As the sun dipped behind the mountains and the chirping of birds was muffled by the howling winds, night had finally fallen.
Tie Kie Jan had been sitting in his room for several hours, refining his first Gu. This Gu resembled a stalk of bamboo, featuring a greyish hue and a texture similar to cold iron.
Rank 1 Bamboo Spear Gu.
However, a significant portion of its body was still covered in a vibrant jade green.
"This is exhausting..." Tie Kie Jan muttered, feeling his body grow weak.
Primeval essence is the energy stored within a Gu Master's aperture; naturally, its depletion manifests as physical fatigue. On average, the human brain can maintain peak focus for a maximum of four hours; beyond that, periodic breaks are necessary to restore mental energy.
"Once I succeed in refining my first Gu—after nearly two hundred thousand body swaps throughout history—the update requirements will be met. The downside is that the system will then enter a state of hibernation."
Tie Kie Jan began to analyze his current circumstances compared to the version prior to the update.
"The first time the system updated was after I reached Rank 7. It offered certain advantages, but the drawbacks were excessive."
"The Immortal Essence the system provided monthly was 'strange.' I could only accumulate it to power the formations within my Blessed Land."
"It was a practical advantage because I received double the Immortal Essence, but I could only use half of it—the portion my own aperture generated—on my Gu worms."
"Immortal Essence generation, Dao mark production, and the increased power of calamities and tribulations... In many situations, I lacked the appropriate Immortal Gu. Consequently, I was often on the brink of death after surviving those tests of Heaven's Will."
"I shouldn't complain; looking at it deeply, it was a form of balance. There are no rewards without grave setbacks, but constantly escaping death is like riding a raft through a stormy sea."
Tie Kie Jan lay back on his bed and stared at the ceiling as his breathing returned to normal.
"The second time was better. It provided abilities integrated into my soul, mind, and body, making the previous disadvantages less threatening. With careful preparation, I overcame them and reached the Rank 8 realm for the first time in this world. After more than fifteen thousand years of patient cultivation, my Grotto-heaven was of mid-low grade, and my Time Path methods were quite poor."
He sighed.
"It was a true pity to have awakened in the body of a Variant Human in that life. All my plans crumbled because of Primordial Origin Immortal Venerable and the Central Continent Sects."
"The third time the system updated was when I ascended to Immortality once again, at the end of the Remote Antiquity Era."
Tie Kie Jan remained composed, quietly recalling each of these scenarios while his primeval essence recovered naturally. Shortly after, he sensed that his essence had replenished to 12% after nearly two hours. According to common knowledge, the higher one's aptitude, the faster the recovery rate and the greater the total capacity of primeval essence available for use.
This was why Gu Masters often failed when refining Gu or attempting to break through to a higher rank or sub-realm; aptitude had always been a deciding factor.
By comparison, Gu Yue Fang Yuan had only 44% aptitude at the start of his story—the lower end of C-grade—and his recovery was only 8% every two hours. Tie Kie Jan's recovery speed already gave him an edge over his classmates, surpassed only by the "genius," Tie Bai Xing.
Tie Kie Jan pulled five primeval stones from a leather pouch and held them with both hands. With a silent mental command, he activated the Looting ability granted by the system.
The first stone, the size of a duck's egg and pale grey in color, began to lose its luster within seconds. After five seconds, it dissolved into fine dust. Inside Tie Kie Jan's aperture, his primeval essence jumped from 12% to 25%.
"This conversion rate is abysmal!" Tie Kie Jan complained.
In just a few seconds, he had gained only slightly more than double what he had recovered naturally over two hours.
A minute passed, and Tie Kie Jan had already fully restored his primeval essence to its limit, having completely consumed nearly three primeval stones. In a normal situation, such a rapid expenditure of precious resources would have made his eyes bleed with regret.
But now, he was rich!
He immediately took the Bamboo Spear Gu and began the refinement process. Within minutes, and after consuming a total of five primeval stones, he had refined his first Gu of this lifetime.
