Chapter 68 Gains

Xuanyuan's grasp of the Human Path, exceeded that of the majority of most Rank 5 Gu Masters. Just based on the fact that he knew the Path existed put him ahead of all other Gu Masters in terms of comprehensions, while the knowledge from his previous life allowed him to take concepts into consideration that ordinary Gu Masters didn't even realized were possible.

Gu are the essence of Heaven and Earth. Man is the spirit of all living beings. 

This could be simplified into the concept of Dao. 

All things in the Gu World could be aligned with a specific Path. Beasts and Variant Humans were no exception, so why did Man, whose innate intelligence and spirituality were greater than all other living creatures possess no Dao Marks?

This was not entirely true. A tiny, minute fraction of a Human Path Dao Mark were engraved into the very essence of all Humans. It was so small and so tiny, that ordinary Gu Immortals didn't even notice it existed, amongst the Dao Marks of their main path or within their Blessed Lands.

Just like how the Ten Extreme Physiques had their Dao Marks grow when a Gu Master cultivated, or how Variant Humans possessed innate abilities due to their Dao Marks a Human Gu Master could cultivate so many different Paths because of the nature of their innate Dao Marks.

These were all theories of course, nothing more than Xuanyuan's Thoughts which were born during his previous life, and slowly accumulated in this one.

By their very nature, the Righteous Path and the Demonic Path created, nurtured and refined a mindset within Gu Masters. It was a method of pushing Gu Masters, who contained Dao Marks together, and creating harmony, by using conflict and combat as a method of nurturing Gu Masters.

There was a reason why Humans had been the dominant species in the Gu World for the past three million years. While their natural advantages were not as obvious as the Beastmen or the Feathermen or the Hairy Men, they had their own strengths which they had yet to develop.

Xuanyuan had always wondered about the nature of the Heaven Path and the Human Path. Both allowed for Dao Marks of different Paths to work together in harmony, but did so using opposite methods on a spectrum. 

The Heaven Path was all encompassing.

While the Human Path emphasized individuality. 

Xuanyuan knew that his comprehension and knowledge wouldn't develop as fast without Shadows As Thought Gu, but knew that he saw the World differently, due to the information and the understandings he carried from his previous life.

He knew that with a Supreme Grandmaster attainment, or even a Great Grandmaster attainment in a single Path, it became easier to comprehend the lower ranks of attainment in other Paths. He could more effectively understand the specialties of each Path and use his main Path to mimic them. He could also control the natural Dao Marks in the World, aiding him in his efforts.

Xuanyuan had a Master attainment in the Shadow Path. 

He was probably a Quasi-Master in the Space Path, while other Paths such as Dark Path, Light Path, Wisdom Path and Refinement Path lagged behind. The extent of his understanding was only the knowledge that he had read, and didn't form his own understandings quite yet.

But now... using his own understandings of the Human Path, he had become a Quasi-Master in the Human Path.

Xuanyuan placed his hand in some loose soil, feeling the damp soil in between his fingers. Wind Blade Mountain itself was an example of the harmony through unity of the Heaven Path, over time, reducing the conflict between the Blade Path Dao Marks and the Metal Path Dao Marks engraved into the environment by powerful Gu Masters.

Shaking his head, he relished in the numerous thoughts that bounced through his mind. Even without Shadows As Thought Gu, Xuanyuan could use his Master level attainments to deduce Gu recipes faster and with greater efficiency.

Especially, Shadow Path Gu which revolved around the human body.

In just a single day, his deductions had gone from 70% completion, all the way to 90% completion. While Xuanyuan knew that refining a Human Path Gu was temporarily out of the question, completing his Twin Shadow Gu recipe was easier with his new attainment. 

In fact, he could glimpse the requirements to refine the Rank 3 Trinity Shadow Gu, using his Twin Shadows as a material. 

"If I can become a Master in the Refinement Path or the Wisdom Path, I could increase the speed and efficiency of my deductions even further. However, I know that I am not that talented in the Wisdom Path, and I need to practice more than just regular Gu refinement. Reverse refinement and side refinement are also important as well...".

Letting out a sigh, Xuanyuan gazed inside his primeval essence sea, seeing several new Gu that he had obtained after eliminating those demonic Gu Masters and trading with Song Pei, Tai Yin and Yu Xiaolong.

He had traded a Rank 2 Lion Strength Gu to Tai Yin, in exchange for a Rank 2 Earth As Metal Gu. 

He traded a Rank 1 Silver Scales Gu with Song Pei, in exchange for a Rank 1 Scattered Water Gu.

He traded a Rank 2 Piercing Eyes Gu and a Rank 1 Thunder Taunt Gu with Yu Xiaolong, in exchange for a Rank 2 Dark Cape Gu and a Rank 1 Fish Gills Gu.

Other than these trades, Xuanyuan had obtained the Rank 2 Liquid Metal Gu, the Rank 2 Silver Skin Gu, the Rank 2 Winter Blade Gu, and numerous other Rank 1 Metal Path and Blade Path Gu.

Other than those, he obtained a Rank 1 Bone Path Bone Mending Gu, and a Rank 1 Wood Path Bark Skin Gu. 

Silver Skin Gu and Wood Skin Gu did not compliment the other, so Xuanyuan was resolved to sell it once they reached Dream Garden City. Considering that he had killed the Rank 3 demonic Gu Master, he had received the greatest number of Gu in the entire group, the rough total value of his entire haul was roughly seven or eight thousand primeval essence stones. 

This included Sabre Protection Gu and Blade Light Gu from before, but did not include the Gu materials that he had collected over the past nine days.

