Yuan Yang City was a gem inlaid into the foot of the True Yang Mountain Range. It bustled with activity, whether day or night and was also known as the True Yang Gem. The city's lights would glimmer like an uncut golden gem, mimicking the True Yang Mountain Range's brilliance during the day.
'It's quite the sight.' Bai Shou observed the Mountain Range layered with Golden Yang Oaks that grew reflective golden leaves, leaving the entire mountain range in a constant glow, modifying the surrounding species to become resilient to higher temperatures, and the hardened soil was extraordinarily nurturing towards the surrounding flora and fauna.
The sight momentarily made Bai Shou recall her first impression of the Shang Clan City. Of course, the city did not cover the entire mountain, much less the massive Mountain Range. However, the bustling activity was quite similar.
Before discovering Yuan Yang City, she had to enter several villages and sneak around to collect adequate information. It was the only large-scale city in her surroundings, and Bai Shou was shrewd enough to leave no trail behind. Why else would she have to sneak around for intel and not directly ask the villages' residents?
She wanted to avoid as much contact as possible.
Who knows what would be following her? She did kill someone boasting an Immortal's Killer Move on their Horse Sculpture.
'But why Horse Sculpture?' She shrugged. That mystery passed onto the Door of Life and Death alongside Jiu Loong Long.
Adjusting her hood, Bai Shou quietly melded with the trail of the public making its way to the city's entrance. The closer she got, the more Bai Shou could observe. Calling the city a marvelous depiction of security and architecture would be an apt praise. Tall walls carved with several relief sculptures surrounded the city, leaving eight openings for gates in eight directions. Of course, the city wasn't exactly circular. If viewed from a bird's POV, one could observe one side of the city as a hemisphere. Meanwhile, the other side, the one built right from the True Yang Mountain Range's foot, followed its uneven proportions.
Tall stone buildings and colorful establishments peeked from the opening.
Bai Shou soon reached the entrance, smiling at the guard.
Clearly, the City Guards were nothing like those maintaining public order in the Shang Clan.
There, the Gu Masters and mortals appointed official roles all belonged to the Shang Clan and boasted an air of superiority. However, the same wasn't true for the Rank 1 Gu Master in a guard's uniform.
He hurriedly avoided Bai Shou's gaze to avoid any disrespect before speaking respectfully.
"Everyone with the cultivation of Rank 3 and above can enter the city without fees, Senior. Welcome to Yuan Yang City, Senior!"
"Senior?" Bai Shou cupped her chin, eyes narrowing. "Do I have white hair? Ah, maybe a few wrinkles?"
The Guard instantly turned pale. He couldn't help but release cold sweat and stammer. "N-No! I didn't mean to insult Senior's beauty— ah, I meant—"
Bai Shou chuckled breezily.
"Be at ease, good man," she patted his shoulder good-naturedly. "It's been a long time since I emerged from my reclusive cultivation. Could you point me to the city's administrative building? I would like to understand a few rules and avoid causing any trouble."
Color returned to the Guard's face as he quickly nodded and let out a relieved sigh.
"Of course! You should follow this street and turn the second left. The Mayor built several buildings for the newcomers. One of the buildings is by the turn you make—it's a building with—"
The guard stopped before noticing Bai Shou's quiet smile.
"I'll have my partner escort you, Senior."
"That would be for the best," Bai Shou nodded and fished out a pouch of Primeval Stones, stuffing it in the Guard's hands. "I hope the general courtesy of requesting things hasn't changed since I began cultivating."
She didn't use the Primeval Stones from the Southern Border. There were a few differences between every region's Primeval Stones. Still, she got a considerable stock from her victim's Storage Gu.
"Thank you, Senior!"
<<<>>>
"Elder Brother!"
He woke up with a short yell, his body and bedsheet drenched in cold sweat. A hand stretched forward to grab something—someone.
'Huff.'
The sound of feet resting on the wooden floor echoed in the silent room. Light seeped through the corners of the curtain-veiled window, casting a gloomy shadow on the pale-cream walls.
"Ugh…"
The strange-looking man clutched his head, feeling the ancient bark on the right portion of his face somehow throb painfully.
'That nightmare again.' Fang Zheng gritted his teeth, recalling Fang Yuan's demise vividly. Were the possible consequences of his actions so terrifying that he would instead choose death? Fang Zheng had inspected the Jia Clan's cavern extensively and was confident the artificial tributary of the River of Time had ceased to exist.
Fang Yuan was most certainly dead!
'Like Tie Ruo Nan and Lo Jik,' Fang Zheng sighed. It had been nearly a year since the mysterious disaster struck San Cha Mountain. They had planned to travel to the Central Continent together. However, San Cha's disappearance caused severe casualties, leaving the Tie, Shang, Wu, and Yi Clan enraged. The entire political structure of the Southern Border's Super Clans teemed with blood-lusted tension.
