Chapter 17 "Proper" Gu Master
Another Reverend Insanity fanfics has come out in the past few days, and as such, it would be remiss of me not to shout them out.
If you have the time check out this new fanfic:
Reverend Insanity Mystery Prying Immortal Venerable by Moist_BedBugs
Thank you all again.
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Long Xi and Yu Zhong Er kept up their end of the bargain, giving Xuanyuan both the Gu he requested from them, in addition to the accumulated knowledge and understandings both of them had on their respective Paths.
Yu Zhong Er's notes were more valuable to Xuanyuan, considering his grasp over the Light Path was weaker than the Dark Path, and the Shadow Path, giving him new ideas and techniques which could help him refine Light Path Gu more effectively.
Long Xi's notes were more about the relationship between Dark Path and Shadow Path, and how shadows and darkness were interchangeable to some degree. Her theory wasn't as concrete and fleshed out as Yu Zhong Er's, but it gave Xuanyuan something to think about while researching Dark Path Gu.
"This is it? It's that simple?", Long Xi asked, her heart beat wildly as she gazed at the single piece of paper in front of her. Yu Zhong Er had a similar reaction after reading it, somewhat doubting the validity of the refinement method.
Xuanyuan nodded.
"Two Rank 1 Liquor Gu Worms, four different kinds of wine, and approximately five hundred primeval essence stones. There is nothing complex about the requirements, but the refinement itself is... needless to say difficult. Controlling multiple Gu at once, in addition to the carefully adding the right amount of primeval essence stones is difficult for a single person. But with two, it is significantly easier".
Xuanyuan didn't even need to go to Elder Luo, Elder Kui or any of the other Elders that he was familiar with. This time, Xuanyuan thanked Fang Yuan for inadvertently revealing to him both the ingredients, and method to refine the Rank 2 Four Flavors Liquor Gu.
The requirements were easy enough to obtain in a large City like Earth Soul City. The only problem was acquiring the funds to purchase all the materials. Not to mention the fact that the currency needed to purchase materials were also an ingredient...
It took the pair ten days to prepare themselves for the refinement. They went over the steps again and again, purchasing a couple Rank 1 Gu from various Paths to assist with the expenditure of mental energy.
The effects were miniscule at Rank 1, but every little bit helped. And, two weeks after Xuanyuan initially proposed the exchange to them...
"Little Yuan! Little Yuan! Praise your Senior Sister! Praise her!", Long Xi's voice echoed throughout hallway, as the beautiful raven haired young woman wrapped her arm around Xuanyuan's shoulder, her enormous smile lighting up the entire hallway.
Xuanyuan just smiled, knowing exactly where Long Xi was going with this. Giving her a small bow, he met Long Xi's gaze, ignoring the jealous looks of passing Gu Masters.
"Congratulations Senior Sister Long. Considering that Senior Sister Yu isn't here, I take it that the refinement was a success?", Long Xi just nodded at Xuanyuan, her smile unable to be contained.
"Zhong Er is cultivating right now, unable to suppress herself after we completed the refinement. She extends her thanks as well, and I'm sure that she'll thank you herself the next time you attend her class".
Xuanyuan waved them off, shaking his head.
"It is of no matter. So long as the refinement was a success, I am happy for you both. Not to mention, it wasn't as though I haven't benefitted from the exchange", Xuanyuan didn't say exactly what he had obtained from the Long Xi and Yu Zhong Er, but the former just nodded, understanding Xuanyuan's words.
The Gu that Xuanyuan had asked for was by no means cheap. Considering the price of the Rank 2 Four Flavors Liquor Gu recipe, Xuanyuan didn't hold back when he selected the three Rank 1 Gu that Long Xi and Yu Zhong Er would buy for him.
Rank 1 Qi Path Shadow Qi Gu. Generates Shadow Qi which can be infused into other Shadow Path Gu, increasing their effectiveness and decreasing their primeval essence costs.
