Record of a Demon's Cultivation Chapter 1251: Gu Evolution Sect

Upon seeing Song Wen materialize, Mu Tu urgently pleaded, "Fellow Daoist Feng, I can resolve your Gu afflictions. I only request that you show leniency and permit me a chance at rebirth through body seizure."

Before Song Wen could offer a reply, Bi Xiaoyu’s voice interjected, sharp with disdain, "Mu Tu, cease your self-deception. You have privy to such a profound secret—do you truly believe he would let you live?"

The 'secret' Bi Xiaoyu alluded to was unmistakably the Black Hole within Song Wen’s Sea of Consciousness and the shadowy void that lingered nearby.

Song Wen’s countenance grew grim, a frigid smile gracing the edges of his lips. "Fellow Daoist Bi, do you consider yourself exceptionally astute?"

A sphere of golden essence gradually took shape before Song Wen. As this molten substance churned, it unleashed a searing heat, causing both Mu Tu and Bi Xiaoyu’s divine souls to writhe in torment, as though subjected to the searing flames of a great fire.

"Esteemed Daoist, wait!" Bi Xiaoyu’s Adam’s apple bobbed with palpable anxiety, her face contorted in stark terror. "I can rectify your Gu troubles. Grant me but a swift demise!"

With a mere flick of his wrist, Song Wen dissipated the golden essence. He then proceeded to elucidate the intricacies of the Gu predicament to the pair.

Mu Tu quickly interjected, "Fellow Daoist Feng, my earlier words were sincere. Your Gu's intrinsic foundation is indeed flawed. Pushing it to the fifth-tier has unsettled its very soul. The sole recourse is to mend its inherent deficiency."

"Indeed?" Song Wen lifted an eyebrow, his curiosity instantly ignited. "Can inherent flaws truly be rectified?"

Within Song Wen's understanding, a Gu’s innate deficiency was comparable to a cultivator’s meager spirit root aptitude. The notion that such a flaw could be corrected immensely fascinated him.

Mu Tu elaborated, "Unlike mortals and demons, Gu can augment their might by consuming other Gu or venomous insects. When they ingest Gu of the identical variety, they can even enhance their inherent constitution."

"So, you propose that by feeding it Gu of the same kind, its volatile nature will be subdued?" Song Wen inquired.

"Naturally. However, the greater the tier of the consumed Gu, the more substantial the benefit derived," Mu Tu responded.

"Hmph!" Bi Xiaoyu scoffed, interjecting herself. "Mu Tu, for one who once belonged to the Gu Evolution Sect, your grasp of knowledge appears remarkably shallow."

Song Wen turned his gaze upon Bi Xiaoyu, inquiring with a smile, "Fellow Daoist Bi, what are your thoughts on this matter?"

Bi Xiaoyu replied, "Ingesting Gu of the same classification can indeed solidify a Gu’s foundation. Nevertheless, the sheer quantity of Gu required for this endeavor is astronomical. Furthermore, even should we marginally improve its foundation and restore its mental clarity, its inherent limitations persist. Significant advancements in its power would remain exceedingly arduous."

"According to your assessment, then," Song Wen stated, "is this Gu no longer worthy of continued cultivation?"

"I advise you to relinquish this Gu and seek another with a more robust foundation to nurture," Bi Xiaoyu recommended.

Song Wen’s brow furrowed slightly, his expression contemplative, and he ceased his questioning.

Bi Xiaoyu’s counsel held considerable weight.

Cultivating Gu shared a parallel with mentoring disciples: expending effort and resources on those with insufficient innate talent was, in the end, an exercise in futility.

Yet, Song Wen felt a reluctance to abandon his Gu so readily. The Shadow King Gu possessed the singular capacity to expand the reach of his divine sense—an ability he had never encountered in any other Gu.

At this juncture, Bi Xiaoyu resumed her discourse.

"If Fellow Daoist genuinely cannot bring yourself to abandon your Gu, an alternative method exists," Bi Xiaoyu declared. "However, the feasibility of this method hinges entirely upon your own discernment."

"Pray, elaborate," Song Wen responded.

