except for his pale complexion, and his chest movements became strong and powerful.
Ji Moqiu then pulled out a handful of Gu worms: "They're for replenishing blood."
These worms don't move; they look like deep-fried silkworm pupae.
Without a second thought, Gong Xichou popped it into his mouth. The lieutenant could clearly hear the crunching sound. Judging from the general's expression, this silkworm pupa... no, this Gu worm, seemed to taste quite good? Just as he was thinking this, the lieutenant heard the general say, "It tastes like broad beans."
Lieutenant General: "..."
He tried to ignore what the other person was saying and steered the conversation in the right direction.
Because they got lost, their journey was delayed for far too long. Traveling on empty roads would solve the problem, but the issue was that not every martial artist could do it; only those with sufficient strength could briefly remain airborne, while most soldiers could only hop around in place. Reluctantly, they had to send the general ahead alone to the capital of You Kingdom. The others following would only hold them back.
Unexpectedly, the general was seriously injured after only half an hour away.
Could it be that we've encountered an ambush by the enemy's main force?
Gong Xichou said, "No, I've met my nemesis."
A fall into a pit, a gain in your wit.
He had greatly underestimated the destructive power of the herb gatherer's desperate gamble! He suffered a great loss this time; next time, he wouldn't inadvertently help his enemy strengthen. As long as the herb gatherer remains tormented by his inner demons, even with his mastery of the long-handled broadsword, Gong Xi Chou is confident he can defeat him.
Seeing Gong Xichou's sour face, the deputy general dared not ask any further questions.
Unexpectedly, the general brought up a completely different topic, one that was utterly unrelated to the war. Gongxi Chou turned to look at the high priest, blushing and hesitant, seemingly unable to speak: "Brother, am I infertile?"
Vice Admiral: “…???”
He suddenly looked toward the cave entrance.
Not daring to imagine whether the dozens of soldiers lurking in the mountains had heard anything, he raised his hand and used his martial energy to seal the cave entrance, fearing that something that shouldn't be heard might be leaked. At the same time, he couldn't help but glance at the general's lower abdomen, worried that he might have been seriously injured in the battle.
In hindsight, it might have been something else entirely.
Ji Moqiu was also caught off guard by his younger brother.
A similar face was filled with blankness: "What?"
Gong Xichou recounted the lifelong pain of the herb gatherer, then complained: "...that old man even said I was just like him."
Ji Moqiu remained silent for a long time.
It wasn't that he was worried about his younger brother's fragile heart, but rather that he simply didn't have the concept of having children, so naturally he wouldn't pay any attention to whether the seed was alive or dead, since he wouldn't need it anyway.
Upon hearing Gong Xichou's mention, he realized that what he had overlooked might be true for others in the secular world. After a long pause, he nodded to Gong Xichou and said, "You two are indeed the same."
but--
Ji Moqiu added, "If you want, you can give birth yourself."
This isn't a big problem.
Gong Xichou: "What my elder brother says is true."
The lieutenant said timidly, "This...isn't this a bit inappropriate?"
He thought it was just nonsense to fool the herb gatherer, but he never expected that it could actually achieve the magical reality of male reproduction through the use of Gu worms. The thought of the general's large belly made his mind go blank.
Ji Moqiu: "Fertility is a microcosm of the Creator's creation of the world... But Anian is, after all, my blood brother. If he has the obsession to continue the bloodline, as his elder brother, I must pray to the gods to grant his wish, even if it means violating the clan rules."
The lieutenant stammered, "...Does the lord know?"
Ji Moqiu looked at him, puzzled: "What do you mean?"
Why must His Highness know about this?
The lieutenant leaned closer and whispered, "Look, if men could give birth too, look at the women's physiques, then look at the men's physiques, look at the physical strength between men and women... What do you see? Men, especially male martial artists, are more suited to having children. After so many years of war, how many people are there in the Northwest? Doesn't the entire court have a headache? How many tricks have these officials come up with over the years to ensure that women in the countryside can have more children safely?"
Ji Moqiu: "...What do you want to say?"
The lieutenant looked shaken, his eyes filled with sorrow: "You and the general must keep this secret. If the entire court finds out about this, they'll surely come up with all sorts of schemes, like how many cultivation resources a martial artist can obtain by having a certain number of children."
In the eyes of both civil and military officials, all living things were like cattle and horses.
If the manpower shortage becomes too severe, there's no guarantee they won't resort to their crooked schemes to increase the population by targeting male martial artists, or even ordinary men. At that point, even with Ji Moqiu's hands burning from rubbing the Gu worms, he probably wouldn't be able to keep up with the demand. That scene would be terrifying.
