Starting with the Corpse-Eating Worm, he worked his way up to become the Left-Winged Immortal Lord.

Zhong Li's reaction startled Gu Shenyan.

The county government governs ordinary people.

Wufeng Temple, on the other hand, manages miscellaneous and unorthodox schools of thought.

Normally, they treat even ordinary people who are related to the Taoist priest of Wufeng Temple with great courtesy, but Zhongli didn't even give face to Li Fu of Wufeng Temple.

However, having cultivated for so many years, he had experienced countless trials and tribulations, so Gu Shenyan immediately released his senses to probe Zhong Li's cultivation level. But he found that Zhong Li's cultivation level was still only at the second level of Qi Refining.

"Stop your nonsense and pay back the money immediately. If you can't, don't blame me for coming to your wife and son to demand it!" Zhong Li said coldly again, pressuring Gu Shenyan once more. "Don't force me to capture them to pay off the debt!"

"This is outrageous!"

Gu Shenyan could not hide his anger and took two steps forward to confront Zhongli, who was right next to him.

His children and wife are his Achilles' heel; if anyone dares to touch them, he will risk his life to make them suffer.

"What a joke... Paying back debts is a matter of course!" Zhong Li also went up to him, a sneer playing on his lips.

Seeing Gu Shenyan's angry expression, he felt a surge of joy.

That's it.

I'm not afraid of you taking action.

I'm afraid you won't take action.

If you dare to make a move, all the gamblers today can become his witnesses, and even killing Gu Shenyan on the spot would be justified.

however.

Just as Gu Shenyan's anger was about to erupt, the anger in his eyes suddenly dissipated by more than half.

This surprised Zhong Li.

Then, Gu Shenyan suddenly took a few steps back, raised his hand in a salute, and said, "I will definitely pay you back the money I owe you within three days!"

That's all.

Gu Shenyan strode away from the gambling den.

"He actually backed out?" Zhong Li watched Gu Shenyan's departing figure, utterly disappointed. "He has no backbone at all. No wonder he'll spend his whole life holed up in the mountains as a poor, uneducated hermit... But if he really can borrow the money, it'll certainly be a problem. I'll have to find a way to rob him of those five hundred taels when he leaves Changping County!"

……

After leaving the gambling den, Gu Shenyan went straight back to the inn.

Even with adjustments, the displeasure on his face was still undeniable.

"Father?"

Gu Qing looked doubtful.

Gu Shenyan immediately recounted what had just happened, adding, "That Zhongli didn't even give Master Li any face, so it seems he has someone backing him. Now that he's sticking to the 'Nine Outs and Thirteen Returns' rule, we'll have no choice but to borrow some more."

Before Gu Qing and Li Ru could speak, Gu Shenyan continued, "I know a few friends in the city, I'll go borrow from them. Master Li, please don't bother us anymore, you'll have to repay the favors you owe in the future."

"Uh-huh."

Gu Qing did not refute, but he already harbored murderous intent towards Zhong Li.

He didn't think that someone like Zhongli would admit his debts after raising enough money; they would just find an excuse and still not be able to pay it back.

The only way is to kill!

He doesn't have that ability, but the corpse-eating worms do.

Thinking of this, Gu Qing subconsciously touched the Blood Refining Insect Breeding Jar in his arms.

"You stay and chat with your mother for a while, I'll think of something. Here's the money for now." Gu Shenyan handed over the silver and left the inn.

After leaving the inn, he did indeed begin going door to door to borrow money.

However, as evening approached, Gu Shenyan had only managed to borrow thirty or fifty taels.

At this moment, Gu Qing handed the silver notes to his mother, saying, "It's getting late. I'll come to visit you again tomorrow."

"Be careful on your way back up the mountain."

Gu's mother saw Gu Qing off at the inn.

After leaving the inn, Gu Qing first headed towards the city gate. He hadn't gone far before entering an alley and activated the Concealment Talisman with all his might.

