My girlfriend is a Miao demon.

On the marble floor of the living room, a thin layer of water droplets covered the surface, shimmering under the cool white light of the ceiling lamp, like a gentle, soft drizzle had just fallen, and even the air was filled with a damp smell.

Xiang Nanfeng remained leaning against the side wall, seemingly unmoved, but actually frozen in place. Sawako, on the other hand, stood up abruptly, her pupils filled with tears, her eyes wide with stunned disbelief.

That wasn't magic, that wasn't a trick, and that wasn't science, but what was it anyway?

She was so shocked that her breathing slowed down.

As the saying goes, spilled water cannot be gathered up again; once water is spilled, there is no way to bring it back.

It is said that water flows downhill. There is no magnetic field in the room, and the water is not metal. Where does the kinetic energy in the water come from?

But now, these water droplets, which should have seeped away along the cracks in the floor tiles, seemed to be drawn by an invisible force, slowly gathering on the smooth floor and condensing into a stream as thick as a thumb. Even more frightening was that this stream did not flow down the slope to the lowest point of the ground; instead, it rushed straight up the wall against gravity—yes, it rushed! It was rushing!

The momentum was by no means a slow, gradual infiltration, but rather like a fountain propelled by a high-pressure pump, carrying terrifying kinetic energy, and "whoosh" soaring straight up the cold marble wall.

The water flowed with tremendous force, exploding with a deafening roar upon hitting the ceiling, splashing into a fine mist that then began to fall gently, truly resembling a "drizzle."

Sawako stared, mouth agape, for a full half-minute before gasping for breath, her voice trembling: "No...no way! How could this be!"

"Is that impossible?"

A soft chuckle sounded from behind, carrying a hint of mockery. The Master of the Maoxi Gu Sect stood with his hands behind his back in the center of the living room, the hem of his black robe sweeping across the floor without getting a single water stain.

Before he finished speaking, the scattered water droplets that had lost their momentum suddenly seemed to come alive, breaking free from the constraints of gravity and rushing towards one point. In the blink of an eye, they condensed into a stream and surged up the wall once more.

This time, the water didn't burst open immediately. It meandered along the wall, sometimes stretching out like a long dragon soaring through the clouds, flying up and down, with scale-like water droplets blooming and receding on the stone wall; sometimes it suddenly split into three thin streams, like three silver snakes intertwining and chasing each other, and then, under the Gu Master's will, they "whoosh" merged into one, returning to their majestic flow.

Where the water flowed, it left a shallow watermark on the marble wall, which was then smoothed out by the subsequent flow of water, as if it were a silent illusion.

Until the leader of the Maoxi Gu clan raised his hand and snapped his fingers crisply in the air.

A soft "snap" sounded, as if shattering an invisible barrier enveloping the living room. Xiang Nanfeng shuddered, snapping back to reality. Zuo Hezi blinked her dry eyes, her stiff neck turning mechanically, her gaze fixed on the "water dragon" on the wall. The Gu Master slowly stepped forward, his black robe wiping away the water droplets on the floor, which miraculously moved aside. Looking at their distraught appearance, his smile deepened: "So, now, is it possible? Is it believable?"

Sawako's eyes remained fixed, as if her soul had been ripped out. She opened her mouth, but only managed a few soft, breathy sounds escaped her throat. In the end, she could only nod stiffly, again and again, her movements pitifully small, her face still showing that same dumbfounded, speechless expression.

Fortunately, there was Xiang Nanfeng. He had witnessed the bizarre nature of the Bamboo Spell in the Miao village and already knew that witchcraft did exist in the world, so he wouldn't be as completely disoriented as Zuo Hezi. But even with mental preparation, witnessing such a world-shaking scene still left him deeply shocked. His heart pounded like a drum, and his voice trembled. His questions became hesitant and stammering, filled with awkward stuttering:

"What...what kind of witchcraft is this? What's going on with this water...what's wrong with this water?!"

The Master of the Maoxi Gu glanced at him and flicked his finger. The water on the wall vanished instantly, turning into a mist that slowly settled on the ground. He spoke calmly, his tone carrying an undeniable certainty: "The Stubborn Stone Gu."

He paused, looked at Xiang Nanfeng's astonished face, and repeated himself, word by word, with perfect clarity: "I said, this is called the Stubborn Stone Gu."

Mao Xi Gu Master stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze sweeping over the still-wet watermarks on the wall. His fingertip lightly traced the air, as if tracing the path of the churning water. Mao west Gu Master's tone was calm, but his expression solemn:

"Witchcraft is most easily mistaken for poisoning. Poisoning requires a toxic substance; a non-toxic substance cannot be used. Witchcraft is different; its essence is 'animism.' This is actually an ancient philosophy, similar to the ideas of the Italian philosopher Treccio and the French philosopher Robinette that all things in the world possess a soul or a natural spirit. The spirit of all things can become a tool for witchcraft, and witchcraft is the art of manipulating the spirit of all things."

