Chapter 44 Progress

Inside the insatiable blessed land, the masked will of the MC hovered over the center lake, which was now named Dragonfish Lake. Inside the lake, what was once a grey Qi carp was now full of full-blooded dragonfish.

Their red eyes and matching scales showed how they had transformed after a few generations of constant feeding off each other and the killer move that was changing them. They were now true dragonfish, but only mortal ones. Their flesh could feed a portion of mortal Gu food, but the higher the rank, the more was needed to satiate a Gu's hunger.

However, it wouldn't stay that way for long. I activated a mortal killer move that shot out a light grey beam, hitting half of Dragonfish Lake. The name of the killer move was "Fast Forwarding Light." All things hit by the light would have their rate of time fast-forwarded, and the longer the light shone on them, the more time would be fast-forwarded.

It was part of the original Time Path inheritance I bought with Fast Forward Gu, only strengthened by adding more Gu. There were a lot of downsides, though. Each use consumed a lot of Fast Forward Gu, and it was a killer move that could be easily countered, as it used light as a medium to affect its targets.

Not to mention, as a mortal killer move, it was weak against stronger beings. Even Beast Kings would have a higher degree of resistance against it, but it was just perfect for these mortal dragonfish. With their rate of time fast-forwarding, the weaker dragonfish would die off, becoming food for the others. Their need to reproduce would also increase, but the most important thing was that it would eventually nurture a Beast King dragonfish.

I'd be able to nurture a desolate dragonfish naturally in my blessed land. Since my blessed land is a Food Path one, it's the perfect place to nurture these Food Path beasts. The only place that could be better would be a place with more Food Path Dao marks or a formation meant for nurturing them.

Dragonfish aren't just for feeding Gu, but for other beasts too. Dragonfish will be used to feed almost all of my future beasts and plants for my blessed land. With their Food Path Dao marks and high reproduction rate, I'll never have to worry about creatures running out of food.

The main body had ordered the lake to be expanded by creating a long line cutting the blessed land in half. With more space, the dragonfish would have better lives, allowing them to reproduce more peacefully and suffer less from each other over time. This expansion would also make it easier for future beings inside the lake to access fresh water and food. The main body had provided several Qi Shape Gu to help carve out the blessed land for them.

MC POV

Steep Tea Gu was being constantly refined to the Immortal level. I had to replace the wine barrels over and over again. If I had better Food Path resources, I could speed up the refinement, but I was too poor right now when it came to purer Food Path materials. Turning many resources into Dao water and then into wine was my best option for now.

I left the process of continuously refilling Food Path resources to a masked will. I spent most of my time refining Rank 4 and Rank 5 Gu that required my personal attention. The only other thing that needed my personal attention was that the Bain Clan used the Communication Gu I gave them to reach out to me.

"Greetings, Masked Immortal. My nephews told me they ran into you after your relative ascended. Congratulations to the both of you. My nephew also told me you helped him get a better understanding of his transformation. We'd like to thank you while having you over as our guest. I'd also like to talk to you about the Dao of Wisdom Path. After all, I do know about your ancestor, Masked Immortal. He was a great man. Sincerely, Lost Thought Immortal."

Lost Thought Immortal, the Wisdom Path Gu Immortal of the Bain Clan. He's a very dangerous immortal. Just like his name implies, he's capable of making others lose their train of thought. He became famous after being attacked by a Rank 6 demonic immortal who was trying to snatch an immortal material from him.

Lost Thought Immortal used a method that made him forget about the material, causing him to leave the battle on his own accord. It wasn't until later that he remembered what had happened. He had both lost the immortal material and gained the anger of the Bain Clan. To make others more wary, he spread what had happened to him to all immortals who didn't have good relationships with the Bain Clan.

This made him lose some face, but it also put a spotlight on Lost Thought Immortal. Eventually, he embraced the name after being repeatedly called the immortal who makes you lose your train of thought. I agreed to meet with them, but only when I was free.

