Two immortals were flying above the clouds.
One of them transmitted: "This is the location, the last formation core is right before us. Yun'er, please release the immortal gu here."
Lady Wen Yun did as instructed, she took out a rank six immortal gu from her aperture.
"Rank six Leaf Edge Immortal Gu." She announced softly as she pushed the gu worm gently forward in the air.
This gu worm was one of the formation cores for Bao clan's Flying Leaf Coiling Vine formation. It got previously damaged during the myriad tribulation. Lady Wen Yun was the one tasked to restore this crucial gu worm. She was the refinement expert Wen clan has sent over as per the two clan's agreement.
Lady Wen Yun: "Uncle Wen Bo, this formation is truly profound. I wouldn't have believed it if I haven't seen it for myself. I wonder what your evaluation is on the matter."
"Indeed. I had the same idea the first time I witnessed it. This is already my second time interacting with it, but I still only managed to comprehend sixty to seventy percent of it..." Replied Wen Bo humbly.
"Only that much? Is this formation beyond the level of a formation path great grandmaster?" She called out incredulously.
"No, that is not the case. How should I say this..." Wen Bo paused to come up with a good analogy.
"Let's say a formation expert can build many houses, big or small, tall or wide, plain or ornate. But they are all static and motionless when compared to this formation. Then this formation would be a growing treehouse on top of a walking turtle! This formation is the work of a wood path great grandmaster! It contains the essence of nature and vitality, it almost feels like the formation is another living entity itself. The formation cores can rearrange themselves as needed and mortal gu can be refined to restore a damaged part. Even an immortal gu would be repaired if given enough time and resources and it wasn't destroyed instantly." Wen Bo has subconsciously raised his voice as he was explaining with great fervor, he was truly in admiration of this unique formation.
"Refining gu worms when needed? That is the specialty of refinement path. I thought this formation was only a wood path formation." Remarked Lady Wen Yun.
Wen Bo: "Haha, this is simple. You'll experience this yourself when your attainment reaches grandmaster and beyond. At grandmaster attainment, you will be able to use your main path to understand and imitate other paths. You should be close to this level already, right?"
Lady Wen Yun: "Uncle is perceptive as always, indeed I'm at quasi-grandmaster in refinement path. So is this formation imitating refinement path with wood path?"
"Among many others, yes. I could make out some aspects of blade and earth path as well. This formation's profoundly is comparable to our clan's Revolving Mountain formation." Stated Wen Bo solemnly.
"No way! That formation was created by many generations of our formation experts. How can Bao clan have such a formation as well?"
"This is a matter of fact. Bao clan also has a deep history, don't forget they were once a super force just like our Wen clan. I heard that their rank eight ancestor has innovated the core of this formation by himself. But enough talking. I need to focus now, the most critical part is here." As Wen Bo said this, he activated his immortal killer move, it spread out engulfing this part of the formation.
After a few breaths of time the operation of the formation came to a crawl, it greatly slowed down. A small formation space was opened now and the rank six Leaf Edge Immortal Gu was sucked into it.
"Success!" Called out Wen Bo as he released a turbid breath. It wasn't easy on him to influence this rank eight formation with his rank seven cultivation.
"Uncle, if this is such an important formation like our Revolving Mountain formation, why does Bao clan let us interact with it? Are they not afraid if we learn of their secrets?" Came the question from Lady Wen Yun.
"You are still young Yun'er. There is no problem with this. Bao clan is dependent on us for our expertise while we are dependent on them for the abundant resources they can produce in exchange. Also, remember the immortal oath you've taken? Every immortal has taken that as well. Even if one wanted to harbor malicious intent to harm the other, their oath would trigger. At that point even the first supreme elder would be powerless to save that person."
Just as they were conversing, a third immortal appeared from thin air.
"Greetings to Grand Formation Wen Bo and refinement expert Lady Wen Yun." Came the greeting.
"Greetings Fairy Bao Yijun!"
Bao Yijun was inside the formation previously, controlling it and assisting the Wen clan immortals to repair it.
"You two did a satisfactory job, I will not stint on the praise when I report it to the first supreme elder." Said Fairy Bao Yijun with a friendly smile. "There is just one more thing I'd like to discuss. Care to join me at my banquet?" She asked this as she looked at Lady Wen Yun, then she glanced at Wen Bo.
"This is a good opportunity for you to build some connections. Go Yun'er, I'll return to the clan now." Transmitted Wen Bo as he noticed the second supreme elder's subtle hint, she had business to discuss with Lady Wen Yun.
Lady Wen Yun: "But... uncle?"
"Thank you for the kind words Fairy Yijun, but I'll have to hurry back and report. Take care!" With that said, he left his junior and Fairy Yijun behind.
"I- I wonder what Fairy wants to discuss with me." Said Wen Yun awkwardly.
Fairy Bao Yijun: "Don't be so tense. Haha. Just some personal matters, I want you to refine gu for me. Of course, I'll personally provide the materials and remuneration."
Lady Wen Yun: "Ah, so it is like that. Senior please lead the way!"