Ji Moqiu: "...Excuse my bluntness, but someone who can subconsciously think in this direction...you're not an ordinary person..."
This way of thinking is truly insane.
The lieutenant looked embarrassed and gave an awkward, silly laugh.
"This humble general was just thinking about it; he meant nothing else."
"What if—"
The lieutenant immediately stopped smiling and said seriously, "If that day ever comes, I would also be willing to give my wife several healthy daughters. It is my duty to do everything for the sake of the country!"
Ji Moqiu: "..."
Although it was absurd, he seemed to understand some of it.
Those who have truly witnessed chaos in the world would not want their hopes to crumble at the dawn.
Two flowers bloom, each representing a different branch.
After a great victory in the battle of You Kingdom, the head of the You Kingdom's king was shattered into pieces and could not be found. Qi Cang ordered his men to pack the remaining headless corpse into a coffin and send it to the king of Qi Kingdom. At the same time, news was also presented that Gong Xi Chou had appeared in the You Kingdom's capital, but had escaped severely injured.
The ruler of Qi State was also aware of Gongxi Chou's strength.
My heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down.
He clapped his hands in delight and distributed rewards like water, especially bestowing great honors upon the meritorious official who had seriously injured Gongxi Chou.
He received a whole host of luxury cars and beautiful women as gifts.
The herb gatherer ignored this and gave it all to others.
"Keep it as you see fit."
This "other person" was the young man Cui Zhi had given him, and also the herb gatherer's only remaining bloodline in the world. When Cui Zhi brought the man to his door, the herb gatherer assumed the two had some unspeakable troubles and had come specifically to him, a renowned urologist, for treatment. But the moment he opened his mouth, the herb gatherer inexplicably gained a new bloodline: "Are you having fun tricking this old man?"
He was obsessed with finding a bloodline throughout his life.
But that doesn't mean he's a casual person.
In his youth, he had several wives and concubines, all healthy and radiant, but none of them conceived. Later, when he remarried, each of them had two children within three years. Did he not know whether he had any offspring?
Is it because you think your entire family is too long to live?
Cui Zhi remained calm and produced irrefutable evidence.
Martial arts practitioners possess an exceptionally strong perception of qi and blood; the higher their cultivation level, the more accurate their perception. This ability also has a wicked application: it can be used to identify bloodlines. While not 100% accurate, at the level of a herb gatherer, it's remarkably close.
The herb gatherer fell silent.
The herb gatherer scratched his head.
The herb gatherer racked his brains but couldn't remember when he had his child, or who the mother was, and how she had secretly continued the lineage for generations. Although only one heir remained, it was still irrefutable proof that he had been a father. The boy, remembering Cui Zhi's teachings, recounted the events of the past in detail. It took the herb gatherer a long time to recall the washerwoman by the stream, but he couldn't remember what she looked like.
What do you need me to do for you?
The herb gatherer was a shrewd man. He knew that without some ulterior motive, why would a stranger go to great lengths to find a hidden gem for him?
Cui Zhi said, "I am working for my lord."
The implication is that the herb gatherer wants to repay his kindness by reporting it to his master.
The herb gatherer inwardly curled his lip.
He knew all too well that anything associated with the royal court would be troublesome.
But gratitude is gratitude, and he is a person who clearly distinguishes between gratitude and resentment.
This led to the scene where he fought for the State of Qi and blocked Gongxi Chou in the skies above the capital of the State of You. He won a great victory and received a generous reward, but he was not excited. Rewards from superiors are not easily obtained; they often require one's life to repay. He left them all to his juniors.
only--
Inside the tent, the herb gatherer polished his precious long-handled sword, keeping a keen eye on everything around him. He clearly overheard his junior talking to a close military officer after he left. The junior was a straightforward man; with just a few words, he sent out twenty beautiful women to reward the soldiers.
The military officer was flattered and declined, but the young man insisted that he accept it.
The herb gatherer paused in his action of wiping the blade.
He scoffed, "The world is still the same old world."
A person can be any kind of animal, but never a human.
He shook his head, feeling utterly bored.
|ω`)
I feel like my memory is getting worse and worse. A few days ago, a friend mailed me some snacks. I clearly remember taking the package home, but I can't find it anywhere. I've looked in the car, at home, and in every nook and cranny... I haven't even had a bite of those snacks yet, and I'm too embarrassed to tell my friend.
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