Chapter Five: Human Ancestor’s Three Gu, Awakening Hope

In an instant, the surroundings fell silent as countless gazes turned toward him.

"This is getting more and more interesting," Fang Yuan thought with a smile. Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, he waded through the river and stepped onto the opposite shore.

Immediately, he felt a layer of pressure.

This pressure emanated from the spiritual spring deep within the flower sea. The spring produced primeval energy, and its intense abundance created the pressure.

However, soon, light points rose from the flowers at Fang Yuan's feet.

The light points swayed, enveloping his entire body, before finally entering him.

"These are the Hope Gu," Fang Yuan murmured inwardly. Though the elder in charge did not explain, he understood clearly.

Each light point was a Gu.

The Gu was named Hope.

There was an ancient legend about the Hope Gu.

It is said that when the world was first formed, it was a wilderness teeming with wild beasts. The first human appeared, named Ren Zu. He lived a difficult life, eating raw meat and drinking blood.

Especially, a group of beasts named Difficulties loved the taste of Ren Zu and wanted to devour him.

Ren Zu did not have the tough body of a mountain, nor the sharp teeth and claws of beasts. How could he fight against the Difficulties? His food supply was unstable, and he was constantly hiding, at the bottom of nature's food chain, nearly unable to survive.

At this time, three Gu approached him, saying, "If you offer your life to us, we will help you overcome your hardships."

With no other options, Ren Zu agreed.

He first offered his youth to the largest of the three Gu, which brought him strength.

With this strength, Ren Zu's life began to improve. He secured a stable food supply and had the power to protect himself. He became brave and combative, defeating many Difficulties. But soon he learned a hard lesson. Strength was not omnipotent; it required rest and recuperation, and could not be squandered.

Moreover, his strength was too small against the entire group of Difficulties.

Reflecting on his situation, Ren Zu decided to offer his prime years to the most beautiful of the three Gu.

Thus, the second Gu brought him wisdom.

With wisdom, Ren Zu learned to think and reflect, accumulating experience. He found that often using wisdom was more effective than using strength. With wisdom and strength, he conquered many previously unconquerable challenges, killing more Difficulties, and surviving by eating their meat and drinking their blood.

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

This was because he had offered his youth and prime years to the Strength Gu and Wisdom Gu.

As he aged, his muscles atrophied, and his mind slowed.

"Human, what more can you offer us? You have nothing left to give," said the Strength Gu and Wisdom Gu, who then abandoned him.

Ren Zu, now without strength and wisdom, was discovered by the Difficulties and surrounded by the beast pack. He was too old to run, his teeth had fallen out, and he couldn't even chew wild fruits and vegetables.

He collapsed on the ground, surrounded by Difficulties, filled with despair.

At this moment, the third Gu spoke to him, "Human, offer yourself to me, and I can help you escape this plight."

Ren Zu, in tears, said, "Gu, what more do I have? The Strength Gu and Wisdom Gu have forsaken me. All I have left is my old age. Compared to youth and prime years, old age is worthless. If I offer you my old age, my life will end immediately. Though I am surrounded by Difficulties, I won't die instantly. I wish to live a bit longer, even if it's just for another second. So, leave me, I have nothing to offer you."

The Gu replied, "Among the three of us, my demand is the smallest. Human, just give me your heart."

"Then I give you my heart," said Ren Zu, "But Gu, what can you bring me? In this desperate situation, even if the Strength Gu and Wisdom Gu return, they can't save me."

Compared to the Strength Gu, this Gu was the weakest, just a small light point. Compared to the Wisdom Gu, it was the dimmest, emitting only a faint white glow, far from brilliant.

But when Ren Zu gave his heart to this Gu, it suddenly burst forth with infinite light. In this light, the Difficulties shrieked in terror, "This is the Hope Gu, flee, we Difficulties fear hope the most."

The beast pack fled in panic.

Ren Zu was astonished. From that moment, he understood—when faced with Difficulties, give your heart to Hope.

At this moment, the Hope Gu, forming a stream of light, entered Fang Yuan's body.

Due to the external pressure, they quickly gathered in his abdomen, forming a cluster three inches below his navel.

Fang Yuan immediately felt the pressure lighten.

He continued forward.

With each step, more Hope Gu flew from the flower sea into his body, joining the light cluster.

The cluster grew larger and brighter.

However, the elder in charge frowned.

"The number of Hope Gu seems rather low." Many elders who had been watching Fang Yuan closely felt a sinking feeling.

The clan leader also frowned. This was not the sign of A-grade talent.

Fang Yuan, under pressure, kept moving forward.

"Less than ten steps means no cultivation talent. Ten to twenty steps is D-grade talent. Twenty to thirty steps is C-grade talent. Thirty to forty steps is B-grade talent. Forty to fifty steps is A-grade. So far, I have taken twenty-three steps."

"Twenty-four, twenty-five, twenty-six... twenty-seven." Fang Yuan counted silently. At the twenty-seventh step, he seemed to hear a loud bang as the light cluster in his abdomen, between his kidneys, reached its limit and suddenly exploded.

The explosion occurred only within Fang Yuan, unnoticed by others, but he felt a profound sensation.

His body hairs stood on end, his pores tightened, and his mind stretched like a drawn bowstring.

Then, his mind suddenly went blank, his body feeling soft as if falling into clouds. His mind relaxed, pores opened, and a layer of sweat covered his body.

This process, though lengthy to describe, was incredibly brief. It came quickly and vanished just as swiftly.

Fang Yuan regained his composure in an instant.

Focusing inward, he found a new aperture had appeared in his abdomen, three inches below his navel.

He had successfully opened his aperture!

This was the hope of immortality!