Wondrous Inspiration Pagoda
Bao Zhi, shrouded in the shadows, ventured forth with utmost caution through the hallowed halls of the Wondrous Inspiration Pagoda.
His every step was measured, ensuring that the watchful gaze of Old Refinement did not fall upon him.
With a resolute determination, he ascended to the second-highest floor.
Bao Zhi wasted no time, he called upon his primeval essence and channeled it to probe the depths of the immortal gu house.
The air hung heavy with a sense of anticipation as he extended his senses.
As a grandmaster in formation path, his discerning eyes swiftly recognized a flaw as his essence started to explore the insides.
There, in the intricate coordination of the gu house's myriad gu, a core immortal gu was missing. Akin to a gaping hole in a sheet of fabric, it was hard to miss this obvious discrepancy.
The absence of a core immortal gu usually threatened to compromise the integrity of a gu house, reducing its capabilities.
The realization sent a shiver down Bao Zhi's spine, for he knew the gravity of this deficiency could cause.
"This gu house, it is incomplete!" - Bao Zhi whispered to himself, his voice but a faint echo amidst the solemnity of the surroundings.
His knowledge of gu houses told him the profound significance of a missing core immortal gu. Its absence left a void that could not be easily filled, for any immortal gu was a unique existence.
But this also left a big gap for him to exploit!
With a sagacity acquired through tireless study and introspection, Bao Zhi peeled back the layers of history of this immortal gu house as he discerned the Wen clan's attempts at mending this problem.
Many new mortal gu worms were incorporated to remedy the problem, yet the core flaw remained unaddressed.
It puzzled him, for Wen clan boasted formation path great grandmasters, who rarely faltered in their pursuit of perfection.
"Wen clan has managed to stabilize the structure." - Bao Zhi murmured, his voice carrying a hint of perplexity.
"But they couldn't replace that core immortal gu. It would need the whole gu house to be redesigned and assembled again."
What could have caused such a lapse in the Wen clan's meticulousness?
Why did they not pursue the complete reconstruction that this immortal gu house truly needed?
His questions remained unanswered.
Undeterred by the magnitude of the task at hand and not wanting to waste more thought on this matter, Bao Zhi focused his efforts on refining the gu worms that formed the very fabric of this immortal gu house.
Each delicate manipulation brought him closer to his current goal, refining a small portion of the gu house's gu worms as his hands moved with a grace born of mastery.
The tendrils of his influence extended like young roots in loose soil, and Bao Zhi pressed on with a solemn expression.
The time would come when he would no longer need to conceal himself within the cloak of shadows when he refined enough gu worms.
He was determined to gain control and unravel the mysteries hidden within the heart of the Wondrous Inspiration Pagoda later.
Bao Zhi's fingertips danced with precision and finesse, guiding the gu worms through intricate patterns of refinement. Each movement was a testament to his mastery, a testament to the depths of his understanding of the formation path layered upon his great grandmaster wood path methods.
As the gu worms responded to his touch, their essence pulsated with newfound vigor. They resonated with Bao Zhi's primeval essence, intertwining in harmonious unity.
Bao Zhi persisted in his resolute refinement, his primeval essence waning under the weight of his unyielding dedication.
Yet, amidst his unwavering efforts, a revelation unfurled before him—a hidden space concealed within the depths of the gu house, nestled betwixt its veiled floors.
A faint glimmer of intrigue sparkled within Bao Zhi's eyes as his probing cautiously approached this hidden space.
With a mind as keen as a starlit night, Bao Zhi delved into the ethereal depths of the concealed space, its seeming void unraveling before his probing thoughts.
There, a multitude of dormant wills lay enshrouded in an undisturbed slumber, their appearance akin to the immortals, just like Old Refinement itself.
It was a sight that evoked a sense of caution within Bao Zhi.
Realizing the precariousness of this discovery, Bao Zhi refrained from his dauntless refinement.
