Chapter 8: Recognized by the Clan

Shen Li's world had changed overnight. Before, the family gave him a mere four silver a month, barely enough to scrape by. He fished to survive, selling what little he could while eating the rest. But now?

Eighty silver.

A sum that could feed an entire family for months. A sum that proved his worth had been acknowledged.

The clan had taken interest. Not just any interest—the executioners had taken interest.

For the first time, Shen Li found himself inside a meeting with the torture division elders—men who had broken bones, shattered minds, and extracted confessions for the clan's survival. Each one was at least Bone Refining level, and among them, their leader had reached Organ Refinement, making him one of the strongest warriors on the island.

The reason? His Condemnation Parasite Gu.

They watched the prisoner writhe, their eyes glinting with amusement as the Gu's power took effect.

"Normal torture takes time," one elder murmured, tapping his fingers on the wooden table. "Even with pain-stimulating pills, we still need someone skilled enough to handle the process. But with this..."

His gaze flickered toward the trembling captive.

"No drugs. No tools. Just a simple command... and the body collapses under its own nerves."

Shen Li remained silent, standing at the side like a servant before warlords.

Another elder, his face lined with deep scars, chuckled. "Boy, do you even understand what you've created?"

Shen Li glanced at him. "A method for extracting information without excessive effort."

The elder grinned, revealing teeth sharpened into points—a sign of flesh refinement techniques. "No, you fool. You've created a tool of fear."

They understood better than he did.

Shen Family was hunted.

Surrounded by enemies. Outnumbered. Always on the verge of extermination. If they could develop a method to control or interrogate without delay, their survival odds increased.

And Shen Li?

He was now their investment

Shen Li didn't waste time.

If the executioners found use in his Gu refinement, others might follow. The elders had already started whispering—some saw him as a potential asset, others as a threat.

To stay ahead, he worked day and night.

Twelve Gu worms cultivated. Each refined with better efficiency, each tested for stability.More control over his Gu. He refined his commanding ability, ensuring no Gu would turn on him.

middle-class prisoners and those with strong bloodlines—the latter were reserved for blood awakening pools or human pill refinement. They couldn't be wasted on experiments.

Shen Li sighed.

For now, he would continue building his influence—but he knew that sooner or later, he would need to secure a clansman for refinement. And for that, he needed access to higher-ranking prisoners.

Shen Li sat cross-legged in his dimly lit room, his eyes flickering with a sharp glint as he stared at the cauldron before him. The engravings upon its metal surface shifted—violent depictions of insects locked in eternal combat. He had come to understand its mechanisms more intimately over the past month, but he was certain that there were still deeper secrets hidden within.

He had already refined twelve Gu worms successfully, each one more stable than the last. It wasn't simply luck—his cauldron shortened the refinement process exponentially. What should have taken months to cultivate was instead completed in mere hours. And unlike traditional Gu refinement methods, which left the final Gu fragile for weeks, his creations emerged strong and fully matured.

Every Gu refined inside this cauldron did not simply consume others; it absorbed their essence, traits, and abilities at an unnatural rate.The more diverse the Gu involved, the more chaotic and unpredictable the mutation became.Pure-blooded refinement—using Gu of the same kind—led to refinements that perfectly honed a single ability.

If he dumped too many creatures inside, the mutation process became unstable, leading to weak, volatile Gu.But when the cauldron had only a handful of creatures, the final Gu absorbed their essence more perfectly.The cauldron prioritized the strongest essence among those inside.

Gu refined through the cauldron had a natural connection to him.He could feel a faint instinctual pull to each one he had refined.If he wished, he could command them, even from a distance—but only those he personally refined with his blood.

The very next day, Elder Zao summoned him once more.

Shen Li entered the elder's chamber to find not just Elder Zao, but three other elders present. Each one carried an aura of unquestionable authority, their crimson robes marking them as executioners of the Shen Family—mid-level enforcers who carried out punishments, extracted information, and ensured clan discipline.