In the next moment, the long-awaited sound of a system notification echoed in his mind.
Ding!
[Congratulations to the Host for refining your first Gu]
Reward: +10% additional health restoration when using Healing Gu.
Added: Main and auxiliary materials for Rank 2 Vine Spear Gu have been successfully registered.]
Ding!
[Congratulations to the Host for completing the system update requirements]
[Do you wish to initiate the System Update?]
[Yes / No]
Gazing calmly at the panel before him, a satisfied smile crossed his face; it was rare for anything to truly move him. Tie Kie Jan selected "Yes" without a second thought.
As the update began, he felt a surge of vitality, as if the exhaustion of the previous sleepless day had vanished instantly.
He checked the materials for the Rank 2 Vine Spear Gu advancement. He already knew the recipe; even if it had changed due to the emergence of more conventional modern materials, he could easily deduce a new formula based on the materials provided.
Most of the attainment levels not shown in the system's "Status" were summarized, displaying only the most prominent ones. In terms of attainment, Tie Kie Jan could be said to be surpassed only by Spectral Soul, after the latter had plundered countless souls within the Doors of Life and Death.
His attainment in Wood Path was at Master level, and it could even increase without active cultivation.
During the Great Era of Soul Path, after indiscriminately slaughtering Soul Path cultivators across various regions, Tie Kie Jan had secured an Immortal inheritance, gathering vast fundamental knowledge of that path.
He cultivated Soul Path quietly within his Blessed Land, and after many years, he learned how to strengthen and split his soul to create "clones."
Every soul was registered by a special system mark linked to the main soul; thus, if a "clone" died and its soul dissipated, the system would recover the most essential essence to return it to the main body.
It wasn't until the era of Spectral Soul came to an end that Tie Kie Jan could begin accumulating attainment levels left and right. Thanks to the system, he was not bound by the "talent" destiny of a single life, which dictates that "no matter how much effort or accumulation a person has, if they are not destined, there will be no progress."
Even if a person lives for thousands of years, there is a ceiling to their "talent" regarding attainment levels. If they are not destined, no amount of effort will yield the expected results. Of course, there are orthodox and unconventional ways to bypass this requirement.
In the Northern Plains, a Rank 7 cultivator spent many years trying to break through to "Great Grandmaster" in Sword Path; it wasn't until Heaven's Will intervened that he succeeded. Unfortunately, he had to betray his tribe and join the Central Continent faction during the Five Regions War.
DING!
[System update complete.]
[Update Perk: Function Unlocked! → Temporal Assault]
[Temporal Assault: A system-granted ability that activates minutes before a life-threatening situation, allowing the host to observe future events for the next three minutes.]
After a few moments of contemplation, Tie Kie Jan remained silent for a long time.
"What…? How…?"
It was the only thought he could muster after a period of sheer disbelief.
"This is incredibly convenient. How generous of the system…" he thought to himself.
Morning had arrived, and the sun's rays were clearing the surrounding mist atop the mountain. Tie Kie Jan ate to replenish his strength; he had worked hard throughout the night refining his first Gu, but with ample resources at his disposal, his speed far outstripped that of his peers.
"It is spring. Greenery covers the land once more, giving way to new life where opportunities grow and a new cycle begins… Oh, my heart, it has been a long time since I felt this way. This is the joy of living—like the happiness of a child about to play video games after a grueling week of exams."
Tie Kie Jan walked toward the academy with a smile. He wasn't about to miss the chance to earn 40 primeval stones! Inside the office of one of the four Tie Academy elders, Tie Shu Min looked at a boy with an innocent expression, wearing a calm and kind smile.
"You've refined your Gu worm so soon?" the elder asked, observing him intently.
Tie Kie Jan did not answer. Instead, he placed his hand over his abdomen and, as if in a scene from another world, a long, greyish bamboo stalk emerged from his stomach.
Tie Shu Min did not deny the fact before his eyes. This was a fair competition among the clan's new Gu Masters; the first should always be rewarded to showcase the benefits of effort and following the clan's teachings.
