"Hehehe, why the decision to have this lad, Little Moon?" A charming whisper echoed in the back of Black Moon's consciousness like gentle breeze in a spring night. Amusement bled in the unknown female's voice as Black Moon contemplated things quietly.
'You know why, Fairy.' Black Moon replied without stating anything out loud. This conversation played in her mind, a gu master's most private space. 'Our end goal is not becoming this generation's fairy, but to snatch Northern Plains' greatest treasure.'
Another voice appeared in Black Moon's mind at this moment.
'Sigh, you work too much, dear.'
'I'm sorry…' Black Moon instantly apologized to this third individual. 'Mother.'
'She needs to work a lot harder!' The charming voice from earlier spoke unhappily. 'I can only imagine a mother's love for their children, but coddling your daughter at this stage is not going to help any of us.'
'As for Lo Jik.' The same voice continued thoughtfully. 'It must be due to the recipe for rank 1 and 2 Human Adaptive Qi Gu Worms, right? I already researched this recipe thoroughly but the materials in it are simply put together too well. Ordinarily, I would have been able to swap some materials out to increase the success rate of the gu worm. After all, this gu worm is invented by a mortal gu master. But that isn't the case this time around. Trying to substitute a few materials lower the success rate, and deducing an entirely new recipe with this one as a base is simply unfeasible because Lo Jik made the best out of common and relatively cheap materials.'
'You mean…' Black Moon was slightly astonished. 'You cannot use your experience in refinement path to deduce recipes for higher-ranked variants of this gu worm?'
'Silly Little Moon.' The voice admonished a gu immortal like Black Moon. 'I told you before. Refinement path isn't as clear cut like other paths. It considers aspects and qualities of every other existing dao. Just this Human Adaptive Qi Gu touches qi and transformation paths.'
'Helping you breeze through early rounds in refinement path convention is significantly easier than deducing recipes for rank 3, 4, and 5 Human Adaptive Qi Gu worms.'
'You have time.' The third voice was calmer than the voice helping Black Moon gain better results in the convention.
'Time?' Black Moon chuckled wryly. 'Each tribulation costs me greatly, Mother. They are also significantly more dangerous compared to other gu immortals.'
'You still have your aunts.' Her mother chided. 'We knew it would be difficult to take down Huang Jin's symbol of prosperity. Just these little resources you burned through during your tribulations won't be enough at all.'
'Your mother is right, Little Moon.' The charming voice giggled. 'You're literally several hundred years too green to take on arrangements of a venerable. As for Lo Jik, I'm sure Human Adaptive Qi Gu is the least of your considerations when you demanded he became your consort.'
'That's right.' Black Moon agreed calmly. 'Love Gu might bring unexpected surprises later on, especially when considering the fact that even a venerable like Giant Sun failed to refine it.'
'So…' The voice drawled impishly. 'Do you want your mommy to teach you some tricks or do I get that pleasure all to myself?'
Black Moon spoke coldly.
'Speak carefully about my mother, Fairy Mo.'
'It's not like you'll spend centuries in cultivation. Some private relief is only natural and something like this is bound to occur in the future?' Fairy Mo persisted cheekily. 'Isn't it wise to set some boundaries right now? What do you think, Sister Su?'
'It's Little Lan's choice.' Black Moon's mother remarked calmly.
'Enough.' Black Moon interrupted coldly. 'I don't plan on sharing my bed with Gu Yue Lo Jik. He's merely a means to an end. Getting him on my side also serves to take down that annoying Xu Hao a notch and make him reconsider my circumstances because I'm no longer dependent on his faction.'
Her words didn't have their intended effects as Fairy Mo hummed cattily.
'Now, I know that you have experience in pleasing women as a man. You were a voracious one in your disguise. But how much of it can you handle as a woman? Not to mention the fact that Lo Jik must be quite experienced. He'd explore all your naughty secrets in a few minutes. We should compile the necessary tricks to teach Little Moon, Sister Su. How about you share some of your experience with me and I do the same? Though, I can assure you my husband packed quite the sword.'
'You dare utter such crass words to my mother?' Black Moon thundered furiously.
'It's not the size of the sword but how you wield it, Sister Mo.' Black Moon's mother chuckled calmly. 'But I'm also curious about the legendary Bo Qing.'
