Chapter 4: The Forbidden Tomes of Gu Refinement

After the exhausting ceremonies of the previous day, Shen Li couldn't rest. Instead, driven by a restless curiosity about the cauldron's transformative powers, he grabbed a weathered fishing net and set off toward a secluded marsh near the edge of the island. He knew this was a place where frogs thrived.

After a patient search amid the damp undergrowth, Shen Li managed to catch five frogs. As he examined his quarry in the fading light, he muttered to himself, "There are two distinct species here—two with vibrant green skin, and the others, three of them, are brown with black spots and a particularly slimy texture. They all belong to the frog family. Let's see if the cauldron's power works on creatures other than bugs."

Satisfied with his collection, he gently placed the frogs into his backpack and returned to his modest dwelling. Without delay, Shen Li made his way back to the hous chamber where the cauldron rested

Standing before it, Shen Li took a deep breath and activated the cauldron. The colossal head of the cauldron swung open like a cavernous worm's maw. With deliberate care, he released his captured frogs into the gaping opening. Almost immediately, the cauldron's lid snapped shut, sealing his offerings inside.

Through the engraved runes on its surface, Shen Li could only observe the miniature battle unfolding within. The images soon turned violent: the five frog engravings clashed in a frenzied melee. Every time one frog managed to kill another, the defeated form dissolved into a dark, viscous liquid, which was swiftly absorbed by its victor. The process was brutal and mesmerizing—a ruthless cycle of death and consumption.

After what seemed like an eternity in these condensed moments of conflict, only one frog remained. As the cauldron's lid creaked open once more, the surviving frog emerged, transformed and enormous. Compared to its original size, it had grown dramatically; its skin now bore a striking pattern—a mix of green and black—with an even greater, almost otherworldly sliminess. Shen Li reached out, but the creature wriggled and slipped through his grasp, its size nearly spanning the breadth of both his hands.

Stunned, Shen Li stared at the magnificent, newly forged amphibian. His eyes shone with excitement as he quickly pulled out his journal. With a shaky hand, he recorded his observations:

"It appears that the cauldron can improve even the humble frog. The transformation was incredible—a brutal evolution that condensed their life force into one formidable specimen. This raises an intriguing question: if it can enhance a frog, might it work on mammals as well? What if it could unlock untapped potential in even human blood? The possibilities are both exhilarating and dangerous."

A shiver ran down his spine as he swallowed hard.

Shen Li's pen scratched fervently across the pages of his battered journal as he meticulously recorded the results of the frog experiment. His observations were detailed, the implications of the cauldron's transformative power etched into every line. As he scribbled down his notes on potential future experiments—pondering the possibility of applying this transformation to mammalian blood—he glanced up and caught sight of the sun blazing high overhead.

"It's already noon," he murmured to himself, the realization snapping him back to the present. With a reluctant sigh, he closed the journal, carefully tucking it away into a leather satchel. The transformed frog, now a grotesquely enlarged specimen of shimmering green and black, remained on a crude platform in his modest house.

Shen Li set off toward the fortress for the library.

Upon reaching the imposing gates of the fortress, Shen Li navigated through its labyrinthine corridors until he arrived at the library station. This sanctuary of ancient texts and forbidden lore was one of the few links the clan maintained with its storied past. Inside, the air was thick with the scent of old parchment and incense

As he entered the library, Shen Li exchanged a brief nod with an elderly attendant.

Shen Li made a respectful hand gesture as he approached a secluded section of the underground library, where a quiet, ancient figure stood vigil. The attendant, known as Elder Zao, turned to him with calm, measured eyes.

"Hi, I come for initial cultivation techniques," Shen Li announced in a low voice.

Elder Zao nodded slowly. "You may select any cultivation technique from the first floor," he said, gesturing to the rows of dusty scrolls and worn tomes that lined the walls. "There, you'll find many techniques for skin refining."

He paused and added, "I have already explained this to your friend, and I'll tell you the same: you don't need to choose an overpowered skin refining technique. There is no such thing as absolute strength. If you choose an overly dominating technique, it could easily slow down your cultivation rather than aid it."

Shen Li regarded Elder Zao thoughtfully, absorbing the elder's measured advice. "So, it's best to choose something balanced?" he inquired quietly.

Elder Zao's eyes glittered with a steely intensity as he leaned forward, his voice low and resolute. "There are no true balances in these methods," he began, gesturing toward a worn scroll that detailed various skin refining techniques. "Some techniques can forge an extraordinarily hard skin—so hard, in fact, that the damage isn't merely absorbed by the skin. Instead, the force penetrates deeper, affecting your organs. The opposite is also true. You may choose a softer skin method, one that makes your skin more elastic. Such a technique can serve as a foundation for brute strength, since softer skin and muscles can absorb damage more effectively. But be warned—it will lower your resistance to swords and spears."

Shen Li frowned as he considered the implications. "I don't have much knowledge about martial arts, but isn't it true that nearly all our martial artists always have a weapon at hand? In our world, where swords and spears are the norm, wouldn't hard skin refining be more advantageous for the general public?"

