"No matter, once we establish the base, the BOSS won't respawn."
Zhuang Zhuo turned around the area and said:
"My plan is to first build a small base. Later, I'll return to the base to hire some craftsmen to set it up, then place the Poisonous Insect Refining Pit."
He glanced at everyone, said solemnly:
"I roughly calculated, the cost for base materials and hiring craftsmen is around 10 taels of gold, everyone would share 2 taels of gold each."
"Additionally, establishing the Poisonous Insect Refining Pit requires blueprints. The blueprint for a small pit is 4 taels of gold, while for a medium pit it's 12 taels of gold. We'll make one medium and two small ones, totaling 20 taels of gold, plus materials and craftsmen fees for a total of about 25 taels of gold."
"Total investment is 35 taels of gold, shared equally, each needs to invest 7 taels of gold."
The five looked at each other, while Shi Ning, Gu Zhiqiu, and others nodded:
"Alright!"
"No problem for me."
When it was Su Yu's turn, he said:
"I don't have that much cash, but I have over 300 guild contributions. I can exchange them for one small Poisonous Insect Refining Pit blueprint and some materials, and pay the remaining with cash, how about it?"
"Of course, since we need to purchase them anyway."
He breathed a sigh of relief and discussed with them which to use guild contributions for and which to buy with money.
After the discussion, the team left Zhuang Zhuo, Shi Ning, and Gu Zhiqiu to guard the place while Su Yu and Meng Chen returned to the guild's base in the swamp to exchange materials.
At the base, he spent 200 guild contribution points to directly exchange for a small Poisonous Insect Refining Pit blueprint, then spent 150 contribution points to exchange for materials to build the pit, which would deduct 5 gold. He only needed to come up with 2 taels of gold himself.
After spending these, he had only 62 taels of silver and 11 guild contribution points left, instantly returning to a state of poverty.
After buying everything, the two returned with a large number of materials and five hired craftsmen.
Next was a vigorous construction project. Using spells, they burned all the trees in the demarcated area in the center of the island, leveled the ground, and the craftsmen took out materials to start construction.
Materials, in the hands of craftsmen using unique spells, were easily reshaped. They used spells to level the ground, dug out the foundation, molded irregular stones into meter-long green stones, and then used a craftsman's secret skill to inscribe essence runes into the green stones to enhance their strength.
Since the otherworldly place is a Xianxia world, all creatures are demons and monsters with tremendous power, ordinary stone walls can't withstand them.
Only materials refined with secret skills could withstand the impact.
In just two days, a wall about ten zhang high and three zhang wide was built.
It took another two days to lay thick stone slabs on the ground.
Then they chose locations to establish the Poisonous Insect Refining Pits, with the medium pit built on the central Spiritual Eye and two small ones beside it.
Residential buildings, warehouses, and a small square were built around them for convenience of outsiders staying there.
Su Yu wasn't around every day; the five took turns watching the construction site while the others went to the waters on the small island's edge to fight monsters and level up.
There needs to be enterprise; enhancement of strength cannot stop.
Going early and returning late every day, they saw significant changes to the base each time they came back.
At noon on the seventh day, the base was officially completed.
After handing out red packets to each craftsman, sending them off, the five stood in the base, excited beyond measure.
"From now on, we have our own foundation."
"Quickly, open the pit and refine a batch, I can hardly wait."
They crowded around the medium Poisonous Insect Refining Pit at the center of the base. It was a huge cauldron embedded in the ground, about 50 meters in diameter, with internal walls made of high-strength metal, no less strong than a Magical Treasure, ensuring that the insects inside couldn't break through and escape.
Besides that, the pit had a huge metal cover.
The cover was nearly a meter thick, with numerous holes and slots; this was where the materials for Gu refining were placed.
Gu Zhiqiu excitedly rubbed his hands and said:
"What should we refine first? I have a batch of Blood Mosquito Eggs, want to use them for practice?"
"Alright, these are cheap, failing wouldn't hurt."
"Then I'll go first."
He took out a gourd, opened it, and poured countless bean-like insect eggs into the holes on the lid.
