Calamity and Tribulation of the Blessed Land
Half a month later, close to a thousand ash-grey mountain apes surround Tie Ruo Nan on a peak of San Cha mountain. She shoots a large cloud of golden needle Gu, a rank two Gu created by Tie clan Gu Masters and about an index finger in length. Some apes stand frozen, some die from poison, and some are driven into a frenzy that turns them on their companions. The survivors flee after huge losses. She then shoots needles with healing effects, and many fallen apes recover their movement. Golden needle Gu alone is not wondrous, but matched with poison liquid Gu, stiff Gu, chaotic mind Gu or vitality Gu it poisons, immobilizes, confuses ally from enemy, or heals. She has spent about seven to eight days mastering these four tactics. ch. 374
Tie Mu Bai watches nearby, expressionless but full of praise for her talent and resolute nature. He teaches her because she is blood-related to Tie Xue Leng, who has a certain relationship with him. Trials have also polished away her impatience, leaving stability and perseverance. ch. 374
Half a month ago, Tie Mu Bai fought two rank five demonic path experts alone. He first used rank five turn gold Gu to contend with them easily, then rank five liquid metal Gu to make them back out and weaken their fighting spirits. The battle ended with both sides relenting. It settled that righteous and demonic paths alike may contend for the three kings inheritance, though everyone could see he had not used his full strength. ch. 374
Now he praises her quick grasp of the tactic and shows his own. His golden needle Gu are extremely small, like raindrops, and move as a golden fog that riddles boulders with tiny holes and kills the trees beside them. He throws three thick, palm-sized needles into the head of a mountain ape she had healed. The ape kneels before him, unable to move or shout. ch. 374
Tie Mu Bai explains that golden needle Gu combined with create fog Gu forms a golden fog. It looks faint and weak but is extremely powerful and specialized in breaking through a Gu Master’s defense. At twenty-eight, roaming Southern Border, he used it to dominate the region of Luchuan river. Golden needle Gu combined with puppet control Gu takes control of living bodies. At forty-two, at rank four peak stage, he used this move at Tie Mu mountain against over fifty demonic path mountain bandits, made thirty-eight of them defect, and captured all of them. She has heard of his deeds: with A grade aptitude he became Tie clan’s number one youth star and reached rank four peak stage before fifty. Tie Ruo Nan grows more fascinated and vows that golden needle Gu will not shame his name in her hands. ch. 374
He leaves the little beast king Fang Zheng to her as her test. She answers that she has confidence and a plan, that Fang Zheng has completely fallen into the demonic path, and that she will definitely retrieve his head. He approves that she can get out of her shock and derive strength from her tribulation, and says that if she keeps this up she will definitely become Tie clan’s glory. Then he teaches her for over an hour. ch. 374
Tie Ruo Nan asks whether the rumors are true that the blessed land is nearing its end, since the three kings inheritance opens for shorter times, admits fewer Gu Masters and shows dimmer light pillars. Tie Mu Bai confirms it. Every ten years a blessed land meets earthly calamity, and every hundred years heavenly tribulation. This blessed land originated from a mysterious ancient Gu Immortal, and the three kings inherited and remodelled it into an inheritance site. He says a land spirit could prolong its lifespan, but there is none here. A blessed land without a land spirit is an enormous sinking boat, and the more plunderers take, the faster it sinks. He gives this blessed land less than ten years before the exhaustion of immortal essence destroys it. ch. 374
