Lo Jik's body healed quickly enough. However, his head throbbed painfully. The injury to his mind after forcefully using too many derivation thoughts needed time, Guts Gu, and plenty of sleep to heal in the most efficient manner. He also possessed other wisdom path healing gu, like Healthy Mind Gu. But it didn't come close to the nourishment received from Guts Gu.
He continued resting in the crater; his naked body embedded into the ground as the remnants of his robes lay tattered around him, unable to cover his flaccid dignity.
Others might feel humiliated. Lo Jik, however, continued to enjoy being more knowledgeable and able. He wanted to think about several recipes and methods, but each idea was accompanied by a terrible headache.
"Could you ask Little Hu Immortal to teleport me in Dang Hun Mountain?" Lo Jik transmitted. "I'm not decent and also suffered some injuries to my mind."
"A mental backlash?" He heard Feng Jin Huang exclaim as her tone suddenly felt at ease. "No wonder you couldn't go all out. A killer move's activation can fail for different reasons…"
"You just got lucky." Lo Jik sneered. "How else could you have beaten me?"
While Lo Jik was keen on going easy on Feng Jin Huang and to give her an advantage in the long run to build a more cordial relationship with the gu immortals backing her, he could never have expected a flash of inspiration in such a strange moment.
"Hmph! I won. One's fortune is also part of a gu master's strength. You better remember this defeat the next time you stare…"
"Stare? Stare, what?" Lo Jik smirked secretly.
"Why would my bitch need to know all this? Recuperate quickly. I need you to prepare another batch of rockmen to trade. Hmph!"
"Oh!" Lo Jik hastily added. "Also tell Little Hu Immortal to help me activate a Divine Sense Gu. I need to check the sale of the remaining portion of the desolate beast I left inside Treasure Yellow Heaven."
Feng Jin Huang agreed to this request instantly.
After all…
"Don't forget. I will charge a flat 5% fee on every transaction you conduct inside Treasure Yellow Heaven. Only the transactions related to the growth of my business will enjoy exemption from this tax."
It was true.
Earlier, Lo Jik could freely explore Treasure Yellow Heaven. Feng Jin Huang didn't charge anything and wanted to nurture Lo Jik's interest and reliance on this divine market.
Now that he possessed a desolate beast's corpse, he needed to sell it. Selling it to the sect would be the quickest option. However, Lo Jik would only receive contribution points in return. But selling in Treasure Yellow Heaven allowed Lo Jik to earn a currency with the greatest purchasing power in the gu world right below immortal gu worms and lifespan gu worms.
Lo Jik's surroundings changed, and he found himself lying on a dimly glowing crystalline ground. It was Dang Hun Mountain's interior.
Getting dressed, Lo Jik sighed and started breaking the multicolored gutstones around him. Using Little Hu Immortal's power to accurately find out every Guts Gu would make Feng Jin Huang charge another fee!
'Owning this blessed land is already a great business. Of course, most of its value is derived from Dang Hun Mountain.'
Lo Jik's expression eased as he cracked open a gutstone. From within shot out a flash of eerie greyish light. It entered Lo Jik's forehead as the pain in his head subsided slightly.
He continued this for a while until his soul reached its former hundred-and-twenty-man soul foundation.
After calling for the land spirit, Lo Jik was smoothly transported to Dang Hun Palace's inner chambers as Little Hu Immortal helped him activate a new Rank 5 Divine Sense Gu Worm.
Even the exceptional primeval essence recovery ability of an extreme physique couldn't have allowed Lo Jik to use Rank 5 Connecting Heaven and Divine Sense Gu Worms for more than a few breaths of time.
Lo Jik's consciousness channeled into Treasure Yellow Heaven through using Divine Sense and Connecting Heaven Gu. This grotto-heaven was totally empty. It was a world filled with lime-yellow light. There were no sky and land. Mountains, rivers, and clouds failed to exist in such a grand space.