Rank 1 Cloud Path Cloud Essence Gu. Cloud Essence Gu naturally absorbs the natural primeval energy of the World around the Gu Master, refining it, before directly transforming it into primeval essence.
Rank 1 Shadow Path Shadow Pocket Gu. Shadow Pocket Gu allows a Gu Master to store small objects within their shadow. The shadow of the object would appear beside the shadow of the Gu Master, and the object in question must fit within the shadow of the Gu Master.
Cloud Essence Gu and Shadow Pocket Gu caused Yu Zhong Er and Long Xi to frown when they read it, but gave it to Xuanyuan despite how expensive both of the Gu cost. Neither of them had the funds to purchase a Rank 2 Serene Cloud Essence Gu, considering that it cost exceeded that of most other Gu on the market.
With this exchange, Xuanyuan had effectively tripled the number of Gu he had in his possession.
Rank 1 Shadow Eyes Gu.
Rank 1 Shadow Stinger Gu.
Rank 1 Shadow Qi Gu.
Rank 1 Cloud Essence Gu.
Rank 1 Shadow Pocket Gu.
Rank 1 Liquor Worm Gu.
Not to mention Little Shadow, the Rank 5 Shadows As Thought Gu.
After almost three months in the Ancient Soul Sect, Xuanyuan thought that he was finally deserving of the title of "Gu Master".
'It won't even take me two weeks to become an Upper Stage Rank 1 Gu Master. I could literally continue to cultivate as much as I could possibly want, my primeval essence regeneration potentially rivalling one of the Ten Extreme Physiques'.
Xuanyuan had his eyes on the first place prize of the tournament. It wasn't a lot, in comparison to everything he had just exchanged with Yu Zhong Er and Long Xi, but, it would give him an excuse as to how his cultivation progressed so quickly.
If he obtain another Liquor Worm from the Sect tournament rewards, he could use it and the Liquor Worm currently in his possession to refine another Four Flavors Liquor Worm. From there, he would be able to refine the Rank 3 Seven Fragrances Liquor Worm!
The future of Xuanyuan's cultivation had been planned out. His Path all the way up to Rank 4 had potentially been secured. He could instead focus his attention on other matters, such as Gu refinement and researching Gu materials.
Not to mention...
"I still desire the Second Aperture Gu...", he muttered.
Xuanyuan knew that his greed could lead him down the Demonic Path. But Xuanyuan knew that without an immense amount of luck, extraordinary attainment in both his main Path and sub Path, powerful killer moves, strong and loyal allies, and the right timing, he would never be able to compete with Fang Yuan for the Sovereign Fetus Immortal Gu.
Immediately after taking it, Xuanyuan would be making an enemy out of both the Heavenly Court and the Shadow Sect. Something that he was currently not prepared to handle.
Second Aperture Gu could allow a Gu Master to theoretically walk two main Paths and two sub Paths. Each of his tribulations would give him double the amount of Dao Marks, allow him to safely annex the Blessed Lands of an additional Path, and, theoretically, allow him to create multiple Immortal Gu once his ascension from Rank 5 to Rank 6 was completed.
Second Aperture Gu required an immense amount of Gu and Gu materials in order to be refined. Over five thousand total Gu, with more than six hundred being Rank 4 and over eighty being Rank 5! Not to mention, the fact that it required another Immortal Gu in order to be completed!
The possibility of possessing a second primeval essence sea was a distant dream to Xuanyuan, even if he knew a place that would grant it to him no questions asked.
'Lang Ya Blessed Land. Halfway across the World, Second Aperture Gu can be refined freely...'.
Fang Yuan assumed the identity of Thieving Heaven Demonic Venerable's inheritor, allowing him to inherit the agreement of three Gu with Lang Ya Blessed Spirit. Lang Ya refined Second Aperture Gu for Fang Yuan, allowing him to possess a second aperture, effectively doubling the amount of primeval essence he had at his disposal.
Xuanyuan desired such a thing, the possibilities opening to him once he completed his Immortal Ascension being too good to potentially pass up.
