Chapter 15: The first step to rank 10

Ning Zu stood in the quiet of his cultivation room, his breath steady as he prepared for the arduous refinement ahead. Before him, the cauldron sat upon a sturdy stone base, and beneath it, he ignited the Little Tornado Fire.

The flames roared to life, emerald green, twisting and turning as they danced under the cauldron. Its heat was palpable, sending waves of warmth through the room, and the air above the cauldron shimmered with the rising temperature. 

The Little Tornado Fire was a type of fire specialized for Gu refinement, its constant rotation ensuring that nothing within the cauldron would remain still.

He approached the cauldron with precision, uncorking the first bottle, the Sweet Wine.

Carefully, he poured the golden liquid into the cauldron. The wine, unlike most liquids, did not immediately swirl into chaos. Instead, it settled gracefully at the bottom, beginning to turn slowly under the influence of the fire beneath, caught in the gentle vortex created by the flames.

Ning Zu waited, allowing the sweet aroma of the wine to fill the room, ensuring it was perfectly heated before proceeding. 

Then, with the same care, he added the Spicy Wine. The deep crimson liquid slid into the cauldron, but it did not mix with the Sweet Wine. Each substance took its own place within the cauldron, divided evenly, their swirling motions maintaining their separation despite the heat and movement beneath.

He continued, adding the Sour Wine, its pungent, tangy scent mixing into the room but never merging with the other wines. 

Now three distinct liquids turned slowly within the cauldron, each occupying its own third, spinning like individual gears in a delicate machine.

The final bottle of the Bitter Wine was next. Its dark, almost ink-like hue poured into the cauldron, completing the quartet of liquids. 

The cauldron was nearly full now, but each wine kept its own territory, spinning in perfect synchronization, never merging, never disturbing the balance. This was the beauty of the Little Tornado Fire, it allowed for delicate refinements where precision was paramount.

Ning Zu's eyes narrowed in concentration. He threw a few pieces of dry wood into the fire, causing the flames to flare and the rotation of the wines to speed up. The increased velocity stirred the liquids faster, but still, they remained distinct, the boundaries between them unwavering.

Now came the next critical step. From his aperture, he gently picked up four Liquor Worms Gu, each one fed and peacefully asleep. One by one, he placed them into the cauldron, carefully lowering each into one of the four sections of swirling wine. 

The worms sank slowly, their bodies disappearing beneath the surface but settling comfortably within their designated spaces.

For a brief moment, Ning Zu left the worms to absorb the energy of the wines. Meanwhile, he turned his attention to the second cauldron, where the Dragon Scales taken from his father had been melting. Their molten form glimmered with a soft, iridescent sheen. This, however, was not the final material, he reached for the Despair Core, a dark object that pulsed with malevolent energy. 

The moment the Despair Core was dropped into the molten dragon scales, it began to absorb everything, greedily sucking in the liquid. Its form trembled, destabilizing as the core's inherent energy built up to dangerous levels. 

Ning Zu knew he had little time before the core would explode, but he remained calm, his hand steady as he retrieved the now-fuming Despair Core. Dark green liquid oozed from its surface, and though it burned his fingers as he handled it, he ignored the pain as this was a vital step.

With quick, fluid movements, Ning Zu dropped the Despair Core into the center of the first cauldron. The wines churned violently upon contact, and the four Liquor Worms Gu reacted instantly, darting toward the core. The wines that had remained separate for so long now began to merge, drawn together by the pull of the core. The level of liquid in the cauldron steadily dropped as the wines and worms were absorbed into the core, leaving behind nothing but an empty cauldron and a rapidly shrinking sphere of liquid.

'Food path huh,' he thought 'it has two main elements, cooking and eating, what I am doing now is a mix of both, I am cooking the wines, each one with a liquor worm, while using my will in the despair core to eat everything in the cauldron.'

At the final moment, what remained was a small ball, roughly the size of an infant's hand. It floated up from the cauldron, unstable, shaking, and threatening to explode at any second. Ning Zu's heart raced, knowing this was the most dangerous part. One mistake now and all his work would be lost.

Without wasting a second, he activated the Cold Breath Gu. A blast of frigid air shot forth from his mouth, enveloping the unstable ball. The temperature in the room plummeted, and frost began to creep across the cauldron's surface. The ball's tremors slowed as its temperature dropped, and slowly, it began to stabilize.

