Crash

Whoosh

Crash

Inside Gohan's aperture, Copper Green Sea Primeval Essence rose up as the giant tidal waves crashed on the aperture walls with a large power.

The aperture walls were already extremely bright. It felt like it was going to shed its layer and evolve into a higher state of energy.

'Once more!'

Gohan's forehead was covered in sweat and he sat on the ground with a bloody corpse beside him. 

In front of him was a large number of rocks blocking the whole tunnel.

The glowing stones embedded inside the tunnel kept on flashing lights constantly, illuminating the surroundings and making it look extremely beautiful.

Inside Gohan's aperture, the waves rose once again as the crashed on the aperture walls by his control.

His Primeval Essence was already depleted to 40%, meaning that 60% of the Primeval Essence was already absorbed.

Once again, a slight amount of Primeval Essence was absorbed inside the Aperture Walls, purifying it and making it even brighter.

"I will breakthrough today!"

Gohan had barely cultivated for a week, but his speed of cultivation was shocking.

In a mere week of cultivation, he was going to become a Middle Stage Rank 1 Gu Master.

Outstanding!

Under Gohan's control, the aperture walls kept on getting nurtured.

"I wonder how many days it has been since I opened my eyes..."

He thought silently.

After all, he has been cultivating most of the time. He only knew that he was extremely thirsty.

The blood of the beast has already dried for some time and he couldn't feed the Red Grasshopper Gu Worm anymore.

Unlike him, there was one existence that kept the record of time.

"This is crazy!!"

Daisy screamed shrilly. Her eyes were sunken and she looked thin. Her skin was extremely dry.

"There is no food and water to survive."

"It's already been three days since I opened my eyes and I think I am going to go crazy!"

Daisy grabbed her hair in anger and wanted to thrash around.

She then looked up helplessly.

She thought that she had found an exit, but in reality, there was no exit. The supposed 'exit' was connected to a tunnel that needed to be climbed up.

If it was two days before, then Daisy might have the required strength to brave the adventure and climb up the wall. But now, her arms were thin and weak.

She couldn't climb anymore!

Dead End!

She once again curled up and started sobbing.

Crack

The moment she leaned back, one of the rocks fell down.

"Hmm?"

Her eyes couldn't help but squint by the light emerging from the crack.

"Is that an exit?"

Her morale rose and she stood up with newfound energy.

***

The whole cave was illuminated as two figures, one big and one small could be seen on a raised, cliff-like platform.

"Damnit! Four days! It's already been four friggin days!"

A naked youth smashed his fist on the sidewalls and gnashed his teeth.

He was Kugo!

Beside him stood a small pale boy with short black hair and two red marks on his cheeks. His eyes were unnaturally large.

His small face was calm and collected. Even when his skin was dry and his eyes bloodshot, he did not lose his rationality.

"Hehe, what a genius of the Kame Village! Heh, if I knew you were like this, I would've stopped worrying about your potential."

The kid sneered and remain seated.

"Chiaotzu! Don't get carried away. Even if you were the genius of the Crane Village, your foundation is nothing compared to ours."

Kugo's eyes were crazed and he looked a little fanatical.

After all, he saw his father and mother dying in front of his eyes. He already had a feeling that all the villagers are dead.

"Hehe, what foundations?"

Chiaotzu shook his head and sneered. He did not even put Kugo in his eyes.

"Haha, our village has five A Grade Aptitudes! That's the foundation I am talking about!"

Kugo screamed and pointed at Chiaotzu.

"That boy who was butchered by that beast was also an A Grade Aptitude!"

Kugo didn't let the stunned Chiaotzu speak and pointed at the mangled corpse below the platform.

Chiaotzu's eyes were shrunk into a needle and his face was incredible. 

But he immediately gathered his calm.

"So? Heh, no matter what foundations we have. Everything is over. Look at that beast! Do you think a Rank 1 Gu Master with no Gu Worms can win against that beast?"

"Even if it is an A Grade Aptitude, so what? He still died pathetically.

