The fifth section: The Ancestors Three Gu, Hope Enlightenment

In an instant, the surroundings fell silent, and countless gazes focused on him.

"It's getting more and more interesting," Fang Yuan chuckled inwardly. Under everyone's gaze, he waded through the river and stepped onto the other side. Immediately, he felt a layer of pressure. This pressure came from the spiritual spring deep within the flower sea. The spring produced vital energy, and because the energy was so rich and abundant, it resulted in this pressure.

But soon, from the flowers at Fang Yuan's feet, a cluster of light spots began to rise. These light spots floated around, enveloping Fang Yuan's entire body before finally integrating into him.

"This is the Hope Gu," Fang Yuan murmured in his heart. Although the elder in charge hadn't explained, he knew very well. Each light spot was a Gu, named Hope.

There was an ancient legend about the Hope Gu. It was said that when this world first formed, it was wild and untamed, with beasts running rampant. The first human appeared, named Ren Zu. He lived a very hard life, eating raw meat and drinking blood.

In particular, there was a group of beasts called Predicaments that loved the taste of Ren Zu and wanted to eat him. Ren Zu didn't have a body as tough as rock, nor did he have the sharp claws and fangs of beasts, so how could he fight against these Predicaments? His food source was unstable, and he spent his days hiding, living at the bottom of the natural food chain, almost unable to survive.

At this time, three Gu came to him and said, "As long as you use your life to nourish us, we will help you through this difficult time."

Ren Zu had no other options and agreed to the three Gu. He first used his youth to nourish the largest of the three Gu, which gave him strength.

With strength, Ren Zu's life began to improve. He had a stable food source and the power to protect himself. He was brave and combative, defeating many Predicaments. But soon he suffered and realized that strength was not omnipotent; it needed to be restored and couldn't be used recklessly.

Moreover, for the entire pack of Predicaments, his strength alone was too insignificant.

Ren Zu, reflecting on his experiences, decided to use his prime years to nourish the most beautiful of the three Gu, which gave him wisdom.

With wisdom, Ren Zu learned to think and reflect, accumulating experience. He found that using wisdom was often more effective than using strength. With wisdom and strength, he conquered many previously unreachable goals, killing more Predicaments, eating their meat, and drinking their blood to survive tenaciously.

But the good times did not last, and Ren Zu grew old.

This was because he had used his youth and prime years to nourish the Strength Gu and Wisdom Gu. When one grows old, muscles shrink, and the mind slows down.

"Man, what can you offer us now? You have nothing left to nourish us with," said the Strength Gu and Wisdom Gu, and they ruthlessly left him.

Ren Zu lost his strength and wisdom and was soon surrounded by the Predicaments. He was old, unable to run, and had lost his teeth, making it difficult even to chew wild fruits and vegetables.

He collapsed weakly on the ground, surrounded by the Predicaments, with despair filling his heart. At this moment, the third Gu spoke to him, "Man, nourish me, and I will help you out of this predicament."

Ren Zu, crying, said, "Gu, what do I have left? The Strength Gu and Wisdom Gu have both abandoned me. I only have my old age left. Compared to youth and prime years, old age is insignificant. If I give you my old age, my life will end immediately. Although I'm surrounded by Predicaments, I won't die for a while. I still want to live a little longer, even if it's just for a second. So please leave; I can no longer nourish you."

The Gu replied, "Among the three Gu, my requirements are the smallest. Man, just give me your heart."

"So I will give you my heart," Ren Zu said, "But what can you give me in return? In this desperate situation, even if the Strength Gu and Wisdom Gu returned, it wouldn't help."

Compared to the Strength Gu, this Gu's body was the most fragile, just a small light spot. Compared to the Wisdom Gu, it was the dimmest, emitting only a faint white light, not dazzling at all.

However, when Ren Zu gave his heart to this Gu, it suddenly radiated infinite light. In this light, the Predicaments screamed in fear, "It's the Hope Gu, flee! We Predicaments fear Hope the most."

The Predicaments immediately fled in panic. Ren Zu was stunned. From that moment on, he knew—when facing Predicaments, give your heart to Hope.

At this moment, the stream of light formed by the Hope Gu had already entered Fang Yuan's body. Due to the external pressure, they quickly gathered in his abdomen, three inches below his navel, and naturally formed a cluster.

Fang Yuan immediately felt the pressure reduce slightly. He took a step forward, continuing to advance. With each step, more Hope Gu rose from the flower sea, entered his body, and joined the light cluster.

The light cluster grew larger and brighter. However, the elder responsible across the river frowned.

"The number of Hope Gu seems a bit low," many elders who had been secretly watching Fang Yuan thought, feeling a bit disheartened.

The clan leader also frowned; this was not the phenomenon expected of a top-grade aptitude.

Fang Yuan continued to walk under the pressure.

"Below ten steps, there is no aptitude for cultivation. Between ten and twenty steps is grade D aptitude. Between twenty and thirty steps is grade C aptitude. Between thirty and forty steps is grade B aptitude. Forty to fifty steps is grade A. So far, I've walked twenty-three steps."

"Twenty-four, twenty-five, twenty-six... twenty-seven," Fang Yuan counted silently. At twenty-seven steps, he suddenly felt a booming sensation as the light cluster in his abdomen reached its limit and exploded.

This explosion only occurred within Fang Yuan's body, unnoticed by others. Only Fang Yuan felt a profound, earth-shattering sensation.

Instantly, his body hair stood on end, his pores tightened, and his mind stretched like a bowstring suddenly drawn taut.

Then, his mind emptied, and his body felt like it was floating on clouds. His mind relaxed, his hair settled, and his pores opened.

In an instant, he broke into a slight sweat. This process, though described in detail, was very brief. It came quickly and ended suddenly.

Fang Yuan was lost for just a moment before regaining his composure. He focused inward and found a small aperture had appeared in his abdomen, three inches below his navel, between his kidneys.

The aperture was successfully opened!

This is the hope for immortality!!