Yin Yun's current residence was under an unnamed plain. His cave was equipped with several formations he purchased in Treasure Yellow Heaven. He was not a formation path gu master and his attainment in the path was ordinary at best. Formation path's requirement for entry was simply too strict. Even as a gu immortal, someone who could purchase several formation path gu worms and materials, Yin Yun would need to spend decades building enough foundation in formation path to make something suited for his needs to a precise degree.
But the mortal formations he had were enough.
He entered the cave as the dark fog within dispelled, allowing his gaze to scan the surroundings without any other obstruction. Taking a seat on his cultivation mat, Yin Yun recalled the encounter with Fickle Consort Immortal earlier today. It had already been a few hours since he left behind a minor cloud path inheritance on Tian Ti. Sky had darkened considerably as white and black heavens switched their positions. A round moon hung in the sky, shining upon the gu world. Countless stars twinkled in black heaven.
Today was a good weather.
Clouds did not obstruct mortals from enjoying the beautiful sky. They were too busy surviving and living. Gu masters were too busy cultivating. And gu immortals were even more pressured by their cultivation. How could Yin Yun spend his time enjoying the sights of the world? He was not free from responsibilities, and his heart was not content enough to sit back and relax.
'Hmph! That Feng Chan Zi!' Yin Yun snorted with slight grievances. Yin Yun had a great relationship with one of the supreme elders of Wind Cloud Manor. Most lone gu immortals were like him and tried to maintain a positive impression on gu immortals of the ten great ancient sects. These super forces controlled 80% of Central Continent's resources. How could Yin Yun not flatter them? He had an intense attraction towards becoming a supreme elder for one of these sects. In fact, he believed he was qualified. His strength was good and his nature was brilliant. He even killed a demonic gu immortal once.
'But these supreme elders are too outstanding…' He thought about Lo Jik before snorting again. 'Did Feng Chan Zi know about Lo Jik's strength and deliberately sent me to probe the latter's depth?'
Yin Yun did not dare fall out with Feng Chan Zi even if that were the case. Feng Chan Zi was not just a supreme elder of Wind Cloud Manor, but his grandfather was none other than Wind Cloud Manor's first supreme elder, a rank 8 gu immortal! Furthermore, the first supreme elder, Old Man Bei Feng, was a renowned expert. He had great battle strength even among other rank 8 gu immortals. Even someone of Fairy Yi's caliber would not dare unnecessarily antagonize him despite challenging other rank 8 gu immortals such as rank 8 Smoke Earth Immortal from Ancient Soul Sect. This reputation was too great. So, when Feng Chan Zi approached Yin Yun, the latter agreed to finding trouble with Lo Jik.
'I will have to show some results. Feng Chan Zi might have been the one to burden me with this task, but what if it was Lord Bei Feng's will?' Yin Yun thought of something and calmed down.
'This should be enough.'
Yin Yun viewed something inside his blessed land. On the lush ground lay a large creature. It slept soundly. The body of this beast already surpassed a small hill. Its snoring was like growl of countless beasts fused into one. Unlike most beasts, it was somewhat human-shaped with leathery brown skin. Its arms were bulging and huge. Strangely enough, a coat of yellow fur covered its body but left its chest and abdominal region untouched. Even its face resembled a monkey with a small nose and extremely wide nostrils, and yellow fur grew on its scalp. There were black tiger stripes on the coat of yellow fur. The fur extended down from its waist like a tribal skirt, hiding its crotch. On the exposed skin around chest, abdomen, and face were countless thin scars.
'A Bandit Giant… how did Lo Jik modify a desolate Bandit Monkey into this creature?' Yin Yun couldn't help but admire Lo Jik's talent. He knew about giants. They were an extinct species.
'While Lo Jik was willing to trade a Bandit Giant, he must have surely tampered with it.' Yin Yun thought about it. 'This Bandit Giant most likely cannot reproduce and can only be used as rank 6 material to refine and feeding gu worms.'
This was a common thing and Yin Yun didn't dare act dissatisfied around Lo Jik.
