Healthy Mind Gu had been critical in maintaining Bai Shou's consciousness throughout the pain. However, she wasn't thrilled by recalling the memories of her flesh being remade and even her entire nervous system liquefied and reconstructed. The sheer pain she suffered should have fractured her mind if not for the appropriate Healing Gu.
Again, Bai Shou was reminded of her superior constitution. Although she was in pain, it was manageable by the end of it. The same was true for her mind. The pain and torture made Bai Shou keener than before—more aware and sharper! She had a term for this phenomenon.
Divine Capacity.
The results spoke for themselves.
What should have taken a Strength Path Gu Master years to achieve was accomplished in less than seven days. Of course, Bai Shou already had several materials prepared, and being a Master in several paths was nothing to scoff at.
Starting from her outermost shell, Bai Shou's skin was the same as using the Rank 5 Thickest Skin Gu. The Elite Muscles Gu in her aperture was useless since she had already refined her flesh into the effects of the Rank 5 Perfect Muscles Gu. She first targeted her skeletal structure, which was thicker than several beasts' bones and reflected on her weight as Rank 5 Mighty Bones. Her Organs took longer to complete, but everything about her sensory organs was heightened, similar to using a respective Rank 2 Gu—the brilliant effects of the Imperial Organs using the Purple Blood Gu. Finally, her reaction time had reached the peak of the mortal realm if one ignored the speed granted to Lightning and Light Path Gu Masters. It was the use of the Rank 5 Mind-Body Lightning Connection.
Others might not realize that Bai Shou's achievement could not be replicated. Her method was filled with Human Dao's ingenuity in that she had to account for all the changes to her physical body—including the Beast Strengths marked upon her flesh and bones. It was one of the primary reasons a Gu Master couldn't just form a paste and mimic her ability.
Being a Master in the relevant aspects—alongside the massive library of materials and their Dao composition from Imaginative Strength and several refinement recipes for the same Gu—Bai Shou didn't need more than a few minutes to form a precise 'soup' that could refine her flesh and blood despite the counteracting Strength Path Beast Phantoms.
The further one looked into her methods, the more shocked they would feel.
As for setting up a shop?
Call it a moment of inspiration when enduring hellish pain.
Bai Shou had two options to continue.
First, she could follow the Sect's recommended path of completing missions and participating in the sect exams and contests to alleviate her rank. Second, she could earn favors from the disciples in the higher realm and have them purchase the materials and information she wanted.
Of course, buying materials and recipes from the Exchange Hall was straightforward. However, the information bought from the Inheritance Hall was strictly regulated, and anyone who exchanged for Inheritance from said institution would be under the Information Path vow to keep it from spreading to others unless they paid for special conditions, like sharing it with one of their family members with similar restrictions.
Bai Shou couldn't even use a more straightforward loophole for the Education Hall… but she had a few ideas because its restrictions were lax compared to the Inheritance Hall.
Truthfully, Bai Shou leaned towards the latter.
She tried playing by the rules with Yang Pao, but it left her unprepared for the threats she wasn't even aware of. There were also two more years until the sect exam, leaving her plenty of time to change her decision should she wish so.
Setting up a Refinement Stall was to walk the second path.
She had spent two days refining nearly 7 different Gu Worms from Ranks 1-3, instantly attracting her neighbors' attention. The low price of needing only one material was a ruse a practiced eye could see from miles away. After all, Bai Shou also demanded three sets of materials alongside the recipe for the Gu they wanted to refine. It was an open scheme. Whether Bai Shou failed or succeeded, she would get a recipe. Furthermore, she stood to earn a lot if she refined the Gu the first time! She could sell the remaining portions or keep them for later use.
Of course, such a method also had risks.
First, the guarantee of refining within the three portions must be maintained even if she couldn't—in that case, Bai Shou would need to purchase the materials out of her pocket and try again. Second, the backlash from failed refinement could hurt her soul and mind. Her Refinement Set wasn't complete. But this was also the quickest way of getting the materials she desired.
Although she still had one Human Adaptive Qi Gu, it was set as a backup. If only she could return to Yuan Yang City and refine this Gu unchecked! She even had grand plans about a Hairy Man Refinement Clone to help with the Gu Refinement…
Alas…
Man proposes, and Heaven Disposes…
There was another concern.
