It’s been slightly over three years since Shang Xin Ci arrived in the Shang Cn. Xin Ci has only aged like a fine wine. Her features are mature and more womanly. Her sleek green skirt and shirt eludes her womanly charms from the rest. But she is paler than usual. The aura of Rank 1 Upper Stage Gu Master fluctuates around her. She stares at her worried reflection through the tea.

  “Lord Monkey will be fine!” cims a confident voice. Her voice spreads in the rge Guest Room as three people occupy it. Like Xin Ci, Xiao Die is a grown woman. She has soft and slightly pin features. But an energetic charm always hangs around her. Unlike Xin Ci, Xiao Die is a bit short.

  Since Lo Jik always compliments her hairstyle, Xiao Die likes keeping her hair short, near her neck. Despite being a year younger, Xiao Die caught up to Xin Ci’s cultivation. The girl scoffs.

  “Lord Bai Ning Bing is too arrogant! Doesn’t he care about Lord Monkey? He just ughed when Lord Monkey spat blood and passed out. Hmph! Missy was so scared she didn’t even let go of him.”

  She gnces at Xin Ci with a smirk, trying to cheer her up by diverting her attention.

  Wei Yang smiles from the sidelines.

  “A-Ah! You rascal!” Xin Ci chides with slight red on her cheeks. “Would you suffer from a backsh if you don’t shut up!”

  “Hehe!” Xiao Die smirks. “See, Lord Wei Yang? Missy always bmes me. Won’t you be my witness?”

  Wei Yang would feel displeasure if Xiao Die was like that with everyone and publicly embarrassed Xin Ci. However, the girl is sensible and talented. She grew steadily under Tian Lan’s cruel training. Wei Yang snickers softly and shakes his head.

  “How can you say these things, Little Die? We were all anxious. Of course, we hallucinated the voice saying—Brother Monkey, Brother Monkey! Open your eyes. For me!”

  Xiao Die breaks into simir giggles as Xin Ci lowers her head.

  While Wei Yang smiles outwardly, he is anxious internally.

  ‘Oh, Brother Lo Jik. Why would you be so stubborn? Don’t I know cultivation is hard? You only had little recreation through Gambling and holed yourself for more than a year. Your strength is steadily rising, and your flying skills are admirable. How could you have time for social life? Sigh. You try too hard. I would not have held it against you even if you rejected my invitation.”

  Wei Yang bmed himself. He jokingly stated how Lo Jik has little time for them. In contrast, Bai Ning Bing became active in seeking him out for information about the opponents in the Third Inner City’s Battle Zone.

  Lo Jik and Bai Ning Bing have an unbroken win streak of over 80 Matches! The two are considered this generation’s most prominent talents in the Shang Cn Inner City!

  But Lo Jik always appears injured. Wei Yang never knew Lo Jik was suffering from such grievous soul injuries.

  ‘I shouldn’t have made such remarks. Lo Jik and I have developed a brotherly bond,’ Wei Yang curses himself. ‘I also tutor him about flying once every month. Lord Cn Leader is incredibly moved by Lo Jik’s talent. Who knew my flimsy words could have such effects?’

  “Elder Wei Yang,” Xin Ci suddenly looks up with red eyes. “Teacher Su Shou lost her Heavenly Soul Dew Gu in a backsh from the killer move she tried creating. Would other Healing Gu suffice to heal Brother Monkey’s injuries?”

  “Rest assured,” Wei Yang smiles. “Doctor Su is one of the four great Healers of the Southern Border.”

  However, this is Wei Yang’s worry, too!

  He sighs inwardly.

  Doctor Su is temperamental. She wreaked havoc inside the Cn Leader’s Study once she lost her Heavenly Soul Dew Gu, demanding Shang Yan Fei bring her a new one. Only she can be this arrogant against Cn Leader Shang.

  But the Heavenly Soul Dew Gu is an extinct Rank 5 Gu!

  How can Shang Yan Fei just flip his hand and create one?

  ‘Please be safe, Brother Lo Jik.’

  Xiao Die’s smile falters once she observes a lick of worry in Wei Yang’s gaze. Her shoulders shudder.

  The source of their worries sits in Su Shou’s Healing Chamber with dried blood on his chest and robes. His gaze is spirited as he beams at the peeved woman.

