NOVEL FROG Drunk on Wine
“Where did that bitch run off to?”
“Hmph! That evil woman! She took what rightfully belonged to our Clan!”
“Hehe! How far can a half-baked Gu Master run?”
“That inheritance must be incredible! She’s a Rank 3 Gu Master. It’s only been a year!”
Saying so, greed flickers in the eyes of four men. They wear deep green Gu Uniform with white and red belts. One Rank 3 Gu Master is leading the other Rank 2 Gu Masters. They are all relatively young.
“Hmph,” the Rank 3 Gu Master snorts. “That inheritance was left by a Rank 5 Gu Master. Lord Father already observed the inheritance site and deduced as much. Thinking carefully, the Lord Timeless Lightning emerged from our Branch Family. He must have left the inheritance for his Elder Brother’s line. My father is Lord Timeless Lightning’s Great-Grandnephew! How dare that woman take our inheritance?”
His gaze sweeps over other greedy Gu Masters. They quickly lower their head and nod. At this point, the green moth flying above one of the Rank 2 Gu Masters’ heads buzzes. It lets out a sharp noise.
The group’s expression changes. They look around, dropping the pretenses of Righteous claim over an inheritance.
*Chhk*
Something crushes the Rank 3 Gu Master’s head as it explodes. Blood and gore splatter over an invisible wall, causing the other three Gu Masters to cry in shock and terror. Before they can scream, a white shadow rushes from the nearby bush, swiftly digging an icy dagger into one of the Gu Master’s throats.
“Attack!”
The duo shouts at once.
<<<>>>
“Please! I will do anything! Let me live!”
The lone Gu Master begs as his comrades lie in a…
Well, their bodies are turned into piles of disgusting materials. Only the team leader left Gu Worms. The other Gu Masters destroyed their Gu before their death. The Demonic Duo promptly looted the spoil as Lo Jik let out the terrifying Blood Torrent Python to suck the blood from their victims’ organs.
“That inheritance you were talking about,” Lo Jik smiles. “Could you tell us more?”
“I will! I will!” the Gu Master knocks his head on the ground before revealing an embarrassing expression. “I have a Poison Vow—”
Lo Jik sighs as the Blood Torrent Python hisses sharply. The Gu Master’s expression changes as the python pounces on it. He shouts.
“Curse you two! My spirit will—”
The Python bites his head off.
‘Who knew using Stealth Scales with Mo Yan’s Shadow Sneak can be so amazing?’
Mo Yan left three Rank 3 Gu. One was the Multi-Shadow Beast Gu. The other was the Shadow Sneak Gu. The third one was originally his, the Lightning Thoughts Gu. However, it's too expensive on the essence to use the Stealth Scales along the Shadow Sneak! After all, Lo Jik has the strength of a few beasts, and his body is refined using Rank 3 Gu. It’s not an efficient combination.
“Now what?” Bai Ning Bing snorts as Lo Jik dismembers the Gu Master.
“We take their Primeval Stones,” Lo Jik smiles, seeing no Gu Master emerge from the pile.
“I mean after!” She groans. “That’s a Rank 5 Inheritance! Are we just going to leave it? Didn’t you hear them? That mortal grew to Rank 3 in one year! Its speed is as fast as an Extreme Physique if I didn’t contain it.”
Lo Jik heard that. They heard more than that.
Turns out, these four Gu Masters were a team of seven. They come from a distant mountain, chasing a Demonic Gu Master. Why?
One of the villages controlled by the Gu Masters was attacked by a Beast King. It led them to discover traces of an already excavated Inheritance. The Gu Masters observed and deduced that this inheritance was from a Rank 5 Gu Master. Realizing that the inheritance was acquired recently, they sent men after any survivor from the village, promptly finding traces of a lone Gu Master. She had many Gu on her. However, she did not know how to use them. She still took out three Gu Masters in two different encounters.
“Let’s think,” Lo Jik retrieves the Blood Torrent Python. “A mortal cannot excavate a Rank 5 Gu Master’s inheritance in a few months. It was either hurriedly set up or from a lax Gu Master without any requirement.”
“Rank 5 Gu Masters are anything but lax,” Bai Ning Bing points out.
“Exactly,” Lo Jik nods. “An Inheritance’s core is usually an awakening method and information. The village woman awakened her aperture, that much these Gu Masters deduced. She also had amazing Gu, which she couldn’t use expertly.”
