Bai Shou perused through the list of items available to an outer disciple within the Exchange Hall. These halls differed from regular clan stores, the sheer quality of materials available to a mere outer disciple would leave several lone Gu Masters speechless. The Yi Clan in the Southern Border was famous for its trading relationship with Super Forces from the Eastern Sea, importing materials from another land beyond the qi wall, which were ordinarily considered immensely rare. The Shang Clan was the number one powerhouse in the south in terms of wealth and trade. However, even they paled compared to the variety an Ancient Sect put out for its disciple—boasting several trade relationships from all the corners of the world for one reason!
The Sect System!
Like Bai Shou, individuals from other lands were steadily scouted and absorbed by the Sect. Did Bai Shou not offer her precious Human Path research? Similarly, thousands of individuals brought in rare materials, recipes, and insights to bolster the Sect's growth, not to mention the Sect's relationship with several other traders and unfathomably deep pockets, allowing it to procure materials from the different continents.
The Exchange Hall contained materials and recipes for several different paths, encouraging the disciples to expand their horizons and seek a Gu Set most fitting for their ambition.
Even if only available to an Outer Disciple, the list still possessed a few items valuable for the current Bai Shou.
For instance, the strengthening of the soul.
Imaginative Strength Immortal used the Past is in the Past Immortal Gu to share his modified memories through a killer move. Bai Shou experienced the killer moves and enemies Imaginative Strength fought but did not perceive the faces of his enemy. She knew how long the Gu Immortal rested and researched but could not identify the location. So, Bai Shou knew that Imaginative Strength was fairly fortunate, managing to become a Gu Immortal relying on the blessed land he inherited. As such, his ways of protecting one's soul and mind were impractical for Bai Shou because only an Immortal could effectively achieve them.
Now?
Bai Shou's gaze wandered over the list.
Divine Soul Gu.
Ice Soul Gu.
Body Spirit Gu.
General Soul Gu.
Brave Soul Gu.
Tiger Spirit Gu.
Wolf Soul Gu.
Dragon Soul Gu.
Battle Ghost Gu.
Ghost Eye Gu.
Soul Bell Gu.
Ghost Flame Gu.
The list went on and on. There were all Soul Path Gu.
Despite facing some suppression due to its cruel nature, especially after the rise of Paradise Earth Immortal Venerable, the Soul Path was unlike the waning Strength Path. The former was still being researched and progressed, and its materials were found at large. Meanwhile, the latter needed materials that were mostly considered extinct, deterring others from exploring the Strength Dao. Simply put, Strength Path no longer had any momentum even if the current era birthed a few geniuses in this Dao.
The Exchange Hall also did not have recipes for all these Gu Worms.
'My understanding of Soul Path comes from Imaginative Strength Immortal alone. Even if his methods are useless for the current me, they can form inspiration. My soul has always been a weak link, and there hasn't been any opportunity for me to tackle the issue at the Southern Border.'
She was lucky to have the crucial materials to refine the Void Soul Gu. However, that Gu perished long ago.
'Void Soul Gu is an outstanding Space Path defensive Gu Worm for the soul, but it doesn't align with my Strength Path.'
'A Gu Master's soul can be strengthened and refined like the body. That alone tempers a bit of my weakness while I search for a defensive Gu Worm like the Robust Spirit Shield Gu.'
Strengthening and refinement…
Bai Shou observed the list, purchasing the Rank 4 Soul Bell Gu and two Rank 3 Brave Soul Gu.
However, she wasn't done.
Eventually, her gaze landed on a set of Gu Recipes.
Rank 1 Jin Strength Gu.
Rank 2 Ten Jin Strength Gu.
Rank 3 Jun Strength Gu.
Bai Shou purchased all three.
'Next…'
She hummed before locating a few more materials.
<<<>>>
'Outstanding…' Bai Shou sighed in admiration for the umpteenth time. Her current level was already similar to that of a few notable inventors in the Gu World, but she never forgot about her advantages, from her otherworldly 'Trait' to the attainments she received from Dreamer Gu and Particle Viewing Gu. With time, Bai Shou was expected to tap into her latent potential, but that was a distant future. Compared to her, the actual inventors of the world were like the creator of the Bone Flesh Unity Gu, Vital Human Killer Move, Heaven and Earth Before My Eyes, and now the Jin and Jun Strength Gu series.
