101. Rumors
Every Dao Path had its method of covering a Gu Master’s fundamental aspects. In Refinement Path’s case, the focus fell on the Gu Worms. A Refinement Path Gu Master achieved offense by targeting the Gu—forcefully refining or destroying them. Its investigation centered around the materials. There were several defensive Gu and movement Gu. Refinement Path also excelled in providing outstanding Storage Gu.
Bulldozing through King Xin’s inheritance satiated Lo Jik’s immediate need. He earned many precious Gu. Ordinarily, he would sell these Gu Worms. However, the Refinement Path was one of the three cornerstones of the Dao experienced and utilized by every Gu Master! Lo Jik would never sell any Rank 3 or above Gu, planning to use them with the Dreamer Gu to finalize his gains in a holistic manner where the improved attainment should resonate with the long practice. After all, he spent a few weeks inside the Inheritance. Meanwhile, only ten days passed in the outside world.
Of course, Lo Jik had to select the Gu and carefully form a well-rounded set. A Gu Set’s highest expression was a Killer Move’s creation. His Strength Path Set already formed a killer move, and Lo Jik needed to keep a few things in mind while conceptualizing the other set. Needless to say, the trove of inheritances helped Lo Jik avoid the common pitfalls of the Refinement Path, allowing him to form well-informed decisions.
First, Lo Jik observed the food requirement for the Gu. A reasonable Gu Set shared food requirements for convenience, especially for Lone Gu Masters like Lo Jik. This food requirement centered around his appointed Core Gu—Rank 5 Undefeated Hundred Battles Gu. Such a Core Gu indicated Lo Jik’s ambition of walking the orthodox refinement path—where he focused more on fusing and advancing the Gu.
The Undefeated Hundred Battles consumed 1000 kilograms of Gentle Qi Crystals every two years. It was the exact requirements as Lo Jik’s other Rank 5 Gu—Djinn’s Egg Gu, which consumed over 1500 kg of Gentle Qi Crystals every 2.5 years. Although Djinn’s Egg Gu was a Qi Path Gu, its application in the Refinement Path was nothing to scoff at and was well-regarded by Lo Jik.
Next, he eyed the Stable Cauldron Gu the second he saw it due to a similar feed. The Rank 5 Stable Cauldron Gu was a defensive Gu that protected the Gu in the fusion process inside its body. It consumed 1300 kg of Gentle Qi Crystals annually.
Supporting the Undefeated Hundred Battles Gu would be the Green Mountain Remains, Beating Refinement Gu, and Refinement Qi Gu—which consumed different amounts of Brown Qi Beetles every few months. The investigation Gu—Scrutinizing Eye—didn’t fit the set, making Lo Jik offer it to one of the Dreamer Gu. The Melting Flame Gu that Lo Jik used to attack the Hairy Men possessed flimsy offensive strength compared to ordinary Fire Path Rank 4 Gu. Those Hairy Men died pitifully because of the restrictions. However, a Refinement Path Gu Master needed several Gu Worms that assisted in preparing materials—the Melting Flame Gu, Water Blanching Gu, Ice Tempering Gu, and more.
A Gu Master decides between these support Gu based on the predetermined direction. Intending to follow the path of Gu Fusion, Lo Jik decided to use Infusion Gu over these Material Preparation Gu. He could prepare the materials using mortal methods and not waste more resources to maintain these Gu. He wasn’t an immortal and didn’t possess unlimited resources for such expenditure!
Of course, the most crucial component in bypassing the Undefeated Hundred Battles Gu Worm’s defect of being a consumable Gu. For that, Lo Jik needed to find the Rank 5 Preservation Gu. It was a mystical Gu capable of preserving a consumable Gu Worm’s existence of the same rank or below.
So, Lo Jik’s initial refinement set took a vague shape using—Undefeated Hundred Battles (Core), Prodigal Son, Green Mountain Remains, Refinement Qi, Djinn’s Egg, and Stable Cauldron Gu.
Lo Jik also needed to refine the Preservation, Beating Refinement, and Five Fusions At Once Gu.
Five Fusions At Once Gu was the Rank 5 Refinement Path equivalent of Five Tasks At Once Gu. The former emerged from the Refinement Path, and the latter displayed its complete potential when paired with Enslavement Path Gu and Beast Groups.
