One person said: "If I make you a holy child, will you be granted godhood through the art of Gu

Immediately afterwards, a piercing scream came from the darkness, echoing throughout the entire valley.

"Hurry!" Jiang Mo pulled Chen Jing up and ran forward quickly.

After passing through a dense thicket of bushes, the two finally reached the high ground where their temporary base was located.

But the sight before her made Chen Jing involuntarily cover her mouth.

The temporary base was in a mess, with several tents torn apart and various equipment and items scattered on the ground.

Even more chilling was the sight of three people lying on the ground.

Its entire body was covered in spiderweb-like black markings, and its pupils were dilated, indicating that it was clearly dead.

"My God..." Chen Jing's voice trembled, "They are..."

“The company’s investigators.” Jiang Mo crouched down and examined the body. “The time of death was no more than half an hour ago.”

He noticed that the black markings on the corpse were slowly spreading, a sign that the poison had not fully taken effect.

Jiang Mo reached out and gently touched the black markings, then closed his eyes, as if sensing something.

“The Netherworld Gu…” Jiang Mo said in a low voice, “It really is it.”

"Netherworld Gu?" Chen Jing asked in confusion.

"An extremely rare type of Gu worm that feeds on Qi."

"They typically live in dark, damp environments and are active at night."

Jiang Mo explained, "Once attacked by it, the Qi within the body will be rapidly devoured, ultimately leading to death."

Chen Jing's face turned deathly pale: "What should we do now?"

Jiang Mo looked around: "First, let's see if there are any survivors, and then we'll get to the snake pit before dark."

"If I'm not mistaken, the mother of the Netherworld Gu should be hiding there."

The two began searching every corner of the base, hoping to find survivors.

Under a collapsed tent.

They found a young man who was on the verge of death.

Black spots have appeared on his face, but they have not yet spread to his whole body.

"Still alive!" Chen Jing exclaimed excitedly.

Jiang Mo crouched down and checked the young man's condition: "Fortunately, he was found in time; there's still hope."

He took out the jade bottle Chen Duo had given him from his backpack, poured out a small pill, and put it into the young man's mouth.

"This is an antidote pill; it can temporarily suppress the spread of the Gu poison."

The young man swallowed the pill with difficulty.

After a while, his complexion improved slightly, and the spread of the black spots stopped.

He weakly opened his eyes, and upon seeing Jiang Mo, a hint of surprise appeared on his face: "You are... Mr. Jiang?"

Jiang Mo nodded: "The company sent me to investigate. What's your name?"

"My name is Lin Tian, ​​and I'm a special agent for the company," the young man said weakly. "Thank you for saving me."

"Lin Tian, ​​can you tell me what happened here?" Jiang Mo asked.

Lin Tian nodded with difficulty: "We have set up a temporary base here as ordered, and we take turns monitoring the movements in the valley."

"This evening, I suddenly heard a strange buzzing sound, and then the fog became very thick."

"Then, one by one, everyone started to show symptoms, with black spots appearing on their bodies, causing them great pain."

"Because I cultivate a special protective energy, my symptoms aren't as severe, but I won't be able to hold on for much longer."

Jiang Mo nodded: "I understand. How are you feeling now?"

"Much better, but still very weak," Lin Tian said. "Mr. Jiang, you must be careful."

"There is a very powerful Gu Master in this valley who controls a large number of Gu worms."

A glint flashed in Jiang Mo's eyes: "You've seen him before?"

Lin Tian shook his head: "No, but I can feel his presence."

"His aura was extremely ancient and powerful, seemingly one with the valley itself."

Jiang Mo pondered for a moment, then said to Chen Jing, "You stay here to take care of Lin Tian, ​​I'm going to check on the snake den."

“Mr. Jiang, it’s too dangerous for you to go alone!” Chen Jing said worriedly.

Jiang Mo smiled faintly: "Don't worry, to a Gu Master, I am the most dangerous being."

He stood up and looked at a mountain peak that was faintly visible in the distance: "Which direction is the snake's lair?"

Lin Tian pointed southeast: "Follow that path for about two kilometers, there's a stone staircase. Climb up the staircase, and you'll see the entrance to the snake cave."

Jiang Mo nodded: "Okay, you all stay here and don't wander around."

"If I'm not back by tomorrow morning, contact General Manager Zhao immediately and request backup."

After saying that, Jiang Mo slung his bag over his shoulder and walked in the direction Lin Tian pointed.

The sky was beginning to darken, and the fog was growing thicker, but Jiang Mo's steps remained firm.

As he approached the snake's lair, he could feel the Gu energy in the air growing stronger.

"Interesting. The Gu energy here is quite different from what I've encountered before; it seems more primal, more...pure."

Jiang Mo muttered to himself, his curiosity piqued.

As a master of Gu techniques, he had a deep interest in all kinds of rare Gu techniques and Gu insects.

Besides completing the mission, the purpose of this trip to Twenty-Four Solar Terms Valley is also...

He also hoped to broaden his horizons and perhaps find some precious Gu worms as resources for cultivation.

After walking for about half an hour, Jiang Mo finally saw the stone steps that Lin Tian had mentioned.

The steps were old and dilapidated, covered in moss, and looked like they hadn't been used for many years.

Jiang Mo climbed the steps, each step cautious and steady.

After climbing for about ten minutes, he finally reached a platform halfway up the mountain.

There is a huge hole in the platform.

There are some strange patterns carved on both sides of the cave entrance, which look like some kind of ancient sacrificial symbols.

“Snake Cave…” Jiang Mo murmured.

Just then, a powerful surge of Gu energy erupted from the cave, rushing towards Jiang Mo as if it were a tangible substance.

An ordinary person facing this level of Gu Qi would probably die instantly.

But Jiang Mo only frowned slightly, and the Qi in his body automatically formed a barrier to keep the Gu Qi out of his body.

"Who goes there?" a hoarse, aged voice echoed from the cave. "How dare you trespass into the snake's lair?"

Jiang Mo replied calmly, "Jiang Mo, the company's special investigator."

"The company?" The voice from inside the cave carried a hint of sarcasm.

"You bunch of quacks with only a little knowledge of supernatural abilities dare to cause trouble in Twenty-Four Solar Terms Valley?"

As soon as he finished speaking, a cloud of black mist surged out of the cave and condensed into a figure in front of Jiang Mo.

He was an elderly man who looked to be about seventy or eighty years old. He was thin, wearing a tattered black robe, and his face was covered with wrinkles.

But his eyes were unusually bright, gleaming with an eerie light like two obsidian stones.

"Are you the mastermind behind this incident?" Jiang Mo asked, looking directly at the old man.

The old man sneered, "A black hand? Young man, you don't understand."

"I'm just protecting the traditions of this valley."

"Tradition? You mean murder?"

“Murder?” The old man shook his head. “I’m just purifying.”

"This valley is the sacred ground of the Gu God, and outsiders are not allowed to desecrate it."

"Those intruders have only brought shame upon themselves!"