A small smile tugged at Elder Zao's lips as he nodded. "Yes, you're right in that respect. Hard skin is indeed popular. However, because of that popularity, many schools have honed the soft-skill approaches to effectively counterbalance that hardness. That is why I cannot simply advise you on which path to choose—no single martial art is supreme in every situation."

He paused, his gaze fixed on Shen Li. "Believe me, a balanced technique is often worse than extremes. If you attempt to follow a middle path, you risk suffering losses on both sides. If you find yourself unable to choose, then let me offer you one final piece of advice: focus on our Shen Family's '13 Blood Vein Technique' as your cultivation manual. It isn't overwhelmingly strong at the outset, but subsequent texts and teachings will unlock truly supernatural abilities."

Shen Li wandered among the dusty shelves on the first floor of the library, scanning through several cultivation manuals. As he leafed through one particularly worn tome, he frowned and murmured, "Why do some of these books have purple strings attached to them?"

From behind a nearby stack of scrolls, Elder Zao's voice carried softly yet clearly, "Those purple strings indicate that the technique contains an element of supernatural power in its next sequence. They're not overwhelmingly potent at the beginning—they serve merely to lay the foundation for that power. But once you reach a certain point, the supernatural abilities within will awaken."

Shen Li's eyes roamed over the pages until one title caught his attention: Divine Bull Skin Technique. The book was adorned with intricate illustrations, and, true to Elder Zao's words, purple strings were woven through the text and diagrams. Intrigued, he carefully picked it up.

"Interesting," Shen Li remarked quietly, running his fingers over the purple-tinged calligraphy. "It seems promising."

Elder Zao nodded approvingly. "If you can master a technique like this, you'll have a strong foundation for supernatural development. Remember, the power lies not in immediate strength, but in the potential to grow beyond your current limits."

Shen Li wandered among the ancient shelves, his eyes scanning the rows of worn scrolls and leather-bound tomes. He pulled out one book titled Giant Mountain Ox Skin—its cover bound with vibrant purple strings. After a few minutes of reading, he mused aloud, "It seems that after muscle refining, this technique will grant divine strength." With that, he carefully returned the book to its place and continued his search.

As he browsed through hundreds of techniques, a pattern began to emerge: those adorned with purple strings all carried names evoking gold or stone—symbols of steady, reliable enhancement. But then, something caught his eye—a single technique bound with a striking red string. Intrigued, he whispered, "What about the red string? What does it represent?"

At that moment, Elder Zao emerged from behind a nearby shelf. His lined face, etched with decades of discipline and hard-won wisdom, softened slightly as he addressed Shen Li.

"Those techniques," Elder Zao explained, "can only be cultivated by our bloodline. However, your blood must already be of a high enough quality—at least level five. Otherwise, you risk losing control of your blood, and the excessive flow could even be fatal. In our practice, we usually permit only those with level six qualification to attempt them, because the red string signifies that these methods will unleash super strength once you reach the blood refining stage. Cultivating a martial artist at the blood refining level is exceedingly difficult; even if you possess level five quality, you may regret your choice later on."

Shen Li frowned thoughtfully. "So, what about this red string technique? Isn't it much stronger compared to the others?"

Elder Zao nodded slowly. "Yes, indeed. This technique is probably the strongest in our library. But be warned—it's troublesome to cultivate. It isn't about choosing between soft or hard skin refining; it's entirely tied to blood's supernatural ability. At first, it may seem the weakest of all, but if you manage to reach its peak, you'll become one of the most formidable martial artists. Our Shen family ruled for over a thousand years with methods like this. However, times have changed; we are now in exile, and our resources are scarce. Only those favored by the elders, with a qualification level of six, should attempt it. Otherwise, you're simply undermining your own foundation."

Shen Li's eyes narrowed as he held the red-stringed book, whose title read Seventh Hell Oniri. "What kind of supernatural ability does this technique grant?" he asked.

Elder Zao's gaze turned solemn. "It's a blood ability. Once fully cultivated, it grants you control over your own blood in ways that can overwhelm even ten practitioners of pure divine strength in combat. Our ancestors once wielded this power to become emperors."

Shen Li couldn't hide his skepticism. "But what can one really do with just blood? Isn't divine strength more... enchanting?"

The elder chuckled softly, though his tone remained grave. "In pure combat, divine strength may indeed appear more dazzling. But the blood path has many dimensions. With this technique, once you achieve the blood refining realm, you can command a power that far exceeds the allure of raw divine strength. However, it comes at a steep cost. You must have exceptional bloodline quality to begin with."

Elder Zao's eyes then shifted to Shen Li. "Tell me, what is your bloodline qualification level?"

Shen Li swallowed hard and replied, "Level 3."

Elder Zao sighed, his expression pensive. "At your stage, over your lifetime, you might reach bone refinement if you're fortunate and diligent. With extra qualification in martial arts and a little luck, you could even approach organ refinement. But many in your situation fall short. In my opinion, you should choose a technique that grants super strength at the bone refinement level. That way, you're not risking too much on a foundation you're not yet ready to support."

