As the prices continued to rise amidst the constant shouting from the surrounding private boxes, a smile gradually appeared on Liu Chen's face. He knew perfectly well that the Heavenly Essence Treasure Lotus recipe he had provided was now the focus of everyone's competition.
The price skyrocketed, astonishingly exceeding the 600,000 Primeval Stone mark in the blink of an eye! However, this did not deter the bidders; instead, it only aroused a stronger desire to compete. In the end, after a fierce round of bidding, the Gu recipe was successfully claimed by an elder of the Wu Clan, the overlord of the Southern Border, for an eye popping price of 720,000 Primeval Stones. This price was a massive recognition of the recipe's value and left Liu Chen feeling extremely excited.
At this exciting moment, Liu Chen seized the opportunity to open the mysterious purple Treasure Box he had obtained from Doctor Su Shou. He watched the treasure chest slowly open with anticipation, not knowing what surprises were hidden inside.
"Reward obtained: A Rank 5 Gu insect that can absorb the two qi of life and death. It increases healing when the user is angry and increases offensive power when the user is near death. The mystery of the cycle of life and death is infinite."
Liu Chen looked at the Gu in his hand, which resembled a Tai Chi ball. Its whole body was a mysterious black and white color, like a yin and yang fish intertwined and flowing around each other. Its surface was as smooth as a mirror, yet it seemed to contain endless mysteries.
"Interesting... the One Life One Death Gu. Is this a Gu from the Door of Life and Death?" Liu Chen mused to himself. Although his knowledge of high tier Gu was not yet profound, he recognized the characteristics from his inherited memories.
"The Doctor was once a member of the Shadow Sect, so it is no surprise that she obtained this bug," Liu Chen thought, his eyes narrowing. However, he was more concerned with the wonders of the Gu itself. It could absorb life and death qi, transforming the former into healing and the latter into a boost for his attacks.
Until the end of the auction, Liu Chen remained unusually calm and did not bid like a madman. He simply observed each item silently, assessing their value in his mind. In the end, he spent 300,000 Primeval Stones to buy a Rank 4 Sword Scar Gu. Although expensive, its ability to increase the power of sword Gu made his heart flutter. Not only would it increase his offensive strength, but since sword path injuries are difficult to treat, it served as a vital guarantee for his future battles.
After completing the transaction, Liu Chen received his remaining 400,000 Primeval Stones. This wealth was not a huge fortune to him, but it was more than enough to sustain a high tier life within the city.
Liu Chen's life gradually returned to calm. He was no longer disturbed by the noise of the outside world, devoting all his energy to his practice and preparing to break through the bottleneck of Rank 4.
The sea surface of his aperture was rough, and White Silver Primeval Essence continued to emerge from his body. No matter how much essence he consumed to impact the crystal wall, the Three Watches Gu ensured his essence recovered quickly, as if it were inexhaustible.
Under this relentless impact, Liu Chen put in a significant amount of effort and time. He spent the better part of half a year trying, and finally, he felt the opportunity to break through. Fine cracks first appeared on the crystal wall of the aperture, then gradually expanded until the entire wall shattered with a bang.
At that moment, a hint of Golden Primeval Essence slowly emerged from his newly reborn aperture. Although small, this gold essence was the key to his Rank 4 breakthrough.
In just one and a half years since leaving his village, Liu Chen had successfully reached the fourth rank of cultivation. His strength had already surpassed that of Gu Yue Bo at the beginning, and he had become a true Gu Master expert who could crisscross the Southern Border.
Liu Chen felt extremely excited. He knew that with his current strength, he could leave Shang Clan City and travel the wider world. Moreover, he had an important goal: to return to Qing Mao Mountain and continue to harvest the leeks that had not yet been harvested.
However, before leaving, he had one crucial thing to do, refining the Rank 4 Nine Eyes Liquor Worm. With this Gu, his training speed at Rank 4 would be greatly improved.
To refine the Nine Eyes Liquor Worm, one required two Seven Fragrance Liquor Worms as materials. Since Liu Chen currently only owned one, he visited the shops of Shang Clan City and bought another.
The refinement process followed. Liu Chen placed the two Seven Fragrance Liquor Worms into a special container and wrapped them in his Golden Primeval Essence. Then, he carefully took out the eyes of nine different Hundred Beast Kings and threw them into the golden essence one by one.
For each beast eye invested, Liu Chen had to assist by throwing in 10,000 Primeval Stones, along with various auxiliary materials to ensure the smooth progress of the joint training. This process was very tedious and required his full attention.
In this way, the materials were melted together to form a huge ball of light. Suddenly, a dazzling golden streak flashed like lightning, and a palm-sized worm as white as jade appeared in his hand. The Nine Eyes Liquor Worm's body was crystal clear, resembling a jade carving, and it possessed nine extra tiny eyes embedded in its body like gems that emitted a faint light.