But how can things be so easygoing?
Why would Chen Jiu’s method be valued and studied, or would the likes of Shang Bu Li be respected if cultivating and progressing two paths was an effortless achievement?
A Gu Master didn’t need two Apertures to research two different Dao. It was merely a luxury in the mortal realm. However, they needed to achieve a balance of Dao Marks on their bodies.
A genius Rank 4 Refinement Path Gu Master would display their potential by refining their bodies using Refinement Gu. The examples included Storage Skin Gu, Golden Marrow Gu, Refinement Flame Heart Gu, Obsession Fusion Mind Gu, and more. These Gu Worms enhanced the refinement of a Gu, allowing a Gu Master to seek inspiration from the simplest tasks. Lo Jik wasn’t like them.
He refined his body using the Ancient Noble Body Refinement Set—Cold Hard Bones, Thicker Skin, Elite Muscles, Golden Blood (Royal Organs), and Mind-Body True Connection Gu.
He could use the Old Removal Gu to remove all the Dao Marks on his physical body, but that would reduce his Strength Path achievements.
The Undefeated Hundred Battles revealed its worth in such a circumstance.
Ordinarily, using it meant its consumption. Being an Extinct Gu, Lo Jik wouldn’t find another. However, a Killer Move was different. A Gu Master used, nurtured, and refined the Gu, learning more about the Dao through them. What was a Killer Move, if not a virtuous arrangement of Dao Marks, that supported or resisted each other?
A Killer Move using the Undefeated Hundred Battles didn’t necessarily have to consume it!
What did that mean?
Lo Jik could achieve a 100% success rate in Gu Fusion with the best recipe possible and several materials accounted for!
Heck!
He could produce a tremendous success percentage even WITHOUT a complete recipe or proper materials. That was the benefit of Refinement Path!
‘Alas, there’s no Immortal Variant of the Gu.’ Lo Jik sighed before chuckling.
But why should that stump him?
Just because there wasn’t an Immortal Variant did not imply one couldn’t form and refine a recipe. Undefeated Hundred Battles was an artificial Gu refined by humans.
‘Let’s get a step in that direction,’ Lo Jik glanced at the eleven sleeping Dreamer Gu Worms before waving his hand and conjuring a crystal cone from his Aperture.
The Rank 5 Particle Viewing Gu.
Lo Jik pushed the second Undefeated Hundred Battles in, observing patiently as the Particle Viewing Gu Worm consumed the Refinement Path Gu before forming Dao Marks that soon rearranged themselves in different colors and forms, congealing into one form.
With a minor directory of information created by Imaginative Strength by devouring different materials using the Particle Viewing Gu, Lo Jik instantly realized the use of eleven commonly available Rank 5 materials!
But he wasn’t done yet.
‘I got several ancient materials from King Xin’s inheritance. Let’s consume them all and add to the knowledge I have. Eventually, I’ll be able to find fragments of Ancient Glory in common materials and prepare them to refine already Extinct Gu!’
Lo Jik planned to travel to the other four regions after concluding Three Kings’ Inheritance. Being a Strength Path Gu Master would become a trump card for him as Lo Jik wished to use his Refinement Path Gu Master’s identity to encounter several materials and uncommon Gu Worms.
<<<>>>
Light-gold Primeval Essence crashed into the flowing, flickering Aperture membrane, nourishing it. The essence shimmered, casting a glossy glow in the small world as a peculiar brown-colored tadpole expelled a warm glow that instantly covered the Aperture’s wall again. The Rank 4 Half Effort Gu doubled the Aperture’s essence absorption speed, effectively multiplying one’s cultivation speed. It consumed one’s essence and even assisted in breaking through the major realms since the crystal walls of the Peak Stage Aperture also displayed the same effect of doubled nourishment.
Inside the 99%-filled Aperture sat a solid cube with innumerable tiny dot-like indentions that exuded a stable aura. These multi-colored dots blanketed the Gu Worm’s greyish surface. It was Lo Jik’s First Aperture’s Vital Gu—Rank 4 Borrow Strength Gu. Next to the Borrow Strength Gu was an oval, lustrous-brown rhinoceros beetle with a majestic horn and four pairs of legs—Rank 4 All-Out Effort Gu.
