The crisp and crackling noise of fire echoed in Lo Jik's secret room. Around him floated two phantom-blue arms. These two arms followed Lo Jik's will and moved closer to the thick lump of an orange-red light. The light from this lump was not piercing. Instead, it was warm. From within echoed sound of a powerful fire.
Lo Jik's gaze was indifferent. One might even confuse it as boredom. However, he never let up his caution. Be it fusing the gu worms and materials to refine new gu worms or using a killer move, these methods were not immune to the risks of a powerful backlash. Lo Jik's killer move effectively targeted the backlash from refinement of a gu worm. As long as his recipe and process were correct, the mortal gu worms would have no choice but to be refined at a 100% success rate!
It was incredible!
Even rank 6 gu immortals could not achieve this success rate. There was always a risk of failure in gu refinement, that was the most well-established fact of refinement path. However, a gu master nurtures, uses, and refines the gu, and in doing so, they comprehend the secrets of the great dao.
Undefeated Hundred Battles Gu was a one-time consumable expendable human path gu worm that ensured successful refinement of a gu worm ranging from ranks 1-5. However, the killer move Undefeated Refinement Palms was constructed from using Rank 5 Undefeated Hundred Battles and the refinement path Rank 5 Preservation Gu Worms as its core.
Its effects were even more outstanding and stable now that Lo Jik added Rank 5 Accumulation to the mix! However, it was a killer move. Unlike the gu refinement process, an accident may disrupt the killer move and force Lo Jik to endure a terrifying backlash. The core gu worms might also be injured, or worse, destroyed.
Fortunately, it was a smooth process.
Lo Jik soon retrieved a rank 5 human path gu worm.
'I can truly spread my wings after using Disguise Immortal Gu to tamper with the formation.'
'It's been two weeks since I attained grandmaster realm in refinement path and human path. Since then, I followed mere intuitions and changed my killer moves and formations accordingly. These mortal killer moves are simply too basic to pose any meaningful challenge to me or help me accumulate more understanding of these respective paths.'
There was a difference between mortal killer moves used by mortal gu masters and gu immortals. The latter enjoyed unlimited primeval essence. Their mortal killer moves comprised hundreds of thousands of mortal gu worms at times! These killer moves reached the absolute peak of the mortal realm, capable of achieving complex effects. Their sheer number would drown any mortal clan. Even gu masters with an extreme physique would be helpless against a veteran gu immortal relying solely on their mortal killer moves.
At their peak, these mortal killer moves could display the might similar to an immortal gu worm. Mind you, this only means rank 6 immortal gu worms. No amount of mortal gu worms alone could form a killer move rivaling a rank 7 immortal gu worm in power and ability. Heck, these killer moves capable of surpassing their limits might not even match some ridiculously powerful rank 6 immortal gu in might.
But Lo Jik could comprehend all these mortal killer moves as long as they were related to human, wisdom, and refinement path. Using these paths as a basis and the other paths he had a master-level attainment in, Lo Jik could even decipher the secrets of other mortal killer moves.
'Meanwhile, Undefeated Refinement Palms Killer Move doesn't even use more than ten gu worms. But this is its greatest advantage. I can use such a meager number of gu worms to reveal to match an immortal gu worm in ability. Refinement path immortal gu worms are scarily rare. But I could show their profundity through mortal gu worms. The mental exhaustion was also minimal due to such a low number of gu worms involved. All in all, Accumulation Gu is still one of the top-tier human path gu worms even compared to all the human path gu I refined. Should I die tomorrow, Accumulation is one gu worm I would want to leave behind as my inheritance.'
'I did not even have proper recipes at times, or even proper materials. I relied on different materials to make up for my shortcomings. At times, the process was excruciatingly slow. But the benefits of multiple attainments are simply too massive.'
Earlier, Lo Jik only possessed master level attainment in different paths. It was beneficial, but the results did not compare to just three paths being at the grandmaster level, allowing Lo Jik to follow consistent intuitions and inspirations to achieve great success in refining several human path gu worms.
'But I won't be able to display the same speed when trying to refine human path immortal gu worms. Refinement path attainment gives me a clearer image regarding my refinement process. I have already modified my recipes from before. Meanwhile, the intuition from wisdom path attainment is mysterious yet profound. Its effects in deducing recipes doesn't compare to refinement path, but it helped me alter and decipher several strength path mortal killer moves. I even have a killer move that fuses the effects of strength and wisdom paths through Brave Thoughts. If I had immortal gu worms, creating immortal killer moves would also be rather simple. But refining immortal gu worms is still a complicated challenge.'