  “You have some nerve,” she hisses.

  ‘And you’ve got some rack,’ Lo Jik blinks, keeping such infuriating comments to himself. Instead, he adopts a consoling tone.

  “Calm your anger, Senior Su. I have a sincere reason to meet you. It’s already been a year, right? Look. I pnned so much, going as far as suffering a backsh from failing Gu Refinement. I had the Rank 3 Soothing Mist to contain the injuries. But only you could use the Healing Soul Dew to its full extent and heal me. According to public knowledge, you lost this Gu. So, we have adequate time to converse.”

  Su Shou’s expression softens. She always knew Lo Jik had a talent in this regard. Didn’t the ‘Su Shou’ known to others suffer a slight setback against Lo Jik?

  “So, you’ve decided,” she smiles. Appreciation flickers in her gaze.

  “Indeed,” Lo Jik retrieves a familiar Gu. “The small savings you offered me st year is exhausted. So, I decided to ask for a refill, Senior Su.”

  Su Shou’s expression freezes as she looks at the empty Rank 4 Primeval Elder Gu.

  She grits her teeth and forcibly calms herself.

  “You spent it all? In a year?” Instead, she worries. “Did you leave any mark? Others would grow suspicious of your wealth.” This concerned her survival. She once threatened Lo Jik about how he’s tied to her boat. But doesn’t it also mean she’s attached to his? She has her hopes set on Lo Jik.

  He represents the flicker of light at the end of a tunnel. How can Su Shou not get anxious?

  Lo Jik shakes his head. “I’m not here without answers, Senior Su. I spent those Primeval Stones well. Please, inspect this.”

  Lo Jik waves his hand and reveals a Grass Gu. It’s a closed blue-white lotus that shifts from material to immaterial pne.

  “A Heavenly Essence Treasure Lotus?” Su Shou nods. “So, you spent all those stones refining this Gu? It needs five fresh spirit springs to refine this Rank 3 Grass Gu. Do you have a recipe that repces the Spirit Springs with Primeval Stones?”

  “I do,” Lo Jik lies. “But you misunderstand. Spending ten million on one Rank 3 Gu is too wasteful. How could I grow? You know about my Little Giant Gu, right? The truth is, my wife and I discovered a Strength Path Mortal Inheritance. Only the Little Giant Gu survived alongside a storage capable of keeping ancient materials fresh.”

  Su Shou’s eyes brighten as Lo Jik continues. “I spent more than a year refining several crucial Strength Gu. My inheritance is an open secret. Even Brother Wei has some understanding of it. You know my cultivation rank, right?” He gnces at her. “I assure you, Senior Su. I’m taking my survival seriously. I need another 10 Million Stones.”

  She observes Lo Jik for a few minutes before nodding slightly. “However, I will only give you six more months.”

  “It’s fine as long as I won’t be forced to leave abruptly.”

  “Naturally,” she scoffs. “We need the right timing.”

  Lo Jik clears his throat.

  “So… Senior Su. We have a few hours to kill.”

  Su Shou bndly stares at Lo Jik before retrieving an iron rod. “You are right, my talented Junior. Bend over. Let this Su conduct other bodily exams for your health.”

  Lo Jik choked on his saliva as he quickly dismissed her concerns with a ugh.

  “I’m healthy. At the peak of my form, in fact. You are too kind for that offer, Senior Su.”

  Su Shou also giggles softly and stores the iron rod. “Youngsters don’t understand the joy of a prostate massage. Sigh. The youth is doomed.”

  ‘I don’t want to know what this woman has been upto with Shang Yan Fei,’ Lo Jik drily thinks.

  She stares at Lo Jik as he questions. “Do you intend to spend the next few hours staring at me, Senior?”

  “Why, yes. Sigh.” She shakes her head while slightly edging the colr of her white shirt, revealing more of her soft skin. “It’s been so long, Junior. I hoped you called out to me—the true me. We would have spent the next few hours with such passion those two girls would fall unconscious at the thought of it.”

  Lo Jik feels drawn to her charms before he quickly gnces away. Su Shou used a Body Refinement set of the Enchantment Path. Every move she carries has an air of seduction.

  While Su Shou secretly sighs, her determination to use Lo Jik also turns firmer. Bold, sensible, a risk-taker and contained, talented—there are several words she could use to praise him. No wonder Shang Yan Fei took to Lo Jik.

