Hui Jian's confidence surged as he felt the power of his newly refined Gu worms. The Beast Strength Gu and Wind Stepping Gu had both successfully reached Rank 2, and the difference in his abilities was already apparent. His physical strength had grown considerably, the Beast Strength Gu turning his fists into weapons of incredible power. Meanwhile, the Wind Stepping Gu granted him newfound agility, allowing him to move with speed and grace, far beyond what he had ever been capable of before. These refinements had bolstered his combat potential significantly, but Hui Jian knew better than to be complacent.
He could feel the hunger for more power growing within him. The Mind Flower Gu pulsed softly in his aperture, feeding his thoughts with insights, strategies, and possibilities. There was still much to do, and Hui Jian knew that power was not a luxury—it was a necessity. As he moved through the dimly lit streets of Lanternrock, the weight of his next decisions pressed heavily on his mind. Success in refining his Gu worms had given him an edge, but the path of refinement was fraught with danger. Every success was accompanied by the risk of failure, and the costs were high.
His primeval essence reserves had taken a significant hit, and despite his successes, Hui Jian was keenly aware that his resources were dangerously low. The delicate balance he had struck between manipulating the factions and strengthening his own power was growing more precarious by the day. He needed more materials for his next refinement attempts, but gathering them would be no easy task.
As he navigated the bustling underground markets of Lanternrock, Hui Jian couldn't shake the gnawing realization that his recent successes had drained nearly all of his resources. The Beast Strength Gu had consumed more than expected, and although the Wind Stepping Gu was successfully elevated, it had come at a steep price. His wealth, once enough to sustain his steady rise, was now dwindling fast. Primeval stones were no longer so readily available to him, and the cost of maintaining his cultivation and preparing for further refinements was growing insurmountable.
He knew that his next move would need to be both bold and calculated. Gathering the necessary materials was crucial, but Hui Jian had learned that it wasn't just about finding the right components. It was about negotiating for the best deals, securing his assets while ensuring that no one suspected how desperate he was becoming. Every interaction in Lanternrock's shadowy underworld was a gamble, and Hui Jian played the game better than most. But even the sharpest minds could falter when the odds grew too high.
For the next few days, Hui Jian worked tirelessly to restock his supplies. He moved through the hidden alleyways and secretive back rooms where Lanternrock's most dangerous deals were struck. He traded information, bartered with less scrupulous merchants, and even made arrangements with some of the very factions he was manipulating. The tension in the city was palpable, but Hui Jian was careful to maintain his anonymity. He couldn't afford for either the Jade Fist Clan or the Red River Sect to realize how deeply he was entangled in their affairs—or how vulnerable he truly was.
With his resources replenished, Hui Jian set his sights on his next target for refinement. Among his collection of Gu worms was a Rank 1 Mist Concealment Gu, an invaluable tool that allowed him to obscure himself in combat by generating a dense mist. It had served him well in smaller conflicts, but Hui Jian knew that it was no longer enough. As he grew in power, so did his enemies, and he needed a more formidable version of the Mist Concealment Gu if he was going to survive the growing conflicts in Lanternrock.
The refinement process for the Mist Concealment Gu was not something Hui Jian approached lightly. The materials required were rare and costly—more than he had initially anticipated. But Hui Jian, driven by ambition and the desire to further strengthen his position, decided to move forward with the refinement anyway. He felt confident after his recent successes, perhaps too confident. The Mind Flower Gu's insights were invaluable, helping him map out the intricate steps of the refinement process in his mind, but even its guidance couldn't guarantee success.
Setting up the refinement ritual, Hui Jian felt a familiar surge of anticipation. He had performed countless refinements before, but each one carried a unique thrill. The Mist Concealment Gu lay at the center of his formation, surrounded by rare materials that he had painstakingly gathered over the last few days. His primeval essence flowed through him as he began the ritual, each movement precise and calculated. The soft glow of the formation illuminated the dim room, casting flickering shadows against the walls.
At first, the process seemed to go smoothly. The Mist Concealment Gu pulsed with energy as it absorbed the essence from the materials, its form shifting and growing more powerful. Hui Jian's heart raced as he saw the familiar signs of progress—the mist swirling around the Gu worm, becoming denser, more potent. But then, something went wrong.