Briefly floating but spending most of its time resting in the bottom of the Primeval Essence was an infant-sized, olive-skinned human head sporting scattered black hair and a fierce expression. It was Lo Jik’s well-known Rank 4 Little Giant King Gu. On top of Little Giant King’s hair was a tiny golden bedworm. It was Lo Jik’s defensive Gu, Rank 4 Golden Bell Shield Gu.
A fossilized stone forearm displaying a closed fist and a map of veins from the back of the palm to the arm’s length floated near the Little Giant King Gu, occasionally bumping into its sharp nose. It was the Rank 4 One’s Closed Fist Gu, Lo Jik’s storage Gu. As if unwilling to let the Little Giant King rest, a dark-pink earthworm barely the size of an index finger crawled out of its nostril. This Gu Worm was the Rank 4 Elite Muscles Gu. While Lo Jik didn’t use it, he eventually sustained the Gu Worm to refine the Rank 5 Perfect Muscles Gu. The brown cockroach-like Rank 4 Self Reliance Gu turned around and wandered as its feelers constantly twitched. Given Lo Jik’s strength and conditioning, the healing effect from Self Reliance Gu already reached the realm of Rank 5!
Not far from the Strength Path cluster was an incredibly long, white-colored leach with a strange horn and brown stripes on its surface. It was one of Lo Jik’s two Movement Gu—Rank 4 Dragon Travel Tiger Steps Gu. The Gu worm allowed a Gu Master to display astonishing speed without sacrificing one’s nimbleness and flexibility, best used by accomplished martial artists and close-quarter combat warriors.
While not an intentional part of his set, Lo Jik didn’t deny the Rank 4 Expend Strength Gu Worm’s addition after he killed Fei Li with Chen Jiu’s support. It created a formless domain around the Gu Master, constantly draining the stamina of every living organism without differing friend from foe. It looked like a brown ant, quietly resting on the surface of a submerged Golden Mirror.
The Golden Mirror was one of the core components of the most disastrous Killer Move Lo Jik could currently form—The Rank 4 Self Strength Gu. Its edges were plain and undecorated. Like several other rewards, the Self Strength Gu was almost extinct in the mortal market and rarely circulated amongst the Immortals. Its function was to project a unique Strength Path Phantom from within the user’s heart—an expression of might, the power of oneself! This miraculous Gu Worm’s effect was the fusion of All-Out Strength Gu to exert one’s entire power. Essentially, Lo Jik could conjure a Strength Path phantom that mimicked the reflection of the person Lo Jik considered himself to be while exerting the strength of all the Beast Phantoms at once!
Using one Self Strength Gu was similar to performing a Rank 4 Peak Stage Killer Move! Lo Jik didn’t need the Rank 5 Bitter Strength Gu to use multiple Beast Strength Phantoms after accumulating injuries.
However, sidelining other Gu Worms would be a narrow-minded approach. Using one Self Strength Gu couldn’t compare to the Killer Move’s might involving all other Gu!
Meanwhile, Lo Jik didn’t waste the month after leaving the inheritance. He had gained several precious materials from ancient times, allowing him to successfully upgrade the Rank 3 Phantom Bow Gu into Rank 4 Phantom Longbow Gu. Like its predecessor, the Rank 4 Gu looked like a skull-sized wooden arc decorated with brown fur on one end and green fur on the other. It consumed 5% of Rank 4 Initial Stage Essence to form arrows, allowing Lo Jik to display formidable might through his master-level attainment in archery.
Meanwhile, two of the several Gu Worms Lo Jik acquired using Li Xian were the Rank 4 Wrestle Poison Gu and Griffin Wings Gu.
Wrestle Poison Gu was the Rank 3 Fight Poison Gu Worm’s advancement, displaying better effects of dealing with poison and temporarily increasing a Gu Master’s strength. Meanwhile, the Griffin Wings Gu replaced the Eagle Wings Gu, resonating with the Sky Griffin Beast Phantom and displaying superior aerial movement through Lo Jik’s recently advanced master-level flying attainment. The Rank 4 Griffin Wings Gu looked like a prominent sky-blue mosquito that floated above the sea’s surface.
