Shu Zhe did not expect her morning to start with something so graphic. She held the Information Path Gu with a somewhat fervent and heated look. After all, Bai Shou's most recent act proved she could—
<<<>>>
Qin Juan felt like an entirely new woman. The benefits of the seclusion were most desirable since she had received enough contribution points to collect the required Gu for her advancement into Rank 5. The Aperture's light walls were now filled with brilliant crystal essence.
Like the few Elite Disciples who had yet to marry, Qin Juan's residence was small and cozy. Disciples did not have maids—a luxury offered only to the Elders and the Sect Leader. However, Qin Juan felt slightly annoyed by the rule that the different disciples could not share their accommodations or institutional benefits aside from the Exchange Hall's loophole. The thought of Bai Shou being forced to rest in a congested environment flustered Qin Juan. Many might perceive her affection for Bai Shou as unusual. What others were unaware of—Qin Juan would argue—was that Bai Shou was an unusual creature.
She could be entirely determined about something and forget it in the next second, presenting herself in a flirtatious and sultry manner that sent the likes of Qin Juan reeling. In addition to all that, even her mistakes, Bai Shou appeared rightfully… kind. When presented with a chance of some benefits over saving a life, most individuals would choose the former 8/10 times. There were such Gu Masters in Spirit Affinity House, too.
Feng Jin Huang?
Bai Shou?
They would choose the latter. No. The Senior Sisters whom Qin Juan began revering would usually ignore several benefits to live their desired life. It made sense in Feng Jin Huang's case. Ignoring her latest victory, the most popular Legacy Disciple had Immortal parents and a grandmother—the latter also raising Feng Jin Huang using her true inheritance! So, Feng Jin Huang had the capital and strength to be kind.
Meanwhile, Bai Shou?
She just had the strength.
By her admission, Qin Juan wasn't a Mary Sue and wasn't blind to her weaknesses and faults. So, not even the Elders' sneaky way of driving conflict between them by calling Bai Shou a demon could change Qin Juan's heart once she set her mind to something!
'I'm now at the same rank as Senior Sister Bai,' Qin Juan scrutinized her reflection, straightening the sleeves of her green qipao shirt. Further down on her waist was a lime-yellow cloth belt, holding together the long, flared trousers. A blue-colored palm-sized metallic token was fixed onto her belt. Its surface wrote the word 'Spirit'—the Spirit Affinity House's Elite Disciple's Token.
The Outer Disciples were given white tokens.
The Inner Disciples would attain green tokens.
And the Legacy Disciples glittered with golden ones.
These tokens were also how a disciple could exchange for contribution points. They were tied to the disciple using their blood and did not display the 'Spirit' tag if used by someone else. So, stealing the token achieved nothing.
'We have a week together,' Qin Juan left her residence as she planned. 'I will ask Senior Sister Feng to help Sister Bai once I meet her in the Hu Immortal Blessed Land. If only there was a way to bring Sister Bai together… but the Sect would not allow it. The Higher-ups wouldn't let anyone use loopholes with the legendary Guts Gu. Even Sister Feng wouldn't be able to help me if I tried something funny and the Sect revoked my reward of entering the Hu Immortal Blessed Land.'
'There is much to do. I had a week of quiet cultivation to realize that Lord Uncle Feng acted on the Sect's command to bring Sister Bai here. What if someone targets her when I'm away? No. I need to ensure she has enough help in my absence!'
Qin Juan recalled several connections she had made and thought about which individual to request.
"Senior Sister Qin!"
"Senior Sister!"
Two spirited voices snapped Qin Juan out of her thoughts. The Elite Disciple's hub was very calm and scenic. Stretches of tall blue ocean trees surrounded the residences. From a bird's point of view, the velvety blue leaves with whitish undertones mimicked crashing waves when rustling and moving. There was a clear sidewalk for others to walk upon, echoing with the hurried *Thud-thud* as two girls jogged up to a smiling Qin Juan. Unlike her troubled, indignant, and often embarrassed demeanor, the Elite Disciple looked elegant and collected.
The two girls before her were younger, each nearing the age of 20. Their similar features signified the blood relation between the duo—sisters.
"Congratulations, Senior Sister Qin!"
"Yes! I can't believe you already advanced into Rank 5 cultivation!"
