Bai Shou saw Yang Pao out with a pleasant smile on her face. The pair had just concluded their commission, with the former making an exception for the latter due to their past and accepting the rare Rank 5 material, the Preserving Branch, as a payment for finalizing the recipe 'Yang Pao' needed to complete within two months.
Sure… Yang Pao.
Bai Shou didn't reveal anything and didn't fear if the Sect Leader found out the former was trying to scam the rewards. Shu Zhe must have sought Nu Wu before Bai Shou, who toiled in his prison until he reached the recipe completion of 94%. Seeing Nu Wu's innovative block, Bai Shou assumed that the Sect Leader wanted to test her and understand the depths of her skills and creative ingenuity.
Despite being unaware of the details of the Sect Leader's injuries, Bai Shou theorized it must have something to do with one's Aperture.
'I will have to act fast and keep myself from entering any other political strife since it would offer no benefits.' She stressed.
Back then, Bai Shou tried leaving Nu Wu's prison to avoid hearing anything incriminating about Shu Zhe. Sect Leader was a position of power and reputation. One splash meant to stain said reputation could result in lasting consequences, starting from filling the heads of ambitious leaders under the Sect Leader with the idea that they could rise to the rank by any means possible.
Demonism and Righteousness were merely labels and did not accurately assess a Gu Master's identity and character. The hearts of the righteous Gu Masters were often rotten with greed.
The situation of Nu Wu deliberately exposing some details might resemble Chen Jiu pulling Lo Jik into her schemes.
However, the truth couldn't be farther from it.
Lo Jik did not have enough momentum or choices and tried to follow the path he best believed was possible, even when it led to his eventual downfall against an Immortal. Knowing everything Bai Shou knew now… she would choose to do a few things differently, but the heart of her choices wouldn't change—her direction and motivation would not falter.
As for the current situation?
Nu Wu, revealing the truth, instead informed Bai Shou of some much-needed clues about Spirit Affinity House's motivation.
Furthermore, she still had the slightest bit of the top-quality wine to get drunk on and escape using the Divine Travel Immortal Gu.
She was again in the shadow, her true capabilities boosted and hidden simultaneously.
And not that she was dragged into another political strife, Bai Shou paid attention to the details, noticing several concerning points.
'Someone is already targeting Shu Zhe by spreading rumors about her husband and Di Qing's affair. It smells of conspiracy and might corner Shu Zhe enough for her to retaliate aggressively.'
While the Sect Leader looked stoic and rigid, Bai Shou did not doubt a Wisdom Path Gu Master's ability to cause losses when motivated enough.
Her heart momentarily grew heavy.
—Did you always spend hours thinking so many things? Gosh, I hope you weren't so tiresome in the head when we lay together.—
Bai Shou smiled faintly as she momentarily recalled Mo Yan's teasing words. Her worries simmered only for her eyes to widen. Schooling her expression, Bai Shou instantly swept away the lingering whisper, crushing her desires to spend hours in recollection about Mo Yan and their shared sweet nothings.
'Focus.' Bai Shou berated herself. 'She's dead.' She chanted. 'Dead. She means nothing.'
'Let's complete the recipe. The only way I stand to gain anything from this mess is by schemes.'
Her routine returned soon after. Completing the recipe required fulfilling several aspects, and the last 6% was also one of the more critical areas. So, even if it was a less-challenging task, Bai Shou couldn't afford any mistakes.
Studying and understanding the intent behind the recipe itself took days. Since it was an incomplete recipe, there were no notes or experiences about the refinement process, leaving much to the reader's comprehension of the Refinement Dao.
The recipe was eventually tweaked and transformed in many areas. To finalize the remaining 6%, Bai Shou made several changes to the first portion. A few refinement techniques and material processing techniques diminished the success rate. However, these processes could not be removed; such was the curse of the human touch. Instead, Bai Shou required another—better—process.
'Huh,' Bai Shou's eyelids jumped as she almost completed the Gu recipe. If she wasn't wrong…
'This Gu Worm does not restrict the aperture. It's an offensive-type Gu Worm that injures the aperture and permanently reduces the capacity of the primeval essence.'
Her mind stirred, and she glanced inward.
Bai Shou's aperture under Bai Ning Bing's illicit use of Yin-Yang Rotation Gu suffered a permanent decrease of 10% essence.
