Colored light focused on the white jade plate, forming a secret recipe—
Blood Moon Gu.
A Third Transformation Gu Insect created by combining a Second Transformation Moon Ray Gu and a Blood Qi Gu through joint refinement.
Once activated, the Moon Blade turns entirely blood-red, roughly the size of a washbasin. If it inflicts a wound, the victim suffers from ceaseless bleeding.
"That's it." Fang Yuan's gaze swept over the recipe, committing it to memory. Then he closed his eyes to silently recall it and opened them again to verify. After repeating this three or five times, he was certain the entire recipe was seared into his mind without the slightest error.
Compared to the three classics—Golden Moon, Frost Rain Moon, and Phantom Moon—Blood Moon Gu was considerably more niche.
In the refining recipes of the former three, there were nearly a hundred thousand words of insights and experience. But this Blood Moon Gu recipe contained fewer than a thousand words.
Section 157: Blood Moon Gu
This showed how few Gu Masters throughout history had chosen to refine Blood Moon Gu.
Blood Moon Gu's offensive capability was mediocre at best, with a range of only ten meters. Even its special effect—unceasing bleeding upon wounding—was not particularly useful in practice.
From First Transformation to Fifth Transformation, Gu Masters had limited True Essence, so battles rarely lasted long before a victor was decided. The ceaseless bleeding effect was merely a minor nuisance on a real battlefield. Against Gu Masters skilled in healing, there were corresponding countermeasures.
Moreover, Blood Moon Gu had one critical flaw.
On certain days each month, it would seep blood outward. The blood flowed ceaselessly, and during this period its offensive power dropped to a third of normal.
But it had one supreme advantage that caught Fang Yuan's eye.
It was easy to raise.
Much easier to raise than Golden Moon, Frost Rain Moon, or Phantom Moon.
Its food was no longer Moon Orchid Petals, but fresh blood.
Though the quantity of blood required was large, the type didn't matter. In the Western Desert it might be uncertain, but here in the Southern Border, with ten thousand miles of undulating mountains, wild beasts of every kind could be found deep in the jungles.
Slay them, and you extract blood on the spot. For Blood Moon Gu, its food was everywhere throughout the Southern Border—readily available.
"Next, I'll refine this Blood Moon Gu." Fang Yuan swiftly made up his mind.
The detailed refining steps and precautions were already firmly memorized. He had a Moon Ray Gu in hand. But the other ingredient—a Blood Qi Gu—was somewhat problematic.
Blood Qi Gu was precious, capable of replenishing a Gu Master's blood vitality. Gu Masters who possessed a Blood Qi Gu were often brimming with energy, and even if they were injured and lost excessive blood, the Blood Qi Gu could compensate. Thus, their battlefield survival far surpassed that of ordinary Gu Masters.
Xiong Jiang had once desperately longed for a Blood Qi Gu.
If a Blood Qi Gu were paired with a Roaming Zombie Gu, the latter's aftereffects would be drastically reduced to almost nothing, greatly extending his time transformed into a zombie without worry.
He had already been an outstanding Second Transformation Gu Master with considerable status, but until his death in battle, his wish was never granted.
In the secret room, Fang Yuan turned his gaze to the Illumination Gu arranged on the central stone table.
There was still plenty of time today. A quarter of an hour had only consumed five minutes, leaving a full ten minutes to spare.
The yellow-skinned Illumination Gu stored Fourth Transformation recipes, while the purple Illumination Gu contained Fifth Transformation recipes.
These Illumination Gu all belonged to successive Secret Hall Elders, though the ones truly responsible for their upkeep were the clan.
Gu Insects could be borrowed, requiring only the acknowledgment of the will within.
The will inside each Illumination Gu was bound to the Secret Hall Elder. Having been promoted to Elder, Fang Yuan's identity had been acknowledged by the Secret Hall Elder, granting him the ability to freely use a portion of the Illumination Gu.
However, the Secret Hall Elder did not consider Fang Yuan entitled to view Fourth Transformation or Fifth Transformation recipes. Therefore, even when he channeled True Essence into the yellow and purple Illumination Gu, he received no response.
In truth, even wild, natural Gu Insects could have their wills acknowledged.
Beast Kings were an example—they borrowed the power of Gu Insects. Among humans, similar cases existed, such as the legendary Fifth Transformation River Swallowing Toad.
If Fang Yuan relied on the aura of the Spring Autumn Cicada, he could instantly refine these Gu Insects and obtain their recipes, with no obstacle whatsoever.
However, the consequences of doing so were clearly something he could not yet afford. And the gains would not be enough to sway his heart.
"Actually, the most precious recipe is not these Fourth or Fifth Transformation ones, but rather the method of reverse-refining a First Transformation Moonlight Gu. This Gu originated with the first generation Patriarch, and it was upon this foundation that, over several centuries, such a magnificent scale and prosperity were built." Fang Yuan mused silently.
Refining meant advancing lower-stage Gu Insects into higher-stage ones. Reverse refining meant downgrading higher-stage Gu Insects into lower-stage ones.
Between the rise and the fall, because the processes differed, the result could be an entirely new species of Gu Insect.
Moonlight Gu was not a natural Gu Insect—it was created by the first generation Patriarch through reverse refinement.
Many of the Gu Insects in this world were new species created by Gu Masters upon the foundation of natural Gu Insects. Therefore, even with five hundred years of experience, Fang Yuan's knowledge of the entire world of Gu was still limited.