Chapter 0: Qin Gou is the Stone Spirit
Gu Yinjiu stood with his hands behind his back, a meaningful smile on his face. “Junior Brother Qin, did you hear everything? Senior Wangji is truly cold-blooded and heartless, disrupting the grand plan we had just settled on in a flash.”
“Second Young Master, did you hear it clearly too?” Qin Gou’s expression remained unfazed, not the slightest ripple stirring. He spoke with a blank face, “Do we still need to cooperate?”
Gu Yinjiu let out a long laugh. “This young master is indifferent. I’m just afraid you’ll always be suspicious. Since that’s the case, let’s part ways here. The next time we meet, we shall be enemies.”
Qin Gou spread his hands and forced a smile. “Second Young Master is truly understanding.”
“Have you already been captivated by this young master’s charm, regretting why you didn’t choose to join me back then?” Gu Yinjiu laughed heartily, teasing him.
In the next second, amidst the laughter as warm as a spring breeze, a massive fist almost filled Qin Gou’s vision.
“Entangle!”
Qin Gou uttered two words as calmly as water. A Senluo Seed clone that had been planted long ago instantly transformed into a living dead vine, tightly wrapping around Gu Yinjiu’s entire body, binding him almost like a mummy.
“Second Young Master, why bother? You speak beautifully, but your actions are so despicable,” Qin Gou shrugged.
Gu Yinjiu looked at the tightening living dead vine around him in surprise and laughed heartily. “Junior Brother Qin, you’re fifty steps laughing at a hundred steps. I never expected you to harbor ill intentions towards this young master long ago. If that’s the case, don’t blame me for being ruthless.”
As swift as lightning, Gu Yinjiu’s body was engulfed in surging flames. A majestic armor made of condensed fire perfectly encased his robust and mighty physique. The scorching heat incinerated the living dead vine, and with a powerful struggle, Gu Yinjiu completely broke free from the restraint.
“Natal Spirit Tool: Two Extremes Armor, Mountain Collapse!”
Gu Yinjiu’s colossal body, like a carved gigantic stone, rapidly charged towards Qin Gou. The flame armor condensed a massive bull’s head on his shoulder, leaving Qin Gou no doubt about the terrifying power of this attack.
After all, Gu Yinjiu, like Xiao Yan, had almost half a foot into the Li Jiu Realm. He was leagues ahead of Qin Gou, who had just entered the Hidden Weapon Realm.
Suddenly, Qin Gou stomped his foot hard, leaning his body backward naturally, his feet leaving the ground. However, at such a close distance and with such limited time, it was impossible for Qin Gou to retreat too far.
“Idiot. What is this? Seeking your own death? Have you lost the courage to fight me seriously?” Seeing the bull’s sharp horns on Gu Yinjiu’s shoulder about to pierce Qin Gou’s chest mercilessly, Gu Yinjiu sneered contemptuously.
A lush green Senluo Seed emerged from beneath Qin Gou’s feet and instantly transformed into a large spring grass, propelling Qin Gou’s entire body upwards into the gray mist. It then transformed into a giant carnivorous plant with fangs, fiercely biting Gu Yinjiu’s unprotected foot.
“Damn it, what kind of monstrous thing is this!”
Gu Yinjiu let out a piercing scream. The flame-covered fist slammed into the carnivorous plant, burning it to ashes. It then transformed back into a verdant Senluo Seed, shooting into the mist and disappearing without a trace.
Gu Yinjiu’s foot was bleeding profusely. Some cold liquid, of unknown origin, seeped into his wound, causing him a moment of agonizing pain. He stumbled, almost unable to stand. He looked back abruptly.
Another Senluo Seed, planted beforehand, had now transformed into a beautiful purple flower bouquet, continuously spraying purple fluid that amplified senses towards him.
“Damn it! What kind of bizarre tactic is this? It’s utterly unheard of.”
Gu Yinjiu immediately controlled flames to burn the purple flower. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead as he panted, roaring hysterically, “What are these childish tricks? Qin Gou, get out here, you coward! You damned mongrel!”
Instantly, a living dead vine emerged from the gray mist, heading straight for Gu Yinjiu’s neck. Gu Yinjiu grinned sinisterly, his hands shooting out like lightning to firmly grasp the living dead vine. He pulled hard, “Qin Gou, come up and accept your death!”
However, what he pulled out was merely a vine covered in barbs. The vine then writhed rapidly like a living creature, transforming into a giant carnivorous plant again, its fanged maw lunging towards Gu Yinjiu’s head.
“This is impossible.”
Gu Yinjiu hurriedly threw the carnivorous plant away with great force. Although there was an unbridgeable gap in their realms, Qin Gou’s varied and peculiar attack methods were enough to keep him struggling to cope.
Suddenly, Gu Yinjiu felt a strong wind approaching from above. His body hairs stood on end. While swiftly dodging, he looked up to get a clear view…
“You, what the hell are you?! Isn’t your Natal Spirit Tool that paper lantern?!”
Behind Qin Gou, on the left and right, two massive green leaves acted like wings, allowing him to hang suspended in the air. He descended from above, drawing his staff sword in an instant. The Unchanging Sword gleamed with a chilling light.
“Pfft.”
Although Gu Yinjiu dodged the vital point, Qin Gou still cleanly cut his shoulder with one sword, breaking through the flame armor and nearly severing his entire right arm. Blood spurted out profusely.
“Aaaargh!”
Gu Yinjiu’s eyes widened in rage, his screams piercing the air. He shrieked in terror, his face ashen, “How can an early stage Hidden Weapon Realm cultivator possess so many bizarre killing techniques? And how can you break my Two Extremes Armor?! This is illogical, you, you can’t be Qin Gou, could it be… you are the Stone Spirit!”
…
“Heh heh, this gray mist maze is like a gift from heaven for my Natal Spirit Tool, ‘Wind Listening Ears’.” A man with metallic luster to his ears moved forward with a cold laugh. Not the slightest rustle of wind escaped his notice.
“Hm? There’s someone not far to the east. This voice is… Second Young Master!”
The man suddenly stopped and listened carefully. “Young Master asked me to find the whereabouts of that mongrel Qin Gou. However, Second Young Master seems to be in some trouble now and is fighting with someone. I must lend him aid!”
The man immediately rushed in the direction of Gu Yinjiu’s voice.
“You can’t be Qin Gou, you are the Stone Spirit!”
Gu Yinjiu’s despairing cry accurately reached the man’s Wind Listening Ears. He instantly felt a chill run down his spine, his face turning as pale as paper. Ignoring the cramping pain in his legs, he staggered and turned to flee. “Y-Young Master, the Stone Spirit is nearby! It’s disguised as Qin Gou… Qin Gou is a disguise of the Stone Spirit! Run, run quickly!”
In a moment, the unrestrained screams of alarm reached the ears of countless people.
