Twelve days—which passed in the blink of an eye—had elapsed since the rebirth of Zhao Li and Alessandra. In this time, they discovered that they no longer wielded absolute authority; their standing had diminished to the level of a "Low Outerverse," leaving them capable of exerting control only over ordinary realms. As for the fantasy world they had once crafted, it was now entirely beyond their reach—much like the impossibility of a demon and a celestial being dwelling under the same roof.
To make matters worse, both remained afflicted by grave injuries that prevented them from accessing their full power. These wounds rendered them completely unable to manipulate concepts or fundamental laws. Originally, Zhao Li held dominion over the laws and concepts of destruction and ruin, while Alessandra governed the laws of life. Furthermore, both possessed the ability—when at their peak—to manipulate time, probability, causality, luck, and destiny. Now, however, in their severely weakened state—having lost more than 99% of their energy—their original power levels remained sealed. The "Yang" and "Yin" bodies they inhabited acted as a protective shell, shielding the true essence—Ji Yao Li—from being detected by the guardians of the Sacred Tree of Existence should that power ever be unleashed.
Ji Yao Li had split into three fundamental parts: Zhao Li (representing Annihilation), Alessandra (representing Creation), and a third, mysterious aspect—his soul—within which the entirety of Ji Yao Li's original power was sealed. Initially, upon their first meeting, Zhao Li and Alessandra possessed power at a "Trans-Omnipotent" level. However, following repeated battles, their strength gradually diminished with each reincarnation, eventually falling to the "Low Outerverse" tier. Consequently, they made a strategic decision to refrain from combat in this era until they could fully recover.
In the northern Yun Gai Mountains, Zhao Li was wandering and observing his surroundings when he noticed a strange entity radiating a hidden energy. Having lost his memories, he was entirely unaware of the "Gu"—creatures whose very existence in this fantasy world could be traced back to him. He reached out and picked up the entity: an insect resembling a firefly, glowing with a faint, silvery, moon-like light.
As he scrutinized the creature, a sudden flash of insight struck his mind. He heard a calm, dignified voice—so melodious and beautiful that its mere sound washed away any pain:
"Infuse your energy into the entity... into the Gu."
Though the voice carried an air of mystery, Zhao Li—relying on the deep-seated instincts honed throughout his true, forgotten past—regained his composure in less than a second.
He channeled his spiritual energy toward the hand holding the firefly. A look of shock crossed his face as he felt an intimate, profound connection to the creature; it began to dissolve into his arm, leaving behind a crescent-shaped mark. As soon as the firefly transformed into a tattoo on his hand, a soft, childlike voice—resembling that of a little girl—echoed in his ear:
"How are you, mister? My name is Moonblade Gu. Pleased to meet you!"
Zhao Li let out a deep sigh and replied to the tiny entity, "I am Zhao Li. A pleasure to meet you as well."
A light, childish giggle from the Moonblade Gu rang in his ear, followed by a calm tone brimming with subtle delight:
"Listen, Zhao Li—from this day forward, neither you nor your descendants will be able to hear my voice. But remember my words well: I shall be at the service of any among your descendants who refines me, until the end of existence itself."
The voice of the Moonblade Gu faded away. Zhao Li sighed deeply and channeled a portion of the primeval essence from his primeval sea toward the tattoo. Suddenly, a three-meter-long blade manifested in the air—resembling a sharp crescent moon—which he then swung toward the nearby forest.
*Whoosh!*
The crescent shot through the air with the speed of a meteor, leaving a faint silver trail in its wake. It sliced through several massive trees as cleanly as if they were butter.
A faint smile spread across Zhao Li's face as he contemplated the destruction wrought by the Moonblade Gu. What pleased him even more was the discovery that the energy within his spiritual sea remained infinite; he had no reason to fear it running dry—provided he did not encounter an entity possessing the very same trait. He was wary of Alessandra—who, much like him, possessed an inexhaustible supply of energy—but the agreement they had reached to go their separate ways and pursue their own paths had somewhat eased his concerns.
Discovering these entities—known as "Gu"—had proven to be a practical way to conserve his own effort and accelerate the recovery of his energy. He had been fortunate this time... but how long would that luck last?
While wandering through the Yun Gai Mountains, he stumbled upon an energy source within a mountain called "Yan Shi." At first, he saw no clear purpose for it; the site produced stone spheres imbued with immense energy. Yet, his intuition suggested that these stones served a function far beyond merely boosting the *Qi* levels within his Primordial Sea. He decided to retrieve two "Moonblade Gu" he had acquired along the way, intending to put a theory to the test.