  But Shang Yan Fei aims to control.

  Su Shou is the opposite. She only cares about her freedom. She was born different, blooming with the flowers and ughing with nature. It’s not in her remaining, untainted blood to control others. She seeks to improve and live her life, not someone else’s restricted one.

  —After a few hours—

  “I’ll be fine,” Lo Jik gently consoles a worried Xin Ci and Xiao Die. They are standing at the entrance of his courtyard as Lo Jik warmly pats Xiao Die’s head. “You shouldn’t be worried. My condition wouldn’t have grown worse had I not forced myself. Hehe. But it has been a long time since I met you. How could I not take this chance?”

  He turns his gaze to Xin Ci. “You two have grown so much. Heh. Tears don’t suit you.”

  She lowers her head as Lo Jik extends his hand towards her head, too. He is more reserved with Xin Ci. Even she knows that. But she loves these tender moments all the more.

  “Please take care of yourself, Brother Monkey,” Xin Ci whispers.

  “I will,” Lo Jik ughs. “But I have a good reason to risk these injuries again. To think Xin Ci is so powerful that she dragged me to Doctor Su’s manor.”

  The girl meets his gaze instead of shying away. Though she blushes all the same.

  “You should also focus more on cultivation instead of always looking at my chest!” Lo Jik suddenly knocks Xiao Die’s head.

  “Ah!” she steps back, looking away as she shyly smiles, “You dress so inappropriately, Brother Monkey. I don’t look at it. Your b-broad chest is always in the way.”

  Lo Jik snickers as Wei Yang sighs. “Alright. I need to speak with Tian Lan about your discipline. Sigh. Take more care of yourself, Brother Lo Jik. Here. This was the reason for my invitation. There’s a peculiar auction that will absolve this year’s Super Auction. The details are here.”

  The man pats Lo Jik’s shoulder. “Others don’t challenge you in the Third Battle Zone, so you should only be mindful of the ten-day limit.”

  Lo Jik nods.

  He sees them off before entering the courtyard. He located Bai Ning Bing and deadpans.

  “Did you ugh when I vomited blood?”

  Bai Ning Bing ughs again.

  “All the noodles came out of your nose! Hahahaha!”

  He ughs while throwing his head back.

  ‘Cheeky fucker.’

  <<<>>>>

  A year is a LOT of time for someone with money, fortune, and a pn. Lo Jik did spend some amount on his Gu. He already used the Body Refinement set. Now, he has Thicker Skin, Elite Muscles, Cold Hard Bones, Royal Organs (using the Golden Blood Gu), and Mind-Body True Connection.

  His future Bory Refinement set would be like—Thickest Skin, Perfect Muscles, Mighty Bones, Imperial Organs (Using the Purple Blood Gu), and the Mind-Body Lightning Connection.

  But Lo Jik didn’t waste resources finding these. Lo Jik instead used the Fickle Heart Strength to advance his Beast Phantoms. On the surface, he purchased the Dragon Elephant Strength, Infernal Ape Strength, and the Sky Gryffin Strength Gu. All these are the strengths of the Mutated Beasts.

  However, he also purchased several Beast Hearts.

  Infernal Ape has white fur and a brown body with a headful of fire! This would be Lo Jik’s go-to Beast Strength since Infernal Apes are agile and ferocious. He can bring his maximum strength through punches.

  Lo Jik advanced the Tiger Strength into the Fire Biao Strength. Biao is a mutated tiger that grows wings. It’s a ferocious hunter of the sky, and Lo Jik can suppnt his flying using this and another Strength Gu.

  So, Lo Jik repced the Eagle Strength with Sky Gryffin Strength. If Biao is a tiger with eagle wings, then the Gryffin is an eagle with a tiger’s body. This feathered beast’s reputation is simir to the Xuan Yuan Divine Phoenix. Lo Jik pns to use this Strength Gu to boost his straight-line flying speed. Meanwhile, the flexible Biao’s Strength shall allow him to maintain speed and perform challenging movements.

  Lo Jik used the lightning-element Dragon Elephant Strength long ago. So, he added another lightning-path Strength Phantom—Thunder Boar. This hill-sized mutated beast has an explosive charging speed that calls booming thunders with each step!