Unfortunately, Bai Shou possessed two apertures. So, she suffered a sum loss of 20% Primeval Essence, two testicles, and one penis.
Damn that… Bai Ning Bing!
Shaking her head, Bai Shou focused on the unnamed Gu Worm.
'Does Shu Zhe's injuries relate to permanent decrease of the Primeval Essence?' Bai Shou pondered. It was another valuable clue.
'It means Shu Zhe would need even more Gu Worms meant to store Primeval Essence like the Beggar Moth Gu or the Lotus Gu. This further increases the mental drain on the Gu Master during the combat… but that must not be a problem for a Wisdom Path Gu Master like Shu Zhe.'
'So? How much essence does Shu Zhe's aperture maintain? How much did she lose?'
'She must be stressing about the matter. Of course, as a Peak Stage Rank 5 Gu Master, Shu Zhe has the choice to transcend her limitations. These injuries will become meaningless once she successfully advances as a Gu Immortal. However, these injuries limit Shu Zhe's potential, making the process of Immortal Ascension riskier.'
It was a vulnerability Bai Shou could use.
The recipe also led to another clue.
'The Gu Worm is meant to attack the aperture and lower one's essence. Shu Zhe might want such a Gu Worm to create a Killer Move that achieves the opposite. This unnamed Gu shares many similarities with the Rule Dao's Aperture Seal Gu and might work alongside the Reverse Gu to heal Shu Zhe.'
'However, this was an attack's side-effect from a Blood Path Gu Immortal? Could Shu Zhe be hiding other injuries related to the Blood Path? Likely, just this Gu Worm would not be enough. An attack from an Immortal that the Ancient Sect could not restore until now… mustn't be so easy.'
Bai Shou also encountered a moment of caution and greed.
Aperture Seal Gu was very rare.
She inadvertently recalled the climactic battle upon Qing Mao Mountain, where she was stuck with Bai Ning Bing's fruity ass. Back then, Tie Xue Leng had struck Gu Yue Clan's Ancestor with the Demon Suppression Iron Chain Gu and Problem Nipped In the Bud Gu. The former restricted Gu Yue Ancestor, temporarily restraining the demon's ability to use Primeval Essence. Meanwhile, Problem Nipped In the Bud Gu restrained and extracted several Gu Worms from the body, caging them with a thick barrier.
It was how Lo Jik and Bai Ning Bing could steal the Blood Skull and Yin-Yang Rotation Gu.
Those two Gu Worms fell under the Restriction Sub-Path of the Rule Path. Like the previously mentioned pair, Aperture Seal Gu was very sought after. It wasn't present in the current era, and the lack of the Restriction Path's traction indicated many Immortals were also unaware of the recipe, including Imaginative Strength. Bai Shou herself got the recipe from a Thieving Heaven Demon Venerable's inheritance.
What made Bai Shou pause was the use of this new, unnamed offensive Gu.
'It can attack every mortal Gu Master, directly targeting the Aperture. There are many Gu to defend the soul, body, and mind. But an Aperture?'
Bai Shou realized she didn't know about any such Gu!
What would happen if Bai Shou completed such a recipe and handed it to Shu Zhe, who must be cautious about any information leak?
It would lead to unnecessary conflicts. Shu Zhe might even use such a Gu on Bai Shou!
Of course, the recipe Bai Shou was finalizing was a Rank 3 Gu Worm. It only affected the apertures of Rank 3 Gu Masters. But who's to say a Killer Move could not enhance the unnamed Gu Worm's effects?
'I need to modify the recipe again.'
Bai Shou's was quiet and her gaze serene.
'I have to make a new version of the Gu Worm that is a consumable one instead. That way, I make Shu Zhe dependent on me, giving me leverage for more negotiations. Meanwhile, I will refine the better version of the Gu that isn't one-use expendable Gu and see if I can advance it to Rank 5.'
A Human Path Offensive Gu?
Such a Gu Worm could become the core of her third set.
Strength Path: Self Strength, All-Out Effort, and Borrow Strength.
Refinement Path: Preservation and Five Fusion At Once.
Complementing her Strength and Refinement Path Set was the Rank 5 Beating Refinement Gu.
Meanwhile, Bai Shou had long realized that Undefeated Hundred Battles was not a Refinement Path Gu but a Human Path Gu. So, it was a connecting force between her budding Refinement Set and could not be considered its core. Now, this unnamed Human Path Gu provided Bai Shou with several ideas.
