All-class Gu Immortal

Chapter 176 The Legend of Black Mountain Town
Fire Centipede?!
Tier 2, low grade?!
Upon seeing the words appear in his field of vision, Zhou Qing's eyes widened in surprise and delight.

It's true what they say: you may try to plant flowers with care, but they may not bloom; you may plant willows without intention, and they may thrive.

He had gone to great lengths to refine the second-tier Ice Fiend Gu, but unexpectedly, after absorbing Xiao Kang's essence blood, Chi Yan directly broke through the racial limit and advanced to become a second-tier Gu worm.

Although it's only a second-tier low-grade, it still possesses genuine second-tier combat power.

Zhou Qing released the Crimson Flame from his storage space. The Crimson Flame had now transformed into a fist-sized red stone, warm to the touch, with a smooth surface and no apparent abnormalities.

However, holding it in his hand, Zhou Qing could feel a sense of closeness.

At this moment, more text appeared in Zhou Qing's field of vision.

[Heavenly Fire Centipede (Unhatched): Evolved from a mutated golden-backed centipede into a corpse-venom centipede, it absorbs various yin and cold toxins, reaching the limit of its yin and cold power. Finally, by refining the yang and strong essence and true energy, it completes the limit-breaking evolution of yin giving rise to yang.]

[First, the eggs must be placed in an extremely hot location for sixty-four days to absorb the ultimate Yang energy before hatching. This method is best performed in a fiery location. During the hatching period, the Heavenly Fire Centipede eggs need constant replenishment with the most Yang and powerful essence or true energy; otherwise, they will be inherently deficient and unable to evolve after hatching.]

[Second, protect the Heavenly Fire Centipede eggs with a fire-attribute spiritual object and immerse them in magma. After 36 days, they will hatch. This method requires a high-quality fire-attribute spiritual object; otherwise, the magma may burn the Heavenly Fire Centipede eggs.]

"Fire-Fire Land, Soaked in Magma"

Zhou Qing stared into thought as he looked at the method for hatching the Heavenly Fire Centipede.

The fiery land is readily available at Huanglong Mountain, which happens to be a volcano.

However, since the Fire Spirit Corpse was hidden there, and after Zhou Qing seized the Wood Spirit Corpse, it is likely that the Witch God Church would keep a close watch on that place.

Within the Witch God Cult, there may not be many experts at the Qi and Blood Furnace Realm who have undergone nine or more blood exchanges, but there are certainly a few experts at the Qi and Blood Long Dragon Realm who have undergone six or more blood exchanges.

Although Zhou Qing had successfully refined the Ice Fiend Gu, he was not so arrogant as to think he could go toe-to-toe with the Witch God Cult.

Among the four realms of Blood Exchange, the gap widens as you go higher. The Ice Fiend Gu might be able to suppress most experts in the Blood Qi Wolf Smoke Realm, but it would probably be outmatched when facing a powerhouse in the Blood Qi Long Dragon Realm.

"We can definitely buy fire-attribute spiritual items in the county town, and as for the volcano, we might not be able to find them either."

After some thought, Zhou Qing decided to temporarily refrain from opposing the Witch God Cult.

Nanli County is bordered by Tianzhu Mountain and Qilian Mountain to the east, and its resources are far richer than those of the small Ping'an County.

Moreover, the Wuxi Barbarians should possess a considerable amount of resources for refining Gu. If they can successfully enter the Ice Spirit Clan, they might be able to find even more materials for refining Gu using the Ice Spirit Clan's resources.

Things that can be solved with money and connections don't necessarily require resorting to violence.

Once he has made significant breakthroughs in both martial arts and Gu techniques, he might be able to reconsider his intentions regarding the Fire Spirit Corpse.

Zhou Qing held the red stone formed from the crimson flames in his hand and played with it for a while before putting it away.

The night passed quickly.

The next day, just as dawn broke, Zhou Qing got up early and went to the main gate of Baiyun Martial Arts School.