The mysterious voice echoed in his mind once more:
"Focus your consciousness upon the Moonblade Gu you possess, and cast a spirit stone toward them. You must maintain absolute concentration throughout the process; otherwise, the Gu will perish, and you will suffer injuries to your very soul and your energy centers... Furthermore, you must..."
Zao Li's expression shifted into one of mild shock. He was already suffering from deep-seated injuries to his spiritual energy centers—wounds that were causing his power to gradually erode. He let out a long, heavy sigh and released an ethereal wave to temporarily mask the traces of his injuries. The ability to manipulate probabilities remained, though its potency had diminished significantly from the peak era when Fang Yuan—as an entity transcending the absolute—wielded it. Yet, he was content with what he possessed and harbored no regrets regarding his choices.
In a calm voice, imbued with both resolve and strength, he said, "Let us begin refining this Gu and see what unfolds."
He let out a deep sigh and murmured, "Fuse."
The moment the word was spoken, the first and second Moonblade Gu merged, forming a sphere the size of a human palm, glowing with a faint, silvery light reminiscent of a full moon. He began tossing in spirit stones, one after another; each stone vanished the instant it touched the luminous orb. Fang Yuan's expression remained composed and detached, save for a flicker of satisfaction and admiration in his eyes.
After he had cast in nearly two hundred spirit stones, a creature—larger than any he had summoned before—emerged: a Gu the size of a grown man's palm.It was many times larger than an ordinary firefly. Zao Li immediately began the refinement process, drawing upon the overwhelming residual aura of Gu Yao Li's prestige—a presence still latent within him. This made the refinement remarkably smooth; unlike typical Gu Masters, who might spend days or even years refining a Rank 1 or Rank 2 Gu—with the difficulty increasing alongside the rank, often requiring harsh conditions (such as possessing a higher-rank Gu or meeting specific, stringent criteria)—Zao Li stood as a unique and exceptional case.
As soon as the refinement of the new Gu was complete, the voice of a two-year-old child echoed in his ears:
"How are you, Zao Li? I am the 'Moonblade Master Gu.' I was born when two Moonblade Gu were fused together."
Zao Li deduced that the "Moonblade Master Gu" was significantly more powerful than an ordinary Moonblade Gu. This conclusion was reinforced by the tone of the voice: while the voice of a standard Moonblade Gu resembled that of a one-year-old child, the Moonblade Master Gu sounded like a two-year-old. Based on this, he decided to establish a ranking system: fusing Level 1 Gu would yield a Level 2 Gu, and so on.
"So, you are the Gu created by fusing Moonblade Gu... Very well. I hope you prove to be exceptionally useful."
A light, airy laugh from the new Gu resonated in his ears, as it repeated its initial greeting.
Over the course of several years, Zao Li managed to discover more than fifty types of Gu and over four hundred recipes for their synthesis. Gu varieties were diverse, encompassing categories such as offensive, defensive, stealth, speed, healing, refinement, and storage.
Over the course of fifteen full years of uninterrupted study in the northern Yun Gai Mountains, the highest-level Gu he encountered was of the sixth rank—specifically, a "Wisdom Gu" found wandering upon one of the mountain peaks.
Among his rarest discoveries was the "Life-Saint Flower Gu," which exists exclusively within the "Springs of Life"—the very sources from which spirit stones are formed. This Gu feeds primarily on the spirit stones produced by the spring, consuming nearly fifty thousand of them to reach maturity. Through extensive research and hypothesis testing, he discovered that the refinement process for this particular Gu would require draining the energy of the Spring of Life itself. He chose, however, to refrain from doing so, preserving the spring as a legacy and resource for his future descendants, should he ever decide to procreate.
As a being that transcends conventional biological categories, Zao Li was neither male nor female in the traditional sense. He possessed a unique capacity for self-reproduction: by concentrating his internal energy, he could partially transform his body into a tree-like state, allowing him to sire offspring without the need for sexual union. Consequently, he felt no concern; his true purpose lay in the study of Gu, the creation of fusion recipes, the formulation of elixirs and energy-boosting pills, and the nurturing of Gu—all in preparation for his future progeny. Indeed, he himself would eventually become one of these descendants, through a process of reincarnation, upon reaching the age of one thousand years. Nevertheless, he felt that studying the Yun Gai Mountains alone was no longer sufficient. He decided to head east toward the Yun Wu Li Mountains—a region with a tropical climate that fostered an incredibly diverse array of creatures.
