Sunlight filtered through the treetops, dappling the ancient stone doors of the Gu Repository with patches of gold.
As the one who'd contributed most to repelling White Bone Stronghold, Lin Feng naturally stood first in line, granted priority in selecting his Gu.
He didn't bother with false modesty—a cupped-fist salute to the elders and guards, then he strode through the entrance with his head held high.
Lin Wan'er and the surviving house-slave followed close behind, their faces written over with anticipation and nerves.
Lin Mu brought up the rear. His expression was calm as still water, but behind that placid surface, a precise tactical simulation was already underway.
Taking advantage of the wait, he began methodically reviewing his current Gu arsenal.
Defense: I have the Red Mud Gu as my foundation, plus that Savage Stone Gu I seized from the muscle-bound thug. Once I refine it, the two layers combined should make me practically iron-walled at the Rank 1 level.
Reconnaissance: The Blood Scent Gu performed admirably in the Blood Forest—tracking, counter-surveillance, it's sufficient for now.
Attack: The Iron Leaf Gu is sharp enough, but it lacks explosive power. Against heavily armored targets, it struggles.
His brow furrowed slightly.
The real problem is... although the Earth Ring Physique grants me exceptional speed and defense, it's still incremental. No burst capability.
If I'm ever surrounded, or face an opponent skilled in entanglement and traps, I still lack effective means of escape or creating distance.
The weakness was obvious: insufficient agility, no explosive displacement or deceptive techniques to speak of.
So this time, priority one is mobility or burst-type support. Second priority: enhanced offense.
Target locked.
The stone doors remained sealed, those inside still making their selections.
After a moment's thought, Lin Mu straightened his robes and approached the white-haired elder standing guard at the entrance, offering a respectful bow.
"Honored Elder, this disciple's knowledge is shallow. It's my first time entering such a treasury, and I confess I'm rather overwhelmed."
"Might you have any recommendations for a refinement path?"
The elder had been resting with his eyes closed. At Lin Mu's words, he cracked one eye open and gave the young man a once-over.
Seeing this branch family youth's humble demeanor—so unlike those arrogant direct-line scions with their noses in the clouds—a flicker of approval warmed his expression.
"You young ones must guard against reaching beyond your grasp."
He stroked his beard and offered the safest, most orthodox advice:
"Since you're accustomed to the Iron Leaf Gu, the most practical choice is to follow the clan's traditional Metal-Iron Path."
"Go in and select a Metal Rend Gu to complement your Iron Leaf—it can shatter armor and sunder metal."
"Or choose an Iron Bone Gu to strengthen your physique, walking the same path as the Clan Leader. These are routes the clan has validated hundreds of times over. Powerful, with complete advancement formulas. Hard to go wrong."
"The Elder's words are golden wisdom. This disciple is deeply grateful."
Lin Mu nodded repeatedly, wearing an expression of sudden enlightenment and heartfelt thanks.
But inwardly, he was weighing his options: The conventional path is stable, yes—but stable also means mediocre. Too easy to counter.
Besides, the Metal-Iron Path demands head-on, hard-hitting frontal assault. That's utterly incompatible with my style—lurking in shadows, unpredictable, ever-shifting. The Demonic Path.
Just then, the heavy stone doors groaned open.
Lin Feng emerged beaming, toying with a Gu worm that radiated cold, sharp light. Clearly, he'd made an excellent haul.
Spotting Lin Mu waiting at the entrance, Lin Feng paused.
Perhaps because of their shoulder-to-shoulder fighting before, or perhaps simply because he was in good spirits, he actually reached out and clapped Lin Mu on the shoulder, lowering his voice:
"Lin Mu. There's a Rank 1 Peak Metal Rend Gu on the third row of shelves in the Metal Section. Keep an eye out for it."
This was genuine goodwill—a superior's reward for a useful tool.
"Many thanks for Young Master's guidance! I'll be sure to look for it!"
Lin Mu immediately adopted an expression of flattered surprise, clasping his fists in gratitude.
Lin Feng nodded with satisfaction and swept away with his entourage.
Moments later, Lin Wan'er and the others emerged as well, barely concealing the excitement in their eyes.
Lin Mu watched them leave, then drew a deep breath and stepped through the shadowed stone doorway.
The instant he entered, light fell away.
The cavern ceiling was studded with countless luminescent stones, glittering like a sky full of stars.
Beneath that stellar glow stood row upon row of orderly stone shelves. Countless Gu worms lay sealed within specialized light-membranes, suspended in slumber.
Lin Mu didn't rush toward the Metal Rend Gu.
First, he made his way to the Strength Section. In an unremarkable corner, he spotted a beetle that was white, plump, and comically endearing—shaped like a domestic pig.