"This boy… though his aptitude is only at the upper limit of B-grade, a single night shouldn't be enough to fully refine a Gu. The Gu must have had a weak will; that's the only thing I can report to Superior Zhen Lin. Accusing Tie Peng Ziu of breaking clan rules to help his son would be foolish."
Unwritten rules existed among the clans; this was normal in society. It was better for the youth to recognize and strive for themselves. Helping them would only make them dependent on the clan, and in difficult times, there would be only weak men with a few strong leaders.
As the saying goes on Earth: Hard times create strong men, strong men create easy times, easy times create weak men, and weak men create hard times. In any society, individual prowess is valued; why create easy opportunities without them proving their potential?
This whole vicious and unfair cycle could be justified: The world is cruel!
"Thank you very much, Senior Tie Shu Min," Tie Kie Jan said before leaving the room.
Tie Kie Jan arrived at the main hall of his house. He calmly observed four Gu shaped like green worms with brown thorns on their backs; he recognized them instantly at a glance. Then, he paced around the door in front of him, waiting for a signal.
"You may enter," a voice echoed from the other side.
The room was dark, the air cold and clean, and a slight current ran through his entire body. From the start, his steps made no sound; even the door opening and closing was silent.
In the center of the room sat Tie Peng Ziu in a meditative posture. In his left hand, he held a primeval stone, while white powder surrounded him from the many stones already spent. He opened his right hand as more powder accumulated, finally grasping the stone in his left hand with both.
After repeating this process several times, Tie Peng Ziu continued to cultivate diligently for several minutes until his expression relaxed completely and his aura leaked out.
Rank 5 Peak Stage!
Simultaneously, within Tie Peng Ziu's aperture, the stone membrane aperture walls crumbled into the depths of his primeval sea, replaced by crystal membrane aperture walls.
Purple Crystal primeval essence completely replaced the Dark Purple essence, officially making him a Gu Master at the peak of the mortal world—just one step away from becoming an Immortal!
A fraction of the Purple Crystal primeval essence leaked into the outside world; Tie Kie Jan's senses were slightly shaken, feeling like an ant in the presence of a giant.
The two looked into each other's eyes and couldn't help but smile at the same time.
"There has been a major change of plans. Although I will become an Immortal Gu Master in the future, it won't be in paths suited to my Gu or my attainment levels. I need your help," Tie Peng Ziu said, his voice calm.
Tie Kie Jan approached slowly, placed a hand on his shoulder, and closed his eyes. Seconds later, a system notification rang in both their minds.
In the mental space, everything was dark grey. The figures of father and son looked up at translucent screens.
"The time ratio here in this space is 1:20. What attainments do you need me to share?" Tie Kie Jan asked.
For Tie Peng Ziu, this was the first time this had happened; it was the same for Tie Kie Jan.
"If you give me one, won't you lose it?" Peng Ziu asked, somewhat embarrassed.
Tie Kie Jan stared at him until he remembered a vital detail deep in his memory: All of his split souls did not share the same memories!
He wore a meditative expression and explained calmly: "As an extension of my soul—though, honestly, I don't even know if I'm the original—we all have the ability to share attainment levels easily since we technically share the same origin. There are suitable Gu for this, but the system…" Tie Kie Jan was interrupted.
"Makes things easier."
"Yes… anyway, each soul has a natural talent and a complete attainment engraved upon it, along with some partial memories from when they were created."
After a long introduction on how attainment levels work in split souls, Kie Jan shared the Earth Path Grandmaster attainment with Peng Ziu and supplemented other levels, turning him into a Triple Path Grandmaster: Soul, Earth, and Metal. Though he lacked the specific experience and knowledge, he now had the talent, which would trigger exponential growth.
"Wouldn't it be simpler to just give me the bulk of your experiences and knowledge?" Peng Ziu asked.
"No. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't. Your cultivation level is much higher than mine; the system has its own restrictions," Kie Jan explained.
Both returned from the system's dark space. Tie Peng Ziu had a distant look in his eyes as he quickly notified his other self.
