All-class Gu Immortal

Chapter 152 If you want to get stronger, then use cheat codes!
"The Ice Soul Spider is an ancient and exotic species. It was an egg obtained by the Spider Venerable when he was still a first-level Gu Master from a Gu Master's cave."

The insect eggs took sixty years to hatch, and then another two sixty years to cultivate. Even before fully maturing, they already possessed the power of a third-tier Gu worm, so they are at least a fourth-tier Gu worm.

"Possessing the power of a third-tier Gu worm before it's even mature?!" Zhou Qing was shocked. This meant that the Ice Soul Profound Spider might have only been in its growth stage, or even still in its juvenile stage.

"This is the Ice Soul Mystic Spider?!"

Zhou Qing looked at the giant blue-white spider beside him, seemingly unable to sense any life force within it.

Xuanzhu said in a deep voice, "After the Xuanzhu Venerable's soul merged with the Ice Soul Xuanzhu, the Ice Soul Xuanzhu's lifespan was greatly reduced."

The method to break the formation of this cave is known only to Venerable Xuanzhu; I did not inherit this part of the memory.

Having been completely trapped here for over two hundred years, unable to receive replenishment from the power of heaven and earth, it will naturally perish slowly.

Zhou Qing pondered for a moment and asked, "Then why do you still exist?"

Xuanzhu explained, "The reason why Venerable Xuanzhu dared to seize the spirit and attempt to invade the body of the Ice Soul Xuanzhu is because he is skilled in the soul-refining secret technique 'Soul Refining Scripture,' so his soul is far superior to those of others of the same level."

After his soul merged with the Ice Soul Spider's, I gained that part of his memory and continued to cultivate the 'Soul Refining Scripture,' which strengthened my soul and allowed me to survive until now.

"That's not right!" Zhou Qing suddenly said, "The two people who were with me just now, that Daoist Wuchenzi, wasn't here for the first time. Why didn't you take the opportunity to slip away when he and the others entered the cave last time?"

"That person is a descendant of the Xuanzhu Venerable. He must have entered this place through some contingency plan left by the Xuanzhu Venerable."

The last time he entered the cave, the consciousness of the Xuanzhu Venerable had not yet been erased. He was still vying for the main consciousness with me and the Ice Soul Xuanzhu. With the three sides restraining each other, none of them could do anything to the others.

Moreover, that person left without even entering the second floor last time.

"If you search him now, you should be able to find his secret weapon for entering and leaving the cave."

Xuanzhu explained.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Qing did not follow Xuan Zhu's instructions to examine Wu Chenzi's leather pouch Gu. Instead, he frowned and questioned:
"Were you trying to use a soul-stealing technique on me? To take over my body?"

Xuanzhu fell silent.

"Answer my question!" Zhou Qing's voice turned stern.

Seeing Zhou Qing's firm stance, Xuan Zhu replied:
“If I stay here any longer, my soul will perish sooner or later, so I have no choice but to resort to this tactic. It’s just a pity that you don’t have the aptitude to be a Gu Master, so you can’t have your soul taken by a Gu Master.”

"If I had the aptitude to become a Gu Master, wouldn't you have succeeded in getting me!" Zhou Qing felt a chill in his heart, and for the first time, he felt fortunate that he did not have the aptitude to become a Gu Master.

Xuanzhu's voice turned low and deep, as if he was preparing to die.

"Even if you possess the aptitude of a Gu Master, I may not succeed, because Venerable Xuanzhu has already used the Soul Stealing Technique once, and the success rate for the second time will be greatly reduced."

The victor is king, the loser is an outlaw. If you're determined to get revenge, then kill me.

However, if you are willing to put aside past grievances, I am willing to cooperate with you.

"Cooperation? You have no right to negotiate with me!" Zhou Qing sneered. What Xuan Zhu said might not be true and should not be trusted.

"Aren't you interested in Venerable Xuanzhu's cultivation experience of over two hundred years and his secret techniques for refining Gu?"

Although the Ice Soul Spider is dead, don't you want to know how to make the most of its body?

Your second-tier corpse refining is probably not yet fully developed. If you can obtain some of the Ice Soul Mystic Spider's divine abilities, it's not impossible for you to break through to the third tier in the future.

You don't have the aptitude to become a Gu Master, yet you've opened your Yuan Aperture. It seems you didn't become a Gu Master through the orthodox method of opening the aperture, and you probably lack comprehensive guidance from a Gu Master.
Now that I have seized your Gu worm, it is under your control. Its life and death are in your hands. What do you have to worry about?