'Hehe, I knew it.' Fairy Mo laughed before complaining to Black Moon. 'And you should take it easy on us two dead women, Little Moon. You might as well focus on trying to revive us if you want us to focus on other things like cultivation. Do you know how lonely I was in that lake? But now I can finally spend my days contentedly with Sister Su.'
Black Moon snorted.
'Keep deducing the recipe for the rank 3 Human Adaptive Qi Gu worm if you have the time. Aren't you a reputable refinement path genius and a grandmaster? Have some decency!'
'You mistake me for my real body, Little Moon. I remember the results of being a refinement path grandmaster and possess some memories from my main body, but I'm no grandmaster. Though, I could reach that status in due time. Rest assured, I will keep deducing necessary recipes and killer moves. But let me have some fun, too.'
Black Moon couldn't argue as Fairy Mo sighed softly.
'And as we planned before, our current objective is to achieve a good reputation at this convention. Associating yourself with Lo Jik simplifies our situation, but he is no kind soul. You spent a lot of time trying to challenge him, but your first meeting with the man led you in getting extorted out of a rank 6 strength path immortal gu worm. In fact, it was your vital gu worm as a mortal, too.'
Fairy Black Moon couldn't help but feel angry at Lo Jik. Who would feel happy at losing such wealth? However, it was also Fairy Mo's counsel that helped her realize the kind of invulnerable position Lo Jik achieved during their negotiations.
'And the most surprising thing is his control over Love Gu. I don't recall my main body achieving anything like that.' Fairy Mo cautioned grimly. 'He isn't just an ambitious lad, but someone veiled in mystery. Of course, his so-called control might be a farce, else he wouldn't have needed to extort us. He could have easily used Love Gu to steal anything he liked.'
'But who would dare test it?' Fairy Black Moon retorted rhetorically.
'So, be it helping you in convention, deducing more recipes, or synthesizing killer moves—I'm currently in a stalemate in all these situations. See? I have nothing better than to do aside from chatting with Sister Su.'
Black Moon rolled her eyes and pointed out something new.
'Start helping me organize my blessed land's resources.'
'You are so ruthless, lass. Totally not cute!' Fairy Mo pouted.
'I disagree.' Black Moon's mother argued. 'Look at this memory from when Little Lan was a kid. Look how chubby she is. Is she not cute?'
'Mother…' Black Moon sighed deeply, unable to scold her mother.
<<<>>>
'This is my third immortal gu worm… and my second vital gu worm.'
A wasp flew around Lo Jik, obeying his will and stopping at times before flying again. But such beauty paled compared to Love Gu chasing after it. The wasp was the size of Lo Jik's pinky finger and looked gorgeous with its white exoskeleton and wings. It was the rank 6 immortal gu worm—Flying Bear Strength.
Like the series of other strength phantom gu worms, using Flying Bear Strength bestowed the strength of a desolate beast, Flying Bear. However, Lo Jik couldn't use it. He wouldn't be able to properly refine an immortal gu worm in the wild because it also required the will of a gu immortal through immortal essence.
Lo Jik was neither a gu immortal nor did he possess immortal essence. And his will carried through primeval essence wouldn't have budged a wild immortal gu worm's will, not to mention the inherent risk of an immortal gu worm activating its ability once it sensed a threat to their existence.
He could only refine this gu worm as his own due to Fairy Black Moon, which he replaced as his first aperture's vital gu worm using other rare gu worms.
'I will need to spend more immortal essence stones to purchase Flying Bear Strength's food.' He thought about the necessary expenditure before moving onto the benefits.
Oh, of course, Lo Jik knew he risked his carefully nurtured relationship with Feng Jin Huang's family by making such a deal with Black Moon. He also used Feng Jiu Ge's assistance in achieving this trade, something the cunning gu immortal won't take long to notice. But nothing compared to the benefit of acquiring a strength path immortal gu worm.
The Feng Faction might have taken a shine to him, but they weren't keen on investing in him. If not for that, Lo Jik might have received something more notable than a rudimentary strength path inheritance when he 'joined' Feng Faction after his meeting with Fairy Yi.
He grew up too fast, that was a fact. It was no longer a concern about potential or future growth.
His growth became a trend.
Lo Jik knew it, other supreme elders knew it, and even gu immortals of other ten sects knew this much.