The two girls babbled, eyes shining with curiosity and awe. Despite being Inner Disciples, the Rank 3 sisters lived with their parents, who happened to be Elites.
"Thank you," Qin Juan smiled as they started walking again.
"How was your first mission, Senior Sister?"
"Was it difficult? Did you find a dashing Demonic Gu Master?!"
Qin Juan's lips twitched as the elder sister berated her sibling.
"Silly! Why are you so focused on Demonic Gu Masters?! I will rat you out to Father if you keep this up."
"But!" the younger sister clenched her fist, those beautiful brown eyes gleaming with something that Qin Juan did not want to understand. "Demonic Gu Masters are rough! Imagine… imagine if my love changed them! It would be so romantic!"
"Or they would gut you, moron!"
"I'm not a moron! I'm a dreamer!"
The duo was always a storm of chaos as Qin Juan grew exasperated by their bickering and cleared her throat.
"Aha!" The elder sister laughed. "We apologize, Senior Sister Qin. Is it alright if we ask you a question regarding refinement?" She quickly cleared things up. "We checked the Education Halls available to the Inner Disciples and found nothing related to this topic. Maybe it's available to the Elite Disciples. We only want confirmation to save our contribution points so we can purchase it later."
"You know how our father is," the younger sister pouted and clicked her tongue. "He makes us work for everything and wouldn't buy the needed Heart Engraved Gu unless we pay for it."
"Martial Brother looks and cares after you two," Qin Juan's expression softened. "He just wants to instill discipline in you so he could eventually stop worrying about his daughters."
The sister's expression eased as they nodded. Meanwhile, Qin Juan smiled.
"Go ahead. Ask. I'll gladly hint you the answer if I know it."
Being a Refinement Path Gu Master, Qin Juan had several individuals approach her for benefits. Initially, the pair was the same until they kept conversing and formed a loose but cordial bond. So, the recently advanced Rank 5 Gu Master wouldn't put on airs with the pair.
"Ehm, look at this." The younger sister suddenly took out a dark green incense as long as an index finger.
"An odorless Beast Bait?" Qin Juan took the incense from the younger sister, scrutinizing it in great detail before affirming. "A Bear Beast Bait. It can even be dissolved in the water for lasting effect at the expense of diminished range. Meanwhile, burning it would spread the lure far and wide."
"Yes. Now, please look at this." The younger sister retrieved a Rank 1 Gu that looked like a dirt-brown earthworm with a serious expression.
"A Bear Bait Gu," Qin Juan smiled, somewhat understanding the girl's intentions. Unlike the elder sister, who found her strides in the Earth Path, the younger sister admired Qin Juan and was a Refinement Path Gu Master. It was their fortune to have their father—who had helped kick start the younger sibling's growth by offering enough training materials.
"Hmm," the younger sister licked her bottom lip, eyes glowing with unconcealed curiosity and vivid hunger. "If the mortal item and the Gu worm achieve the same effects… why is there a distinction?"
'There it is.' Qin Juan felt slightly proud. She once had similar questions, which had momentarily stumped Feng Jin Huang, and the pair were lucky to have Fairy Bai Qing's guidance. According to the Immortal Fairy, several Gu Masters had similar questions, and the doubt wasn't restricted to a singular path.
For instance, the Bear Bait Gu was a Rank 1 Enslavement Path Gu.
"You aren't being concise," the elder sister scolded her sibling and frowned. "We shouldn't waste Senior Sister's time with guesses—"
"It's alright. I understood the source of your confusion," Qin Juan smiled and spoke patiently. "Are you curious about the source of the distinction between two 'causes' when the effect is the same? For instance—the bear bait being the cause and the lured bear being its effect."
The younger sister nodded quickly.
"Right! If mortal items can achieve the same effects as a Gu, what stops a Gu Master from inventing ways to mimic even more effects without the Gu? What about mortals? They could also wield such strengths, right?"
"You are correct," Qin Juan nodded. "Nothing stops a Gu Master from trying and spending years to do what you just said. However, there is one crucial matter each of us unconsciously thinks about—efficiency. Would you be willing to spend years developing a way to mimic the effects of a singular Gu Worm? Never forget that mortals devised these methods because they had no other choice. Necessity is the mother of invention, after all. A Gu Master does not need to do all that. Additionally, a Gu Master treads the fearsome task of cultivation. Eventually, our culture centered around focusing on our Apertures and not trying to help other mortals. You are a Rank 3 Gu Master. What would you choose if presented with a choice of spending a year to reach Rank 4 or helping others mimicking, say, the effects of a Steed Gu?"
