Qi Ze quickly realized that the bugs had only two targets: Xiaohei and Li Ziqian, ignoring everyone else even when they were right next to them. Yan Junyu had lost his powers and his physical condition had deteriorated. Everyone else had scattered and sought cover long ago, but he was the last one to climb a tree.
"You stay here, don't move. I'll go save Li Ziqian." He gripped the teenager's wrist.
"Xiaohei will save him, don't go." Qi Ze hurriedly stopped him.
As they spoke, Xiaohei had already devoured all the bugs around him. Then, it flew towards Li Ziqian. Its jet-black hair flowed and wriggled on the ground, tightly ensnaring any bugs it encountered and dragging them to its mouth. The crunching sounds of shells being crushed by sharp teeth echoed ceaselessly, causing goosebumps. But the bugs didn't feel fear. Even as their counterparts were swallowed by Xiaohei, they continued to crawl towards it in an unending stream. Gradually, the bugs covering Li Ziqian's body dwindled, and a few minutes later, they had vanished entirely.
Xiaohei climbed onto Li Ziqian's body and stomped on his prominent nose with its small shoes. Its bright red little mouth twisted in a grin, seemingly mocking his uselessness or perhaps taking credit for its actions.
"Thank you, Xiaohei." Li Ziqian reached out to pat Xiaohei's head, but remembering the sight of its hair entangled with bugs, he felt a shudder. Of course, he was more concerned about his own condition. With so many bugs having invaded him, would this new body be ruined?
Xiaohei shook its head, its body floating like a cloud towards Ming Rui on the treetop. Ouyang Ye held Ming Rui in one arm and a long sword in the other, stammering, "You, you don't come over! Can't you go take a bath first? Do you know what you just ate? Bugs! A whole swarm, aren't you disgusted?"
"Xiaohei isn't disgusting! Xiaohei saved all of us!" Ming Rui scratched Ouyang Ye angrily. Upon reaching the ground, she immediately scooped Xiaohei into her arms and rubbed against it affectionately. Sensitive to Li Ziqian and Ouyang Ye's fear and repulsion, Xiaohei had hesitated, lingering in the air, not daring to approach. But when Ming Rui hugged it on her own initiative, its mind was filled with gratitude and joy. Its dim eyes immediately brightened, and the hair strands dragging on the ground became fluffy and curly.
It cupped the little master's face, opened its bloody jaws, and gnawed twice, but it didn't harm the girl's tender skin at all. The intimate gesture between master and pet startled a group of people. The star pirates, who had just been mocking the little girl for playing house, were now all speechless. The swarm of bugs was already terrifying, but they hadn't expected these people to bring along an even more terrifying monster!
"Ahh! Boss, I, I remembered!" a star pirate exclaimed. "That particularly pale kid is Qi Ze, the Qi Ze who invented the pseudo-superpowered mecha transformation technology! He's a better mechanic than Mu Ran!"
"Damn it, old man Yan really values Yan Junyu the most. He could even invite such a godly person to help. Unfortunately, in this weird place, even the most skilled mecha manufacturer has to lie low! Mechas can't even start here." Wolf Fang spat viciously. At first, he was somewhat envious of Yan Junyu's good fortune, but then he gloated maliciously.
The group regrouped under the tree, reigniting the extinguished campfire.
"That was the bug parasitizing your body? Too damn terrifying!" Ouyang Ye scratched his arms continuously, feeling an itch everywhere. He became suspicious. "Young Master Qi, quickly help me check. Did bugs also burrow into my body?"
"You're fine." Qi Ze patted Xiaohei's head and sighed. "Fortunately, we brought Xiaohei this time. These bugs have habits identical to those of the gu worm. They all strengthen themselves by devouring their kind. Xiaohei's hair is Lustrous Twist, a venomous king Gu with an extremely vicious nature. Eating these bugs is exactly replenishing for it."