'And they aren't looking down on my growth despite Divine Concealment. They're wary and feel even the lack of tribulations might not stop my growth.'
He sighed.
Still, even if they weren't so cautious, Lo Jik would not have received anything close to an immortal gu worm!
'Now, I can try advancing to a rank 6 gu immortal at my pace.' Lo Jik smiled. It was a great breakthrough from his current circumstances. All that remained was becoming a strength path grandmaster while finalizing his gu set.
'Once I become a rank 6 strength path gu immortal, I'll be independent enough to seek another safe location and advance my second aperture into a blessed land, too. It's a path to endless benefits, especially when I'll be a human path gu immortal!'
'But… Black Moon.'
The recollection of that masked woman dampened Lo Jik's excitement. He didn't know the reason behind her decision aside from the fact that he possessed Love Gu. Well, that should be enough, right? Love Gu is a legendary gu worm mentioned in <
'There is something more.' Lo Jik had something gnawing in the back of his mind. 'Being acknowledged by Love Gu should be the lion's share of her consideration, that much is true. What else made Black Moon think of me as a potential partner even after losing an immortal gu worm? What did she gain?'
Lo Jik felt just like Feng Jin Huang when she was left wondering why the former transacted one of his human path gu worm recipes alongside a killer move so easily.
He earned an immortal gu worm in that scenario.
So, what did Black Moon stand to gain?
'Could it be related to her appearance in Spirit Affinity House?' He thought idly.
There were simply too few clues.
'Anyways, being with Black Moon doesn't change the fact that Xu Hao's faction got no love for me. Isn't Zhe'er's grandmother part of it now? They won't help me during my breakthrough.'
'And now Feng Jiu Ge…'
He gained the vital piece necessary for his breakthrough and now required to complete other steps.
'Let's just see what he thinks at this point.'
Lo Jik wrote Feng Jiu Ge a letter, detailing most of his conversation with Black Moon. Furthermore, he thanked Feng Jiu Ge for his information and spun his words in a way that extorting an immortal gu worm from Black Moon was more damaging to her than him tying the knot meant for Feng Faction.
After all, they compromised a mortal to gain an immortal gu worm.
Surprisingly, Lo Jik received a swift response.
Feng Jiu Ge praised Lo Jik for his boldness and cautioned him against other supreme elders before congratulating his union with Black Moon. Furthermore, the strongest gu immortal of Central Continent suggested Lo Jik on getting ahead of this matter and inform his friends before they heard it from someone else.
'That's… it?'
Lo Jik blinked owlishly.
'He still wants me to maintain a relationship with Feng Jin Huang? Wait, no. He isn't pushing me towards her but simply alleviating my concerns about the matter entirely. He… he's taking a neutral stance even if it means not fighting for his daughter's ambition.'
<<<>>>
"Don't let this change bother you, Qing'er," Feng Jiu Ge spoke gently as he prepared his special tea with steady hands. His movements were fluid and graceful. However, Bai Qing couldn't focus on him. Other worrisome thoughts occupied her mind.
"That… Gu Yue Lo Jik must be punished." Bai Qing insisted. Her golden brows furrowed and she pursed her lips with a look of frustration. "He knowingly betrayed our trust after we took him in. He could only enjoy the benefits of being close to Feng Jin Huang because we allowed it."
Feng Jiu Ge smiled peacefully as he poured a cup of tea for his wife. They sat on a mountain peak under the shade of a lone, twisting tree. The veins on the leaves of the tree caught light of Feng Jiu Ge's blessed land and formed several rainbows around it. It looked like the couple rested under a cluster of rainbows from a distance.
Just a single leaf was worth several immortal essence stones, being a valued rank 7 gu refinement material.
"Could you have stopped Huang'er about someone once she made up her mind?" He asked before sipping his tea with a contended sigh.
Bai Qing reached for her cup and faltered at his words. She glared at Feng with quiet grievances.
"You won't let me tell Little Huang about this matter and let her focus on her ambition of being a sect fairy. Now, you won't deal with Lo Jik, who sided with Huang'er's opponent. Are you still her father?"
Feng Jiu Ge couldn't help but laugh a little as Bai Qing shifted in her cushion.