Now that she had dealt with her Body Refinement in a surprisingly short time frame, the next step was to upgrade her Beast Phantoms. But the Fickle Heart Strength Gu was suppressed and had an effect similar to a Rank 4 Gu—it could not consume the hearts of Beast Emperors or Mutant Beast Kings and grant Rank 5 Beast Phantoms.
Being a Rank 5 Gu Master also made Bai Shou consider advancing her Gu Set.
There were a few Gu that did not have any Rank 5 recipes.
For instance, the Self-Reliance Gu had no Rank 5 recipe. Would that stop Bai Shou?
Fortunately, not.
Did she need the Rank 5 Self-Reliance Gu?
Again—fortunately—not.
Not all Gu needed to be at Rank 5. The more her strength increased, the more the Self-Reliance Gu healed. So, its effects were already similar to many Rank 5 Gu, which stood to increase once Bai Shou advanced her Beast Phantoms.
Dragon Travel Tiger Steps and One's Closed Fist Gu were the same.
She also wanted to seek the refinement recipes for Brave Thoughts and Brave Will. Possessing a more durable Brave Will in her soul would lessen the impacts of backlash on the soul and make it easier for Bai Shou to wield Killer Moves. The latter was also true for Brave Thoughts.
'It's astounding how I wanted to focus on Refinement and Human Path in the beginning but still ended up needing to focus on Strength Path first,' she sighed. All this happened because she wanted to create a Killer Move using the Particle Viewing Gu. Taking a step back, it was because Bai Shou fell for Su Shou and her greed to understand the dual cultivation method…
'Why not just back away completely and blame my birth?' She scoffed at these thoughts and extinguished them altogether.
'If Chen Jiu can be healed… that would be for the best.'
'I also planned to revive Hu Mei Er using the parts of her body I have stored… but it's not the right time now. Even though I believed joining an Ancient Sect would provide enough protection from the Shang Clan, my situation hasn't been stable enough to involve another Hu Mei Er… especially her Killer Move: Vital Human. That shit is still crazy, and I'm already a Human Path Master…'
Bai Shou idly toyed with a controversial thought.
'The Ancient Sect must also secretly research the Blood Path, right? What if they found out about the Blood Skull Gu? Would they still restrict other Disciples from having children?'
Her thoughts drifted to her current dilemma.
The Divine Travel Gu.
'If I were like Verdant Sun and my soul would have entered the Door of Life and Death after taking such a massive fall… but there, I would have gotten to drink a top quality wine, too. Right?'
Bai Shou shook her head and closed her eyes to rest her mind.
<<<>>>
Qin Juan departed from the Blessed Land, and Bai Shou was left to her devices. Using her wealth, she didn't take long to devour the collection of reading material available to the Outer Disciples. It was such a breath of fresh air. All this knowledge would not be available to the likes of Bai Shou if she were in the Southern Border. It was one of the core differences why the Central Continent boasted a comprehensively better battle strength and knowledge about the Gu World than its peers.
Of course, being an Ancient Sect, the quality of the information provided to the Outer Disciples alone would leave Elites of other large or ordinary Super Forces envious.
A collection about other continents was also available to Inner and Elite Disciples. It was tempting enough for Bai Shou to consider 'falling in line,' but… her goal was not to be a learned scholar. The knowledge allowed to the Outer Disciples was merely the cherry on top of the cake.
A familiar figure visited Bai Shou a few days later.
"Welcome," Bai Shou greeted with a warm smile, inviting Yang Pao into her humble abode.
"Greetings, Sister Chained," Yang Pao smiled, visibly joyous. His family had entered the sect, and the man was willing to rise to the ranks for the Immortal Hope. How could he not be happy after years of hard work paid off?
The duo sat around a small table as Bai Shou poured wine for Yang Pao, acting as the perfect host.
"How was the trip, Brother Yang? Did you encounter any trouble?"
"Not at all," Yang Pao hummed, sipping the wine as Bai Shou stuck to the 'mysterious' liquid in her characteristic white gourd with a golden sun and the lone white lotus within. "My family is settling in just fine. It's just that watching the Blessed Land's entrance is such an inspiring sight. And being inside the Sect's Blessed Land, we enjoy the benefit of experiencing two times quicker than the outside world."
Bai Shou chuckled. "I'm glad. I already understood our surroundings. Allow me to introduce various things to you, Brother Yang. It would shorten the period needed to adjust in the Sect."