The entire grotto-heaven was filled with streams of consciousness like Lo Jik's alongside multicolored wills and different items. All these beasts, gu worms, and materials were covered in a yellow treasure glow, floating in the empty space. Above these goods rose several pillars of treasured light, creating an initial impression about the quality of these goods.
Lo Jik had indeed left a gigantic corpse inside Treasure Yellow Heaven.
It was a desolate beast called Shadow Scale Tiger Cobra.
Its body was humongous and once coiled, its height was the same as a mountain!
A tall pillar of treasured light grew above the desolate beast corpse as it was very complete. This snake's most precious parts were its poison gland, fangs, and gall bladder. Its scales could be used to refine many impressive shadow path defensive and transformation path gu worms. Its eyes, though injured, were excellent refinement materials for shadow path attacking gu worms.
Unfortunately, Lo Jik had no way to capture its soul. Or he would have also placed it here for sale.
There were many messages left behind by several interested parties. Desolate beasts were ordinarily comparable to rank 6 gu immortals. But in many cases, a prepared gu immortal could handle a desolate beast. After all, a gu immortal possessed unlimited primeval essence. With enough foundation, they could use specialized killer moves to capture and neutralize a desolate beast.
Similarly, a desolate beast's corpse was a truly coveted treasure for the refinement of rare gu worms.
Lo Jik received many offers. Some messages tried to negotiate and lower his quoted price.
Some gu immortals also studied the corpse carefully before determining that this desolate beast wasn't fully matured and its poison gland wasn't as precious as the poison accumulated inside a matured cobra desolate beast.
After going through so many offers, with some trying to barter using killer moves, gu worms, and other recipes, Lo Jik landed on the one agreeable message.
It belonged to someone named Desolate Serpent Immortal.
'Desolate Serpent Immortal…'
Lo Jik knew who this identity belonged to. He explored Treasure Yellow Heaven quite a bit. He also knew a lot about the conspiracy around his life after he returned to the sect. Among them, there was a gu immortal named He Bang. He was the enslavement path gu immortal who invested in this scheme using the Shadow Scale Tiger Cobra.
Yet, despite their enmity, He Bang was the only one offering a fair price.
Lo Jik knew exactly why.
A blessed land was an independent world, a reflection of the laws nurtured, refined, and used by their respective gu immortals. Hu Immortal was an enslavement path gu immortal with great knowledge and skill in manipulating fox groups. Her blessed land contained laws of the Great Dao beneficial towards fox groups. It could be said that Hu Immortal Blessed Land was a treasure trove in terms of raising fox beasts with the possibility of raising a desolate fox beast from these groups of ordinary and mutated fox beast groups!
Similarly, He Bang's blessed land contained laws of the Great Dao in favor of raising snake groups. This desolate beast also originally belonged to him. He could use this beast to nurture other snake beast groups and use his great experience to recuperate from his losses by raising another desolate snake beast.
Selling this snake beast to He Bang meant benefiting the enemy. But he was also the only one to accept Lo Jik's quotation.
'Other gu immortals are trying to shave off nearly ten pieces of immortal essence stones. Tch.'
Lo Jik scoffed in his heart. Why would he want to experience such a loss? A single immortal essence stone couldn't even be traded using billions of primeval stones! Feng Jin Huang had to sell thousands of rockmen with the hope of earning one immortal essence stone! An immortal essence stone was very valuable!
'While selling to He Bang isn't entirely appropriate, I can use these funds to raise my strength.'
Lo Jik's eyes blazed with determination. Earlier, he didn't plan on raising his attainment after feeling bleak from the cost of advancing his wisdom path attainment to the realm of a grandmaster. Now, however, he was acknowledged by Love Gu and selling this desolate beast granted him a lot of immortal essence stones!
He could buy hundreds of gu worms!
'Most importantly, I need to buy the gu worms listed by Xin Cheng to create that formation and manipulate traces of Divine Concealment Immortal Killer Move.'
