The surface of the primeval sea within Liu Chen's aperture was turbulent, with a massive vortex of green copper essence impacting the surrounding light membrane. Under the constant pressure and nourishment, the flickering light membrane was completely transformed into a transparent, sparkling water membrane. Liu Chen had officially stepped into the Rank 1 Middle Stage, successfully breaking through a minor realm.
A week had passed since the merchant caravan departed. During this time, Liu Chen did not waste a single moment, devoting himself entirely to his practice. With the pure essence refined by the Liquor Worm, he warmed his aperture like a fish in water.
His training speed was a thousand miles a day. While he remained a hardworking but inconspicuous student in the eyes of the academy, he had already surpassed all of his classmates.
However, subtle changes were taking place at the school. The students were now vaguely divided into three factions centered around the team leader competition: Gu Yue Qing Shu, Gu Yue Mo Yan, and Gu Yue Chi Shan.
Qing Shu possessed a gentle personality and treated others with sincerity, naturally attracting many companions. Mo Yan relied on her striking appearance and unyielding drive to maintain a large following. Chi Shan, meanwhile, used his immense physical physique and strength to conquer his peers.
While no overt conflict had broken out, the covert rivalry never stopped. Each group hoped to make their mark and become the center of the clan's attention. On the surface, this was a student competition; in reality, it was a proxy war for the clan's political power, with Qing Shu representing the Clan Leader's lineage while Mo Yan and Chi Shan represented the Mo and Chi branches respectively.
In contrast, Liu Chen belonged to no faction. He was a transparent member of the school, avoiding the spotlight while focusing on the Flower Wine Monk's legacy.
Liu Chen stood at the bottom of the rock wall within the hidden inheritance cave, his eyes fixed on the monolithic surface.
"The most precious treasures left by the Flower Wine Monk are the Rank 3 Heavenly Essence Treasure Lotus, followed by the Liquor Worm, the White Boar Gu, the Jade Skin Gu, the Earth Communication Ear Grass, and the Chainsaw Golden Centipede."
Among them, the Heavenly Essence Treasure Lotus was vital to the clan's survival and could not be easily claimed. Moreover, refining it required over a hundred thousand primeval stones a sum Liu Chen currently did not possess. For now, the Jade Skin Gu and White Boar Gu were his primary targets. They would improve his defense and raw strength, perfectly compensating for his current shortcomings.
With a thought, Liu Chen summoned the massive Thousand Li Earthwolf Spider. Covered in black down with six stout appendages as hard as steel, its red eyes sparkled fiercely in the gloom. Under his command, the spider crawled to the bottom of the rock wall and began to dig with its sharp, drill like feet.
A hidden passage was quickly excavated. Liu Chen rode atop the spider as they entered the mysterious, narrow tunnel. A faint red light emanated from the walls, allowing him to see his surroundings. As he moved deeper, he felt a slight breeze, indicating the passage was not a dead end.
Despite his familiarity with the "plot," Liu Chen remained cautious. His current cultivation was still far too weak for the dangers of the Gu world.
After traveling a considerable distance, a huge boulder blocked his path. Liu Chen retracted the spider and began to dig into the soil at the base of the rock. Soon, a fragrant aroma filled the air.
He dug out a bud like grass Gu, emerald green and shaped like a jade carving. This was an Earth Treasury Flower Gu, a specialized storage Gu used to protect other insects. He carefully opened the flower petals layer by layer.
Inside lay a White Boar Gu. It looked like a round, white ladybug, emitting a soft, milky light. Liu Chen knew its value; this rare Rank 1 Gu could permanently increase a Gu Master's strength by "one boar." On the market, it was worth at least six hundred primeval stones.
Liu Chen held the Gu tightly. Using the crushing pressure of his Rank 5 Thousand Li Earthwolf Spider, he enveloped the White Boar Gu. The refinement was completed in an instant.
Liu Chen looked at the boulder. In the original story, the inheritor was expected to use the strength gained from the White Boar Gu to push the stone aside. However, Liu Chen now possessed the spider it was like using a level 50 account to clear a novice dungeon. He didn't need to follow the Monk's tests at all.
He urged the Thousand Li Earthwolf Spider forward. The creature opened its huge fangs and bit hard into the boulder. With a loud bang, the rock shattered into fragments, revealing the passage behind it.
Liu Chen stepped through the debris and continued to explore. It wasn't long before he arrived at an empty, hastily excavated room. At the far end, another huge rock blocked the way. He noticed a strange patch of soil in front of it and immediately began to dig.
Sure enough, he found another Earth Treasury Flower Gu. He gently opened the bud, and inside lay a Jade Skin Gu.
Liu Chen looked at the Jade Skin Gu in his hand, which he refined with ease.
He was particularly happy after harvesting these two Gu in succession. However, he was not carried away by joy but calmly thought about his next move. After some careful consideration, he decided not to continue exploring the hidden inheritance for now, choosing instead to turn around, leave the cave, and enter the wider reaches of Qing Mao Mountain.
The White Boar Gu was already beginning to feel hungry. To drive the Gu and utilize its power, Liu Chen first had to ensure it was well fed.
