159 Chapter 159 Red Monarch (1/2)

Clan head Gu nod in acknowledgement seeing the resolve in Lin Xulian's eyes. Taking out a dagger from his robes. He then slashed his own palm until it is completely covered in blood. Then he placed his bloodied hand on the center of the stone door and infused it with his internal energy.

Lin Xulian watched in awe as the mixture of blood and internal energy slowly crawled and traced the carved runes filling the stone door. She didn't notice the runes until the blood highlighted them. When all the runes are completely covered, the stone door made a rumbling sound moved aside on its own revealing a path.

The path is dark and seemingly endless if you look at it from the entrance. It also gives off a humid and cold air that makes it look and feel even more eerie and dangerous. But Lin Xulian didn't feel intimidated at all. In fact, it made her more excited and curious. She believes that great things can be found not in fancy and bright places, but in the dangerous ones.

”Follow me princess.” Gu Lingdao instructed. Lin Xulian immediately followed without a word. And once they are inside, the stone door closed on its own. The place was suddenly engulfed in complete darkness. But a few seconds later, the place was illuminated with blue cold flames coming from the torches hanging on the wall. The flame isn't warm but instead cold.

Once the area is completely illuminated, Lin Xulian discovered that they are actually in a cave. The ground is wet with some little pools here and there. The wall is also damp and water drips from the roof. She also noticed that the path is going downward. And after a few moments of walking, she could already hear the grotesque sound of insects and worms crawling.

After almost an hour of walking, Lin Xulian could already see a wide clearing at the end of the path. And at the center of the clearing is a swamp almost similar to that of the eldest prince, Xing Guang's manor. The difference is, the bugs are more poisonous and obviously hostile.

”Princess, at the center of the swamp there is a platform. You have to stay there for the entire ritual.” Gu Lingdao started when they arrived at the edge of the swamp. Lin Xulian used her qigong to jump at the center of the swamp. Setting her feet on the platform, she turned around to hear clan head Gu's further instruction. ”Now, you have to assume your meditative position.” Lin Xulian then sat on a lotus position.

”In this ritual, the parents usually use their internal energy for the child. But since you are already an adult and can control your internal energy, you have to use your own. These bugs are not ordinary. They are Gus that were cultivated and lived through the continuous harsh battle for survival.The objective of this ritual is to subdue these Gu using your internal energy.

You have to engulf as much Gu as possible with your internal energy so you could find the royal Gu that is willing to serve you as its partner. And once you found it, it will try to meld into your consciousness. At that point, the pain will also start and you have to endure it and rely on your will.” Gu Lingdao instructed in one go. ”You can start anytime, princess.””Thank you, clan head Gu.” Lin Xulian said before exhaling and putting all her focus on the task at hand. Closing her eyes and descending into full concentration, Lin Xulian started circulating her internal energy then slowly releasing it as far and as deep as possible.

Gu Lingdao nod in approval as he watches the capacity that Lin Xulian managed to cover with her internal energy. Noting the fact that her qi sea is not that wide yet, still if she is outside she won't be able to fill it with energy without the stone. But in the Qiangdu country, he estimated that she could fill it in three to four days. Surprisingly, she managed that feat in a single day. 'She is a Lin after all.' He thought.

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Days passed without Lin Xulian noticing. Thankfully because she is cultivating her internal energy, she didn't need to eat or drink to live for quite some time. But after those days, she wasn't able to find her royal Gu. At this point she decided to try another method. Instead of releasing her internal energy out around herself, she released it outward in one direction then move it around.