Chapter 128: A Gu Insect for Xiao Qing

“Protect Senior Sister Ou Zhiqing?
You mean you want to give one gu insect to her?”
Bai Yue was a very smart girl and immediately understood what I meant.

“Mm.
She’s helped me a lot, but she doesn’t have many ways to protect herself.
If she had a gu insect, she’d be much safer—ideally one that can save her from ghosts and demons.”
I said.

After several days of talking with Xiao Qing, I’d come to understand:
Although she knew a lot about supernatural matters, she hadn’t actually learned many powerful techniques.
The most reliable thing she had was the hairpin Dharma artifact I’d given her.

How strong Bai Yue’s gu insects were became clear yesterday when they easily defeated that strange man.
Even the giant centipede was only fourth grade, and according to Bai Yue, fourth-grade gu insects could already detect ghosts and attack spiritual bodies.

“If the main goal is survival, I recommend that one—the Black Mantis Gu.”
To my surprise, Bai Yue pointed directly at the palm-sized cockroach.

Its yellow-and-black glossy shell, black straight wings, two antennae—it was unmistakably a southern cockroach magnified several times over.
I couldn’t bring myself to get within three meters of it.

“As long as you sign a blood contract with it, it can provide extremely strong healing ability.
In theory, as long as the head isn’t destroyed, even severed limbs or damaged organs can regenerate and heal quickly.”

At this point Bai Yue showed a pained expression again.
It was precisely because of the Black Mantis Gu’s powerful recovery ability that she had prioritized raising it to fourth grade.
It was one of her most important life-saving tools.

“No, no, no!
Having this cockroach crawl on me—I’d die before any ghost even attacked!
Xiao Qing definitely wouldn’t want it either!”
I shook my head repeatedly.
If I told Xiao Qing I was giving her a giant cockroach, wouldn’t she kick me across the room?

Even the strongest bug wouldn’t last long on her since she’s human.
No matter how tempting the Black Mantis Gu’s regeneration sounded, I absolutely could not accept this kind of gu insect.
It was a physiological impossibility.

“Then how about this one?
The Nether Web Spider.
The silk it spins can trap spiritual bodies, and it can also release poisonous mist to conceal itself, preventing souls from getting close.
Another advantage is that the silk from the Nether Web Spider can be used to make Dharma robes.”
Bai Yue introduced a large purple spider next.

Her tone turned regretful again:
“The silk is tough and can touch spiritual bodies—ideal material for defensive Dharma robes.
It sells for a high price on the black market.
Most of the money I spent raising gu insects was earned by selling the silk.”

“But it has a drawback: the Nether Web Spider has a fierce temperament.
Without my natal gu suppressing it, even the master can get poisoned, and there’s a risk of backlash.
I don’t recommend it.”

“Then I’ll pass.”
I waved it off again.
Spiders were also something I couldn’t accept.
Truth be told, most of the insects here were beyond my tolerance.

Bai Yue didn’t get impatient.
She patiently introduced the next one—this time a very ordinary-looking mosquito.
If she hadn’t lifted it with her hand, I wouldn’t have even noticed it.

“The Mottled Mosquito Gu.
It can absorb other people’s blood to replenish the master’s vitality.
It can also spread malaria.
The drawback is that it’s quite fragile, and if it sucks blood from a corpse, zombie, or similar entity, you must not let it transfer that blood to the master, or it will pass the curse along too.”

“Uh… it doesn’t sound strong enough for protection, and there’s risk.
But at least it’s not too disgusting.
Can be a backup option.”
I gave a dry laugh.
While mosquitoes are annoying, they were still better than cockroaches and spiders.

Also, the ability to replenish vitality sounded useful.
Xiao Qing was currently low on vitality.
If she had this Mottled Mosquito Gu, she wouldn’t have to worry about running out—just had to be careful of the side effects.

At that moment Bai Yue suddenly said:
“Senior Sister Xia, if you want a gu insect that isn’t disgusting, can protect life, and has no major risks to give to Senior Sister Ou Zhiqing,
I actually have a very good recommendation.
The only thing is… it’s only a third-grade gu insect.”

“Oh? What is it? Let me see.
Grade isn’t an issue.”
I asked quickly.
Bai Yue opened her palm, and a snow-white creature crawled out of her sleeve.
A gecko?

“The Jade House Guard.
It provides healing ability slightly inferior to the Black Mantis Gu—superficial wounds or severed limbs can be slowly repaired.
If raised to fourth grade, the master can become invisible.
At fifth grade, the invisibility can fool most ghosts and demons, and you can throw its severed tail to distract them, allowing the master to escape.”

My heart skipped a beat when I heard this, but I still asked curiously:
“A gecko can be a gu insect?
More importantly, it’s not even an insect.”

“Spiders aren’t insects either.
‘Gu insect’ is just a general term.
In reality, many venomous creatures that aren’t insects can be used—snakes, leeches, toads.
As one of the traditional Five Poisons, geckos can of course be made into gu insects.”
Bai Yue explained.

Only then did I recall that in ancient times, geckos were classified among the Five Poisons.
While biologically harmless and non-venomous, in the supernatural world, a gu-refined gecko was clearly different.

But I still had a question:
“This Jade House Guard is only third grade.
How do you know what its fifth-grade ability is?”

Previously Bai Yue said she didn’t know the fourth-grade ability of the Golden Cicada Gu.
Now she could describe a fifth-grade ability—this made me suspicious.

“Because my family once raised a Jade House Guard to fifth grade.
Its abilities were recorded.
Senior Sister Xia only needs to provide some blood, and it’s entirely possible to cultivate this Jade House Guard to fifth grade—or even sixth.”

“I see.
That’s actually a good idea—I could raise a lower-grade gu insect to a higher grade and then give it to Xiao Qing.
This works.”
I nodded, then asked, “Such a powerful gu insect—why didn’t you raise it to fourth grade yourself?”

“Because most of its abilities can be replaced by other gu insects I already have.
Its attack power is practically nonexistent—not worth prioritizing.
Its self-healing is inferior to the Black Mantis Gu.
As for invisibility…”

Bai Yue finished speaking and a moth flew out from behind her back—wings bearing ghostly eyes.
It was the ghost-eyed moth she’d sent to spy on the old man yesterday.
The moth landed on her head and sprinkled fine phosphorescent powder.
The next moment, Bai Yue vanished right in front of me.

“Huh?”
I widened my eyes, then noticed a faint yin aura and the silver spiritual light of her artifact.
It seemed the ghost-eyed moth wasn’t fourth grade yet and couldn’t fully conceal aura.

Then the yin aura moved.
Bai Yue had circled to my side, probably planning to tap me while invisible.
But before she could, I reached out first and patted her head.

“Eh!?”
Bai Yue exclaimed in surprise and dispelled the invisibility.
“Senior Sister Xia, you could see me?”

“Mm, I can see your aura.”
I smiled and ruffled Bai Yue’s head, finally getting one small advantage over her.
“I’ll take this Jade House Guard.”

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