The tremendous joy did not overwhelm Fang Yuan's mind. He quickly calmed down and began to consider the impact the Spring Autumn Cicada would have on him:
"The Spring Autumn Cicada's ability is rebirth. But it is now incredibly weak — using it would mean death. However, it is still a Sixth Transformation Gu Insect after all. I can absolutely make use of its aura. This won't cause it any harm whatsoever."
"Heh heh heh." At this thought, Fang Yuan withdrew his consciousness and opened his eyes.
Before him, the Wine Worm hovered in midair, wrapped in smoke-like Bronze True Essence, trembling violently.
Just moments ago, it had staked everything on a desperate bid for survival, only to have its will shattered with ease by the Spring Autumn Cicada's aura. It had suffered severe damage in the process — its willpower was less than a hundredth of what it had been.
"Spring Autumn Cicada." With a flick of his mind, Fang Yuan released a wisp of the Spring Autumn Cicada's aura.
The aura pressed down upon the Wine Worm, and the creature instantly froze, motionless, as though dead. Its residual will, sensing the Spring Autumn Cicada's aura, reacted the way a mouse would upon encountering a cat — thoroughly terrified, shrinking into a ball, not daring to move a muscle.
Fang Yuan laughed heartily, seizing the chance to channel his True Essence.
During the earlier refinement, the Bronze True Essence had been able to expand only painstakingly, bit by bit, because of the Wine Worm's tenacious resistance. But now, Fang Yuan's Bronze True Essence surged forward unopposed, sweeping through like a torrent. There was absolutely no resistance to speak of.
The bronze coloring on the Wine Worm's surface spread rapidly. In the span of a few blinks, the pearl-white Wine Worm had been entirely dyed into a green insect.
The battle was lost. The Wine Worm's residual will crumbled under the gentlest push from Fang Yuan's willpower, dissolving like ice in warm water.
And just like that, the Wine Worm was refined!
Compared to the arduous, mountain-climbing struggle of before, this refinement process had been as simple as taking a sip of water.
An intimate and wondrous bond formed between the Wine Worm and Fang Yuan, linking them together.
The refined Wine Worm felt like a part of Fang Yuan's own body. When he willed it to curl up, it curled up. When he willed it to ball into a round shape, it balled up. It was as effortless as moving a finger.
Fang Yuan withdrew his True Essence, and the Wine Worm returned to its plump, white appearance.
Then it leaped into the air on its own and plunged straight into Fang Yuan's Empty Orifice. Once inside, it gave the Spring Autumn Cicada hanging in the air a wide berth and dove into the Bronze Yuan Sea. On the surface of the sea, it stretched out its body with abandon, occasionally giving its chubby little waist a satisfied wiggle — it looked as comfortable as if it were soaking in a hot bath.
"With the Spring Autumn Cicada in hand, my plans will need to change." Fang Yuan withdrew his consciousness from his Empty Orifice and took out the Moonlight Gu.
He repeated the same procedure, releasing a sliver of the Spring Autumn Cicada's aura and pressing it down upon the Moonlight Gu.
Sensing the Spring Autumn Cicada's aura, the Moonlight Gu's will immediately surrendered, cowering in fear into the innermost corner of its body.
Fang Yuan's True Essence rolled down in torrents, and in the blink of an eye, the Moonlight Gu had been dyed into a piece of emerald jade.
Finally, with just a slight thought, the Moonlight Gu's will was obliterated without the slightest effort.
After that, he withdrew his True Essence, and the Moonlight Gu reverted to its previous transparent, blue-crystal appearance.
He stored the Moonlight Gu away.
But the Moonlight Gu did not enter his Empty Orifice. Instead, it landed directly in the center of Fang Yuan's forehead, forming a faint blue crescent-moon mark.
From the start of refining the Moonlight Gu to its completion, the entire process had taken less than five minutes.
This stood in stark contrast to the grueling refinement he had endured before.
And it was not just the speed — the consumption of True Essence had been minuscule as well.
Over the past several days, Fang Yuan had burned through a full six Yuan Stones refining the Wine Worm, front to back. But tonight, he hadn't used a single Yuan Stone. Only the Bronze True Essence sea within his Empty Orifice had been drained to the bottom.
"Haha! With the Spring Autumn Cicada in hand, it's practically like having divine assistance! From now on, as long as I use its aura to suppress them, any First Transformation Gu Insect will be mine for the taking. Even with Grade C aptitude, I won't need to rely on Yuan Stones. The difference between before and now is like heaven and earth."
Fang Yuan's spirits soared. In this moment, it truly felt as though the clouds had parted to reveal the open sky.
Although the Spring Autumn Cicada had been weakened to the extreme, it was still a dignified Sixth Transformation Gu Insect. Even a fallen tiger retains its awe, and even a rotting ship has three pounds of nails. Its aura alone would serve as an enormous driving force in Fang Yuan's future cultivation.