"That would not be an issue, Sister Chained. Actually, I'm here for another task aside from greeting you."
Bai Shou wouldn't expect anything less from the man.
"Of course," she replied.
Nodding, Yang Pao took out a Rank 2 Information Path Gu. He looked slightly intense after handing the Gu to Bai Shou. Instead of checking its content, Bai Shou momentarily observed her guest. The former mayor did not avoid her gaze and met it silently.
'Hmm. Not a complete recipe.'
Bai Shou inspected the Gu Worm and observed the recipe. It was…
"Where's the rest of it?" Bai Shou questioned. "The idea behind this unnamed Gu is intriguing." It was more than intriguing. However, she didn't want to speak more than necessary. The Gu followed some aspects of the Rule Path Gu—Aperture Seal Gu. There were several specialized Gu that could deal with the opponent's Apertures. Her Theft Path recipes were an eye-opening experience and would be a no-brainer to follow if the materials needed to refine the Theft Path Gu weren't so rare. Continuing the Human Path approach was significantly stable and more efficient than spending so much effort on collecting materials.
"It's something I found in ancient ruins," Yang Pao revealed. "I intend to complete this recipe. The one in your hand is only a fraction of my incomplete recipe. Due to certain matters… I cannot wait and must finalize it in the next three months. Sister Chained… Can I count on your assistance?"
Bai Shou handed the Gu Worm back to Yang Pao, smiling cordially. "Of course. However, I have a business to run and cannot readily divert my attention. Three months is too tight of a deadline."
Yang Pao smiled slightly.
"No amount of condensed deadline can intimidate us Refinement Path experts with enough rewards, right?"
Saying that Yang Pao fished out a golden-colored stick from his Storage Gu. The stick was an unusual branch—a Rank 5 material found only from one in a thousand Twisted Crumbling Trees—the Preserving Branch. Twisting Crumbling Trees were odd species with a small lifespan of 15 days and only grew under specific conditions. Once they grew, the tree wouldn't surpass the height of 4 meters, and it could easily be knocked over by an unusually windy day. The tree's endurance was so notoriously lacking that a leaf blown onto its surface against the wrong spot could turn it into ashes.
When the Twisting Crumbling Tree reached the end of its natural lifespan, its grayish body turned pure white before disintegrating into a powder. In these rare powdered and fertilized spots, a Preserving Branch would grow. Under such strict conditions, the material was almost considered extinct.
Since Bai Shou had gotten her filthy paws over the Preservation Gu recipe, she researched it for a long time. She could replace a few materials, including Gu Worms, but several crucial materials were still categorized as extinct or too rare to be exchanged by an elite disciple like Qin Juan.
"I've known about your desire for the Preservation Gu. This branch should be one of the crucial materials for its refinement. I kept it safe for the last 15 years and would not have taken it out if not for my urgency."
'Alas…' Bai Shou thinned her lips. Her desire for this branch was only outdone by her need for something else.
"No, Brother Yang," she shook her head, sighing and emphasizing her regret. "It's not this Rank 5 material I desire. Just like you, I have my reasons."
She sipped from her gourd, exhaling explosively. "I will help you complete this recipe to the best of my abilities if you can fulfill my latest demand. You read the banner beside my door, didn't you?"
Yang Pao glimpsed.
"Wine?" he inquired, not revealing anything suspicious. "You wish to drink wine, Sister Chained?" His tone grew persuasive. "Why should that be considered a payment at all? I will offer one of the best wines in my storage as a token of appreciation."
His smile broadened.
"I believe we have a good base for cooperation, so some high-quality wine is not an issue. It would be unfair of me to take advantage of your urges like that. The Preserving Branch should be an adequate compensation."
"No," Bai Shou revealed. "I do not wish to drink these mortal creations, Brother Yang." She spoke heatedly, her face flushed. "I thirst for something far superior! I heard about the Sect being the sole creator of Thousand-Year Spirit Valley Wine. If the talk is to be believed… it's something beyond the high-quality wine offered in the Exchange Hall. Can you believe it? A top-quality wine! It is the same class as the wine that Verdant Sun used to drink before AND after his death!"
Yang Pao's eyes momentarily widened.
Bai Shou licked her lips, sipping from her gourd again.
"Bring a vat of that wine."
She continued huskily, revealing a disgustingly obsessive need in her brown hues.
"No. I want it to last longer! 5 Vats!"
