章 7: The First Step in Mastering and Caring for Gu
"Author's Note: Thank you also to those who have given me the Power Stone.And thank you as well to my friends who have given me suggestions. Don't hesitate to share your advice with me, as I truly need your suggestions."
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Xiong Huanxian slowly opened his eyes as the morning sunlight streamed through the small cracks of his room's window. His body still felt slightly stiff from the exhausting day before, but he knew his new routine had to begin immediately. Today was another day at the Xiong clan academy, where he would attend classes as usual.
After cleaning himself and getting ready, Huanxian donned the simple attire of a clan student. He stepped out of his room, gazing briefly at the serene blue sky, even though he knew this world was never truly peaceful. With calm steps, he made his way toward the academy.
When he arrived at the classroom, the room was already filled with the lively chatter of students. A total of 42 children sat in their respective places, most of them engaged in conversations or preoccupied with their own affairs. Huanxian ignored them all and headed straight to his favorite seat—the back corner near the window. That spot gave him a broad view of the outside world while also affording him a little privacy amidst the bustle.
Not long after he sat down, the murmur of the students began to subside. A clan elder entered the room, bringing a serious atmosphere with him. The elder began delivering a lengthy lecture, as usual, about the values of the Xiong clan. He spoke about the clan's history, how their ancestors fought to defend their territory, the importance of loyalty to the clan, and how prosperity could only be achieved through cooperation.
Huanxian listened quietly, though his mind wandered. To him, these lectures were nothing more than repetitions of things he had heard before. Yet, he maintained a serious expression, knowing that a relaxed or disrespectful demeanor could attract unwanted attention.
When the class ended, the students began packing up and leaving the room one by one. Huanxian also stood up but did not rush. He calmly walked toward the primeval stone distribution area, an essential part of his routine. Every rank-one student like him received the same amount—10 primeval stones, just enough for their basic needs.
After receiving his allowance, he carefully stored it in his pouch. On his way back, Huanxian reflected on what he should do next. Today might have seemed ordinary, but to him, every small step was part of the grand plan he was meticulously crafting in his mind.
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Xiong Huanxian stepped carefully into his room, closing the door behind him. The long day at the academy was finally over, and now he had time to focus on the secret inheritance he had discovered.
He sat on the floor and retrieved a small wooden box from beneath his bed. The box contained the Gu he had obtained from the hidden inheritance. Among them, one stood out above the rest—Primeval Elder Gu, a rank-one Gu. This Gu had an extraordinary ability to store a massive amount of primeval stones.
Huanxian took a deep breath as he examined his remaining primeval stones. At the moment, he only had 20 stones—10 from the academy allowance earlier that day and 10 left over from the previous night. With such limited resources, he decided to refine the Primeval Elder Gu.
The process of refining a wild Gu required a strong will. Huanxian understood the risks, but he had no other choice. If he succeeded, he would gain access to the thousands of primeval stones stored within the Gu, a crucial resource to support his cultivation.
He placed the Gu in his hand. As the Gu emitted a faint glow, he began channeling his will into it, forcing it to submit. Since Primeval Elder Gu was already refined by another Gu Master, the resistance he felt was quite strong.
Waves of pressure assaulted his mind. The Gu fought back, sending surges of resistance to disrupt his efforts. Huanxian focused all his attention, strengthening his will to dominate the Gu. His will, sharp and precise like an illusion, enveloped the Gu, slicing through its defenses.
Every second felt like an eternity, and each push of his will drained primeval essence from his aperture. He felt as though he was walking a tightrope, where the slightest mistake could result in a devastating backlash. Seven primeval stones were consumed during the process, replenishing his aperture as he continued the struggle.
Finally, after a prolonged battle, the Gu ceased its resistance. Primeval Elder Gu had submitted to Huanxian, becoming entirely his. He immediately inspected the Gu with his will and discovered something astonishing: 127,000 primeval stones were stored within it.
Huanxian's eyes widened in excitement. That amount was more than enough to support his cultivation, nurture his Gu, and even purchase food for his other Gu. He carefully stored the Gu in his aperture, feeling a deep sense of relief and satisfaction with his success.
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After successfully refining the Primeval Elder Gu, Xiong Huanxian decided to take a short rest. He sat back on his bed, calming his rapid breath and soothing his weary mind. However, his thoughts never truly stopped working. Time continued to pass, and he knew how important each moment was to strengthening himself.
Once his body and mind felt sufficiently at ease, he resumed his efforts. His next target was Perception Veil Gu, a rank-one Gu that allowed its owner to create simple illusions that affected the target's vision. These illusions could alter the appearance of objects or create faint shadows to deceive others.
Huanxian took the Gu, holding it carefully in the palm of his hand. As before, he began to channel his will into it, forcing the Gu to submit to him. The process was exhausting, draining both focus and energy. Yet, after an intense struggle, Perception Veil Gu finally surrendered, becoming part of Huanxian's growing collection. He carefully stored the Gu in his aperture, ensuring everything was safely in place.
hours passed.He proceeded with refining other Gu from the inheritance: Wind Blade Gu, a rank-one attack Gu capable of creating sharp blades of wind, and Breeze Sense Gu, a rank-one Gu that enhanced sensitivity to small changes in the air.
Each refinement process took time and energy. His will had to dominate, and his aperture had to be continuously filled with primeval essence to sustain him. He spent most of his daytime ensuring that each of the Gu submitted to him, one by one.
By the time night came, he finally stopped after successfully refining four Gu. The three other rank-two Gu, he decided to set aside for the time being. His body was too tired, and he knew pushing himself further would only increase the risk of failure.