“And food,” Bai Ning Bing narrows her eyes. “Those Gu were weakened by time. How can a mortal find food to nurture Rank 4 Gu? She would be lucky if any survived.”
“Despite knowing that, they are still chasing after that woman,” Lo Jik smirks.
“Information!” Bai Ning Bing’s gaze glitters. “Probably a Bookworm? They must be confident to retrieve her Gu Worms, so it can’t be the Heart Engraved Gu.”
“Here,” Lo Jik suddenly tosses a money bag at her.
They looted almost 4000 Primeval Stones from the Gu Masters. This allows Bai Ning Bing to display her strength. But it’s only a stopgap.
“What?” She frowns, narrowing her eyes. “Why?”
“Those Primeval Stones are more useful to us by allowing you to use Gu Worms,” Lo Jik shrugs. “Although you’ve gotten better at using mortal means, you cannot skimp on your Gu. Even your Ice Blade Gu is dead. I will lend you a few Gu I already refined. I also have your share of the loot from before. All of it needs Primeval Essence to use.”
He feels her cold stare as he chuckles.
“Don’t look at me like that.”
“Like what?” Bai Ning Bing retorts, looking at him like ‘that.’
“Like an unknown monster,” he rolls his eyes.
She grows silent as Lo Jik inquires, “Are you curious how I can support the cost of using expensive Gu?”
Bai Ning Bing plainly admits. “So what if I am?”
“Nothing,” he snickers. “You’ll have to beat an answer out of me.”
“I will once we have more Primeval Stones,” she snarks.
<<<>>>
“She’s… already dead.”
It’s been two weeks. They soon discovered the tracks of a poisoned Gu Master, crossing traps before entering a cave occupied by a boar’s family. On the ground is a dead Gu Master. Her flesh was chewed from several areas. Her stomach is gone, so there is no hope for her Gu.
Lo Jik doesn’t use the Dismember Gu. Instead, he inspects with his Eye Gu. He cannot see through a living being’s body. However, the same isn’t the case for corpses. Lo Jik glances at her brain, finding nothing.
‘She destroyed her Gu Worms,’ Lo Jik sighs. It’s a pity. That was a Rank 5 Inheritance!
“Damn! No primeval stones either!” Bai Ning Bing curses.
“Let’s stay in the cave for two days to recover,” Lo Jik sighs. “We’re going to Bai Gu Mountain.”
“Hehehe, finally revealing our destination?” Bai Ning Bing snickers. She already noticed how Lo Jik didn’t want to reveal their checkpoints. However, she didn’t bother with that information.
“Yeah,” Lo Jik sits down. “ I wanted to leave Qing Mao Mountain for an inheritance.” He reveals forthrightly. “Maybe we’ll gain Primeval Stones there.”
Bai Ning Bing instantly grows curious. It’s her first Inheritance. However, Lo Jik ignores the questions and hands Bai Ning Bing the Rank 2 Swift Shadow Gu and Rank 3 Shadow Sneak Gu. She didn’t have any Gu left. However, Lo Jik had more Gu, which he helped her refine this time.
Although Lo Jik did most of the work against Xuan Yuan Divine Pheasant, their banter was only on the surface. They already discussed how to efficiently divide the loot—merit.
If the two parties disagree, battle it out!
Xuan Yuan Divine Pheasant possessed three Rank 4 Gu and four Rank 3 Gu. Bai Ning Bing earned two Rank 3 Gu from the loot. Since the Pheasant only had attack-type Gu, Bai Ning Bing now has two attacking Gu.
The recent loot of Gu Worms from the Rank 3 Leader has her share of contribution—no matter how little.
Lo Jik allows the Blood Torrent Python to guard the cave entrance as the duo retreats into the safety to cultivate and experience their Gu.
The wilderness was kind and ruthless to the duo. Lo Jik would have died if he was the least bit prepared, especially against the Xuan Yuan Divine Pheasant!
But his gains were nothing to scoff at.
Lo Jik already refined the Digital Shade Gu. He spent most of his time finding a plain surface to watch the Gu recipe and note it down on bamboo papers before feeding it to his Bookworm. Yes, Bai Ning Bing also tried learning a few recipes, saying she could do whatever she wanted since he was doing all this in public. She quietened down once Lo Jik threatened her peaceful bowel movements in the wood if she didn’t fuck off.
She fucked off with a stomp.
