Wang Tian and Bai Xiao continued their cultivation near the primeval spring. However, Bai Xiao remained absolutely steadfast in his refusal to use gu worms in the traditional manner. "Without their permission," he expanded upon his philosophies, "one can only conclude that Gu Master cultivation is inherently immoral." Unlike previous humans on the Fang Yuan Continent who shunned cultivation because they believed it created social inequality, Bai Xiao rejected it purely because he believed using Gu worms as tools was a fundamental wrong.
Wang Tian naturally challenged these ideas from time to time, trying to poke holes in his logic. "But what if a wild gu worm is dangerous, and the only way to neutralize the threat is to refine it?"
"In that case, it would be better to simply kill it," Bai Xiao replied without hesitation. "Isn't it better to die than to be forced to serve under someone else's absolute will?"
"I don't know if I can agree with that," Wang Tian muttered. Some people argued that slavery was a fate far worse than death. Yet, for Wang Tian, his past status as a slave was precisely what had given him the chance to escape and find this path.
As the two of them continuously exchanged ideas, Wang Tian noted that although Bai Xiao was incredibly stubborn in his convictions, he wasn't overtly antagonistic. He didn't look down on Wang Tian, even though Wang Tian continued to actively refine and utilize gu worms.
'How surprising,' Wang Tian thought, peering into his aperture.
The gu worm that served as his Vital Gu was showing strong signs of life once more. Rather than looking withered and on the verge of death, it was slowly recovering. Wang Tian didn't fully understand the underlying mechanics of what the gu worm was, but he noticed a pattern. The Vital Gu had revitalized when he was with Huang Fei, and now it was thriving while he stayed with Bai Xiao. He began to suspect that it fed whenever he was in close proximity to other people. Could it be feeding on something like Human Qi?
For the thousandth time, Wang Tian bitterly wished he had a master or a senior to guide him in the ways of cultivation. There were far too many mysteries he simply couldn't decipher, forcing him to rely entirely on dangerous trial and error to reach any sort of conclusion.
As the days passed, the two continued their training. Although Bai Xiao refused to refine Gu worms, he had no qualms about using primeval stones to nourish his aperture walls and advance his cultivation realm. However, talent was a cruel master. Wang Tian soon progressed to Rank 2 Upper Stage, while Bai Xiao remained stuck exactly where he was when they first met.
"I guess a lack of aptitude truly cannot be compensated for easily," Bai Xiao remarked with a sigh, acknowledging the stark gap between Wang Tian's talent and his own.
One afternoon, Bai Xiao suddenly froze, tilting his ear toward the distance. "I can hear the sound of hooves approaching."
Both of them instantly grew tense. Horsemen nearby meant other humans were approaching the valley. Wang Tian's immediate thought flew to his former masters. Though enough time had passed that they likely assumed he had died in the wilderness, if they happened to spot him, it would undoubtedly reignite their anger, and they would attempt to enslave him again.
Fortunately, Wang Tian was no longer completely defenseless. Through rigorous trial and error, he had refined several gu worms and figured out their basic functions. He felt incredibly lucky that he hadn't accidentally stumbled upon a singlue-use-sacrificial-gu the kind that required the user to sacrifice their own life force or lifespan to activate. A lone cultivator like him would have no way of knowing until it was too late and until after he had activated the gu worm in question. Though his luck had held out in that regard as he hadn't encountered such a gu worm yet. He also possessed a few offensive options, but trying to fight off more than five ordinary men at once would still overwhelm him.
"Wait, those aren't horses' hooves," Bai Xiao corrected, squinting over the ridge. "Those are reindeer."
"Reindeer? Could it be...?" Wang Tian muttered.
"Do you know who it is?" Bai Xiao asked.