It was valuable research material, which Bai Shou could have never expected to attain if she had remained in the Southern Border as a mortal because this invention hailed from the Northern Plains. Being at the opposite end of the world, there was little communication between the Southern Border and the Northern Plains. After all, the Gu World was not a sphere and those two ends did not meet each other.
'This recipe is a mortal's invention boasting overwhelming talent before he ascended as a Gu Immortal.'
Domination Immortal Chu Du.
The Jin/Jun Strength Gu was a series of expendable Strength Path Gu reminiscent of the Beast Strength Gu with a few advantages. The materials needed to refine the Gu Worms were common and available in the present age.
This was a Gu Set primarily utilized by most northerners, one of the examples being Internal Affairs Hall Elder Jirou Na. It was such a defining invention for the Strength Path in the current era that Bai Shou learned how Chu Du, a Legendary Gu Immortal, was even well-known among mortal circles.
The advantages of this Gu Series did not end with the availability of cheap material. It also had a greater refinement success rate than Beast Strength Gu Worms, and its effects could be stacked together!
There would be no additional effects if Bai Shou used a Sky Griffin Strength Gu before using it again. Her body can only contain ONE strength of the Sky Griffin. However, Bai Shou could use several Jun (15 Kg) Strength Gu and stack its effects until she reached her limits, which could be further expanded upon by additional Body Refinement!
Rank 1 Jin Strength Gu granted the strength of one Jin. (500 grams.)
Rank 2 Ten Jin Strength Gu granted the strength of ten Jin. (5000 grams.)
Rank 3 Jun Strength Gu granted the strength of one Jun, which was equal to 30 Jin. (15kg.)
Rank 4 Ten Jun Strength Gu granted the strength of ten Jun. (150kg.)
And Rank 5 Hundred Jun Strength Gu granted the strength of hundred Jun. (1500kg.)
Chu Du shocked the Northern Plains with his invention, offering the dying branch of the Strength Path with a surge of vitality to the point that almost every Northerner cultivated the 'Human Jun Strength Branch' of the Strength Path as a minor path due to their brutal environment. This led to the rise of several other Gu and Killer Moves related to the Strength Path.
However, the Jun Series was not without disadvantages. It was plagued with the common issues known to the Strength Path from its lack of ranged combat options to the inability to release one's full strength.
Although cheaper and more intuitive, the ability to stack the strength wasn't new. Using the Beast Fetus Gu, a Gu Master could stack the effects of a Beast Strength Gu.
Bai Shou could only procure the Rank 1-3 Jin/Jun series recipe. If she had been committed to the Strength Path and faced the hellish task of refining Rank 5 Beast Strength Gu, she would have moved onto the Jin/Jun Series in a heartbeat!
Alas…
Chu Du was not the only inventor but merely a more well-known one.
Fickle Heart Strength Gu also worked on dealing with the most notable issues of a Beast Strength Gu—the cost efficiency and abysmal refinement success rate—through a different direction. Bai Shou did not need to refine any Rank 5 Beast Strength Gu.
Furthermore, she was fortunate enough to obtain the essence of Beast Strength Phantom Branch and the Atmospheric Heaven and Earth Branch!
The recipe involving the core of the Human Jun Strength Branch instead acted like highly optimized notes for Bai Shou to compare her current inheritances with. There was a decent chance she could simplify a few Strength Path recipes!
'Though I won't want materials for some time,' Bai Shou exhaled. 'Ba Gui Blessed Land emerged from the Immemorial Era where Strength Path flourished. The materials it saved are nothing short of mouth-watering now that I can advance my Gu Set.'
<<<>>>
Where there was joy and hope for advancing her Gu Set soon enough, Bai Shou's expectations also simmered due to other aspects of cultivation, which forced her to realize how her current advantages would not be helpful enough to speed up her growth.
*Dong*
*Dong*
*Dong*
*Dong*
Bai Shou sat cross-legged, her brows knit tightly as droplets of sweat constantly slid down her pores. The noise of a large bell ringing melodiously echoed in her depths—it kept growing louder.