Xuanzhu's words truly resonated with Zhou Qing.

"What you've said is indeed what I need, but how can I guarantee you haven't left any tricks up your sleeve?"

After all, the methods of a third-tier Venerable are beyond the capabilities of a first-tier Gu Master like myself.

Compared to my own safety, these benefits seem less important.

Zhou Qing said coldly.

Xuanzhu seemed to understand Zhou Qing's meaning and said, "I can teach you the 'Soul Refining Scripture'. After your soul becomes stronger, you can deal with me immediately by contacting the Gu worms if I make any unusual moves."

"Then what do you want?" Zhou Qing didn't rush to answer.

"When I am no longer a threat to you, prepare a high-quality Gu Master body for me to help me seize the soul and restore my freedom. How about it?"

Xuanzhu probed.

“Okay.” Zhou Qing nodded.

“After you cultivate the ‘Soul Refining Scripture,’ you need to swear an oath by your inner demons for the promise to be valid.” Xuan Zhu wasn’t stupid; she didn’t believe Zhou Qing’s empty promises.

"Inner demons?" Zhou Qing raised an eyebrow.

"When cultivating the Soul Refining Scripture, one will encounter inner demons when breaking through to the second level."

Therefore, one should not do things against one's conscience in daily life, especially not break promises and vows.

Otherwise, one will encounter powerful inner demons during the breakthrough. At best, the breakthrough will fail; at worst, the soul will perish.

Xuanzhu explained.

"If I only cultivate to the peak of the first level and don't continue to break through, then what use are the so-called oath and inner demons?" Zhou Qing said calmly.

“That’s right.” Unexpectedly, Xuanzhu did not deny it and continued:
"However, cultivating the Soul Refining Scripture can strengthen the soul. Even when lifespan is nearing its end and the physical body is decaying, the soul can live for decades or even hundreds of years longer than the physical body."

Moreover, reaching the second level of the Soul Refining Scripture will greatly enhance one's spiritual soul.

With a strong soul, the success rate of refining Gu or condensing subsequent Yuan Apertures can be increased.

With your martial arts cultivation, after practicing the Soul Refining Scripture, your success rate in breaking through the Three Flowers Gathering at the Top will increase by at least 20%.

If one further tempers their body with the essence and blood of the Ice Soul Mystic Spider, the success rate of breaking through the Three Flowers Gathering at the Top will be 50%.

If you can resist such temptation, then I'll just consider myself unlucky.

Zhou Qing's eyes flickered for a moment, then he nodded and said, "Then I'll have to test whether this Soul Refining Scripture is really that miraculous."

“I can teach you the Soul Refining Scripture first. After you have witnessed its power, it’s not too late to make the oath against your inner demons,” Xuanzhu replied.

"You're much easier to talk to than before," Zhou Qing said with a faint smile. "When you're under someone's roof, you have to bow your head. My soul can still last for another hundred years. If I could obtain a Gu Master's body with excellent aptitude, I might be able to live a second life. I don't want to perish here like this."

Xuanzhu's words were quite sincere.

"What's in this jade slip?" Zhou Qing asked Xuanzhu, taking out the jade slip he had just retrieved from Xuanzhu Venerable's spine.

"This contains Venerable Xuanzhu's lifelong insights into Gu refining, as well as secret techniques for strengthening the Yuan Aperture. You should have already discovered that the true essence stored in the Yuan Aperture of the body is limited."

Xuanzhu explained.

Zhou Qing nodded: "That's right. The true essence in my Yuanqiao can only be stored up to about 50%, and I can't store more. The rest of the true essence can only be stored in my Dantian."

Xuanzhu sighed.

"The aptitude of Gu Masters is divided into five levels. With the fifth level of aptitude, the true essence in the Yuan Aperture can only be stored at 11%; with the fourth level of aptitude, the true essence in the Yuan Aperture can only be stored at 33%."

As for third-class aptitude, it's 55%. Second-class aptitude is 77%, and first-class aptitude is 99%!

I never expected that you, without the aptitude of a Gu Master, could store 55% of your true essence. In addition to the true essence in your dantian, the true essence you can actually use is comparable to that of a first-tier Gu Master with second-class aptitude.

"To have cultivated both Gu Mastery and martial arts to such a level at your age, my defeat is truly not unjust."

"The gap is so big?!" Zhou Qing was shocked. "If that's the case, then among Gu Masters of the same level, a Gu Master with higher aptitude will basically win against a Gu Master with lower aptitude."