Ming Rui, who had been slightly worried about Xiaohei, immediately relaxed. She took out a small comb and braided Xiaohei's hair, saying cheerfully, "It's good Xiaohei won't have a stomachache. Brother Qi Ze, look, Xiaohei's hair has grown longer, so black and shiny, how beautiful? Oh, Xiaohei's face is blushing, it didn't use to blush! Brother Qi Ze, what's going on here?"
"It's evolving. Its body is generating blood, so naturally, it will blush. Look here," Qi Ze pointed at the area where Xiaohei's nose should be. "This part is starting to protrude, and if it continues to evolve, it should grow a nose. It will gradually grow other organs like ears, eyebrows, and muscles. The closer it becomes to human form, the higher its level."
Qi Ze had never liked forging fully formed spiritual tools. To him, potential was the most important quality, and Xiaohei, Wind Forest and Fire Sea, and Li Ziqian were all full of potential.
"Huh? There's really a little bulge here! Will it turn into a nose later?" Ming Rui was overjoyed, picking up Xiaohei and rubbing her own nose against the small protrusion affectionately. Her overflowing happiness infected Xiaohei, making it giggle.
"Xiaohei can speak now! Great, Xiaohei!" Ming Rui was stunned by the surprise again, wishing she could roll around with Xiaohei.
"It can only make sounds right now, its vocal cords haven't fully developed." Qi Ze pulled open the doll's bloody maw to check.
"Then find a few more nests of bugs for Xiaohei to eat!" Ming Rui exclaimed. Everyone looked at her with expressions that were hard to describe. This little girl really had thick nerves, her eyes only saw her doll, paying no mind to the rest. She was indeed here to play house!
Wolf Fang was a high-level power user with keen hearing. The two campfires were only ten meters apart, so he could clearly hear their conversation. He finally understood that the doll was something Qi Ze had created, not a monster. It could grow and evolve, and it was the nemesis of those bugs!
Damn it, rich people had it good, even being able to invite such a master to participate in a rescue! He felt quite indignant in his heart, his gaze on Xiaohei and Qi Ze filled with greed. Yan Junyu sensed something and shot him a cold glance.
"Because they sensed the presence of their kind, those monsters attacked Xiaohei. So what about me?" Li Ziqian took off his jacket, riddled with holes from the bugs, and threw it into the fire.
Seeing his hands and abdomen covered in scales, those who didn't know the full story sucked in a cold breath once more. This was clearly not the effect of installing prosthetics! Instead, it seemed like a genetic mutation! Yan Junyu was stunned, affirming, "This is the body Xiao Ze helped you build? It looks great."
"It functions even better." Li Ziqian chuckled in a low voice.
"Use the method I taught you to examine your insides," Qi Ze had already checked Li Ziqian's condition and suggested, "They like to hide in the dantian, so go straight there for a look."
The sudden appearance of the little girl and the doll, Li Ziqian's suddenly healed body, and the method of internal observation of the dantianâQi Ze and the others had so many secrets. But rather than revealing them, he chose to seal them away. Was this unfair? What was wrong with him that made Qi Ze so guarded? Yan Junyu stared at the campfire, his heart filled with helplessness.
Li Ziqian was not a cultivator and was not used to introspecting his dantian. After repeated practice, he finally sensed something and then showed a look of surprise. He made a chilling action, directly inserting his right hand into his abdomen and pulling out a pile of shining black crystal powder.
"These are the remnants of those bugs, no mistake." He said solemnly. "They died the moment they entered my body. Why?"
Ouyang Ye was about to be driven mad by these bizarre people. It was already terrifying enough that they ate the bugs, but now there was one who was digging into his own abdomen. Who was the monster here? If those bugs could see this scene, they would probably be frightened to never appear again, right?
The Red Phantom star pirate group also experienced some chaos. They looked over with eyes filled with fear, caution, or avoidance. Afraid to death, yet they didn't dare to leave. Even Wolf Fang put away the malice and greed in his eyes, staring intently at the campfire. At this moment, he had completely abandoned the plan to annex Yan Junyu's team. Though only four people had come for the rescue, precisely the three he had least expectedâthe most worthlessâwere the most terrifying existence.