*Dong*
*Dong*
*Dong*
*Dong*
Above Bai Shou was a Rank 4 Gu releasing a curtain of mystical white glow that covered her entire body. However, it did not affect her flesh and bones. Instead, the curtain of light pierced through her skin and shrouded her soul. The Gu Worm itself looked very delicate, like a strand of floating white silk with extremely tiny eyes.
It was the Rank 4 Soul Bell Gu.
*Huff*
Bai Shou opened her eyes once she felt unable to bear the noise. The noise of the ringing bell was not physical; instead, it drummed in her soul.
She gulped dryly and couldn't help but compare the body strengthening process to the soul.
For one, the strengthening of the soul was distinct from its refinement. Meanwhile, the body—the flesh, bone, skin, circulatory system, organs, and nervous system were all strengthened and refined using the same corresponding Gu. Whenever Bai Shou used these Body Refinement Gu, she prepared herself for the physical discomfort ranging from painful itches to having her skin peeled off and muscles being scalded with the soup of 'growth' in a Cauldron.
However, strengthening the soul was another experience.
'The Soul Bell Gu strengthens the soul using the noise of the bell as an indication. I could only last 20 minutes the first time but that doesn't mean my soul couldn't become stronger. Compared to the body, the soul has lower restrictions to strengthen.'
Indeed. When refining the Body, Bai Shou needed to be mindful of the aspect she strengthened first. If her bones were especially strong, they could collapse or effortlessly pierce into her flesh. Meanwhile, if the rank of her flesh grew unbalanced, it could constrict and shatter her bones, suffocating her organs. But these limits did not exist for the soul initially.
Every Gu Master can strengthen their souls to the point of a hundred times!
'It is called a hundred-man soul,' Bai Shou mused. 'In theory, my body, even without additional refinement, should be able to advance to the level where the quality of my soul is a hundred times more powerful than that of a regular soul. Meanwhile, Soul Path Gu Masters like Mo Wu Tian should have already gone beyond that point—the thousand-man soul. These Soul Path Gu Masters can easily kill me if I don't get an adequate defensive Gu for my soul.'
'In this case, however, the limitations exist with the Gu.'
There were plenty of options available to refine the body, most of which achieved the required results within days, if not months. But the same could not be said for the soul.
For instance, the Soul Bell Gu. Each ring of the bell 'impacted' the soul. These impacts were absorbed by the soul and it grew as a result. However, a Gu Master cannot enjoy these 'impacts' indefinitely because the louder the noise, the closer the Gu Master got to injuring their souls instead. The volume of the ringing bell was relative. Eventually, with enough discipline, Bai Shou could use the Gu for hours…
'And it would still take me nearly 7 years to achieve the Hundred-Man Soul even if I consider my Divine Capacity.'
Needless to say, there were Gu Worms in the Soul Path which allowed a Gu Master to progress with their strengthening at a greater pace. But Bai Shou did not have access to these options.
'7 years…'
Bai Shou had only existed in this world for 9 years!
She faced the 'true' pace of Gu cultivation for the first time.
'And if I want to achieve the thousand-man soul… that would undoubtedly take me over a decade.'
She relented.
There was nothing she could do short of eventually pumping the Dreamer Gu with Soul Path Gu Worms. Although Bai Shou possessed an Ordinary Attainment in the Soul Path, it was entirely useless unless she found a way to experience it in several other aspects of life.
'Things would be pleasant if I could take it one step at a time,' Bai Shou sighed, lying and allowing herself to rest. 'But life can turn shitty in the blink of an eye.'
The Chained Wanderer had experienced it all too well. So, her rest only consisted of a few hours of meditation and simultaneous nurturing of the first Aperture.
<<<>>>
It had been a month since Bai Shou arrived in the Spirit Affinity House Sect's headquarters, which meant 15 days had passed in the Gu World because the disciples experienced time twice as fast within the public Blessed Land. Aside from consistent soul cultivation, Bai Shou spent her time conceptualizing a Killer Move related to the Human Adaptive Qi Gu and the Empty Cube Gu. But all was not good.
Bai Shou's need for Divine Travel Immortal Gu Worm's food was not over. The Thousand-Year Spirit Valley Wine she consumed was barely enough to let the Immortal Gu survive like a terminally ill patient. And although she could turn to her previous source of wine, another thing blew out of proportion the last week.
