Proving one's path through killing—this kind of merit is poisonous!

Chapter 5 System Vulnerabilities
No, that's it?

Gu Jinhe held a talisman with the four large characters "Substitute Puppet" written on it, looking completely bewildered.

She remembered that Gu's mother's wish was to see Gu Ping.

Is it because Gu Ping is dead that she can only truly see him by sending Gu's mother down to see him?
Gu Jinhe narrowed her eyes.

This system is interesting!
She seems to have figured out some of its usage rules and vulnerabilities.

Looking at the talisman again, although I was curious about how to use it, I didn't have time to study it now, so I stuffed it into my purse.

She then quickly walked out of the thatched hut, closed the door behind her, and headed outside.

But she stopped as soon as she reached the gate.

Since reaching the first level of Qi Refining, her hearing has improved significantly. Several footsteps and voices could be heard coming from not far outside the house.

"Gu Da, why are you walking so fast? Isn't your youngest sister being looked after by your sister-in-law and Gu Ping?"

"Yeah, she can't run away... Hey, slow down!"

Mr. Gu had been feeling his eyelids twitching non-stop since the beginning, and subconsciously quickened his pace. Hearing the complaints of the two people behind him, he said awkwardly, "I just wanted to hand her over as soon as possible so that my son could start cultivating with the immortal as soon as possible."

Hearing Gu's father's words, the two men carrying the wooden sedan chair understood him.

Chen Qiao, who was walking in front of the wooden sedan chair, couldn't help but laugh and said, "This matter has to be taken slowly. My son has been cultivating by the immortal's side for some time now, and he is indeed much more composed than before."

Li Qiu, who was walking behind, felt a pang of regret.

"I wish I had a daughter. Unfortunately, although I had one, I thought raising her would be a waste of food, so I drowned her."

Hearing Li Qiu's words, a hint of relief appeared in Gu's father's eyes, and he said meaningfully, "Sometimes, a person's fate is just that!"

"you……"

Li Qiu was speechless, his anger rising. Just as he was about to speak, Chen Qiao interrupted him: "Alright, what Gu Da said makes sense. The Gu family has arrived. Let's hurry up and send them to the Immortal Master, so he won't have to wait any longer."

Upon hearing the name of that immortal, all three showed expressions of awe.

Noticing that they had sped up and were soon at the Gu family's gate, Gu Jinhe looked around and finally fixed her gaze on the only tree in the yard. She walked quickly to the tree, then took a leap and landed steadily on the branch.

At the same time, the three people pushed open the door and entered.

She crouched down, pushed aside the branches blocking her view, and stared coldly at their movements.

As Gu's father stepped through the doorway, he called out into the house, "Wife, the people the village chief sent have arrived. Quickly bring your youngest sister out."

But all he received in response was silence.

Father Gu frowned. Chen Qiao put down the sedan chair and asked, "Could it be that sister-in-law has gone out?"

But Gu's father knew very well that even if Gu's mother went out, she would at least leave Gu Ping at home, and once Gu Ping heard his voice, he could bring him out.

Fortunately, they returned early, before the sun had completely set, so they could see their surroundings clearly even without lighting candles.

But the more Gu's father looked, the more depressed he felt, and the heavier his unease became.

His gaze finally settled on the thatched hut, and he headed straight for it.

Chen Qiao and Li Qiu exchanged a glance and then followed.

When Gu's father was young, he had worked as a helper for the butcher in town, so much so that as soon as he walked to the thatched hut, he smelled a bloody odor. His heart tightened suddenly, and he pushed open the door abruptly.

The room was littered with thatch, the only wooden chair lay on the ground, and a trail of dark red bloodstains meandered along the uneven floor.

No wonder it smelled so strongly of blood!
"Ugh..." Chen Qiao and Li Qiu had just reached the door when they saw this scene. Before they could even speak, they were vomited by the smell of blood and immediately turned around and ran outside.

Gu's father stared at a noticeably bulging area in the house, covered with thatch, where most of the bloodstains in the house originated.

He walked forward, feeling as if his feet weighed a ton. Finally, he reached the spot, lifted the thatch, and upon seeing what was inside, his legs went weak, he collapsed to the ground, and his eyes reddened.

"My child's mother, Ping... my son, my son!"

Gu's father crawled over, embraced the bodies of his wife and children, and began to weep bitterly.

No one knows what sins the Gu family committed. Hundreds of years ago, they had produced kings and generals, but by the time of his great-grandfather, they had fallen into poverty and their descendants had dwindled.

Now he can't even protect the only bloodline of the Gu family, how can he face his ancestors...?

Hearing Gu's father crying from inside the house, Chen Qiao and Li Qiu both felt a sense of doubt.

Unable to contain his curiosity, Chen Qiao couldn't help but ask, "Why don't we go take a look?"

Li Qiu shook his head. The thought of the strong smell of blood made him want to vomit again, so he said, "Go by yourself if you want to."

After saying that, he walked towards the well and said, "I'm going to fetch some water to wash my face."

Chen Qiao ignored him, covered his nose and went into the house, but he was stunned when he saw the scene inside.

"This... Gu Da, what's going on!"

Father Gu raised his head, his expression filled with grief, his eyes bloodshot, and he seemed to have aged ten years in an instant. He said in a hoarse voice, "You're asking me? Who can I ask?"

The tone wasn't exactly friendly, but Chen Qiao, understanding, didn't hold it against him. He just glanced at the room and suddenly asked, "Where's your youngest sister?"

After being reminded, Gu's father seemed to suddenly remember something and looked up sharply.

Yes, he left his wife and children at home so that they could look after Gu Yaomei. Now that both of them have died tragically here, where is Gu Yaomei?

Chen Qiao couldn't help but remind him, "Gu Da, your family reported that you were going to offer your daughter to the immortal. Now that she's gone, how are we supposed to explain this to the immortal?"

Mentioning this matter, Gu's father also frowned deeply, but his son was already dead, so what use was offering up his daughter?

More than what Chen Qiao said, he wanted to figure out what was going on in front of him.

Who killed them, mother and child?!
As if knowing what Gu's father was thinking, Chen Qiao advised again, "If you really can't let go of your sister-in-law and Ping'er, why don't you ask the immortal? He knows everything in the world and he must know who killed them."

After saying that, he changed the subject and continued, "But the most important thing now is to find Gu Yaomei. Only by offering her up can you ask the immortal for his help!"

Father Gu stood up and gritted his teeth, saying, "That little beast must have abandoned her mother and brother and run away on her own. Humph! I will not let go of the person who killed my wife and children, and I will not let go of this little beast either."

He breathed a sigh of relief, thinking to himself, "Luckily, there are people guarding the roads leading out of the village. She still has an injury on her head, so she probably hasn't gone far..."

Finally, a hint of certainty appeared on his face as he looked at Chen Qiao and said, "She's definitely still in the village!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Qiao immediately had an idea: "I'll have everyone search together now. Our Niujiao Village isn't big; we can finish searching in half a quarter of an hour."

"I'll go too."

……

Gu Jinhe leaned against a pillar outside the house, the afterglow of the setting sun shining on her...

She overheard their entire conversation.

Finally, she looked up into the room, exhaled a breath of stale air, and gripped the knife in her hand tightly.

She originally planned to let them go, choose a road out of the village, and fight her way out with her knife.

But I never expected to hear these words.

Even if Gu Ping dies, will she still be offered up?

So she's changed her mind now—

Since these people want her dead, then none of them should live!
　Happy Children's Day to all the children, friends, and old friends!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)