"This... this is..."

Within the Nanhai Stockade, Yue Gao's eyes widened in shock. Even though she was far from Chen Zheng, she couldn't help but tremble. She had witnessed his overwhelming power before, but only now did she understand that it was merely a glimpse of his endless strength.

"Who told you that defeating me would get you the antidote?"

Beneath Chen Zheng's crushing aura, the crowd gasped for breath, their bodies trembling uncontrollably. His voice echoed in their ears like deafening thunder. At this moment, they finally realized how absurd their fantasy was. To think they could defeat Chen Zheng... it was nothing more than a daydream!

"Lord Chen Zheng, please show mercy!"

"Lord Chen Zheng, they didn't know any better, please forgive them!"

Just then, the unaffected Kuang Nie and others rushed forward.

Chen Zheng gently waved his arm, as if to disperse the tension in the air. He already had a clear plan in mind.

His gaze fell upon the frozen villagers as he spoke again. "Ten seconds. Either you come clean, or you continue to hide the truth."

The moment he finished speaking, his aura surged like a sudden storm. In an instant, they were consumed by a deep, chilling fear. They felt the pressure on their bodies increase silently; many were unable to bear it and collapsed. The others turned pale as paper, the veins on their necks throbbing like serpents.

Soon, someone could no longer withstand the pressure and finally spilled the truth. "It was Xiao Liuzi! He's the one who told us!"

As soon as he spoke, others began to chime in, "Yes, it was Xiao Liuzi!"

"He told us that if we subdued you, we could get the antidote to the Gu poison!"

Chen Zheng's oppressive presence receded like a tide, and his gaze landed on Xiao Liuzi, who lay on the ground. He extended his hand. A burst of tremendous power erupted, lifting Xiao Liuzi like a small bird and pulling him before Chen Zheng.

Chen Zheng's eyes were as cold as ice as they fell on Xiao Liuzi, causing the boy's body to tremble uncontrollably. However, a bloodthirsty light flickered in Xiao Liuzi's eyes.

Chen Zheng sensed something was wrong. With a sudden grasping motion of his hand, he seized Xiao Liuzi by the neck.

Everyone was stunned, watching Chen Zheng in horror.

Is he going to kill someone? Yue Gao was dumbfounded, endless anger surging in her heart. Is this his solution? Even if these people are fated to die, you can't just wash away blood with more blood or answer violence with violence! How cruel! How inhumane! In the depths of her mind, her image of Chen Zheng was now crystal clear.

"Lord Chen Zheng, please be merciful! There must be some misunderstanding here!" Kuang Nie and Huang Hua called out anxiously.

However, Chen Zheng appeared deaf to their pleas. He held Xiao Liuzi firmly, his gaze devoid of emotion. No one knew that at that very moment, Chen Zheng's True Qi was quietly infiltrating Xiao Liuzi's body. In an instant, Chen Zheng understood the boy's entire situation. At the back of Xiao Liuzi's head, he found an abnormality: a strange insect was lurking within.

"He's being controlled," Chen Zheng murmured as his True Qi swiftly enveloped the insect.

"Stop!" Just then, a stern shout interrupted him.

"Is this your so-called solution?" Yue Gao glared at Chen Zheng, her words sharp with anger. "Do you think severing his lifeline will resolve this mess? You mock us for being useless, but someone like you is even worse. When faced with a problem, your only answer is bloodshed, isn't it? How are you any different from the villains of the Gu Chi clan?"

Chen Zheng glanced at Yue Gao with disdain, not bothering to argue. He released a powerful aura, and she was immediately forced to her knees. She stared wide-eyed in terror, wanting to retort, but found the pressure was like a great mountain, rendering her unable to utter a word.

Even someone from the Gu Qing lineage can't resist his power?

Heavens, what kind of monster have we brought to our Nanhai Stockade?

With Xiao Liuzi defeated, does this mean our doom is at hand?

Why did we ever provoke such a terrifying being?

The people of Nanhai Stockade were filled with endless dread. They felt as if they had stepped into an eternal hell.

SQUELCH!

Suddenly, a faint sound pierced the silence.

Everyone's eyes widened. They saw the back of Xiao Liuzi's head burst like a popped bubble, fresh blood gushing out like a fountain.

"Ah!" Kuang Yuanyuan screamed, while the others squeezed their eyes shut in despair.

"Brother... Brother Zheng!"

At that moment, Xiao Liuzi's voice suddenly rang out.

Everyone looked up, stunned, to witness an unbelievable scene.

Chen Zheng gently set Xiao Liuzi down. The boy stood rock steady, seemingly unharmed despite their fears.

With a slight gesture from Chen Zheng, the strange, blood-red tendrils that had shot out instantly flowed back toward him. The crowd quickly saw the truth: it was a crystal-clear Ice Pearl, sealing a pitch-black insect stained with fresh blood.

"This is what was controlling you!" Chen Zheng's voice boomed like thunder.

"It's a Gu worm!" Realization dawned on the crowd.

The power of a Gu Master, coupled with the bizarre nature of Gu worms... To think a person's life could be controlled so easily. They were shocked to realize that Xiao Liuzi had been a puppet in someone else's hands.

"I'm sorry. This is all my fault," Xiao Liuzi cried, tears of remorse welling in his eyes. "I was the one who put the Gu poison in the spring!" He had been clearly aware of what was happening but was unable to break free from the invisible shackles, a feeling that had plunged him into endless despair.

The crowd was speechless, but flames of anger burned in their eyes.

"The Heart Gu!" Only Yue Gao stared at the insect sealed by Chen Zheng, her mind in turmoil. As a Gu Master, she knew the Heart Gu down to her very bones. She also understood that she had misunderstood Chen Zheng. He wasn't trying to kill him. He was trying to find a solution.

"You don't need to bear this guilt," Chen Zheng said, gently stroking Xiao Liuzi's head. "The Quanhuang Gu Poison is vile, but it's not incurable."

Xiao Liuzi looked up, a light of hope flickering in his eyes. "Brother Zheng, can you really cure the Quanhuang Gu Poison?"

Seeing this, the crowd's anger was instantly replaced by delighted surprise.

Yue Gao, however, was dumbfounded. Cure the Quanhuang Gu Poison? That's a fairy tale! Do you have any idea how many different toxins are mixed into it? Do you even know which Gu worms those toxins come from? Back when Shanyun Village was attacked by the Quanhuang Gu Poison, countless Gu Masters joined forces and still couldn't analyze its components. Do you think you're a god? In her eyes, Chen Zheng's words were like a meteor in the night sky—brilliant, but fleeting.

"Brother Zheng, I beg you, save all of us!" Xiao Liuzi knelt on the ground, his voice trembling.

"Stand up." Chen Zheng gently pulled him to his feet, his gaze resolute.

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