章節 11: Risk-Free Bet
"Ahh, it looks like I'll have to stop for now..." Hei Tu sighed as he noticed his primeval sea depleting to just a few drops of primeval essence. "...truly, the lack of primeval essence is the cultivator's greatest curse."
He spoke with a hint of frustration, but his face still bore a satisfied smile. Despite his primeval essence consumption being nearly double the usual rate—due to using both the Yang Gu and the Hound Strength Gu simultaneously to engrave strength into his body—it was worth it.
This was because he had confirmed that the Yang Gu's strength-boosting effect was not just his imagination; now, with more power in his muscles, he could sense it with certainty.
But even more crucial for him was that using the Yang Gu alongside the Hound Strength Gu not only allowed him to push his muscles further before they gave out, as would happen using only the Hound Strength Gu alone, but it also improved the efficiency with which he absorbed strength.
In just a few days, he could already feel a noticeable increase in his physical strength and in the size and definition of his muscles. When he compared himself with few other young cultivators who had also chosen a strength-path Gu, the difference was visible.
Of course, he also considered that his primeval sea was larger than theirs, and they might not be as diligent in cultivation. At least, this was the reasoning he offered to both his father and Zi Heng when they lightly remarked on his noticeable progress.
Thinking of Zi Heng, as he had mentioned before, he ended up choosing the Bamboo Shoot Gu as his vital Gu. And surprisingly, despite the amount of time he spent indulging himself and avoiding cultivation, he managed to refine it only two days after Hei Tu.
According to Zi Heng himself, this was due to his "great talent," but Hei Tu had spoken with Zi Heng's father recently, who mentioned that his son just happened to find a Gu with a weak will when compared to other Bamboo Shoot Gu.
"Luck…" Hei Tu murmured, a pensive look on his face. "You really can't rely on it if you want to rise in this world."
The example that came to mind was Long Dong, who had become well-known in the clan over the past few days. Since while walking near the outskirts of the clan, Long Dong had stumbled upon the demonic Gu master who had poisoned many of the youths of the clan. He barely escaped with his life, hanging on it only by sheer chance.
The irony made Hei Tu chuckle, feeling no sympathy, as he was sure Long Dong had only gotten into trouble because he was trying to find some worthless rock and make him pay two primeval stones for its as he said he intended to gift it to his sister, who like other youths of the clan had been poisoned by the same demonic Gu master.
And how did Hei Tu know this? Well, Long Dong had shouted every insult he could think of at him, insisting he pay two primeval stones as compensation for the life-threatening risk he had faced because of this.
Not that Hei Tu took any of these words seriously, knowing Long Dong couldn't make him pay anything. They had never made an official agreement in the clan, and his father would never allow that old bastard to extort from him two primeval stones—a very valuable resource for his cultivation now.
"It seems the heavens really don't favor old bastards…" Hei Tu muttered with a slight smile, recalling that Long Dong had also given the original Hei Tu the black rock containing the Yang Gu, just to settle a debt worth no more than half a primeval stone.
Hei Tu shook off the random thoughts filling his head, stood up from his bed, and looked out the window to see the dark night sky.
He quickly left his room, eager to enjoy his mother's excellent cooking. Unlike in many Chinese novels, neither food nor sleep in this world could simply be replaced by cultivation.
---
"Then do this when you're attacked in this way again," the clan academy's martial arts instructor quickly says, motioning for Hei Tu to attack him just as he did to the young man in front of him. "This is the proper way to react, so pay attention."
Hearing this, Hei Tu moves forward with slight hesitation but quickly closes the distance to the instructor. When he does, he throws a punch just as he did earlier with the frail young man who had been unable to defend against him due to Hei Tu's own impressive strength, bolstered by the Hound Strength Gu, nearly taking him down in one hit.
But now, Hei Tu sees the academy instructor easily dodge his attack, lowering his stance effortlessly while swiftly twisting his body, his feet moving in perfect coordination. Before Hei Tu even realizes it, the instructor's elbow is mere centimeters from striking the side of his head—a hit he's certain would have knocked him out.
Hei Tu feels momentarily speechless but not surprised. He expected that the academy instructor, an experienced fighter, would be able to handle him, a beginner, with ease.
Especially with the instructor's powerful physique, which looked as though it had been sculpted from marble—the ideal form of a martial artist, with skin bronzed to a copper-like hue. This made Hei Tu certain that the instructor was an experienced strength-path Gu master, someone who could easily turn him into a pulp with just one finger.
"Well, now that you've seen this, do you understand the importance of physical combat in battles between Gu masters?" the academy instructor says, turning to address the other students who had been watching intently. "Especially if your opponent possesses a strength-path Gu and close combat experience!"