* * * * *
The awakening ceremony has already ended. Bao Zhi was in the district where he previously sent Jin Ju. His cart was parked outside the house he rented. He was inside, already deep in thought.
"The problem is that the number of my wood path dao marks overpower the rank one Hope Gu. Even though human path has the nature of not conflicting, mortal gu only has fragments of dao marks. I would need an immortal level Hope gu. I'm not sure if it even exists. But I definitely can't refine it now or any gu if I have no primeval or immortal essence."
"If I can't have any essence, I can't use gu worms. I am facing both the external problem of having drawn attention with my performance at the ceremony and the internal issue that I can't cultivate Gu worms... What a wretched situation this is."
Bao Zhi did not despair though. He knew deep down that the most important factor was not luck, it wasn't talent or aptitude either. The most important thing was not up to Heaven and Earth to decide: this thing was the mindset. With an iron will, no matter how many setbacks and failures one faced, as long as they were willing to walk, there was always a road to walk on.
"Wait, I still do have one Gu worm, and it is a rank six at that." He realized this as he placed his palm on his chest. He could feel his heart beating steadily, it was the immortal Gu he revived with, Verdant Heart Seed.
"Do I dare to activate it again? No, I almost died last time as well. I simply do not know enough about this gu worm."
One thing was knowing, another was putting it into practice. Experimenting with a new immortal gu was very dangerous even for immortals, not to mention a mortal. It was certain death for Bao Zhi to start testing the specifics of this gu worm. He put this idea behind himself. Bao Zhi put down the book beside him he was holding till now.
It was the most common book, yet it held great wisdom. It was The Legends of Ren Zu. Everyone knew this story, it was widely circulated, yet most people could only scratch the surface of its profundities. Even the rank nine venerables were unable to comprehend it entirely. This was nothing strange, Ren Zu was a legendary figure, the human ancestor himself.
With some new inspiration Bao Zhi contemplated his situation:
"The Legends of Ren Zu states that Ren Zu met Strength Gu before Hope Gu. Does this mean he has obtained strength even though he had no cultivation?"
This was a question with deep implications.
"Let's suppose this allegory is truthful. How would Ren Zu have strength? What was cultivation like when there was no aperture?"
The answer was self-evident: "It has to be dao marks. Strength gu has carved strength path dao marks on his body, making him strong. This is the simplest explanation."
Bao Zhi felt like he had uncovered a long-forgotten history as he suddenly exclaimed: "Body cultivation! Desolate beasts! They naturally have dao marks on their bodies granting them different abilities. They do not need Gu worms to form these killer moves, because they already have the dao marks in the arrangement of a killer move!"
The first killer moves were based on imitating and improving the beasts' natural "killer moves". This in essence was just studying heaven and earth and applying that knowledge through Gu worms.
"I already have dao marks on my body, but they do not form any killer moves yet. Even though this path of cultivation is inflexible, this seems like my best shot currently to cultivate. Next, I need to find a method to change my dao marks' arrangement. Then, with sufficient strength, I can take what I need!"
A concrete plan has started to take form in his mind, the details still blurry. He did not put down the idea of awakening his aperture, the end goal was clear before his eyes:
"In the end, I need to obtain rank five Man Triumphing Heaven Gu!"
This gu worm was special, it was a forceful way to awaken an aperture even if the person had no aptitude for cultivation. But it is a rank five gu worm it was prohibitively expensive for anyone other than the most influential leaders and immortals. One could not purchase such Gu worm in a market.
* * * * *
Jin Ju just woke up after he passed out during the awakening ceremony. He found that he was no longer drenched in water and also his fatigue was gone. He looked around, he was now in a hall laying on a futon-style bed. He noticed the many others around him. Soon a girl's voice attracted his attention:
"Brother Ju, you woke up finally!" Came the greeting from the now-familiar Yu Lingxin as she made her way over between the beds on the ground.
"Brother Ju, I never imagined you would be so talented!"
Jin Ju didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
"What, you know my results?"
"Yes, I read it on the evaluation list. You got B grade aptitude! They told me B grade would have a bright future in cultivation, only surpassed by the few A grade talents." She exclaimed with eyes full of excitement.
Jin Ju: "I wonder what grade you got, is it also B grade?"
Yu Lingxin: "I wasn't far off, but it is only C grade. Still, it is a very good outcome. I'm satisfied with it. With some extra work, I will make up the difference!" She exclaimed in a competitive manner.
Jin Ju laughed playfully: "I'm sure of it."
Yu Lingxin: "Will you join us? We'll have a celebration tonight." Asked Yu Lingxin as she suddenly hugged Jin Ju.
Realization dawned on Jin Ju, he still had the primeval stones on him. "Sorry, I just remembered I have something to take care of." He blurted out.
But Yu Lingxin was already running away with a reddened face: "Then see you tomorrow in the academy!"
Jin Ju was dumbfounded, at what just happened. Anyway, he adjusted the pouch he has hidden at his waist. "Good, I wasn't robbed when I was unconscious."
...
"Sister, this Jin Ju is such a player. He did not show it, but I felt his crotch when I hugged him, I think he has feelings for me."
* * * * *
