I Studied Abroad in the Modern Times-Chapter 475Book 2: : Righteous Sacrifice, A Worthy Death

Vol 2 Chapter 475: Righteous Sacrifice, A Worthy Death

Before Zheng Fa could speak, light footsteps echoed from inside the chamber.

He had underestimated Luo Yun—she seemed capable of bypassing the soundproofing talismans and was eavesdropping.

She must have heard Shi Nandang's master's words, unable to contain her agitation as she stepped closer, only to be detected by Zheng Fa.

The four from Shi Nandang's master's group showed no reaction, merely staring at Zheng Fa as if awaiting his response.

"Master, what if restoring the Gu God requires sacrificing the entire Haori Mountain?"

Shi Nandang's master's face twitched before he declared firmly, "Then so be it."

Zheng Fa fell silent, thinking to himself how these people seemed determined to destroy themselves without his intervention.

Seeing his silence, another Lu Clan elder spoke with righteous fervor: "With the Holy Patriarch's condition unknown and the Jiushan Sect eyeing us covetously, we need the Gu God's protection more than ever! Moreover, without obtaining the Holy Patriarch's legacy treasures, we're doomed anyway!"

"Those from the two clans have long enjoyed our sect's benevolence. Now is the time for their loyalty!"

A thud came from the inner chamber—likely Luo Yun punching the wall. Zheng Fa suppressed a smirk, maintaining a stern expression: "They're our fellow disciples."

"You object?"

"I find it... difficult to bear."

Shi Nandang's master sighed, sweeping his sleeve across the table.

A grotesque black stone statue materialized before them—a throne carved with countless gu insects crawling along its legs, backrest, and armrests. Upon it sat the Gu God, her lifelike eyes fixed on Zheng Fa.

"This is..."

"Teacher and disciple though we were..." Shi Nandang's master gazed indifferently at the statue, "I'd hate to see you die by the Gu God's hand."

The statue exuded a sinister aura. Clearly, this was the Lu Clan quartet's trump card.

Zheng Fa felt no fear—having battled the living Gu God, why fear a dead idol? Yet he feigned shock and anger: "Are you threatening me, Master?"

"Of course not. I merely hope you'll see reason. After all, you're my disciple. Changing your surname to Lu wouldn't be impossible."

Though his words denied it, Shi Nandang's master's eyes conveyed the opposite.

A Lu Clan elder spoke more bluntly: "The Gu God demands blood sacrifice—either them or you!"

"This artifact bestowed by the Gu God is peerless in power. None on Haori Mountain can resist it. Defy us, and the Lu Clan will show no mercy."

After a long silence, Zheng Fa finally said, "...This disciple understands."

Pleased by his apparent submission, Shi Nandang's master nodded and rose to leave. At the doorway, he paused: "Luo Yun, that Yun Clan girl you fancy—they'll all be yours when this is done." 𝙧âΝỐʙƐⱾ

Zheng Fa remained silent as Luo Yun emerged.

Dressed neatly, her expression frosty, she stared at Zheng Fa.

After a prolonged silence, she suddenly declared: "When that day comes, Master Shi, I beg only for a quick death."

Without awaiting response, she strode away—apparently convinced Shi Nandang's choices mattered little with the Lu Clan's Gu God backing them.

Watching her leave, Zheng Fa found himself admiring her more in this moment than when she'd disrobed before him.

As for the Lu Clan's situation... these fools were utterly deluded.

He couldn't fathom what gave them the audacity to scheme against three True Immortal Demon Ancestors. Frankly, Zheng Fa himself avoided entering the Nine Luminaries Heaven precisely to evade those three.

Yet the Lu Clan dared what he wouldn't. Though they had some tricks, this was sheer folly.

Still... Zheng Fa found their methods intriguing...

The four Lu Clan members maintained silence until reaching their cave abode, when one finally spoke: "You've thoroughly alienated your beloved disciple now."

"Beloved?" Shi Nandang's master sneered. "He bears no Lu surname, shares no Lu bloodline!"

"You're truly ruthless."

Shi Nandang's master chuckled. "That boy stopped being aligned with us long ago. Though his strength is remarkable—even I can't gauge its depths—he'll serve nicely to counterbalance the Gu God."

Mention of the Gu God darkened the others' expressions. One muttered: "The Gu God grows too greedy. Such blood demands hinder our plans."

"Precisely why we need Shi Nandang to compel the two clans' submission," the master said. "As for him—a lone wolf, weaker than the Gu God... he's expendable."

......

"You intend to use the Lu Clan's methods against Zao Hua and Bai Gu?"

In the Jiushan Realm, Senior Sister Zhang and others exchanged glances upon hearing the Heavenly Emperor's account.

"Exactly," the avatar nodded. "Entering the Nine Luminaries Heaven is too risky. But since the Lu Clan is so confident, they must possess some trump card."

The Heavenly Palace Hall's occupants nodded—the Lu Clan, inheritors of Lu Mo's legacy and Haori Mountain's oldest lineage, with the Nine Luminaries Heaven as their sacred ground, likely had hidden aces.

Senior Sister Zhang mused: "Given their mediocre strength, this artifact must be formidable..."

Zheng Fa shared this assessment. However reckless, the Lu Clan wouldn't gamble without something substantial.

In their hands, such a weapon might be limited—but wielded by Zheng Fa? A tiger gaining wings.

"Moreover," the avatar continued, "our main body fears Lu Clan interference during his Nine Luminaries Heaven venture. We must uncover their methods as precaution."

All nodded in agreement. Ultimately, Zheng Fa sought to enter and exit the Nine Luminaries Heaven safely. The Lu Clan's exposed capabilities proved valuable.