Of the six recipes, Lo Jik gained the recipe for Rank 3 Golden Moon, Frozen Moon, Eight-Sectioned Gourd, and Mist Perspiring Butterfly. The remaining two were the recipes of Rank 4 Phoenix Winged Golden Butterflies and Blood Wings Gu.
Lo Jik already had the recipe for Rank 4 Blood Wings Gu. However, he understood why Mo Chen possessed a Liquor Worm. He wanted to refine the Rank 4 Phoenix Winged Golden Butterflies. This Gu needs Rank 3 Phoenix Butterly Wings and the Mist Perspiring Butterfly Gu as core materials. The popular refinement path for the Liquor Worm is Rank 2 Chrysalis and Rank 3 Mist Perspiring Butterfly.
Lo Jik destroyed those Digital Shade Worms once they were useless, saving their food in the Hemp Sac Gu for other possible accomplishments.
He also refined the Rank 4 Blood Skull and Yin Rotation Gu.
This wasn’t all. The Kindling Will Worm had three other Gu besides Mo Yan’s Four Gu. Those were all Rank 2 auxiliary materials for the Rank 4 Phoenix Winged Golden Butterflies. However, the lack of food caused their demise.
There is also a problem of food for the Gu taken from the Xuan Yuan Divine Phoenix. The Rank 4 Rainbow Mist, Seven-Lights Lance, and Rainbow Stream aren’t easy to feed. They are momentarily healthy. However, they will perish in a few months. Also, the remaining Rank 3 Rainbow Feathers Gu and Light Claw Gu need moderate attention.
‘I also got many Gu from the Young Leader of the team,’ Lo Jik smiles. Although he is feeling pressured, it's only increasing his combat potential.
So what if these Gu died? They didn’t belong to him. Anything that survived is a fortunate bounty. Everything that died was never his. Hence, no loss!
That wasn’t all.
The essence in his second aperture advanced from Light Silver to Blossom Silver!
Middle Stage Rank 3 Gu Master!
This swift speed is only due to using thousands of Primeval Stones in Gu Yue Village to speed up his cultivation!
‘We are near Bai Gu Mountain. It will take us less than a week. But…’
Lo Jik recalls the marking of Grass Monkey.
‘Monkey Wine. The Bamboo Wine in the Eight-Sectioned Gourd is sweet. The Monkey Wine is sour. If I collect these. I will only need Bitter and Spicy Wines along a Liquor Worm to refine a Rank 2 Four Flavors Liquor Worm.’
He got the recipe for Liquor Worm from Shen Cui’s gift. His cultivation pace will peak if he refines the Rank 3 Seven Fragrances Liquor Worm alongside a Soaked Wall Gu.
As for wine…
Lo Jik idly recalls the first mention of wine in the Legends of Ren Zu. Surprisingly, humans did not invent it. Many beasts brewed wine since ancient times.
<<<>>>
Humans weren't the only ones who knew how to brew wines.
The earliest records of wine came from the legend of Ren Zu.
Ren Zu's two eyes turned into his eldest son, Verdant Great Sun, and daughter, Desolate Ancient Moon.
Verdant Great Sun was always with Desolate Ancient Moon, and this close association created feelings towards his sister. However, Desolate Ancient Moon refused his wooing.
Verdant Great Sun was annoyed and knew he needed some help. Thus, he asked the Wisdom Gu.
At first, the Wisdom Gu ignored him and avoided him. But Verdant Great Sun kept on persevering, and the Wisdom Gu couldn't endure this annoyance anymore, so it told him away - "In the east dwells a group of Honey Peach Monkeys. Drink the wine brewed by them, and come find me."
Thus, Verdant Great Sun went to the east and drank the wine.
The wine brewed by the Honey Peach Monkeys was fruit wine. And ever since Verdant Great Sun drank the wine and returned, his face had a rosy flush. He smacked his lips as he recalled the taste: "So, wine is sweet."
The Wisdom Gu smiled and said: "In the west lies a group of Psychic Monkeys. Go taste the wine brewed by them."
The wine brewed by Psychic Monkeys was bitter. Verdant Great Sun went to the west and drank the wine. His tongue gained a yellowish-brown hue since then. He recalled the taste with a sour expression: "So, wine can also be bitter."
Wisdom Gu said again: "Wine is both bitter and sweet, love is the same, and human lives are even more so. At the north dwells a group of Vajra Monkeys. They also brew wine. Go taste it."
