章 15: Something Strange

(I have been preparing for something from the first chapter and likewise this chapter too.)

(Hint: Did you feel something is wrong in the MC? )

…

Fang Yuan stood quietly, surveying the Hu Immortal Blessed Land, his mind filled with thoughts of a grand future. A rare sense of ease settled over him, knowing that everything was now firmly in his control. Nothing could catch him off guard.

"I need to solve its problems," he muttered, "but before that, I'll count my gains. Only by fully understanding my resources can I utilize them to the fullest."

His first and most valuable gain was the Fixed Immortal Travel Gu—a crucial component of many future plans.

Second, there was the Divine Travel Gu. Although it wasn't as potent as the Fixed Immortal Travel, it was still a rank six space-type immortal Gu—extremely useful.

Third came the False Second Aperture Gu. It was another significant asset. Now that he possessed the Divine Travel Gu, Fang Yuan could consider refining the False Second Aperture Gu without fear of losing it.

Finally, there were the numerous Relic Gu and Lifespan Gu he had accumulated, along with an abundance of precious Gu materials. These were a massive fortune in themselves, carefully preserved rather than squandered during refinement.

As he took stock of all his acquisitions, Fang Yuan's gaze returned to his blessed land. Despite its issues, it was still an enormous gain, especially with Dang Hun Mountain—the most valuable treasure. It was the best place for soul cultivation. The mountain absorbed the scattered soul fragments of living beings that perished on it, creating Gutstones, from which Guts Gu could be harvested. Guts Gu were invaluable for strengthening a Gu Master's soul.

"As long as I continue consuming Guts Gu," Fang Yuan thought, "my soul's foundation will grow to an unimaginable level. What immense wealth!"

Every mortal rank had four levels: Initial, Middle, Upper, and Peak. Fang Yuan was currently a Rank 4 Upper-stage Gu Master. Sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed, his full attention was focused on his aperture.

He possessed an extraordinary ninety percent aptitude, classified as A-grade. Each rank of Gu Master had distinct primeval essences: rank one had green copper, rank two had red iron, rank three had white silver, rank four had yellow gold, and rank five had purple crystal primeval essence.

"It's time to enhance my cultivation," Fang Yuan declared, taking out his Rank 4 Yellow Golden Relic Gu.

Upon using it, his cultivation immediately surged to Rank 4 Peak-stage.

"Next, I'll break through to Rank 5," he thought excitedly.

Two days later, Fang Yuan was using primeval stones to replenish his essence. He nurtured the aperture walls, preparing to break through to the next stage. Throughout this period, he cultivated relentlessly, not wasting a single moment. Finally, he felt the breakthrough—his aura now exuding the power of a Rank 5 Gu Master.

"Hahaha! Feeling my power increase like this—it's addictive!" he laughed.

"But I'm not done yet."

Taking out three Rank 5 Purple Crystal Relic Gu from his collection, Fang Yuan used two, immediately advancing to Rank 5 Upper-stage. Without pause, he consumed the third.

The surge from the relic Gu brought his cultivation to Rank 5 Peak-stage.

In an astonishingly short span, Fang Yuan had jumped from Rank 4 Upper-stage to Rank 5 Peak-stage, an incredible leap. The best part was that relic Gu had no side effects, meaning his foundation remained stable and strong.

Gu Masters heavily relied on resources for cultivation. With enough resources, rapid advancements were possible. In theory, as long as one had enough relic Gu, they could advance their cultivation at lightning speed. But in practice, such resources were exceedingly rare—even large factions seldom took this path, preferring to temper the minds of younger generations.

"With a Rank 5 Peak-stage aperture, the pressure from the Spring Autumn Cicada has greatly reduced. I won't need to worry about it for a while. Perhaps I'll even reach immortality soon."

Fang Yuan felt a wave of pride wash over him. "Now, I stand at the peak of the mortal world."

...

Just as he was about to rise, dizziness struck him, followed by a sharp pain in his head.

"Didn't I heal my soul injury? What's going on?" Panic surged through Fang Yuan's mind. He had thought everything was under control.

"A.I., scan my body!" he commanded, hoping for clarity.

[Beep! Scan complete. Status: Healthy.]

"What?" Fang Yuan frowned. "Then scan my mind!"

[Beep! Scan complete! No foreign entities found in the host's mind. Everything appears normal.]

Even after the scan, Fang Yuan was at a loss. He didn't know what could be wrong. After a while, he managed to calm himself down.

"It seems I was too mentally drained," he concluded, "but the real issue is likely the weakness of my soul. If my soul were stronger, this wouldn't have happened."

With his immediate plans to address the blessed land's problems delayed, Fang Yuan prioritized his soul's improvement.

"Little Hu, take me to the Gutstones' locations, one by one."

Thus, Fang Yuan embarked on enhancing his soul strength, preparing himself for the challenges ahead.