On top of everything, there was still the primeval essence stones that they had collected after raiding the basin containing the Golden Scaled Carp Beast King. Their initial estimate aside, after Xuanyuan, Song Pei, Tai Yin, Long Xi and Yu Zhong Er all entered the basin, they slaughtered all of the Golden Scaled Carp within, including the Beast King itself.

Tai Yin struck the final blow to the beast, and obtained a Rank 2 Water Source Gu, capable of halving the primeval essence cost of any Water Path Gu. Song Pei obtained a Rank 2 Piercing Water Gu, while Yu Zhong Er obtained a Rank 1 Bounce Gu and a Rank 1 White Water Gu. 

In all, they obtained more than forty thousand primeval essence stones. Divided up evenly, each of them received over four thousand primeval essence stones. It was enough to purchase two Rank 2 Gu, or even the most basic of Rank 3 Gu.

Considering they were all Rank 2 Gu Masters, most sought after Rank 2 Gu, while Long Xi and Yu Zhong Er were looking towards Rank 3 Gu, considering they were the closest to breaking through to Rank 3.

"I'll be honest Xuanyuan, I think you and I might be the closest to breaking through to Rank 3. Zhong Er only reached the Peak of Rank 2 just before we left the Ancient Soul Sect, and your 99% primeval essence sea affords you a speed that even the Rank 2 Four Flavors Liquor Worm cannot match. As agreed, it is yours now".

Long Xi handed over the Four Flavors Liquor Worm, causing Xuanyuan to smile. 

"I don't have the recipe for the Seven Fragrances Liquor Worm, but even if I have to break a few rules I might be able to obtain it. Rest assured, if I do not need it I will certainly lend it to you and Zhong Er to use".

Long Xi smiled patting Xuanyuan on the shoulder before walking off. Even though Xuanyuan was younger than her, he was more reliable than most of the other boys here own age. 

Even if she didn't feel the same way as Yu Zhong Er, she understood why she thought that about him.

'He didn't even ask for anything in return... This silly junior brother of mine. If he just helps people without asking for anything in return, people will take advantage of him! Hopefully with Zhong Er and myself around, others won't try anything stupid...'.

Holding the Four Flavors Liquor Worm in his hand, Xuanyuan frowned before instantly refining it. The Gu could not resist the pressure of a Rank 5 Shadows As Thought Gu, and just accepted his will and primeval essence, happily swimming around inside his aperture within just a few moments. 

Xuanyuan didn't want to refine the Four Flavors Liquor Worm into the Seven Fragrances Liquor Worm in the middle of a forest, and neither did he have all the materials to refine it either.

He could only keep it to himself for the time being, or leverage it, trying to obtain some benefits from the others...

Xuanyuan hummed before approaching Jia Yufei, the girl smiling as she sliced up a Golden Scaled Carp, before handing it over to Tai Yang. Both Fire Path Gu Masters were often assigned to cook their meals, Tai Yang only conceding due to the wishes of his sister and Song Pei.

Not bothering to hide it from either of them, Xuanyuan held out the Four Flavors Liquor Worm, causing Jia Yufei to go wide eyed seeing the extremely valuable Gu in front of her. Xuanyuan just grinned, seeing Tai Yang also raise an eyebrow.

The female Fire Path Gu Master glanced at Xuanyuan, feeling her cheeks flush slightly as he gently picked up her bloodied hands and placed the Gu within them. 

"This is not permanent, but only until you reach the Peak of Rank 2. I will give you the Four Flavors Liquor Worm to borrow until this point, and in exchange I will require some primeval essence stones. Is that suitable for you Yufei?".

The girl felt Xuanyuan's hands wrapped around her own and just stared at the Liquor Worm in her hands. The girl just blinked, feeling her eyes start to moisten.

"Why me? Why not the others first?", she asked.

Xuanyuan glanced at Tai Yang, who just nodded before taking a few steps back. Regardless of the World, their were a few expressions that all men understood, regardless of upbringing or background. 

Xuanyuan just lowered his head, bringing it closer to Jia Yufei's. The girl avoided his gaze, but smiled, her face turning almost as red as her hair.

"Because, I want Yufei to be safe, that's why. Do I need a better reason than that?", he replied.

The girl wanted to rub her eyes, but couldn't, her hands covered in fish guts and fish blood. Xuanyuan just smiled, before wiping a tear from her face, letting her place her head on his chest. She didn't hold back and just wiped her tears on his clothes, not caring for appearances in front of him.

Xuanyuan watched as she placed the borrowed Gu within her aperture, cleaning herself up before returning to the meal preparation. Tai Yang giving Xuanyuan a look before narrowing his eyes.

"... You... you are not going after Yin as well are you?", he asked.

Xuanyuan blinked immediately turning towards Tai Yang, slightly caught off guard.

"No! Of course not! And besides, Little Pei likes her doesn't he?", he responded.

Tai Yang nodded giving him a half hearted answer.

"He does, but Yin isn't that interested. Including Fang Kai, all four of us grew up together in the Ancient Soul Sect, so she sees those two more as brothers rather than members of the opposite sex. Fang Kai and Song Pei fight about it all the time, but recently Fang Kai has started to hang out with Huo Jin, so Yin doesn't want to see him anymore".

"It's a shame really. Sometimes, I wish we could go back to when all of us were kids, playing and having fun without a care in the world".

Tai Yang sighed, his gaze focused on something that Xuanyuan couldn't see.

"I like this group. It reminds me of a time when things were easier. When father and mother would eat dinner together, tucking us into sleep at night...".

Xuanyuan heard Tai Yang's words, and just placed a hand on his shoulder, shaking his head.

"Things never remain the same Yang. Just because one thing has ended, doesn't mean that something else cannot be born from its ashes. Lingering on the memories of the past, will make you blind to the events of the future".

"What else are you cultivating for then? If not to realize the future you have in your heart?".