'It is also an outstanding material to compare my other works with. The recipe to refine the Hairy Transformation Gu into a Refinement Path variable of Dreamer Gu is still in its infancy. It can also be used to formulate a Killer Move around Human Adaptive Qi.'
Bai Shou blinked, realizing another path ahead.
After a moment's consideration, Bai Shou also chose to use the Fresh Wind Gu, enjoying the benefits of stirred imagination that led her to several wild but plausible achievements.
<<<>>>
Bai Shou made progress at a decent pace, consistently perusing the exchange halls in case something caught her eye. According to Imaginative Strength, the trick to modifying the recipe involved two schools of thought.
First, it was the same as Bai Shou modifying the Human Adaptive Qi Gu and instantly skipping one of its use requirements because the consumed materials fulfilled said conditions—in this case, the need to accumulate and store the Adaptive Qi.
Second, it was to use the original Gu Worm to create something new resembling the former. For instance, the unnamed Gu was not a one-time consumable Gu. Modifying the recipe and creating such a Gu as expendable was nothing short of creating a brand new Gu Worm with its distinctive Dao Shard and even slight alteration in nurturing and feeding patterns. In this case, the modification must focus on the inherent dao shard.
Imaginative Strength faced such a struggle since the beginning. The Rank 5 Fickle Heart Strength was once a consumable Gu and not a viable pillar for Strength Path Body Modification. It was too costly and had a greater failure rate. Even a Rank 7 Gu Immortal struggled to understand the intricacies of the Dao Fragments and the general rules on what made a consumable and permanent Gu Worm.
Now?
That experience was a ladder for Bai Shou.
She sat on the shoulders of a brilliant Rank 7 Gu Immortal—an Otherworldly Demon—who emerged from a world somewhat as modern as Bai Shou's homeworld. Their thoughts and aspirations were in sync.
Aware of the common mistakes during modifications of such nature, Bai Shou formed a proper structure of materials, which she scouted from the Exchange Halls and the extinct materials left to her alike.
Each second was productive.
Mental exhaustion was not a word in Bai Shou's dictionary since she had many outstanding ways to deal with mental strain and creative block.
Study, study, study!
She made notes, compared several materials, tested a few refinement processes, noted their results, and scrutinized the failures without the killer move, Scan The Dao. The more she worked, the better Bai Shou felt the benefits of being a Refinement Path Master.
Until now, she had been unable to unleash the maximum performance of a being blessed with several master-level attainments!
Back then, Bai Shou stayed put for several months after a tremendous loss in the Ba Gui Blessed Land. She chose to study the inheritances with her several times, learning something new with every revision.
But now? Especially with the less-known Human Path?
Her improvement could be considered boundless!
Her focus remained on Strength, Refinement, and Human Paths. Other attainments provided an incredible supplement for ideas and an instinct for successful modification.
She took some inspiration from the Jin/Jun Strength Gu series, a little from the Human Adaptive Qi Gu, some notes from the Fickle Heart Strength's original iteration, and more!
Another month passed by in the blink of an eye.
It meant another 15 days lost in the real world.
Bai Shou finally had partial success.
Her body was soaked in sweat, the robes lining her pronounced physical features and drenched as such. There were no signs of additional injuries, and Bai Shou's eyes were still vibrant with slight excitement.
Bai Shou did not refine anything inside the Empty Cube Gu since the Space Path Dao Shard within the Gu Worm altered its environment, which could negatively impact the refinement process.
Still, Bai Shou was willing to reveal the Gu but not its purpose to any supposed Gu Immortal keeping tabs on her and being able to bypass the basic formation around her modest cottage.
It was a familiar Rank 4 Gu.
Instead of its original color, the pouch-shaped leech boasted a color and texture eerily similar to human skin. At the moment, it was three inches long and two inches wide, its round mouth lined with tiny, prickling red fangs!
Rank 4 Modified Human Adaptive Qi Gu!
This time, Bai Shou did not focus on changing the material or reinventing the refinement process.
No.
'I didn't originally plan to modify this Gu to such an extent, but the more I challenge myself, the more I grow.'
Bai Shou could never have had such a thought process if she had not been in one of the Ten Ancient Sects.
In such moments, a Gu Master needed to focus on spiritual and creative growth and accumulate a wealth of understanding of the Dao.