But Fang Zheng was alone… again…
And he could only redirect all the quiet fury bubbling in his gut to the most deserving enemy.
The grudge that caused all this mess—the monsters who took away his Shen Cui, forcing Fang Yuan to become a nomad until he met his demise and the death of his clan.
One of the ten Great Ancient Sects.
The Immortal Crane Sect.
Fang Zheng exhaled, regaining his calm. He left the room after cleaning up, encountering a familiar figure eating his fill in the inn's dining area.
"You look like shit."
The man greeted, and Fang Zheng knew it was a lie. He wore a mask to hide his mutated tree spirit identity.
Or the Divine Thief possessed a see-through Gu Worm.
Indeed, Lu Zuan Feng traveled with Fang Zheng after suddenly receiving notification from his elusive master that the Shang Clan wanted the former's soul and that he needed to escape the Southern Border for the time being. Of course, Lu Zuan Feng never revealed why his prestigious Immortal Master couldn't just hide him.
No wonder Lu Zuan Feng felt aggrieved. The Divine Thief only encountered unfortunate news after meeting with Fang Zheng.
First, Fang Zheng stopped the Divine Thief's terror in the Demon Suppression Tower. Then, his request to steal from the Shang Clan led to the Immortals' collective rage. Finally, they did not even get an Inheritance within the Jia Clan due to Fang Zheng's Elder Brother.
As for the Jia Clan?
Fang Zheng was sure a few Demonic Immortals must have long eradicated the large-sized clan in the middle of a succession conflict because of the Immortal Gu Worm's aura lingering in their cave, painting an even worse target on the surviving duo's backs.
"We've been straggling along from one village to another for months," Lu Zuan Feng used a Gu Worm to communicate with Fang Zheng. "Our Apertures only recently adapted and eliminated the regional qi's suppression. However, our battle prowess is still shit unless we can re-refine all our Gu Worms. What's the next step?"
The duo momentarily stared at each other until Divine Thief sighed softly.
"My Master didn't say much. I know you have your doubts, but that's something common between us. I believe we have a better chance of surviving together than going solo. So, in our group, I don't mind the Wisdom Path Gu Master leading us."
Fang Zheng didn't believe a single word from the reputable thief.
However, there was some truth to Divine Thief's words.
It was better to appoint roles now than later. However, Divine Thief wasn't someone with a weak personality. Fang Zheng speculated that the former desired to digest the partial Wisdom Path inheritance he received. So, focusing on one thing would leave Lu Zuan Feng inadequate in the other aspect of their survival. Meanwhile, Fang Zheng had already hinted to his unfortunate partner he had an agenda for entering the Central Continent.
Still, he never revealed the truth. Wouldn't Lu Zuan Feng just sell Fang Zheng to the Immortal Crane Sect the second the former realized the latter's objective?
However, Fang Zheng could use his current position to his benefit.
"The Convention," Fang Zheng informed curtly.
"Oh," Lu Zuan Feng's gaze glimmered with sinister plots as he smirked. "Wonderful."
After all, what does a thief desire the most?
A target.
<<<>>>
"Welcome! Welcome!" A rowdy and young Rank 2 Gu Master called loudly, attracting everyone's attention in the city's square. He wore lavish golden robes and a red headband to keep his long black locks from covering his eyes. He waved his hand animatedly, seeking every Gu Master from the intrigued crowd.
"It's another round of the quiz, Seniors!" He laughed jubilantly, allowing a few with sharp gazes to notice the youth must have used a permanent thought-altering Gu Worm. "Who doesn't want to participate in the Refinement Convention?! It is a few years ahead but only appears once every century! It's such a joyful and prosperous event!"
He tapped the board set beside him as a few Rank 3 Gu Masters guarded him, revealing the youth was someone of import—someone who must be trusted by Yuan Yang City's Mayor.
"The Mayor loves talents and fosters the righteous ones! Yuan Yang City is a gem of justice and passion! The Mayor launched a blessed event in light of the distant convention!"
Bai Shou sat near the square's fountain. Yuan Yang City did not have a clear-cut perimeter between the outer and inner city. However, the difference in the quality of the construction of the nearby buildings allowed others to sense said shift in class.
Her gaze remained on the board.
On it was a single question.
"How will you mix water stone and fire whiskers?" The youth questioned loudly. "THAT is the event! Everyone refines the Gu. There's a refinement master in every one of us! Ah, I apologize for any offense to actual Refinement Path Gu Masters. Anyway!"
He patted the board.