  Three-Headed Underground Snake and the Earthen Armored Bear allowed Lo Jik to have two earth-inclined Beast Strengths. Earth Armored Bear boasts mighty defense, and the three-headed underground snake can coil and kill mutated kings thrice their sizes.

  Deep-Sea Coral Hippo and the Thorn-Forest Tortoise will allow Lo Jik to deal with troublesome Water Path Gu Masters, who use the water’s softness to hinder Strength Path Masters. Despite being one of the prettiest underwater creatures, the Deep-Sea Coral Hippo is bloodthirsty. It disguises itself among corals before crushing its target’s head with a snap. Thorn-Forest Tortoises grow thorns so immense on their backs that it appears a forest from the distance. These thorns aren’t brittle and boast incredible resistance to compression and expansion, providing a fortress-like defense for Lo Jik.

  Like the Sky Gryffin that doesn’t have a pair, Lo Jik advanced the Furious Panda into the Beast Phantom of a Yin-Yang Panda. These rare Mutated Beasts are all-rounder menaces that stay in their territories unless provoked.

  However, his improvements didn’t end there.

  Something consumed 10 Million Primeval Stones, and it wasn’t his Aperture because Lo Jik is still a Rank 4 Upper Stage Gu Master. He dedicated his time and efforts to the Dreamer Gu.

  By now, Lo Jik has enough knowledge about the Gu.

  One can attain an Ordinary Attainment in a path through approximately 75 Dream Cycles’ worth of Essence—True Meaning.

  For Master?

  Approximately 7500!

  So, Lo Jik needed around 1500 Rank 3 Gu, 150 Rank 4 Gu, or 15 Rank 5 Gu!

  The best part is that everything is worth it!

  There is a reason Lo Jik knows the amount of Gu needed to reach Master Attainment.

  Lo Jik spent almost all his Primeval Stones using the Heavenly Soul Dew Gu to keep the Dreamer Gu in good condition.

  It wasn’t easy.

  He was almost scared to death the first time the Dreamer Gu exhausted the Desote Howling Wolf Strength. The Dreamer Gu slept for more than 20 Days! It was on the brink of colpse several times. The worst part is that Lo Jik had to participate in the Battle Zone. Twice! He did all he could. Fortunately, he created a dripper from a small gourd. Lo Jik hung it over the Dreamer Gu, letting the healing Dew consistently heal the Dreamer Gu.

  During that period, Lo Jik was forced to calcute things. If all Rank 5 Gu took this long, it would take months to accomplish his goal. After all, Lo Jik had to keep up with appearances. He was still content. What talents would need a decade or two to achieve can belong to him in months.

  Oh, he was satisfied.

  But Lo Jik overlooked a concept.

  Variable growth.

  The more Lo Jik’s comprehension grows, the quicker the Dreamer Gu unravels a peculiar dream. Lo Jik reached Master Attainment in Strength Path in four months. He didn’t stop there. Only a lunatic would.

  Of course, turning one’s gaze to the Grandmaster Realm was also insanity.

  Ordinary, Master, Grandmaster, Great-Grandmaster, and Supreme Grandmaster!

  These are the realms of attainments. The chasm between Master and Grandmaster is several times the abyss between Ordinary and Master-level attainments.

  No.

  Lo Jik set his sights on the Refinement Path.

  He had a source of old Refinement Gu—the Gambling Dens. Of course, Lo Jik’s rate of uncovering the Gu itself was low. He lost plenty of Gu. But he also gained enough. The value of being a Refinement Path Master revealed itself as Lo Jik’s productivity in advancing his Strength Gu soared!

  But why stop there?

  He still had two million remaining.

  So he did what a sane man would opt and grew.

  The thing about the Gambling Rocks is that they house several ancient Gu. Lo Jik selected many useful to him and threw the rest at Dreamer Gu. Others would be lucky to find a few. But Lo Jik wasted many for his cause. Some, like the Svery Gu, didn’t make it. The true gems like the Djinn’s Egg Gu were stored.

  Heck! After Su Shou’s case, Lo Jik didn’t dare sell the Relic Gu. So, he threw it to the Dreamer Gu. The dreams from the Relic Gu were intriguing. But they were somewhat pin. Lo Jik pnned to see what he could get by using more unusable Relic Gu ter.