Kugo finally regained his gaze and looked at the Stone Gorilla near the bloody corpse.

The Gorilla's eyes were shining ruthlessly as it kept on looking at the duo. But it did not move from its location.

"Even if we are talented, we are still going to die!"

Chiaotzu's calm voice sent a chill to Kugo's spine.

Looking at him, Kugo only had one thought.

"He isn't afraid of death!"

***

The aperture walls were shining intensely as the thin walls looked sturdier than before. Meanwhile, the tiny dots of lights had already merged together and they flowed endlessly, like water.

On the other hand, the Primeval Essence restored in the aperture had a change in colour.

The previous copper green Primeval Essence was turned into a jade green Primeval Essence.

Middle-Stage Rank 1 Gu Master!

Gohan opened his tired and felt completely exhausted.

The cultivation of the world cannot replace the relaxation provided by sleeping and resting of mind.

His sunken face and thin body looked extremely pitiful, but his eyes shone like a pair of torches.

Right now, 13% of his aperture was filled with initial stage Primeval Essence while the naturally restored essence belonged to the middle stage of Rank 1.

He picked up the remaining eatable parts of the tri-fur lion and started eating the bland and dry meat.

He did not care if his jaws hurt while chewing the food.

He only had his survival in his mind.

"Now, what should we do about this blockade."

Gohan looked at the tunnel blocked by the rocks. For Gohan, this is the only way to get out of the tunnel. 

He did not know the true motive of his kidnapper and he did not want to bet on the single assumption that this mysterious party wanted to help him grow faster.

Sure, he found a Gu Worm on the Tri-fur Lion's body, but it can be a coincidence, too.

"Even if I use Core Strength Gu Worm and try to destroy the attack the wall, the results will be futile. This action will cause the loss of a rare rank 1 Gu Worm and my escape is still unlikely."

Gohan looked at the wall thoughtfully.

"I have three Gu Worms. One is for healing while the other Gu Worm is in the state of hunger and using it will cause its destruction. But what about Hope Gu?"

"According to the academy, Rank 1 Gu Worms require Rank 1 Primeval Essence, Rank 2 Gu Worms require Rank 2 Primeval Essence, according to this trend, the legendary Rank 9 Gu Worm would also require Rank 9 Essence."

In the academy, Gohan wasn't taught about the ways of immortal. But reaching this conclusion was quite easy.

"But in the << Legends of Ren Zu >>, the three Legendary Gu Worms— Wisdom, Strength and Hope did not ask for any kind of energy, but the things exclusive to Ren Zu."

"That is his lifeline and his heart."

"By using his youth, Ren Zu commanded Strength and by sacrificing his prime middle age, he gained Wisdom. This also shows the true growth of human beings."

"The youth are hot-headed and passionate and try to solve most of the predicaments of life using their fists. But as they grow older, they grow wiser and start solving things in the most efficient and beneficial manner."

Gohan didn't know why he thought of the two legendary Gu Worms, but he felt as if a curtain was lifted and he could understand some parts of the << Legends of Ren Zu >>.

"Anyway, I have one of the three Legendary Gu Worms with me— Hope Gu. If the Legends are accurate, this Gu Worm shouldn't use any essence, but still provide me benefits because it has already taken its own compensation— my heart."

Gohan's body trembled as he realised something strange.

"Is there something wrong with my breakthrough. These kinds of thoughts are formed by itself."

The inspiration of using the Hope Gu struck his mind suddenly and he felt that it had something to do with the strange condition of his body.

"If my instincts are correct, then..."

Gohan tapped his left chest with his right hand as a golden glow covered his entire right palm.

A strange feeling bloomed inside his mind.

It felt like he could achieve anything!

This emotion wasn't raised because of unprecedented strength, either extraordinary wisdom.

But it was a simple feeling, Hope!

Gohan's emotion was neutral as he revelled in such a feeling.

His right palm clenched into a fist and he felt a slight burden on his heart.

This pressure kept on increasing slightly and caused his body extreme pain.

"Need to finish this quickly."

His eyes brightened and his fist tapped the rocky blockade.