Months had passed, and the seasons had changed. Now, the gentle light of day illuminated the mountain, casting a soft glow over its peaks. In the center of the mountain, an entity hovered in silence, lost in unreadable thoughts. It lowered its gaze and summoned a withering black flower, cloaked in an unholy light.
This entity was Fang Shung, adorned in a black robe, emanating a Rank 5 aura. Beside her stood Yuanming, who had also reached Rank 5 cultivation. Today marked their final day at Qingmao Mountain, but to them, it was merely a stepping stone in their expansive journey through life—it didn't matter.
Fang Shung infused her Chaos Essence, activating the Withered Immortal Gu, and released a dark, ominous energy. This energy began to build up, transforming into a cloud larger than a midsized one, eventually shrouding the entire mountain in a deep fog of decay and dust. There were no sounds, no screams. First Gen Gu Yue had already met his end at Yuanming's hands, and now this mountain was destined to meet the same fate.
Slowly, the mountain was consumed by a dark, silent storm of decay and grey dust. From a distance, Tie Xue Ling and Tie Rou Ran watched in shock, rooted to the spot. Fang Shung and Yuanming soon vanished, leaving the mystery for the divine investigator to unravel, if he could at all.
As the duo approached the devastated mountain, Tie Xue Ling expressed his confusion. "So it wasn't truly a Blood Calamity, then?" he asked, but his question went unanswered. Tie Rou Ran, who held a strong belief in the philosophy of Black and White, muttered while noticing how the decaying energy even affected her clothes, "Father, this is inhumane." She looked at the decayed remnants of the lifeless, human-like skeletons.
Tie Xue Ling gently embraced her, offering reassurance. "Daughter, you are still young. There are worse things out there," he replied, and he was indeed correct.
Meanwhile, near the shore of the Yellow Dragon River, one of the three rivers in the Southern Border, two hooded figures flew at great speeds, creating powerful air currents. Their auras were unconcealed, radiating the strength of Rank 5 Gu masters.
Fang Shung turned her attention to Yuanming. "Which path did you choose?"
To her, her Yang Clone was more unique than he appeared—an Otherworldly Demon, with an Extreme Physique, Chaos Dao Marks, and a cultivation speed rivaling her own.
"The one that suits me best. For now, I focus on the Moon Path and Blood Path," he replied, his voice steady.
"Maybe Human Path suits you... or perhaps another path," she mused, thinking of his freedom-like nature, inherited from Bai Ning Bing.
*Well, he still doesn't have much attainment level* she thought internally.
"What about you? With your mastery in so many paths, which one do you follow?" he asked, aware of the secrets she'd shared long ago.
"I haven't decided yet," she said calmly, she had Attainment in many hidden and not even founded paths like Killing, Painting, Heaven, Pill, Weapon, and Shadow Path.
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After a while, Bai Gu Mountain came into view, its white, bone-like surface stark and flat, home to numerous bone-type Gu worms, beasts, and materials. Unlike the more developed Gu Yue Clan territory, Bai Gu Mountain was still primitive and untamed. They were here for the White Bone Inheritance, a legacy left by the rank 4 Gu Master, "Flesh Bone Lord."
In ten years, the Bai Clan would settle here, and the twins Bai Sheng and Bai Hua would inherit this legacy, ultimately reaching rank 5 as Gu Masters. But for now, the Bone Flesh Unity Gu—an innovative Gu related to Cultivation—held no value to either Yuanming or Fang Shung. Though the mountain was filled with dangerous beasts, it was manageable given their combined strength; without a Beast Emperor to worry about, this would be an easy exploration. Their goal wasn't the Bone Flesh Unity Gu, but rather undiscovered Gus to sell for a fortune.
They moved through the mountain, searching various bone spike caves, but the one they needed didn't show up right away. Finally, they entered a cave where the bone spikes had spiral tips, a unique feature marking the entrance to the Grey Bone Scholar's Inheritance.
Fang Shung couldn't locate the right spot, but Yuanming tried only once and found a distinctive spiral, twisting it to reveal a square opening.
"Seems your luck is better than mine," Fang Shung said, a hint of bitterness in her voice.
"I just followed what my heart told me," Yuanming replied, surprising her. But she kept her composure, and they pressed on.
Inside, dense bone spears jutted from every wall. Fang Shung pulled the shortest spiral among them, triggering a mechanism that sealed the entrance and retracted the spears. With the way clear and no Bai Clan elders yet on the mountain, they moved forward.
They had arrived here an hour earlier than the Bai clan.
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After walking for a while, they entered a large hall dominated by a vat filled with the Milk Spring. Its sweet taste and nutritious properties made it highly valuable.
Fang Shung dipped her hand into the vat, pulling out a handful of rank 1 Bone Spear Gu and a few rank 2 Spiral Bone Spear Gu.
Yuanming infused a bit of his Rank 6 Immortal Gu, "Vitality," and began refining the Gus in large batches. Meanwhile, Fang Shung slipped through a secret tunnel into another white hall.
This hall held three bone-carved pillars, each with skeletal hands grasping a Gu: Ribcage Shield Gu, Flying Bones Shield Gu, and Arm Bones Wings Gu. A peculiar line etched to the bone pillar advised them to take one Gu and leave the remaining ones for future descendants.
They selected the Flying Bones Shield Gu and moved onward through another tunnel, entering a smaller hall. At its center stood a human skeleton clutching a massive book filled with life experiences, Gu recipes, and secrets of cultivation.
"I won't kowtow, so you do it," Fang Shung said, her tone calm yet firm.
Yuanming nodded, kneeling without hesitation. He kowtowed three times, each strike of his forehead producing a resounding bang against the floor. When he rose, a section of the bone wall contracted, revealing a new tunnel.
Instead of entering immediately, they waited. Five minutes later, another tunnel appeared.
Fang Shung approached the skeleton, crushing its skull to retrieve a Rank 3 Bone Spike Gu.