Shen Li had spent hours poring over the core cultivation manuals and eventually selected one of the foundational texts—a manual of the "13 Blood Vein Technique" used by the patrol teams. As he closed the manual, he couldn't help but ask, "Elder Zao, can I access any information related to alchemy refining?"

Elder Zao shook his head firmly. "You can't, Shen Li. The family strictly controls those techniques. The resources required are so scarce that any material discovered for alchemy would quickly become worthless—turned into trash before its true value could be realized."

Frowning, Shen Li replied, "But I don't even wish to pursue the alchemy or refining path. I was just curious—if I might also look into books related to the 'axuality' book..."

Elder Zao arched an eyebrow, a faint smile playing on his lips as he replied, "So, what method are you seeking then?"

"Gu refining," Shen Li answered, his tone steady.

Elder Zao stroked his white-and-black beard thoughtfully. "Ah, gu refining. That's very specific. Our clan doesn't truly inherit a great legacy in that area—none of our ancestors left behind comprehensive techniques for gu refinement. But perhaps there's some general information, some basic methods. Come with me; there should be a few books that touch on the subject."

Without further hesitation, Elder Zao led the way as they descended deeper into the underground levels of the library. After several winding corridors, they reached a cold, iron door guarded by two stern-looking sentinels. The door itself bore a carved, demonic face that seemed to leer at them.

Elder Zao called out, "We will check a book related to gu refinement."

The guards exchanged a brief glance, their eyebrows raised in quiet surprise. "Gu refinement?" one of them asked, his tone laced with skepticism.

"Don't overthink it," Elder Zao replied dismissively. "We don't possess a full inheritance in that field—only some general information and a few basic methods. It won't hurt to have a look."

The guards grunted, pressed their nameplates against the iron door, and, with a creak of ancient hinges, the door swung open. Beyond it lay a meticulously arranged chamber—a small library section where books were lined up in disciplined rows, their spines bearing titles in the archaic script of the Shen clan.

Elder Zao stepped through first, followed closely by Shen Li. One of the guards trailed after them, his eyes narrowing as he surveyed the new space.

Deep within the depths of the underground library, Elder Zao led Shen Li through a narrow corridor lined with ancient scrolls and forbidden texts. As they walked, the elder spoke in a low, measured tone.

"Whenever you enter here, there will always be a guard with you," Elder Zao said, his eyes flickering over the dimly lit passage. "This is where we store all the information—techniques so dangerous they're forbidden. These records include methods that can incite cannibalism within our clan. We're isolated on this island; if one of us were to use such techniques, we'd end up slaughtering our own kin. That's why only a few elders have full access to this library, and even they are under strict observation."

Shen Li tilted his head. "Like the human pill, right?" he asked quietly, trying to grasp the full weight of the elder's words.

Elder Zao shook his head. "No, it's not just about the human pill. There are far more dangerous techniques here. The human pill can never increase your bloodline quality merely by quantity. But some of these techniques can—raising your martial art quality at the steep cost of thousands of clanmen's lives."

They continued until they reached a secluded alcove. Before them stood a large, thick book, its cover worn by the passage of time. Elder Zao flipped through its brittle pages, scanning the archaic alphabet inscribed within. Suddenly, his eyes lit up. "Ah, here we are," he murmured. "This is a gu refinement text, discovered about 900 years ago. It's linked to a demonic sect from 2000 years past that specialized in gu refinement and cultivation. They were exterminated by righteous forces due to their inhuman methods. What we have here are outsider, disciple-level texts—not our core inheritance, but they'll give you a basic understanding. If you prove your talent, the clan might consider reviving this inheritance for you."

Elder Zao moved to a shelf and retrieved three heavy tomes. He held up the first, its title reading Anchelopia for Gu Worms. Then he picked up the second, which detailed methods on cultivating gu worms, and finally, a third book on a cultivation technique that transformed the body into a gu worm reservoir to harness their strength.

His brow furrowed as he scrutinized the third book. "You should not cultivate this third technique," Elder Zao admonished. "I will give it to you for study only." He carefully ran his fingers along the spine, ensuring no pages were missing. "Okay, you have one week. In one week, copy these books and bring back the originals. These techniques have never been cultivated—we have no spare copies. Do not steal or destroy any page, or you will be identified as a traitor."

Shen Li bowed deeply to Elder Zao. "Thank you, Elder," he said, his voice husky with reverence and determination. Elder Zao nodded, his gaze grave as he handed over the three heavy tomes. Carefully, Shen Li cradled the forbidden books in his arms.

With a final nod of respect, Shen Li left the secluded alcove and made his way back through the labyrinthine corridors of the fortress.

The journey back to his modest residence was somber and swift. The three books, with their worn covers and mysterious inscriptions—Anchelopia for Gu Worms, the cultivation methods for gu worms, and the elusive third tome on transforming the body into a gu worm reservoir—seemed almost to pulse with a life of their own.

Upon reaching his small, dimly lit study, Shen Li set the books carefully on a wooden table scarred by time and previous experiments. He lit a solitary lantern, its soft glow dancing over the ancient pages as he opened the first volume. His heart pounded in his chest as he began to read, each line revealing secrets of gu refining.