Third Aperture Gu would be nice too, however if such a thing was easy to grasp, Wisdom Path Gu Immortals like Star Constellation Immortal Venerable or Refinement Path Gu Immortals like Long Hair Ancestor would've deciphered it long ago.
'Mortal Second Aperture Gu contains the Human Path profundity, so it would be safe to say that Second Aperture Gu also possesses such a thing. Needless to say, Third Aperture Gu would possess an even greater profundity...'.
Xuanyuan let out a small sigh, feeling the immensity of the Heavens and the Earth. He had thought of the possibilities of using the Shadow Path to replicate the effects of other paths, but required at least a Grandmaster attainment in the Shadow Path in order to do so.
Xuanyuan wasn't even a Master, so how could he discern the profundities of a a Grandmaster in the Shadow Path?
For the time being, he had to settle for his current progress. Xuanyuan's cultivation was progressing by leaps and bounds, and so long as he could progress to Rank 5 as quickly as possible, there was a chance that he could obtain the objects of his desires.
Even if it put him in conflict with Fang Yuan and the Heavenly Court.
"I cannot just rely on the events that I am familiar with. The Gu World is filled with strange and wonderful existences. The Legends of Ren Zu spoke of Immortal Gu and Secluded Domains of Heaven and Earth which were only mentioned once or twice before being forgotten. There exists at least a single Secluded Domain of Heaven and Earth for every Path, potentially more depending on the Path!".
Dang Hun Mountain.
Luo Po Valley.
Bewitching Lake.
These three were all Soul Path Secluded Domains Of Heaven and Earth. Space Cave and Space Door were both considered Space Path Secluded Domains Of Heaven And Earth. Xi Land and Hu Land were both Qi Path Secluded Domains Of Heaven and Earth.
The Legends of Ren Zu weren't fully mentioned in Xuanyuan's past life. Most of the book only referenced Fang Yuan's experiences, and the knowledge and comprehensions he obtained after reading it.
There existed Raging Inferno Waterfall, Burning Azure Firmament River, and Eclipsing Light Flameless Lake, in terms of Fire Path Secluded Domains of Heaven and Earth.
There existed Limitless Freezing Wastes, Eternal Isolation Glacier, and White Jade Imperial Palace in terms of Ice Path Secluded Domains Of Heaven and Earth.
There even existed Jian Valley, Dao Mountain and Tang Heaven in terms of Sword Path Secluded Domains Of Heaven and Earth.
Some, like Tang Heaven and Eternal Isolation Glacier were lost, hidden from the rest of the Gu World in a manner similar to Space Cave. While some, such as Eclipsing Light Flameless Lake were in the possession of powerful super forces in the five regions.
Xuanyuan wouldn't be remiss in saying that he desired these Secluded Domains Of Heaven and Earth. There was so much more to the Gu World that what he had read in his past life, Fang Yuan's journey was only a part of the World in its entirety.
There were even Shadow Path Secluded Domains that Xuanyuan had read about. He had even questioned Elder Luo about their location, in addition to the importance they possessed into the Legends Of Ren Zu.
"The Legends Of Ren Zu talk about the relationship between Self Gu and Shadow Gu. Self Gu can "bite" other Gu, obtaining a portion of their power, however, Self Gu could not bite Shadow Gu, who was born of the shadow of Ren Zu and Self Gu. Shadow Gu was refined from Man and Gu, the reflection of all living beings".
"Shadow Gu allowed Ren Zu to traverse the Shadowless Ocean, the shadow of the Blue Sea Of Life. With his Shadow in hand, Ren Zu was no longer alone in the World. Ren Zu knew that his Shadow knew all of his secrets, his desires, his shame, and his guilt and sought to remove his Shadow, hiding in a place that Shadows could never escape".
"Where was that Master?", Xuanyuan asked.
Elder Luo smiled slightly, closing the book in his hands.
"The shadow of the Immemorial Nine Heavens; Lightless Abyss".