A sudden surge of energy exploded from the formation, and Hui Jian barely had time to react. The Mist Concealment Gu twisted violently, its energy destabilizing as the materials around it burned away. Sparks flew from the formation, and the entire process began to spiral out of control. Hui Jian gritted his teeth, his hands moving swiftly to regain control, but it was no use. The refinement had failed.
In a desperate attempt to salvage the situation, Hui Jian sacrificed one of his rarest materials, hoping to stabilize the process. The energy in the formation flickered for a moment, but it was too late. The Mist Concealment Gu cracked and shattered, its essence dissipating into the air as the refinement collapsed. Hui Jian stumbled back, his breath ragged. He had lost not only the Gu worm but also a significant portion of the materials he had painstakingly gathered.
Failure was a bitter taste in his mouth, one that he hadn't experienced in some time. His body ached from the backlash, and his aperture felt strained from the amount of primeval essence he had expended. Worse still, the failed refinement had caused minor injuries to his soul, leaving him weakened and vulnerable. It would take time to recover, and in Lanternrock, time was a luxury he didn't have.
Hui Jian retreated to his hideout, his mind racing with thoughts of what had gone wrong. The Mind Flower Gu stirred, helping him replay the events in his mind, analyzing the smallest details of the refinement process. He could see now that his confidence had been his undoing. He had rushed into the refinement, relying too heavily on his recent successes without fully considering the risks. He had overestimated his abilities, and now he was paying the price.
As he sat in the dimly lit room, his body weary and his mind racing, Hui Jian came to a painful realization. Refinement was not something that could be mastered through sheer force of will. It required patience, discipline, and above all, humility. The Gu worms he sought to refine were not tools to be bent to his will—they were fragments of the Great Dao, and each refinement was a delicate dance with forces far greater than himself.
Reflecting on his failure, Hui Jian recalls a tale from The Legends of Ren Zu, a story that had stuck with him since his early days. It was the tale of Ren Zu's encounter with the Loss Gu. Ren Zu, who had once been proud and relentless in his journey, had been humbled by a painful encounter with the Loss Gu. Ren Zu sought to capture the elusive Gu, certain it would bring him power, only to find that every attempt came at a great cost. In his determination, he ignored the growing weight of his losses—time, strength, and precious resources—until he finally collapsed, drained and defeated. The lesson Ren Zu learned then was that not all gains come from force; some must be approached with humility, lest the seeker be broken by the very object of their pursuit.
The tale resonates with Hui Jian now, the echo of Ren Zu's caution sharp in his mind. He sees, in his own reflection, that same determination without temperance that had clouded Ren Zu's vision. He had been too focused on the result—power, strength, influence—and had neglected the careful calculations required in refinement. In that dark, quiet moment, Hui Jian resolves to adjust his approach, integrating patience and discipline into his craft. Like Ren Zu, he acknowledges that some gains demand more than willpower and ambition—they require sacrifice, balance, and humility.
The Mind Flower Gu pulses within him, a subtle reminder of its own nature as a wisdom-type Gu. It feeds him strategies, not just in battle but in this inner conflict as well. Going forward, Hui Jian vows that he will approach refinement with the precision of a master and the patience of a strategist. It isn't just about what he will achieve; it's about how he must change to be worthy of those achievements.
But Hui Jian was not one to be defeated so easily. Failure, though painful, was also a teacher. He had learned valuable lessons from the failed refinement, and he knew that the next time would be different. He would not rush. He would not let his ambition cloud his judgment. He would be methodical, patient, and calculated in his approach. The Mind Flower Gu pulsed again, feeding him new strategies, new ideas. It was time to refine not only his Gu worms but also his approach to power.
As Hui Jian slowly recovered from the injuries, he turned his attention to a new set of plans. The Mist Concealment Gu was lost, but there were other Gu worms, other paths to power. He had learned from his mistakes, and now, he would use that knowledge to climb even higher. He could feel the tension in Lanternrock growing, and he knew that soon, the fragile balance he had carefully maintained would begin to crumble. The factions were on the brink of open conflict, and when that happened, Hui Jian would need every advantage he could get.