'Lastly, the intuition regarding human path is related to my surroundings. I still cannot make the best use of it due to my secluded cultivation. But as long as this plan succeeds, I can allow my clones to cultivate without restrictions. The only benefit I can derive from human path grandmaster attainment is refining more clone gu worms and making great progress in the method of dual cultivation.'
These two objectives were once Lo Jik's grand ambitions. Now, however, they couldn't satiate him.
Lastly, altering the formation allowed Lo Jik to retrieve his platinum rewards!
Lo Jik had already had five platinum rewards. One from Bai La, and two from Shu Zhe and Qin Juan each.
The one from Bai La was a food and enslavement path true inheritance. Lo Jik decided to advance his food path attainment after a short while. There were simply many food path recipes that created a lower-ranked gu worm at a steady interval. Such gu worms were the best when used alongside Dreamer Gu. This inheritance belonged to someone named Green Ant Ascetic and Wine Fairy.
Inside this inheritance were two great sources of wealth. First one, the inheritance's core, was a food path immortal killer move called Green Bottle Drunken Wine. However, its use was too specific. The second one was the recipe for Wine Drinker Immortal Gu. It was a human path clone gu with food path effects!
Meanwhile, the other four rewards were also outstanding.
Lo Jik glanced at the rank 5 gu worm in his hand.
Refining rank 5 gu worm had become too simple. Instead, his wealth became his weak point. He couldn't endlessly refine rank 5 gu worms.
He stored this rank 5 gu worm in his second aperture and activated it calmly. This gu worm could only be activated inside one's aperture. Lo Jik designed it like this, cutting corners in different aspects of the house gu worm. As such, this gu had a special use, consumed little essence, and required less materials and time to refine. Lo Jik used his attainment to tackle the issue of limited effort, time, and wealth.
This gu worm transformed into a luxurious but small hall. A gu worm instantly shot into this hall. In the second aperture, around Disguise Immortal Gu, swam these luxurious halls. One hall had the plaque with the word 'Refinement' on it. The other had the word 'Secret.' The third one's plaque had the word 'Martial.' The fourth one was 'Earth.' And lastly, the latest gu worm transformed into a hall with the plaque that read 'Brewery.'
This was Lo Jik's creation, a series of house gu worms, each one accommodating a certain clone, allowing the clone gu worms to exist in human forms inside the house gu worms within Lo Jik's second aperture. With a thought, Lo Jik could also replenish their essence because they were inside his aperture.
Rank 5 Refinement Hall allowed Refiner and Hairy Man Gu Worms to experience joys of refining gu worms and exploring their secrets.
Rank 5 Secret Hall only had one clone, a Rank 5 Schemer Gu. The wisdom path gu set Lo Jik plundered from Wisdom Carriage Master went to this Rank 5 Schemer Gu, a human path gu worm capable of exploring the mysteries of wisdom path through human path and vice versa.
Rank 5 Martial Hall also had Lo Jik's new clone gu worm—rank 5 Martial Artist. This gu worm explored human and strength path and had a great affinity with using beast strength phantoms.
Rank 5 Earth Hall currently only had one Rank 5 Rockman Gu.
Lastly, Rank 5 Brewery Hall Gu Worm allowed Wine Drinker Gu Worm to drink different wines stored in there. Wine Drinker mortal gu worm's recipe was deciphered through the immortal gu worm recipe. It became a great focus for Lo Jik.
Two weeks was simply not enough time. He was still gathering necessary materials for Fake Soul and a few other gu worms he wished to refine. Meanwhile, trying to refine dream path gu worms… hit an unexpected obstruction.
Lo Jik looked at one particular Dreamer Gu currently sleeping and going through a soul path gu worm.
'It is the 10009th cycle. Unexpectedly, I didn't refine an immortal gu worm through its natural trait alone.'
Lo Jik sighed and realized the truth after this change. With Disguise Immortal Gu, Lo Jik wanted to refine a rank 6 human path immortal gu.
'Dream and Human paths are simply not developed enough. This Dreamer Gu was my basis to refine other clone gu worms. That is why I not only share attainment level with these clones, but I also realized some recipes the second I used them. It was a trait experienced through Dreamer Gu. It's like an unspeakable connection with the dao. Dreamer Gu must be formed naturally. Meanwhile, Wine Drinker Immortal Gu was a man-made creation. When I refined the first Rank 5 Wine Drinker Gu, even though I shared food path attainment with it, I got no relevant recipes. It was only after adjusting the recipe and refining it again did I get some food path gu worm recipes.'