I'd also have to make sure we meet somewhere other than their clan to play it safe. Though that's an issue for later, for now, my main priorities were refining Gu. I had been so focused on refining that I'd often lose track of time, only learning how much time had passed when asking the Masked Spirit.

My refinements had many fruitful outcomes, but I was no master. With the Gu being of other paths, failure was often a result. Eventually, I hurt my soul more than I was comfortable with. So after healing, I decided to leave the refinement process to some wills for the time being.

I flew over to a lake that held the Kelp Kraken, who no longer fit inside the current lake. I had taken it out and had the Masked Spirit use many methods to subdue it. It's much too large, so it looks like I'll have to trim this overgrown plant. Using Immortal Masked Emotion gu, I used a stronger Emotionless State Killer Move on the Kelp Kraken.

After being hit with the Mask, the Kelp Kraken remained motionless. Then, using many Mortal Qi Shape Gu, I created large scissors to cut off excessive parts of the plant. As its pieces fell, other Qi hands appeared to move them. Eventually, the Kelp Kraken was small enough to fit into the lake, albeit awkwardly.

Normally, the Kelp Kraken would lash out if I attempted to chop off pieces of it, even with the subduing methods in place. But with the Emotionless State Killer Move, it wouldn't care. Even when the Killer Move wore off, it would now be in a weaker state and easier to subdue if it lashed out.

Taking the pieces of the Kelp Kraken into my blessed land, I made my way into Shapeless Blessed Land. There, Shapeless Spirit was waiting for me. He was in his old man form as he greeted me. "Welcome back, master! Good news! I was able to successfully refine Drain Blood Gu to Rank 6."

He pulled out from his body the red leech that now emitted the aura of a Rank 6 Immortal Gu. I knew this Gu would reach the Immortal rank; it was never a matter of if, but when. "Wonderful, good job, Shapeless," I said, taking Drain Blood Gu into my blessed land.

"If only I had a Gu like that, what would have become of me?" he said, his eyes seemingly filled with tears. He was right. Had he advanced Qi Shape Gu, he would have been able to turn many of his Mortal Killer Moves into Immortal ones after some work since he already had the Mortal foundation for them. He likely would have become a powerful immortal.

"That's life; you never know what could happen," I told Shapeless Spirit. "Still, I can't help but be envious of you, master. You've only just ascended, and you already have three Immortal Gu. Meanwhile, most immortals are struggling to try to get just one," he sighed after saying that. "Sounds like a skill issue to me."

Taking Drain Blood Gu now won't starve anytime soon, but it's also become much more difficult to further refine Drain Blood Gu to rank up. I can passively feed it to refine it further, but there are better ways to do so—ways that require me to have key Immortal Gu to speed up the process.

The next key Gu I should refine is not Small Appetite, not Large Appetite, not even Liquid Gu or Wine Gu, not Food Coat Gu, and not Medical Scent Gu. The best Gu to refine next would be Nutrient Gu. With it, I'll be able to perform many of my Immortal Killer Moves and even assist in ranking up my other Food Path Gu, but unlike all the other Gu, I severely lack the materials to refine it.

I can use the Dead Sea as a material and turn a bunch of materials into Dao water and then into wine for another material, but I would still lack some other ingredients. I should go out and get some funds and make some connections. That way, I can earn some Immortal Essence Stones and make connections to trade or buy some materials. That's why I left a Communication Gu with the Bain Clan.

The righteous clans have a huge network of connections to trade and buy materials from one another. They also allow other lone cultivators to trade with them, so long as they haven't done anything wrong. Though I'm sure they still trade with demonic cultivators,though it will be much harder for them to do so.

I already have a righteous path reputation thanks to being the inheritor of the Masked Immortal's Gu inheritance. During my meeting with the Bain Clan immortals, I'll be sure to solidify my righteous beliefs in front of them, but not until Steep Tea Gu advances.