Flying Flower Gu: A Rank Four Wood Path flying Gu. When used, it forms a giant flower beneath the Gu Master's feet, lifting the Gu Master into flight.
Ghost Face Gu: A Rank Four Soul Path Gu that can cause a huge impact on Souls.
These two Gu might not be a perfect fit, but they can significantly boost Zhou Ming's strength in a short time.
Additionally, Zhou Ming also pointed out and bought several Gu that he hadn't exchanged in the Main God Space before. He then sold a few Rank Three Silver Relic Gu exchanged from the Main God, earning back the primeval stones he had just spent, with plenty left over.
Seeing that there were no more Gu he needed here, Zhou Ming left the shop and entered the next one.
Unfortunately, Zhou Ming didn't find any suitable Gu in this shop, so after buying a few Gu to sell to the Main God, he continued to the next shop.
For several days in a row, Zhou Ming wandered through the Market, decisively buying any unique Gu he saw.
However, Rank Four Gu were still too rare. Besides the three Zhou Ming encountered on the first day, he only managed to buy three suitable Gu for himself in the next five days.
A Rank Four Wood Path defensive Gu, the Iron Shell Flower Gu.
The Iron Shell Flower is a common plant in Northern Plains. Its petals are as hard as steel, capable of resisting beast attacks.
There is also a common animal on the prairie called the Pollen Rabbit, which doesn't dig burrows but lives within Iron Shell Flowers.
Later, a Gu Master researched a secret formula to refine Gu using Iron Shell Flowers, even advancing it to Rank Five. Since the Materials are not rare, it is considered a relatively common Rank Four defensive Gu.
The other two were Soul Path Gu, namely Elusive Gu and Mind Clarity Gu.
The Rank Four Elusive Gu is an advanced version of the Rank Three movement Gu.
Zhou Ming bought the Mind Clarity Gu to counteract the side effects of the Soul Devouring Refining Scripture, as it helps a Gu Master maintain a clear mind.
Zhou Ming tried it, and the Mind Clarity Gu indeed suppressed the influence of chaotic thoughts, allowing him to stay clear-headed and rational.
However, this was only treating the symptoms, not the root cause. He couldn't constantly activate this Gu, so it could only be used as an emergency measure; he still needed to find other methods.
The Soul Path is currently flourishing, with numerous Gu and many Gu Masters cultivating the Soul Path. Soul Path Gu sell much better than other Gu, so various families have ample stock, offering a wider range of choices.
'Sigh, this Market looks large, but its quality is actually inferior to the Market near the Zhou Family. There are too few high-Rank Gu.'
Unable to find suitable Gu, Zhou Ming could only try to refine the Gu he had on hand.
In these past few days, while buying Gu, he had also been acquiring Gu Refinement Materials and Gu formulas.
Fortunately, while Rank Four Gu are precious, the Rank Three Gu Zhou Ming possessed were relatively common, and their Gu formulas were not rare, allowing Zhou Ming to buy several.
In a certain Gu Refinement room of the Chang Family, Zhou Ming was refining Gu.
The Iron Vine Gu floated before him, enveloped in a shimmering green light.
"Frost Powder Flower Gu."
Zhou Ming pointed, and a Gu flew out, landing beneath the Iron Vine Gu. It grew roots, stems, and leaves, then bloomed into a fist-sized pink flower, perfectly enclosing the Iron Vine Gu within its heart.
"Same Dust Soil."
Zhou Ming then took out a lump of black soil and gently rubbed it over the pink flower. Fine soil particles drifted down, quickly turning the pink to brown, and the green light inside also deepened in color.
"Again, Autumn Frost Water."
A crystal ladybug Gu flew out, completely transparent as if made of crystal, with a hollow abdomen, typically used by Gu Masters to hold precious water liquids.
Zhou Ming carefully poured the Autumn Frost Water from this crystal ladybug, letting it fall onto the flower. Immediately, it was as if concentrated sulfuric acid had been spilled, with white smoke rising and a pungent odor spreading.
"Oh no!"
Zhou Ming inwardly cried out, 'Not good!' Before he could react, a faint explosion came from the white smoke, blasting it open.
A Gu fell from mid-air, caught by Zhou Ming. It was indeed the Iron Vine Gu, but its condition was very poor, and it couldn't be activated for a long time.
"Failed again." Zhou Ming waved his hand to dispel the smoke, his expression not good.
"The money I've invested in this over the past few days is enough to buy a Rank Four Gu, yet I haven't succeeded even once. Gu Refinement is arduous!"
The Refinement Path can be said to be a Dao that has accompanied the development of the Gu World. All Gu Masters have more or less refined Gu.
Zhou Ming's Refinement Path Realm could only be described as abysmal. His cultivation rose too quickly; it had only been a year and a half since he became a Gu Master, with Rank One taking up a year. By now, the number of times he had refined Gu was simply negligible.
Now, to attempt to refine a Rank Four Gu right off the bat was truly wishful thinking.
"Gu Refinement cannot stop. I have ample resources. At worst, I'll just accumulate experience one failure at a time. Otherwise, my Refinement Path will never improve."
"I also need to visit the Market more often. Who knows, I might still find the Gu I need."
On the sixth day, Zhou Ming unexpectedly discovered Rank Three Soul Cleansing Gu and immediately bought all the stock.
The Soul Cleansing Gu is a Soul Path cultivation Gu, whose purpose is to remove Impurities from the Soul and purify it. However, if used excessively, it will even remove the essence from the Soul.
Rank One to Rank Five Soul Cleansing Gu are all consumable Gu, which is why Zhou Ming bought all the Soul Cleansing Gu here. But when it reaches Rank Six and becomes an Immortal Gu, it is no longer a consumable Gu and can be used continuously.