Playing with the mosquito was another sky-blue insect, a butterfly. It was the Rank 4 Strength Qi Gu, capable of increasing the might of any attack by four times, forcing the action to consume four times the usual Primeval Essence. This Gu Worm was similar to the Rank 5 Multiply Gu. However, Strength Qi’s effects only targeted the skill’s output. Meanwhile, the Multiply Gu could also multiply the number of attacks, among other things.
As a Strength Path Gu Master, Lo Jik preferred the Strength Qi Gu because it allowed Lo Jik a method of mid-range attack. But his budding Refinement Path set benefited more from the Rank 5 Multiply Gu.
A fist-sized, sky-blue crystal orb displaying a divine scene of clouds within its surface floated atop the Golden Primeval Essence Sea. It revealed the shocking aura of Rank 5 Gu!
The Rank 5 Sky Strength Gu. This Gu Worm was extinct from mortal and Immortal circulations alike. Imaginative Strength Immortal experienced a fortuitous encounter and found the Sky Strength Gu, feeding it to the Particle Viewing Gu and creating a brand new recipe! This Gu was Lo Jik’s assurance of exerting Rank 5 prowess when needed. Ordinarily, a Gu Master used the Sky Strength to enhance the output of Sky-based Gu, such as the Sky Griffin Wings Gu. However, this boost was inefficient, and weaker Gu, like the Rank 4 Strength Qi Gu, performed better in the amplification department.
Sky Strength’s entire potential bursts forth only when used with the Borrow Strength Gu, allowing the Gu Master to experience the boundless strength of the Sky and Heaven above!
Far beneath the floating Rank 5 Sky Strength was an arm-sized yellow beetle with a heavy body and lumps on its back. It was none other than the Rank 5 Bitter Strength Gu!
His Strength Path set was condensed and mature, only possessing two Rank 3 Gu Worms—Brave Will and Brave Thoughts.
The two Rank 3 Gu looked like small, thin orange fish that swam together. Brave Thoughts formed orange, fist-shaped thoughts inside the Gu Master’s mind, promoting courageous decision-making. Meanwhile, the Brave Will condensed hundreds of Brave Thoughts, forming an orange Brave Will, resting inside Lo Jik’s mind and soul, becoming the first and only layer of defense against anyone trying to harm his soul. The Brave Will looked like Lo Jik.
Anyone aware of Lo Jik’s set would realize his weakness against Soul Path methods. However, Lo Jik was also helpless. He could only choose better opponents and actively avoid Soul Path Gu Masters.
Lo Jik’s Strength Path set had matured fine, only requiring him to steadily deepen his foundation by eventually advancing every Strength Path Gu Worm into its Rank 5 variant before conditioning his body using the Rank 5 Body Refinement Gu.
His first aperture also possessed—
Rank 3: Three Tasks At Once…
Rank 4: Kindling Will, Essence Cloud Elephant King, Blood Flood Python, Dreamer*1, Primeval Elder*2, Half Effort, Fresh Storage, and Inch of Life Dash…
Rank 5: Thousand Li Earthwolf Spider, Heavenly Soul Dew, Injuries Go Away, There, Multiply, Primeval Elder, Invisibility, and Sustenance…
However, this was barely half of his wealth!
Rank 5 Hope Gu brightened the Rank 5 Peak Stage Second Aperture. Around the Hope Gu coiled an ethereal and beautiful snow-white snake, the Rank 5 White Form Immortal Snake Gu. Around the Snake Gu was a translucent fog-like white snake that moved like an unceasing gale. It was the Rank 5 Fickle Heart Strength Gu. The Rank 5 Particle Viewing Gu lived deep inside the sea. Two blue-white roses with delicate appearances floated on the surface. They were the Rank 5 Heavenly Essence Treasure King Lotuses, capable of releasing 50% Peak Stage Rank 5 Essence five times daily alongside producing 5000 Primeval Stones each!
Near the two Grass Gu Worms was a strange sight. Two orbs of light—Purple and Green—chased one another. It was the Rank 5 Life Death Rotation Gu, one of Lo Jik’s most incredible trump cards.