"Impossible!" Yang Pao finally shook his head and stored the Preserving Branch. "My offer will remain the Preserving Branch."
Bai Shou leaned back with a disappointed sigh.
"I see… well, nothing is left for us to discuss. Let me know if you change your mind."
Keeping things civil, Yang Pao nodded and smiled. "The same goes for you. It is a bit disappointing, but I must seek other experts for this matter."
Bai Shou didn't add anything else and saw the man off.
'Did I make a mistake?' she quietly pondered. 'Yuan Yang City's treasury did not have the Preserving Branch. Of course, it could be Yang Pao's personal treasure… but why wouldn't he approach me in the city about the matter when he had all the power and initiative? He just joined the Sect, so there is no good reason for him to complete a recipe that can be used offensively against the target's aperture. However, it was too fragmented and incomplete. I couldn't understand anything else from it.'
'In addition to all that, Yang Pao already has a decent base in the Sect. His family originated from the Spirit Affinity House. Why approach me when he could try his old contacts? Did he lose their favor?'
Bai Shou was also desperate.
She had added one new requirement to her list of demands—wine. Anyone who commissioned her to refine a Gu must also offer Bai Shou a glass of their favorite wine to taste. Unlike what others would imagine, the demand made her reasonably popular. It was just a cheap trick from her previous life where her customer's favorite wine could be a good way to break the ice and form cordial relationships with other Gu Masters. And a glass of wine didn't hurt anybody.
Yang Pao was also the first Rank 5 customer. She planned to make the same request to every Rank 5 Gu Master alongside any elites who might desire her services.
'Back to cultivating.'
She sighed and began nurturing and washing her Aperture.
At times like these, she fantasized about whether it was possible to create wine using Human Path or turn water into top-quality wine like a medieval man from her previous world with such a trait. Although… nobody knew how the same person could walk on water. It wasn't possible to possess two traits, after all…
At least not to Bai Shou's knowledge.
<<<>>>
'Thousand-Year Spirit Valley Wine…'
Shu Zhe drummed her finger against her knee, sitting cross-legged. Her expression was thoughtful, several ideas appearing and dissipating in her mind. Her inability to access Primeval Essence through regular means, however, had severely restricted her Wisdom Path abilities. Before her knelt was Yang Pao. He kept his head lowered the entire time. There was nobody inside the Underwater Cavern House besides the duo. The fact still wouldn't intrigue or boil her husband, Le Tao, with rage.
"I apologize, Sect Leader," Yang Pao raised his voice. "I couldn't heavily persuade Bai Shou or speak about the Spirit Valley Wine. If you would give me another chance…"
Despite his gentler demeanor, Yang Pao wasn't born a boot licker. But Shu Zhe's rewards for this mission would have any men bowing and kneeling before her.
A Rank 5 Purple Relic Gu.
Shu Zhe looked up and observed Yang Pao. She understood the subordinate's nature to an extent. Even if Yang Pao used the Purple Relic to grow, he would still seek leadership. Yet, the Sect Leader would not underestimate someone like the former Yuan Yang City's mayor. Subordinates could be excellent, too. Additionally, Yang Pao could be a terrific actor who remained beyond another's scope!
'I have been watching Bai Shou to procure as many hints as possible. However, what she has revealed isn't enough. We know of her talent but cannot use it due to her unknown identity. The Sect is aware of her tenacity, but we're shackled by our fears.'
This fear and uncertainty was crippling the prospects of making Bai Shou one of their own. So be it if she was an uncaring monster or a manipulative freak that had no values. But that was not the truth. Shu Zhe did not dare presume she knew more than the sect or their fears were unfounded. They must know something unknown to her that would stay that way; otherwise, she would have long been informed. Yet, this uncertainty drove the usually stoic and rigid Shu Zhe anxious.
What of her cultivation?
The killer move used on her had remained incurable until now. The only hope to heal her crippled Aperture was to let Bai Shou have a chance, but there needed to be a decent approach to the situation. Shu Zhe would never expose her weaknesses to others. Even Yang Pao wasn't aware of the origins of the Gu and why Bai Shou needed to complete it.
As for the Top-Quality Wine?
A small jar of Spirit Valley Wine was offered to the Legacy Disciples, but her grandmother would not produce the amount Bai Shou demanded. Of course, negotiations were in order. That, too, needed the right approach.