A rumor began to float that the Sect Leader's Husband was having an affair with Education Hall's Leader, Di Qing. It was baseless, of course. There was no evidence. However, the sect's administration could not contain the rumor as it spread like wildfire to the point a recluse like Bai Shou heard about it.
The current period was very tense for these Elders, or so Bai Shou expected. After all, nobody knew about the Sect Leader's domestic life and many rightfully didn't give a shit. Their indifference stemmed from the benefits gained from the sect. Most weren't loyal to Sect Leader Shu Zhe but the Spirit Affinity House!
So?
Did it matter if Le Tao fucked Di Qing or Di Loo?
No.
All Bai Shou cared about was maintaining a steady supply of the top-quality wine even if the amount was pitifully small.
"Sister Bai?"
Bai Shou glanced at the approaching man, who sported an amicable smile. Like Bai Shou, he was an Initial Stage Rank 5 Gu Master and an outer disciple. The male disciple's skin was reddish like heated metal, and the whites of his eyes appeared slightly solid like white gold.
"Brother Feng," Bai Shou stood up. She was seated by the stairs leading to her residence, taking in the sights of her settlement while greeting other outer disciples and their family members, generally being a part of and contributing to the modest peace around them.
Bai Shou didn't just spend her time cultivating the last month. She had spent a decent amount of time meeting with other fellow disciples who shared her status as a recent recruit from the main continent. There were seven other Rank 5 outer disciples like Bai Shou, with one of them being a Peak Stage Rank 5 Gu Master. Most of them were the wealthy sort, too, indifferent to the lure of positions within the sect and more enchanted by the opportunity of experiencing a Blessed Land and seeking guidance from the Sect's Gu Immortal Supreme Elders.
Disciple Feng was one such specimen. He was from the Eastern Sea, or at least that's what he informed. Like Bai Shou, Feng eventually mastered the accent known within the Spirit Affinity House so nobody aside from his recruiter could be sure about his origins. He was also like Yang Pao, working in one of the Halls and gaining a few more benefits as a jailer within the Disciplinary Hall.
Once invited inside, Bai Shou and Disciple Feng chatted for a while, discussing a few matters related to the recent addition of a few items to the Exchange Hall before breaching the topic as Disciple Feng chuckled and retrieved a gourd, speaking meaningfully.
"This is my favorite wine, Sister Shou. My father ran our village's top wine business, and I learned this recipe from him before it was too late." Although his tone was cheerful, there was a trace of reminiscence and regret in Disciple Feng's eyes. "It's called Sea Salt Sailor. I always hoped to share it with you."
Bai Shou's eyes lit up as she eagerly inspected the wine before pouring the duo a cup.
<<<>>>
"From manipulating your Elders to standing between your husband's happiness, do you have no heart, Sect Leader Shu?"
Shu Zhe woke from her meditation, the expected fear at the newcomer's presence nowhere to be found on her features, much less the realization that a strange specter—a shadowy creature—had somehow slipped past her defenses, managing to enter her Rank 4 Underwater Sea Cave Gu.
'A Shadow Beast…'
Shu Zhe shifted from her cross-legged position to instantly kowtowing with a respectful expression, a trace of reverence blooming in her voice.
"Please command your subordinate, Supreme Elder."
The sapphire crystals in the meditation room glowed dimly, eerily illuminating the illusive shadowy creature with a flowing form no different from a peal of flame. Despite the terrifying appearance, the pitch-dark of the unfathomable shadow swallowing all light cast upon it, only leaving its silhouette available, the voice that emerged was as soft as silk, comforting the listeners.
"You are a talented junior, brimming with passion despite your rigid exterior. That is the fate of those who explore the Wisdom Path through emotions. Clearly, you were also cautious and made sure to master your feelings—a clever inheritance that does not numb yourself but grants magnificent control. Otherwise, your emotions would have caused you to lash out against Elder Le Tao even if you did not hold any affection for him. After all, he is still your husband."
"I married Elder Le Tao and love him dearly," Shu Zhe stated without raising her head. Her passionate voice stabilized into a droning monotone by the time it left her mouth.