The Vajra Monkeys brewed a Strong wine.
Verdant Great Sun enjoyed this wine very much, drinking it till he was dead drunk.
He felt this wine was really to his taste and wanted to drink even more after getting drunk. He drank from the bowl at first before trying to drink it directly from the wine jar.
Finally, he started throwing up. The wine started showing its effects, making him feel an unbearable pain.
He felt the insides of his body were on fire as if lava was flowing through them.
"It's too hot!" He screamed. All the fire rushed in reverse towards his head, and his hair started burning. From then on, his hair burned endlessly like fire.
Verdant Great Sun saw the Wisdom Gu looking at him once he woke up.
"What did you think of the strong wine?" The Wisdom Gu asked.
Verdant Great Sun sighed: "I understand now, no matter how good the wine is, you will vomit it out if you drink too much; everything should be taken with moderation."
The Wisdom Gu laughed loudly: "In the north dwells a group of Skywater Monkeys. Their wine is also quite good. Go taste it."
Skywater Monkeys' wine was clear. It was the complete opposite of the Strong wine.
Verdant Great Sun lightly tasted the wine, and the moment he did so, he completely forgot all his worries and felt like he was floating in the air, with a hazy and intoxicated look in his eyes.
The Wisdom Gu again asked him about his experience. He lightly waved his hands: "Having known the joys of wine, I will not pass it on to sober people."
The Wisdom Gu chuckled and left quietly….
Thus, humans weren't the first species to brew wine. The monkeys were ahead of the humans.
Ordinary monkey groups all knew how to brew wine.
The wines were different from one monkey group to another. However, humans collectively called the wine brewed by the monkey monkey wine.
<<<>>>
Lo Jik ponders.
Wine is closely related to emotions. He didn’t try thinking about this more than it was. However, Lo Jik couldn’t help but feel the undercurrents in every tale.
‘Verdant Sun was still interested in his feelings for Desolate Moon. However, his motives unintentionally changed after drinking the Strong Wine. The Wisdom Gu did not remind him of anything but sent him for another Monkey Group. Love and emotions like that—Sweet and Bitter, Strong and Pleasant. A person navigates through these charts. Knowing the taste of ‘wine,’ one refuses to explain to others. I wonder how that ‘wine’ tastes. Others did, right? I could see in Mo Yan’s eyes. She was drunk.’
He narrows his eyes.
‘But there is also a caution. ‘Wine’ can distract others from one’s path. Drinking wine isn’t wrong. Letting it control you is. No. I’m being greedy for Monkey Wine when there’s an Inheritance on the line? Do a few vats of Monkey Wine compare to a possible Righteous Path Inheritance? No! We are heading to Shang Clan. It has virtually everything I could need. Why would I change courses here and waste time dealing with Monkey Groups?’
Lo Jik closes his eyes and cultivates. Well-protected locations like this are rare, and resting for optimal performance is necessary.
Even his mind is weary and tired.
<<<>>>
“This is—”
Others gasp once they see a fierce Pepper Hound growling in their direction.
Their expressions change.
Run!
<<<>>>
“These Demonic Gu Masters are more powerful than imagined.”
Tie No Ting sighs deeply. He is a Rank 4 Elder of the Tie Clan tasked to bring the Qing Mao survivors to their Clan and get to the ‘bottom’ of the situation. Of course, the Tie Clan branded these survivors as Demonic. They might have earned some Blood Gu and must be apprehended before the Tie Clan can understand their motives.
For the good of the Southern Border, of course!
However, the team of seven Tie Clansmen watch the remains of a Xuan Yuan Divine Pheasant!
But how could they realize they are overestimating Lo Jik? The crucial key to the Pheasant’s demise was the Heaven Piercing Eye Gu. This miraculous Gu wrote the story of the Rise and Fall of the Ruined Brothers. If one Eye from the pair is shocking, the other must not be far off!
The Tie Clansmen still don’t hesitate in chasing the demonic beings. What Gu can allow two mere Gu Masters to deal with such a magnificent creature?
<<<>>>
5 Days Later.
“Bai Gu.”
Lo Jik and Bai Ning Bing utter in a collective breath as they leave the thicket. Unlike Qing Mao Mountain, which neighbored small hills and valleys—which housed the Lightning Wolf, Bai Gu Mountain stands tall and proud with nothing but flatland around it.
There is no greenery on the mountain. All the duo sees is chalk white!