"You've refined twelve Gu worms in a month," Elder Zao said, his voice slow but filled with weight. "Each one stable, without defect. And now, we have seen for ourselves that the Condemnation Parasite Gu works perfectly on the captives."

One of the elders, a heavyset man with a scar running down his cheek, folded his arms. "This Gu of yours—it surpasses standard interrogation methods. Instead of using energy-consuming torture techniques, we can simply implant the Gu and let it work over time. This... is useful."

Shen Li remained silent, standing straight as he observed their expressions.

Another elder, a thin man with a sharp gaze, spoke next. "We've decided. We will begin equipping a select few of our executioners with your Gu. If these Gu can be used on outsiders for intelligence gathering, then we have a new tool to extract information before executing our enemies."

Shen Li's heart stirred. This was the first time the family had officially accepted his Gu Refinement skills.

"Of course," Elder Zao continued, "this also means that you are no longer a mere disciple. You are an asset to the family now."

Elder Mo exhaled slowly, his aged fingers tapping against his cane. "Well, it's not as if we will ever replace our current martial path with Gu Refinement. But..." his sharp gaze turned toward Shen Li, "we would be fools to ignore its potential."

Shen Li remained composed, but his heart pounded. He had expected resistance, but this was progress.

Elder Jao pulled at his beard, his eyes filled with an old warrior's skepticism. "I fought against Gu Refiners once. They were not known for direct combat, but their methods were... disturbing."

Elder Mo turned toward him, intrigued. "I've never fought one personally. Tell me, how did they fight?"

Elder Jao snorted. "They didn't. That was the problem. Before we even found out their exact location, three of our Bone Refining Masters dropped dead."

The air in the room grew heavy. Even Shen Li tensed at that revelation.

"Three Bone Refining cultivators?" Elder Mo frowned. "They shouldn't have been able to kill them directly. How did it happen?"

Elder Jao's face darkened. "Poison? No. Assassination? No. They... tainted our water supply."

A deep silence settled.

"We drank without suspicion," Elder Jao continued. "But what we didn't know was that the water had been mixed with Gu worm larvae."

Shen Li's eyes narrowed. He had read about such methods, but hearing a firsthand account was different.

Elder Jao went on. "These weren't ordinary Gu worms. The larvae were so small that they were invisible to the human eye. They entered our men's bodies through drinking water, burrowed inside their flesh, and by the time they noticed something was wrong, it was already too late."

Elder Mo sighed. "And when you finally found them?"

"We slaughtered them," Elder Jao said bluntly. "Their escape techniques were impressive—some forced their own blood flow to enhance reaction speed, while others used Gu to create dense mists that concealed their movements."

He shook his head. "But at the end of the day, they weren't strong enough. Once we locked onto their location, they were no match for our warriors."

Elder Mo stroked his beard in thought. "Still... their methods are worth studying."

Then, his tone shifted, carrying a hidden meaning. "Of course, the Shen Family isn't entirely ignorant of Gu Refinement, either."

Shen Li's ears perked up.

"There is one lineage among our twenty-four, a branch that specialized in Gu refinement. Unlike outsiders, they were not weaklings, and they developed their Gu arts alongside proper martial cultivation."

Elder Jao nodded. "That's correct. The 22nd lineage preserved the Gu Refinement path while ensuring that their warriors could fight without relying entirely on parasites."

"But..." Elder Mo sighed, "even for them, refining Gu worms was an excruciating process."

Elder Jao turned to Shen Li. "Listen well, boy. Even with the full inheritance of the Shen Family, that lineage often failed to produce viable Gu worms."

"From a hundred Gu, sometimes... not even one survived."

Shen Li maintained a neutral expression, but inside, his thoughts were blazing.

They struggled to refine even a single stable Gu?

That wasn't his problem.

His cauldron defied that logic. It had already refined twelve stable Gu worms in a single month—something that should have been statistically impossible.

But he would never reveal that secret.

Instead, he played along, nodding in agreement. "I understand. I will proceed with caution."

