Living In Another World With A Farm Chapter 8468: Refining Gu (1)

Wen Liyi made his way to the bustling market. Dressed in the distinctive uniform of the Poisonous Bug Valley, he caused everyone around to scatter and keep their distance. Not a single soul dared to get close to him. Before long, he reached the entrance of a particular store in the market. This establishment went by the name of the Wen family's medicine shop. It was a modest herbal outlet that Wen Liyi had personally backed to get started. The place provided him with some additional earnings and served as a key revenue stream for both him and his brother Wen Liren.

The moment Wen Liyi stepped inside the shop, the attendant hurried over and offered a deep bow. "My Lord." Without acknowledging the greeting, Wen Liyi pressed on directly toward the rear of the premises. In short order, he entered the courtyard behind the shop. There, a straightforward man in his fifties, with weathered dark skin, was busy sorting through various medicinal plants. Spotting Wen Liyi's arrival, the man quickly set aside the herbs and approached to greet him warmly.

As the fellow came up to Wen Liyi, he bowed low and inquired, "My Lord, what brings you here today?" This individual was known as Liu Feizhou. He had begun as a wandering cultivator. During one herb-gathering expedition, he found himself ambushed by rivals. Wen Liyi intervened just in time, pleading for his life to be spared. Ever since, Liu Feizhou harbored deep gratitude toward Wen Liyi and pledged his loyalty as a servant. He managed the shop on Wen Liyi's behalf and proved utterly devoted.

"If it's urgent, we'll discuss it indoors," Wen Liyi replied gravely. With that, he headed into the inner chamber. Liu Feizhou's face shifted upon glimpsing Wen Liyi's troubled expression. He sensed that a major crisis loomed, or else Wen Liyi wouldn't appear so distressed. Keeping silent, he trailed after Wen Liyi into the room.

Once inside, Wen Liyi faced Liu Feizhou and instructed, "Feizhou, take this jade token and jade slip. I'm heading out to handle a crucial matter. Should I return safely, all will be well; but if misfortune strikes and the jade token shatters, consult the jade slip's contents. You'll understand your next steps."

Liu Feizhou accepted the jade token and jade slip. Wen Liyi's ominous words prompted him to respond urgently, "My Lord, does this involve great peril? Allow this humble servant to accompany you." His unwavering loyalty to Wen Liyi shone through; recognizing the peril in the task ahead, he offered to join without hesitation.

Wen Liyi shook his head firmly and explained, "Your presence wouldn't make much difference. Remain here as instructed. Should I fail to return, the shop becomes yours to command. I've already confided in a trusted senior brother within the sect. Seek him out directly, and with an annual tribute of spirit stones, he'll guarantee your protection." Finishing his words, Wen Liyi pivoted and strode out of the room.

Liu Feizhou hurried after him, calling out, "My Lord, please take care." Wen Liyi merely raised a hand in dismissal, not looking back, as he departed the medicine shop. From there, he proceeded to the city's central plaza, activated the teleportation array, and transported himself away to Blood Lake Island.

Meanwhile, Zhao Hai lounged in his quarters, taking a well-deserved break. He had no intention of rushing to Ghost Island right away. With Yin Wuchang potentially present, staying put made sense for now. Absent his foe, an early visit would serve little purpose. The recent days had brought a whirlwind of events, so he decided to recuperate for a couple of days before embarking.

Truth be told, witnessing the fates of Wen Liren and his companions stirred complex feelings in Zhao Hai. Wen Liren possessed real talent and sharp wits. Had he poured his efforts into cultivation, greater achievements might have awaited him. Yet greed for treasure clouded his judgment, leading to his demise in the blood sea.

The same tragic flaw plagued Feng Xin and the others. Each coveted the prize solely for themselves, resorting to betrayal and sabotage. But none outpaced Wen Liren's cunning. This saga revealed no heroes, only raw ambition unchecked. Driven by lust for power, lifelong allies turned foes and plotted in shadows. For that craving, they schemed across a century. For it, they endured a millennium in waiting. In truth, their vigil had stretched far too long. Zhao Hai pondered their paths—if not fixated on this elusive hoard for over a thousand years, their lives might have flourished differently. Some could have risen in mighty sects. Even without that, smaller sects might have welcomed them. Instead, they squandered years and vigor chasing phantoms of wealth. Was such a sacrifice truly justified?