'Let's call it… Fickle Travel Gu.'
Imaginative Strength's experience with Fickle Heart Strength was Bai Shou's most remarkable asset this time. So, she named the Gu after said inspiration and its purpose. After all, calling it Human Adaptive Qi Gu V2 would be weird.
Carefully inspecting the Gu, Bai Shou retreated into her Empty Cube Gu and let the Fickle Travel Gu into her aperture.
The core component in refining this Gu was the Rank 4 Human Adaptive Qi Gu itself!
'Amazing…'
Bai Shou smiled faintly.
Inside her aperture, the Fickle Travel Gu inhaled her essence greedily. Its once tiny body began to inflate like a balloon, the flesh stretched to a grotesque degree, limiting the Gu Worm's mobility.
Bai Shou's Initial Stage Rank 5 Essence kept dropping.
89%…
86%…
80%…
72%…
61%…
50%…
Ultimately, the Rank 4 Gu stopped ingesting once Bai Shou's essence level dropped to 44%!
What did this mean?
It meant the Rank 4 Gu ingested essence worth 100% of the Peak Stage Rank 4 Essence!
With that done, Bai Shou carefully transferred the Rank 4 Gu into her Second Aperture, where it suddenly released a cloud of white mist. The more it exhaled, the smaller its body became.
Under Bai Shou's ministrations rose one of the suppressed Rank 2 Gu Worms.
It entered the mist fog, which was consumed slightly before allowing Bai Shou to feel the suppression of the regional qi on the rare Rank 2 Gu removed!
Success!
Bai Shou schooled her expression and revealed no excitement even when secluded within the Empty Cube Gu. She soon began to push her several Rank 5 Gu Worms into the mist. The Rank 5 Gu would consume a massive amount of mist each time!
When the mist was thoroughly consumed, Bai Shou fed the Rank 4 Fickle Travel Gu again.
The same scene repeated itself.
The Gu consumed essence and inflated before releasing a massive cloud of white mist.
'It's done…'
Bai Shou soon felt relieved.
All of her Gu Worms were soon free from the regional qi suppression!
She stifled what would have become a bout of manic laughter.
Bai Shou's modifications were the results of her surroundings. Initially, she was surrounded by mortals and chose to use them as products. However, such luxury was not available within the Ancient Sect, where everyone got a chance to become a Gu Master! Furthermore, she wanted to rely on herself and refine a Gu that could be easily used. Now that she had determined such objectives, Bai Shou did not hold anything back and eventually succeeded in refining the Rank 4 Fickle Travel Gu.
Similar to Fickle Heart Strength, its use and nurturing were combined!
Rank 4 Fickle Travel Gu must be kept well-fed at every moment. Its food was 100% Peak Stage Essence corresponding to the Gu Rank.
And its use?
It was not something as basic as storage.
It was a conversion.
The Rank 4 Fickle Travel Gu consumed essence and converted it into the Human Adaptive Qi!
One use could free either 10 Rank 4 Gu or three Rank 5 Gu!
But Bai Shou soon encountered an issue she felt slightly incensed with.
'This Gu is now somewhat… useless.'
She sighed.
Naturally, no Gu was useless in the truest sense. However, besides dealing with the Regional Qi Suppression, Bai Shou had no idea how to use it.
It wasn't the Gu that was useless…
She was useless in this scenario.
Shaking her head, Bai Shou returned to her tasks while preparing to advance the beast strength phantoms on her body.
She had finally recovered entirely…
Bai Shou's gaze flicked down on her chest.
'Well, not entirely.'
***
Alternate Title: Lo Jik: What Is Better Than One Reward? *Bai Shou: TWO!*; Bai Shou Succeeds In The Imaginative Delulu Path; Seeking Clues In Information; Being Cautious; In Darkness Yet Again; Grow And Study x3; Passport Bro In the Gu World; HUMAN ADAPTIVE QI V2!!!!!; Bai Shou: I Have Returned With Full Strength *Looks Down* A Bit Modification Remains; Reclusive; Modifications; The Visa Gu; The Cute Leech
***
A/N: The chapter didn't have many interactions with other characters so couldn't form more alternate titles. Oof.
***
Join the discord through the link in the synopsis.
Read 60 chapters ahead @ Patron and Subscribe Star (Links in the synopsis.)
Support the Fanfic through comments, likes, reviews and such (if the published site allows it.)