The avatar turned to Han Lao: "Prepare our Haori Mountain disciples to replace key Lu Clan members. Our main body will oversee them."

"Yes!" 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

Senior Sister Zhang interjected: "Not just the Lu Clan—the Gu God too."

The avatar blinked, then brightened: "Right! If the Lu Clan plans to pit the Gu God against the Demon Ancestors, so can we!"

Simply put—such schemes would doom the Lu Clan, but suited the Jiushan Sect perfectly...

"Qingyan."

"Here."

"Continue your research. Ideally, we'd influence the Gu God undetected..."

Mu Qingyan nodded confidently, surprising even the avatar.

Noticing his puzzlement, she explained: "Beyond hormones, Elder Jiao and I are cultivating King Insects."

"King Insects?"

"A strain that controls other gu insects while obeying us. Genetic modifications show promise."

Hearing this, Zheng Fa suddenly felt... nostalgic for the Gu God.

......

Their next encounter occurred again on Haori Mountain—not the true Gu God, but that statue, now a hundred times larger.

In a valley behind Haori Mountain, Zheng Fa's group stood before the colossal effigy, its height surpassing even the mountain's peak. The Gu God's eyes gazed levelly at Haori Summit.

Beside Zheng Fa knelt hundreds of Haori Mountain cultivators—rogues, Luo clansmen, even Yun Clan branches—bound by artifacts, glaring venomously at Zheng Fa and the Lu Clan elders:

"Demon Ancestor lackeys!"

"Shi Nandang! You've joined the demons!"

"We'll haunt you beyond death!"

Other sect members lining the valley slopes watched Zheng Fa with grim expressions. They'd hoped Shi Nandang's return would curb the Lu Clan's madness—never expecting collaboration in capturing fellow disciples for the Gu God's feast.

The Lu Clan, already strongest, now bolstered by Shi Nandang's might, rendered Haori Mountain helpless before them.

"Shi Nandang! Think siding with the Gu God saves you?"

"The Lu Clan will never trust you! I'll await you in the Underworld!"

Truthfully, this was Zheng Fa's first experience being so reviled. Fortunately, as Shi Nandang, he remained impassive. The Lu Clan elders smirked, watching Zheng Fa sidelong.

The curses dwindled—not from their targets' thick skin, but because the "dining queue" had arrived, silencing the captives with terror.

Whether from Zheng Fa's past thrashing or caution, the Gu God now fed meticulously:

Batch by batch, one swarm departing underground before the next arrived—minimizing losses if ambushed.

To Zheng Fa, the valley resembled an insect cafeteria.

A black tide oozed toward them—stench overwhelming, vegetation dissolving in corrosive slime.

Someone finally broke:

"Ancestor Shi! Save us!"

"Master!"

"I'm Haori Mountain's true disciple!"

A furious shout echoed: "Slaughtering comrades—you're mad!"

Dozens of rainbow streaks shot from the slopes—the two clans finally uniting in rebellion, led by Luo Yun and fellow Nascent Soul cultivators.

Before Zheng Fa could act, Shi Nandang's master chanted reverently to the statue. Moths erupted, disabling the rebels' artifacts before swarming the mountainside, spitting silk strands that cocooned Luo Yun's group, sending them tumbling to Zheng Fa's feet.

Looking down, Zheng Fa met Luo Yun's tearful glare.

A Lu Clan elder gloated: "We anticipated your rebellion! Now we eradicate you in one sweep!"

"You betray Haori Mountain by murdering kin!"

The elder sneered: "We Lu Clan ARE Haori Mountain! Your clans exist by our grace! How dare you defy us?!"

"From inception, Haori Mountain exists through us alone! Our prosperity justifies your deaths!"

As the insect tide advanced, Luo Yun turned desperate eyes to Zheng Fa—who ignored her.

She closed her eyes.

Noticing her glance, Shi Nandang's master smirked at Zheng Fa:

"Junior Luo's merger with the Gu God today will bless Haori Mountain hereafter."

"Pfah!" Luo Yun spat, fiery even now: "You disgrace Haori Mountain's name!"

"Poor child, you misunderstand our sacrifice," the master said, amused. "As comrades, I'd spare you."

"But only the Gu God can secure the Holy Patriarch's legacy against Jiushan Sect."

"Today it's you—but were it me, my clansmen, I'd gladly die!"

Luo Yun gnashed her teeth as the master continued: "For Haori Mountain, we'd discard life itself—let alone reputation!"

Zheng Fa's fingers twitched.

Resigned, Luo Yun lay still, terror unmasked beneath her fury. Then came the sounds that chilled her soul:

The buzzing—soft, then deafening.

Countless spindly legs scraping stone, right beside her ear.

Something crawling through her hair.

Forced to look, she saw a beetle the size of half her head brush past her cheek, its fist-sized mandibles grazing her ear, as if deciding where to begin.

Tears fell at last.

Yet... the beetle ignored her, crawling onward.

As did the entire swarm, bypassing the captives completely.

"What...?!"

Bewildered Lu Clan members gaped as the insects turned on THEM.

The elders barely escaped the onslaught;most clansmen vanished beneath the tide, screams cut short:

"Ahh!"

"Get off!"

"Help!"

Dazed, Luo Yun witnessed this reversal—confusion, relief, even vindication flashing across her face.

"You...?" Shi Nandang's master whirled on Zheng Fa.

"Not I," Zheng Fa said solemnly. "Clearly, the Gu God prefers merging with Lu Clan members."

......

"These Lu Clan brothers sacrificed themselves to insects for Haori Mountain... truly... a worthy death!"