Unfortunately, although Zhou Ming knew where the Soul Cleansing Immortal Gu was, he couldn't obtain it now, nor could he use it if he did, so he simply chose not to think about it.
Three more days passed. Zhou Ming's repeated, persistent attempts at Gu Refinement failed, not only depleting most of his Materials but also killing his Rank Three Iron Vine Gu, which greatly angered Zhou Ming.
After another fruitless trip to the Market, Zhou Ming returned disheartened, only to encounter a drunken Chang Shan Yin.
"Oh, Brother Chang, why are you so drunk in the middle of the day? This isn't like you."
Seeing Chang Shan Yin stagger towards him, Zhou Ming quickly stepped forward to support him, lest he trip over himself.
"Little brother, I... I'm not, not happy! Accom... accompany me for a drink!"
Chang Shan Yin held two wineskins in his hand, his eyes bleary with intoxication as he swayed towards Zhou Ming.
Zhou Ming observed him carefully for two seconds, realizing Chang Shan Yin's expression wasn't feigned. He took one of the wineskins and said, "Alright, if Brother Chang is in a bad mood, today I'll risk my life to accompany you. Let's go find a place to drink to our heart's content."
"Drink to our heart's content!" Chang Shan Yin laughed heartily, summoned two Wind Wolves, and with effort, climbed onto a wolf's back, then lay sprawled on its back, urging the Wind Wolf to run fast.
Soon, the two Wind Wolves carried them to an uninhabited low hill. Chang Shan Yin tumbled off the wolf's back and fell to the ground. He didn't get up, but just lay on the grass, gulping down wine.
Zhou Ming jumped off his Wind Wolf and sat beside Chang Shan Yin. The wineskin in his hand had already been tested with a Grass Willow Gu on the way, and there were no problems. Chang Shan Yin also had no reason to harm him, so Zhou Ming silently drank with Chang Shan Yin, waiting for him to speak first.
Sure enough, after a short while, Chang Shan Yin sat up, reeking of alcohol and slurring, "Little brother, do you... do you have a woman you like?"
Zhou Ming swallowed a mouthful of wine, his tone melancholic: "I once did."
"Oh?" Chang Shan Yin laughed, "I didn't expect... little brother, you're not old, but you've... had a relationship before?"
Zhou Ming smiled, not explaining anything.
"Then little brother... why do you say 'once'? Do you, do you not like that woman you liked anymore?"
Zhou Ming shook his head: "It's not that I don't like her, it's that I can't see her anymore."
"Oh..." Chang Shan Yin understood, patted Zhou Ming's shoulder, and sighed, "Brother, I know... our Northern Plains... it's just, it's just like this. Everyone fights and kills to survive, to make a living, and you never know when you'll, you'll..."
Zhou Ming still smiled, only taking a gulp of wine, letting Chang Shan Yin come up with his own answer.
"Little brother, you must listen to my advice. In this world... never miss the woman you love! When you meet her, you must seize her! You must hold onto her! Never wait until you've lost her... and then regret it!"
"What about you, Brother? Since you're so clear about this, why are you drinking alone here?" Zhou Ming retorted.
Chang Shan Yin froze, his hand half-raised, stuck in mid-air, letting the wine splash down onto the grass.
"Yes, that's right, little brother, you're right!"
He suddenly stood up, excitedly exclaiming, "I love her, and I will have her! She is mine, and no one will take her away! Hahahahaha..."
He threw away his wineskin, excitedly mounted a Wind Wolf, and urged it to rush back to the Family camp, completely forgetting Zhou Ming's existence in his overwhelming excitement.
"..." Zhou Ming watched the gradually disappearing Chang Shan Yin speechlessly. His swaying, bumpy figure on the wolf's back made one worry if he would fall off and kill himself.
"He's not going to try to forcibly take Ni Xuetong, is he?" Zhou Ming blinked, letting out a gasp of surprise.
"At this point in time, it's not yet when Chang Biao and Ni Xuetong get married. If Chang Shan Yin acts now, isn't he bringing everything forward?"
"Hehe, brilliant, truly brilliant."
Zhou Ming mounted the remaining Wind Wolf and slowly walked back.
When he arrived back at the Chang Family camp, he coincidentally ran into Chang Biao, who was riding a Camel Wolf with a look of grief and indignation, rushing out of the camp in a flurry.
After watching Chang Biao leave, Zhou Ming pulled over a patrolling Gu Master to inquire.
Sure enough, just as Zhou Ming had thought, Chang Shan Yin had just returned to the Family, directly stormed into Ni Xuetong's Gu house, snatched her onto a wolf's back, and fled, leaving the Family camp immediately.
Afterwards, Chang Biao, upon hearing of the incident, rushed back. Upon learning the full story, he immediately rushed out to search for the two.
However, given the huge disparity in strength between him and Chang Shan Yin, Zhou Ming had already foreseen his tragic outcome... That day, Chang Shan Yin did not return to the camp, but the Chang Family's reconnaissance Gu Masters saw his wolf pack, and also saw Chang Biao bitterly following behind the wolf pack.
The next day, Chang Shan Yin still did not return to the camp. His wolf pack also remained within the sight of the Chang Family's reconnaissance Gu Masters, hunting as usual and patrolling around the Family.
On the third day, Chang Shan Yin did not return.
On the fourth day, Chang Shan Yin finally returned, riding on the back of a White-Eyed Wolf, with a seductive, flushed Ni Xuetong in his arms. He was utterly spirited and at ease.
Not long after, Chang Biao also returned.
Zhou Ming went to take a look, but only saw a 'walking corpse' with a dead heart and lost Soul.
There was no longer any light in his eyes; all that remained was a hatred that pierced to the bone.