Bi Xiaoyu explained, "Mu Tu possesses a Gu Dao treasure scroll known as the Gu God Scripture. It details a technique for refining Gu into Natal Spirit Gu, thereby entwining them with a cultivator’s vital essence and liberating them from the constraints of their intrinsic foundation. Nonetheless, both Natal Spirit Gu and natal magical artifacts necessitate ceaseless nourishment with spiritual power. Attempting to refine both concurrently would result in an inadequate distribution of resources, capping the potential of each."

Song Wen shook his head. This proposition was distinctly impractical.

Still, the Gu God Scripture held an allure. He might find an opportunity to peruse its contents in his leisure.

Mu Tu added, "In truth, another method presents itself. The Gu God Scripture also delineates a formation known as the Blood Refinement Gu Sacrifice Grand Formation. This formation possesses the ability to defy destiny itself, forcibly enhancing a Gu’s innate foundation."

"If such a formidable formation truly exists, why did you not disclose this information sooner?" Song Wen's tone was tinged with a discernible edge of displeasure.

Bi Xiaoyu offered an explanation: "While this formation is indeed profound, its setup is exceedingly difficult and fraught with peril. It necessitates a cultivator's personal blood essence for inscribing the formation patterns, and an even greater quantity is required throughout the process of reversing the Gu's fate. In my estimation, even a cultivator at the Great Ascension Stage might expend all their blood essence without successfully sustaining the formation's operation. None of our predecessors within the Gu Evolution Sect have ever managed to deploy this formidable formation."

Song Wen's eyes gleamed with a touch of interest. This particular method appeared to be exceptionally well-suited for his needs.

Nevertheless, the task of personally inscribing the formation patterns presented itself as a considerable challenge.

He possessed ample skill in manipulating pre-established formations, arranging formation flags, and operating array disks with effortless grace. However, the act of hand-inscribing the formation patterns? That was a different matter entirely, asking too much of him.

To the untrained eye, the formation diagram bore a striking resemblance to a celestial panorama—a solitary page adorned with intricate lines and enigmatic symbols, coiling like mythical dragons and serpents, swirling like ethereal mist and clouds. They could not discern even the faintest hint of understanding, let alone unravel its profound secrets and harness its immense power for their own advantage.

"Where is the Gu God Scripture?" Song Wen inquired.

Mu Tu responded, "Within my storage ring, you will find a gu cauldron standing three feet tall. The Gu God Scripture is housed inside."

Outside, Song Wen retrieved Mu Tu's storage ring and extended his divine sense to probe its contents. He did, in fact, locate the gu cauldron.

As his divine sense delved deeper into the cauldron, Song Wen immediately discovered a cultivation technique laid bare before him.

Despite being designated as a cultivation technique, it comprised a mere few hundred characters—representing the fundamental principles of the Gu God Scripture. The subsequent portions of the text and accompanying diagrams meticulously detailed various methodologies for cultivating gu insects. This included the Natal Spirit Gu and the Blood Refinement Gu Sacrifice Grand Formation that Mu Tu and Bi Xiaoyu had previously alluded to. Furthermore, it encompassed an extensive array of subjects, such as the cultivation of rare and peculiar gu insects, their nurturing, advancement, and potential for mutation.

After a cursory review of its contents, Song Wen submerged his divine sense within his Sea of Consciousness and posed a question: "Earlier, you made mention of the Gu Evolution Sect. Is that indeed your sect? Where is it situated?"

Bi Xiaoyu replied, "The Gu Evolution Sect has already met its demise. Mu Tu and I were its final two disciples, and now, we have both perished by your hand. From this moment onward, the Gu Evolution Sect shall cease to hold any existence in this world."

"Destroyed?" Song Wen questioned, betraying a hint of surprise.

Bi Xiaoyu proceeded with her explanation: "The Gu Evolution Sect was originally established in Crimson Cloud Province. However, after provoking a formidable adversary, our entire sect was subjected to annihilation. Only Mu Tu, myself, and a single Elder of the Body Integration Stage managed to evade the catastrophe and flee to the Southern Nether Continent to eke out survival. Regrettably, the elder's divine soul had sustained severe damage, and he perished not long after our arrival."