Reverend Rizzsanity

As Lo Jik suspected, the next ten rounds were also effortless if one spent some time disrupting the Hairy Men's Gu Refinement. Although he wanted to spend time competing against other Gu Masters before recuperating against the Hairy Men or the theoretical test, Lo Jik realized the chance of encountering a Gu Master in an early stage was exceedingly low. So, entering the 31st stage wasn't a massive accomplishment.

However, the inheritance's difficulty rose a few times at this stage. The competing Hairy Man was significantly larger. While his hair was still messy, he looked well-fed and rested. Unlike his fallen members, this Hairy Man did not chant mindlessly and cautiously glared at Lo Jik. It looked like a tense animal willing to do anything for its survival.

'Oh?' Lo Jik's eyes brightened after discovering this change. His blood boiled with excitement to master and digest one of his greatest fortunes—Imaginative Strength Immortal's experience! But his mind was calm, and he didn't reveal any impatience. Instead of approaching and beginning the competition, he took a moment to regather his thoughts.

'King Quan's and King Bao's inheritances' first ten rounds ruthlessly disqualify several Gu Masters of different paths. The same isn't necessarily true in King Xin's inheritance after using the former trick. However, effortlessly passing the first twenty rounds can inflate the ego. I chose to continue despite having one chance of leaving the inheritance site before round 26th. I can afford to risk everything because competition is the quickest way to digest my gains. The same isn't necessary for Gu Masters of other paths who may charge ahead due to greed. Most of them will likely meet their end after the 30th round.'

'Only geniuses of the required path—Refinement, Enslavement, and Fire—could perform with stable footing past this round. But what about 40th, 50th, and further rounds?'

Lo Jik had limited knowledge and couldn't predict everything. However, it was a Rank 5 Inheritance, something he had confidence in tackling.

He wouldn't have risked things for any other path. But he intended to advance in the Refinement Path. He already obtained several precious Rank 1 and 2 Gu from the previous rounds, even three precious Rank 3 Gu from Wen Din Gou. How could Lo Jik willingly step away from such fortunes that could help him obtain a suitable refinement path Gu Set in one step?!

Besides, he also had an exceedingly rare Rank 4 Refinement Gu—Refinement Qi. Although it cannot become a Core Gu for his set, Lo Jik could temporarily use it in several methods.

Again, he desired the Beating Refinement Gu (which resonated with his Strength Path Set,) Green Mountain Remains (which massively reduced the losses in Refinement of the Gu,) or the Undefeated Hundred Battles (which boosted the success rate of the fusion of the corresponding-ranked Gu.)

Lo Jik could use all three through Imaginative Strength's Inheritance. Of course, attaining all three would help Lo Jik cover a few significant aspects of the Refinement Path.

Calm and ready, Lo Jik stepped forward, indicating the start of the competition.

<<<>>>

"Curse you!"

The Hairy Man roared as the Heavenly Power formed into a bold of lightning and struck the loser to ashes.

Lo Jik exhaled as he licked his dried lips.

It was the 40th round. Lo Jik didn't forcefully compete with the Hairy Men every round. Instead, he went against five Hairy Men and chose to recuperate in the other test by jotting down several Gu recipes. Not only did it allow Lo Jik to conserve a vast portion of his collected materials, but it also allowed him to improve at a shocking pace.

After all, he rested when needed, regaining his spirit and becoming more attentive.

Each successful refinement was an addition to the Gu Master's foundation as a Refinement Path master. One should never look down on such experiences.

'The 41st stage…' Lo Jik collected everything before following the blue paper crane. Letting the crane move farther away would instead strand Lo Jik in the inheritance sight, where he would be unable to escape the fog before succumbing to a pitiful death.

The crane paused eventually, waiting for Lo Jik to choose between two paths. It was also one of the resting spots for competitors like Lo Jik.

The orbs of light were the size of a millstone, allowing a Gu Master to peer through them after succeeding in the 40th round.

After some concentration, the one on the right revealed a green, forested slope. Lo Jik knew it was the exit.

But why would he?

With the troubles he caused, the current moment may be his first and last chance to enter the Inheritance. How could Lo Jik retreat before fulfilling a few of his prioritized goals?

No.

Retreat wasn't an option!

Lo Jik turned to the left, observing a reddish-brown globe of light. He witnessed a Hairy Man playing with a green, dragonfly-like Gu.

'Oh?' Lo Jik gasped. 'Rank 4 Green Mountain Remains!'

But knowing impatience was the cause of one's downfall, Lo Jik resisted the temptation and observed further.

'That Hairy Man can freely use a Gu. Is it a handicap against the Gu Master? Do I have to compete against Hairy Men who can use one or multiple Gu to assist their refinement?'

He frowned. These Hairy Men were born with an innate talent for refinement path. Lo Jik would need to be careful even when using a Gu of his own, much less competing with a 'strapped' Hairy Man without any.

That wasn't all.

As Lo Jik continued watching the globe, it flickered and revealed the image of an extraordinary Gu!

It was like a fist-sized golden sphere, surrounded by thorn-like vines and exuding an ancient aura—grand and desolate!

Rank 4 Golden Relic Gu!

'King Quan and King Bao's inheritance starts offering rewards much earlier. In a way, the collected materials in the earlier rounds were a reward, so King Xin didn't set other explicit goodies.' Lo Jik concluded before sighing.