At this time, a long line of cars had already formed at the entrance.

The departure of Zhou Qing, Wei Hongyu, and Wei Mingcheng meant that the Baiyun Martial Arts School in Heishan Town had officially closed down.

A martial arts school without a Bone Refining Realm martial artist in charge cannot get assistance from the other five martial arts schools.

Therefore, the apprentices of the martial arts school either went to Baiyun Martial Arts School in Ping'an County to continue their training under Wei Hongyu's recommendation, or chose to follow the caravan to Nanli County.

Of course, some locals felt that going to the Baiyun Martial Arts School in Ping'an County would likely lead to them being ostracized. They were also unwilling to leave their homeland and travel thousands of miles to Nanli County, fearing that they might not be qualified enough to even earn a living.

For these people, Wei Hongyu would refund part of their tuition fees and provide them with some money as compensation for their dismissal.

In any case, it would only cost a few hundred taels of silver, which is nothing to high-level martial artists, but for apprentices from poor backgrounds, one or two taels of silver would be enough to make them grateful.

Good morning, Senior Brother Zhou.

"Senior Brother Zhou, take care, until we meet again."

When Zhou Qing arrived at the entrance of the martial arts school, the students who had left were helping to carry their luggage. As for the students who chose to stay in town, they had also arrived at the entrance of the martial arts school early to see him off.

It wasn't until dawn that the things were packed up.

Zhou Qing then returned to the backyard, called the old woman to leave, and helped her into the carriage.

"set off!"

After the old woman got into the carriage, Zhou Qing drove the carriage, cracking his whip to clear the way.

The carriage behind him followed slowly along the main road in the middle of the town, heading south.

Along the way, many people stood on both sides of the road watching the spectacle.

After all, the relocation of an entire martial arts school to Nanli County City is one of the most important events in Heishan Town in recent years.

People on both sides looked at the elegantly dressed young man driving the car ahead, and many of them couldn't help but feel envious.

"Sometimes when I watch Aqing, it feels a bit unreal."

"Yes, in just a few short years, a poor silkworm farmer who couldn't even afford to eat has now transformed into a martial arts master!" "Just two years ago, he even came to my house to borrow rice!"

"Then why don't you let Aqing take you to the county town? Or at least take your son with you!"

"Exactly! Didn't you see that old woman who used to wash clothes? Back then, she only gave Ah Qing a few cornbreads, and he took her home and supported her. Look at all that fine silk and satin she's wearing. Even if we brothers didn't eat or drink for three years, we couldn't afford that!"

"Sigh, it's all my husband's fault! Back when Aqing's parents were still alive, they would give us some cured meat during festivals. Later, when Aqing came to our house to borrow rice, my husband said a lot of nasty things and wouldn't let me lend him a single grain of rice."

"Marrying an unvirtuous wife can ruin three generations! Aqing is already very good. Before she left, she didn't forget us and sent a lot of rice, flour and cooking oil to each family. There's nothing more to say about how good Aqing is."

"Back then, when he came to my house to borrow rice, I was just confused! How could I be so reluctant to part with half a liter of brown rice! Would eating it make me an immortal or something?"

"If I had known this would happen, I would have sold myself to lend him a few pounds of pork! It's a pity I don't have a son, otherwise I could have gone to the county town with Aqing for a few years and come back as a rich man."

As the convoy passed through Xin'an Lane, the neighbors pointed at Zhou Qing at the front of the convoy and boasted to those around them, "Look! That's our Qing from Xin'an Lane! The martial arts master!"

Many people regret not having offered Zhou Qing help when he was in trouble.

When Zhou Qing's family was doing well, they received a lot of kindness from him. Why did they later become so blinded by greed and unwilling to help Zhou Qing when he was in trouble?

A bag of rice from back then might be worth a bag of silver today.

Although many people regretted it deeply, not a single person said a bad word about Zhou Qing.

