All-class Gu Immortal

Chapter 2: The Appearance of the Green Silk Gu! [Gu Master] Profession!
Zhou Qing ran back to Xin'an Lane and came to the outside of a courtyard surrounded by earthen walls.

The courtyard gate was wide open, and in the middle of the courtyard, on the flat ground, lay a mat, on which lay a person covered with a burlap sack.

Several neighbors were standing nearby.

Although no one wants to get involved with the Zhou family in their current dire straits, they still have to come and take a look after the dead.

"Aqing is back!"

Zhou Qing strode into the courtyard, squatted down, and lifted the burlap sack.

The face of a middle-aged man with a stubble beard was revealed.

"Dad!"

After confirming it was Zhou Xian, he knelt down and burst into tears.

Zhou Qing reached his hands into the burlap sack, shook Zhou Xian’s body, and groped him up and down, only to find that he was only wearing a gray undershirt.

Zhou Qing's expression changed, and she immediately lifted the burlap sack, only to find that Zhou Xian's clothes had been stripped down to just a gray undershirt and black shorts.

"Who stripped my dad of his clothes?!" Zhou Qing's face was full of anger.

"Ah Qing, Zhang Laopi found the body and brought it back. He said your father's body was already like this when he found it," Aunt Li, who lives across the street, reminded her.

"That damned Zhang Laopi! Did Zhou take off his clothes before falling into the water?"

Zhou Qing could only think these words to himself.

Zhang Laopi was a rogue and scoundrel in Heishan Town. Relying on his two older brothers who had learned martial arts for a few days at a martial arts school, he was considered a local tyrant.

That's how it is in this era; having many male members in a family is considered a great achievement.

Even though he knew that it was Zhang Laopi who had robbed Zhou Xian of everything, Zhou Qing could only pretend to be stupid.

Even if Zhou Xian was killed by Zhang Laopi.
'Damn it!'

Zhou Qing cursed inwardly. Zhou Xian had gone to the county town to sell silkworms and might have had some money left over, but now it had nothing to do with him.

However, Zhou Xian's death was not bad news for him.

“Ah Qing, I’ve seen what drowning looks like, but your father doesn’t look like that!” Liang Asi, who makes a living by fishing, suddenly spoke up.

"Look, after a person drowns, small, even white bubbles will appear in their mouth and nose."

When the body is exposed to cold water, the skin will turn into goosebumps. Moreover, when a person drowns, they will struggle to survive, and usually the drowning victim will be clutching things like water plants, branches, and mud.

Look at Brother Zhou's hands; there's no sign of him struggling at all. Why don't you report it to the authorities and have a coroner perform an autopsy?

Liang Asi's words silenced everyone present.

Would reporting this to the authorities be of any use?

Moreover, you have to pay a fee to have a coroner examine the body.

"Thank you, Uncle Liang. I just want my father to be laid to rest as soon as possible. I don't want him to suffer from sharp blades after death."

Zhou Qing looked 'grief'. If Zhou Xian hadn't died, he would have loved to stab him a couple more times.

Report it to the authorities? Would that even be of any use?

“Sigh, that’s true. Our families aren’t doing well either, and we really can’t afford to buy a coffin. When your father is buried, remember to call us so we can all go up the mountain together,” Liang Asi sighed.

"Uncle Liang, please don't say that. If it weren't for your help, I would have been unable to make ends meet long ago. I will never forget this kindness."

Zhou Qing quickly replied.

With Zhou Xian gone, his life has hope.

“We’re all struggling, just sticking together for warmth. Since you’re not going to pursue this further, we won’t say anything more. If you really can’t hold on any longer, remember to let us know.” Liang Asi nodded.

"Yes, if you really can't make ends meet, just let us know."

Several other neighbors echoed, saying that as long as Zhou Qing didn't provoke Zhang Laopi, they would be willing to lend a hand.

With Zhou Xian dead, and no longer burdened by that gambling addict, Zhou Qing's life will actually be a little easier.

Silkworm farming is a skilled job; if you do it well, you can make a living.

