Chapter 48: Sleepy Treasure Bug
The Dojo Master also turned back in surprise, withdrawing her gaze from the other classics on the bookshelf:
“What is it?”
Fang Shu immediately told the Dojo Master about the “Gold Seeking Insect” he had heard from Mine Owner Cao when he went out to rescue Second Uncle.
“This disciple suspects that there might be Precious Medicine in the Qian Shan Mine. Of course, it might also be fake news.”
The Dojo Master first chuckled speechlessly, then said:
“You’re right. Such mines do indeed unearth Precious Medicine every year. And the corresponding Precious Medicine rumors each year number no less than a hundred.
Your caution is correct. People who mine and dig in such places are no pushovers. When they get ruthless, they won’t care about your background or status at all. Regardless of whether the news is true or false, choosing to retreat is not a loss for you.”
Then she teased: “But if this Precious Medicine news is real, for us Gu Dao practitioners, ordinary Precious Medicine is just minor profit. The Gold Seeking Insect is actually more worth paying attention to.
This is an excellent Treasure Bug that can seek out buried treasures, a rare find.”
These words made Fang Shu raise his eyebrow slightly.
“Alright, this old woman knows about this matter. Though it’s probably eighty or ninety percent fake, this old woman will still pay a little attention to that Mine Owner Cao. If there’s free time, making a trip there is no big deal.”
The Dojo Master looked at Fang Shu mildly: “You’ve put thought into it.”
“This disciple dares not.” Fang Shu immediately cupped his hands.
Then, he hesitated for a breath, but ultimately chose to take his leave, keeping the remaining piece of news suppressed in his heart.
That piece of news was precisely the exact location of a Precious Medicine he had obtained from Cheng Guanzi.
Logically speaking, directly telling the Dojo Master about this and having her help retrieve the medicine would be the most stable approach, and Fang Shu would only need to sit back and enjoy the benefits.
But Fang Shu grumbled in his heart.
When there was no choice, it was temporarily fine. But if a Precious Medicine that could slightly improve aptitude really appeared, who would the Dojo Master choose to give it to?
Even if she gathered the medicine and returned, but the amount gathered was scarce, far less than Fang Shu expected, would he then suspect the Dojo Master of privately hoarding Precious Medicine… and so on.
Therefore, rather than adding Complications or even testing the ugliness of the human heart, it was better not to tell her about this.
Fang Shu thought darkly in his heart:
“Moreover, I have already told Master about the Qian Shan Mine matter. If she really cares, she should go investigate or warn that Mine Owner Cao.
At that time, I only need to ask Master, and I can understand the details of the so-called Qian Shan Mine, reducing the risks when entering the mine.”
With these thoughts in mind, Fang Shu held the Gu Book bestowed by the Dojo Master and immediately returned to his room in the Inner Courtyard.
Next.
While the Dao Talisman was ceaselessly analyzing the Insect Skill day and night, Fang Shu himself took this time to cultivate on one side while using Materials from the Dojo to begin large-scale Gu Refining attempts.
Having become an Inner Courtyard Disciple, especially with the Dojo Master’s favor, whenever he took Materials from the Medicine Hall related to Gu Refining, he could take some for free.
And the most abundant Materials in the Du Gu Guan were snakes and insects, which was quite convenient for his research into Gu Technique.
Only when it involved entry-level Gu Worms, due to the precious and expensive Materials, did Fang Shu need to request or ask the Dojo Master for them, or buy them himself with money.
With such favorable conditions, for over a month straight, he holed up in his room.
Only when the Dojo Master gave lectures did he appear in front of the group of disciples.
This made Fang Shu seem as mysterious as those older disciples living outside, and the others no longer saw him enduring physical strain, but shrinking in his room all day.
This gave him the nickname “Homebody” among the Inner Courtyard Disciples.
This day.
Fang Shu tightly closed his room door and sealed the windows.
The four walls, including the roof, were all pasted with Talisman Paper by him, isolating Qi and reducing stray noises.