"I'll be busy for a couple of days trying to assimilate the attainment levels I have now. I have many ideas, several recipes I want to innovate, and of course, digesting all of this will take quite some time," he explained.
Tie Kie Jan agreed. According to his memories of his past life, the effect of "grafting" attainment levels was overwhelmingly complex, as it required time for the person or soul to fully "digest" the True Meaning.
He compared it to the knowledge infusion of the Hidden Sage; too much information at once could fry a person's brain or, at worst, cause a loss of control, turning them into a monster.
Immortal Killer Move: Days Pass Like Months!
The following days were like a summer vacation for Tie Kie Jan. In the blink of an eye, the end of the year had arrived, and with it, the competition among the Tie Clan's new Gu Masters.
Tie Kie Jan was relatively calm; he didn't care about winning or losing. Yet, the eyes of the spectators were fixed on him. The reason was simple:
Rank 2 High Stage!
Compared to his peers, he was like a phoenix among men. Even the genius Tie Bai Xing was only at Rank 1 Peak Stage. Tie Kie Jan's overwhelming cultivation speed had become a heated topic of discussion among the clan's youth.
This speed was the result of both his immense effort and an absurd consumption of primeval stones. Tie Kie Jan had powerful backing: his father was the third strongest Gu Master in the clan, surpassed only by Tie Mu Bai and Tie Xue Leng—both legendary figures.
What could the other parents and elders do as their children competed against him? They could do little more than bow their heads and grumble about the shameless favoritism behind his cultivation speed.
"Final match: Tie Kie Jan versus Tie Bai Xing! Enter the arena," the instructor announced.
Tie Kie Jan had a fair complexion and completely relaxed eyes. His hair, now black and shoulder-length, complemented his dark blue martial suit. His arms and legs were wrapped in white bands.
His appearance was simple, but his attitude irritated people; he hadn't taken a single opponent seriously throughout the tournament.
Unfortunately, none were even half as strong as him.
Tie Bai Xing ascended from the opposite side. His skin was pale and smooth, with black hair falling down his back. He stepped up with a furrowed brow.
"Begin!" the instructor yelled at the top of his lungs.
Tie Bai Xing knew the disparity in cultivation; a wise man submits to circumstances. Tie Kie Jan was undefeated. Most surrendered before testing the waters; those who didn't were easily suppressed without a chance to strike.
"Tie Kie Jan, I know I cannot defeat you in a direct Gu battle. Therefore, as gentlemen of the Righteous Path, I ask that we have a martial arts duel," Tie Bai Xing said.
Tie Kie Jan accepted without hesitation.
With the agreement set, the atmosphere shifted. The crowd of youths, elders, and parents fell silent. Tie Bai Xing took a deep breath, adopting the "White Crane" stance—elegant and defensive.
Tie Kie Jan, by contrast, simply stood there with his arms hanging at his sides, looking as though he didn't want to waste another second.
Seeking the initiative, Bai Xing lunged forward. His movements were fluid, launching a series of palm strikes aimed at Kie Jan's chest. Kie Jan didn't retreat.
With subtle, almost lazy movements, he tilted his torso. Bai Xing's palms grazed the blue fabric of his suit but never touched skin. To the spectators, it looked like Bai Xing was narrowly missing. To the instructor, however, it was clear: Kie Jan was calculating the trajectory before the strike was even launched, using the minimum movement required to defend.
Frustrated, Bai Xing launched a rising roundhouse kick toward Kie Jan's jaw. Kie Jan didn't meet the force with force. He used an open palm to gently press Bai Xing's shin at its weakest point of resistance. Bai Xing felt his own momentum betray him.
He lost his balance for a split second, and in that instant, Kie Jan stepped inside, invading his personal space.
Tie Bai Xing tried to recover with a sweep, but Kie Jan had foreseen it. Instead of jumping, Kie Jan simply stepped firmly on Bai Xing's supporting foot, anchoring him to the ground as he tried to pivot.
