{Random Island of the Eastern Sea}
"It's strange how these Gu masters keep showing up on my doorstep, seeking to kill me," Chef Pride mused to himself. "But I suppose having hundreds of Gu as a mortal doesn't exactly help in keeping them at bay." He was in the middle of refining Gu, or as he called it, "making tasty bugs."
Suddenly, he heard a sharp knock on the door, and he instinctively reached for his sharpest knife with a heavy sigh. "If you're here for my famous bug soup, it'll cost you one primeval stone. But if you're here to steal, then leave now. Consider this your only warning!" He quickly grabbed a piece of coal and threw it into the fire beneath the pot.
When there was no response, Chef Pride crouched down, poised for an attack from any direction.
Slowly, the door creaked open.
Without hesitation, Chef Pride charged towards the intruder, but to his surprise, he found himself on his back, wondering what had just happened.
In walked a rank-5 Gu master. "When I washed up on this island after battling my rival Shen Wang, my intention was to wipe out this village. But then I smelled your soup," he explained.
"I must ask, how is a mortal able to refine Gu, and where is the inheritance for it?" the Gu master inquired.
Chef Pride slowly picked himself up, trying to maintain his composure, and dusted off his apron. He gestured for the Gu master to take a seat at the table while he added a few spices to his pot and tasted the broth before serving a bowl.
The Gu Master arched an eyebrow in suspicion but ultimately concluded that the mortal was merely attempting to gain his favor, especially given the tantalizing aroma wafting from the soup.
With calculated precision, Chef Pride served two bowls of soup, one for himself and one for the Gu Master. As he savored his meal, he took a seat at the table, inviting the Gu Master to join him.
The Gu Master observed Chef Pride's every move, remaining cautious even in the presence of a mere mortal. Vigilance had been his key to survival thus far.
After scrutinizing Chef Pride's every bite for a full minute, the Gu Master finally raised his spoon to sample the soup. Suddenly, without any warning, he collapsed to the ground, writhing in convulsions.
The Gu Master had been one step behind all along; the soup was not the source of the poison, but the very air he had been breathing in.
Unbeknownst to the Gu Master, Chef Pride had already crafted an antidote. Ironically, the cure was nestled within the soup that he had been so cautious of, but even if he had consumed it, he would have fallen prey to a different, slower-acting poison.
Chef Pride rose from his seat, retrieving his specially-crafted rank-5 Contact Small Explosion Gu. This Gu was a one-time-use weapon, and required no primeval essence to activate.
The first Contact Small Explosion Gu that Chef Pride had acquired was a rank-3 weapon, obtained from a rank-2 Gu Master. After meticulously preparing it, similar to the careful preparation of a puffer fish, he consumed it and immediately gained inspiration on numerous cost-effective methods of crafting one.
Chef Pride then dragged the gu master's unconscious body outside, taking several steps back before hurling the Gu at him. Upon impact, the gu master's defensive Gu sprang to action, but proved futile in the face of such overwhelming force.
As Chef Pride had learned, the higher one ascended in rank, the more likely they were to possess automatic defensive mechanisms. Just as the gu master had been a careful individual, Chef Pride remained vigilant and strategic in all of his actions.
Indeed, if Chef Pride had attempted to slay the gu master with a knife or other conventional weapon, the defensive Gu would likely have been triggered, resulting in a fatal counter-attack against him.
With the gu master disposed of, Chef Pride turned and walked back inside. He began detoxifying the poison he had knowingly consumed from the soup, taking a few pulls to counteract its effects.
Next, he retrieved a piece of paper bearing a unique illustration of the human body. Unlike traditional anatomical drawings, this one depicted the intricate network of Gu woven throughout the body, with various images of Gu imprinted upon the flesh.
{Bai clan: Head's room || Gu Yue clan: Head's room}
"The Xiong clan is up to something," declared an elder of the Bai clan, shattering the prolonged silence. "We have remained quiet for a month! Allowing them to do whatever they so please, but no longer will we permit them to scurry around unchecked."
-
"Ah, the Xiong clan," scoffed Gu Yue Yao Ji, being pleased with the newfound abundance of healing-type Gu. "They possess no real power. Their foolish attempt at mass trading earth path Gu is nothing more than a futile game that will lead them nowhere."
-
"True, but let us not forget that they have successfully identified and eliminated all of our spies," bemoaned an elder of the Bai clan.
-
"Why should we be concerned if they have discovered a way to detect our spies? In fact, we should capitalize on their strategy of selling all their recipes at rock-bottom prices," retorted the elder of the Gu Yue clan's Secret Hall with a cunning smile.
-
"The Xiong clan's decision to sell their recipes at such low prices can only mean that they are plotting something," affirmed the elder of the Bai clan's Punishment Hall with conviction
-
"Must you always spoil the fun just when things are beginning to look up?" grumbled Gu Yue Chi Lian, who had been reaping a fortune from trading with the new Xiong clan.
-
"Enough!" interjected Gu Yue Bo and the head of the Bai clan. "Though we have all benefited from the recent surge in trade, it is evident that something nefarious is afoot."
The gathered elders nodded in agreement, acknowledging the gravity of the situation at hand.
As the weight of the moment settled upon them, the room grew silent, and the elders deliberated on their next course of action. The tension in the air was tangible, and it was clear to all that the decisions they made today would have significant ramifications for their clans.
-
The group sat in silence for a few moments until one of the elders broke the brief relief. "We cannot afford to remain idle while the Xiong clan continues to plot against us. We must take decisive action to safeguard our interests."
Several of the other elders expressed their concurrence with murmurs, and the head of the Bai clan nodded gravely. "Agreed," he declared. "We will dispatch a delegation to the Xiong clan and demand that they open their gates and disclose their true intentions. If they refuse, we will be left with no alternative but to use force."
-
Moments later, the head of the Gu Yue clan's Secret Hall rose from his seat and addressed the assembly. "I will gladly offer to lead the delegation to the Xiong clan," he declared with conviction. "As the leader of the Secret Hall, I possess the essential abilities and experience to negotiate with them effectively and safeguard our clan's interests."
However, Gu Yue Bo disagreed and shook his head. "Gu Yue Mo Chen will lead this mission, as he is an expert in exercising patience," he asserted.
Gu Yue Mo Chen rose from his seat and bowed, acknowledging Gu Yue Bo's decision. "I will lead the delegation to the Xiong clan," he confirmed, his voice calm and measured. "We must proceed with caution and not allow ourselves to be provoked."
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