Understanding appeared in the eyes of the young girl. Even the elder sibling seemed to be thoughtful.
"Fortunately," Qin Juan continued. "There are still a few explanations on such topics in the Education Halls dedicated to the Elite Disciples. Martial Brother would be more than pleased to help you."
"Tch… pleased?" the younger sister clicked her tongue. "He always looks angry!"
"He is just shy and doesn't know how to express his happiness," Qin Juan shrugged. Some mischief appeared in her gaze as she pulled the duo closer. "Don't tell your father I was the one who told you this… but your father acts like a child caught red-handed whenever someone praises you two. He gets thrilled and rarely stops grinning."
The siblings exchanged happy looks before blushing and clearing their throats.
"W-Well… he should learn to express himself better!" The younger girl huffed with a relatively bright smirk.
'Like father like daughters…' Qin Juan smirked as she bid the duo farewell and continued her way. The topic, however, brought back some memories. Back then, Qin Juan had even more pointed questions.
—If it is possible, why haven't other humans without an aptitude to cultivate already created many recipes through trial and error?—
To this, the Fairy replied: Because mortals also have their worries. The world is filled with many dangers, and survival is the priority. Even if these methods exist, they could be long lost or never uncovered.
—I have another question, Fairy. If we use the Gu and permanently alter our body, why can we not just eat different materials in a recipe to refine the effects of the next Gu? What stops us from directly targeting and refining the effects of a Gu instead of the Gu Worm?—
Fairy was momentarily startled before she let out a warm smile. She replied: Because humans cannot digest materials as they digest food. There are indeed ways to alter the recipe and achieve what you idealize. However, modifying a recipe takes too much time and thought. Furthermore, the failure in refinement may permanently injure you. As a Refinement Path Gu Master, it is imperative that you realize that the ingredients are not food, elixirs, or paste. The Refinement Dao involves using Refinement Dao Marks to transform the materials into the Gu. Do you understand?
Qin Juan did. So, she stopped her idle dreams and focused on the correct way of following the Refinement Dao, as practiced by her ancestors since time immemorial. Refining the 'effect' was not something mortals like her had the luxury to achieve since it took Qin Juan weeks to modify a single item in the recipe.
She soon snapped out of her thoughts before going slack-jawed as she met the brightly grinning—
<<<>>>
Fairy Bai Qing's Will looked tormented. She couldn't help but stare at the recording her husband collected despite not wanting to look at it for another second.
"So?" Feng Jiu Ge inquired calmly, unmoved by the scene of sheer tenacity and demonic pain. They were Immortals. The kinds of injuries they suffered sometimes exceeded the pain Bai Shou felt in the recorded video. However, her grit had rightfully alerted every intrigued party. And her achievement? Well, that raised several eyebrows.
Bai Qing's Will quietly replayed the video without replying to her husband.
*Splash*
A lone, naked figure tossed herself into the massive, human-sized gray cauldron with three stone legs and two handles with the carvings of a crab's pincers. Within the pot bubbled a gravy of bones and marrow, thickening into a semi-liquid paste. What followed was a loud, blood-curdling shriek as the figure tore from the paste-like liquid, terrible burns all over the body, and the eyelids began to melt and shut. The figure almost rushed out of the cauldron…
Bai Shou… even she could not prepare herself for such torment. However, she stopped at the edge of it, blistering burns everywhere. The boiling liquid was more than effective on her flesh and blood as they began to dissolve, turning the murky gray soup dark red!
Clenching the cauldron's edge, Bai Shou slowly—still whimpering—submerged into the cauldron.
An intense struggle erupted within the eldritch soup.
Bai Shou shook out again, screaming at the top of her lungs. However, her voice was pitiful and small. Her throat was burned, and her tongue had melted off!
The soup began sticking to her body, calcifying her injuries. Soon, Bai Shou was like a dark-red sculpture within the active Refinement Cauldron. Since the Gu was active, it was apparent that Bai Shou wasn't unconscious.
*Crack*
*Crack*
*Crack*
Cracks began to form around the calcified exterior until Bai Shou tumbled out from the thick 'shedding.'