'There are many differences in the same type of clone gu worms. I refined a martial artist. But it likes using beast strength phantoms more than the other strength path branches. It's not that it cannot use those different methods. It simply doesn't want to.'
'When I controlled it to use those other methods, the Martial Artist's effectiveness fell drastically.'
'Each clone gu has differences down to their very emotions.'
It was only after refining so many clone gu worms could Lo Jik realize this aspect at a profound level.
'Dreamer Gu… it is a naturally formed gu worm that ends at rank 5. There is simply no rank 6 Dreamer Immortal Gu Worm. Instead, I must deduce a recipe for it. However, my dream path attainment is shit.'
Technically speaking, Lo Jik had the highest amount of Dreamer Gu. When he used other clone gu worms, he felt their respective paths alongside the human path gain some boost in understanding. With enough numbers, it would reach a qualitative change and add to his attainment.
Yet, after years of use, Lo Jik didn't experience anything from the eleven Dreamer Gu Worms.
Even more surprising was the fact that other clone gu worms were based on Dreamer Gu Worms. That's why Lo Jik received some relevant recipes of their respective paths.
'It can only mean one thing. I still have not understood Dreamer Gu Worm's actual use. Like other clones, it can use gu worms of its relevant path. But it doesn't try and use these gu worms to form killer moves and understand their usage. It just wants to sleep.'
'Why?'
'Why does it constantly want to sleep?'
'Is it related to the self dream realms?'
Lo Jik furrowed his brows.
'Or could it be due to their specialty. Refiner and Hairy Man Gu Worms have a naturally greater refinement success rate. Rockman Gu attracts earth path gu worms and can dig through the ground without any additional gu worms. Martial Artist's body is extremely tough, like that of a beast. It can compete with most rank 5 strength path gu masters and even beast emperors. Schemer Gu could outwit most wisdom path gu masters. And the most recent Wine Drinker Gu even started producing some wine of its own. Meanwhile, whenever it drinks wine, it can remember its taste and soon brew a wine of almost same taste using different materials. What about Dreamer Gu? What can be considered its specialty?'
Lo Jik's gaze glimmered.
The answer was so obvious.
'It is related to their ability to transform gu worms of other paths into dream realms. In reality, even if other clones do not use it, they can still store gu worms of different paths in their aperture. But making them use these gu worms forcefully risks a backlash.'
'The only one, until now, that uses completely unrelated gu worms is the Dreamer Gu.'
'But I never considered the secrets of such a mechanism of dream dao.'
'How does Dreamer Gu achieve it?'
Lo Jik felt breaking through in this aspect would greatly help him understand and advance in dream path as a whole.
'Either way, Dreamer Gu Worms being unable to advance naturally has its advantages and disadvantages. Now, I can steadily raise my attainment in all the different paths without limitations. Of course, trying to attain grandmaster realm in different paths would be foolish. During the last two weeks, I have already consumed the gu worms I purchased and became a master in soul, theft, illusion, and formation paths.'
'I also used my immortal essence stones to purchase necessary enslavement, sword, and one food path gu worm that can produce weaker rank 4 food path consumable gu. I will soon complete them, too.'
Rank 8 Disguise Immortal Gu brought a qualitative change. Lo Jik also stopped using it to disguise the effects of Divine Concealment after revealing it to Fairy Yi and Feng Jiu Ge. He began feeding it as much as he could, being mindful of not going overboard.
Earlier, Lo Jik couldn't fully rely on his advantages due to all sorts of restrictions. However, Disguise Immortal Gu allowed Lo Jik to let loose. Now, he was facing another issue of limited wealth. He didn't want to consume all his immortal essence stone just for refining gu worms.
'I will have to start refining that rank 1 dream path gu worm and accumulate enough contribution points.'
He exhaled and rested his mind briefly.
'Right. The next thing.'
He didn't rest for long and diverted his attention to his other four platinum rewards.
These were the platinum rewards based on rank 5 cultivation!
When Lo Jik was a rank 4 gu master, platinum rewards even granted him minor inheritances involving little true meaning, allowing him to become a master in several path.
What about the platinum rewards at rank 5?
Lo Jik licked his lips.
'The reward from Bai La already greatly improved my human path foundation. Now, I can rely on the remaining heaven and earth qi during my ascension to refine a Wine Drinker Immortal Gu. If I'm fortunate, I could even use it as a reference alongside Fake Aperture Immortal Gu recipe to deduce an incomplete recipe for other clone or human path gu worms, like Accumulation or Undefeated Hundred Battles, to greatly increase my advantages.'
He grinned.
First Reward.