Qi Ze was eager to find a way to save Yan Junyu. Without a second thought, he pinched a small amount of the crystal powder, sniffed it at his nose, and even stuck out his tongue to taste it.
Ouyang Ye covered his face with both hands, lying on the ground and groaning, earning a few disdainful stomps from Xiaohei. Yan Junyu tried to stop him but was a step too late. He immediately scolded him, "How could you put it in your mouth! What if this thing is poisonous?"
"It's not poisonous, it's black crystal, of very high purity." Qi Ze shook his head, pondering. "These bugs feed on black crystal and grow strong by devouring their kind. The reason they died in Young Master Li's body might be due to the relationship with the demon seed."
"Radiation, they fear radiation!" Li Ziqian seized a sliver of insight.
"That's right. The source of radiation can kill them." Qi Ze let out a breath.
"I still have a radioactive mineral here that can be used to kill the adult worm inside Junior Brother's belly." Li Ziqian took out a small box made of black crystal from his Interspatial Button, sighing. "Fortunately, we didn't come too late."
"You want Captain to swallow the radiation source? Isn't that making him die faster?" a soldier suddenly spoke up. Although he didn't understand the connection between the radiation source and Young Master Li's stomach, he could understand the literal meaning.
"It's not that simple..." Li Ziqian was about to explain, but Qi Ze interrupted him. "This method may not work. I need to conduct an experiment." His cold gaze swept over the Red Phantom star pirate group, immediately scaring them into shuddering.
"What kind of experiment? You dare to touch my people, and I'll fight you to the death!" Wolf Fang pulled out the particle gun at his waist and threatened in a deep voice, but no one knew how terrified he was in his heart. From his understanding earlier, it was clear that the most difficult person in this group to provoke was precisely the teenager in front of him.
"Hold on," Yan Junyu gripped the teenager's wrist and shook his head. "At this time, it's best not to have an internal conflict."
"Okay, I'll listen to you." Qi Ze retracted his gaze and ordered Xiaohei, "Bring over an animal that's been parasitized."
Xiaohei floated up like a cloud, giggling as it disappeared into the jungle. Wolf Fang let out a huge sigh of relief but dared not show any weakness on his face. He sheathed his gun back at his waist and let out a powerful "Hmph!" But no one across from him paid him any mind. A group of soldiers surrounded Qi Ze, asking about the captain's condition in turns. Qi Ze patiently answered, his hand firmly holding Yan Junyu's pulse point, monitoring his physical condition at all times.
Having endured for nine days, Yan Junyu, who never showed his weak side before others, finally collapsed. He lay in the teenager's lap, his face buried in the other's abdomen, which was filled with the scent of grass and trees. His hands clasped tightly, hugging the slender waist tightly. The sudden relaxation of his nerves amplified the pain a hundredfold, and he couldn't control his trembling, but in his heart, there was only peace and satisfaction. Being able to see and curl up in the arms of the person he loved in the last moment of his life, he had no regrets.
"It hurts!" he gritted his teeth and whispered, as dry tears slowly welled up in his eyes.
Qi Ze hugged his gaunt shoulders, a tinge of sadness rising to his nose. He knew that unless the pain had reached its peak, this incomparably strong person would never have revealed it. This made him heartache for him, and it also made him at a loss, wishing he could take the pain on himself.
"I'll think of a way to save you. Can you bear with it a little longer?" His fingers plunged into the other's thick hair, gently stroking it. His heart was in a tangle.
"It hurts!" Yan Junyu had finally found the teenager's weakness, how could he easily let go? He trembled in the teenager's arms, completely releasing the fear and helplessness in his heart. He knew this person would catch him no matter what, just like last time.
