"Finally, after so many weeks, we're finally here!"

Dio says with a smile side to side.

At this point he had already developed his Vampiric abilities to a new level, currently, even his extraordinary body constitution was already starting to fall behind his techniques.

Thus, it was of vital importance for him to acquire more Gu's to increase his potential even further.

Due to his own desires, Dio was one of the first to leave the Gu house.

Ma Shan Hu however, was the last one.

He stood outside his room, with deep eyebags on his face, during those last weeks he had been studying his path, refining new Gu's and raising the rank of his current Gu's.

The basis of this 'foundation' was of course, the legacy his grandfather gave him as an inheritance.

His grandfather was known as the '7 Qi's emperor', he controlled, Earth, Wind, Water, Fire, Light, Darkness and Luck.

Though, that was not his true ambition, what his grandfather truly desired was to comprehend the essence of all paths through the use of Qi path.

It was such his ambition and power that he could even amplify the effect of many Gu's such as the 'Polished Gold' Gu he acquired on a fortuitous encounter.

From his original D aptitude he managed to acquire an A aptitude!

His genius and ambitions allowed him to soar to the skies into the ranks and become one of the most influential Gu masters from the Ma tribe.

Through his practice he elevated his attainment to a quasi-Grandmaster level, equivalent to rank 6 experts.

The level of an immortal!

But, he lacked bravery to go further than rank 5.

To reach rank 6, you require to first reach rank 5 peak stage.

Then, you must shatter your aperture and accept the surrounding Earth and Heaven Qi to complement your own Human Qi.

Through the process of balance and creation, a new aperture is formed, an Immortal aperture!

At this level, the Cultivators develop a mini-world of their own inside their apertures.

Without bravery, fighting power and luck is impossible to reach rank 6, the grandfather of Ma Shan Hu had the last two latter, but he lacked the former, bravery.

...

Ma Shan Hu had refined two Gu's on those weeks of secluded Cultivation where he only got outside to recollect materials and eat.

But what Gu's he did refine?

Fire path was specialized on explosive force, Water path on malleability and control, Wind on mobility and agility at a low cost, Earth to blunt attacks and high defense but slow movements.

Light its versatile, good as offense and defense with a high speed but it took a huge amount of Primeval Essence to be used.

Dark path was focused on 'sealing' and 'restraining', it used attacks which suppressed the power of the adversary at a low cost, but unless they connected cleanly, their suppressing effect could be countered with some ease.

Finally there was Luck which symbolized all the positive and negative variables.

After a lot of consideration he found the two perfect Gu's.

Dark Flame Gu and QI Luck.

Dark Flame Gu could be used to restrain the use of Primeval Essence of his adversary and their use of Gu's, at the same time it could be used as a complementary Gu of many Killer Moves.

Whilst Qi Luck could complement his current Cultivation technique, raising its speed considerably, with it, perhaps he'd be able to breakthrough even without external aid on the next few month.

The Gu also served to complement his current 'Investigation Gu' known as Shiny eyes, which could help him form the Killer Move; Shiny Lucky eyes.

Which could help its user to perceive the Luck of his target.

And what it was what he did after acquiring such a Gu?

He quietly began to inspect everyone's Luck including his.

Without Dio ever realizing, Ma Shan Hu inspected his Luck for a brief instant.

"Graah."

Ma Shan Hu tossed a bit of blood, he experienced a mild backlash, because his Gu couldn't bear to even observe all of Dio's natural luck.

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Everyone left the Gu house calmly and silently.

All the eyes were set on Dio, despite Ma Shan Hu had his eyes red, nobody noticed anything, at the end, even though he was still the 'young master', everything had changed.

His failure, the resources he lost, the grudges he received from many elders made his appeal decrease sharply overnight.

At the end, on the Gu world only the truly strong are respected and revered.

...

Dio sighed in marvel, he saw upon him dozens of Gu houses, some of the lower-ranked Gu houses were pigs or pigeons, some and the most common ones were Lizards, and there were even some Mushroom Gu houses and other diversity of options.

The most outstanding thing he saw, was a 'Dragon-serpent' which enveloped everything, its long tail and body of hundred of meters of length enveloped everything.

Its heat filled the lakes and rivers, constantly heating them up, after all, there had been a blizzard which enveloped the continent just a few weeks ago.

That 'serpent' was naturally yet another Gu house, where the Ma tribe leader lived on.

Both Dio and Ma Shan Hu tried to enter through the main door of the serpent-dragon Gu house.

Where they're meet by a beautiful woman servant.

She bowed before the two and explained that the tribe leader had broken through rank 5 on the last 3 hours, and that he has been trying to test his powers.

But, even without her explanation the two keen experts realized of this.

For starters, there was a continuous flux of Primeval energy, a wind and water flux, with a dense fog surging from within the body of the snake-dragon.

Within it, there were even multiple mini-thunders, lighting, storms, tsunamis and tornadoes.

It was rather obvious, at the end they two knew that the tribe leader of the Ma tribe, Ma Shang Feng specialized on Water and Wind path.

