All-class Gu Immortal

Chapter 197 Winning Hearts and Minds! The Path to the Third Tier, the Mysterious Spider Gu!

"Zongzheng went too far! Since his bloodline power is already close to the level of ancestral reversion, if he had just released the Ice Soul Cold Qi at the beginning, no one would have competed with him for a mere five hundred Yuan Stones. Now it seems as if he is using his clansmen as stepping stones and deliberately letting him show off."

Just as the younger generation fell silent, a discordant voice rang out from behind Zhou Qing.

Zhou Qing turned around and saw that the person speaking was Wan Qiyunting.

However, although he was ostensibly criticizing Zhou Qing, he was actually making trouble for the clan leader.

“Qing Shi is a melee Gu Master. Now that he has lost an arm, he is useless.”

"Exactly! We agreed to stop short of a fight, but Zongzheng's move was far too ruthless!"

"Isn't this a violation of clan rules? Shouldn't he be punished? Otherwise, who will stop when it's time to stop in future Gu battles?"

The younger generation, who were initially intimidated by Zhou Qing's terrifying strength, immediately took the lead and requested that Zhou Qing be punished.

At this moment, Wanqi Zongbo, who was acting as the referee, came to the front of the crowd.

"Zongzheng didn't make a move at all. It was Qingshi who was aggressive. Besides, if he hadn't used his full strength at the end, he wouldn't have been unable to avoid the icy cold energy released by Zongzheng. In the end, it's still Qingshi's own fault. He's always been arrogant and domineering, so he deserves this result."

Wanqi Zongbo's words were fairly fair, but anyone could hear his dissatisfaction with Wanqi Qingshi; he had clearly disliked the other party for a long time.

"Elder Zongbo is right."

"Indeed, if Qing Shi hadn't used his full strength, he wouldn't have been seriously injured and crippled."

"It's all his fault for being so arrogant. He doesn't know that there's always someone better. In my opinion, it's all his own fault for being brainless."

"Zongzheng's actions were correct; he clearly did not intentionally cause Qingshi's injury."

"If being too strong would be punished, then no one would be willing to fight with Gu."

As Wanqi Zongbo, the elder in charge of the academy, expressed his stance, the tide turned instantly, and many younger members of the clan spoke out to express their dissatisfaction with Wanqi Qingshi.

Although Wanqi Zongzheng, the newly returned clansman, was also arrogant and domineering, he had the strength to back up his arrogance. As for Wanqi Qingshi, he was selective in his dealings with people. He generally wouldn't provoke the younger generation of the elders, and most of the time he would bully some clansmen from ordinary backgrounds.

Now that Qing Shi has been severely injured and crippled by Zong Zheng, it can be said that the wicked will be punished by the wicked.

Even if they aren't all good things, Zongzheng looks more pleasing to the eye than Qingshi.

Now that even the usually mild-mannered academy elder Wan Qizongbo has expressed his dissatisfaction with Qing Shi, they naturally want to take this opportunity to vent their pent-up resentment.

"It seems that Brother Yushu was also going to challenge me just now? Do we continue? Don't worry, this time I will definitely suppress the icy cold energy in my body and I won't fail. After all, I didn't know that Qing Shi was shouting so loudly, but was actually so weak."

At this moment, Zhou Qing looked at Wan Qiyushu, who had retreated into the crowd, and directly mocked him face to face, while also taking the opportunity to lash out at the unconscious Wan Qiqingshi.

The crowd automatically parted to the sides, revealing an embarrassed Wan Qiyushu, who was caught between a rock and a hard place.

Seeing Wanqi Qingshi's miserable appearance, Wanqi Yushu broke out in a cold sweat. Just as he was about to back down, his father, Wanqi Yunting, stepped forward to help him out of the predicament.

"Zongzheng, aren't you being a bit too aggressive? Anyone with eyes can see that your strength is above Yushu's. Are you forcing him to make a move because you want to make another mistake and cripple him? This is just a competition among our own clansmen, why go to such lengths!"

"I don't understand what Elder Yun Ting is saying. How did it become me being aggressive?"

Zhou Qing did not back down.

The initial purpose of this competition may have been to suppress the arrogance of the younger generation for Wanqi Zongyuan, but with Wanqi Yunting's challenge, it has gradually evolved into a matter of taking sides.

As an 'outsider,' he was unfamiliar with everyone else, so he had to firmly stand on Wanqi Zongyuan's side.

In particular, Wanqi Zongyuan is currently the strongest person in Bingyun Mountain Stronghold.

As for the strongest in the future, that will naturally be Zhou Qing himself.

"How dare you!" Wanqi Yunting was surprised that Zhou Qing, a junior who had just returned, dared to be so rude, and immediately reprimanded him.

“Actually, Yun Ting is not wrong.” Wan Qi Zongyuan, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up, interrupting Wan Qi Yun Ting’s attack.

Everyone's eyes were focused on him.

"I deliberately let the clan leader steal the limelight, so that he would use his clansmen as stepping stones," Wanqi Zongyuan said calmly.

