Li Miao had been searching for the location of that Gu worm.
Logically, given the viciousness of the Gu poison within the Miao King's body, it would be best for Li Miao to keep his distance, release his True Qi, and slowly wear down the Miao King until she died. He should not engage in close-quarters combat, constantly plunging his hands into the Miao King's body and tearing at her flesh.
His actions were precisely to find that Gu worm.
After digging out the heart, he even had to crush it into a pulp. Besides Li Miao's intention to torment the Miao King, it was also to prevent the Gu worm from escaping. Unfortunately, after trying everything, all of the Miao King's organs and limbs had been dug out and crushed by Li Miao, yet no trace of the Gu worm was found.
At present, only one part of the Miao King's body remained untouched by Li Miao: her head.
As Li Miao's gaze swept towards her head, the Miao King's expression subtly changed, and for the first time, she retreated half a step.
"Lord Li, you have already killed me thirty-seven times. Isn't it about time you calmed down?" the Miao King said with a smile.
"I deliberately sought out this pupa chamber not just to buy time. No matter how high your martial arts, Lord, they are fundamentally different from my Miao Border Witchcraft. You might be able to guard against a Great Witch, but not necessarily against me."
"The things done by the Ming Cult were all my daughter's doing. At most, I merely assisted her, providing some Gu techniques and Gu Soldiers. If you want to find the culprit, you can go to Shuntian Prefecture and find her; there's no need to entangle with me. Why don't we call it quits here?"
"I'll also be honest with you; if we continue fighting, I'll have to use some methods I'd rather not. At that point, Lord, you might not be able to leave unscathed."
Li Miao scoffed.
"Use them."
"I said I'd kill you. Do you expect me to swallow my words?"
With that, he turned to Yongjie and said, "Master, this thing is a bit hard to kill. We need to find the Miao King's Gu worm inside her."
"I've dug out and checked every other part; only the head remains."
"Break her head, dig out whatever is occupying your wife's body, and send her to rest."
Yongjie replied in a deep voice, "Good."
Before he converted to Buddhism, he was a renowned Master throughout the martial arts world. And he wasn't some weakling propped up by his sect; he was someone who had comprehended his martial arts independently and fought his way up, punch by punch.
Li Miao, furthermore, came from the Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards). Although he didn't personally take action often, he was one of Zhu Zai's top enforcers, and the battles he experienced were hard-fought ones that ordinary people couldn't handle.
The two knew how to cooperate without needing to communicate.
Li Miao's muscles and bones suddenly relaxed, and his True Qi instantly became fluid, as he switched from "Vajra" to "Mount Sumeru."
He hadn't perfected the second realm. The Miao King's difficulty wasn't in being unassailable, but in being unkillable. In Li Miao's previous life's terms, the Miao King wasn't a "stat monster" but a "mechanic monster." No matter how tough or fierce Li Miao was, if he couldn't find the Gu worm, he couldn't kill the Miao King.
It was also midday, so he couldn't use a time difference to connect two days' worth of "eight hours"; reverting his realm would cause him to fall into a deep sleep.
Therefore, Li Miao wouldn't rashly use his trump card until he found the Gu worm's location.
Yongjie was responsible for distracting, and Li Miao for attacking.
The Miao King glanced left and right at the two of them and sighed deeply.
"I have retreated many times, yet, Lord, you show no mercy. You even bring my unfaithful husband to kill me with you."
Yongjie's fists clenched, grinding audibly.
He spoke in a hoarse voice, "Don't speak using my wife's face anymore."
"I will dig you out of my wife's body, beast."
"You call me a beast?"
The Miao King actually smiled charmingly.
"Are you mistaken about something? Do you think the Gu worm is talking to you?"
"No, no, the Gu worm is just an insect. How could it think or speak?"
"I am me. From childhood, to pigtails, to coming of age, marrying you, giving birth to Ling'er—I remember everything clearly. From beginning to end, there has never been a second Ge Pu Qi in this world. I am Ling'er's mother, I am your wife."
"I never died; I just changed. I am both the Miao King and Ge Pu Qi."
"Husband, do you really want to kill me?"
At this point, a gentle smile, exactly like the Ge Pu Qi Yongjie knew, genuinely appeared on the Miao King's face.
The more Yongjie listened, the more his expression darkened, and the tighter his fists clenched.
If a person's body and essence haven't changed, and they possess all their previous memories, but only their personality has drastically altered—are they still the same person?
Yongjie was a martial monk, and a half-way convert at that. When it came to such convoluted matters, his muscle-brained mind truly couldn't comprehend them.
Li Miao, however, snorted coldly.
"Ship of Theseus, huh? That's an old one."
"You used to be a dish, now you're a pile of shit. The thing is still the same thing, but the taste has changed. Do you still expect us to serve you on a plate at the table?"
Li Miao looked at Yongjie.
"Master, I ask you. Should she die?"
"Yes."
Yongjie answered without the slightest hesitation.
"If you bring her before Ling'er, will she use Ling'er as a hostage to threaten you?"
"...Yes."
"If she has a chance to kill you, will she do it?"
"Yes."
"Then isn't that the conclusion?"
Li Miao clapped his hands.
"She doesn't acknowledge emotions, and you shouldn't either. Then we can only talk about justice. According to justice, she deserves to die."
"After killing her, bury her properly. If Witchcraft turned her into this, then destroy Witchcraft. If the Ming Cult turned her into this, then destroy the Ming Cult. That is what you should do."
At this point, Li Miao smiled mischievously.
"Master, you are a half-way convert, different from the other monks of Shaolin. Don't waste your time on Buddhist philosophical debates."
Yongjie gritted his teeth and nodded.
"It is this monk who was too attached to appearances. Thank you for the reminder, benefactor."
Seeing that she could no longer sway Yongjie with words, the Miao King stopped speaking.
Martial arts matters, in the end, must be washed with blood.
All words had been spoken.
What remained was only struggle, and life and death.
Bang!!!
Yongjie suddenly stomped the ground, the immense force shattering the ground for several feet around, propelling his body forward like a meteor, charging violently towards the Miao King.
Upon reaching her, Yongjie raised his hand and delivered a punch, striking towards the Miao King's head.
"Heaven-Propping Fist" First Form, Burning the Heavens with Raised Fire!
Before the punch even landed, the wind it generated had already lifted the Miao King's hair.
Li Miao had also appeared beside the Miao King, raising his hand and delivering a "First Shot" from the Iron Shackles War Summons.
This cannon-like punch, carrying the vast True Qi of "Mount Sumeru," smashed towards the Miao King, sealing off all her escape routes.
"Gather!"
In the face of crisis, the Miao King no longer hesitated, shouting loudly in the Miao language.
Suddenly, in the pupa chamber, the sound of insects crawling and hissing in the pool where the Gu worms were kept abruptly fell silent.
Crack!
Whoosh—
The stone slabs beneath the Miao King's feet suddenly shattered, and a tide-like surge of insects gushed out, flying towards Yongjie's seven orifices.
Yongjie had no choice but to retract his attack, returning with a "Deceive Heaven and Earth" strike, his fist wind sweeping out, knocking the insects down.
Looking at the Miao King again, she was already covered in Gu worms.