Lo Jik decided and contacted He Bang's will. The latter quickly agreed to sale, not speaking too much in fear of annoying Lo Jik. This desolate beast corpse was truly important to him.
Meanwhile, Lo Jik earned a great sum of immortal essence stones.
He didn't leave immediately and started buying several strength and soul path gu worms.
Unlike strength path, soul path gu worms were still popular and were available in great numbers. However, the quality of strength path gu or their use did not matter to Lo Jik. He looked for the cheapest rank 5 strength path gu worms and went on a great shopping spree. Among these choices, he also bought many recipes even if they were more expensive.
He also wanted to buy theft path gu worms, but… it would leave a massive clue for other supreme elders focused on him. Instead, he searched for many rare materials.
'That formation needs a few theft path gu worms Xin Cheng thought of. She claims to possess memories only related to Divine Concealment. Among these must be many theft path and wisdom path recipes. But I also have several theft path gu worm recipes.'
Lo Jik already compared several recipes he possessed with the ones Xin Cheng offered. She only had little knowledge about the modern system and ideas with which the gu worms were refined in this era. However, she could already modify many theft path gu recipes to a great extent!
'Theft path is extremely secretive and not well-spread. Because of this, there aren't many theft path resources. The best way to nurture theft path resources would be to become a theft path gu immortal. The blessed land will contain laws related to theft path and naturally grow many resources meant to advance theft path gu worms.'
He shook his head.
'But to become a theft path gu immortal requires a deep foundation in theft path itself. How can one accumulate their understanding of theft path without sufficient resources.'
Lo Jik's divine sense paused as he reached a more active section of Treasure Yellow Heaven.
Gu Immortals of the entire gu world sold their goods here and participated in trade actively. Even if rare, there were bound to be some gu immortals who sold theft path materials and gu worms.
Lo Jik searched many such venues and finally located the cheapest and most efficient option.
'Even if other supreme elders might think I'm trying to buy theft path gu worms for the purpose of Thieving Heaven's true inheritance, what will they make of this?'
Lo Jik laughed internally.
Dreamer Gu was a secret well above his status as an otherworldly demon. Unlike the revelation of this gu to Chen Jiu, Lo Jik didn't dare reveal its existence to Xin Cheng and others.
"How much for this batch of Rank 5 Plunder Gu, Sir Phantom Soul?"
Lo Jik questioned a gu immortal's will while inspecting a batch of familiar gu worms. It was Plunder Gu. Lo Jik once used it to steal Blood Skull and other gu worms from First Gen Gu Yue.
"Sir is…" Phantom Soul's will hesitated before Lo Jik shamelessly introduced himself. His identity wasn't known, and he could masquerade as a gu immortal.
"So, sir is Grand Imaginative Travel Lord," Phantom Soul greeted.
Lo Jik didn't take more than a few moments to think of a name. He didn't care about titles like this.
"Hmm. Plunder Gu, especially, Rank 5 Plunder Gu are nearly non-existent in the mortal world. It took a lot of effort to refine this batch of twenty Plunder Gu Worms. I will sell them for two immortal essence stones."
"Surely, you jest." Lo Jik scoffed. "Theft path gu worms might be rare. However, the recipe of Plunder Gu Worm is well-known. It even forms naturally in few locations. Such a high price for twenty rank 5 gu worms is too shameless!"
The will left behind by Phantom Soul brightened slightly as it began to think and consume its thoughts. He negotiated fiercely.
"Your words aren't appropriate, sir. The Plunder Gu, occasionally refined in nature, are rank 3 gu worms. Their effects and power to rob the opponent's gu worms cannot compare to a rank 5 gu worm!"
Lo Jik revealed a stubborn stance and engaged the will. He also asked to look at the other goods Phantom Soul was trying to sell.
'This is…'
Lo Jik looked at another batch of rank 5 gu worms.
"I'm still an inexperienced junior. I wonder if Sir Phantom Soul can tell me a bit about this gu worm."