'There are two other clues. First, Bai Shou procured a few Space Path Gu and materials. I have steadily restricted those and even the less uncommon materials to refine the Preservation Gu. Yet, her requirement for the wine is strange.'
All Shu Zhe was informed about Bai Shou were the two spirits she housed, her true gender, and the fact she was a Southerner. The Sect desired Bai Shou greatly, and Shu Zhe believed it had nothing to do with her Human Path accumulation. That initially attracted the Supreme Elders before something changed and turned them covetous towards the mysterious party. Also, Shu Zhe was aware of Bai Shou murdering one Wind Cloud Manor Elder and his younger brother, attracting another Immortal's attention.
If only she could understand the source of the Sect's worries.
"Tell me more about Bai Shou," Shu Zhe began. "I have a report on her activities in Yuan Yang City. But how would you describe her?"
Yang Pao took a moment to gather his thoughts before humming.
"She had the objective of joining an Ancient Sect, or any Super Force for that matter, from the beginning. Although she spun several lies about being a vagabond and whatnot, her actions have always been louder than her words. Not only louder, they were honest. I suppose that's true for everyone. I would say that she still desires the Preserving Branch."
Shu Zhe narrowed her eyes.
"You think her demand for the Spirit Valley Wine is merely a cover?"
Yang Pao recalled his experiences with Bai Shou. One thing stuck out of all these interactions…
It was when Bai Shou slipped into the City's treasury but stole nothing. It would have been effortless for Bai Shou to steal anything she wanted, right? Why didn't she?
"She wouldn't knowingly want to make things difficult, Sect Leader," Yang Pao asserted, sensing he was on the right track. "I'm uncertain if her demand for the Wine is a mere negotiation tactic… All I can be certain of is that Bai Shou earns nothing by being in trouble after trying several things to enter the Sect. Of course, I could be wrong. She might just be a mad woman. We can never overlook something so simple."
Shu Zhe quietly waved him off, allowing him to leave.
'Spending years waiting for Bai Shou to prove her loyalty by participating in the exams does not align with my interest and growth.' She narrowed her blue eyes. 'Grandmother is only assisting me now because I got hit by the Killer Move because of her. She has been an aloof one and never bothered to show up, even during my parent's funeral. I would be left to my devices after she gets busy with her Blessed Land's calamity. I need Bai Shou to get their trust before that… somehow.'
'What other way is there to prove the Sect one's loyalty? She had already saved Qin Juan, but the Supreme Elders could reason that Bai Shou might have ulterior motives for saving that girl instead. Bai Shou also destroyed Blood Guillotine… yet the Elders won't take a second to convey there were too many witnesses, and she was only maintaining an act. Furthermore, Blood Path Gu Masters have difficulty surviving Central Continent due to the Demon Judgment Board. So, it would be weird if Bai Shou chose to nurture a Blood Path set despite her brilliant Strength Path Set.'
The only way to change one's mind was to give them time. But her Grandmother had rivals who would take a moment to reveal Shu Zhe's currently weakened state. The rising commotion would force the Immortals to act and appoint someone else as the Sect Leader. When that eventuality occurred, her Grandmother would offer token resistance again. However, several individuals knew Shu Ye had little love for others. It was ironic in a sect as unique as Spirit Affinity House.
'If I try to ascend without the Elder's permission, they would expel me from the Blessed Land and force me to endure the Calamity alone without a second thought. Conversely, they would never help me ascend if my Aperture remains in this crippled state.'
Shu Zhe spent hours thinking of a method.
Wisdom Path was not omniscient. Shu Zhe could not know everything.
'Wait…'
Her blue eyes shimmered in the dark cave's room.
'What if the entire sect helped me force the Elders' hands?'
***
Alternate Title: The Advanced Body Refinement; Growing Power Means Growing Concerns; Cultivation Never Stops; The Undending Need For Resources; Wine; Desperate; The Urge For Top-Quality Wine; Bai Shou's Top-Notch Acting; Yang Pao Is No Boot Licker… But Purple Relic is Purple Relic; The Crucial Material; Hurdles; Stagnant Plea; The Mastermind; The Indifferent Immortals; Shu Zhe's Plight; The Cold Wife; Mysterious Gu; Theft Path Hints; The Gu To Deal With Aperture; Thoughts and Actions; Bai Shou's Goals; The Wine Beyond Life and Death; Civil Discussion
***
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