Qi Ze was even more at a loss and could only unbutton his clothes and wrap the person in his own coat. The soldiers fell silent and then tacitly retreated, sitting not far away. Wolf Fang, however, sneered in disdain: What are you pretending for? When they hadn't arrived, you, Yan Junyu, didn't even wrinkle your brow when you were in pain! But now that they're here, you immediately collapsed, hugging and cuddling and being a spoiled brat, truly not a thing to be proud of! Do you think they can save you this way? Stop dreaming! Swallowing the radiation source would still end in death!
Lost in thought, Xiaohei carried a small, bloated animal over and obediently handed it to Qi Ze.
"Thank you." Qi Ze picked up the rodent-like animal and whispered to Yan Junyu, "Bear with it a little longer. If there's no danger, I'll immediately help you force this thing out of your body."
Yan Junyu tightened his hands, silently hugging the teenager. After a while, he half-sat up and gritted his teeth, "I lost my composure just now, don't mind it. I can still hold on."
When he exposed his vulnerability, Qi Ze felt heartache; when he concealed his emotions, Qi Ze felt even more heartache. He truly didn't know how to treat him. "I don't mind. If it hurts, lie down, don't force it." He managed a smile and then took out the radioactive mineral, preparing to shove it into the animal's belly. The animal, which had been feigning death, immediately struggled, its belly bulging as if something was wriggling inside.
"No good, that thing is coming out!" Li Ziqian's words had barely left his mouth when the small animal opened its mouth and spat out a bloody wad of flesh. The wad spread countless tiny tentacles, reaching out to Qi Ze but was suddenly swallowed by Xiaohei.
There was another commotion in the group, but Qi Ze was already in Yan Junyu's arms, being tightly protected.
"It's dead!" Qi Ze threw away the already shriveled corpse in his hand and said solemnly, "Once this thing breaks out of the body, it will take away the host's vitality. Stretch out your hand." He held Yan Junyu's palm and sliced it with a dagger, but he found that no drops of blood flowed from the wound. The tentacles secreted a kind of mucus that made the muscle grow rapidly, heal, and eventually not even leave a scar.
"It's really like the Thousand Silk Gu." Qi Ze shook his head, filled with despair. Thousand Silk Gu was an incurable kind of gu worm. Once planted in the human body, it would feed on the host's blood and qi to survive. However, correspondingly, it would also continuously release vitality, giving the host super healing abilities. Even if their limbs were severed, they could regrow.
This kind of gu worm was mostly planted in the bodies of dark guards, to cultivate a legion that was fearless of death. In youth, it had little effect on the host, but when old and frail, with blood and qi no longer flourishing, the gu worm would turn against its host. Coercing it out would result in the host's death, and leaving it unchecked would also lead to a dead end.
Qi Ze pounded his forehead with his fist, feeling for the first time that he was so useless.
"Live a day at a time, let nature take its course." Yan Junyu held the teenager's wrist and said calmly, "I was originally a person who should have died."
"Who said you should die?" Qi Ze's face darkened, and he said fiercely, "I won't let go. Let's see who can take your life!" As he spoke, he took out a carving knife and commanded, "Take off your clothes. I'll confine this thing in your body. Want to retaliate? Then I'll refine it! I was exactly worrying about how to restore your powers!"
"What are you going to do?" Yan Junyu was full of doubts.
"What? An eye for an eye. I'll directly refine it into your life-bound gu, let's see how capable it is." There wasn't any refining technique that Qi Ze was not proficient in. He quickly stripped Yan Junyu of his clothes and carved runes on his skin. Tentacles continuously secreted mucus, and the skin cut by the carving knife quickly healed. Qi Ze was engrossed in his carving for a few hours but didn't leave even a scar on Yan Junyu's body. However, the runes had already condensed into spiritual energy, weaving a large net around him. The adult worm, having gorged on blood and flesh, was ready to shed its shell but couldn't leave this body full of holes no matter what.
"It wants to come out." Yan Junyu's abdomen was writhing in agony, but he didn't even wrinkle his brow. The teenager still had a few runes left to carve; he couldn't disturb him.
