Imbueing Competence

As Xie Ling approached the north gate of the Shang clan, he reached for some primeval stones to offer as entry payment. But unexpectedly the guard stepped aside, signaling that such a payment was unnecessary.

As he walked through the gates, Xie Ling couldn't help but ponder, "After getting everything I could from those four gu masters at the mountain, I had assumed that the Shang clan is one of the most powerful clans in the land, effectively giving me a chance to come into contact with one of those mysterious existences known as a gu immortal." Sighing, he continued, "However, if they are giving rank-4 gu masters special privileges, then it appears that either the theories regarding the existence of gu immortals are false, or they don't meddle in the business of those below their rank" He gazed up at the sky, narrowing his eyes in contemplation.

He shifted his gaze from the sky to the surrounding architecture, marveling at the fusion of old and new. The traditional Chinese buildings intertwined with modern high-rises, creating a unique urban landscape. The high population density was efficiently managed without compromising the charm of the ancient architecture.

Xie Ling's perspective shifted as a realization dawned on him. "My approach may be outdated," he mused, "In the past, I relied on my ability to dominate the will of others before giving them orders. But perhaps that approach is outdated in this world. On Earth, 'will' was simply defined as either free will, the ability to choose what you desire, which shouldn't be mistaken for freedom, the ability to obtain whatever you desire. And willpower, the ability to resist temptation. But here, 'will' refers to the ability to control small creatures known as Gu. When I infused my smile with my will, I utilized it as a catalyst to increase the many ways I can already transfer my will onto others, my most used method being sound and my most effective method being my eyes. However, what if I went a step further? What if I communicate a set of instructions, instead of communicating intent? This would allow me to skip the process of giving orders and instantly communicate with someone telepathically, but with an added step."

He decided to test this theory on a Gu. He thought of a complex set of instructions required to perform the killer move, 'Bursting Rage Thoughts'. and then attempted to imbue all the necessary Gu for the killer move their designated instructions for it. The Gu started performing the move, but instantly they failed miserably, causing a backlash that stirred a rage within him. Quickly, he ordered himself to calm down and realized, "Perhaps the instructions were too complex for something with so little will." He poured his will into the Gu until they were bursting with it. Then he commanded them to perform the killer move again. This time, they just barely managed to perform it. He pondered, "Is there a way to increase the amount of will a Gu can hold? Or perhaps a method to amplify the density of one's will?"

With a smirk of satisfaction, Xie Ling subsequently tested himself, imbuing himself with the aura of competence, specifically the type that exudes from experience, along with the warmth of a caring grandfather. This way he wouldn't have to activate his ability at a moment's notice and instead it would be active at all times. Next, he extended the reach of his will, spanning a radius of 100 meters to connect with everything within his vicinity. He surveyed his surroundings attentively, searching for something specific. After a thorough examination, he finally found what he was seeking - a rock gambling den.

His stay in the mountain had allowed him to expand upon his ability to sense Gu even when they were hibernating inside rocks. However, he could only detect Gu that were freshly hibernating. Currently, he had 20 active Gu and over 30 dormant ones waiting to be awakened from their rocky slumber. He had come the rock gambling den with two goals in mind - firstly, to extract the dormant Gu from their rocks, and secondly, to make his presence known.

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Upon entering the rock gambling den, Xie Ling sought out an employee and instructed them to bring forth an expert in extracting Gu from rocks. As he made his way through the crowded tables, he observed numerous rocks emitting faint life forces, some of which resembled Gu, while others emanated the aura of ordinary insects. However, something peculiar caught his attention. It was an aura unlike any he had experienced before, yet he struggled to pinpoint its exact source. Focusing intently, he tried to locate the origin of the unusual aura, but it proved elusive. At best, he could sense it was like a string fluttering in the air, but nothing more.

As the employee returned with an expert earth path Gu master, Xie Ling wasted no time in getting to business. He withdrew a storage Gu and emptied its contents, revealing 28 rocks and 30,000 primeval stones before the Gu master. "Extract the Gu from these rocks," he stated.

The Gu master raised an eyebrow in surprise at the large quantity of rocks and primeval stones, but being a professional, he remained unfazed and went about his task. A light brown fog enveloped the palm of his hand as he used his other hand to select one of the rocks, carefully placing it on the permeated hand, he then explained, "My payment is 10,000 primeval stones per a rock."

In response, another 260,000 primeval stones hit the ground, leaving him thinking if he should have asked for a higher price, but ultimately decided that testing a rank-4 Gu master was not worth the trouble.

For a while the rock stayed motionless in his hand, almost as if nothing was happening, the only evidence that something was happening was the brown fog that continued to thicken, enveloping the rock in a strong shell.

After the brown fog completely covered the rock in a strong bronze-like color, the rock instantly started to melt away like an ice cream cone over a fire, till the only thing left was a healthy Gu.