Chapter 521: Dao Gu

Life Gu Worm?

Gu Cultivation's magical power isn't different from that of Magical Cultivation, right?

No.

In Gu Cultivation, one relies externally on the Gu Worm; the Gu Worm can drive the cultivator's power increase, so there's no need to train multiple techniques, right?

Gu Yue nods: "No need, but if the Life Gu Worm encounters any problem, it's even more serious than going into qi deviation."

Yan Buji nods: "Thank you, Immortal Maiden, for clearing my doubts."

"You're so interested in Gu Cultivation, Daoist Priest, do you also want to switch to practicing the Gu Dao?" Gu Yue asks with a smile.

"Just curious." Yan Buji chuckled: "Come to think of it, I once saw a Gu Worm that was incredibly powerful!"

"Oh? What kind of Gu Worm?"

"A type that can release spatial blades and also spatial flicker." Yan Buji recalled the Space Dao Gu Worm he had seen in the tomb secret realm of the Wood Pole Emperor.

Upon hearing, Gu Yue immediately became interested and asked for details about that Gu Worm.

Yan Buji gave a brief description; Gu Yue pondered: "It should be a Space Dao Gu Worm never seen before."

"It's a pity that Gu Worm couldn't be kept; otherwise it could let the Immortal Maiden broaden her horizons." Yan Buji said helplessly.

Speaking of which, my control over Spatial Power has been improving; I guess it's because I devoured that Gu Worm's corpse and digested some Space Dao Marks.

Since Yan Buji's Martial Dao advanced, he naturally noticed what remained inside his body.

However, matters of Space Dao cannot be resolved by Martial Dao power; Yan Buji discovered a Space Dao Mark within him that couldn't be refined, and recalling its origin, he asked.

He actually wants to digest that Space Dao Mark rather than wear it down or destroy it; perhaps then he could understand how that Space Dao Gu Worm performs spatial teleportation, granting him great agility!

Gu Yue pondered a moment, then said: "Daoist Priest, you were also lucky to encounter that Gu Worm without any trouble."

"Not exactly without trouble; I was attacked by that Gu Worm, and after a desperate struggle I killed it. Only after recovering did I notice some abnormalities in my body, which is one reason I've been inquiring so much."

"Abnormalities?" Gu Yue realized, no wonder you've been asking so much.

"What abnormalities, Daoist Priest, could you elaborate?"

"Actually, I also want to ask Immortal Maiden Gu Yue: it seems some power from that Gu Worm remains in my body, but I cannot refine it; do you know any method?"

Gu Yue looked strange: "Power left by a Space Dao Gu Worm? Daoist Priest, what stage of transformation is that Gu Worm?"

"Can't tell, but it was very powerful; I almost died at its hands." Yan Buji pretended not to understand, and Gu Yue couldn't tell if he was feigning or genuine.

"If so, Daoist Priest, would you allow me to take a look?"

"How would you examine it?"

"It should be a diagnosis, but Daoist Priest, you need to put away the Against-Fate Candle Night first." Gu Yue said.

Yan Buji nodded and stored it in his Spirit Beast Bag.

Afterwards, Gu Yue approached and pulled from her bosom a jade-quality Gu Worm resembling a summer cicada; Yan Buji looked at it and sensed a unique divine awareness on it, frowning involuntarily.

"What Gu Worm is this?"

"Oh, this is a Fourfold Transformation Ice Cicada bestowed by my elder; it has the ability to help diagnose injuries."

"Is that so?"

Gu Yue raised her brows: "If you don't believe me, Daoist Priest, just pretend I never said those words."

Yan Buji thought, then nodded: "I was overthinking; Immortal Maiden, please proceed."

Gu Yue pressed her fingers together, urging the Ice Cicada to fly onto Yan Buji's body.

As the Ice Cicada crawled over Yan Buji's body, he gradually felt a cool, comfortable sensation, especially pleasant on this hot sea.

Next, the Ice Cicada seemed to have discovered something, flying into Gu Yue's palm and chirping a few times.

"Oh, I see— that Gu Worm isn't dead at all... huh? Not dead?!"

Gu Yue widened her eyes, staring at Yan Buji in disbelief.

Yan Buji blinked: "What do you mean?"

Gu Yue wore a strange expression, looking at Yan Buji: "Daoist Priest, that Gu Worm isn't dead—how could you still be alive?"

"Huh? I don't understand what you mean, Immortal Maiden." Yan Buji furrowed his brow.

Gu Yue opened her palm, looking at the Ice Cicada: "It says there is still a very powerful Gu Worm lurking inside your body, and it's recovering."

"Huh?!"

Yan Buji blinked, closed his eyes, and looked inward.

After several checks, indeed there was no sign of any Gu Worm activity; he couldn't help but wonder: "Impossible—I haven't detected any Gu Worm at all."

Gu Yue listened carefully, then realized: "Daoist Priest, that Gu Worm inside you is likely present in the form of a Dao Mark."

"?!"

Yan Buji looked bewildered; this was the first time he'd heard that a Gu Worm could become a Dao Mark.

"It seems your luck is not bad, Daoist Priest; that Gu Worm is probably not an ordinary Gu Worm, but a Dao Gu."

"Dao Gu?"

Gu Yue explained: "In the Nan Ting Mountain Region, places where great Dao principles manifest easily form powerful and peculiar Dao Gu, just as some locations produce extraordinary heavenly treasures; a Dao Gu is a Gu Worm that directly manifests as a Dao Mark, not refined later but innately born."

Yan Buji thought it over and suddenly understood.

"Heaven-Earth Fusion Refinement?!"

"Exactly, this innate Gu Worm is exceedingly rare; although the Nan Ting Mountain Region has them everywhere, even among innate Gu Worms, Dao Gu are seldom born. For you to refine it would actually be the poorest use— you'd only gain a Space Dao Mark. But if you forge it into your Life Gu Worm, you would not only enjoy all its abilities but also deepen your comprehension of Space Dao principles, speeding up your cultivation of Space Dao!" Gu Yue said, somewhat enviously.

"That's unnecessary." Yan Buji firmly refused: "Besides forging it into a Life Gu Worm, are there other ways to use it?"

Gu Yue shook her head: "Then you can only try to refine it into a Dao Mark."

Yan Buji sighed; since he couldn't retain partial abilities of that Space Dao Gu Worm, he could only refine it.

"However..." Gu Yue shifted tone, smiling: "If you help me obtain a great treasure, perhaps there's a way to directly assist you in refining that Gu Worm, possibly retaining some special abilities."

"Such a good deal?" Yan Buji looked doubtful: "You wouldn't be deliberately deceiving me, would you?"

"Since you, Daoist, have said that, we can consider it mutually beneficial; for the journey ahead, I, a young lady, will still have to rely on you." Gu Yue laughed and said.

Yan Buji instinctively felt that Gu Yue was saying that just to get him to help her wholeheartedly, but since she said she had a way, it wouldn't hurt to lend her a hand; at least he wouldn't lose out.

Yan Buji nodded slightly: "Alright, since the fairy has said so, this humble Daoist will surely give it his all."

"Then thank you, Daoist."