Upon hearing this, Wanqi Yunting's face instantly changed color; he hadn't expected the clan leader to be so direct.

The other elders were also taken aback.

"However, if you can really defeat Zongzheng, it will not be Zongzheng who takes the limelight, and the five hundred Yuan Stones will not fall into Zongzheng's hands."

Wanqi Zongyuan changed the subject and looked at the elders behind him.

"Among you, apart from Zong Shu, who has just broken through to the second rank and become an elder not long ago, the youngest of you are all over sixty years old."

Think about your generation, how many geniuses there were! Compared to the current generation, isn't Bingyun Mountain Village going downhill?

These younger generations are clearly worse than the last, yet they are all more arrogant and conceited than the last.

Our Ice Spirit Clan controls the most resources in the Five Streams and the Qilian Mountains. With the help of these descendants, our Ice Spirit Clan can indeed continue to dominate the Five Streams and the Qilian Mountains. But what about a hundred years from now? What about two hundred years from now?!

I summoned Zongzheng so that these younger generations could see what a true genius is!

When Wanqi Zongyuan said this, many of the younger generation of clansmen were unconvinced, but the older elders knew the situation.

The Ice Spirit Clan remains the overlord of the Five Streams, but each generation is weaker than the last.

In the previous generation, only Wanqi Zongshu refined the Ice Soul Gu before the age of thirty and broke through to the second tier.

Among the new generation, although Wan Qiyushu and Wan Qiqingshi reached the first level of perfection at the age of twenty, they are still quite a long way from breaking through to the second level.

Wanqi Qingshi's natal Gu was not the strongest Xuanbing Gu of the Ice Spirit Clan at all, let alone the Ice Soul Gu he had refined at the second stage.

Wanqi Yushu's Xuanbing Gu has only just reached the first-grade high-quality level, and it's still a long way from the first-grade high-quality level, let alone the matter of refining it together.

In the Wuxi and Qilian Mountains region, the Ice Soul Gu is the most powerful type of second-tier Gu worm, which is one of the key factors for the Ice Spirit Clan to become the overlord.

In this region, among Gu Masters of the same rank, the Ice Spirit Clan is the strongest in terms of combat power.

Although there are other Gu worms that can rival the Ice Soul Gu, the key is that the Ice Spirit Clan has a complete system for refining the Ice Soul Gu, making it the easiest Gu to refine.

Among the older generation of elders, every second-tier Gu Master possessed an Ice Soul Gu, making them virtually unmatched among their peers.

Many of the younger generation cannot even refine the Xuanbing Gu.

The foundation of the Ice Spirit Clan is crumbling.

Actually, there's one more point that the elders haven't mentioned. That is, only by refining the Ice Soul Gu at the second stage can one hope to advance to the third stage.

Because the Ice Spirit Clan's ancestor, the Mysterious Spider Venerable, left behind a secret method for refining the third-tier Gu worm, the Mysterious Spider Gu.

It's important to understand that heading deep into the Hundred Thousand Mountains and entering a blessed land will naturally provide more opportunities for advancement. However, in such an environment teeming with powerful individuals and geniuses, even those with first-rate talent must compete for resources with geniuses from all sides.

Second-tier Gu Masters are undoubtedly powerful figures in places like the Southern Frontier, Wuxi, and the Qilian Mountains, but once they enter blessed lands, only those at the peak of the second tier can attract some attention.

However, a third-tier expert is a powerful figure no matter where they are placed.

If one breaks through to the third rank and then goes to the blessed land, one will directly become an elder, holding a high position and great power, without having to compete with the Gu Masters below.

Alternatively, at the second stage, one could refine the Ice Soul Gu, prepare to refine the third-stage Mysterious Spider Gu, and then go to the blessed land deep within the Ten Thousand Mountains, which would increase the possibility of future breakthroughs.

Throughout history, many Gu Masters of the Ice Spirit Clan have ventured to the blessed land deep within the Hundred Thousand Mountains, and some have returned.

The previous clan leader had traveled to the blessed land, and later returned to the Ice Spirit Clan.

The previous patriarch once said that those who are not first-rate geniuses and do not bring enough resources should not go to the blessed land.

Alternatively, one could cultivate to the peak of the second tier and then seek an opportunity for a breakthrough in a blessed land.

No matter how abundant the resources are, the truly good resources are always in the hands of a very small number of people at the top.

The blessed land is prosperous, but it has nothing to do with the vast majority of Gu Masters.

In fact, the previous clan chief said a lot, but he only wanted to express this one point.

"The clan leader is underestimating us too much. I admit that Zongzheng is very powerful, but we are not that incompetent, are we?"

Even if Qing Shi and Yu Shu are not as good as Zong Zheng, Wen Lan is only sixteen years old this year and has already refined the Xuanbing Gu and broken through to the late stage of the first level. In two more years, she may not be inferior to Zong Zheng.

Moreover, although our Ice Spirit Clan rose to power with the Xuanbing Gu, it does not mean that we clansmen who do not refine the Xuanbing Gu are betraying our ancestors.