He knew that their awakening would spell immediate trouble. And so, with careful grace, he relinquished his tireless efforts and sought solace in the stillness of the moment while his essence gathered.
Seated upon the precipice of exhaustion, Bao Zhi focused on his essence, the wellspring of his power replenishing gradually with each tranquil breath.
Time trickled by, moment by moment, until over half an hour had silently slipped through the cracks of existence.
It was then, in the midst of Bao Zhi's contemplative reprieve, that the very foundations of the Wondrous Inspiration Pagoda trembled.
The reverberations coursed through the very marrow of Bao Zhi's being, and a subtle realization took hold—he knew that the gu house had shifted from its fixed place.
Checking on the gu house's investigative methods confirmed his sensation, the gu house was now suspended within the embrace of the sky.
With an unwavering gaze and a mind as calm as the tranquil surface of a mirrored lake, Bao Zhi surveyed the scene, his thoughts of calculation and deduction.
"The gu house... it journeys toward the Annual Competition." - He murmured, his words whispered with an air of certainty.
Such knowledge was a common thread within the public understanding—the Wen clan extended their invitation to the triumphant gu masters who emerged from the arduous crucible of the competition each year.
Closing his eyes, Bao Zhi delved once more into the recesses of perception, seeking insight into chamber where the dormant wills slumbered.
And there, amidst the veiled tendrils of consciousness, he detected a change. Old Refinement tread amidst the slumbering wills, his purpose shrouded in mystery.
Bao Zhi observed as the awakening touch of Old Refinement breathed life into the will of an immortal—a woman whose identity eluded his recognition.
Silent as a whispering breeze, the awakened pair retreated from Bao Zhi's observant gaze, their presence slipping beyond his perceptions as they left the hidden space.
"This must be part of Wen clan's arrangement for the event. I'm still not discovered." - Bao Zhi concluded with relief and continued to rest.
Bao Zhi, having replenished his primeval essence, resumed his diligent refinement with utmost care, ensuring his touch avoided the areas used by the awakened wills.
A relentless cycle unfolded—moments of refinement intertwined with interludes of rest, his essence ebbing and flowing like the tides of an ancient sea.
A faint smile graced Bao Zhi's countenance.
It was a smile borne of quiet victory, an affirmation of his unwavering determination.
Progress marked his path, as his influence extended to encompass the vast expanse of an entire floor within the gu house.
He knew that with each refined gu worm, he inched closer to tilting the balance of power.
Yet, as Bao Zhi's discerning gaze surveyed the intricacies of the gu house, a new occurance stirred below, on a lower level.
There, a company of gu masters had arrived, their presence marked by a serene unity.
With closed eyes and minds seemingly adrift in profound meditation, they sat in harmonious order.
Among them, a figure clad in resplendent armor stood out, a shimmering beacon amidst the sea of tranquility.
To Bao Zhi, these mortal gu masters bore no immediate significance. The armor, an anomaly in the world of gu masters, offered no defense against the insidious attacks of gu worms.
Yet, in the realm of rank one gu masters like the armored warrior, such a garb may grant a measure of reassurance, shielding against the relatively feeble threat posed by gu worms of similar rank.
"Seems like the rank one gu masters have arrived." - Bao Zhi noted to himself.
However, Bao Zhi's focus remained steadfast on his purpose, undistracted by the presence of these lowly mortals.
* * * * *
Treasure Blue Beaver Blessed Land, Competition Grounds
Wen Qinyang, undeterred by the momentary pause that had fallen upon the battlefield, pressed forward with an unyielding assault against the gu masters of the Bao clan. Her relentless attacks shattered the silence, reigniting the fierce exchange of blows.
Casting a quick glance behind her, she found solace in the sight of Wen Tu making steady progress towards safety.
"Just a little bit more." - She urged herself, her determination unyielding even as the danger loomed.
Yet, beneath her steadfast facade, a growing sense of unease took hold. Her once-abundant reserves had been drained at an alarming rate, a miscalculation that threatened to jeopardize her very existence on the battlefield.