"The mayor will reward anyone who answers the question correctly. Write down your answer and your current residence before letting the Bookworm Gu eat it. Remember! The reward is 100 Primeval Stones. However, it is only the first of the several events! The rewards will increase every time!"
Bai Shou instantly understood it was the Yuan Yang City's method of preparing for the Refinement Convention by attracting outside talents. She further speculated that strings of higher authority controlled the city—the Sects. Calling the rewards of the convention lucrative would be an understatement, and Bai Shou was also planning to enter said Refinement Path Convention.
Why?
To enter one of the Ancient Sects.
That's one of the events where she had a possibility of communicating with those of the Ancient Sects in a positive manner instead of… killing them.
So, Bai Shou quietly wrote her answer, folded it, and walked over to the Gu Master with the Bookworm to feed it.
'That's about it.' She moved along, unconcerned by the results. Yuan Yang City wasn't the only way to enter the Convention. It was a grand event that occurred every century and was open to every Gu Master—Righteous or Demonic. The scale of the convention was so massive that it further attracted thousands of Gu Masters from other regions. Imaginative Strength Immortal might not have entered the convention, but even he knew of it.
So, whether she entered the shortlist of the Yuan Yang City merely changed how quickly she could communicate with someone from an Ancient Sect.
As Bai Shou walked, she kept observing everyone around her.
Her routine consisted of observing the bustling city during the day and digesting all the recipes she knew at night—deducting the need for sleep using the Rank 4 Healthy Mind Gu.
Entering Yuan Yang City was beneficial. For one, she managed to conserve more materials and refined four Rank 4 Human Adaptive Qi Gu instead. So, she used the first one on the Rank 5 Heaven and Earth Before My Eyes, Invisibility Gu, and Heavenly Essence Treasure King Lotus based on her priorities.
First, restoring the Eye Gu meant recovering her scouting ability and simultaneously enhancing the Scan The Dao Killer Move. After all, she needed it immediately to enter the True Yang Mountain Range and collect various materials.
Yuan Yang City did not openly deal with several Gu Worms like the Shang Clan City did. Again, Shang Clan City was called one of the best sites for trading in the Southern Border for a reason. They even sold rare Rank 4 Gu and most ordinary Rank 5 Gu Worms to the proper parties. There wasn't even any Battle Stage in Yuan Yang City. Instead, it had a mission hall from which the city's Gu Masters could accept missions.
The lack of a clan system meant the City absorbed Gu Masters emerging from different origins and backgrounds. Anyone abiding by the city's rules could settle in and create a cozy family. Meanwhile, besides the Shang and Yi Clans, the Clan Settlements were more restrictive in who they allowed to enter.
Since she had already exhausted the materials needed to refine the Human Adaptive Qi Gu, she needed to work for more.
Second, the Invisibility Gu recovered the full extent of her concealment, and now she could advance to Rank 5 in the first Aperture without any fears.
Thirdly, Heavenly Essence Treasure King Lotus was necessary for second wind should she encounter something troublesome and drain her essence. Bai Shou certainly couldn't spend minutes absorbing the Primeval Stones for the bare minimum of essence.
She used the second Rank 4 Human Adaptive Qi Gu to undo the suppression on the Rank 5 Blood River Python, White Form Immortal Snake, and Thousand Li Earthwolf Spider to alleviate her immediate concerns of escaping through any terrain. Sure, the White Form Immortal Snake was the equivalent of having top speed in every terrain. However, Bai Shou could also control these three adeptly to form a defensive line and impede any resilient enemy.
Meanwhile, she maintained the remaining two for any needs she might encounter later.
It could be argued she should have used those two Adaptive Qi Gu Worms to either undo the suppression on her Strength or Refinement Set. However, there was an issue.
She was already at her maximum capacity in those two paths—because she lacked the Rank 5 Multiply Gu.
It was the core of her long-distance Strength Path Killer Move—Last Arrow.
It also played a crucial role in her only Refinement Path Killer Move—Undefeated Refinement Palms.
So, Bai Shou first needed to refine the Rank 5 Multiply Gu to regain her peak firepower.
Furthermore, the core of Bai Shou's Strength Set was mainly at Rank 4. It was better to advance them to Rank 5 to undo the suppression instead of wasting the Adaptive Qi Gu. She also had a complete Wisdom Path Set from Jiu Loong Long. Heck, a better use of the Adaptive Qi Gu would be undoing the regional suppression on Hu Mei Er's set… but it did not have an adequate synergy with Bai Shou's current Wisdom Path set, and she did not wish to deviate from her current objective of refining a Refinement Path clone, preferably a Hairy Man of sorts, which meant she would put the already suppressed Hairy Transformation to a decent use.
Her current situation was already several times better than when she was shot out of the Ba Gui Blessed Land.
