A week passed in the quiet solitude of cultivation. For the other youths, it was a slow, arduous process. They would spend hours absorbing the essence from a single primeval stone, their C-grade and D-grade apertures like narrow streams, able to take in only a trickle of energy at a time. After consuming a few stones, their primeval seas would be full, and they would have to spend the rest of the day slowly nurturing their aperture walls.
For Meng Ru, it was different.
His A-grade aperture was not a stream; it was a vast, swirling vortex. He could drain a primeval stone of its essence in mere minutes. The ninety-two chance in a hundred silver sea was immense, and he could absorb dozens of stones before it showed any sign of being full. His cultivation speed was not just faster than his peers; it was of a completely different magnitude.
In the classroom, the chasm between them became a source of daily humiliation for the others.
The Academy Elder would begin each lesson with a simple test. "Release your primeval essence."
A faint green or red mist would rise from the palms of the other students. It was thin, barely visible. When it was Gu Moon Bo's turn, he would force out a crimson mist, slightly denser than the others, a defiant look on his face.
Then, the Elder would say, "Meng Ru."
Meng Ru would hold out his palm, and a brilliant, silver light would coalesce above it. It was not a mist; it was a sphere of liquid light, bright and substantial, pulsing with a power that made the other students' essence seem like candlelight next to a bonfire.
The Elder would nod, his face impassive, but with a flicker of satisfaction in his eyes. "This is the difference between a puddle and a lake. Do not forget it."
The daily comparison was a form of psychological grinding. It was a constant, brutal reminder to Gu Moon Bo of his inferiority and to the others of their place in the clan's hierarchy.
One day, after a week of this routine, the Academy Elder changed the lesson.
"You have spent a week nurturing your apertures. You have felt the flow of primeval essence. But an aperture alone is useless. A Gu Master's strength comes from Gu. Today, you will choose your first Gu worm."
A wave of excitement rippled through the students. This was the moment they had been waiting for, the moment they would gain a tangible weapon, a real skill.
The Elder led them to another, heavily guarded room within the academy grounds. The room was lined with hundreds of small, intricate cages. Inside each cage was a Gu worm. There were fat, green beetles, slender, needle-like centipedes, and delicate, flower-like moths.
"These are all Rank One Gu," the Elder explained. "They are the foundation of your strength. You will choose one. Your choice will define your initial path. Choose wisely, for the clan will not replace a poor choice."
He then laid out the rules, and the cruelty of the system became apparent once more.
"Your aptitude determines your priority. D-grade students will choose last. C-grade students will choose before them." He paused, his gaze sweeping over the hopeful faces. "Meng Ru, as our only A-grade, you will choose first. You may select any three Gu worms from this room."
The other students stared, their excitement souring into bitter envy. Not one, but three. The privilege of genius was absolute, a slap in the face to their own meager prospects.
Gu Moon Bo's hands were balled into fists at his sides, his body trembling with suppressed fury. He, the Elder's grandson, would have to pick from the leftovers of the "river rat."
Meng Ru ignored the daggers being stared into his back. He stepped forward, his eyes scanning the cages not with the eager excitement of a child, but with the cool, appraising gaze of a craftsman selecting his tools. He was not looking for the strongest or the flashiest Gu. He was looking for synergy, for utility, for the combination that would provide the most efficient path to power.
His gaze settled on three cages in a quiet corner of the room. His choice was about to set the foundation for his entire cultivation journey.