'Feng Chan Zi will have to be satisfied with it, too. I will also try getting a higher price. After all, I lost my prized recipe!'
Yin Yun retracted his senses and cultivated silently, practicing one of the killer moves to increase his proficiency.
As time passed, his motivation for cultivation declined steadily until his thoughts turned sluggish. He kept his eyes closed and his breathing turned gentle.
*Snore*
He snored softly.
Unknown to Yin Yun, a great change started the moment he accepted Lo Jik's gift. There truly was no free lunch in this world. This Bandit Giant was tampered by Lo Jik. Not only was its ability to reproduce non-existent, but Lo Jik hid several dream path dao marks on this beast by using dream path killer moves!
This killer move had a delayed effect before dispersing and affecting Yin Yun. How could a lone gu immortal like him be savvy with dream path?
Lo Jik developed a whole system of dream path killer moves around this method.
First, he inspected his surroundings and used his dream path dao marks to confirm Yin Yun's status. He only acted after ensuring Yin Yun had fallen into a deep slumber.
Next, he activated his movement killer move.
Mortal killer move—Dream Door!
A dreamy fog emerged from the sleeping Bandit Giant. It coalesced into an ethereal pink-colored door as several gu worms flew out of it and transformed into Lo Jik—his clones!
Among them stumbled an immortal gu worm clone—Wind Drinker. The moment it stepped out, the dream door above Bandit Giant dimmed considerably.
'This method is passable.'
Lo Jik's divine sense could also enter this door and observe the surroundings. He watched everything.
First, Wine Drinker and other clones started scouting the area. Yin Yun was a well-known lone immortal not only because he killed a demonic path gu immortal but also because he did so to obtain an immortal gu worm the duo was originally competing for. However, he only succeeded in forming a medium-ranked immortal aperture with a mid-sized blessed land.
'So, this is a cloud path gu immortal's blessed land.'
Lo Jik observed the blessed land with great interest. Unlike his two blessed lands, the space in this blessed land did not consist of a huge landmasses. Instead, there were countless dark clouds made from cloud soil and the sky was spacious. While both of Lo Jik's aperture only had daylight, this blessed land was completely dark.
Activating several gu worms, the clones flew up and stepped on the cloud. These clouds were made from cloud soil. It was a type of soil which could float and clump together into clouds and was extremely popular resource in Treasure Yellow Heaven. But the cloud soil used to form these clouds were only mortal-level materials, whereas Lo Jik's diamond soil was a good example of immortal-level material if enough of it was sold at once.
'But all these clouds are good. It saves me time and effort to form clouds of my own. Furthermore, these clouds are made from black cloud soil. I can create a region of darkness in my blessed land using these.' Lo Jik smiled.
There were different types of cloud soil. The single-colored soil was a mortal level material. Because there were only two heavens remaining, white and black, Treasure Yellow Heaven was filled will two types of cloud soil—white cloud soil and black cloud soil.
Cloud soil surpassed ordinary soil in fertility. Lo Jik observed several materials growing on these large clouds.
'Eh?!'
Lo Jik's gaze widened.
One cloud's shape attracted Lo Jik's attention. A strange pressure emanated from this cloud.
'A Desolate Cloud Dragon!' Lo Jik observed seriously. Dragons were an impressive species no matter the dao marks on their bodies. The scouts continued, locating Yin Yun's gu worms, the corresponding storages of food for the gu worms, and lastly—
Lo Jik and others paused.
The most central position of Yin Yun's blessed land was neither on a mountain peak nor within a lake. Instead, a strange lump of cloud floated in the center. It was completely green in color. It was filled with Yin Yun's green grape immortal essence! And around the lump of cloud flew a rank 6 immortal gu worm. This gu worm released a bronze radiance and left others breathless.
Rank 6 Taotie Stomach Immortal Gu.
It was a transformation path immortal gu capable of transforming the user's stomach into the stomach of a rare food path beast, a Taotie.