“You were right!” Bai Ning Bing gasps. “A mountain made of bones!”
Indeed.
Bai Gu’s structure and makeup share a resemblance to Bones! However, the lack of greenery does not suggest a lack of life forms. Instead, Bai Gu offers a range of Bone Gu, Species, and plants! They can see tall bone spirals and dense bone forests from the distance.
But…
The duo slowly returns to the forest.
Lo Jik discovered a perimeter of Smoke Eye Gu. This Gu allows a Gu Master to surveil from a distance using the Rank 4 Rainbow Smoke Screen Gu.
It means there is one Rank 4 Gu Master in the perimeter.
“Why do you think they are here?” Bai Ning Bing whispers.
Their luck has been great after killing the Xuan Yuan Divine Pheasant. The presence of a Rank 4 Gu Master may be their first crucial encounter after the Pheasant.
“Your guess is as good as mine,” Lo Jik frowns. Are they here for the Inheritance?
After all, Bai Gu is a wild mountain. One must locate and protect the Spirit Spring to establish a clan on a Mountain. Qing Mao Mountain had three Spirit Springs. They fed the trio clans for a thousand years! A spirit spring is invaluable to any clan.
Lo Jik recalls the map using the Bookworm Gu before discussing things with Bai Ning Bing.
They decide to scout the area further before searching for the inheritance site.
Being the only scout in the team, Lo Jik uses the Stealth Scales Gu before advancing carefully. He swiftly saw a camp… through the Bone Mountain’s surface!
This Mountain is not layered by earth. How can it stop Lo Jik’s vision?
Similarly, other Gu, like the Earth Hole Gu, are not usable in Bai Gu Mountain.
He doesn’t use the Multi-Shadow Beast Gu. The shadows will look conspicuous on the bone-white surface of the Mountain. But he gets some ‘Useful’ information.
The Eye Gu relies on Lo Jik’s eyesight. So, even if he can’t see everything in the mountain, the silhouette of the Middle-Aged woman resting her head in her hands after sending several elders away is crystal clear.
‘Bai Clan,’ he reads some words near the encampment. ‘A hunting competition?’ His gaze turns weird. Why would a Clan host a hunting competition on a different mountain than their Clan Grounds?
His thoughts soon shift when he sees the Middle-Aged Clan Leader hug the silhouettes of two children.
‘She brought her kids, too? Is this a vacation?’
No Clan would go so far for a Gu Master’s Inheritance since it might invite suspicion. He momentarily stops thinking when he observes the Clan Leader retrieve a Gu and use it.
A Strength Gu.
He muses for a while, odd thoughts swirling in his head. Lo Jik observes different things. He soon discovers a pair of lovers sneaking away. Oh, they gaze at the sky while holding hands. The Clan Leader’s children play in the encampment. However, they are soon caught by another Elder before being forced to study scriptures. Some Gu Masters prepare the grill for supper.
There are no ordinary mortals in the camp.
‘There’s an 80% chance they aren’t here for the Inheritance Site. However, moving to another mountain for competition is weird, too. The Clan Leader and the Higher-Ups are stressed. Meanwhile, the subordinates and juniors rejoice. There must be some controlled information known only to the higher-ups.’
Lo Jik carefully returns before leading Bai Ning Bing around a different path. The Bai Gu Mountain is vast, and the Bai Clan only protects one of the several entrances into the mountain’s slope.
***
Alternate Title: The Sudden Inheritance?; Cruel Nature; A Rank 5 Inheritance Gone; Gains; Net Profit Only!; Forget About The Lost; The Pleasure of Love and Wine; Beware of Addictions; Wisdom Gu Getting Others Addicted; Verdant Sun Rocks Big Mom’s Fire Hair Cut; Learning From The Ren Zu Classic; Forget About Small Gains, They Are Addictive; The Bai Gu Mountain; Peace; Human Settlement; The Bai Clan; Advantages of Bone Mountain; OP Heaven Piercing Eye; Complete the Heaven and Earth Set!; Demonic Until Proven Innocent; A Chance To Prove Innocence? *Tie Clan Laughs In Righteousness*; A Single Mom?; Neuron Activated; A Strength Gu? *Body Reacted*; A Stressed Single Milf With Strength Gu? *Step on me, Mommy—Desires Unleashed*; I am The Bone of My Sword; Bai Gu Mountain Is Where It’s AT!
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