Dio was slightly fearful of those scenes, the Primeval Energy surging, even though it was within the 'expected' realm of possibilities, when he felt them, he still profoundly overwhelmed.

Whilst Ma Shan Hu sighed, at the end, even after all his journey and efforts, he not only didn't manage to diminish the gap between he and the tribe leader, but it widened instead!

But that was normal.

Gu masters at the end, no matter which path they practiced, they constantly honed and practiced their abilities to an step further.

Through the eras, the diversity and complexity of each path increased, if on the era of Ren Zu there were only two well-defined paths, Time and Space, currently there were over fifty well-defined paths!

Geniuses among geniuses such as the Venerables created their own path, such as Star Constellation Immortal Venerable who created Wisdom path and Star path, or Giant Sun Immortal Venerable, the creator of Luck path.

The process to reduce the gap between such incredible figures and yourself, was hard and tedious almost despair inducing.

"Boom!" "Boom!" "Boom!"

Dozens of explosions happened at all directions, from the seat where Dio and Ma Shan Hu were on, constant surges of water appeared and grew steadily.

Despite it was forbidden, Ma Shan Hu couldn't help but use his investigative method to observe past those doors and glance at what exactly was their tribe leader doing now.

Whilst he investigated Dio asked.

"Hey, what are you looking?

What technique is he using?

Hey, hey, hey?"

...

Ma Shan Hu turned his head lightly, he was simply too immersed on the fight to notice Dio's voice earlier.

"Wait, don't you have a single investigation Gu?"

Dio frowned.

"And what if I don't-"

Two waterspout appeared, engulfing both Dio and Ma Shan Hu, then, two water tides with the form of two palms were shoot towards them.

Tiny chains were put at their hands and legs, and they're now restricted on their seat.

Those chains weren't ordinary, they could even block the use of Primeval Essence, thus, Ma Shan Hu could no longer use any Gu's.

From the other room, a water dragon surged, roaring heavily, its voice resonated across the whole dragon-serpent Gu house.

Both Dio and Ma Shan Hu felt cold sweat gathering on their foreheads.

They had offended througfully a rank 5 existence, against such existence all schemes or tricks are pointless.

"Hah, hah, hah..." A tiny laughter surged.

"Nephew, consider the tiny scare I gave you as a punishment for breaking the norms of our tribe, as for that friend of yours.

Well, depending on his intentions and nature, his Fate may be a bit different..."

Multiple water sprouts appeared, dozens of watery eyes glanced through Dio, seemingly trying to decipher all the secrets of his being.

Finally, when Ma Shang Feng felt it was safe, he finally revealed himself.

He was a bald middle-aged man, he had tick browns and eyelids, and blue eyes.

His clothes were simply, they're half celeste and half white, as plain as that.

Ma Shan Hu sighed, he then began to explain everything, about how their journey to look for clues for Ma Pa Hung's inheritance went, on how they were ambushed by the mutant spider inside of a cave, and so on...

The browns of Ma Shang Feng lowered, by each word he said.

Until, he explained of Dio's timely arrival.

He spoke about their cooperation and how they defeated the mutant spider.

At first, Ma Shang Feng felt relief that his nephew was alive, then, he felt interest at the tale he heard, then amazement.

Both for Dio and his nephew, their cooperation had been super-B, Dio's diversity of abilities were also pretty good, and lastly Ma Shan Hu's resolution filled him with pride.

On truth, he always felt that even though he had wits and talent, perhaps, his nephew had developed his ancestor's cowardly nature.

But, he was glad to find out that he had the bravery befitting of an overlord!

Another thing that amazed him was that he derived a new Killer Move on the act such talent, and ability...

They had to be nurtured with special care.

As for Dio?

Well, from his pocket, he took the rank 3 Moon aurora barrier Gu that he took from the mutant spider after killing it.

Ma Shang Feng took his gift and on exchange he rewarded him with a rank 3 Storage Gu worm, then, the two began to discuss the details of their agreement.

At the end, Dio recited word by word what he and Ma Shan Hu had decided on the past few days.

..

Ma Shang Feng nodded, but said solemnly.

"Good, everything seems right, but there's another 'trial', you have to pass before we accept you, someone 'external' to our tribe.

There are three main tests, one the test of martial's aptitude and restrain.

Second, the test of the Gu master's abilities to refine, nurture and use Gu worms, this refers to their knowledge of Gu worms, here their knowledge of trivia and overall abilities are tested.

Third, the trial of particular-aptitude.

On this trial, the Gu master selects a certain aptitude he holds, be it on movement, flying, healing, or scouting.

To pass the overall evaluation, you must pass two of the three tests.

So, with this said, what kind of particular trial do you wish?

And tell me, at which order you want to make the previously said three trials..."

Dio frowned, after a long pause he said.

"I'll do first my particular-trial to heal patients.

Second, I'll prove my martial power and third I'll prove my knowledge of Gu worms..."

He glanced at Ma Shang Feng.

"But first, I wish to take the two Gu worms I asked for..."