The night was slow, slower than even Gu Erin anticipated. Sure, he was prepared to teach these people from the ground up, but he was irritated on how much these people needed him to hold their hand through this process. The idea of just going off on his own was getting better and better by this point.
Thankfully the competent ones who got a general grasp on cultivation started to help Gu Erin out. Lee Shio Ming being the primary contributor, and right behind him was Nu Bin. Whom Gu Erin hadn't met in his past life, but had heard plenty about from his old master.
This allowed Gu Erin to start cultivating himself, multiple people by this point had managed to break through to the Blood Transforming Realm stage one. At that point everyone realized why the stream was necessary. Most if not all, were cultivating right by the water to make sure they could wash themselves quickly as they continually refined themselves.
The blood held a lot of impurities, the only thing that held more was someone's organs, which Gu Erin learned the hard way.. He was still receiving some strange glances from time to time. Having your supposed leader sweating buckets as he ran downstream made more than one person curious.
However, even though he was both downstream and downwind the smell still reached his group. They then understood, and thanked Gu Erin in their hearts for sparing them, most people understood now how potent the smell of impurities could be.
Gu Erin himself was both happy and disgusted by his breakthrough, he only hoped that there was nobody living downstream from them, or they would probably run in terror at what just came out of him. Granted that might attract some beasts and it would make his life easier. As he would try and go hunting later that day.
As soon as the sky started to turn even slightly lighter in color he announced the end of the session. All of these people were just circulating their qi throughout their body, so there weren't that efficient in the end. Gu Erin had given Lee Shio Ming almost all of his wealth and told him what to do.
They were to go to the Temple of the Heaven's, go to the Green clad figure and ask for cultivation techniques for everyone. Although Gu Erin was worried that people would pick the wrong or less optimal technique, Gu Erin had faith in his old master to help guide these people. He had a great sense of what fit people the best, and with the information from their evaluation he should be able to get everyone a decently good match.
Know that their cultivation technique wasn't locked in, however, it would waste time and money, not to mention you might have to start all over from the beginning if it wasn't even compatible. But, since they were at the beginning already there was no true harm unless they were completely incompatible which might cause a backlash within one's own dantian.
Gu Erin was going to stay in the campsite and continue to cultivate, while others went about the camp getting things ready for the only meal he arranged for them. Gu Erin and Lee Tao had stopped at many different businesses the day prior. One of them being a butcher, Gu Erin had managed to haggle down the price by taking all of the undesirable cuts of meat, including some that if the group knew about would cause a slight rebellion.
They would be spared of this knowledge however, as it would be made into a stew with a mixture of vegetables. All of which were of poor quality, but the most important requirement of having food in their bellies would be enough for now. As Gu Erin knew that others from Earth had started forming groups out of desperation to get food.
Some most likely were not wise enough to leave the town during nightfall, so they were most likely thrown out of the town, forming an equivalent to a slums before the gate. Little did they know that this was going to be a prime killing ground when the beast tide arrived.
While all meals were being done Gu Erin continued to cultivate. His goal for today was to at least get to the third stage in all of his refinements. Once he figured out how to do something it would open the door for his subordinates to follow suit, so he needed information more than anything. Some had already caught up to him in refining their organs. So, Gu Erin had the task of figuring out how to refine one's bones.
Compared to his last life, where most people bought this information from the Temple of the Heavens, Gu Erin was pioneering it himself. The main reason being that their group could not afford the financial set back. If they spent money on every problem their development speed would be stunted.
So, Gu Erin found himself alone by the stream as he continued to map out his new pathways and how they interacted with his meridians and acupoints. Although acupoints were of limited help in cultivation, they still had their place, as every cultivator looked for even the smallest boost in their cultivation speed.
Gu Erin went on to find the way to refine one's bones, which was a pain onto its own, one had to force the qi into the marrow, and this was a pain similar to countless fractures. This had to be done in every bone in his body. By The time Gu Erin was done, only a small number of impurities left his body, making him slightly confused. However, when he thought about it he figured it made sense in a way.
The muscles were far more difficult, as he refined his ligaments and tendons along with them. The state that left Gu Erin in was nothing but terrifying. He was uncontrollably twitching and convulsing, each movement bringing him enough pain to make him groan out in agony. It felt like every muscle in his body had been cramped, torn, and then pulled back together in one breath, over and over again.