It was a pity how Yin Yun was a cloud path gu immortal and could not make the best use of this immortal gu worm. It was rumored that he developed an immortal killer move after cultivating in seclusion for eleven years. But now…
'Let's rob this son of a bitch blind!' Lo Jik licked his lips and acted instantly.
Dream Door killer move was still active. Lo Jik shifted the door from his mind to his blessed land, connecting both of their blessed lands. Already prepared, the clones activated several gu worms and started plundering these massive lumps of clouds. He first targeted the clouds with feathermen slaves. After transporting these clouds, Lo Jik focused on all the mortal and few immortal resources held in the blessed land. The commotion created instantly awakened the slumbering Cloud Dragon. The pitch-black cloud shifted and elongated. A massive beast made from cloud revealed itself. Clouds fashioned into matte scales and mane. Its horn rose like sharp spears.
Lo Jik smiled coldly.
"Stay down!" Wine Drinker had the same smile on his face as it moved and suppressed the pitiful Cloud Dragon. It would seem Lo Jik would gain another desolate-level beast strength phantom!
Pretty soon, the entire blessed land turned desolate.
Lo Jik even suppressed the immortal gu worm and took it away! He did not even let Yin Yun's soul escape and plundered it alongside all the resources!
Lastly, Wine Drinker Clone carefully controlled the sleeping Bandit Giant. Lo Jik observed everything. The immortal clone activated a food path killer move. Surprisingly, the Bandit Giant started to dissolve into wisps of dreamy smoke. The clone quickly slipped through the dimmed dream door as it promptly dissolved into nothingness. But the changes did not end there.
The Bandit Giant kept dissolving while an attractive scent filled the entire cave where Yin Yun's physical body slept.
The scent lasted for a fraction of second before dissipating alongside the rest of Bandit Giant.
Soon, the underground cave shook as a massive beast tore through the mortal formation. Saliva dripped on the sleeping Yin Yun due to the beast's drooling.
*Whoosh*
Feng Chan Zi flew leisurely towards Yin Yun's residence. The handsome gu immortal had a deep frown as he felt dissatisfied with Yin Yun's performance.
'These lone path gu immortals are all the same. They lack courage to even test their opponents, hmph!'
He flew above the clouds and continued using his investigation killer move, unwilling to accidentally run into a desolate beast.
"Eh?!" He gasped as he flew quickly. He did not dare act slowly. Despite his quick speed, he also activated his concealment killer move and stopped over a particular plain.
"What is a Tiger Elephant doing here?" He sucked in a breath of cold air. Tiger Elephants were extremely ferocious and did not let go of their prey even at the threat of death. Encountering such a beast could be considered one's bad luck. "This location…"
Feng Chan Zi swallowed.
"This is the location of Yin Yun's residence."
He observed the desolate beast licking its paw in contentment. As Feng Chan Zi continued observe the beast with the hope that Yin Yun might have survived, a strange fluctuation spread from the beast. Feng Chan Zi's concealment killer move was at the mortal level and instantly broke apart. He turned pale and endured the backlash from the destruction of his killer move as he instantly flew away!
'Oh, no! This Tiger Elephant has a wild investigation immortal gu worm!'
Sensing Feng Chan Zi's scent, Tiger Elephant roared loudly and followed after the escaping supreme elder!
<<<>>>
'Dream Trap to stealthily influence the apertures of my targets.'
'Dream Seek to use Dream Trap as a connection and observing the surroundings.'
'Dream Door to invade the affected blessed lands.'
'Dream Sneaks Behind Sleep to target the gu immortals and putting them to sleep.'
'And Dream Snack to spread an extremely attractive scent and baiting any nearby desolate beast that would uncontrollably salivate for the gu immortal and eat them.'