Mao Xigu Master then looked at Xiang Nanfeng:

"Look at the Bamboo Slice Gu in your body. The Gu master can raise any animal, including human corpses, to raise the Gu. As long as the corpse can extract corpse oil, and as long as the Gu master can write the corpse oil on bamboo slips, then it can become a Bamboo Slice Gu."

"What? You've been bewitched?" Sawako looked at Nanfeng with a horrified expression, but Nanfeng only nodded and said softly, "That's right, you've been bewitched, but your life isn't in danger yet. I'll show it to you later. Now let him finish explaining this 'Stubborn Stone Gu'."

Zuo Hezi nodded. Mao Xigu Master continued:

"The Stubborn Stone Gu, as the name suggests, is a Gu that transforms the essence of a stubborn stone into a Gu."

"The spirit of a stubborn rock? I'm so sorry..." Zuo Hezi felt apologetic for interrupting Mao Xi Gu Master again, but she couldn't suppress her doubts and had to ask immediately, "Can inanimate objects like rocks have souls?"

"Of course. Have you heard of 'Investiture of the Gods'?" Mao west Gu Master asked her.

Zuo Hezi shook her head.

"Investiture of the Gods is also an ancient Chinese mythological novel. In it, there is a goddess named Shiji, who is a stone spirit. The stone absorbed the essence of heaven and earth, and the spirit of the sun and moon, thus transforming into human form. While the transformation of a stone into a human is a fictional interpretation, the fact that stones possess spirits is undeniable. Then there's Zhang Liang, Liu Bang's great strategist and advisor during the late Qin and early Han dynasties. Where did Zhang Liang learn his military strategies?"

The *Records of the Grand Historian*, in the chapter on Marquis Liu, recounts that Zhang Liang's teacher was named Huang Shigong. Years ago, when Zhang Liang was in Xiapi, he was strolling on the Yi River Bridge when he encountered an old man. This old man deliberately threw his shoe off the bridge and rudely demanded that Zhang Liang retrieve it for him. Zhang Liang initially intended to beat him, but seeing that he was an old man, he actually retrieved the shoe for him. However, the old man then stretched out his foot, demanding that Zhang Liang put the shoe back on for him. Zhang Liang suppressed his anger and actually put the shoe on for him. The old man was very satisfied, praising Zhang Liang as a teachable young man, and asked him to come back to see him again five days later in the morning.

"After Zhang Liang returned home, he found the old man very strange and wanted to see what he was up to, so he came five days later. But when he arrived, the old man said that he had an appointment with an older person but had arrived late, and he was given a good scolding. After the scolding, he made an appointment with him to meet again in five days. This time, Zhang Liang set off before dawn, but when he arrived, he found that the old man was already there. Zhang Liang was scolded again, and the old man made another appointment with him to meet again in five days."

"This time, Zhang Liang arrived before dawn. The old man was very happy and gave him a book of military strategy. He also told him that he was originally a yellow stone from the foot of Gucheng Mountain in Jibei Kingdom. Huang Shigong was Huang Shijing, and the Records of the Grand Historian records that he was a real historical figure. Huang Shigong even took in two disciples, a man and a woman. The man was Zhang Liang, who learned military strategy, and the woman was named Xu Fu, who learned physiognomy."

"Both of these people are recorded in the Records of the Grand Historian. Those stubborn stone spirits like Lady Shiji and Huang Shigong truly absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and the essence of the sun and moon. If someone could really cultivate witchcraft with such stubborn stone, what in the world could not be accomplished?"

Mao Xigu Master chuckled as he spoke:

"Look at me, this stubborn rock of mine was originally just an ordinary piece of stone. It was just a blue pebble that the elder Gu Po picked up casually in the Sanwei Mountains when the Hua Miao people were in trouble."

As Mao Xigu spoke, he extended his right hand and raised his thumb. The two men leaned closer to examine it closely and saw that his thumb was indeed resting on a ring made of polished bluestone. The stone itself was quite rough, a far cry from the quality of gemstones and jade.

"As the saying goes: A mountain is not famous for its height, but for the immortals who dwell there. A stubborn rock is not valued for its hardness or softness, nor for its beauty or ugliness, but for its power if it resonates with the mind of the Gu master."