They all witnessed Zhou Qing working tirelessly from dawn till dusk to pick mulberry leaves and raise silkworms.

"Thank you, thank you uncles and aunts." Zhou Qing's eyes welled up with tears; this time it wasn't an act.

"It's about to rain, let's carry Old Zhou inside first."

Liang Asi glanced at the overcast sky and addressed the people present.

Seeing this, Zhou Qing quickly stepped forward to lend a hand.

After Zhou Xian's body was carried into the mud-brick house, everyone dispersed.

Before leaving, Liang Asi slipped Zhou Qing a copper coin that smelled of fish.

"Boom!"

The weather changed in an instant. A bolt of lightning ripped through the sky, and large raindrops began to fall in torrents, scattering in the yard.

Zhou Qing took out a small stool and sat on the uneven ground.

A quick glance revealed an earthen stove, a wooden bed, a broken table, and a rice jar so small that even a mouse could starve inside.

"From now on, I'll be all alone."

Zhou Qing sighed, not saddened by Zhou Xian's death, but rather feeling a pang of regret.

"Clap!"

Feeling somewhat negative, Zhou Qing stood up and patted her cheeks hard to cheer herself up.

"The good days have only just begun!"

"Ouch!" Zhou Qing suddenly realized.

He rushed into the silkworm house in the pouring rain, closed all the doors and windows, and lit a fire around the house to prevent the silkworms inside from freezing to death.

Even if it's cold, we can't let the silkworms get cold.

Once the silkworm room had warmed up a bit, Zhou Qing picked out all the old, tough, overly tender, malnourished, and dehydrated leaves.

After doing all this, he returned to his mud-brick house, closed the doors and windows tightly, and sat on a small stool to wait for the rain to stop.

He didn't want to turn on the lights, and the room instantly went dark.

"Huh?! This is..."

Suddenly, he glanced at the corpse covered with burlap in the middle of the room and noticed that the lower abdomen of the corpse was emitting a faint green light.

Zhou Qing yanked off the burlap sack and stared intently at what it was.

Suddenly, a translucent creature, about the size of a little finger and resembling a silkworm, appeared on Zhou Xian's lower abdomen.

The green light emanated from its crystalline body.

The next moment, the jade tablet in Zhou Qing's mind suddenly emitted a dazzling blue light.

A line of text appeared in his field of vision: 【You have discovered a new job advancement material—Azure Silk Gu.】

[Green Silk Gu: A juvenile Gu worm. Naturally formed, it can be fed alcohol, poison, and blood to aid its growth and evolution.]

[Refining Requirements: None]

[Refining Effects: Transformation of alcoholic properties, regulation of qi and blood]

[Should I refine the Green Silk Gu to unlock a new class?]

"!"

Zhou Qing's eyes widened.

"Yes!"

There's absolutely no need to hesitate.

Zhou Qing reached out and grabbed the emerald-green silk worm, which was as clear as jade.

He had just touched the green silk worm when two tiny, rice-grain-sized eyeballs suddenly bulged out from the front of the worm, staring intently at Zhou Qing, as if trying to break free from the control of his hand.

The next moment, the Green Silk Gu seemed to dissolve and merge into Zhou Qing's body, finally appearing in Zhou Qing's mind.

The Green Silk Gu struggled incessantly, but as the deep blue light of the jade tablet shone upon it, it instantly fell silent.

At the same time, lines of text appeared on the jade tablet.

【Occupation: Gu Master】

[Refinement: Green Silk Gu]

[Progress: Early Childhood (757/800)]

[Effects: Transforms alcohol fumes, regulates blood and qi]

Zhou Qing was so excited that she couldn't speak.

Transformation of alcoholic aroma?

Qi and blood circulation?

The reason he couldn't practice martial arts was because he was injured by Zhou Xian, which damaged his qi and blood.

This Green Silk Gu actually has the ability to convert alcohol into qi and blood power through drinking!
Even without drinking alcohol, the Green Silk Gu continuously strengthens Zhou Qing's blood and qi.

