Bone Spikes Gu allowed the user's bones to protrude spikes, which could be shot from the flesh. Without a healing Gu to counterbalance the damage, using it could be messy and self-destructive. From Fang Shung's knowledge, this Gu wasn't particularly advantageous—at least not in its current state.
After Yuanming refined and stored the Gu, they pressed onward.
The downward staircase before them stretched for what seemed like a kilometer. It began broad and spacious, but as they descended, the passage narrowed and darkened. By the end, the stairs were so tight and completely dark that only one could pass at a time.
Finally, they reached a tightly sealed door with four words carved into its surface: "Flesh Sac Secret Chamber."
Pushing it open revealed a grotesque sight. The room's walls were made of pulsing flesh, warm and alive, throbbing like a giant beating heart. Cracks began to form on the fleshy walls, and from them emerged countless mouths with perfectly even teeth. Laughter erupted, echoing unnervingly through the chamber.
"Hahaha...hehehe...hahah!"
The laughter came from Flesh Laughter Gu, a peculiar breed capable of storing Gu worms.
Suddenly, the mouths' teeth fell out, revealing scarlet tongues, each nearly a meter long with curved tips. Embedded in those tips were pocket-sized bone books. Yuanming picked one up and flipped through it, muttering, "Two identities: Flesh Bone Master, Grey Bone Scholar... based on luck... knock on the teeth. I understand."
Fang Shung tried first, knocking softly on a set of teeth, but the mouth remained still. Yuanming gave it a try as well, but nothing happened. On her second attempt, Fang Shung's knock caused the teeth to crumble. A scarlet tongue extended, revealing a neat set of dentures—a healing-type Rank 3 Gu called Flesh Bone Gu.
As they explored further, the enormity of the inheritance became clear. This was no simple trial; the chambers were vast and interconnected, with branches leading to hidden treasures. Without Fang Shung's knowledge about it, Yuanming might not have even reached this point.
Yet, questions lingered in their minds. The Bone Flesh Unity Gu was powerful, but was it truly worth the long-term risks? Money was money; it was a whole different matter if it involved an advantage to the enemy. Bone Flesh Unity Gu had that great advantage, it was better if it never came to be.
Just as they debated their next steps, another mouth opened, revealing a quail egg-sized Gu with black-and-white stripes—Footless Bird Gu.
####
They continued forward through a tunnel and entered the largest hall they had encountered yet. At the center stood a massive bone pyramid with a flat peak, accessible by a set of wide stairs.
At the top lay a sculpture of a beast, half a man's length, resembling a mix between a lion and a tiger, its fangs clamped shut. Carved into its surface were the words: "Gemini with one mind, three spirits unite. Fated or not, do not be forceful."
"Does it have something to do with the palm, eyes, and mind working as one?" Yuanming wondered aloud. The palm, he thought, was the most nimble, the eyes the fastest, and the mind's thoughts as swift as lightning.
Fang Shung placed her hand on a translucent, pure red gem that reflected their figures at them. She motioned for Yuanming to do the same, a slight unease flickering in her eyes. He followed, pressing his palm to the gem beside hers.
With a low groan, the beast's mouth slowly opened, revealing a pile of coal and dry wood, along with a pottery container and a scroll. Fang Shung cautiously removed the scroll, which contained the writings of the Grey Bone Scholar. In it, he spoke of his poor aptitude, his wish to simplify cultivation for those like him, and his regret that precious Gu, like Liquor Gu, was often out of reach. This pyramid, it seemed, was his tomb and his legacy.
While the criteria to refine his Gu were met, Fang Shung and Yuanming chose not to proceed. They did not need it and sensed that perhaps the inheritance held risks they weren't willing to take.
After a moment, they followed a secret exit tunnel and emerged atop a high cliff, the chill wind a reminder that their journey through the tomb was finally over. But as they looked out, they both remained on guard, knowing that such secrets rarely stayed hidden for long.
---
"Take the footless bird and fly off," Fang Shung said calmly, her voice carrying a weight of finality. Yuanming took the Gu from her, feeling its coldness. "And then? Will the same events just repeat?" he asked, his mind uncertain if this path would change anything in the long run.