Next, he took out other materials, such as various monster essences, various medicinal materials, and so on, pouring them into different slots on the cauldron lid. Then he placed his palm onto the lid, infusing it with Mana, causing the cauldron to brightly glow and emit a faint blood-colored Spiritual Light.
Normally, a regular Gu pit would only emit mist from pre-placed medicinal materials or monster essences.
But their Gu pit had a Spiritual Eye at the bottom, capable of drawing out Spiritual Qi to mix with the medicinal ingredients and monsters, enhancing the effects.
Next came the waiting, with Gu Zhiqiu periodically pouring a portion of monster essences into the grooves on the cover, then transformed via the cauldron and sprayed inside.
Under the stimulus of the Gu Refining Device, the insect eggs inside hatched rapidly into bugs and then grew.
Once they reached a certain level of growth, Gu Zhiqiu activated the Gu Refining Secret Skill to incite blood-bearded mosquitoes inside to start a self-slaying battle.
Through the power of the Gu Refining Device, with each slain peer, an insect absorbs the full essence, growing stronger.
This is the essence of Gu refining: a battle among myriad insects, ultimately leaving the strongest in skill and fate.
After a stick of incense (period), Gu Zhiqiu suddenly beamed with joy:
"It's done!"
Quickly forming a hand seal to close the Gu Refining Cauldron, he slightly lifted the lid and fetched a black bowl to capture a fist-sized blood-bearded mosquito with a rich blood-red hue as it flew out from the cauldron to enter the bowl.
"Let me see."
The crowd approached to take a look, and Shi Ning also showed joy:
"Not bad, starting at level 13."
"I remember normal blood-bearded mosquitoes start at only level 10."
"It's my turn next."
Shi Ning stepped in front of the Gu Cauldron, pouring out from a bag perhaps hundreds of finger-thin Scarlet Serpents into it.
Following the same procedure, after another stick of incense, the cauldron opened, and from it, they retrieved a Scarlet Serpent over three meters long and at level 24.
"Not bad, we're about to soar."
After Zhuang Zhuo and Meng Chen also tried their hand, the five reconvened in the main building's hall to discuss the rules of the base and Gu pit allocation.
It's simple, take turns, be it the main pit or the two subsidiary ones, they rotate.
Each of the five people uses it for 6 days each month.
Since Su Yu has not yet learned the Gu Refining Skill, he can't use it for the moment. They discussed and decided that once they finished refining the Gu they needed and the pit began to profit, they would provide him with an additional subsidy.
Even though he hasn't learned the Gu Refining Skill, he can't do nothing, so he made a trip back to the guild headquarters, bought a few items, and learned a life skill — Herbology.
Herbology: While leveling up outside, spiritual medicines can be directly harvested for an income.
The purchase was a Gu Bag, capable of collecting Gu insects.
Insects with levels can't be stored, only level-less larvae can be collected for Gu refining.
From the start of construction, by the ninth day, their small base finally got on the right track.
Zhuang Zhuo and others spent their days at the base refining Gu, planning to first complete their Hundred Gu Banner before considering making money.
Su Yu, not needing to refine Gu, discussed with them and planned to level up alone outside.
The others nodded upon hearing it:
"Of course, with a month left before the small exams begin, being the strongest in our team, we're counting on you to represent us in the future."
With the plan settled, Su Yu left the base.
In the nearby waters, he found a shallow area and dived into the water, disappearing from sight.
The moment he entered the water, the Black Water Profound Pearl on his body shone, creating a Waterless Space with a diameter of about three meters, encapsulating him as he submerged.
The swamp water was quite clear, allowing visibility far into the distance.
Although the Poisonous Mist Swamp was dirty and chaotic in shallow areas, with toxins rampant, some deep-water areas had very clean water, with many aquatic monsters residing there as well.
Upon diving less than twenty meters, he saw a school of Black Fish Spirits about level 40 swimming past. He immediately pointed a finger, and the Ice Soul pierced through the lake with tiny ice shards, encircling the last Black Fish Spirit with a couple of loops, instantly causing a long string of damage to erupt.