In that moment, Kie Jan launched his first offensive move: a direct palm strike to the solar plexus. It wasn't fast, but it was inevitable. With his foot trapped and his balance broken, Bai Xing took the full impact. The air left his lungs, and his eyes widened in pain.
Kie Jan didn't stop. Taking advantage of Bai Xing doubling over, he grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and, with a fluid hip motion, threw him against the stone floor. Before Bai Xing could roll away, Kie Jan had a knee on his back and an arm trapped in a painfully perfect lock.
"A gentleman knows when he has lost," Kie Jan whispered in a voice devoid of emotion.
The instructor, stunned by the clinical execution, raised his hand.
"Winner: Tie Kie Jan!"
The fight had lasted only a few breaths. Even his physical and martial prowess was overwhelming.
"He is undoubtedly a combat genius!"
"Incredible! It's acceptable that Tie Bai Xing lost!"
"It doesn't matter if Tie Bai Xing was an A-grade genius; his opponent was Tie Kie Jan. It was natural for him to lose!"
The dissatisfaction among the spectators was evident; they had hoped Bai Xing would win a martial contest, yet he was simply suppressed. They could only accept the fact and remain silent.
Tie Kie Jan possessed vast combat experience, and his physical strength was equal to two boars, a bear, and a wolf combined. Using his fortune, he had strengthened his body enough to handle an ordinary beast with his bare hands. Bai Xing's defeat was entirely expected.
With the Student Tournament concluded, they were officially Gu Masters of the Tie Clan. Friends and family rushed to congratulate the students, and even squad leaders waited to recruit new talent. Tie Kie Jan was the primary target; the support of a Rank 5 elder was something many envied.
He politely declined every invitation, greeted a few elders, and left the academy with one hundred primeval stones as his reward for first place. On his waist hung a new ornament: a white iron plate with the number "2" inscribed in brown.
He was officially a Rank 2 Gu Master of the Tie Clan!
"Just a little more..." he thought. "Just a little more and I can leave the mountain."
Tie Kie Jan had ambitions like any other human. He knew that staying in the clan would slow his growth; clan missions, ceremonies, social ties, and business would consume a Gu Master's precious time.
Unlike many, he didn't have to struggle for resources to feed his Gu; thanks to his system, he could extend the feeding intervals of his Gu worms, provided they weren't used excessively.
As he walked, he watched the sunset. He had advanced so far in this life at such a calm pace that he almost wanted to live this way forever. However, the Gu world was vast. To live a calm mortal life meant leaving one's fate in the hands of superior beings without the capacity for absolute freedom.
Beyond a hill, there is a mountain; beyond a man, there is a giant.
The end of one stage marked the beginning of another. Facing such vast horizons, why not strive for something better once more?
Upon entering his residence, the street noise was replaced by the scent of sandalwood and the sound of the courtyard fountain. The servants, already aware of the results, greeted him with genuine respect.
"Welcome, Young Master. Congratulations on your first place," said Lao Mu, the butler, approaching with a clean towel and a tray of warm tea. His tone was warm, like a grandfather at Christmas.
Kie Jan accepted the towel, casually wiping the dust from the road.
"Thank you, Lao Mu. It was just a bit of luck; the others were nervous," he replied with a light smile. "Please, don't make a fuss over dinner. Something simple will do; it's been a long day."
"I understand, Young Master. But gifts from other clan members have already arrived in the main hall. Do you wish to review them now?"
"Catalog them for me, please. If there are primeval stones or Gu food, put them in my study. As for the rest... if there are sweets or fine fruits, distribute them among the staff. They've worked hard keeping everything in order."
"You are very generous, Young Master," one of the younger maids whispered, bowing her head.
Before dismissing them, he asked Lao Mu to send Li Han to his study. Once the door to his room closed and he was out of sight, his relaxed expression vanished, replaced by a cold mask of indifference.
Kie Jan was finishing his meal when Li Han entered with a chessboard. "Congratulations on first place," Li Han said in his slow rhythm. "A game? The servants are too busy to bother us tonight."