  So, aside from Master-Level Attainment in Strength and Refinement Path, Lo Jik possessed Ordinary Attainment in Flying, Qi, Ensvement, Space, Soul, and Phantom Path.

  That’s when Lo Jik’s remaining savings fizzled.

  Lo Jik even ignored the possible Thieving Heaven Inheritance for this. Bai Kin was a Refinement Master and couldn’t see a thing through the maze. So, how could Lo Jik arrogantly cim he could? Wouldn’t it be foolish to overlook benefits like having the same Attainment as Bai Kin and then some more before observing the Inheritance ter?

  Of course, Attainment isn’t everything. Lo Jik must experience the Path to reveal the corresponding Attainment’s advantage.

  But Lo Jik also understood such a grind must be temporarily suspended. He earned a lot. However, Lo Jik cannot muddle the Gambling business further. He took the cream of the crop. He’s bound to get caught if he snatches the rest.

  So, Lo Jik intends to dedicate his savings from his recent Sugar Mommy to his Cultivation.

  As for the Dreamer Gu?

  It was merely at the 243rd Dream Cycle. The benefits of Lo Jik’s risks are shown here.

  Lo Jik cannot help but let his thoughts drift towards Su Shou.

  She is shrouded in mystery.

  ‘To think my gains would extend beyond ten million stones,’ he muses. ‘Although, it cut the deadline by another two months. So, I have four months. She has more knowledge than she lets on. Shang Yan Fei will go crazy once he finds out about her. Leaving with good timing will be the key. I have to make a ‘clean’ exit so that Shang Yan Fei won’t suspect me.’

  ‘As for Su Shou… I pnned to use the Heavenly Essence Treasure Lotus. I would have lied about how my hidden inheritance had a recipe for this Gu using the Primeval Stones. But to think she already made a simir guess. Does that mean such a recipe exists? It’s not weird. If Imaginative Strength can modify recipes, why can’t others?’

  ‘The issue was Su Shou’s nonchant perception of it. She spoke the truth. She knows several things that I don’t. For instance, the recipe for Rank 4 Half-Effort Gu.’

  Lo Jik narrows his eyes.

  ‘I should focus on raw strength in these four years. Attainment is good, but I can’t do shit with it if I don’t escape once things go south. I have Rank 4 Peak Stage Battle Strength without my killer move. I can do a lot worse using it. But Shang Yan Fei is an established expert. I merely touch the Rank 5 realm. Won’t Yan Fei have better Killer Moves?’

  ‘I have one of the Blood Sea Ancestor’s True Inheritance, and it already has several Killer Moves and formations regarding the Blood Skull Gu.’

  ‘What about the Blood Palm Gu? It’s even an Offensive Gu. The killer moves in Yan Fei’s hands are nothing to scoff at.’

  Lo Jik observes his aperture.

  Shimmering Essence Gold Primeval Essence nurtures the solid light walls. The Rank 4 Hope Gu shines brightly with a Rank 5 White Form Immortal Snake coiled around it. Rank 5 Gu needs to eat every year or two. Although Lo Jik bore the cost and purchased several hundred liters of Spirit Spring’s pure water, it’s not time to feed it. Since Lo Jik didn’t use the Gu once, he can let it conserve energy. A palm-sized Dark Golden Elephant with snowy-white tusks frolics around. A small puff of cloud appears under its limbs when it flies from one spot to another. Atop the palm-sized Rank 4 Essence Cloud Elephant King is the thumb-sized Rank 4 Dreamer Gu.

  The palm-sized Elephant occasionally jumps atop the two orbs of chasing light—Rank 4 Yin Yang Rotation Gu. It will also move through the Fickle Heart Strength Gu, turning it into another purple elephant that pys around.

  Floating on the surface, aside from the Kindling Will, Three Tasks at Once, and the Heavenly Soul Dew Gu is a light-green ant. This fist-sized ant is the Rank 3 Soothing Mist Gu. It can also nourish the unrefined souls. It’s a Rare Healing Gu that Lo Jik treasures dearly. After all, he cannot use the Rank 5 Healing Gu on himself, or he’d go bankrupt! There’s also the deeply content Rank 4 Primeval Elder Gu.

  There is another addition floating on the Primeval Sea.