These neighbors had all received favors from Zhou Qing in some way.

The mere fact that a martial arts master emerged from Xin'an Lane was enough to make the local ruffians and scoundrels stay far away.

No one can guarantee that Zhou Qing, a person who is so grateful, has never eaten a bowl of porridge or drunk half a bowl of tea at anyone's house.

No one would be willing to offend Zhou Qing just to collect some protection money.

"Pop! Pop!" In the crowd, a man in his early fifties was smoking a pipe as he watched the slowly moving convoy. He was wearing a faded and worn blue cloth shirt, with a sweat-stained white towel draped over his shoulder, and a well-worn pipe in his hand.

"Ah Chao, are you really not going to the county town with Ah Qing? You don't need to worry about me and your mother." The man took a deep drag on the welding smoke in his hand, faint sparks flickering in the pipe, his eyes bloodshot.

“Father, I’ve made up my mind. I’ll stay in town. My talent is just average. I don’t have A-Qing’s ability to become a martial arts master. If it weren’t for A-Qing’s help, I probably wouldn’t have broken through the flesh barrier by now.”

Behind the man stood a boy who looked to be seventeen or eighteen years old. He had a buzz cut, wore a light blue martial arts jacket, and black trousers, and looked very energetic.

“It’s better to stay here. I’ve heard there are many martial arts masters and nobles in the county town, unlike our small town. If you really went to the county town, your mother would probably be worried sick and unable to sleep.” The man’s dark face was deeply lined with wrinkles, which gathered together even more when he smiled.

Actually, he was also afraid that his child would travel far away, and he was so worried that he didn't sleep all night.

However, he was more afraid of jeopardizing his child's future, so he never said anything to persuade him to stay.

"My current life is the best life I can have." The young man sighed softly as he watched the carriage slowly disappear from sight.

"After I save up some money for a few more years, I'll build you two big brick houses, then I'll marry a wife and have two big, healthy sons. Then your mother and I won't have anything to worry about." The man took a deep drag on his pipe, and the smoke rose into the air.

"Father, you and Mother don't need to work anymore! Before Ah Qing left, she gave me five hundred taels of silver! She told me to..." Before the boy could finish speaking, the astonished man covered his mouth.

The man looked around and, seeing that no one was listening, breathed a sigh of relief and asked in a low voice, "Are you telling the truth?"

"Yes!" The boy nodded emphatically.

The man smiled and said, "Then let's take our time choosing. At the very least, she has to be a lady from a respectable family to marry into my family."

The boy hesitated for a moment, then said seriously, "Father, I want to train for another two years. If I can break through the meridian barrier, I can make a lot of money in the future!"

After a moment of silence, the man nodded and said, "It's your own business, you make your own decision."

"Thank you, Father."

"Don't tell your mother about the money for now, I'm afraid she'll let it slip."

"understood."

"Let's go home, Aqing has gone far away."

Once the last carriage in the caravan disappeared at the end of the street, the man put away his pipe.

"Hmm." The boy took a deep look at the disappearing convoy, then followed his father into a narrow alley and headed towards Xin'an Alley.

The father and son were Liang Si and Liang Chao.

Before leaving, Zhou Qing bid farewell to Liang Chao and invited him to go to Nanli County City together. After considering it for a few days, Liang Chao decided to stay in Heishan Town to take care of his parents.

Zhou Qing did not force him. After giving him some medicinal herbs, he also gave him five hundred taels of silver.

Zhou Qing left Heishan Town, but his story did not disappear. Instead, it became a legend in Heishan Town and was turned into a storybook by storytellers.

Almost every boy from a poor background would stop and listen to the storyteller recount Zhou Qing's tale when passing by a restaurant or teahouse.

They believed that they had many things in common with Zhou Qing: they both came from poor backgrounds, and perhaps they were equally grateful. Maybe one day, they too could become martial arts masters like Zhou Qing and leave behind their own legend in Black Mountain Town.

(End of this chapter)