The Concealing Qi Talisman can even hide one's internal Yin energy, let alone footsteps or aura. Even if one stands next to an ordinary person, the talisman, when activated at full power, will remain undetected. It's even less likely that someone with shallow cultivation from miscellaneous or unorthodox sects would be able to detect it.

However, just after arriving at the street next to the gambling den, he used the corpse-eating worms' senses to probe outside.

They immediately spotted a person hiding in an alley not far away, with a short knife that seemed to appear and disappear at his waist.

If it weren't for the Corpse-Eating Insects' powerful senses, they wouldn't even have been able to detect the existence of that knife.

Upon this discovery, the familiar aura instantly made Gu Qing realize who this person was—it was his father.

"I didn't expect my father to also have murderous intentions." Without hesitation, Gu Qing immediately rode the insect out and headed straight for the gambling house.

Before long, the corpse-eating worms quietly rolled outside the gambling den.

Amidst the clamor and shouts within the gambling den, they climbed the high wall and leaped into the backyard.

When his senses were released again, Gu Qing immediately detected the three thugs guarding the courtyard. Although they were all just ordinary people, they guarded the courtyard very tightly. There was even one of them hiding on the roof, constantly observing the movements inside and outside the courtyard.

However, these are the things that the corpse-eating worms are least afraid of.

The concealment provided by the black armor was so great that even Li Fu's senses were not affected, let alone the naked eyes of an ordinary person.

After easily infiltrating, Gu Qing did not rush to go any further, but stopped and completely entered a state of concealment.

Just then, a dark shadow flashed by, silently concealing the guards on the roof.

It was Gu Shenyan who made the move.

After killing the person on the roof with a single slash, Gu Shenyan made another hand seal, and a loud explosion erupted in the gambling den in the front yard.

boom--

The flames rose and disappeared.

Immediately following were the gamblers' exclamations and the sounds of money being snatched, prompting the guards in the backyard to rush to the gambling den in the front yard.

creak-

The door to the small building in the backyard opened in response.

Zhongli walked out slowly, looked around with a playful expression, and said, "Fellow Daoist Gu, you really have come."

Gu Shenyan remained expressionless on the roof.

He is determined to kill Zhongli today.

If Zhong Li isn't killed, the outstanding debt will inevitably affect Gu Qing. If Gu Qing is blackmailed by Li Fu because of these few hundred taels, he won't die in peace. So what if he predicted this today?

He has cultivated for twenty or thirty years, so he's not without his trump cards!

"I forgot to tell you, I've already switched to the path of a ghost market broker. What you signed with me was a ghost contract!" The moment the words left his mouth, Zhongli's gaze locked onto Zhongli, who was hiding on the rooftop. "Once a ghost contract is signed, even if we're separated by an entire county, I can sense your presence... and if a debtor harbors murderous intent, it's a breach of the contract!"

The words fell.

Zhong Li raised his hand and made a hand seal. A burst of ghostly energy suddenly erupted from Gu Shenyan's body, binding him tightly without warning.

Immediately afterwards, a hideous ghost with an indistinct face grinned and raised a ghostly hand, grabbing Gu Shenyan by the neck.

Fortunately, Gu Shenyan reacted quickly, severing the ghostly hand with a single strike. His spiritual energy erupted instantly, shattering the restraints. However, just as he was about to charge at Zhong Li, the vengeful spirit returned.

"Once the Ghost Pact is signed, the violator will be haunted by a vengeful spirit... I could simply sit here and watch you struggle with it. By the time you've dealt with it, the spiritual energy and magical power in your dantian will probably be completely exhausted, won't they?"

Zhong Li chuckled, and with a wave of his hand, he actually took out a square chair, sat down, and watched the fierce battle on the roof with great interest.

Gu Shenyan's expression changed drastically, and his killing intent intensified, but the vengeful spirit remained tightly entangled, preventing him from freeing his hands to search for Zhong Li.

But it was at this time...

A dark shadow appeared out of thin air and flashed past.

Zhong Li's brow twitched. Just as he was about to turn around, the dark shadow engulfed his face, completely plunging him into darkness.