  It’s a pitch-bck egg with misty-white carvings on its surface. Formless Qi streams around the egg, forming a mystical exterior.

  This is the Rank 5 Djinn Egg Gu!

  It’s an extinct Rank 5 Qi Path Gu.

  Djinns are an extinct species in the five regions. They were fierce creatures of nature, first mentioned in the Legends of Ren Zu. These beasts were Qi-given flesh and blood. They could conjure Lightning and Fire with waves of their palm, part seas open, and move mountains.

  Made from Qi, capable of controlling Qi, these beasts did not need the Gu to exert their might!

  Djinn’s Egg needs the flesh and blood of nine different elemental Djinns.

  Nine Forms All.

  The Djinn Gu’s ability is simple and elegant. It converts materials into their respective Qi. Fire Path materials turn into Fire Qi, the realm of a Rank 5 Fire Qi Gu, and so on.

  It’s an incredibly precious Refinement Gu that assists in reducing the amount of materials required in the Gu Recipe.

  Its use is dozens of times better than the Refinement Qi Gu. However, unlike the Filthy Powder Rose Gu, Lo Jik didn’t feed the Refinement Qi into the Dreamer Gu.

  Refinement Path isn’t only about refining the Gu. It has its offensive means. Lo Jik wishes to preserve rare Golden Achievement-level rewards and develop these options in the second Aperture.

  But the difference between the Immemorial Era and the current appears through talents like Imaginative Strength and other Gu Masters who developed self-sustaining Gu. Although the Djinn’s Egg consumes materials, it also has feeding requirements.

  Lo Jik spent almost 150k nourishing it after barely pulling it from the Gambling Rock. This is one Gu he wished to possess from his Gambling gains the most.

  Also, a brown eyeball floats on the surface—the Rank 4 Earth Piercing Eye Gu.

  The Rank 5 Bookworm is inside Lo Jik’s head. The Heaven Piercing Eye is Lo Jik’s left eye.

  But this isn’t the end of Lo Jik’s wealth and source of expense.

  The 20-meter-long Blood Flood Python coils and rests inside the Primeval Sea. Not far from it is the humongous Rank 5 Thousand Li Earthwolf Spider. Its body is pitch-bck and full of vitality. The wolf's head rests as its six legs curl and bend under its spider-like armored body. On the tips of its legs are coiled feelers that put several drilling pieces of equipment from his previous world to a shame.

  The Particle Viewing, Refinement Qi, Green Mountain Remains, and Blood Skull Gu are nearby.

  But Lo Jik had more gains from the Gambling Rocks.

  He saved two other Gu. One of them rests inside Lo Jik’s second Aperture.

  It’s a Rank 5 Fsh of Inspiration Gu. This consumable Gu allows Gu Master to uncover several things eluding them due to being too invested. It’s a Wisdom Path Gu Worm.

  Lo Jik wants to use it for the Dreamer Gu. However, he didn’t have any money before.

  So, there are 19 Gu inside the Second Aperture. Only two among them are Rank 3!

  Right now, Lo Jik believes he’s surpassed Bai Ning Bing unless the tter decides to commit suicide.

  His development in the First Aperture is even more stunning.

  The Master-level Attainment shows from the quality Gu held in his First Aperture.

  The Rank 4 Borrow Strength, All-Out Effort Gu rests in the depths of his First Aperture. Near them is the Rank 3 Tadpole, the Half Effort Gu.

  Repcing the skull-sized Little Giant Gu is a slightly different Gu. Bck hair floats near the infant-sized skull. Aside from its size, it doesn’t look different from the Little Giant.

  The Rank 4 Little Giant King Gu.

  Lo Jik got another Little Giant Gu from Bai Lin and fused the duo with a few auxiliary materials to create the Little Giant King Gu.

  Lo Jik noticed several mistakes instinctively in his posture and habits after attaining the Master-level realm in the Refinement Path. He succeeded on the second try.

  Although Hateful Strength Gu has been an incredible deterrent to others, Lo Jik used it to gain more Strength Path understanding. There are two reasons for this. First, it feeds on the Negative Aura. Lo Jik did not have enough Primeval Stones to sustain it, revealing one of the disadvantages of having a high number of Gu.