"I would have been worried for our daughter if it was before. Now? Would she truly falter even if she doesn't obtain the recognition necessary for the position of the sect's fairy? What benefit does telling her achieve aside from distracting her from her cultivation?"
Feng Jiu Ge smiled gently. His loving gaze instantly soothed Bai Qing's worries.
"Lo Jik just extorted an immortal gu worm from Fairy Black Moon. This achievement does not merit any punishment… but we can't reward him either. I also won't interfere with how this changes Huang'er's thoughts about Lo Jik after his sudden relationship with Black Moon."
Bai Qing frowned again.
"Does this have something to do with your discussion with Fairy Yi?" She inquired.
Feng Jiu Ge recalled the tale about Giant Sun Venerable and the implied traces of the essence of luck path he heard from Fairy Yi back when he paid some resources to become the gu immortal managing the mortal affairs.
He was still in that position.
'Circumstances might seem calm on the surface after Lo Jik broke through other sects' schemes. But that's only on the surface. Luck… it's like a tide. It rises drastically after every crash. The competition of ten sects ended, but our internal conflict just resumed. People like Elder Ya from mortal administration are struck with a string of misfortunes and some mortals, like Disciple Yang Pao and others, began to thrive. Feng Jin Huang and Lo Jik… both of them must be people with great innate fortune. Alas, there is no way to confirm my suspicions. Interfering in their matter in this sensitive moment will break a certain equilibrium and possibly for the worst.'
"It does." Feng Jiu Ge admitted with a nod. "But there is also a more selfish intent, Qing'er. You know what the deal made by the group behind Black Moon and first supreme elder means. Our earlier interest in Lo Jik stemmed from his ability to inherit Divine Concealment. But that matter is no longer our concern."
"He's been allowed to assist Fairy Yi." Bai Qing noted reluctantly. Even she had to admit to Lo Jik's… brilliance.
"Human Adaptive Qi Gu and Human Skin Gu worms will also work well together." Feng Jiu Ge predicted the future. "Black Moon was going to lose an immortal gu worm or her chances at being a sect fairy. So, she chose to trade an immortal gu worm with the creator of Human Adaptive Qi Gu. I believe she wants to control the recipes for its higher-ranked variants and gain more initiative in that plan. Lo Jik's value as a future asset only seems to rise."
"His association with dream path also makes him invaluable to Huang'er." Bai Qing finally sipped her tea as her mood calmed down. Her thoughts were no longer about protecting Feng Jin Huang but the latter's growth.
"I hope she's calm enough to see reason and maintain a good relationship with Lo Jik."
Just then the couple received another letter gu worm.
It was Feng Jin Huang's curt response after she heard about the shift of Lo Jik's allegiance from the man himself.
"I don't care what you think…" Feng Jiu Ge recited the letter loud enough while sipping tea and barely veiling the mischievous twinkle in his eyes. "But I will strip that bald man naked and castrate him… Huh, so she's willing to maintain a good relationship with Lo Jik after all."
"Let's celebrate, dear." Feng Jiu Ge scooted near Bai Qing. "It's been so long since we met each other like this."
Bai Qing brightened up and held his hands.
"Why don't I also maintain a good relationship with you, Dear?" She questioned with a sweet and love-stricken smile.
Feng Jiu Ge's expression froze as she snorted coldly and left the mountain peak.
Sighing, he finished his tea and chased after her.
'Damn that little bastard.' Feng Jiu Ge cursed under his breath. Lo Jik managed to disrupt the calm of his entire family and still got away with an immortal gu worm!
***
Alternate Title: The age old tactic of embarrassing kids with their photo as children; Cucked Feng Jin Huang and blue-balled Feng Jiu Ge; Lo Jik is a menace for the entire Feng Family; Two voices; The angel and devil on Black Moon's shoulders; Northern Plains' greatest treasure; Fairy Mo and Sister Su comparing notes and readying Black Moon; Another Dom; Flying Bear Strength Immortal Gu Worm; Rank 6 vital gu worm; A step away; Curious Lo Jik; Lacking clues; She who controls Lo Jik controls rizz; Black Moon's secret; The secret ring grandma; Everyone got spirits to chat with; Castration?; Qin Juan in shambles right now; Feng Jiu Ge's neutrality; Feng Jin Huang is calm… right?
***
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