"It's a strong possibility. A friend of mine uses reindeer," Wang Tian said. It was a bit of an exaggeration to call Huang Fei a 'friend' given their brief history, but he considered him one nonetheless. Still, it could easily be a hostile stranger from the same region. The two crouched low, hiding behind a large boulder. While they could keep themselves concealed, concealing the primeval spring was a far harder task. Given its prominent size, it was a minor miracle that no one else had discovered it yet.
The thumping of the hooves stopped, followed by the sound of heavy footsteps approaching the water source. Peeking out at a solitary figure approaching, Wang Tian's eyes lit up.
"It really is him. That's my friend, Huang Fei," Wang Tian said, stepping out from behind the boulder to reveal himself.
Huang Fei's eyes went wide with shock. "Wang Tian! I never expected to find you still alive and out here. Wait... is that a primeval spring?" He looked at the babbling water, utterly confused. "When I first saw the signs in this area, I thought it had completely flooded and you had either drowned or fled. I only came on the off chance that you might be around."
"No, I'm right here, completely fine," Wang Tian smiled, stepping forward. "And I've been doing well enough."
The two men shook hands warmly, but Wang Tian's smile quickly faded when he looked closer at his friend. Huang Fei looked haggard. "Is something wrong, Huang Fei? You don't look as healthy as before."
"Uh, I'll manage. We just endured a few scrapes and bruises," Huang Fei said, waving his hand dismissively. "The tribe that originally exiled my father and family decided that banishment wasn't enough. They tracked us down and attacked us. We barely managed to escape with our lives."
Suddenly, Huang Fei's gaze shifted. He spotted Bai Xiao, who had apprehensively emerged from behind the boulder.
Huang Fei's eyes instantly hardened. He stared intently at the young man's facial structure. "Those features... you are a member of the Bai Tribe, aren't you?"
Bai Xiao was startled but nodded slowly. "Why, yes, I am."
"Your tribe is the one that just attacked mine!" Huang Fei barked, his posture tensing as if he were about to strike Bai Xiao down on the spot. It was clear their respective tribes shared a bloody history.
Wang Tian immediately stepped between the two men, raising his hands to placate them. He quickly explained that Bai Xiao had also been betrayed and cast out by his own people. Hearing this, the tension slowly drained from Huang Fei, and he relaxed his stance.
"Huang Fei, since you and your family have been hunted out of your territory, you can come live with us here by this primeval spring," Wang Tian offered generously. "Look around. This spring is bursting with vitality. The primeval energy has caused countless plants to thrive and attracted plenty of game for us to hunt. Forget about the struggles over gu worms and tribal wars; as long as we stay hidden here, we will have an abundant supply of food. Of course, if a large force finds us, we'll be in deep trouble - but until that day comes, we can live in peace."
Huang Fei looked around the lush hidden oasis, his expression softening. "I see... all right then, Wang Tian. If it really isn't a problem, we accept. But I feel terrible. First, you risked yourself to help me rescue my reindeer, and now you're offering my entire family a sanctuary. I have nothing to give you in return."
"There's no need for transactions between us," Wang Tian said with a warm smile. "We're friends, aren't we? Between true friends, what need is there to constantly say 'thank you' or 'you're welcome'?"
Huang Fei let out a genuine laugh, the weight on his shoulders lifting.
"However, there is one thing I must tell you before your family joins us," Wang Tian added, his tone turning serious. "I'm sorry for hiding this from you before, but I am a Gu Master."
"A Gu Master?" Huang Fei repeated, a bit startled. Then, a look of realization dawned on him. "Ah, it makes perfect sense why you'd want to camp right next to a primeval spring then."
Huang Fei's main tribe held a deep-seated hatred for cultivators, placing themselves firmly in the anti-Gu Master Camp. However, because his specific family branch had been separated from the main tribe, Huang Fei was far more pragmatic and open-minded about cultivation.
"There are quite a few wild Hope Gu nesting near the spring," Wang Tian noted. "If you want, I believe you are old enough to try. Go near the spring, and perhaps you'll be able to awaken your aperture."