Li Miao could roughly deduce the Plum Blossom Bandit's experiences back then.
His bone structure was poor, and his martial arts were mediocre; Li Miao could tell this from the moment he first saw him.
Most martial arts masters in the pugilistic world usually make a name for themselves in their twenties. This is because the most suitable age to begin practicing martial arts is around ten, and after more than ten years of diligent practice, one should achieve something by their twenties and begin to roam the pugilistic world.
Those with exceptionally good aptitude, ample resources for martial arts training, a high-level martial arts inheritance, and who also put in effort, such as Wang Hai and Mei Qinghe, all reached the realm of first-rate masters in the pugilistic world in their early twenties.
As for this Plum Blossom Bandit, in his twenties, he couldn't even withstand One Slash from the twenty-year-old Li Miao, so he was probably only at a second or third-rate level.
However, his comprehension must have been exceptionally good, to the point where he could establish his own sect.
In internal energy cultivation, even a slight mistake can lead to qi deviation. The fact that he could create such a sophisticated internal energy technique while intentionally leaving a mark on his posterior neck is already a feat beyond the imagination of most people in the pugilistic world.
Back then, he must have diligently practiced martial arts but was limited by his bone structure, unable to achieve anything. Then, defeated by Li Miao's One Slash, he became disheartened, knowing that he could never become a true master.
Thus, he devised this plan.
Under the pursuit of the Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards), he barely managed to commit a few crimes, establishing the name "Plum Blossom Bandit."
But since his martial arts were lacking, it was difficult for him to evade the Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards)'s pursuit, so he temporarily disappeared and began to create this internal energy technique.
He must have intended to refine his internal energy, then re-emerge to commit crimes, make a name for himself, and incidentally spread his martial art.
With his reputation as an attraction, people would surely practice his martial arts, inheriting the name "Plum Blossom Bandit," and his plan would succeed.
Unfortunately, he died.
The Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards) back then weren't even after him; they merely stumbled upon him during a search in the city.
The birthmark on his posterior neck was too obvious; he was recognized at a glance.
Then he died.
Li Miao had seen his corpse in Shuntian Prefecture; his neck was cleanly severed with One Slash, with no other external injuries on his body, a swift and clean death.
He didn't even manage to put up a proper fight against the Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards).
All his meticulous planning ultimately amounted to nothing but a handful of dust.
His slight reputation as the "Plum Blossom Bandit" was only known in a few places, and with his death, he would no longer be remembered.
His martial art circulated but became fragmented; the fighting techniques were lost, and only the internal energy and lightness skill were obtained by You Zi'ang, who could barely be considered half his successor, and now it has also fallen into Li Miao's hands.
Thinking of this, Li Miao channeled his internal energy into You Zi'ang's body, directly crippling his internal energy.
"Senior!!!"
You Zi'ang cried out in terror, "I have no past grievances or recent animosity with you, why must you cripple my martial arts!?"
"You'd best not cultivate this internal energy. Do only steelyards fall from the sky, or are there also meat pies?"
"You'll only fulfill someone else's schemes for nothing and bear his karma."
Li Miao pressed his hand on You Zi'ang's posterior neck, circulating his qi to clear the plum blossom-shaped Bruising there.
He had only cultivated the Plum Blossom Bandit's internal energy for five years, so the bruising was not yet firmly entrenched and was relatively easy to resolve.
"If one of my subordinates saw you, they'd probably immediately turn red-eyed and try to chop you down."
"You had no master to teach you, yet you could cultivate lightness skill to this extent just by following a book; you are indeed extraordinarily talented."
"Come with me. I'll send someone to Shuntian Prefecture to verify your past."
"If you truly haven't harmed anyone, after serving your punishment, I'll grant you a livelihood."
"How does that sound to you?"
What else could You Zi'ang say?
With his internal energy crippled, he was now an ordinary person, his life and death in Li Miao's hands; he no longer had the right to bargain.
He could only hang his head in silence, letting Li Miao do as he pleased.
After dissolving his bruising, Li Miao grabbed his clothes, lifted him, and soared into the air, returning to the Wu Mansion.
As he landed from the eaves, he happened to hear Little Four's remark.
"This female gu has a master."
When Wang Hai saw Li Miao return, holding a dispirited person, he knew that the "haunting" issue had been resolved, and now only the "gu worm" problem remained.
"Commander."
Li Miao nodded, "I heard a bit. So, this gu worm didn't go crazy and kill people on its own?"
Little Four walked up to Li Miao, extending her hand for Li Miao to see the centipede wrapped around her wrist.
"My lord, I am a human gu. If it were a wild gu worm, it would die within an hour or two after consuming my blood."
"But it's dying exceptionally slowly."
"If it were a masterless gu worm, killing according to its own instincts, it wouldn't consciously refine itself. The fact that it has lasted this long indicates that after it consumed that flesh and blood, someone specifically refined it according to a method."
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"Judging by the previous incidents, this person might be someone from the Wu Mansion."
Li Miao folded his arms and pondered for a moment.
He had asked Xu Siyuan to tell the Wu Mansion residents to move out, fearing that there were too many people in the mansion to look after. The remaining servants were all living together, and with the martial arts of the four of them, no accidents would occur.
Little Four had also used her methods to specifically lure this gu worm to them.
However, although the gu worm had been caught, a master had now emerged.
To so wantonly kill people and refine gu worms in Pingshan Garrison, did they not want to live? Or was there some deep-seated grudge, where they didn't even care about their lives, and still wanted to commit such a crazy act?
Thinking of this, Li Miao said to the three of them, "Go wake up all the remaining servants in the mansion and gather them together."
"Little Four, see if that master is among these servants."
"I'll go check on Wu Yuanwai's side."
With that, he leaped onto the roof and headed towards the property where Wu Yuanwai was staying tonight.
He had deliberately asked the servants during the day and knew the approximate location.
As Li Miao sped across the roofs, he heard cries and curses coming from a small courtyard in the distance.
"That's it."
Li Miao flashed down onto the roof of that small courtyard and saw that the courtyard was in chaos.
The ground was covered with various poisonous insects, crawling around like headless flies. The people inside the house were currently using various tools to smash and swing at the ground, constantly exclaiming in surprise.
Some of the female family members were already so terrified by the sight that they were paralyzed, sitting on the ground, trembling uncontrollably.
Standing at the entrance of the main house was a middle-aged man in his forties, pot-bellied, with a kind face; he should be Wu Yuanwai himself, directing the servants to swat at the poisonous insects.
Li Miao leaped down from the roof, landing squarely in the middle of the courtyard.
He circulated his internal energy, formed his fingers into a palm, and struck the ground.
Bang!
There was a loud bang, and dust flew everywhere. The poisonous insects in this direction were all flattened to the ground, leaving a foul stench. The servants who were swatting at the insects were startled and fell to the ground, but they were unharmed.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
In just four or five strikes, he had cleanly killed all the poisonous insects in the courtyard.
Li Miao turned his head and looked at a group of female family members huddled together, trembling, and spoke loudly.
"Stop faking it. Can fear make you vomit blood?"
"I'd like to see what kind of fiend dares to unleash gu and commit murder in the Central Plains.
"They truly don't put the Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards) in their eyes."