In a few years, we might very well produce a second-tier Gu Master among us.

As for what will happen a hundred or two hundred years from now, who can say for sure?

At this moment, some stubborn clansmen in the crowd expressed their dissatisfaction, believing that Wanqi Zongyuan was being overly pessimistic.

"Bowen! Shut up!" At this moment, Wanqi Zongbo shouted angrily with a stern face.

“Father, am I wrong?” Wan Qibo retorted, his neck stiff with anger, which made Wan Qizongbo’s face turn as black as the bottom of a pot.

This made Zhou Qing, who was standing to the side, laugh out loud.

Good heavens, this guy is actually Wanqi Zongbo's son.

The son of the academy elder has absolutely no sense of propriety; his father sides with the clan leader, and his son openly contradicts the clan leader.

Wanqi Zongyuan looked at Wanqi Bowen without getting angry. Instead, he pointed at Zhou Qing and smiled at everyone, saying, "Do you know how old the Imperial Clan Head is this year?"

"This child is two months shy of nineteen. He was born into a family of silkworm farmers in a remote town, and he only started cultivating at the age of fifteen. At first, he couldn't even get enough to eat."

In such an environment, he cultivated martial arts and broke through to the Blood Exchange Realm in less than four years.

Furthermore, relying on some scattered Gu Master secret manuals, he became a first-order perfect Gu Master.

You have all seen what just happened. After his bloodline was activated, he was able to activate the Ice Soul Cold Qi without relying on the Xuanbing Gu, severely injuring Qing Shi.

"If Zongzheng had been born in Bingyun Mountain Stronghold from the beginning, just imagine how high his achievements would be now!"

Wanqi Zongyuan's words stunned everyone.

At first, they just thought that Zongzheng was very outstanding, had great talent, and had a very pure bloodline, so it was reasonable for the clan leader to value him so much.

Now that they understand Zongzheng's upbringing, they realize just how extraordinary his talent truly is.

If Zongzheng had lived in Bingyun Mountain Village since childhood, he would probably be a second-tier Gu Master by now.

A second-tier Gu Master under twenty years old? That's outrageous!
Of course, only Wanqi Zongyuan knew that Zhou Qing actually did not have the aptitude of a Gu Master. If he had really been born in Bingyun Mountain Village, the village probably would not have bothered to train him.

But for others, the shock it brought was unprecedented.

"The bloodline of the Venerable Xuanzhu makes it easier to refine the Xuanbing Gu, and the Xuanbing Gu can strengthen the power in the bloodline. You are born with an extra path to choose from compared to other Gu masters."

As a result, they became narrow-minded and arrogant at a young age, and never opened their eyes to the outside world.

Once some of you break through to the second tier and experience just how difficult it is to break through to the third tier, you will truly understand why the Xuanbing Gu is the foundation of our Ice Spirit Clan.

"Mystic Ice Gu, Ice Soul Gu, Mystic Spider Gu—from first to third tier, our ancestors have paved the way for you. Many of you are unwilling to walk it; I have nothing more to say."

Wanqi Zongyuan shook his head and sighed, seemingly dissatisfied with the current atmosphere in the clan for a long time.

"Mysterious Spider Gu? Third tier?" Zhou Qing seemed to have heard something incredible.

"Xuanzhu, do you know about the third-tier Xuanzhu Gu?" He immediately communicated with the Xuanzhu in his Yuanqiao.

“I don’t know. Maybe it’s a Gu worm left behind by Venerable Xuanzhu? I only inherited one-third of his memories, and there are some things he may not have recorded in the ‘Ice Sky Strategy’ but left to the Ice Spirit Clan. In any case, if you stay here, you should be able to find a way to break through to the third rank,” Xuanzhu pondered.

“Of course.” Zhou Qing nodded secretly. He came to the Ice Spirit Clan in order to improve his aptitude with the third-tier Spirit-Subduing Gu. If he could find a way to break through to the third-tier Gu Master level, it would be a double blessing.

"Sigh," Wanqi Zongyuan sighed, looking at Wanqi Qingshi lying on the ground, and then said to Wanqi Zongxuan beside him.

"Zongxuan, go to the storeroom and get a green gecko to reattach Qingshi's severed limbs. Hopefully, this lesson will help him grow in character."

Wanqi Zongxuan was taken aback for a moment, then nodded and said, "Yes!"

"The clan leader is truly righteous!" Upon hearing this, the other elders all showed expressions of admiration.

"Our patriarch is truly righteous!" the younger generation exclaimed from the bottom of their hearts.

This Green Wood Gecko is a second-tier early-stage Gu worm, capable of regenerating severed limbs and restoring them to their original state. It is extremely precious and was refined by the clan leader in his early years, and has always been kept in the storeroom.

Wanqi Qingshi was neither a descendant of any elder nor had any powerful or influential relatives or friends.

Although he is exceptionally talented, he has lost an arm and is now half-useless.

Now the clan leader is actually willing to use such a precious Gu worm to help him.

This earned the deep respect of many ordinary clansmen, who felt that the clan chief was truly selfless.

(End of this chapter)