Xuanzhu said in a deep voice, "That's not necessarily true. Battles between Gu Masters are still mainly fought with Gu insects."

For example, Venerable Xuanzhu has a fourth-grade aptitude, and the true essence in his Yuan Aperture can only be stored up to 33%.

But he still defeated many geniuses with second-class or even first-class aptitude.

“But most people don’t have such incredible luck. I’ve never even considered the eggs of a fourth-tier Gu worm.” Zhou Qing chuckled.

Xuanzhu said solemnly, "Why do you belittle yourself? Your luck is not necessarily inferior to that of Venerable Xuanzhu."

To become strong, temperament, willpower, and comprehension are all meaningless. It all comes down to who has the stronger luck!
If both parents are high-level Gu Masters, even without Gu Master aptitude, they can be enlightened through some special Gu insects and, relying on their parents' legacy, can at least become second-level Gu Masters.

Alternatively, possessing first-class aptitude, even if one comes from a humble background, can gain the favor of a high-level Gu Master, rise to prominence in one step, and becoming a Venerable in the future is not difficult.

Someone like you, without the qualifications of a Gu Master, yet possesses such strength and foundation at such a young age.

It's likely that they either inherited the legacy of a powerful Gu Master or possess some extraordinary opportunity or treasure.

To become a strong person, you must first have something that most people don't have.

Birth, talent, and treasures are all things that one can rely on to become strong.

Character may be important, but compared to these things, it is insignificant.

Are people who die under illusions inherently weak in character and will? Perhaps.

But if they possess the same secret techniques and divine weapons to strengthen their soul defense as you, I can do nothing against them.

So-called temperament, willpower, and enlightenment are merely icing on the cake.

It is precisely because many people do not have a good background, outstanding talent, or the opportunity to obtain a treasure that they can only pursue character and willpower.

They had to work twice as hard to briefly catch up with the geniuses in order to earn a rating of "decent comprehension."

Xuanzhu's words may also come from Xuanzhu Venerable's memories, and are his inner thoughts.

“That’s right, the most important thing to become a strong person is to use cheat codes!” Zhou Qing agreed with Xuan Zhu’s words.

All top-tier experts are essentially cheating.

Even if it's just good luck, it's still considered cheating.

There are countless hardworking people in the world, and many with good character and strong will, but how many can become truly strong?

"Cheating?" Xuanzhu's tone was somewhat doubtful.
“You don’t understand.” Zhou Qing shook his head without explaining.

He has been cautious and meticulous in his progress, and his current strength is naturally inseparable from his own efforts, but Yu Hu's contribution is indispensable.

Most people in this world start in hard mode, and Zhou Qing is no exception. However, he possesses the Jade Tablet, so he can see hope in hard mode. As time goes by, it will gradually turn into normal mode and then easy mode.

Of course, some people are born in speedrun mode.

Zhou Qing took out a jade slip from his storage space and placed it on his forehead, but found that he could not view it.

“Although you have cultivated a secret technique to strengthen your soul, it is clearly not enough. To access the jade slip, you need to reach at least the soul realm of the mid-human stage,” Xuanzhu explained.

"Mid-stage Human Realm?" This was the first time Zhou Qing had ever heard of souls being divided into different realms.

Xuanzhu continued, "While high-level cultivators may not necessarily temper their physical bodies, they will definitely strengthen their divine souls."

Only with a strong spirit can one hope to reach a higher realm.

Especially for Gu Masters, the stronger their soul, the higher the success rate of refining Gu worms.

Whether or not a Gu worm can be forged is crucial to whether a Gu Master can advance in rank.

From ancient times to the present, cultivators have divided the soul into four realms: human, earth, heaven, and immortal.

Each major realm is further divided into four minor realms: initial, middle, late, and perfect.

Each time a cultivator breaks through a major realm, their soul is strengthened.

Your soul realm should have reached the early stage of the Human Realm, close to the middle stage. Coupled with the divine weapon that can protect your mind, your soul's defense is comparable to that of the middle stage of the Human Realm.

Otherwise, you wouldn't have been able to resist my illusion just now.

The Venerable Xuanzhu achieved his soul realm at the early stage of the Earth Realm at the second level because he cultivated the Soul Refining Scripture.

When he reached the third rank, his soul realm had also reached the Earth Rank Perfection, and only then did he dare to use the Soul Stealing Technique on the Ice Soul Mystic Spider.

"It's a pity. If my soul realm had broken through to the Heavenly Realm, perhaps I could have truly succeeded."

(End of this chapter)