Since Lo Jik had already observed his rewards in the treasure space, the summoning of the reward took away the usual suspense.
A pile of corpses lay before Lo Jik.
There was a total of ten corpses, each in a different state of decomposition. A terrible stench assaulted Lo Jik's nostril. The ten corpses belonged to regular mortals, those unlucky enough to not even get a chance of awakening their apertures.
Lo Jik observed them again. Without gu worms, there was only so much he could do inside his treasure space. He sighed after a while, even going as far as using Scan the Dao Killer Move.
'Since I have already observed everything, the only mystery that remains is their aperture. Even if an aperture isn't awakened, without the use of special gu worms, one's aptitude is predetermined.'
Lo Jik pondered and calmly stored these corpses.
'There is a huge chance all these ten corpses possessed the ten extreme physiques. However, they were unable to shine in their lifetimes and explode with terrifying momentum. Either these ten corpses possess ten different extreme physiques or a few of them share similar physiques. Regardless, I can slowly research them.'
'If there can be regular clones, whose to say there cannot be clones with extreme physiques?' Lo Jik smiled, already having directions to continue his research.
The second reward flashed.
Before Lo Jik fell a shriveled seed. It was skull-sized and dark-brown, dried and wrinkled. Its appearance was that of a tulip's bulb. Lo Jik used Scan the Dao again.
'This is… human path?' Lo Jik noticed a few things, feeling confused. 'Is it a rare, nigh extinct material, or something entirely new, only born in nature in this era? What are its limits? Can it grow into a desolate plant if I take care of it enough?'
The seed was in a terrible condition. Lo Jik would need to spend a lot of time and wealth to replenish its vitality before even thinking of planting it anywhere.
'But this is a human path reward again. Until now, excluding a few information path gu worms that might hold inheritances, I have mostly gained rewards related to wisdom, refinement, and human paths.'
'The difference in our attainment levels does not affect the quality of the achievement, but it does affect the type of rewards I get. Earlier, I used to receive all sorts of rewards once I started using Dreamer Gu. However, now, I primarily receive rewards related to these three paths.' Lo Jik noted this and moved on.
The light of third reward flashed.
A group of twenty gu worms appeared before Lo Jik. They looked extremely precious, each one was round like a pearl, flickering golden light, and plump and cute. They resembled jewel-like ladybugs.
Each of them was a rank 5 gu worm. Since Lo Jik knew about this reward from the treasure space, he already looked through many old records and realized its origin.
'Wealth Gu. So many Wealth Gu Worms…' Lo Jik looked at each of them, smiling widely. 'Ren Zu refined Wealth Gu using several materials, including the legendary Wisdom Gu! But the records about this gu worm's use are unclear. The legends state it can enslave stupid people and blind wise people. But aren't they two effects? Could it be hinting towards possible killer moves using Wealth Gu?'
Lo Jik thought and slowly activated it. However, nothing happened.
'Hmm. There must be more to it activation than just using one's primeval essence.' Lo Jik used Scan the Dao and sighed. 'They are consumable gu worms. But since they are mortal gu worms, I can try forming a killer move with Preservation Gu to keep them from disappearing. However, I need to understand its use before anything.'
Lo Jik stored these twenty gu worms and glanced at the final reward.
'It's an inheritance.'
Lo Jik looked through the rank 5 information path gu worm and shook his head.
'So, I accidentally tapped into another true inheritance like the time with Imaginative Strength Immortal's inheritance. The seed and the group of Wealth Gu Worms are connected. In fact, these Wealth Gu Worms were merely a byproduct of a wisdom path gu immortal's attempt at refining mortal Wisdom Gu Worm! However, they failed.'
'The inheritance revealed how they only chanced upon this recipe in ancient ruins and tried to complete it. With enough foundation, they managed to salvage Wealth Gu Worm's recipe. But it took too many precious materials to refine. That was because of their lacking attainment in human path. I can already modify this recipe to some extent and make the process 70% more efficient. And that's just with a glance. I could perfect the recipe quickly enough.'
'Eh? So that's the use of Wealth Gu. Huh… It has a good synergy with dream path by creating various dream path materials. I should try that.'
'Hmm. Oh, their Wisdom Gu mortal recipe is barely 30% complete. But why? Wasn't this person a wisdom path expert? Wealth Gu might be challenging for them, but how could refining Wisdom… oh, they ran into this problem.'
'To parallel refine Wealth Gu into Wisdom Gu, they took a more literal approach of using humans and even lifespan gu. What a waste.'