"It can't come out." Qi Ze sneered.
The last cut fell, and the golden runes all lit up at once, then vanished instantly. The worm seemed to sense the danger and began to withdraw the tentacles that were spread throughout the muscles, then wriggled towards the esophagus. Yan Junyu clenched his teeth and silently endured. The thick blue veins began to fade from his surface, but his abdomen churned again. The worm confined in the dantian couldn't climb up to the esophagus, so it extended its tentacles, preparing to tear through the host's flesh.
A tentacle's shape appeared on the abdomen but failed to pierce through the thin layer of skin. Then came the sharp mouthparts, the venomous needle at the tailâall efforts were exhausted, but the worm still couldn't find a way out, and it grew anxious. It struggled, screamed, and wreaked havoc in the host's body. Yan Junyu's skin was repeatedly stretched, as if it would explode at any moment.
The soldiers held their breath, fully on guard. The members of the Red Phantom star pirate group had already been frightened senseless. They never expected that when the teenager said he would confine that worm, he actually did so! What method did he use? And Yan Junyu, who let him do as he pleased, was also a man of iron bones. Even when his body was battered into such a pathetic state, he still held on. If it were them, they'd probably have shot themselves long ago. Dying immediately would be better than suffering a living hell!
But Yan Junyu didn't think so. His life belonged to Qi Ze; if Qi Ze wanted him to live, he would live; if Qi Ze wanted him to die, he would die.
"It won't hurt soon." Qi Ze took off his coat, draped it over Yan Junyu, and fished out a black crystal from his bag. He commanded, "Eat it."
"What are you giving to our captain?" A soldier hurriedly stepped forward to stop him.
"Master Qi wouldn't harm him." Li Ziqian firmly grabbed this person's hand. Ouyang Ye and Ming Rui stood up, ready to deal with these clueless people.
Yan Junyu swallowed the black crystal without hesitation. The next second, the excruciating pain disappeared, his swollen abdomen returned to normal, the blue veins on the surface of his body all faded away, and he looked like a normal person. Only his emaciated body revealed the hardships he had endured.
"The captain is better? Completely healed?" The soldiers could hardly believe their eyes.
Wolf Fang abruptly stood up, quickly striding a few steps forward. Seeing Young Master Li's sneering expression, he slowly retreated. At this moment, he finally understood why Qi Ze was called a prodigy who rose to prominence overnight. Even such bizarre creatures could be handled. Was there anything in the world he couldn't solve? No wonder Old Marshal Yan only sent four people for the rescue; he was confident!
"It's not moving." Yan Junyu slumped against the tree trunk, hesitating for a moment before leaning into the teenager's arms again.
Qi Ze immediately reached out to embrace him and explained, "They're very interested in Li Ziqian. Clearly, black crystal is one of their main foods. Give it enough to eat, and it won't harm you. I'll raise it first and use your heart's blood to refine it into your life-bound gu. If it's capable, we'll keep it; if it's not, we'll call it out of your body and kill it."
"It sounds simple?" Yan Junyu lay on the teenager's warm thighs, his eyes slowly closing, but he quickly propped them open. The pain that had been tormenting him continuously had finally passed. The sudden relaxation of his nerves made him unable to resist the surging drowsiness. But he didn't want to fall into a deep sleep, didn't want to lose sight of the teenager. He tried to stay awake but was covered by the teenager's palm over his eyelids.
"Sleep, I'm here, nothing will happen to you." Qi Ze comforted him in a low voice, and Yan Junyu tilted his head, sinking into a peaceful and tranquil dreamland.
"Damn, you're really lucky! Every time, Young Master Qi comes to save you." Ouyang Ye mumbled while taking out a blanket from his Interspatial Button and gently covering the man.
The soldiers finally felt relieved, their faces showing both gratitude and awe. The members of the Red Phantom star pirate group stood up one after another, staring incessantly in this direction. They didn't dare to ambush this group at all, wishing to immediately rush over and beg Master Qi Ze to protect them.