White Boar Gu.
His heart stirred.
This was the very Gu that even Fang Yuan had praised in the original work. It could add the strength of a full-grown boar, a cornerstone of any Strength Path.
He stood there, gazing at it for several breaths. A glint of respect passed through his eyes, but in the end, he shook his head.
"I don't have a Strength Path core Gu right now—something like the Beast Phantasm Gu. Raw power alone is meaningless."
"Besides, my combat style leans toward mobile assassination. The wide-open, heavy-hitting Strength Path approach doesn't suit me."
What works for others won't necessarily work for oneself.
Lin Mu turned away without hesitation and headed for the Metal Section.
Sure enough, in the most prominent position on the third row, there it was: the Metal Rend Gu.
Its golden carapace rippled with an aura of lethal sharpness. A peak-grade specimen, no question.
Lin Mu extended his hand, fingertips touching the light-membrane, feeling that keen edge.
"Not bad at all... but still too orthodox."
He sighed, about to take it as a fallback option, when his peripheral vision caught something in the farthest corner of the adjacent Earth Section.
The spot was remote. A thin layer of dust had accumulated on the shelf—clearly, no one had visited in a long time.
There sat a small, semi-translucent beetle. It looked grimy and ash-gray. Unlike the other Gu that shimmered with flowing radiance, this one resembled a dried-out, dead insect specimen, its interior seemingly filled with murky dust.
The label read: Rank 1 · Dust Escape Gu.
Lin Mu's hand froze in midair.
By worldly standards, this was an obscure Earth Path mobility Gu, so unpopular it was considered worthless—a reject.
But through Lin Mu's eyes—eyes that held the inherited knowledge of the original work and a unique depth of understanding—this Gu radiated an entirely different light.
"Dust corresponds to the Earth Path. Escape corresponds to displacement."
A flash of insight sparked through his mind. "This Gu doesn't work by running on legs—it transforms the body into dust, vanishing with the wind. It can't cover long distances, but for short-range shifts and repositioning, the effect is eerily effective."
More importantly, his core Gu was the Red Mud Gu.
One was "mud." The other was "dust."
Mud and dust are kin.
If I can combine them, I won't just solve the Earth Ring Physique's clumsiness—I might develop an entirely new Earth Path tactical system.
Dissolving into dust, becoming shadow. Not only would it add agility, but paired with the Earth Ring Physique, the possibilities are beyond imagination.
Perfect synergy.
Lin Mu hesitated no longer. He abandoned the gleaming Metal Rend Gu, reaching instead for the dusty little beetle in the corner.
At the registration desk by the cave entrance.
The archive elder accepted the Gu worm Lin Mu handed over. The moment he saw what it was, his brow knotted into deep furrows.
"Why did you choose this?"
The old man looked at Lin Mu with undisguised disappointment—like watching good iron refuse to become steel.
"This Gu was confiscated from some wandering rogue cultivator years ago. It's been gathering dust here for ages. Nobody wants it."
"It's all show, no substance! First, the Primeval Essence consumption is enormous—an ordinary Rank 1 can barely sustain it for a few breaths."
"Second, the moment you activate it, dust explodes everywhere. Sure, you can move, but you've also completely exposed your position."
"For Black Blood Stronghold's style—hard bridges, iron horses, frontal assault—this thing is nothing but a dust-kicking liability!"
The elder jabbed a finger at Lin Mu, his tone severe: "I heard Lin Feng specifically saved the Metal Rend Gu for you. You ignore a peak-grade treasure and pick up garbage instead?"
"Young man, don't ruin your future just to be different!"
Faced with the elder's rebuke, Lin Mu offered no rebuttal, no explanation of tactical vision.
He simply hunched his shoulders and put on a smile that perfectly matched his persona as a "poor branch-family nobody"—part timid, part sly:
"The Elder's criticism is deserved. But... this disciple is a coward."
"Battlefields are chaos. If I can kick up some dust and slip away in the confusion—even if I can't win, at least I can run faster."
"Perhaps... perhaps that suits this disciple better than standing and fighting."
These words admitted his fear of death, his reluctance for direct combat—while perfectly rationalizing his choice.
Sure enough, the anger in the elder's eyes faded, replaced by the resigned disappointment of someone looking at a rotten piece of wood beyond carving.
"Fine."
The elder shook his head, saying no more. He picked up his seal, stamped the register with a heavy thud, and waved dismissively:
"The path is yours to walk. Don't come crying later. Take it and go."
Lin Mu accepted the dusty little Gu with both hands, bowed deeply, and turned to leave.
Beneath those lowered lids, the corner of his mouth curved into a smile no one could see.
A pearl veiled in dust—only those with eyes to see can polish it bright.