Lo Jik was already at the stage where he could critique another expert's work. That wasn't to say he was perfect and all-knowing. However, his own approach was more valuable in some situations.
'Hmm. Wisdom Gu. Even if I complete this recipe, it will siphon my lifespan when I use it. How to deal with this issue? Maybe a killer move that replaced another mortal's lifespan? Why stop at a mortal? Why not beasts? Many beasts live hundreds of times longer than humans and variant humans.'
'Also, this person discovered this mysterious seed in that very ancient ruin but could not decipher its mystery until their end.'
Lo Jik didn't destroy the information path gu worm after going through its content. He used Scan the Dao to memorize the make of its dao marks and then let Dreamer Gu devour them to increase his information path attainment.
He pondered quietly.
'If the mortal Wisdom Gu holds even a trace of its legendary might… it will be a profitable endeavor to complete the recipe and refining it. Mortal Wisdom Gu is also one-time consumable according to the recipe. But how should I deal with the issue of the lifespan?'
'I do have several lifespan gu. Heh. Did anyone else ever try using them in a killer move? They are, after all, gu worms, too.'
Lo Jik shook his head.
Lifespan gu worms were incredibly rare and useful. Who didn't want to live longer?
So, most gu masters and gu immortals would use this treasure the second they got it. Only maniacs would think of doing something as reckless as using lifespan gu in a killer move.
'I already saw a lifespan gu in a golden reward. However, I wanted to see the results of platinum rewards. But I would still choose platinum rewards almost every time. There might even be a platinum reward that simply grants me several lifespan gu worms.'
Lo Jik wasn't afraid of exploiting his advantages.
'My earlier thought about using lifespan gu didn't emerge from nothing. Even though they aren't a human path gu worm, my intuition keeps on circling this gu worm. There is a chance of forming a killer move using Wisdom and Lifespan Gu Worm.'
'Making the best of Wisdom Gu will have an impressive effect on my already shocking pace. I also have several wealth gu worms.'
Lo Jik calmly activated one of the Wealth Gu. He already knew about its use from this inheritance.
A treasured light flashed around Wealth Gu and transformed into an incredibly rare rank 5 human path material—Preserving Branch.
Back then, Lo Jik looked for this crucial material everywhere!
Yet here it was.
Unlike the legends, Wealth Gu did not enslave fools or blind the wise. Instead, this gu worm can transform into any material from rank 1-5!
Of course, Lo Jik's wouldn't waste such a precious gu worm to test it idly. He was merely following his intuition.
'Preserving branch and a few other precious materials can be used on Wealth Gu to refine it into Wisdom Gu. Hmm. I should add Deep-Sea Jade Pearls.'
Just like that, Lo Jik entered another session of cultivation. His clones worked hard in their respective house gu worms. The Dreamer Gu Worms also slowly tackled dreams made from enslavement, sword, and food path gu worms.
Spirit Affinity House simply had no idea about the kind of monster they let in.
***
Alternate Title: Wealthy and Wise, a Terrifying Combination; Shi Zhong is in Shambles; Crazed Growth; Exploiting Disguise; A Hiding Tiger, Thick Dragon; Lo Jik's Gojo Arc After Three Depressing Climaxes; Lo Jik Looking at Benefits and Platinum Rewards: I'm Gonna Come; Skyrocketing Foundation; Peak Growth; Fairy Yi Patting Herself on the Back for Recruiting Lo Jik; Human Path House Gu Worms; Get Lo Jik Inside Divine Emperor City—Genesis Lotus, Probably; More Clones; Extreme Corpses; Best Use of Attainment; Terrifying Effects of Dream Path; Dreamer Gu Worm's True Use?; Wine Drinker; Mortal Wisdom; Mortal Wealth; Legendary Gu Worms, but Mortal; Five Rewards; Mysterious Human Path Tree Seed; Lo Jik's True Inheritance Candidate—Accumulation Gu; 100% Refinement Success; Heaven's Will was Correct in Suppressing Human Path. All it Takes is One Bad Lo Jik; Earning Contribution Points
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A/N: There's a wedding in my family and there's simply too many tasks yet to complete. We haven't even started cleaning the house and the ceremonies begin on 25th of this month. I barely got enough time to write and edit today and the updates might be extremely sparse from tomorrow to 24th and probably nothing from 25-27 april. I'm truly sorry about this but we'll be back on ensuring lo jik fucks the gu world starting 28th april!
If possible, I would have liked to make it up by simply posting several chapters at once, but the entire month had just gone by mostly to prepare things. There simply wasn't enough time. I wished to inform this earlier so others didn't feel blindsided by slow update the coming week
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