Chapter 3: Gu Xi Bi (Part 1)

After much deliberation, Guo Shier finally made up his mind. He said, “Let’s be careful. Keep moving inward slowly. If things go wrong, we leave immediately.”
Xian Rudi said, “That’s good. You can’t gain anything without taking some risks. That’s what my great-grandmother said.”
Guo Shier knew this was the real risk. The path ahead was difficult and beyond their control. But to help Gu Mo Lian successfully construct the virtual altar, he had to take this risk. Especially Old Shuai—he was like his own butler, a butler who could help build his home. He had to get him back to health so he could manage the household properly.
After resting and eating something, the group set off again.
Xian Rudi and Zhang Yaojin could quickly spot dangerous areas ahead. With these two as scouts, they managed to avoid most of the fierce Spirit Beasts. The Spirit Beasts here had reached an astonishing level of 16.
Shh!
Zhang Yaojin suddenly signaled everyone to crouch down. Guo Shier lowered himself and took a few steps forward. No one dared to fly at this point, not even at ground level.
When he reached Zhang Yaojin’s side, he asked in a whisper, “What did you find?”
Zhang Yaojin’s eyes sparkled with excitement as he pointed ahead and said softly, “Look… it’s all altars!”
Guo Shier cast a vision-enhancing spell on himself and took a closer look, then was shocked: “Damn! One, two, three… six altars!”
Zhang Yaojin said, “There are eleven altars in total, five of which have collapsed… But there’s a powerful Spirit Beast here!”
Xian Rudi leaned in and whispered, “It’s a Level 17 Spirit Beast. We have no chance against it. Going up there is certain death.”
“Huh! Level 17!”
Guo Shier gasped in shock. Level 17 Spirit Beasts only appeared in specific environments and were the favorite of those who practiced the altar-related profession. To find one here was truly astonishing. A Level 17 Spirit Beast could rival mutated talisman beasts at levels 13 to 14.
“Hey, Old Shuai! There’s a Level 17 Spirit Beast!”
Guo Shier’s soul trembled violently, almost as if he were roaring. Old Shuai immediately poked his head out from Gu Mo Lian and shrieked, “Leave this place! A Level 17 Spirit Beast—going there means certain death! Go quickly! Whatever kind of Level 17 Spirit Beast it is, going there means one word… death! Two words… certain death! Three words… still death! Four words…”

Guo Shier ignored his nagging, knowing that older people liked to talk nonstop. He whispered, “Let’s leave. No matter how many altars there are, life is more important. We shouldn’t go and seek death.”
Zhang Yaojin glared at them resentfully for a while before sighing and saying, “Damn it, what a shame! How could there be a soul beast of level seventeen?”
The group slowly retreated, not daring to fly or walk upright. They kept their bodies low as they moved outward until a small hill blocked their view. Only then did Guo Shier softly say, “Run!” They broke into a sprint, fleeing desperately.
After moving far enough away, Zhang Yaojin sat down on the ground with a thud, pounding it angrily. “Ugh! What bad luck! If it had been a soul beast of level sixteen, we could have fought back. Level seventeen! Such a rip-off!”
Guo Shier asked, “What kind of soul beast was it? I was stunned just hearing about a level seventeen soul beast—I couldn’t even identify what kind it was.”
Xian Ruidai’s pale face paled even more as she said, “It’s a Guxi Bi! It’s a Guxi Bi!”
Guo Shier had never heard of this name. He asked, “Guxi Bi? What is it?”
The old man roared, “What? Guxi Bi? Are you talking about a Guxi Bi?”
Guo Shier asked, “What’s wrong with a Guxi Bi? Is it that powerful?” In his excitement, he spoke aloud instead of using soul waves to communicate with the old man.
Xian Ruidai replied, “It’s an ancient Soul Devouring Beast!”
The old man roared, “Ah! Oh no! That’s an extremely precious Soul Devouring Beast… Oh no, we have to go back and catch it! We must not let it escape… I knew something was wrong—what kind of soul beast could reach level seventeen? That’s almost impossible!”
Guo Shier was speechless. He sent a soul wave saying, “You said it yourself—one word: death. Two words: seeking death. Three words: still death. Four words:… no choice but to die! Do you want me to go and seek death?”
The old man snapped, “Idiot! Fool! Can’t you set a trap? Can’t you use your brain? You… you actually gave up a Guxi Bi? What a huge sin! It’s a precious treasure, the best sacrifice for a soul altar! A Soul Devouring Beast!”
Guo Shier held his head and said to the old man, “Sir, why don’t you first assess our strength before scolding us? It’s not just me going to seek death—it’s the whole group. What can I do?”
The old man howled, “It’s worth it! Completely worth it! As long as we catch that Soul Devouring Beast, everything else is worth it!”