Dream Trap, essentially, was a dream path killer move meant to leave dream path dao marks on the target. All of Lo Jik other dream path killer moves utilized these dao marks itself to form to completion. Dream Seek utilized dream path gu worms and rank 5 Hopeful Sight Gu to peer into his target's blessed land. Dream Door used rank 5 Dream Wings Gu and even gu worms like Connecting Heaven Gu to form a door connecting the two blessed lands even without the target's permission. However, if aware of this move, the target could control their blessed land's heavenly power and instantly remove most of Lo Jik's effects because they were mortal killer moves in essence. A blessed land could restrict the use of mortal gu worms. However, Lo Jik's last killer move, Dream Sneaks Behind Sleep targeted the gu immortal, making them fall asleep and letting them enter a self-dream realm. Lastly, Lo Jik developed Dream Snack to remove all of his traces by luring desolate beasts to prey on the gu immortal corpses.
Lo Jik compiled the experience and noted several things.
'First, I targeted Yin Yun. He is a human and has a soul, so Dream Sneaks Behind Sleep was effective on him. But Old Man Lang Ya is a land spirit. It won't be affected by this killer move. I must continue researching on Old Man Desolate and create a dream path killer move targeting land spirits.'
'Second, my efficiency in looting is too low. I plundered all the materials and even gu worms. I also snatched Yin Yun's soul.' Said soul was being soul-searched by his soul path clone—Exorcist—while Lo Jik stayed outside. 'I will use this soul with False Guts Gu to strengthen my soul a great deal. It's good. But I had to leave behind Yin Yun's blessed land behind!'
'Yin Yun's entire body had nearly 6000 cloud path dao marks. With enough food path foundation, I could have converted them all into strength path dao marks. But I lack such immortal gu worms. This is the limit of mortal killer moves and mortal Accumulation Gu.'
Lo Jik pondered while activating Fickle Body Strength and absorbing the Cloud Dragon. He also started using all of Yin Yun's gu worms into other refinement. After all, these gu worms were a crucial clue and could be used to connect Lo Jik with Yin Yun's murder. But once he successfully refined them into something else, the last of Yin Yun's traces will also vanish.
'If only… if only… wait.'
Lo Jik's gaze gleamed as he observed the rank 6 immortal gu worm—Taotie Stomach Immortal Gu.
'It might be a transformation path gu worm, but there's hope for things. Converting these dao marks surpass the concept of 'digesting' what the body can and expelling the rest. I want to digest all of these gains. It is filled with human path profundity.'
'I already collected enough materials to refine immortal gu worm. But there's a delay from Old Man Desolate's side. I sent over many Craftsman Gu Worms, but deducing and finishing that gu house became slightly complicated. Sigh, it's because my refinement and formation path attainment is lacking. Raising any one of them to great grandmaster level would have shortened this process significantly.'
Lo Jik did not start purchasing hundreds of thousands of gu worms again to forcefully raise his attainment. He was now filled with ideas on how to better advance his attainment in a more feasible manner now that he was a dream path great grandmaster.
After some time, Lo Jik stopped caring about this matter for a while. After soul searching Yin Yun, Lo Jik activated a killer move using False Guts, Fake Soul, and Soul Pacifying Fog to raise his soul foundation.
In the meantime, several of his clones also worked on developing a killer move to help him cultivate human path.
This was truly a joyous period.
One master and one disciple cultivated quietly.
The cauldron besides Lo Jik had already dried up. Inside the cauldron sat a human-shaped deep-red crust. It was like a cocoon, something that will transform Ju Lin once she steps out of it. Meanwhile, Lo Jik also studied Yin Yun's memories while sighing deeply.
He suddenly realized something.
'No, not only did I fail in plundering his dao marks, I also failed to truly steal the best thing of all—his attainment in cloud path!'
'Dream path is great and dream realms are filled with true meaning. But is it the only path that can specialize in dealing with true meaning?'
Lo Jik realized he was being overly reliant on dream path for his attainment needs. It was understandable. Dreamer Gu deepened Lo Jik's foundation by a shocking degree. But Dreamer Gu was a human path gu!
'Is there no other way of acquiring another person's experience and understanding of the dao?'
Studying Yin Yun's memories did not allow Lo Jik to gain access to his train of thoughts itself. Attainment was extremely mystical and represented one's understanding towards the great dao.
'Hmm. It's an interesting thing to ponder about.'
***
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