During his journey between the northern Yun Gai Mountains and the eastern Yun Wu Li Mountains, Zhao Li encountered countless beast races—some natural, others infused with the fantastical. Among them were "Moon Wolves" capable of launching lunar blades from their own bodies, Orc barbarians, ogres, and various other species that had adapted to survive the harsh, frigid conditions of Yun Gai and the humid environment of Yun Wu Li.
The northern Yun Gai Mountains: Located just hundreds of kilometers from the Northern Ocean and the frozen continent, this region experienced long winters lasting a full six months (from August to February), while summer spanned three months, spring two months, and autumn a single month.
The eastern Yun Wu Li Mountains: Characterized by a tropical climate, this region was rich in rare, high-grade flora. Constant, heavy rainfall supported a vast ecosystem—accounting for 80% of the total vegetation across the five continents and producing 65% of the world's oxygen (reminiscent of the great Amazon rainforest). It ranked third among the seven most dangerous continents—surpassed only by the northern and southern frozen continents—and contained 55% of the world's "Gu" (mystical/venomous creatures), 78% of its rare medicinal herbs, 88% of its global fruit and timber production, and 43% of its gold reserves. Although it is home to more than fifty-five species of creatures protected by major empires and clans—both human and non-human—the reason no all-out wars have erupted to seize control of it lies in the universal fear of the "Light and Dark Elves" and the angels. These beings surpass humans in both numbers and expertise in utilizing forest territories; their immense longevity, advanced medical knowledge, and role as guardians of the "Forest Spirit Trees" have earned them the affection of all inhabitants across the five continents—with the notable exception of aggressive races like the Orcs.
During his travels, Zhao Li crossed the "Yellow Dragon River," which winds through the massive mountain ranges of Northern Yun Gai—including Mount Hua Yu, Mount Yan Shi, Mount Qian Yu, Mount Chen Li, Mount Bai Lin Yi, Mount Yao Lig Fu, and Mount Jie Yi Bing, among dozens of others. Some of these peaks rise a thousand kilometers above sea level, providing a thriving environment for various creatures.
Zhao Li's journeys spanned the entire planet; he discovered countless types of "Gu" and devised an infinite array of complex recipes and formulas for crafting potions and energy pills.
However, a major turning point occurred when he realized that all the potions and pills he had discovered—designed for enhancing strength, facilitating evolution, or providing healing—were tailored exclusively for "Gu Masters." They were entirely unsuitable for another fundamental purpose: the refinement of the *Dantian* (internal energy centers).
There existed a vast gulf and a radical difference between the refinement of "Gu" and the refinement of the *Dantian*. Dantian Refiners do not possess a Primordial Sea, which makes it impossible for them to refine or store Gu. Conversely, a Gu Master is unable to refine Dantian Roots, as they do not possess them. Heaven granted Gu Masters the ability to harness Gu entities, while bestowing upon Immortals and Dantian Refiners the capacity to directly utilize and fight with Primordial Qi—a capability that the bodies of Gu Masters lack.
At the summit of the highest mountain on the known planet On the "Sky-Crossing Mountain"—which rises more than twenty thousand kilometers above sea level—Zhao Li sat in quiet contemplation, surrounded by the Gu of Wisdom, the Gu of Perseverance, the Gu of Law, and the Gu of Destiny.
A profound silence blanketed the summit, until the Gu of Wisdom broke the stillness:
"After centuries spent on your journey to study the Gu... what have you ultimately gained?"
Zhao Li turned his gaze toward the Gu of Wisdom—who had manifested as a tiny, fairy-like being, no larger than the palm of an adult human's hand. He then looked back toward the edge of the Sky-Crossing Mountain, a faint smile playing upon his lips:
"What I have reaped from 600 years of researching and studying soul energy, Qi, and the Gu... is the construction of a path toward the future."
A subtle smile graced the face of the Gu of Wisdom, who added, with a tone of respect:
"Then... awaken, Master. Your world has need of you—come, wake!"
A flicker of surprise crossed Zhao Li's features before he rose to his feet, setting off once more to continue his long journey: refining the *dantian*, composing manuscripts on martial arts, formulating medicinal pills, and crafting weapons powered by Qi.
It might have seemed as though Zhao Li's journey was drawing to a close—but in truth, it was merely the beginning; for in this existence, an ending is not always a true end.