Deep in the Primeval Sea was the Rank 4 Blood Skull Gu, next to the ten Rank 4 Dreamer Gu Worms. Three Rank 5 Purple Relic Gu Worms, something even Shang Yan Fei would chase, rested on the bottom in a small cluster.
Lo Jik’s initial Refinement Path set was also inside the second aperture, hidden from Chen Jiu and others.
The purple toad with smooth skin and silver stripes swam around—the Rank 4 Refinement Qi Gu. On its back was a light-green dragonfly sporting dark-green wings, the Rank 4 Green Mountain Remains. The Rank 5 Djinn’s Egg floated on the formless Qi it unconsciously produced, appearing mystical. Near the Djinn’s Egg, struggling to swim, was the Rank 5 Prodigal Son Gu Worm, which looked like a shiny golden cockroach.
On the base rested a plain stone disc. However, Lo Jik treasured it greatly. It was the core of his incomplete Refinement Path set—Rank 5 Undefeated Hundred Battles Gu. Lo Jik obtained two of them, feeding one to the Particle Viewing Gu. Near the grey disk was a stone-like crab with giant pincers. It constantly poked the Undefeated Hundred Battles Gu.
The Rank 5 Stable Cauldron Gu.
Finally, a Rank 5 Bookworm rested in his brain, and the Rank 5 Heaven and Earth Before My Eyes remained inside his forehead, forming a horizontal tattoo when used.
Finally, away from other Gu was the snake-like 150-year-old Lifespan Gu!
But the month was more fruitful than advancing his Strength Path set by a small margin. Li Xian was a valuable pawn, someone Lo Jik squeezed for every drop of benefit, even if it meant reducing his fluid assets by millions!
Lo Jik went all-out to purchase flying-type Gu. He also dumped all the unneeded Refinement Path Gu on the Dreamer Gu Worms or Li Xian to sell them for other Human Path Gu. Lo Jik had some substantial understanding of the Human Path after acquiring Thieving Heaven’s inheritance and purchased the most commonly available Rank 4 Human Path Gu—Crybaby.
He also stuffed the four Rank 4 Golden Relic Gu into the Dreamer Gu Worms, propelling his Human Path attainment to master-level! The same was the case for his Flying attainment.
Lo Jik has now digested several avenues of his wealth, growing by leaps and bounds. It also left him a little ‘light,’ but that was a necessary price for growth.
The heightened attainments filled his mind with constant ideas—especially the Human Path! However, he held the intense urge to fucking off to the Central Continent instantly. He had too many eyes on him, and the Wu Clan would indeed chase him. Instead, he could deal with several issues by staying.
‘Still, I now have deep insight into King Xin’s inheritance. The difficulty will increase as time passes, as King Xin’s method would promote human conflict and delay progress. It will take Gu Masters years for an inheritor to emerge. Hehe… so what? The Divulge Information Gu isn’t enough for me to earn more targets on my back. My stay will correspond to the Inheritance’s lifeline. So, which path should I focus on for the remaining time?’
Lo Jik narrowed his eyes. It was a massive opportunity to digest his earlier gains. What Lo Jik desired the most was the attainment of the Theft Path. It could help him crack the code from Bai Kin’s inheritance. However, Theft Path materials were and the Gu Worms were rarer, and Lo Jik had a better chance of mass-producing Theft Path Gu Worms after he condensed his Refinement Path Set.
He quickly struck the core issue.
‘I need to start searching for the Preservation Gu. The Beating Refinement and Five Fusions at Once aren’t a priority. Meanwhile, I also need to help Bai Ning Bing refine the Rank 5 Frost Profound Zombie Gu. But I shouldn’t leave the Dreamer Gu idle. While Theft Path is not an option, it doesn’t mean the Blood Path isn’t available. Many Blood Path Gu Worms are cheap due to their availability. Finding them in an ordinary market would be challenging, but Li Xian’s contacts are most other Demonic Path Gu Masters.’
‘Also, I wonder how long it will take for Shang Yan Fei to act,’ Lo Jik narrowed his eyes. After all, several shocking events occurred in the month after Lo Jik emerged from the Inheritance Site.