Thus, he decided to head into the mountains to kill a wild boar. He shuttled through the rugged peaks and dense forests, searching carefully for tracks. However, Qing Mao Mountain was vast, and finding a specific prey like a wild boar was no easy task.
After wandering aimlessly for an hour, he finally located a fat wild boar in a remote valley. The creature was leisurely grazing on the grass, entirely unaware of the approaching predator.
Liu Chen was secretly delighted and immediately summoned the Thousand Li Earthwolf Spider. The massive tarantula galloped out like a bolt of lightning, traversing the distance in an instant as it closed in on the wild boar. The boar let out a single, shrill scream before falling into a pool of its own blood. Liu Chen walked forward and looked at his kill, feeling a deep sense of satisfaction.
He had wasted quite a bit of time on this mountain for this single boar. He took the White Boar Gu out from his aperture. The Gu was only the size of a thumb, resembling a ladybug carved from white jade, emitting a faint, milky light.
The White Boar Gu flew lightly to the wound on the carcass. Sensing the fresh blood, it quickly burrowed into the boar's body. As the seconds ticked by, the Gu frantically devoured the flesh and blood from within.
It wasn't long before the once plump wild boar was reduced to nothing but a pile of white bones; not even a shred of meat remained. Liu Chen watched the scene with grim satisfaction. The White Boar Gu's appetite was indeed amazing it had eaten nearly three hundred kilograms of meat in one go. This was its required feeding amount, and it would need to be fed again every five days. If Liu Chen failed to provide another boar by then, the Gu would starve to death.
Instead of taking all the bones, Liu Chen only picked out the two tusks the most valuable parts of the carcass. The rest were of no use to him, so he simply discarded them where they lay.
When Liu Chen finally returned to his dormitory at the academy, the sun had already set, leaving a faint orange glow on the horizon. Ignoring the scenery, he hurried into his room and sat cross legged on his bed, ready to begin using the White Boar Gu to temper his body.
He took a deep breath, focused his mind, and urged the Gu. Under his guidance, the power of the White Boar Gu began to flow into his limbs, strengthening his very foundation.
However, the process of physical transformation was far from smooth. As the energy of the White Boar Gu injected itself into his system, Liu Chen began to experience increasingly intense pain. What started as a dull soreness and a bloated sensation gradually escalated into a heart-wrenching, severe agony, as if his body were being torn apart and reassembled.
Liu Chen gritted his teeth, cold sweat forming on his forehead, but he refused to give up. He persisted until the pain reached the absolute limit of what he could bear. He knew he couldn't push any further today, or the excessive use of the Gu would cause irreparable damage to his physique.
Finally, Liu Chen stopped the activation. He gasped for air, his body trembling with extreme fatigue. By this time, his clothes were entirely soaked with sweat and clung tightly to his skin.
"Come, drink!"
Accompanied by bold shouts, the village tavern was filled with the rich aroma of wine and a boisterous atmosphere.
"Brother Liu, you hunted another wild deer today? What great skill! My admiration for you is like a mighty river flowing endlessly!" one of the hunters said flatteringly, his words dripping with envy.
When the hunter, Liu Er, heard this, a smug smile appeared on his face. His face was flushed red from the alcohol, and he looked even more animated under the praise of his companions.
At that moment, Liu Chen stepped into the tavern. his eyes quickly swept over the group of drinkers. Hearing their conversation, a thought occurred to him, and he walked toward them.
"Gentlemen, I would like to ask you a question," Liu Chen spoke politely, though his voice was somewhat faint in the noisy shop.
However, the hunters didn't take the boy seriously. They glanced at the sixteen year old youth, he appeared thin and somewhat pale compared to their tall, bearded, muscular frames. To them, there was a world of difference in their standing.
"Which family do you belong to, brat? Don't bother grown men while they're drinking and playing!" one of the hunters waved him off impatiently, his tone harsh. The others echoed the sentiment, expressing their dissatisfaction at the interruption.
Ignored and insulted, Liu Chen's expression didn't flicker with anger. Instead, his face became as calm as still water. He reached into his aperture and urged his Moonlight Gu.
In the blink of an eye, a crystal clear Moon Blade emitting a chilling cold light materialized in his palm. The blade of moonlight was condensed and sharp, with a frozen glow flickering along its edge.
Liu Chen held the Moon Blade and looked at the hunters calmly. He spoke in a faint, icy voice: "I will give you one more chance to reorganize your language."
The hunters, who had been drunk and boisterous, were instantly terrified into sobriety by the sight of the Moon Blade. Their eyes widened with horror, and their faces, which had just been flushed red turned as pale as paper.
The hunter named Liu Er began to tremble uncontrollably. His legs softened, and he fell to his knees with a heavy plop, kowtowing and begging for mercy: "Master Gu, spare us! Our eyes were blind and didn't recognize the Lord! We have offended an Master, please, let us go! If you have any instructions, we will definitely carry them out to your satisfaction!"
Liu Chen looked down at the terrified men. The Moon Blade in his hand continued to flicker with a cold, silver light, and his voice remained devoid of emotion.
"In that case, let me ask you a question. You must answer truthfully. If you dare to lie... do not blame me for being cruel."
Liu Er nodded his head like a person pounding garlic. "No problem, Master Gu! Feel free to ask whatever you want! We would never dare to hide anything from you!"