*Thud*
Bai Qing couldn't help but admire the trembling and naked figure. Still experiencing pain despite her healed body, Bai Shou tried to move and rise to her feet. Unfortunately, she collapsed on the floor several times before balancing her shaking body to cover herself up.
The recording changed, and Bai Shou tossed herself into another soup a day later!
Then, another time.
And ANOTHER TIME!
"I didn't know something like this was possible," Bai Qing whispered, recalling her conversation with Feng Jin Huang and her friend.
Feng Jiu Ge looked up from his cup of tea, a small smile on his lips.
"Bai Shou managed to cheapen the process and simultaneously quickened it. What others would spend more than hundreds of thousands of Primeval Stones to achieve, she did it under a surprising budget of a few tens of thousands. But the cost was unimaginable pain."
"The concept of refining the effect has existed in our world for a long time. Qi, Water, and Blood Path also pride themselves in using materials to use several Killer Moves—touching the profundity of this subject. Furthermore, the Body Refinement aspect was built upon this nature of the dao—to overlap the use of stronger Gu on the previously refined body instead of removing the Dao Marks from the previous body refinement." Feng Jiu Ge sipped the fragrant tea with qi clouds floating near the cup.
"There is something more surprising than Bai Shou's achievement of advancing her Body Refinement to the peak without any additional Gu…"
Bai Qing nodded. She knew it all too well.
Under the effects of the Trade Gu, Bai Shou traded her Human Path notes to the sect in exchange for the promise they would heal her mentor. The contract was concise, and Bai Shou had to offer all she had recorded about the path. It was with the precise intention of not making Bai Shou feel stifled, or the wording could have been changed to trading for everything she 'knew.' If that were to happen, Bai Shou would have absolutely added a time constraint within which the Sect had to heal Bai Shou's mentor.
So, either Bai Shou took four days to form these stunning recipes and methods or…
"She must have an Inheritance…" then Bai Qing shook her head. They had observed the meeting. Bai Shou might have played with her words, but she did not lie.
These achievements were not from an Inheritance but her own methods!
"We predicted her to be a Refinement Path Master… but she must also be a Strength Path Master with a decent accumulation in the Human Path to invent such recipes." Feng Jiu Ge exhaled. "Talent has always been a thing of mystery. Luck is also often considered a talent… but now I'm beginning to feel we may be witnessing something else."
"It's a wonder how Bai Shou has remained sane all this time," Bai Qing's Will had other worries. "Her grit is admirable. But she is too brilliant to waste her time on Strength Path."
Their expressions momentarily turned wry.
Even if they witnessed Bai Shou's brilliance, the Sect could not wholeheartedly invest in her because of her Otherworldly identity. Meanwhile, in Bai Shou's head, she never thought about one of her most closely guarded secrets to have been exposed. It was a miscalculation on her part—the lack of clue that no accumulation in Wisdom Path could solve!
"At least one thing is clear," Bai Qing hummed with a pleased smile. "Bai Shou should be able to tackle the issues Fairy Shu Ye's granddaughter is struggling with. We tried many methods to help her, but they all failed."
Feng Jiu Ge narrowed his eyes, staring at the trembling youth who would, in the end, always manage to stand tall and proud.
"Indeed… who knew the Human Path's effects can be so enduring? I wonder what thoughts these kinds of talents have… the view they possess of the Grand Dao."
"Everybody's view is different and unique," Bai Qing smiled softly. "That's what makes our lives truly pleasant and rewarding, Ge. I will relay this information to the main body through Yellow Heaven."
"Hmm," Feng Jiu Ge nodded. He didn't leave his seat and indulged in the brewed tea and casual flute-playing sessions. It was rare for him to be able to rest…
Well, rest was a strong word.
An Immortal's cultivation wasn't peaceful at all. So, during these moments of peace, Feng Jiu Ge also thought about ways to continuously raise his strength.
Immortal cultivation was a race to obtain the required resources, and no moment could be wasted!
<<<>>>
Qin Juan appeared dumbstruck by the conspicuous figure waving at her.
"There you are, Junior Sister! Congratulations are in order, eh?" Bai Shou grinned widely.