In the center of the house was a pitch-black Scorpion Basin, shaped like a water jar in size, which he had carried over from the Medicine Hall.
Though this item could not be considered a Magic Tool, it was an utensil used by the Medicine Hall masters for raising insects over decades, and it provided some assistance for Gu Refining.
After all, Fang Shu had only just entered the Dao, his current Gu Technique was weak, and with many other disciples in the Du Gu Guan needing Nourishment, a Magic Tool-level Scorpion Basin was valuable and not something to hope for.
For him to get such an old item in the Dojo for Gu Refining was already considerable care from the Dojo Master.
Buzz buzz!
He circled the water jar Scorpion Basin, chanting incantations from his mouth, then leaped up to stand on the edge of the Scorpion Basin, pressing his body low like a snake, moving ceaselessly along the edge.
At this moment in the Scorpion Basin, tiny bugs were startled by his movements, showing a tendency to fly directly out of the basin.
These bugs were all a special kind of Aphid, which in the wilderness could secrete sweet juice, quite favored by ants and other insects, and even deliberately raised by other insects.
Now Fang Shu had raised these Aphids in the Scorpion Basin for over ten days, feeding them daily with his own Precious Blood. Fully seven batches of Aphid swarms had died before he got this jar of still-living ones.
And having been fed his Precious Blood, these Aphids already regarded him as one of their own and were close to him.
“Return!” Fang Shu uttered a single word from his mouth.
The rising Aphids then rustled back down, landing in the water jar.
Fang Shu’s speed moving on the water jar grew faster and faster, his mouth still chanting:
“Morning dew as guide, moonlight as broth. Hundred herbs condense essence, enter Gu for Nourishment.”
Batch after batch of Gu Refining Materials were added by him to the Scorpion Basin, including morning dew collected from the deep bamboo forest and white salt scraped from an ancient tomb under full moonlight.
Soon, the Aphids in the Scorpion Basin became like drunkards, the swarm scattering into a mess of white dots.
And their ferocity flared up between them, opening their mouthparts to devour any kin they encountered.
Soon, the full jar of Aphids was left with only a small handful.
Even this small handful was still biting and tearing in the Scorpion Basin.
Seeing this, Fang Shu’s expression turned solemn, and finally he called out from his mouth:
“With my true intent, gather the demonic barriers. Treasure Gu complete, obey my command!”
Sizzle!
He cut his fingertip, immediately squeezing out three drops of Purple Lead Poisonous Blood into the Scorpion Basin, and watched expectantly.
Sizzling sounds appeared in the basin. The Aphids were attracted by his Poisonous Blood, swarming toward it like moths to flame, and many had their bodies corroded, melting into the Poisonous Blood.
Fortunately, the remaining ones bathed in the Poisonous Blood, shaking their bodies, their white insect forms immediately showing threads of purple intent, forming twisted characters.
A mysterious sensation also arose between Fang Shu and these Aphids.
After devouring clean Fang Shu’s three drops of Poisonous Blood, they killed each other for a while longer, when suddenly three plump Aphids the size of millet flew out from the Scorpion Basin, landing affectionately on Fang Shu’s fingertip, nuzzling toward his already closed wound as if begging for food.
These three purple-tinged Aphids had now clearly transcended mortal bugs, successfully reborn and advanced to One Tribulation Gu Worms.
They were precisely the first Gu Recipe bestowed to Fang Shu by the Dojo Master—Sleepy Bug!
After practicing bitterly for many days, Fang Shu had finally refined his first entry-tribulation Gu Worm. Joy appeared on his face, feeling doubly gratified.
Then he directly sat cross-legged in the Scorpion Basin, his mind stirring as he softly commanded: “Come!”
Buzz buzz.
The three Sleepy Bugs wobbled up from his finger, two drilling into his nostrils and one into his ear.
Fang Shu only felt a faint sweet fragrance in his nose, and a buzzing dizziness in his ear.
His eyelids immediately grew heavy, drooping together as he fell into deep sleep.