Phantom Soul Will's introduced this gu worm proudly.
"This is a theft path gu worm unique to my blessed land. As Sir Travel Lord knows, a blessed land is an expression of our cultivation. It is an independent world filled with dao marks. But a blessed land is also a unique habitat—"
"Hmph! I know all this, Sir Phantom Soul. Trying to probe me is an insult to both of our intelligence."
Lo Jik cut the explanation short. He knew Phantom Soul was trying to figure out whether Lo Jik was a recently advanced gu immortal. There was another aspect to Phantom Soul's explanation.
Since blessed lands boast unique habitats, they also produced unique gu worms. It was like how heaven and earth naturally produced gu worms on the main continent. The dao marks on a blessed land were directly related to one's foundation during the ascension. Each blessed land was distinct even under the same path. For instance, Hu Immortal and He Bang were both enslavement path gu immortals. However, the former's blessed land was most suited for fox groups, and the latter was best for snake groups. With enough foundation, these blessed lands would also produce unique gu worms!
Since these gu worms were nowhere else to be found, one could only depend on that particular gu immortal.
In Treasure Yellow Heaven, almost every gu immortal with enough foundation would sell batches of gu worms found only in their blessed lands. It was a good business for them since the allure of new gu worms was undoubtedly effective against gu immortals researching killer moves and gu recipes.
"Hehe. That is so." Phantom Soul chuckled. "This is Steal Childhood Gu. It's a rank 5 theft path gu worm with great effects in life-extension department. Truthfully, this gu worm is my most popular product in Treasure Yellow Heaven. Once used, it can steal the childhood of a mortal child and grant it to the user mortal gu master."
Phantom Soul stopped speaking about this gu worm after that, hiding its other limitations and drawbacks.
The greatest life-extension method in the gu world was Lifespan Gu Worm. Every other method had some form of limitation.
"I see. No wonder it is popular."
Lo Jik nodded. He had no intention of purchasing this gu worm. He only wanted the cheapest option to raise his theft path attainment as quickly as possible to contend against Xin Cheng. Soon, Lo Jik wore down the price to one immortal essence stone for fifteen Plunder Gu Worms.
'Is there anything else?'
Lo Jik mused as he moved around.
He thought of different paths and then recalled his astonishingly grand objective.
'To become a grandmaster in every known path before attempting my breakthrough…'
Lo Jik gulped.
Fifteen rank 5 gu worms to attain the realm of a master.
1500 rank 5 gu worms to attain the realm of a grandmaster!
'But it is impossible.'
Lo Jik sighed.
Ignoring the obvious lack of funds, buying so many rank 5 gu worms would obviously alert Spirit Affinity House's supreme elders. Furthermore…
'Three of my Dreamer Gu already reached their 9999th cycle. It was because I used nearly 15000 rank 4 wisdom path gu worms to forcefully advance my wisdom path attainment. Following the earlier pattern, successfully completing the 10000th cycle means advancing a step beyond and reaching rank 6! Where will I store this new rank 6 gu worm? No. It is too dangerous.'
So, Lo Jik took a step back and focused on elevating his attainment of all the different paths known to mankind to the realm of a master!
As such, Lo Jik spent a significant amount of time browsing Treasure Yellow Heaven the past month to locate several prospects.
He soon reached out to another gu immortal.
She was known as Orchid Illusion Fairy, a supplier of illusion path materials and gu worms.
'I already have master-realm attainment in strength, earth, poison, transformation, rule, qi, space, phantom, ice, and blood paths. The number of soul, theft, illusion, and formation path gu worms will allow me to become a master in these paths, too.'
Lo Jik didn't continue purchasing more things.
'I don't have to be so rushed. Until now, I was merely showing a level of enthusiasm related to getting great wealth for the first time. Even if talented, receiving a decent foundation in the form of tens of immortal essence stone is bound to move the hearts of many. Others will chalk up my current transactions to this burst of excitement. I only spent six immortal essence stones after all. If I splurged anymore, it would contradict my earlier behavior.'