  Second, Lo Jik chose the Hateful Strength Gu for convenience’s sake. He readily gave it up after uncovering a Rank 5 Bitter Strength from one of the recent batches of Gambling Stones in the middle of the year. Lo Jik once avoided the Bitter Strength Gu and didn’t care. At that time, Hateful Strength fulfilled his needs.

  Now?

  Times simply changed.

  Bitter Strength Gu is an arm-sized yellow beetle with a heavy body and lumps growing on its exoskeleton. This Gu would have been divine for Lo Jik if he didn’t have the Self-Strength and Borrow Strength Gu.

  Fortunately, its food structure doesn’t conflict with the other Strength Gu.

  Rank 3 Fight Poison, Heavenly Essence Treasure Lotus, Wise Cat Steps, Phantom Bow, Eagle Wings Gu…

  Rank 4 Self-Reliance, Strength Qi, Primeval Elder (Empty), Elite Muscles, Self-Strength, One’s Closed Fist, Golden Bell Shield…

  Rank 5 Sky Strength…

  All these Gu rested in Lo Jik’s first Aperture. The Sky Strength was already nourished. Lo Jik didn’t have to temporarily worry about other Elemental Strength Gu since he already had the Sky Strength.

  It’s complete.

  Lo Jik will eventually advance the Wise Cat Steps and Eagle Wings Gu.

  But it’s done.

  He’s achieved what he wanted.

  His Body Refinement is at the Greater Success. He converted all the Beast Phantoms into Rank 4 Mutants. He has two Long-range options using the Phantom Bow and Strength Qi. Lo Jik found a Bitter Strength for ultimate Support. His Self-Reliance Gu Worm’s effect surpasses the Rare Rank 4 Healing Gu except Raising Dead Gu.

  His defenses are bolstered through the Little Giant King and the Golden Bell Shield Gu.

  But his progress comes with a cost—Su Shou.

  After a while, Lo Jik opens his eyes.

  ‘It would be a waste of time if I didn’t refine the Rank 4 Half Effort Gu. I’m already near the Peak Stage. The Rank 4 Nine Eye Liquor Worm Gu is useless for me. But the Half Effort Gu will also work on the first Aperture once I nurture it enough.’

  ‘The quicker I reach Rank 4 Peak Stage, the quicker I can return to gaining Attainment!’

  Lo Jik turns his gaze to the letter from Wei Yang.

  ‘A Super Auction, eh? It would have been held at the end of this year. But there was some incidence. So, the Super Auction is moved up to March.’

  His features reveal the effect of time.

  Lo Jik is 21 years old this year. He has grown so much. But it’s primarily due to him staying hidden in pin sight.

  Others wouldn’t have allowed him to grow as such.

  His Trait is like an underground dealer, providing Lo Jik with secret benefits. After all, would Shang Yan Fei want to see Lo Jik grow beyond his control?

  No.

  Lo Jik doesn’t feel annoyed by this nature. But he certainly feels pressured.

  The closer the deadline approaches, the wilder Lo Jik’s thoughts become.

  ‘Fuck it,’ he shakes his head.

  ‘Refine the Rank 4 Half Effort, reach Peak Stage Rank 4 Cultivation, attain Wisdom Path Ordinary realm, and focus on getting Transformation Gu!’

  Transformation Path.

  That’s Lo Jik’s third aim.

  ‘Oh?’ His gaze brightens at the list. Wei Yang intentionally marked the Bitter Strength Gu for Lo Jik. However, he already has it.

  ‘It appeared!’ Lo Jik beams.

  Brave Thought and Brave Will!

  ***

  Alternate Title: The Sincere Lo Jik’s Devotion; Fearful Trio; The Happy Bai Ning Bing; Xin Ci’s Affection; Sad Wei Yang; The Nerves of Steel; Meeting With Su Shou Again; I Need Ten Mil More, Mommy; Lo Jik: Wanna Get Freaky? *Su Shou: Pulls Out The Metal Rod of Doom*; Ready To Py Doctor?; Bend; Experts Do Be Freaky; The Shocking Growth; Human Path is Op; Dream Path is Op; Also Dreamer Gu…; Decades of Attainment in Months; Master; The Accumution; Mysterious Su Shou; Reaching Rank 4 Peak; The Divine Mommy; Bright Path Ahead; Attainment is The Key; Master In Refinement; Grown; Greater Success; The Super Auction

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