After obtaining this Gu, Liu Chen took the final step in his preparations. He procured more materials in Shang Clan City and then chose to leave the city without hesitation, setting his sights on the distant mountain of his past.
When he completely left the boundary of Shang Clan City, Liu Chen finally breathed a sigh of relief. He stood in the wilderness outside the city, feeling the breath of freedom and a profound sense of comfort. After a short pause, he decided to summon the Thousand Li Earthwolf Spider. This massive creature was his most reliable partner, possessing both immense strength and terrifying speed.
Following the map displayed by his Bookworm, Liu Chen commanded the spider to move at top speed. With his recent promotion, he was now able to fully mobilize the Rank 5 beast. The spider burrowed into the ground, a blur of motion that crossed a distance of thousands of miles in what seemed like a single breath. This was the true power of a Rank 5 Gu when fully activated.
"It seems this is the place."
Liu Chen stood atop the broad back of the Thousand Li Earthwolf Spider, gazing at a strange mountain range in the distance. The overall silhouette of the range resembled a massive pitchfork divided into three distinct peaks the famous San Cha Mountain.
The mountain was situated in a strategic location between two settlements: the Che Clan and the Zuo Clan. Despite its importance, no single force had been able to capture the main peak. The two clans each occupied one of the smaller hilltops, locked in a delicate and tense standoff. Both factions were eyeing the treasures hidden within the mountain, and their mutual greed had fueled a blood feud lasting over a hundred years.
However, Liu Chen did not come here for these two petty clans. His real goal was the Three Kings Inheritance hidden within the mountain, along with a legendary Rank 6 Gu Immortal inheritance from ancient times. Most importantly, rumor spoke of the presence of the legendary Divine Travel Gu! If a treasure box could be found here, its value would be immeasurable. Whether it contained the story of the Three Kings or the True Meaning of a powerful Gu Immortal, it held an irresistible appeal for Liu Chen.
As soon as Liu Chen reached the foot of San Cha Mountain, he was intercepted by a patrol. There were seven Gu Masters in the team, led by a young man whose cultivation was at the Rank 2 realm. Although the leader's heart was filled with terror and his hands and feet shook uncontrollably, he stood his ground, blocking the path.
The reason for the scouts' absolute dread was the aura of the Rank 5 Thousand Li Earthwolf Spider beneath Liu Chen. The crushing pressure emitted by the beast had completely stripped the patrol of any desire to resist. If it weren't for their deep seated attachment to clan honor, they likely would have fainted or fled long ago.
Liu Chen looked at the young Rank 2 Gu Master with interest, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Heh. Interesting. The path I walk isn't one you can obstruct. Even your Zuo Clan's patriarch would fail, let alone you. Are you certain you want to throw your life away here?"
With that, Liu Chen sat leisurely on the back of the spider, waiting for an answer.
"Your Excellency's strength is unfathomable, so we are naturally no match for you," the young Gu Master replied, his voice trembling but resolute. "However, my Zuo Clan has stood for a hundred years, and we are not all cowards afraid of death. I hope your Excellency can forgive our duty!"
Liu Chen looked at the young man who was clearly petrified yet still spoke for his clan and couldn't help but admire his spirit.
"Well, I suppose I'm rather 'timid' as well," Liu Chen said, a faint smile barely touching his lips. "Very well. I won't make things difficult for you… I'll wait here for your patriarch to come."
With a wave of his arm, the fierce Thousand Li Earthwolf Spider vanished in an instant, returned to the system inventory as if it had never existed. Seeing this, the young master's fear dissipated slightly, and he breathed a heavy sigh of relief.
"I didn't know a young hero was visiting! My Zuo Clan has failed to welcome you properly from afar. I hope you will forgive us!"
A voice boomed from the sky. Zuo Tiankong, the head of the Zuo Clan, arrived with a pair of Thunder Wings manifested on his back. He flew down as quickly as lightning and bowed politely to Liu Chen. "This humble one asks how should I address you, little friend?"
At this time, although Zuo Tiankong's hair was grey, the aura emanating from him was extremely powerful. He was a veteran expert at the Rank 4 Upper Stage.
Seeing the patriarch, Liu Chen returned the gesture with a calm smile. "I am but a lone cultivator, with no clan or sect to speak of. Clan Leader Zuo may simply address me as Liu Chen. I came to San Cha Mountain only to take in the sights, this journey has not been in vain. I did not expect to trouble a distinguished expert such as yourself."
Liu Chen's words were perfectly balanced neither humble nor arrogant. He revealed his identity and purpose while offering a polite apology for the disturbance.
A hint of wary fear flashed in Zuo Tiankong's eyes, which he quickly masked with a warm invitation. "Since Little Friend has come from so far away, it would be better for you to be a guest at my Zuo home. Allow me to enjoy the friendship of a host. My clan is quite familiar with the layout of San Cha Mountain; I can act as a guide and take you on a tour myself."