"Good progress," Fang Zheng noted. "If I could keep this up, I could probably get to rank three middle stage by the end of the week."
Such speed was unheard of. If he had said this to anyone else, he would likely be accused of lying. However, aside from using Relic Gu, there was nothing in the gu world that could match Bone-Flesh Unity Gu's speed and value. Relic Gu, unfortunately, was consumable and hard, and impossible to refine with current methods. Bone-Flesh Unity Gu, though, could be used over and over. Without a doubt many clans would kill to have a method like this.
"Alright then. I think we've seen enough for a new outset. Let's go back to the village."
"Aren't you afraid about the Bei clan taking the spirit spring?" Bai Ning Bing asked.
"We have a bit of an understanding with them."
Fang Yuan was not worried about them reneging on their deal. At the slightest sign of disloyalty, he could destroy them by simply mentioning the fact that their spiritual spring was dying to their surrounding clans. That said, he had other ways of keeping them out. "Let's go, then," Fang Yuan said, and they mounted the White Form Immortal Snake.
While flying, however, Fang Yuan made a quick stop. "Why are we stopping here?" Bai Ning Bing asked. She recognized this place - the place where they had killed the divine pheasant. Its corpse was still there, as it had only been killed recently. Though signs of decay were beginning to set in, soon enough the surrounding animals would have stripped it bare. However, several of its body parts were still intact.
Fang Yuan returned after having removed its testicles, to both Bai Ning Bing's and Fang Yuan's surprise. Why did he need them? For some kind of refinement material? Or perhaps they could be sold for a very good amount? Fang Yuan did not answer as they all went to the White Form Immortal Snake once more. By that evening, they had returned to Gu Yue village and Bai Ning Bing returned to hers.
Naturally, the elders had several questions for Fang Yuan regarding what he had been doing and where he had been all this time. However, he waved them away for now, telling them that he would tell them later on.
Later the next morning, Fang Yuan went to go check on the Heavenly Essence Treasure Lotus. More of its leaves have been lost, indicating that the spirit spring was dying faster. Once it completely died out, the spirit spring would show signs of dying.
Fang Yuan immediately detonated it. If he couldn't have it, no one could, and it was for the best that the clan know their spirit spring was indeed, truly dying as soon as possible.
Fang Yuan was in the Dollhouse after he had used Equality Gu with Bai Ning Bing to obtain as many of the Northern Dark Ice Soul Physique's dao marks as he could. This was his first time attempting to refine the Righteous Virtue Physique.
The House Spirit was on guard right next to him, and he had already taken out Doctor Gu. While refining Gu worms was one thing, attempting to refine one's body was another. Aside from a low rate of success, there was a far greater risk of bodily injury. With that said, however, the upside truly was amazing if Paradise Earth could be believed.
He began pouring primeval essence into Charity Gu, though he didn't activate it, instead taking it out of his aperture and placing it near his chest. The next ingredient involved a large amount of Hope Gu which he had collected from the clan's primeval spring. The Rank 1 Hope Gu began hopping towards Charity Gu much as if they were trying to open up an aperture as it began glowing.
Fang Yuan felt a strange sensation travel through his chest and into his arms. Charity Gu began glowing brighter as the House Spirit began tossing in primeval stones. The Northern Dark Ice Soul Physique's dao marks on him began flickering though there was no way for Fang Yuan to currently know this.
All of a sudden, the sensation went from a mild current to a heavy shock and Charity Gu was sent flying out towards the wall of the Dollhouse.
Fang Yuan coughed out a mouthful of blood. Healing from Doctor Gu fixed him up, and while the injury was not as bad as he had initially expected, it would've still been disabling had it not been for the Human Path's excellent healing methods.
Charity Gu was damaged as well, so he would need to wait for it to recover before he could attempt to do this again. For a source of large amounts of Hope Gu, it would also be better to do this near the new primeval spring on Bei Gu Mountain rather than here. There had been enough Hope Gu for a singular attempt, but if he took any more the clan would no doubt begin complaining.
'Perhaps obtaining the Ancient Moon Desolate Yin Physique could have been better,' he thought to himself. However, despite attempting to investigate the first gen Gu Yue's methods even further, he still had not happened upon how exactly he had attempted to "concentrate his bloodline" in order to obtain the Ancient Moon Desolate Yin Physique in one of his descendants.
And without the Blood Skull Gu, Fang Yuan would need a different method in order to transfer that physique into himself. Still, it would not carry the risk of bodily injury that refining his body directly did.
For now, though, he would have to deal with other things.
Meanwhile, Fang Zheng was also busy in his own process of refinement.
He had taken out the Four Flavors Liquor worm, his vital Gu, and had added a batch of monkey wine that Fang Yuan had given to him.
This was needed for reverse refinement.
Reverse refinement was said to have a higher success rate than normal refinement and was also easier, but this was the first time that Fang Zheng was attempting to do so and was naturally nervous.
He imitated what his brother had taught him.
Rather than trying to fuse two gu worms together, he now needed to recognize the fact that this gu worm was made of two, and after putting his focus into it, attempt to separate his concentration into two halves.
A glowing ball of white light emerged in his room as he tossed in primeval stones, as well as some more of the monkey wine, until finally, it exploded and two Liquor Worms popped out. One of them was his vital gu, while the other landed on the floor. Both of them were alive, however, they also showed signs of mild injury.
But, Fang Zheng was overjoyed as he had succeeded in his first attempt.
This was only the first step, however. He now needed to advance it to Rank Two Moon Harbinger Gu once it had healed up, and then could advance it to Rank Three Seven Fragrances Liquor Worm which would actually work on his Rank 3 primeval essence. At each step there would be a chance of failure and sustaining backlash from the refinement, but the upside was that so long as it was Fang Zheng's vital gu it would never completely die out.