"W- Who are you?" Qin Juan remained rooted, unable to look away from the… well, woman. Bai Shou had changed considerably within a week. She was surprisingly tall, and her skin seemed to store slightly more fat. Though it did not make her look fat, it did pronounce her curves. Had Bai Shou been a man, this change would have lowered her body's vascularity and made her muscles less visible in exchange for giving her a more rugged and boorish body with enough mass. It didn't help that Qin Juan's Senior Sister's robes seemed slightly loose and rested on her widened curves.
"Me?" Bai Shou's gaze twinkled. She flexed her arm, and the loose sleeves almost filled up completely! How much muscle mass was this freak hiding?! Qin Juan was equally scared and curious to find out!
"I'm your one and only savior, Dear. Surprised?"
"W- What happened to you?" Qin Juan stammered. Here, she believed her growth would have been the day's central topic of discussion. However, the Elite Disciple couldn't help but gasp at the realization of something shocking.
"You already advanced your Body Refinement? This quickly?"
She suspected Bai Shou might have already engaged the services of another 'Junior' Elite Disciple, the thought gnawing away at her heart.
"Hmm? I can't reveal my secrets without an appropriate price."
Bai Shou beckoned Qin Juan.
"Come on. I should also show you something. Be sure to spread my good name."
Soon, Qin Juan watched a massive advertisement board on Bai Shou's residence.
—Giant King's Refinement Stall—
Besides Bai Shou's door was another banner.
—Guaranteed Refinement of Rank 1-5 Gu Worms Under Three Tries. The Price of Refinement Is One Rare Material Corresponding To The Gu Worm's Rank. Contact Outer Disciple Bai Shou For Further Details.—
Qin Juan stared at the board and then at Bai Shou. It didn't help that the masses living in the city kept staring at Bai Shou's bulky… attractive frame with immense respect.
Seven days.
She was gone for seven days!
Why did it feel that Qin Juan had been hidden in some confined cave in solitary for seven WHOLE years?!
"So?" Bai Shou wagged her brows. "What do you think? Wanna be my employee or a competitor? You can set up a similar business, right?"
Qin Juan pursed her lips before she closed her eyes and accepted the changes with a soft sigh.
"I'm going to eat breakfast, Senior Sister. Let's go."
Qin Juan.exe was unwilling to process all this nonsense without some delicious food on the table.
Bai Shou chuckled, too pleased with herself as if she wasn't a quivering mess three days ago. But that is where her greatest strength lay.
She always moved on…
Right?
At least—it would seem—physically.
<<<>>>
—heal her. Shu Zhe replayed the recordings, her gaze more and more captivated by the brilliance on display.
The Sect Leader peered deep into her Aperture.
Shockingly, her aperture was dry!
Too dry and empty!
There was only a thin layer of essence as every other Gu floated or rested at the very end of the aperture's limits.
The Sect Leader only had 1% Peak Stage Rank 5 Essence.
***
Alternate Title: Qin Juan: Worried For Bai Shou *Also Qin Juan After Seeing Buff Bai Shou: Worried For the Sect*; The Younger Sister: Imagine! *Bai Shou: Did Someone Say Imagine?!* *Imaginative Strength Immortal: HMMM*; Personifying I Can Change Him/Her; Younger Sister Being Imaginative and a Dreamer *Bai Shou: This One Has Potential*; W Father Actually Teaching Discipline; Bai Shou Making The Best Use of Her Time; The Immortal's Attention; Sensitive Identity; Bai Shou: Invest In ME! *Thieving Heaven Demon Venerable Ruining OD Identity Forever: Lol, Sorry*; Otherworldly Demons For a Reason; The Pure Display of Attainment; The Ability of Multiple Attainment; Bai Shou To Boiling Liquid: You Look Like Something I Can Take On *Bai Shou Three Hours Later: It Appears I Misjudged You*; A Demonic Grit; A Heart That Beast Masochism; Fang Yuan: Peeling His Skin *Bai Shou: Blistering It*; A Demon To The Core; Human Path Being OP; Others: No! You Cannot Refine The Effects Directly *Bai Shou: Laughs In Human Materials* *Reckless Savage: Laughs In Food Path* *Spectral Soul: Laughs In Soul Path* *Primordial Origin: Coughs In Qi Path* *Limitless: Freaks Out In The Cave* *Paradise Earth: Chortles In Heavenly Wave* *GreatDream: Sleeps In Dream Path*; All The Previous Accumulations Paying Off!
***
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