The heavy wooden doors of the Gu Hall closed behind Ye Xue Han with a dull thud.
Inside, the air was cool and quiet. Rows of sealed jars, baskets, and different storages lined the shelves, each containing rank one Gu worms. The scent of aged wood and herbal incense lingered faintly in the air, giving an odd smell.
At the far end of the hall, an academy elder stood with arms behind his back. He looked at Ye Xue Han with an impassive expression.
"You may choose one Gu," the elder said. "Think carefully. This will be your vital Gu — the foundation of your path."
Xue Han gave a small bow, then turned to look through the options.
There were more Gu available than he expected. Dozens of jars pulsed faintly with life, some more vibrant than others. Most were Water Path Gu, the clan's specialty. He quickly recognized one of them.
Water Arrow Gu sat near the center of the display, its faint blue glow unmistakable. The clan's signature Gu — precise and dependable, one most Ye Clan youths chose by default.
There was also Soothing Water Gu, used for gentle healing, and Bubble Shield Gu, a simple defense Gu. Off to the side, quieter and less regarded, was Drip Step Gu, its pale form pulsing faintly like a droplet on a leaf.
A few non-Water Path Gu were available too — Stone Skin Gu, Wind Palm Gu, and Tremor Bug Gu — but they were fewer in number and clearly not maintained as well.
Xue Han lingered in front of the Water Arrow Gu for a few seconds. It was a solid, practical choice. He would be safe choosing it. No one would question it.
He looked at the elder.
"Elder," he said calmly, "I have made my choice."
—
That night, Ye Xue Han sat cross-legged on the floor of his small home, the faint light of a candle flickering over the rough wood.
Before him lay the Gu he had chosen.
It was not the expected Water Arrow Gu — the clan's signature, the safe and popular choice.
Instead, it was the Drip Step Gu.
A small, pale blue worm no larger than his thumb, pulsing faintly with a watery light.
Shockingly unimpressive to most, but to Ye Xue Han, it symbolized something different.
He chose the Drip Step Gu because it aligned with his desire for subtlety and survival — movement and escape over brute force. While the Water Arrow Gu was strong in piercing attack, the Drip Step Gu's ability to enhance speed suited his cautious approach.
He recalled the elder's lesson from the academy:
"Gu are the essence of heaven and earth, born with their own will. They live freely under the sky, wild and untamed. When you refine a Gu, you channel your primeval essence from the aperture — the Primeval Sea inside your body — into it. You suppress its original will and force it to submit."
Ye Xue Han's aperture felt both vast and small inside him, an infinite space lined with a thin membrane of shimmering light — the hope Gu's remnant glow. Inside, the Primeval Sea shimmered in green copper — the essence color of a Rank 1 Gu Master, ranging through shades like jade green, pale green, dark green, and black green. Xue Han's was jade green in color, signifying the Initial stage of Rank 1.
With a deep breath, he focused his mind.
The Primeval Sea roiled, and a jet of green-copper primeval essence surged forth, flowing through his body and out into the Drip Step Gu.
The Gu trembled violently, its will pushing back against the flood.
It was a living creature resisting being tamed.
This was the struggle every Gu Master faced — the process was difficult and unforgiving.
Ye Xue Han clenched his fists, steadying his breath.
He tried again, slowing the flow, guiding the essence gently.
The Gu's flickering glow steadied slightly but still resisted.
Failure after failure, sweat beaded on his brow. His circulation of essence was still weak and clumsy. The refining process demanded perfect control, or the Gu's resistance would only grow.
But Ye Xue Han did not waver.
He whispered to the Gu, "Better to escape another day than kill one enemy only to fall to another. Movement and survival come before recklessness."
Step by step, he would make the Drip Step Gu his.
The candle flickered low as the night deepened.
And so began Ye Xue Han's long and difficult journey to become a true Gu Master.
—
Three days had passed since Ye Xue Han had chosen his Drip Step Gu.
The academy courtyard buzzed with quiet murmurs as the early morning lessons came to a close. Rows of students sat cross-legged on the worn stone floor beneath the open-roofed structure, their robes fluttering faintly in the sea breeze. Each one had a Gu in hand, faint lights pulsing from their palms as they practiced refining their vital Gu.
Ye Xue Han sat near the back, hunched over slightly, his brows furrowed in concentration.
"I think I'm more than halfway there," he muttered under his breath, "Three days and seven stones spent already. If I'm right… maybe another two, no three days, and I'll have it."
Refining a Gu was never easy. Without proper control and experience, most students took at least a week — some even longer. The primeval essence inside his jade green aperture had already dimmed slightly, requiring him to replenish it with primeval stones each day. He had used seven primeval stones so far to accelerate the process.
Thankfully, the academy provided a weekly stipend of five stones to all new students — enough for bare essentials, barely.
Beside him, a few students grumbled softly about how slow their progress was. The murmurs stopped as footsteps echoed through the courtyard.
A tall, middle-aged man with short, dark hair and a plain blue robe stepped onto the teaching platform. His aura was stable and controlled, and though he wasn't an elder, his movements commanded attention.
This was Instructor Ye Ming Chun, a Rank 2 Middle stage Gu Master, and the primary teacher for the academy's current batch. Unlike Elder Ye Rong Shui, who only appeared during major events or examinations, Ye Ming Chun oversaw the day-to-day lessons and progress of the students.
"Quiet down," he said, voice firm but not unkind.
The courtyard fell silent.
"You've all had three days to begin refining your chosen Gu. Some of you may be close. Others, not even halfway."
He paced slowly in front of the class.
"Let me give you some incentive."
Ye Xue Han raised his head, watching with interest.
"The first student to successfully refine their Gu will receive an additional thirty-five primeval stones."
A ripple of excitement ran through the students.
"Use them wisely — for better food, more cultivation, or even to trade for other resources. But remember: those who fall behind… will always have less. This world does not wait for the slow."
Ye Ming Chun's gaze swept across the courtyard. "Now, continue. Focus. Control your essence. Make the Gu yours."
Ye Xue Han sighed slowly and closed his eyes.
He was already close — now he just needed precision.
He knew winning was just a pipe dream, but with thirty-five primeval stones down the line? He'll be damned if he doesn't try.