Panic flickered within her eyes as her rank three primeval essence dipped below five percent, momentarily betraying the calm facade she projected.
"I have underestimated how long this would take." - She admitted with a tinge of regret, her voice echoing silently within her mind.
The realization of her predicament set in, the harsh truth that she might not have enough essence to sustain herself. It was a bitter pill to swallow, a reckoning with the consequences of her oversight.
It was a stark reality that left her with no alternative but to consider using the rank five beggar moth gu—a choice she had hoped to avoid.
Her thoughts turned to the rank five beggar moth gu in her aperture, lent to her as a last resort.
She understood that her options were dwindling. A glimmer of hope pierced through her worry.
"This should be fine. Each gu can only have one function, so it should be safe to use." - She reasoned, seeking solace in the gu's specific function of storing primeval essence.
The dire consequences of depleting her primeval essence loomed before her. Without its sustaining power, her killer move would be abruptly terminated, leaving her defenseless and vulnerable, not to mention the very backlash it entailed.
Swiftly, she triggered the rank five beggar moth gu and Wen Hao Jiong's will inside activated the gu, unleashing its dormant potential.
Like a deluge, a torrent of rank five purple crystal primeval essence surged into her aperture, crashing against its walls with a force that threatened to rupture its fragile boundaries.
Qinyang's breath caught in her throat as her aperture trembled under the weight of this unleashed power.
Yet, the rising tide within her primeval sea gradually subsided, filling it to the brim.
A sense of relief washed over her, mingled with a realization of the hidden dangers that lurked within the higher-ranked primeval essence she had harnessed.
"That was very close. If I activated that gu when I had a half-filled aperture..." - She murmured, cold sweat trickling down her brow.
The narrow escape from a shattered aperture underscored the precariousness of her actions.
But her newfound wellspring of rank five primeval essence imbued Qinyang's killer move with an unprecedented vigor, allowing her icicle's number to burgeon with magnificent intensity.
Each crystalline shard, suspended above her in a swirling symphony, grew larger and more potent.
The Icicle gu, unleashed to its full potential, channeled the seemingly limitless supply of primeval essence, transforming the battlefield into a tempest of icy fury.
A relentless storm of frozen projectiles assailed the hapless Bao clan, drowning their resistance in an onslaught of piercing ice.
"Where did this she-demon of ice arise?" - Cried a voice, laden with dismay, amid the chaos.
The incredulity in the air was palpable. How could a mere rank three gu master wield such formidable power?
The reality of the situation defied belief.
Qinyang, now the focal point of attention, radiated a dangerous aura.
Her silver hair danced in the swirling currents, while the ground beneath her became encrusted in a delicate frost, bearing witness to her chilling might.
"A demon of ice! Retreat!" - Urged one of the Bao clan's rank three gu masters, their voices brimming with urgency.
Sensing their faltering resolve, Qinyang's compatriots from the Wen clan seized the moment, rallying behind her with resolute determination.
Among the crowd of spectators, Wen Hao Jiong's lips curled into an ominous smile.
"This is the opportune moment." - She mused, her thoughts steeped in a nefarious scheme.
Unbeknownst to Qinyang, within the depths of her aperture, the mantis-shaped Burning Mind Flame gu stirred to life.
Unleashing a wave of fiery thoughts, it kindled an inferno within her mind. Bewilderment gripped her as the scorching thoughts ignited her own, swiftly engulfing her consciousness.
In the blink of an eye, her once-calculated plan of retreat was reduced to ashes as the conflagration within drove her forward, consumed by a fervent thirst for fighting.
Under the influence of the fiery thoughts, Qinyang's purpose waned, supplanted by a primal instinct for attack and destruction.
All semblance of a strategic withdrawal vanished as she heedlessly rushed deeper into the heart of the battlefield.
Her mind, ablaze with the searing flames of the Burning Mind Flame gu, propelled her forward, leaving logic and caution behind in a fiery trail.
* * * * *