"Oh?" the voice giggled. "Did you not marry Elder Le Tao to heal your father? Was your father's disease not why you sought Grey Filth Bird Egg held only by Le Tao, something he carried from the Western Desert?"
Shu Zhe's eyelids briefly trembled.
"Sigh. Look at you, what a Sect Leader. Do you know why you were appointed as the Sect Leader even when you received no assistance from your grandmother but only more responsibilities and misfortune? Well, I answered my own question, did I not?"
"When you were 15, you awoke an A-grade Aptitude. But you had lost your mother long ago, and Elder Shu Ye did not care about your father since he was a 'lowly' filth who your mother, Elder Shu Ye's daughter, fought for. However, instead of congratulating you or gifting your first Gu, Elder Shu Ye tossed you out in a village suffering drought and bandits, forcing you to think and preserve your life by the skin of your teeth. Seeing your wisdom, she spared you a common Rank 1 Wisdom Path Gu, which you refined to its current status as the rare Rank 5 Rock Heart Gu."
"At the age of 20, your father was diagnosed with a rare illness. The Sect's healers could not do a thing, and when you asked your grandmother for help, she added on your father's sickness before naming the necessary medicine—another test. You married Elder Le Tao at such a tender age, your heart having never understood anything about intimate love. But determined, you took upon young Le Tao's responsibility, acting from behind the scenes to help him rise as an Elder and eventually become a Sect Leader yourself."
"Even with an Immortal relative, you were treated poorer than a commoner. Elder Shu Ye did not test you, she despised you."
"However, you were selected as the Sect Leader due to your virtue. You were once dedicated—a loving figure like your mother and a valiant disciple who upheld your father's legacy."
"Now?"
"Look at you now."
"You are turning into Elder Shu Ye's reflection, an indifferent being."
Shu Zhe did not speak the entire time. Her expression looked strange and unnatural, a mixture of rigid indifference and sincere remorse.
"What are you planning?"
The voice did not request. It was a command. Shu Zhe knew lying was useless. She now experienced the same thing as Bai Shou. Shu Zhe spoke honestly even if she flooded her mind with different thoughts in case the Immortal Elder was using a rare mind-reading Gu.
"I planned to scout Disciple Bai Shou's need for the 1000-Year Spirit Valley Wine. As instructed, I did not deviate from wanting to align Bai Shou's interests with the Sect. For that and personal reasons, I wish to know what elicits Bai Shou's desires and to what extent before planning a shortage of relevant materials across the Exchange Halls. Furthermore, I also intended to formulate a few schemes related to Elders, forcing a political strife around Disciple Bai Shou, starting with Elder Jirou Na. As we speak, Bai Shou must be on her way to meet Legacy Disciple Nu Wu."
Humiliation crept into Shu Zhe's heart, but she maintained her composure. It was usually taboo to pry into another's secret unless one was ready for a violent retaliation. That's why Shu Zhe never forced Bamboo Gentleman on either Jirou Meng Hou or Bai Shou, especially the latter. Their Gu Rank entailed everyone in the meeting being each other's peers.
Such taboo held no meaning for an Immortal. To these powerhouses, Shu Zhe was lower than an insect. So, her humiliation was a product of helplessness and the fact that she, a Wisdom Path Gu Master, could so effortlessly be brought to her knees, forced to spill all her carefully crafted plans.
"Impressive," the shadow hummed. "Nu Wu assaulted Le Tao's brother before killing him, eventually sentenced to the Disciplinary Hall. Making Nu Wu and Bai Shou work together will strain Di Qing's and Le Tao's relationship, which is on thin ice since you released the rumor about their affair. Furthermore, due to his talent, Nu Wu has access to the Exchange Hall's back channel, allowing him to access trace amounts of the top-quality wine, which would help us understand Bai Shou's limits and purpose. Doing all this, you can also formulate just the right amount of rewards to employ Bai Shou's assistance in trying to heal your Aperture."
"Oh, Sect Leader. You are so crafty. But did you forget how your plans threaten Le Tao's peace? Did you not care for him once? Even if not love, you were not emotionless. It is your Gu that fossilizes your heart. Your emotions are not numb and rocky. Can you go through with your plans?"
"Is all this worth it? Is becoming your grandmother's reflection the only choice you have?"