The key to his success in refining these Gu was their weak state, his current B-grade talent, which made it easier to refine them, and, of course, the primeval stones he possessed.
He looked into his aperture, where five Gu were now playing inside.
Before going to sleep, he picked up a small book from the table beside his bed—"Legend of Ren Zu," a book filled with philosophical tales about the Gu world and life. He read a few pages, hoping to find inspiration or meaning that could relate to his current situation.
Before long, sleepiness began to take over. He placed the book beside his pillow, letting his thoughts drift away with the stories and his exhaustion. In the stillness of the night, Xiong Huanxian fell asleep, his mind filled with plans for the next day and the long road ahead of him.
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That morning, after Xiong Huanxian woke up, he immediately checked the Primeval Elder Gu he had successfully refined earlier. With the remaining primeval essence, he counted the number of primeval stones stored inside the Gu. "126,970," he murmured with satisfaction, recalling that he had spent some primeval stones yesterday refining other Gu.
As usual, he prepared to go to the academy. His days at the academy followed the same routine. After attending the lessons and receiving his 10 primeval stones, he decided not to head home immediately. With his total of 126,980 primeval stones, he walked toward the kiosks in the clan's area, where merchants offered various goods and supplies for Gu Masters.
His goal was clear: to buy food for the Gu he owned. As a Gu Master, caring for his Gu was one of his most important duties.
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Mirage Amplifier Gu and Perception Veil Gu's food is Mistleaf. A thin leaf that seems to disappear when held, symbolizing ambiguity and illusion. This plant grows around old trees and is usually picked in the morning when the dew is still present. It is easy to find around the clan and is not a rare plant.
Wind Blade Gu (rank one and two) feeds on Feathergrass. A light green grass that grows in windy highlands. Its leaves are sharp like blades and often rustle when touched by the wind.
Breeze Sense Gu's food is Breeze Blossom. A pale blue flower that only blooms when the wind blows. Its petals are as thin as paper but are full of gentle wind energy.
Soul Blossom Gu feeds on Tranquil Root. A thin root with a calming aroma, growing under an ancient, large tree.
Finally, Gust Step Gu's food is the same as Breeze Sense Gu, which is Breeze Blossom.
These Gu foods are not rare items and are fairly easy to find.
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Xiong Huanxian stopped at several kiosks to buy the Gu food he needed. He counted carefully and selected enough supplies for a full month.
Mistleaf: Bought 8 leaves for Mirage Amplifier Gu and Perception Veil Gu for 2 primeval stones.
Feathergrass: Bought 12 strands for Wind Blade Gu for 3 primeval stones.
Breeze Blossom: Bought 12 flowers for Breeze Sense Gu and Gust Step Gu for 3 primeval stones.
Tranquil Root: Bought 8 roots for Soul Blossom Gu for 4 primeval stones.
His total expenditure reached 12 primeval stones, leaving 126,968 primeval stones in his Primeval Elder Gu.
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After finishing his shopping, he carried the small bag of Gu food and walked back to his home. Along the way, he observed the busy atmosphere of the clan, with young disciples, Gu Masters, and merchants everywhere.
Upon returning home, Xiong Huanxian immediately entered his room. He placed the small bag of Gu food in the corner of the room before taking the Gu he had previously refined. Carefully, he fed the Mirage Amplifier Gu, Perception Veil Gu, Wind Blade Gu, and Breeze Sense Gu. Each Gu glowed faintly after receiving its energy, a sign that they accepted their food well.
After ensuring that all the Gu were in good condition, Xiong Huanxian decided to continue with his plan to refine the remaining second-tier Gu in his possession. Soul Blossom Gu, a Gu with great potential in the Soul Path and one that would supply him with primeval stones, became his priority for the night.
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With more confidence than before, he began to focus his mind. His awareness of his new B-grade talent gave him a great sense of self-assurance. His success rate in refining Gu had now increased, although refining a second-tier Gu in such a weakened state still posed a challenge.
He prepared enough primeval essence for the process, took a deep breath, and directed his will towards the Soul Blossom Gu. The process of refining a second-tier Gu was more difficult than refining a first-tier one. It not only required sharp concentration but also significant physical and mental stamina.
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Hour by hour passed in the silence of the night. In his room, the primeval aura swirled gently as Xiong Huanxian struggled to control and subdue the will of the previous Gu Master, the former owner of the Soul Blossom Gu. Several times, the Gu resisted with small energy tremors that drained Huanxian's stamina. However, with his strong determination and increasing experience, he finally succeeded in refining the Gu.
When the process was complete, Soul Blossom Gu emitted a soft glow, a sign that it had fully submitted and become Huanxian's. A satisfied smile appeared on his face, though his body felt exhausted.
Before placing it into his aperture, he fed it first, using the food for the Gu that he had bought.
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Xiong Huanxian checked the remaining primeval stones after the process. Previously, he had 126,968 primeval stones in the Primeval Elder Gu, and the process of refining Soul Blossom Gu had consumed 17 primeval stones. Now, the remaining amount was 126,951 primeval stones.
"A price worth paying," he thought as he looked at Soul Blossom Gu, now in his aperture. "This Gu will be very useful in the future."
However, an overwhelming sense of fatigue enveloped him. His body demanded rest after the long struggle. He lay down on his bed, allowing his mind to relax. Before truly falling asleep, he thought about the next steps to increase his strength.
That night, he slept soundly, satisfied with having successfully refined one of his most important Gu.
End of the chapter.
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