They played in silence for several minutes. "I'm leaving the village soon," Kie Jan said suddenly, moving a bishop.
"My father has plans to depart, and I will accompany him. Li Han, you will come with us. On the way, I will help you awaken your aperture."
Li Han froze with a knight in his hand. He took his time processing the offer and its implications.
"Thank you... truly," he replied, his flat voice carrying a weight of real gratitude.
"Being trapped in a mortal body while time marches on is... suffocating. The more variables we introduce, the harder it will be for 'Fate' to be repaired by Heavenly Court. If I can cultivate, I promise to help make this world better for you."
Tie Kie Jan knew Li Han's goal was to cultivate as far as possible to explore the Dao. Like himself, Li Han was an Otherworldly Demon.
Though their goals differed, they were friends. Furthermore, the system revealed that Li Han possessed overwhelming luck; it was better to give him a push.
Kie Jan nodded. Li Han lowered his voice as he finally moved his piece.
"By the way, I heard the servants... Tie Ruo Nan awakened A-grade aptitude. The clan is ecstatic. She is the niece of the current clan leader, so she's a shoo-in for the 'Young Clan Leader' role."
"A-grade... expected," Kie Jan murmured, unfazed. "It seems the main timeline is holding firm for now."
"That means we have a few years before Tie Xue Leng dies," Li Han added, narrowing his eyes behind his glasses.
"If the timing matches, Qing Mao Mountain will be in chaos soon. We must make the most of that place before it all blows up. My only concern is... we don't know if this is Fang Yuan's first life or his second. We don't know which version of him we'll encounter."
Kie Jan looked at the board, his face a mask of calm.
"It doesn't matter. If it's the first life, he's a cunning demon. If it's the second, he's a monster who already knows the ending. In any case, we aren't here to be his enemies, but to survive the tide of the times. Checkmate."
The game ended. Li Han had a twitch in his eye. "I'll win next time," he said before leaving.
Tie Kie Jan went to his room to continue cultivating. From an Elderly Primeval Gu, he pulled dozens of stones. His goal: Peak Stage.
He focused on his aperture. His Crimson Red Iron Primeval Sea was 79% full, surrounded by stone membrane walls—the mark of Rank 2 High Stage.
In his sea were six Gu:
Rank 1: Wood Essence Gu, Water Arrow Gu.
Rank 2: Blood Qi Gu, Vine Spear Gu, Iron Armor Gu, Wind Pulse Gu.
These were the ones he kept openly. In his inventory, he had a massive hoard: Black Boar Gu, White Boar Gu, Four Flavors Liquor Worm, Bear Strength Gu, Wolf Strength Gu, Bookworm, Electric Pulse Gu, Earth Sense Gu, Heat Sense Gu, Thought Space Gu, Clouded Thought Gu... a mountain of Rank 1, 2, and even Rank 3 Gu.
Rise!
With a thought, he moved his primeval essence like a raging sea, battering the stone walls of his aperture. He repeated the cycle until exhausted.
The walls showed cracks but began to heal. He cultivated for half an hour.
He had the Four Flavors Liquor Worm—why not use it to double his efficiency? Because he couldn't justify its existence in such a strict clan. The recipe wasn't in circulation yet.
He took primeval stones in both hands. Loot!
In breaths, his essence recovered to 20%, rising at an astonishing rate.
In under two minutes, he was back at 79%, having spent seven and a half stones. He repeated this until morning. His face was weary, but his stone walls were riddled with cracks. He surged one last time, shattering them.
Ding!
[Congratulations to the host for advancing to Rank 2 Peak Stage]
Tie Kie Jan relaxed. The stone walls crumbled into the depths of his sea, replaced by a crystal membrane. Deep within, Dark Red primeval essence began to generate. With a thought, he expelled all the Crimson Red Iron essence and absorbed stones until his aperture was filled with the new Dark Red essence.
"Cultivation speed when you have resources and cheats is intoxicating..." he thought, before sighing and falling into a deep sleep.