Guo Shier was so angry that he cursed loudly, “You old bastard! How dare you send my companions to die? No way!” He would never allow his companions to die, no matter how great the benefits might be.
The old man flew into a rage, “You little brat! Idiot, fool, stupid kid… You’re driving me crazy! Did I say to send them to die? I’m so pissed off! So pissed off!”
Xian Ruidai asked, “Brother Shier, what do you plan to do?” She saw Guo Shier squinting with a pale face, unsure of what he was thinking. Little did she know that Guo Shier was arguing with the old man.
The old man, still agitated, continued, “The Soul Devouring Beast… If I had had one back then, I wouldn’t have died here… Hmm? Right, I died here. Wah, I remember now—I was killed by someone… But… I can’t remember who killed me…”
Guo Shier couldn’t help but smile bitterly. This guy even knew he was already dead.
The old man rambled on before suddenly remembering Guxi Bi and shouting, “Soul Devouring Beast! If you don’t catch this beast, you’ll regret it, I swear! There won’t be another Guxi Bi—you’ll never see such a good sacrifice again! If you leave, you’ll regret it to the death. Better to be killed by the Soul Devouring Beast than to die of regret…”
Guo Shier was overwhelmed. This guy wasn’t just talking nonstop—he was babbling like a madman, and his shouting echoed in his soul. He had no choice but to listen.
“Old man… You dead old fool, can you shut up? I wasn’t killed by a Spirit Beast, nor do I regret dying, but you’re driving me crazy!”
Guo Shier also roared. The intense fluctuations in his soul could be felt by everyone.
Zhou Xiaoling asked, “Shier, what’s wrong?”
The old man was so shocked he couldn’t say a word. After a while, he calmed down and said, “Kid, here’s some memory for you. Experience it on your own.”
Some information about Guxi Bi entered Guo Shier’s soul. This was also a form of inheritance—just a small piece of information—but it shocked Guo Shier deeply.
Guxi Bi, also known as the Soul Devouring Beast, was one of the most precious mutated talisman beasts in the secret realm. When it was still a mutated talisman beast, it wasn’t particularly powerful. But once it became a Spirit Beast, it became extremely formidable. If left to grow freely, it could grow infinitely. A Level 17 Soul Devouring Beast was only just beginning to show its strength.

The Soul Devouring Beast can consume other Spirit Beasts to grow rapidly. If it becomes a sacrificial Spirit Beast for the altar, it brings tremendous benefits to its master. Its greatest role at the altar is to protect it and safeguard the master’s soul, absorbing all attacks, including those that could burn the soul with dark runes.

The handsome old man said, “None of this matters. The most important thing is that with a Soul Devouring Beast, your altar can upgrade quickly, and so can you. There will be no issues with advancing levels… You decide whether to take it or not!”

Guo Shier felt that the handsome old man was hiding something. He quickly reviewed his inheritance and soon found the records about Gu Xi Bi, exclaiming, “I see!”

The handsome old man asked, “What?”

Guo Shier replied, “Gu Xi Bi can also help your soul grow rapidly.”

The handsome old man said, “Obviously! Even the Spirit Beasts in your beast runes can benefit greatly. This thing has countless advantages—once you possess it, you’ll be overjoyed!”

Eagle Demon also came over and asked, “Shier, what’s wrong?” Seeing Guo Shier lost in thought, they couldn’t help but inquire.

Guo Shier sighed deeply and repeated what the handsome old man had said, saying, “A Level 17 Spirit Beast is beyond our capabilities, but the handsome old man insisted I go back… Well, everyone, wait a moment.”

The Soul Wave asked, “Handsome old man, you mentioned setting a trap… How can we set such a trap to capture a Level 17 Spirit Beast?”

The handsome old man became excited immediately and said, “Don’t worry. I’ll set the trap. I won’t put you in mortal danger, nor will I let your companions die. Hehe, haha, this is great! With Gu Mo Lian, I can create the most powerful trap. A Level 17 Gu Xi Bi—what an exciting prospect!”

Guo Shier couldn’t help but say, “Just now, someone heard about a Level 17 Spirit Beast and rushed to make others flee. Now you’re full of confidence to capture it. I really don’t understand you!”

The handsome old man shouted, “You idiot! Spirit Beasts vary. If it’s a combat-specific Spirit Beast, run as far away as possible. Even if captured as a sacrifice, it’s not very useful… Gu Xi Bi is completely different. You need to learn more. How can you be so ignorant… As a professional, as a master of runes, how can you be so clueless…” He went on lecturing nonstop.

Guo Shier held his head and kept saying, “Sir, old man, stop! Enough! Don’t talk anymore! Where do you get all these nonsense from… It’s giving me a headache!”

The handsome old man paused for a moment before saying, “Kid, listen to advice. I’m doing this for your own good. I, an old man, don’t like to talk much even with acquaintances…”