'But… what about feeding the Immortal Gu?' She sighed, a little worried. Losing an Immortal Gu to hunger would be a genuine pity!
'I might be able to acquire a top-quality wine through the convention as one of the rewards?'
Several Gu Masters and civilians moved a little away from her as a thick scent of booze hung around Bai Shou.
Indeed, she appeared very… scandalous.
While her clothes were modest, Bai Shou's tanned skin sported dirt smudges, and her hair was somewhat disheveled. This gave her an air of waning seduction as if she'd spent a wild night of passion and broken a hip or two in the city's red-light district.
Well, Bai Shou wouldn't be the first female Gu Master to visit that spot to vent her urges and exploit a poor soul. Many female Gu Masters were willing to feel powerful in a more intimate setting. However, Bai Shou might be one of the more shameless sluts who did little to hide her debauchery.
It was planned, and others barely raised eyebrows when Bai Shou stumbled into the city's gambling den, revealing a starry-eyed look as she almost salivated for thousands of gambling stones lined neatly on several counters!
Indeed, gambling was the most profitable!
"Ah, Senior!" One of the girls blushed and quickly waved Bai Shou over. Her body revealed a Rank 1 Gu Master's aura.
"Oh, deary," Bai Shou whispered, drunkenly leaning over the counter as her fingers smoothly caught the woman's chin. "How are you, sweetheart?" She questioned, eyes full of smoldering passion that made others toss curious glances their way as the attendant blushed a storm.
Men, she could deal with…
But the Drunk Senior always had a way with words and a look so invasive that it filled her mind with scissors…
"I- I'm fine, Senior," she glanced away, making Bai Shou giggle. "You should be. It would be a shame if you weren't living lavishly, draining away at my wealth and heart. Sigh." The slut huffed. "Why does the sweetest of the lot always have a lover?"
Bai Shou, always the bold one, let her hand brush the attendant's loose locks.
"Uh…" The woman lowered her head, speechless. However, she wondered if her husband would agree to a night with a woman. It should be fine, right? Well, even if she had these thoughts, the female attendant was barely clear-headed to know how rude it would be. Gu Masters, whether male or female, must not be looked down upon, and offering to be a third wheel in a marriage wouldn't be treated so frivolously.
Of course, she would have wildly different thoughts if she found out about the Little Giant King Gu.
"No matter," Bai Shou tapped the woman's nose. "Come on! I just participated in that event for the Refinement Path Convention and am feeling lucky."
"Yes," the attendant recovered her professional smile. "What would it be today, Senior?"
"Hmm," Bai Shou turned around and remained leaning over the counter. Her eyes swept over the massive establishment.
There were a few familiar fossil stones, such as the Old Man and Pushing Cart Stones, but the establishments also boasted the gambling rocks local to the Central Continent.
Red Fire Rocks.
Blue Carp Rocks.
Black Root Rocks.
Yuan Metal Rocks, and more.
Now, would you believe Bai Shou if she said she also used the Invisibility and Eye Gu to discreetly enter the gambling establishment to seek out possible targets?
No, right?
Learning from the best, Bai Shou wanted to become the paragon of virtue and kindness…
Or genuinely boast of being the best by becoming a haven of sin and debauchery.
Bai Shou moved through several stones, choosing a few expensive but empty ones to open publicly while keeping one or two. She wouldn't always bring a few unopened rocks and entered the establishment randomly. As for her earlier words of the woman sucking away her wealth daily? Nothing but theatrics.
It was her first time taking away a stone containing a Gu Worm.
'Rank 4 Violence Gu.' Bai Shou sighed. Now she could use the Rank 4 Wrestle Poison, Poison Palm, and Violence Gu Worms to refine the Rank 5 Violently Beat Poison Gu.'
It was funny how one of Bai Shou's rarely-used Gu Worms was always one of the quicker ones to advance. Still, she did not look down on the Gu Worm's use. Rank 5 Violently Beat Poison Gu was enough to deal with the most known poisons and even slow down the extinct ones like the Jade Sky Gu while devouring it to temporarily increase Bai Shou's strength.
Additionally, the refinement would consume a few rare Rank 1-3 Gu Worms. Eventually, Bai Shou would have digested every bit of gains she gained these past few years.
***
Alternate Title: Yuan Yang City; A New City To Exploit; The Demon Approaches; Another Gem To Plunder; Nobody Can Take The Slut Out of Bai Shou/Lo Jik; Frivolous and Charming; The Rizz Continues; Fang Zheng's Adventure; Pifitul Divine Thief; The Monstrous Enemy; Ironical Fate; One Target—The Convention; The Quiz; The Gambling Den; The Growth Spree; Dealing With Suppression Qi; Recovering More; Discreet But Not Fearful; Scissors!; Bai Ning Bing Would Be Proud