Gu Erin had no doubt in his mind as he knew this would be the limit for most cultivators in his group, almost all of the people he had gathered would be unaccustomed to pain of this level. It would no doubt break their concentration and cause their circulation to break. Maybe even a few might cause self-inflected injury. One had to know that the Universal Heart Sutra helped in this aspect, but it would not dull the pain in any way.
When Gu Erin was finally done with his muscles he simply laid there for some time, even he needed to recover from such an ordeal. Gu Erin was now a bit nervous about the next stage, which was his nerves, what would refining his nerves feel like? He felt a shudder crawl its way down his spine. Deciding on taking a small break Gu Erin closed his eyes for a brief second as he just listened to the world around him.
This was something he had found that he enjoyed, in his past life he never realized how much he enjoyed the sound of peace and quiet. Although he could hear distant voices of those in the camp, it was far better than the apocalyptic screams of his past Earth.
Remembering his past timeline his expression hardened as he sat up to cultivate, even more determination surged up from his heart. By the time Gu Erin found and finished the way to refine his nerves. Which made him lose most of the control over his body while simultaneously feeling like he was a live wire, the camp was mostly empty. Only leaving a few members that were told to stay back and cultivate.
These members although not good enough to enter the elites were still worthwhile to teach himself and give pointers to. These where the people Gu Erin had noticed that adapted to the new situation the fastest, although not gifted with talent. Adaptability and the ability to absorb information was a talent onto its own. Talent meant nothing if you did not know how to use it properly.
So, Gu Erin found himself once again teaching a small group of people, although he didn't give as much information to them they progressed smoothly without guidance. Such a talent that wasn't measured made Gu Erin nod his head in appreciation. Comprehension was important to a cultivator, and Gu Erin had no doubt that these people may just be some of the more precious hidden gems.
Gu Erin spent his remaining morning trying to figure out how to refine one's own brain until he noticed that he had an audience. The very person Gu Erin was afraid of, and wanted to see the most. Chan Ai.
Her overall looks were cute rather than sexy, and her short bob cut hadn't changed ever since they were children. However, Gu Erin did his best to not look at her eyes, he ended up doing so anyways. What he saw there was the same reason why he had run away from her in his past life. Absolute devotion, fanaticism even.
Some might argue that was a good thing and he should accept it, but those people had obviously never experienced an obsessive stalker. So, to break the slight silence where Chan Ai was simply staring at him Gu Erin welcomed her to sit with him.
Gesturing with his hand to the spot opposite of him Gu Erin spoke slowly, like trying to coax a wild animal. "Ai we should talk for a bit, come sit with me."
Chan Ai smiled lightly, not knowing that Gu Erin felt like he was sitting on a land mine. "Eri I'm glad you brought me here, I managed to convince my family to listen so we're all together."
Gu Erin laughed slightly, he had no doubt that she had convinced her family in a very 'persuasive' manner, as he wasn't sure who was more afraid of Chan Ai, him, or her family.
Gu Erin waved his hand, "No need to thank me, in fact I've been wanting to talk to you for a bit about something."
"The harem thing?"
Gu Erin nodded, "yeah that." Silence befell the two, as Gu Erin examined Chan Ai's expression. She didn't look happy nor did she look angry. Which in his mind was a win, at least he wouldn't have to deal with the obvious yandere in the room.
"Eri, why do you need a harem?' Chan Ai asked finally. "Couldn't you just do this dual cultivation thing with one person?"
Gu Erin smiled slightly, this was a good question, and unfortunately it did have an answer. "Nothing is stopping me from just dual cultivating with one person. But, Ai, dual cultivation is a bit more complicated."
Which was true, and as Gu Erin explained it slowly to Chan Ai she got more a more serious. The whole premise of this situation was based off one's physique. If one had no physique, or a lower-grade physique, dual cultivation would be something you would do incredibly rarely. As the amount of energy might burn your pathways at the quantity and quality of it. As all the qi is derived of yin and yang essence. So now that Gu Erin had a higher physique of unknown grade, his plan of just having one or two partners had changed.
It wasn't till the end of Gu Erin's little speech that Chan Ai finally broke her silence. "You know I have feelings for you right? Would you ever like me back? Would I really have to share you?" She said this all with a look in her eyes that made every ounce of Gu Erin's being feel like death was imminent.