Wouldn't that give him hope of changing his fate through martial arts?
[It can be fed alcohol, poison, and blood to aid its growth and evolution.]

"Could it be that Zhou Xian's drastic change in temperament and his constant drinking are due to this Green Silk Gu worm?"

Looking at the description of the Green Silk Gu on the jade tablet, Zhou Qing thought of Zhou Xian's unusual behavior before. Could it be that he was affected by this Gu worm?

What exactly happened when Mr. Zhou took his wife to the county town that time?
"Forget it, when a person dies, it's like a lamp going out; it doesn't matter anymore."

After a moment, Zhou Qing stopped thinking about it. Regardless of whether the Gu worm influenced Zhou Xian's behavior, the fact remained that he had injured himself twice.

Now that the person is dead, he can't very well ask a dead man.

Without Zhou Xian's drinking and gambling addiction, he can raise silkworms on his own and soon make a good living.

Moreover, with this green silk worm, he had hope of learning martial arts.

"Feeding them with alcohol is impractical, but poison and blood are possible, especially poison, which is everywhere."

Zhou Qing came to her senses.

Black Mountain City is located on the edge of the Ten Thousand Mountains in Miao territory. There is not much here, except for poisonous insects and ferocious beasts.

Legend has it that the deep mountains are home to many rare and exotic animals, and even powerful demons.

Those who ventured into the heart of the Ten Thousand Mountains have never been heard of returning.

In fact, in the Hundred Thousand Mountains, poisonous insects, ferocious beasts, and even great demons are not scary.

What's frightening is the miasma that gathers up from who-knows-when and from who-knows-where.

This miasma is so potent that it would kill an ordinary person if they came into contact with it.

Even martial artists couldn't withstand it for long.

Zhou Qing usually only picks mulberry leaves at the foot of the mountain and in the area at the foot of the mountain.

There are fewer poisonous insects and wild animals there, and no miasma, so it is relatively safe, at least during the day.

"Once the rain stops, we can go up the mountain to look for poisonous insects!"

Zhou Qing watched as the raindrops in the sky gradually decreased.

Many venomous insects stay underground during the day and come out at night.

Once the rain stops, the poisonous insects underground will definitely come out to breathe, which will be a good opportunity to hunt them with the Green Silk Gu.

He dared not touch the most dangerous poisonous insects, but he could find many common poisonous creatures such as centipedes, centipedes, and millipedes at the foot of the mountain.

[Effects: Transforms alcohol fumes, regulates blood and qi]

Looking at the effects of the Green Silk Gu on the jade tablet, Zhou Qing concluded that the transformation of alcohol and the regulation of blood and qi were likely the result of Zhou Xian's heavy drinking.

Therefore, if he fed the Green Silk Gu poisonous insects, it should have made the Green Silk Gu poisonous.

Most poisonous substances develop toxin resistance.

If Zhou Qing could develop resistance to the Qing Si Gu's toxins, he would have another shortcut to making money—collecting and selling poisonous insects.

Because of its location near the Ten Thousand Mountains, martial artists in the surrounding towns are familiar with poisons, and there are quite a few martial artists who practice poison techniques.

Many martial artists need poisons to stimulate their bodies and aid in their training.

The town's clinic also needed various poisons to prepare medicines.

There is a branch of the county's Baiyun Martial Arts School in the town, and the Baiyun Palm Technique taught there requires the use of poison to aid in its practice.

The stronger the poison used, the greater the power of the White Cloud Palm Technique, and the faster the progress.

However, using poisons for cultivation can cause significant damage to the body.

In other martial arts schools, students often suffer injuries from falls and blows, with the worst that happen is a fracture.

Every year, students at Baiyun Martial Arts School die from poisoning.

Even so, many people still followed suit.

Why? Because practicing martial arts is the only way for ordinary people to potentially change their fate.

Southern Xinjiang is located at the southernmost edge of the Great Jin Dynasty, far from the Central Plains. Although it belongs to the Great Jin Dynasty, the court actually has very little control over this area.

Studying and taking the imperial examinations is not an option here.

Only a strong enough fist can fight its way through.

(End of this chapter)