Lo Jik felt slight reluctance. With his current wealth, he could become a master in almost all known paths!
'After this, I must look out for gu worms from enslavement, snow, wood, star, sword, food, dark, light, blade, bone, cloud, fire, information, lightning, metal, shadow, sound, time, water, and wind paths.'
Such an investment would frighten other rank 5 gu masters to death, but the benefits would make all gu immortals drool.
Of course, aside from these paths, Lo Jik was also alert and eager to notice any other hidden paths he may have missed. His information may not be as complete as he imagined, and another outstanding expert might have found a new path of gu cultivation.
'After all my expenses and taking out Feng Jin Huang's and Treasure Yellow Heaven's fee, I'm left with thirty-one and a half immortal essence stones… hehe.'
Lo Jik's gaze brightened.
'But this amount might still fall short. I will need to establish a business once I become a gu immortal. So, I might as well start early and get over the challenging period as quickly as possible.'
Unlike other rank 5 gu masters, Lo Jik wasn't worried about his foundation or the frightening tribulations awaiting his breakthrough.
Why shouldn't he develop a business regardless of his status as a mortal?
He wouldn't dare be this bold before being acknowledged by Love Gu. But not charging forward after the fact would also be quite a pity.
As for his business?
He wanted to enter a section yet untapped by all gu immortals inside Treasure Yellow Heaven.
'I didn't locate any giants inside that grotto-heaven. Giants are truly extinct. Their body is a treasure trove for refining ancient strength path gu worms. In the current age, the most common strength path beast species is the bandit monkey beast groups.'
Lo Jik's gaze was sharp.
'Bandit monkeys… I need a lot of them to conduct research.'
Love Gu sacrificed the giant he received through his trait, but it was a worthwhile trade. Not even a thousand giants could compare to one Xin Cheng.
As Lo Jik's divine sense left Treasure Yellow Heaven, he compiled his gains and paid the appropriate number of immortal essence stones to Little Hu Immortal. She then quickly transported him to another batch of unconscious rockmen.
'Hmm. Even as I complete Follow the Leader killer move, I don't have to reveal the entire thing.'
His confidence in constructing killer moves rose drastically after refining Accumulation Gu.
'Feng Jin Huang would have been a fierce competitor if I also chose to enter the business of trading slaves. She doesn't even come close to me in terms of managing slaves. However, her background is extraordinary. She is bound to grow and polish all her potential due to the pillar named Feng Jiu Ge. As long as he exists, Feng Jin Huang can keep maturing without a care in the world.'
Lo Jik felt slight envy. What about being a master in different paths? Having Feng Jiu Ge's background would have allowed Lo Jik to go all out with his investment and become a grandmaster in tens of different paths!
'Her greatest opportunity was to be born in this background. Feng Jin Huang is using this opportunity well.'
'Meanwhile, my greatest strength is my trait. I need to make first contact with her and utilize my trait again.'
***
Alternate Title: Little Hu Immortal's Consistent Corruption; A Flaccid Defeat; Embedded in Rock, Yet the Rizz Continues; Feng Jin Huang's New Bitch; Truly a Fickle Consort; Earning a Fortune; Tens of Immortal Essence Stones; No Eternal Enemies, Only Eternal Benefits; Making Great Love Proud; Lo Jik About to Surpass Spectral Soul; Game's Over Once Lo Jik Discovers Heaven, Painting, and Luck Paths; Heaven's Will Inside Immortal Essence Stones Watching Lo Jik Defile Heavenly Balance Using Human Path Gu:…; Steal Childhood Gu; Multiple Rank 5 Plunder Gu Worms; Rising Attainment; Xin Cheng's Innovation?; A Truly Talented Specter; Beguiling Another Batch of Rockmen; To Make the Best Use of Trait
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