Hei Tu lets out a light sigh, returning to his place among the other students, who now seemed more focused on the instructor's words. The instructor had only asked Hei Tu to fight against the frail young man, who still seemed stunned by his loss, to illustrate this point.
In the earlier classes, many of the young students showed interest in the instructor's martial arts teachings, listening intently, asking questions, and clarifying their doubts. However, after refining their vital Gu, a large portion of the students lost interest close combat, choosing instead to focus on using their Gu abilities, particularly because Bamboo Shoot Gu, was designed for long-range attacks.
It wasn't entirely incorrect, but ignoring close-quarters martial combat was indeed a fatal mistake, as the instructor demonstrated.
His approach was simple: he called one of the students who seemed to be paying less attention, chatting quietly with a friend, to stand beside him in the middle of the circle they had formed. He then called for any student who had chosen a strength-path Gu to step forward to fight, and Hei Tu promptly volunteered, eager to make a good impression on an experienced strength-path Gu master like the instructor.
The following match wasn't very exciting, with the frail young man managing only two clumsy Bamboo Shoot attacks that didn't even come close to hitting Hei Tu. When he then tried to defend against Hei Tu's direct punch, he was instantly defeated.
"Man, you looked so cool taking down that annoying bastard Ji Hi," Zi Heng says, snapping him out of his thoughts. "Ahh, I should've chosen a strength-path Gu as my vital Gu… the girls would all be admiring my martial prowess right now."
Hei Tu listens to his friend but barely registers his words, realizing that Zi Heng hasn't grasped the instructor's message at all.
But that's not his concern. He continues to listen to the instructor's words, watching the demonstrations of attacks, dodges, and counterattacks, paying close attention to how to position his feet, maintain stability, and move properly in combat.
In the end, the instructions last another half hour before concluding, and all students are required to report to the academy elder for an important announcement before leaving.
After a brisk walk, they reach the academy's main hall, where the elder, always with his calm expression, is waiting.
"Well, it's good to see that you have all finally completed the refinement of your vital Gu…" he says with a rare smile. "Because of this, in three days, we'll hold a competition in using the Bamboo Shoot Gu."
"First place will receive twenty primeval stones as a reward, ten for second, and five for third," the elder says, holding up his fingers to represent the values.
All the young students nod, most showing visible excitement, including Zi Heng beside Hei Tu, though Hei Tu himself feels little enthusiasm. Since he chose a Gu other than the Bamboo Shoot Gu, he's unable to participate in this competition.
Yet, as if not fully understanding this, a girl nearby raises her hand a bit hesitantly, and, given permission by the elder, quickly asks her question.
"Elder, what about those of us who chose different vital Gu, like my Lotus Water Gu?"
A few others nod in agreement, listening closely to her question.
The elder's response is plain and simple: those who did not choose the Bamboo Shoot Gu would not participate in this competition, nor would they have the opportunity to earn the rewards.
This makes Hei Tu stroke his chin in thought.
Is this to make cultivation harder for those who didn't choose the clan's vital Gu and aid those who did? Or is it simply practical, given that 90% of the students chose this Gu? Is it meant to unify the clan's main combat approach? Will the next test compensate for this?
He ponders these various questions briefly, but quickly dismisses them, deciding he'll just ask his father to see if he knows the answer.
In any case, this doesn't affect him as it does some of these students who chose support Gu. Since the moment he decided on the strength-path Gu, he had two things in mind.
First, he found himself drawn to the hand-to-hand combat style demonstrated by the clan's academy martial arts instructor. The second was that he never intended for the Hound Strength Gu to be his vital Gu—instead, he intended it to be the Gu inside the black rock, should there indeed be one there.
This would allow him to sell his Hound Strength Gu after fully embedding all its strength into his body, giving him a profit a few times greater than what he could win in the Bamboo Shoot Gu competition.
Moreover, he could immediately buy another strength-path Gu using those primeval stones and repeat the process after fully utilizing the next Gu.
This couldn't even be called a gamble since he had no intention of leaving his future to chance. If the black rock hadn't contained a Gu, he would have simply sold the Hound Strength Gu and used the primeval stones to buy a Bamboo Shoot Gu.
'Big gains, no risk... That's how I like to bet,' he thinks happily as he leaves the academy's pavilion, accompanied by Zi Heng, who excitedly talks about who he thinks will win the Bamboo Shoot Gu competition.
But Hei Tu only nods, barely paying attention, as he starts thinking about which Gu shops he could sell his Hound Strength Gu to without his father or the academy elder finding out, as selling his "vital Gu" would raise considerable suspicion.
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