Moreover, Zhao Hai recognized the fallout if word of this spread: his own days of peace would end. He knew full well that slaying Wen Liren left a loose end—his sibling, Wen Liyi. Bound by blood, the brothers surely shared ties. With Wen Liren gone, vengeance from Wen Liyi seemed inevitable.

He held no fear of Wen Liyi's retaliation. Yet exposure of the Ghostwind Bandits' treasure by his foe spelled endless complications ahead. Such revelations boded ill for Zhao Hai's future. Compounding this, he refrained from deploying curse arts against Wen Liyi immediately, lest the blood sea realm's denizens detect anomalies. Should those powerhouses uncover his role, doom would follow swiftly.

This very caution against curses prevented a decisive strike on Wen Liyi at Blood Lake Island. That restraint now bred complications, as Wen Liyi's vengeful pursuit loomed large.

Reflecting on these troubles, Zhao Hai let out a heavy sigh. This journey had proven far rockier than anticipated. His simple goal—to complete a task and glimpse the lives of rogue cultivators—had spiraled into a blood sacrifice trap. Though he claimed two treasures, a new cadre now hunted him. Their mutual slaughter left him bearing the blame. Mishandle it, and the Poisonous Bug Valley might come knocking.

Shaking his head, Zhao Hai pushed the worries aside. Countless skirmishes marked his past; frankly, combat held little thrill anymore. If possible, he'd embrace steady cultivation, ascending through pure diligence to lofty realms. What a serene path that would be! But circumstances dashed such hopes.

As thoughts swirled, Zhao Hai examined the spoils before him, all seized from Wen Liren and his ilk. Wen Liren's concealed storage held scant value—mere magical artifacts and basic cultivation pills. His deception ran deep; from start to finish, he masqueraded as an unremarkable cultivator, pulling off the ruse masterfully.

In contrast, the spatial gear of the others yielded decent finds, though nothing exceptional. Each contained legacy cultivation method jade slips. While not top-tier, these techniques outshone those of typical rogue cultivators. Zhao Hai intended to study them closely.

Naturally, their storages brimmed with useful items too. Poisons that activated on schedule, covert spells to halt mana flow upon triggering—these served as tools for their treachery. To Zhao Hai, however, such wares proved worthless; they offered him no advantage.

Ultimately, he stowed everything away and shut his eyes to absorb the fresh techniques. Though unremarkable, these inheritances carried unique merits. History brimmed with such lineages, each boasting distinct strengths. At minimum, Wen Liren's circle held their own in prowess.

Yet these methods fell short of profound arts. Zhao Hai mastered them swiftly, weaving their essences into his Golden Lotus Nine Transformations Scripture. With each enhancement to the scripture, fewer techniques warranted deep study, accelerating his progress ever onward.

Opening his eyes, Zhao Hai stretched and paced the room a few times before settling onto the bed. Now, he turned to a new pursuit: refining Gu. Crafting Gu proved no simple feat. Prime Gu worms remained elusive treasures. Their innate talents defined their worth. Gu worms fell into three primary categories. First came the parasitic Gu, a cornerstone of Gu arts. These followed precise rituals: implanted into a host, they lurked undetected within. At the master's command, they unleashed havoc from inside, striking with utter unpredictability—a favored tactic among Gu cultivators.

Second were the spirit puppets, implanted directly into the body. These entities coexisted with the host, aiding cultivation or boosting it outright. They granted access to potent divine abilities. Unlike spells, divine powers resembled innate beast talents—cast without delay, packing immense force. Best of all, they drained minimal energy. Nearly every Gu cultivator embedded such puppets within themselves.

Third, puppet fighters varied wildly in form and scale. Some towered larger than demon beasts, others so tiny as to evade sight. Endowed with diverse talents, these creations fell under the Gu cultivator's nurture. In combat, they charged forth as direct assailants. Unlike mere battle corpses or lifeless puppets, puppet fighters brimmed with cunning intellect. Thus, a single Gu cultivator might command legions of them—a vital weapon in their arsenal.

Gu cultivation embraced all three paths simultaneously, unbound by the single-path limits of other disciplines. The Poisonous Bug Valley stood as a premier Gu sect, specializing in these arts. Their battle might rivaled any, augmented by masterful poison handling and insect mastery—hence their infamous name. This set the Poisonous Bug Valley apart from the Beast Taming School Zhao Hai once imagined, for no commonplace demon beasts existed there. Ordinary demon beasts simply couldn't transform into Gu.