CHAPTER 43: CHAPTER 43: GU INSECT KING

The next day, the two of them arrived at the transaction site early.

"Boss, it’s just up ahead." Yuan Wei led the way in front and brought Xu Ping to a secluded place.

There was already a person wearing a cloak waiting there.

"My boss is here." Yuan Wei greeted the person.

"Hmm." The person in the cloak responded in a muffled voice.

"Fellow Daoist, how do you plan to sell this inheritance?" Xu Ping asked, looking at him.

"Two hundred Spirit Stones, no bargaining." The cloaked person answered calmly, but seeing their hands and feet trembling uncontrollably despite their efforts to maintain composure, it was clear they weren’t as calm as they appeared.

"Isn’t that a little too steep, and I don’t even know if this inheritance is genuine or worth it." Xu Ping frowned.

Two hundred Spirit Stones was still a significant expenditure for him at this point.

"You can authenticate it first." The cloaked person seemed prepared and took out a thin book from their coat, tossing it to Xu Ping. "This book contains a fragmented version of the inheritance I copied."

Xu Ping took the thin book and began translating it immediately.

The thin book introduced various Gu insects and the methods of crafting them, but only recorded a bit of the crafting methods.

After flipping through a few pages, Xu Ping hesitated.

The inheritance seemed genuine, but the Gu insects documented weren’t of much help to him.

Spending two hundred Spirit Stones on it was worth considering.

Until Xu Ping saw a crafting method for something called ’Gu Insect King,’ he was shocked.

He closed the thin book without revealing any emotion, looking troubled, "The inheritance is real, but the Gu insects inside don’t hold much value for me!"

"Either they are extremely difficult to craft, or they come with significant side effects."

Hearing Xu Ping’s response, the cloaked person couldn’t maintain even a semblance of calm, and their tone grew agitated, "How... how could it be, this Gu Worm Scripture can craft First Rank Upper Grade combat Gu insects."

"These are comparable to Late-Stage Qi Cultivation, First Rank Upper Grade combat Gu insects, how could they not be valuable?"

"For others, they might be of extraordinary value, but for me, Late-Stage Qi Cultivation is nothing. Spending so many resources to craft a First Rank Upper Grade Gu insect that can’t even beat me, what’s the point?" Xu Ping calmly retorted.

The cloaked person was at a loss for words, wanting to retort but, thinking of this man’s impressive battle record, didn’t know how to respond.

"What do you think is reasonable?" the cloaked person asked sullenly.

Xu Ping held up one finger: "One hundred Spirit Stones."

"No no, that’s too low." The cloaked person got agitated again, "At least a hundred and eighty."

...

...

Ten minutes later.

After some bargaining, they settled at one hundred and twenty Spirit Stones.

Leaving the transaction site, Xu Ping bid farewell to Yuan Wei and hurried home.

Once home, he eagerly took out a thick, roughly two-inch thick, somewhat ancient black leather book.

This was the Gu Worm Scripture.

Most of the Gu insects within it weren’t of much use to him.

What finally convinced him to purchase this Gu Worm Scripture was the recorded crafting method for something called ’Gu Insect King.’

The potency and medicinal strength of Hundred Flowers Brew mainly depended on the ’Hundred Flowers Gu.’

And since ’Hundred Flowers Gu’ was also a kind of Gu insect, it might be possible to use this method to craft a ’Hundred Flowers Gu King.’

At that time, the medicinal strength and potency of Hundred Flowers Brew would undoubtedly be elevated to another level.

By then, the progress in cultivating Nourishing Life Skill could also be improved.

He had long been fed up with the slow pace of cultivation.

"Let’s hope the crafting method isn’t too difficult!" Xu Ping began researching eagerly.

A quarter of an hour later.

Xu Ping put down the Gu Worm Scripture, frowning inadvertently.

The crafting method wasn’t difficult—put ten Gu insects into the same box, stimulate them with secret medicine to let them devour each other, and the one left alive would be the ’Gu Insect King.’

But the success rate of crafting a ’Gu Insect King’ wasn’t high, and if it failed, all materials and resources invested would be wasted.

Moreover, crafting a ’Gu Insect King’ relied on the Gu insects themselves to devour and evolve, and his proficiency panel couldn’t be of any help.

Without panel assistance, he was somewhat daunted.

"Let’s do it; after all, my wallet can handle the failure now." Xu Ping exclaimed, gritting his teeth.

Isn’t earning Spirit Stones just for spending? Anyway, Spirit Stones won’t multiply if kept.

...

...

Early the next day, Xu Ping acquired two hundred Polar Insects and several crafting materials from the trading market.

Returning home safely, he couldn’t wait to embark on crafting the "Hundred Flowers Gu King."

The first step in crafting the ’Hundred Flowers Gu King’ was refining Polar Insects into ’Hundred Flowers Gu.’

This step Xu Ping was quite familiar with.

He spent five days, achieving a high success rate of ninety percent, refining two hundred Polar Insects into one hundred and ninety ’Hundred Flowers Gu.’

This success rate was enough to make some Grandmaster Gu crafters blush.

But Xu Ping felt not a bit of pride.

The tough part hadn’t arrived yet!

He looked at the one hundred and ninety ’Hundred Flowers Gu’ in front of him, took a deep breath, and commenced the critical step of crafting the ’Hundred Flowers Gu King.’

This step solely relied on the ’Hundred Flowers Gu’ themselves, in other words, relying on fate and luck.

Yet he never trusted his luck.

Xu Ping meticulously checked the secret medicine in his hand, ensuring every component was prepared perfectly.

Mentally reciting the crafting steps, he gently placed ten ’Hundred Flowers Gu’ into a pre-prepared box.

"Begin." Xu Ping whispered to himself, a slight flick of his fingers, and the scent of the secret medicine permeated, arousing the instincts of the small insects.

As the medicinal power seeped in, the ’Hundred Flowers Gu’ began to appear restless, their appetite for mutual devourment gradually awakening.

However, as time passed, Xu Ping’s mood became increasingly heavy.

The ten ’Hundred Flowers Gu’ tore each other apart inside the box, blood splattered, the scene was incredibly tragic, yet not a single ’Hundred Flowers Gu’ gained the upper hand.

After half an hour, Xu Ping opened the box.

The scene before him made his heart sink: nearly all ten "Hundred Flowers Gu" were dead, even their bodies shattered beyond recognition.

Undoubtedly, the first craft attempt had failed.

Xu Ping sighed slightly as he washed the box clean, then placed a new batch of ’Hundred Flowers Gu’ inside and started anew.

Time was spent in repeated attempts and failures for Xu Ping.

...

Two days later, Xu Ping’s eyes were bloodshot, his demeanor delirious.

"Sigh, this is the last batch, if this fails, I’ll have to buy more." Xu Ping sighed with vacant eyes.

The past two days’ failures had left him numb.

He didn’t even hold hope for the last attempt.

Yet instinct compelled him to cautiously place ten insects into the box, then sprinkle in the secret medicine.