As the Maoxi Gu Master spoke, the stone thumb ring on his thumb began to snake and crawl around his right hand like a worm or water, turning and twisting, sometimes as a thumb ring, sometimes as a ring, sometimes as a ribbon, sometimes as a thin veil. Then, the Maoxi Gu Master grasped it in his palm, gently rubbing the stone surface with his fingertips, and the stone turned into a handful of fine powder, which fell to the ground in a soft rustling sound.

"Ordinary Gu worms are nourished by poison, by devouring, and by resentment, but the Stubborn Stone Gu is different. It feeds on the 'momentum' of all things—the falling momentum of collapsing rocks, the surging momentum of rivers, and even the omnipresent gravitational force in the world. If you insist on using scientific methods to understand this anti-scientific phenomenon of witchcraft, I think you might as well think of it as potential energy."

"A pebble is always just a pebble the size of a chess piece, but how much potential energy it can have depends on where you put it. If you put it on a table, it will fall and hit the wooden floor, making a small dent. But if you put it on the Wangshan TV Tower, what will happen if it falls? At least it will make a hole in the wooden floor, right? Similarly, a Gu stone is always just a Gu stone, but its power depends on how much potential energy you feed it."

"Then what is this 'Stone Gu' used for? To kill?"

Xiang Nanfeng and Zuo Hezi exchanged glances. Zuo Hezi asked first, but before Mao Xigu could answer, Xiang Nanfeng pointed to the water droplets on the ground and asked again:

"And what about that water? How did it manage to move against gravity?"

Mao Xigu Master smiled and shook his head:

"What witchcraft is used for depends entirely on the master of the Gu. Back then, Jiang Yang invented witchcraft and taught it to the Hua Miao people. His purpose was to change the world. As for killing, witchcraft can certainly be used to kill. In fact, witchcraft became famous precisely because it can kill without leaving a trace. Are you going to talk about this stubborn stone Gu in my hand?"

Mao Xigu Master chuckled softly, then shook his head helplessly and continued:

"We're probably not capable enough. This stubborn stone Gu hasn't eaten much yet; it doesn't have that much power. More importantly, there's the issue of our coordination. I've only practiced witchcraft for a little over ten years; my skills are still too shallow. Don't say I'm uninterested; even if I were, I wouldn't have the ability. As for what it can do..."

Mao west Gu Master said to Xiang Nanfeng:

"In theory, the Stone Gu can communicate with any stone, be compatible with any stone, and attach itself to or enter any stone. Just like the water you just saw. I noticed this when I came in; the studio's decor is quite sophisticated. Look at this floor, it's made of Oman Beige natural stone, and the background wall opposite is made of even more high-end stone—Shaanna Beige marble from Iran. They are all stones."

"I threw the Stubborn Stone Gu out with the mineral water, and it turned into stone powder that seeped into the stone on the ground and walls. The half-bottle of mineral water was very light, and my Stubborn Stone Gu had enough power to move the water across the stone, or to make it seep in and out. All of this was done by the Stubborn Stone Gu."

"Of course, if my witchcraft is powerful enough, and my Stone Gu is strong enough, as long as I place the Stone Gu on a boulder, we can also move the boulder. If it is a mountain, we can even move mountains and overturn seas."

"You mean..." Upon hearing this, Xiang Nanfeng immediately became alert. His pupils suddenly contracted, and his Adam's apple bobbed several times. Xiang Nanfeng asked in a low voice, "You mean, the pool that flooded Nanshan Pavilion was... dried up by someone using a stone Gu?"

"This... the magic of the Bai Miao people, even the magic of the Bai Miao saintess Shuoyue, can create a pool of water." The Mao Xi Gu Master's lips twitched slightly, revealing an indescribable expression. "But if you say the pool was created by a stone Gu... even if I, a mere Gu worm, ate for a thousand years, oh no, even five thousand years, I wouldn't have that ability. If that pool was truly the work of witchcraft, then the problem is enormous. What kind of Gu woman could control such a powerful stone Gu?"

As they spoke, their eyes met unexpectedly. The flames, simulated by red and yellow lights on the artificial fireplace, flickered, casting distorted shadows on the white gauze curtains, like water plants in a pond. The atmosphere in this unusually high-ceilinged room gradually became eerie.

"Master Mao Xi, since you dare to call yourself a Gu Master and can recognize the Mie Pan Gu I'm afflicted with, I knew long ago that you must be skilled in witchcraft..." Xiang Nanfeng said, standing up straight and walking around to the back of the sofa where Master Mao Xi was sitting. He grabbed the other's shoulders with both hands, suppressing his excitement, and then changed the subject, "But, I never expected that you would also be from the Twin Gates, that you would be a descendant of Jiang Yang from five thousand years ago."

"No, it wasn't me. The person who came from the Twin Gates was my grandmother—she is the true successor of Jiang Yang."