The herbal garden at the edge of the mine hid in the shadow of the energy crystals, the damp soil glowing faintly green. Lin Banxia crouched down, her fingers just touching a "Dragon Whisker Grass" when her ankle suddenly tightened.
Looking down, she saw countless silver threads, thin as hair, winding around her, burrowing into her flesh like they were alive. The moment the threads touched her spiritual veins, a needle-like pain shot through her. She tried to channel her spiritual energy to break free, but the threads were absorbing her energy, tightening the more she struggled.
"Don't move."
A girl in a black robe stepped out from behind a tree, looking a few years younger than Lin Banxia, her hood low, only revealing a pale chin. She raised her hand, the robe slipping to reveal an arm covered in silver insect patterns—not tattoos, but countless grain-sized nano-gu worms, slowly crawling along her veins.
"These little guys are called 'Spirit-Devouring Gu'," the girl shook her wrist, the silver threads around Lin Banxia's ankle tightening. "They're very hungry, especially for pure spiritual veins like yours."
Lin Banxia's face paled, but she didn't panic. She recognized these gu worms—her father's medical books mentioned them, a variant of the previous era's "Symbiotic Gu," able to share energy with the host but would backfire if out of control.
"You're a Gu Master?" Lin Banxia stared at the insect patterns on the girl's arm. "From the Chaos Guild?"
"My name's Gu Qiqi," the girl neither confirmed nor denied, the insect patterns suddenly glowing, the silver threads around Lin Banxia's ankle oozing a faint green poison. "I want your hybrid fluid formula. The one that lets spiritual veins and machinery coexist. Hand it over, and I'll call off the Spirit-Devouring Gu."
Lin Banxia laughed softly. "Do you know the principle of the symbiotic fluid? It's not just mixing, it's harmonizing. Like your gu worms—they seem obedient now, but they're already on the verge of backfiring, aren't they?"
Gu Qiqi's expression shifted. "Nonsense!"
"I'm not lying," Lin Banxia's fingertips glowed faintly green, not attacking but gently stroking the silver threads along the Spirit-Devouring Gu. "Your gu worms have absorbed too much chaotic energy, both spiritual and mechanical. They're already imbalanced. If this continues, they'll devour you without me lifting a finger."
Gu Qiqi's arm suddenly twitched in pain, the silver insect patterns tinged with black, clearly struck a nerve.
Just then, the roar of mechs came from afar.
An Iron Hawk squad charged in, the lead soldier seeing the scene and immediately pulling the trigger. "The witch from Qingxiao Pavilion! And a Gu Master! Take them both!"
The electromagnetic bullet shot over, missing both Lin Banxia and Gu Qiqi, exploding in the empty space between them.
The shockwave kicked up dust, the silver threads around Lin Banxia's ankle suddenly trembling violently. The electromagnetic force disrupted the nano-gu worms' frequency, the obedient Spirit-Devouring Gu instantly out of control, writhing like frightened snakes.
"Damn it!" Gu Qiqi's face changed, trying to recall the gu worms, but the insect patterns were backfiring, the silver worms crawling up her veins, pain making her break out in cold sweat.
The silver threads around Lin Banxia's ankle also went haywire, some burrowing into her spiritual veins, others suddenly turning back, crawling along the ground toward Gu Qiqi, even starting to gnaw at her pants.
"So much for your control," Lin Banxia seized the chance to channel her spiritual energy, shaking off the remaining silver threads, her ankle left with a red ring. "I told you, imbalanced symbiosis only harms both."
Gu Qiqi crouched in pain, the insect patterns on her arm growing darker. She tried to crush the gu worms' controller, but it was already damaged by the electromagnetic bullet's shockwave.
The Iron Hawk mechs closed in, the soldiers holding electromagnetic nets. "Surrender!"
Gu Qiqi suddenly looked up, a fierce glint in her eyes, about to detonate the gu worms and take everyone down.
But Lin Banxia was faster.
She pulled out a small porcelain bottle, splashing the symbiotic fluid onto Gu Qiqi's arm. The faint green liquid touched the silver gu worms, not clashing but forming a protective film, gently enveloping the out-of-control gu worms, the black in the insect patterns fading visibly.
"This is…" Gu Qiqi was stunned.
"Harmonizing fluid," Lin Banxia put away the bottle, coldly looking at her. "It temporarily stabilizes imbalanced energy. Consider it repayment for not killing me earlier."
The Iron Hawk's electromagnetic net was already closing in.
Gu Qiqi gritted her teeth, suddenly whistling. A swarm of black gu worms flew from behind the tree, forming a barrier blocking the net, giving her a chance to retreat. "I owe you this time! But I'm not giving up on the formula!"
With that, she turned and vanished into the mine's depths, her black robe quickly disappearing into the shadows.
Lin Banxia watched her go, then looked at the silver threads left on the ground—under the symbiotic fluid's effect, they were slowly turning into light particles, their previous ferocity gone.
"Should we chase?" The Iron Hawk soldier hesitated, looking at Lin Banxia.
"No need," Lin Banxia shook her head, her spiritual veins still aching faintly. "Her gu worms are out of control. She won't get far."
The soldiers exchanged glances, finally retracting the net. The lead soldier looked at the red mark on Lin Banxia's ankle, then at the gu worm remains on the ground, suddenly saying, "Earlier… thanks for stopping her from detonating the gu worms."
Lin Banxia didn't respond, turning back to the herbal garden.
She bent down, plucking the Dragon Whisker Grass, her spiritual energy flowing through her fingertips, the dew on the leaves rolling off, reflecting the red mark on her ankle.
Gu Qiqi's words still echoed in her ears.
The hybrid fluid formula…
Lin Banxia gently rubbed the grass blade, suddenly smiling. Her father was right—the true symbiotic fluid was never about the formula, but the heart that knew how to harmonize. Like just now, she saved Gu Qiqi not for the formula, but to prevent another tragedy caused by imbalance.
From the mine's depths came Gu Qiqi's muffled cry of pain, then silence.
Lin Banxia placed the Dragon Whisker Grass in her herb basket, turning to leave.
She knew Gu Qiqi wouldn't give up, and neither would the Chaos Guild. But she wasn't afraid.
Because in her herb basket, there wasn't just herbs—there was the truth she'd just understood.
The key to symbiosis was never control, but balance.
Like harmonizing spiritual veins and machinery, like handling out-of-control gu worms, like… facing those who seemed like enemies.