<<<>>>
*Cough* *Cough* *Cough* *Cough*
A series of terrible coughs echoed in a cave near the San Cha Mountain as Yi Clan’s forces formed a defensive perimeter, appearing grim and gloomy. Yi Chong wheezed inside the cave, using a Gu sent by the Clan to suppress the poison in his body as the green marks slowly vanished from the blue scales around his arms.
Long Qing Tian’s and Kong Ri Tian’s actions enraged many Righteous Factions. However, San Cha Mountain used to be desolate, and sending armies wasn’t feasible. Even the Yi Clan’s reinforcement needed time and information to prepare. However, the Clan swiftly sent the necessary Gu to help Yi Chong suppress the deadly poison from the Jade Sky Gu.
Ordinary Gu Masters could only die a wretched death against the poison from the immemorial era. However, the Super Clans had a few methods. Their foundations were incomparably deep and rich.
‘The Clan should prioritize San Cha Mountain after the information leak,’ Yi Chong sighed in relief, feeling the pain disperse.
Indeed.
A rumor floated around San Cha Mountain—
Little Giant King obtained the Rank 2 Polished Steel Gu recipe after entering King Xin’s Inheritance.
Rank 2 Polished Steel Gu could advance a Rank 1 or Rank 2 Gu Master’s aptitude by 20%. The higher the Gu Master’s rank, the lower the effects. The rumor barely caused any unrest near the inheritance. After all, most of the Rank 3 Gu Masters didn’t dare face Lo Jik, and those at Rank 4 realized the rewards weren’t enough to offend a maniac like Lo Jik.
But the Righteous Faction was different.
Clans could increase their comprehensive battle strength and promote growth using the Rank 2 Polished Steel Gu. Controlling the Gu recipe meant lasting benefits! The recipe must require rare materials, something a Lone Gu Master like Lo Jik couldn’t acquire. However, things were different for Super Clans. They desired such recipes for two reasons: to benefit themselves and keep other ordinary Large and Middle-Sized Clans from progressing rapidly!
‘It must have been Hu Mei Er or Li Xian who spread this information,’ Yi Chong guessed, aware of Lo Jik’s animosity with the former and the latter’s unscrupulous nature.
Feeling exhausted, Yi Chong closed his eyes to rest when he sensed a disturbance from outside.
“What the hell?” He grunted, standing up before exiting the cave. Two guards presided over the entrance as they instantly bowed to Yi Chong. Meanwhile, the latter watched Yi Clan’s Gu Masters forming a protective perimeter around the cave as hundreds and thousands of beasts gathered. Their eyes lit green in the dark.
Yi Chong shuddered.
A beast tide?
So suddenly?
“Where are the scouts?” Yi Chong roared before he broke into a fit of coughs as a sweating and anxious Gu Master informed: “They aren’t responding to our messages, Lord Elder. I think the beasts killed them!”
‘No,’ Yi Chong’s expression turned ugly. ‘Someone assassinated them. It’s a conspiracy!’
He was correct.
It was indeed a conspiracy.
However, he didn’t survive after the third hour to tell the tale.
“Hehe! We even killed Xiao Fu Lu. How can a mere Yi Chong compare?”
“I told you not to talk about it! Xiao Fu Lu was a Xiao Clan’s Gu Immortal’s grandson. Talking about it is a risk. We do not know about a Gu Immortal’s methods.”
“I understand, Brother Jiao.”
Two bald men observed Yi Chong’s death, hidden using several Gu Worms. Despite the age difference, both possessed Rank 3 Peak Stage Cultivation. The older of the duo, Jiao Huang, shook his head. Meanwhile, the middle-aged Meng Tu licked his lips.
They were well-known in ‘certain’ circles for their assassination prowess. They once had the task of killing Gu Yue Lo Jik and Bai Ning Bing from the Shang Clan before killing Yi Chong. However, Lo Jik’s display against Wu Shen Tong scared them. The price on Yi Chong’s head also moved their hearts. So, the duo temporarily stopped planning Lo Jik’s assassination and focused on Yi Chong.
Compared to Little Giant King, the Jade Sky Gu weakened Yi Chong, and he couldn’t display 50% of his usual might, turning him into a relatively effortless prey for the duo.
