"You wretch!" Old Man Wang roared, his eyes wide with fury. He reached out and delivered a stinging slap to his daughter, Xiao Mei. The blow was so severe that the girl was knocked off her feet, nearly hitting the floor. She clutched her burning cheek, her eyes filled with shock and grievances as tears rushed out like a broken embankment.
Old Man Wang looked at his sobbing daughter, his heart aching with reluctance, but he suppressed the pain. "Girl, don't blame your father for being cruel. The Gu Yue clan is filled with powerful masters, and their methods are unpredictable. We wretches have no ability to resist them at all! Even if your eldest brother has become a Gu Master, he is no match for the entire clan. If you want to live in peace, stop thinking these unrealistic things."
His voice trailed off into a whisper. He turned his head slowly, looking toward the distant peaks of Qing Mao Mountain. He thought of his eldest son, Wang Da, hiding in the wilderness, and then looked at his second son, who was still lying unconscious. He let out a long, heavy sigh.
After harvesting the map from the Wang family, Liu Chen's life on the mountain became much easier. The map clearly marked the distribution of various beast herds, allowing him to hunt and move with precision.
However, three red circles drawn on the map caught his special attention. He stared at them, musing to himself: This must be where Wang Da is hiding. I hope you don't mess with me, or don't blame me for being ruthless. These circles were located at the edge of the village territory, in remote locations that ordinary hunters could not reach within a day.
Time flew like a shuttle, and half a year passed in the blink of an eye.
During these six months, Liu Chen practiced in a methodical, low profile manner. Without anyone realizing it, his cultivation had broken through to the Rank 1 Upper Stage. He relied on the power of the White Boar Gu to steadily increase his physical strength, gaining the strength of a boar.
Despite his massive improvement, he maintained his transparent persona. Every time the academy held an assessment, he carefully controlled his performance to ensure his grades remained average, neither at the top nor the bottom. This allowed him to cultivate with absolute peace of mind, free from the envy or interference of the clan's factions.
One evening, Liu Chen sat in the dim light of the Flower Wine Monk's inheritance cave. He was surrounded by various strange Gu materials. He took a deep breath, concentrated his spirit, and mobilized a stream of dark green copper primeval essence, the high quality essence purified by his Liquor Worm.
The essence swirled in his hands like a dark green whirlwind. He carefully placed a White Peony into the vortex, followed by several primeval stones. As the stones fused with the flower, a dazzling white light erupted. The materials melted under the wrapping of the essence, eventually turning into a ball of liquid light.
Without hesitation, Liu Chen took out his refined Jade Skin Gu and the White Boar Gu and threw them into the center of the light. In an instant, the two Gu were pulled together by an invisible force, slowly merging into one.
Liu Chen stared at the scene nervously, sweat seeping from his forehead. He quickly added several auxiliary materials, which were consumed by the merging mass. Seconds ticked by as the light grew more intense.
Finally, the ball of light shattered, and a brand new Gu insect flew out, landing softly in his palm.
The Gu still retained the appearance of a white jade ladybug, but the patterns on its carapace were far more complex, flickering with a faint, elegant white jade glow.
"Success. Refined Rank 2 White Jade Gu:"
Liu Chen gazed at the newly born Gu, an indescribable joy welling in his heart. This was the first Gu he had personally ascended to the second rank. It signaled that his understanding of a Gu Master's practice had reached a new level.
However, the refinement had left him with unprecedented exhaustion. Although it wasn't his first time refining Gu, the process of fusing two different types was a massive drain on his mental energy. He knew that if he had failed, the resulting backlash would have caused serious damage to his aperture and soul.
In addition to the Gu insects rewarded by the system, Liu Chen also relied on his own ability to refine the Sword Embryo Gu. In order to refine this sword shaped Gu, he had failed once before and suffered a great soul damage that took him half a month to recover from, an experience that still left him with lingering palpitations.
Liu Chen also had specific arrangements for these Innate Sword Embryo Gu.
He had divided his focus between two paths for his sword embryos:
Spirit Spring Sword Embryo: He continuously fed one with Primeval Stones, planning to refine it into a support Gu that would assist in his daily cultivation and essence recovery.
Blood Poached Sword Embryo: He fed the other with his own blood and the blood of the wild boars he hunted. This version was intended for pure combat, its lethality and attack power increasing every time it drank.
Fortunately, the Wooden Treasure Boxes he received daily provided a steady supply of one or two primeval stones. While it wasn't a fortune, this consistent gain ensured he could sustain his expensive cultivation without exhausting his initial hoard of 2,333 stones.
With the White Jade Gu in his possession and his cultivation at the Upper Stage, Liu Chen was no longer the weak student who had entered the academy six months ago. He looked toward the three red circles on his map, his eyes cold. The time to deal with Wang Da was drawing near.