"After all, your aperture is injured by your grandmother's enemy, right?"
"It is your grandmother's fault. But she does nothing. Elder Shu Ye is indifferent to your plights."
"That is not the case," Shu Zhe interjected in a monotone. She looked up for the first time, staring deep into the abyss. "Supreme Elder Shu Ye is not to be blamed for her actions when it was a Demonic Gu Immortal's Killer Move that left me injured a few years ago. Being a smidgen similar to my grandmother could be my single-most proud achievement. However, I believe my talents will never overcome the chasm between us. My grandmother is virtuous, and her actions have always existed to guide and protect me."
The shadow grew silent before suddenly dissipating into the ground.
There was only a gentle sigh.
"Oh, Sect Leader. You truly were appointed to lead our Sect for a good reason."
With that, a figure stepped into Shu Zhe's view, causing her body to tremble. The Sect Leader's blue eyes grew slightly red as she lowered her head, greeting in a whisper.
"Greetings, Lord Grandmother."
Her head hit the ground.
Before Shu Zhe stood an indifferent woman nearing her sixties in appearance with a face slightly similar to the Sect Leader. They weren't great beauties like most Immortal Fairies, but being younger, Shu Zhe boasted a unique, dry charm long lost on her grandmother.
"Hmm," Shu Ye acknowledged her granddaughter's greeting and previous words with a quiet hum. Nothing else needed to be said since Shu Zhe proved again why she was chosen to be a Sect Leader—her interests aligned with the Sect and even if her thoughts might sometimes be rebellious, Shu Zhe was too intelligent to ever go against the chain of command. Furthermore, she was bold but had limits.
Instead of plotting vengeance against every slight, Shu Zhe focused on her injuries. She also knew not to let familial frustration cloud her judgment and blame the right party for her injuries—in this case, the Demonic Gu Immortal.
"What assistance do you seek, Sect Leader?" Shu Ye began, not seeing it fit to call Shu Zhe her granddaughter despite the lass' greeting.
"I require a steady supply of the top-quality wine, Lord Grandmother."
A wave of silence greeted Shu Zhe. After a few minutes, Shu Zhe quietly looked up. There was nobody in her meditation chamber!
'The Immortals indeed do not care about us mortals,' Shu Zhe closed her eyes, regathering her composure. 'So, I wonder… why do they respect an outsider like Bai Shou's wishes? Nu Wu was given special access because he had a similar innovative focus to Bai Shou but was not free from such suppression.'
'Bai Shou… what is it that you hide?'
'What is it that even the Supreme Elders fear and desire?'
***
Alternate Title: Benefits of the Sect; The Source of Righteous Path's Growth—Trade; Le Righteous Path Gu Master: Grows Continuously Despite Political Suppression Due To Several Opportunities Everywhere *Le Demonic Path Gu Master: KILL!*; Bai Shou Sees The True Way of Cultivation: Righteousness; The Soul and Body; Bai Shou Gets Ratioed By Soul Path; Soul Path Gu Masters To Bai Shou: Don't Care, L, Take This Ghost Attack, Soulless Strength Path Brute, Flesh Is Shit-Soul Is Eternal; The Limits In Soul Path; Getting The Work Done; Soul Bell Gu; The Strength Path's Saviour Chu Du!; The Jun Strength Series Gu; The Twilight of Strength Path; More Research; Shu Zhe Gets Ratioed; Everyone Is An Ant Compared To Gu Immortals *Meanwhile Bai Shou: I Can Probably Escape From An Immortal.* *Gets Rekt Almost Immediately*; Immortal Are Too Powerful *Bai Ning Bing and Wu Ji: Hold On To Our Extreme Physique Self-Destruction*; Shu Zhe's History; Better Without a Grandmother; Shu Ye Actively Being a Stain To Every Grandmother In the Verse; Bai La To Her Granddaughter (FJH): Oh, Dear. Follow My Inheritance; Shu Ye To Shu Zhe: Oh, Dear. Let's See If Fate Wants You Alive Or Not *Gets Yeeted Into Badlands*; Nu Wu?; A Genius Approaches; Shu Zhe: I Wonder What Bai Shou Has *Bai Shou: As You Wish* *Transforms Into The Little Giant King And Unzips*
***
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