<<<>>>
“Oh, those two are quite effective,” Lo Jik nodded. He placed a bounty on Yi Chong after Long Qing Tian poisoned him using Li Xian. Of course, Lo Jik was aware of Jiao Huang’s and Meng Tu’s intentions. He caught them sneaking around using the Heaven and Earth Before My Eye Gu Worm in the first few days of entering the San Cha Mountain’s region.
Instead of attacking them, Lo Jik decided to use them.
Two Rank 4 Peak Stage Elders from the Super Clans died in San Cha Mountain. There was also the Rank 4 Elder from the Tie Clan poisoned to death by Long Qing Tian.
And the intense lure of Rank 2 Polished Steel Gu set underlying currents. Yes, it was Lo Jik who started the rumor. He had the recipes for the Rank 1-5 Polished Series. However, revealing Rank 3 or 4 recipes was counterproductive. The Rank 2 Polished Steel recipe was the sweet spot to move one individual—Shang Yan Fei.
‘Shang Yan Fei’s circumstances might seem stable, but they aren’t. Every organization produces internal conflicts.’
‘His luck is off the charts, managing to discover AND attain two of Blood Sea Ancestor’s True Inheritances. Despite being a demonic path overlord, Blood Sea Ancestor’s Inheritances are notorious for catering to the most skilled—mortal or immortal. So, despite being a mortal, Shang Yan Fei possesses two Immortal Gu Worms!’
‘An Immortal Gu can spend their entire lifetime without possessing one Immortal Gu, much less two. Of course, things aren’t so desperate for the Super Clans. Shang Clan is also the wealthiest Super Clan. However, Shang Yan Fei’s fortune incited some discord. Blood Path has always been a contentious choice, and a few Supreme Elders from the Shang Clan used it as a means to suppress Yan Fei.’
‘Yan Fei wasn’t without support. He has ties with one of the Supreme Elders and will eventually enter said Elder’s faction if he successfully ascends as an Immortal. But Shang Xin Ci’s appearance changed things. She was like a stone tossed into a calm lake, creating shallow waves but leaving a lasting mark by sinking inside.’
‘Other Supreme Elders instantly used Shang Xin Ci as their pawn to suppress Yan Fei. Advancing Xin Ci’s aptitude should have been a child’s play for someone with Yan Fei’s connection. Other Elders won’t interfere for Xin Ci either. Rotten with guilt, Shang Yan Fei won’t miss this opportunity.’
Lo Jik thought further.
‘But he isn’t crazy enough to leave Shang Clan defenseless. He absolutely wouldn’t make the trip in person. A shame… I could have assassinated him, deepening my bond with Chen Jiu and capturing his soul to extract the two Blood Path Inheritances.’
‘The most trustworthy individual for this task with enough abilities should be Shang Bu Li. However, Shang Yan Fei won’t make a move until confirmation.’
Aside from nearby Large and Mid-Sized clans, San Cha Mountain attracted the attention of the Wu, Yi, Tie, and Shang Clans. Of course, the Inheritance was relatively new, and the information had yet to spread across the Southern Border. And the current state of Rank 4 Gu Masters wouldn’t persist.
Only a genius amongst other Rank 5 Gu Masters could successfully pass the cruel tests and inherit one of the three inheritances.
The four Super clans also suffered enough losses. It was only the Shang Clan that had its elder retreating before Lo Jik arrived. However, the Wu Clan suffered the loss of three Elders, the Yi Clan lost one of its fiercest generals, and the group of Tie Clan Elders seethed with rage.
The Demonic Gu Masters were rampant, seeking troubles and opportunities since the Kong-Long alliance. But it wouldn’t last forever.
Change was inevitable.
Lo Jik merely wanted to steer the predicted change in his favor.
“Spread the news that I earned two Golden Relic Gu.”
As he said, the aura of Rank 4 Middle Stage Gu Master fluctuated around Lo Jik. He broke through yesterday.
“Yes, Master!”
Li Xian nodded and left after Lo Jik questioned him about the progress of collecting materials necessary to refine a few Gu. He also demanded Blood Path Gu.
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