"Students, it has been more than half a year since you became Gu Masters. During this period, you have studied diligently and practiced hard; you must have gained much." The Academy Elder stood before the gathered students, a rare smile on his face as he spoke in a resonant voice.
He paused briefly before continuing, "In three days, we will hold the mid year assessment. This is both a test of your learning and an opportunity to demonstrate your strength. Attendance is mandatory for everyone."
The students' expressions shifted instantly some were alight with excitement, while others looked lost and anxious.
"The objective for this assessment is hunting wild deer," the Elder explained. "You must successfully capture a wild deer and bring back its pair of antlers within the allotted time. Each pair of antlers can be exchanged for ten Primeval Stones. Of course, you may choose to take the assessment alone or as part of a team."
The cavern erupted into chatter. While the prospect of ten primeval stones was enticing, the pressure was immense. Students with D grade aptitude were particularly nervous; the Gu worms they had chosen were mostly auxiliary and lacked strong combat capabilities. For them, joining a stronger team led by one of the three geniuses was their only hope.
Three days passed in a flash, and the mid year assessment officially commenced.
The sun shone brightly over Qing Mao Mountain as the students gathered in high spirits. The Gu Yue clan's Rank 2 Gu Masters had already scouted the area to ensure no dangerous beasts were present, while others remained on high alert at the periphery to prevent any accidents.
The three faction leaders Gu Yue Qing Shu, Gu Yue Mo Yan, and Gu Yue Chi Shan, each led a group into the mountains like arrows released from a bow.
However, these new Gu Masters were almost entirely devoid of combat experience. Simply chasing the agile wild deer was exhausting, let alone landing a successful attack. In the academy, they had practiced against stationary Grass Man puppets, but the wild deer were far more elusive. Even the top performers like Qing Shu found it difficult to land a decisive blow on the moving targets.
Watching from a distance, the Clan Leader and the elders shook their heads, feeling a twinge of disappointment at the students' lack of coordination.
Unlike the others, Liu Chen appeared indifferent toward the test. His mind had already drifted toward the year end assessment. By that time, the clan would not only test their combat skills but re-evaluate their cultivation progress. Given his current Rank 1 Upper Stage cultivation and his rapid growth, described as a thousand miles a day thanks to the Liquor Worm, he was terrified of attracting the clan's scrutiny. If they discovered his A grade talent and refined essence, his "transparent" persona would shatter.
This was not good news. He realized he desperately needed a Gu worm that could conceal his true cultivation level. For this goal, he had actually slowed his practice slightly to focus on his next move.
Standing in the vast hunting grounds, Liu Chen's eyes were as sharp as torches. He quickly locked onto a target: a Blue Wind Deer.
This was no ordinary beast. In the Gu World, animals must evolve to survive. The Blue Wind Deer was a prime example; named for its unique blue fur and its ability to move as fast as the wind, it was a blur in the forest. Its antlers were incredibly sharp, capable of penetrating steel in a full charge.
While others cooperated to corner their prey, Liu Chen faced the powerful deer alone. He couldn't easily reveal his Innate Strength or his Rank 5 spider, as doing so would invite unnecessary trouble. For this hunt, he would only use the Moonlight Gu.
However, the Moonlight Gu's effective range was a mere ten meters. This meant he had to remain perfectly still, waiting for the deer to approach.
Liu Chen remained highly vigilant, his breathing steady and long, as if he were one with the primeval forest. Finally, the deer wandered into range.
The moment it crossed the ten meter threshold, Liu Chen took action. He had been preparing the Moon Blade for some time. It flew out like lightning, carrying a sharp momentum as it slashed toward the deer's neck.
Crack!
The silver blade of light connected. The deer's head was nearly severed, and blood splattered into the grass like a dark red fountain.
Liu Chen walked over to the carcass. He took a deep breath to settle his mind, then reached out and touched the antlers. They were hard and smooth. Using a sharp knife, he carefully sawed them off, using precise force to ensure he didn't damage their integrity.
He then began collecting the secondary spoils: deer blood, the hide, and venison. He poured the dark red blood into a specialized container. He carefully peeled the deerskin, trying to keep the elastic hide as intact as possible. Finally, he cut the venison into appropriate portions and stowed everything in his bags. While these items weren't Gu materials, they still held value in the market and could be exchanged for extra primeval stones.
Liu Chen watched his harvest with satisfaction. Compared to hunting thick-skinned wild boars, the deer were faster and harder to catch, but their materials were worth much more.
With his spoils secured, Liu Chen set out for home. He didn't linger in the hunting area; it was getting late, and remaining alone in the wilderness was a risk he wasn't willing to take. He returned to the village's recycling center and handed his harvest over to the staff. They evaluated the quality and exchanged the antlers for the stipulated ten Primeval Stones.
Liu Chen took his payment and slipped back into the shadows of the village. He knew he had to be cautious; the assessment was nearly over, but his real work finding a way to hide his strength before the year-end evaluation was only just beginning.