Then, with a soft pop, the ball cracked open, and from within emerged the Wine Worm Gu. Its translucent body shimmered in the dim light, filled with the essence of the four wines.

The Wine Worm Gu looked like a small dragon, its body cloaked in thick black scales, with a metallic dark green shimmer coating its surface. Ning Zu studied it, satisfaction washing over him after the grueling refinement process. The task had tested his skills, but once again, he had proven his mastery.

The Wine Worm Gu was the first step on his journey to mastering the Food Path Inheritance. 

'Wine Worm Gu… what a lousy, unoriginal name,' he muttered to himself, bitterness flashing across his face. 'Damn you, Ming You, could you not have come up with something better?'

Yet, despite the frustration over the Gu's name, Ning Zu was content. He had finally refined it. This Gu's abilities resembled the Liquor Worm Gu, but it was far more powerful.

The Liquor Worm Gu worked by condensing primeval essence, raising it to the next small realm. If a Gu Master had 42% of rank 1 initial stage essence, it would condense that essence into 21% of rank 1 middle stage essence, continuing this process as the primeval essence regenerated, effectively giving the user 42% rank 1 middle stage essence. 

However, it couldn't break through the peak stage.

But the Wine Worm Gu went beyond that: it directly boosted primeval essence to the next rank.

Ning Zu wasted no time. He placed the Wine Worm Gu into his aperture, letting it settle there as his vital Gu. Immediately, the Gu absorbed all of his primeval essence, devouring it. For a moment, his aperture felt empty, but then, like a floodgate opening, the Gu released rank 2 middle stage essence.

Ning Zu couldn't help but laugh. This Gu would unlock unlimited potential for him, and with its subsequent upgrades, all the way to rank 9, the possibilities were endless. 

In theory, if he reached rank 9 and refined the rank 9 version of the Wine Worm Gu,he could even achieve the legendary rank 10 immortal essence!

The mere thought filled him with excitement. To do something no one had ever accomplished, not even the legendary rank 9 figures, was exhilarating. 

Feeling invigorated, Ning Zu cleaned his cultivation room and returned the Cold Breath Gu to its owner, a loyal servant of his family. Then, grabbing a handful of primeval stones, he sat down to cultivate, eager to push his newfound power further.

---

At the same time.

Xiong Mo entered the academy elder's office, he wore his confidence like a shield, expecting praise for his swift refinement. 

The elder was seated at his desk, organizing scrolls, and glanced up when he saw Xiong Mo.

"Ah, the clan leader's son. What brings you here today, Xiong Mo?" the elder asked, his voice calm and professional.

Xiong Mo wasted no time. "Elder, I have successfully refined my Gu and would like to request the promised reward," he stated, pride evident in his tone.

The elder leaned back slightly, his face neutral. "You refined your Gu? Impressive. But I must inform you, someone has already completed the task before you."

Xiong Mo's expression faltered. "What? Who could possibly have done it faster?" 

The elder nodded slowly. "It was Xi Rui. He refined his Gu earlier this morning and personally came to deliver the news."

Xiong Mo couldn't believe what he heard, the news hit him like a wall.

Xiong Mo's hands balled into fists, his face darkening with disbelief. "Xi Rui? How is that even possible?" His voice grew louder, and in a burst of anger, he slammed his fist into the wall. "This is absurd!"

Suddenly, the elder stood, appearing directly in front of Xiong Mo in the blink of an eye. His gaze was hard and unyielding. "Control yourself, Xiong Mo. Do not forget where you are. Respect must be shown, even by the son of the clan leader."

Xiong Mo froze, realizing his mistake. Swallowing his anger, he bowed slightly. "I apologize, Elder. It won't happen again."

The elder's stern expression softened slightly, but his tone remained sharp. "Good. But remember, I will not tolerate another outburst like this."

Xiong Mo straightened, nodding. "Understood, Elder. I thank you for your guidance."

The elder nodded back, watching as Xiong Mo left the room, though his mind was still spinning. 'How could Zi Rui have refined the Gu so quickly?' As Xiong Mo walked away, he couldn't shake the gnawing feeling of being overshadowed and wondered if there was more to Ning Zu's success than simple skill.