Fang Shung's gaze remained unwavering. "I will stay at the Three Kings Blessed Land. You'll take the Shang Clan and handle the matter." She handed him a Gu, its faint glow revealing Milk Spring.
It was food for the bone spear and spiral bone along with other Gu that he had.
"And after that? Will you go after the Hu Immortal Blessed Land? Or it would be me in your place?" he pressed, his voice sharp, knowing full well that whatever followed, neither would be within reach.
"No," Fang Shung replied flatly. "After what you've done, you can take that girl with you, or not. But I have something stranger for you." Her words lingered in the air, the mystery thickening.
Yuanming's brow furrowed, his curiosity piqued. A strange quest? "What is it?"
She offered nothing but a cryptic smile. "It involves a great figure," she said.
Before going off, Fang Shung gave him a set of torn and old clothes.
"Take it", she didn't give him any sort of explanation, Yuanming after a few seconds, understood and gave her a knowing glance.
Fang Shung flew off, vanishing into the atmosphere.
Yuanming held the Gu, watching it shift into a bird of bone. Without hesitation, he mounted it, and the creature soared upward, becoming a distant dot against the sky.
[Zi You Mountain]
Yuanming moved steadily after killing a dark leopard and taking its Breath Concealment Gu. This Gu was rare now, but not for long. Sun Gan, the Hunting King, had exposed its value, and greed had followed. Yuanming felt a twinge of irony. The elusive dark leopards, once proud predators, would one day be hunted to extinction.
Two days of silent travel brought him to a narrow, man-made path. Evening descended as he followed it to a hamlet nestled at the mountain's base. Thin smoke curled from chimneys, and farmers returned in groups, their tools slung over their shoulders. A low stone wall encircled the hamlet, with guards posted at intervals. Modest but functional, the setup kept out wild beasts and raiders.
As Yuanming approached, he slowed, adopting the sluggish shuffle of a weary traveler. Days of hunger and dishevelment gave him the look of a man worn down by life. His blackened hair and rough cut helped obscure his identity, though his smooth, porcelain skin was harder to disguise. The haggard act, however, drew attention away from such details.
At the gate, a guard stepped forward, eyes sharp with suspicion. "Esteemed Guest, are you a Gu Master?"
Yuanming lowered his head slightly, his voice hoarse and low. "No, I'm just a farmer," he began, weaving his tale with precision. "Bandits burned my village. I escaped with what I could carry, but even that was stolen. Now, I have nowhere left to go."
The guard frowned. "And how did you survive after being robbed?" His tone was skeptical, and Yuanming noted the logic behind the question. Mercy in this world was rare; survival often came at a steep cost.
"Luck," Yuanming replied after a pause, letting the word sink in. "And martial arts. They didn't expect me to fight back." He pulled his robe aside to reveal a fresh scar across his back and faint marks on his arms. "I didn't escape unscathed, but I managed. I've been wandering ever since."
The scar, carefully inflicted before reaching the village, added credibility without inviting too much scrutiny. The guard's gaze lingered, his skepticism fading into cautious acceptance. The story was crafted with just enough truth to seem authentic.
Finally, the guard nodded. "Tell the village head about the stranger," he ordered another guard. The younger man grumbled, "Fine, but I want an extra bed and meat for it." The older guard sighed. "Just go."
As the younger guard trudged off, the older one turned back to Yuanming. "Sorry to keep you waiting. Given your circumstances, you'll need someone to take you in."
Yuanming let the silence stretch before responding with quiet bitterness. "Such is life now, it seems." He took a step forward, his foot-dragging slightly, his body swaying just enough to appear unsteady.
"Hey, are you alright?" The guard stepped in, steadying him. Yuanming allowed it, offering a faint smile. "Thank you," he murmured, standing taller as the guard handed him a stick. His grip tightened around it as if it were his lifeline.
The guard studied him briefly but said nothing. "There's an old woman who might let you stay near her. What do you think?"
Yuanming nodded. "That will do."
Now, just follow the original timeline, he thought, keeping his expression neutral. In this world, survival often meant moving like a shadow and waiting for the right moment. He would wait.