Elder Mo gave him a long look. "Good. Gu Refinement is not to be taken lightly. We will support your efforts, but you must always report your progress. If you discover anything... dangerous, you will inform us immediately."

Shen Li bowed deeply. "Of course, Elder."

Inside, however, he thought to himself:

"I will report what they need to know. Nothing more."

Shen Li furrowed his brows, his mind churning as he absorbed the elders' words.

"Even if we see another branch of the Shen Family, we must act like we don't recognize them?"

This level of caution and separation... it went beyond what he had expected.

Taking a deep breath, he looked at Elder Jao. "Then, what about that Gu Refining lineage? If they're still out there, I have my own problems too. Maybe I don't lose a hundred Gu worms at a time, but…" He hesitated, then decided to be honest. "I'm working blind. If I could have a proper instructor, my progress would be much faster."

Elder Mo shook his head. "You can't."

His tone was absolute.

"All lineages' connections were purposely severed. We don't try to find them, and they don't try to find us. The moment one of us is discovered, the rest would be dragged into the grave alongside them."

Shen Li's frown deepened. "You're saying that even in a life-or-death situation, we should not seek out another Shen lineage?"

Elder Mo's gaze sharpened. "Yes."

The weight of that single word settled in Shen Li's mind.

Elder Jao exhaled, rubbing his temples. "You still don't understand the situation."

He locked eyes with Shen Li, his voice dropping into a grim tone.

"After the Rebel Army overthrew us, we had no choice but to flee to the sea. At the time, we already understood one thing—" His lips curled into a humorless smile.

"Our thousand-year reign was over. We were going to be hunted down just like the dynasty before us."

Elder Mo picked up where he left off. "So, to prevent a complete extinction, the remaining loyal families scattered, forming 36 hidden lineages, each settling in a different part of the sea. The agreement was simple:

No communication.No aid.No recognition.

We would remain in hiding until the time came to rise again."

Elder Jao's smile turned bitter. "Of course… not everyone agreed."

Shen Li narrowed his eyes. "What happened?"

Elder Jao chuckled coldly. "Some fools thought they could rebuild alliances. They secretly reconnected with other lineages, trying to share resources, build a hidden network… but it backfired spectacularly."

Elder Mo's expression darkened. "Once the current dynasty caught one of those lineages, they didn't just exterminate them. No… they used them."

Elder Zao grimaced. "They tortured them, extracted every piece of information, then sent fake distress signals to other lineages, luring them out one by one. When those lineages answered the call for help, they were slaughtered together."

Elder Jao spat in disgust. "It was a trap. A slow, agonizing purge."

Shen Li's fingers curled into a fist. "And how many survived?"

Elder Zao's expression turned grim. "Originally, there were 36 lineages. Now, there are only 24."

Shen Li felt a chill run down his spine.

The numbers were far worse than he had expected.

Elder Zao continued, "Actually… just last month, we lost another. There were 25 lineages still surviving, but now we're down to 24."

Shen Li's breath hitched. "Even after 78 years, they're still hunting us?"

Elder Mo nodded. "The current dynasty still sees us as a threat. Even now, they haven't completely stabilized their rule, so they can't afford to let any remnant of our bloodline resurface."

Shen Li suddenly understood something. "Is that why we had the Bloodline Awakening early?"

Elder Mo nodded. "Exactly. We need stronger warriors—now."

Shen Li took a deep breath, his mind sorting through the weight of the information.

Then, something cold settled in his chest.

"If… by chance, I see someone from another lineage while I'm outside… what should I do?"

Elder Mo's expression hardened. "You do nothing."

Shen Li's heart sank. "Even if it's a life-or-death situation?"

Elder Mo's gaze was unyielding. "Yes."

Elder Jao crossed his arms. "Listen, boy. Some enemies you can see. Some you can't. Right now, we are being hunted by enemies we can't see."

Elder Mo finished, "The moment you acknowledge another lineage, even with a glance—you've already killed them.And yourself."

Shen Li understood.