He desired Relic Gu, too. It wasn't for his aperture. He was confident in raising his first aperture to Rank 5 Peak Stage in due time. Also, he possessed TWO Rank 5 Heavenly Essence Treasure King Lotus. So, he wasn't desperate for more Rank 5 essence.

However, the inheritance robbed from Li Xian revealed that the Relic Gu series belonged to Human Path, which was expected to be one of the next best things by peerless beings like Imaginative Strength. Even Thieving Heaven Demon Venerable formed legendary Gu like Fake Aperture—a Human Path Immortal Gu!

Possessing a master's attainment in Human Path ensured lasting benefits. With the Purple Relic Gu being rarer than its Rank 4 variants and reserved for Lo Jik's cultivation once his first aperture broke into Rank 5, targeting the Golden Relic Gu for the Dreamer Gu was the best option.

He calmly stepped inside, startling the carefree Hairy Man.

To Lo Jik's relief, he instantly connected with all the refinement path Gu inside his first aperture.

'So, I can use a Gu, too.'

This round was similar to the competition between Gu Masters as King Xin's voice emerged again, setting concise standards after delivering the materials.

<<<>>>

45th Round.

Lo Jik grunted and sat in an empty clearing. The Green Mountain Remains, Golden Relic Gu, and Scrutinizing Eye Gu were within his first aperture.

Lo Jik gained Green Mountain Remains and Golden Relic from the 41st stage before promptly entering the 42nd and 43rd theoretical rounds. Competing against a well-fed, intelligent, and able Hairy Man was an entirely different concept. However, he got a choice to leave again, forcing Lo Jik to select another competitive Hairy Man. The Rank 4 Scrutinizing Eye Gu belonged to the second Hairy Man.

This Rank 4 Gu was a Refinement Path investigation Gu that allowed a Gu Master to observe the materials for any tampering. However, it only worked on the refinement path materials.

Meanwhile, the rewards of the following three rounds were rare materials and the Rank 4 Melting Flame Gu recipe.

King Xin's voice echoed, breaking Lo Jik out of his thoughts.

It calmly stated a list of materials before demanding Lo Jik to write three concise recipes on the lone stele emerging from the ground.

'What Gu is that?'

Lo Jik observed. It wasn't Lo Jik's first encounter with the Rank 5 Gu in the shape of an earthen stele. It was a mysterious object that could assess the recipes written on its surface, vaguely calculating its success rate. Its existence confused everyone because King Xin was credited with Divulge Information's creation… not this.

With a few concrete recipes in his mind, Lo Jik didn't move immediately. He had six hours.

So, he laid on his back with his arms sprawled wide open.

<<<>>>

A female Gu Master encountered a fatal situation when Lo Jik rested. Unlike the latter's small clearing, the woman was also within the Blessed Land. However, a pack of hungry dogs surrounded her, howling and charging at her.

It was the scene from King Quan's inheritance.

The woman was remarkable—a Rank 4 Middle Stage Gu Master. But she was no different than an ordinary woman in the blessed land. With her strength path dao marks suppressed, she couldn't exert her usual prowess despite having a respectable foundation in body refinement.

The dogs surrounding her included bear-sized 100-Beast Kings! Survival was a lost cause in this cruel inheritance.

Dogs bit her, tearing and chewing her flesh. They greedily drank her blood as the female Gu Master struggled at death's door.

"Aaagh!" She screamed, already pale with fear and blood loss. A thick aura of decay and death surrounded her as a dog bit her neck.

The woman's gaze turned hollow with despair as she gave up. Packs of dogs surrounded her before she suddenly vanished into thin air.

*Aaauuuuuuuuu*

The dogs howled, instantly searching for the woman. However, they didn't find her.

<<<>>>

Lo Jik continued to charge against the inheritance. He had been inside King Xin's inheritance for more than a week. However, a Gu Master experienced time quickly inside the blessed land. One day spent outside was equivalent to three days inside the Blessed Land.

After the fiftieth round, the difficulty would force several Gu Masters out because the Hairy Men and the competing Gu Masters could use two Refinement Path Gu Worms. However, the more Lo Jik competed and rested, the better he grew.

He wasn't ordinary and concentrated on digesting Imaginative Strength's gains. Despite being a Strength Path immortal, Imaginative Strength Immortal invented several Gu and had a deep Refinement Path foundation and attainment. King Xin couldn't hope to compete against Imaginative Strength.

The stream of constant rewards after the 40th stage also allowed Lo Jik to develop and form a working Refinement Path Gu set swiftly. He already gained one Green Mountain Remains along with a few supporting Gu.

This inheritance was simply geared for Lo Jik's growth!

He was like a needy infant attaining a stream of constant nourishment. Every reward and success deepened Lo Jik's refinement path foundations significantly.

He could establish himself as a Refinement Path expert in Shang Clan city instead of spending days battling in the Battle Zone.

As one expected, the 60th round pushed things further.

Lo Jik and the Hairy Men could use three Refinement Path Gu. But there was an additional change!

The barrier surrounding Lo Jik and the Hairy Men during the competition was no longer there. They could use one of the three Refinement Gu allotted to them to attack the opponent.

Surprisingly, the next ten rounds were less challenging for Lo Jik than the previous rounds. He quickly discovered that the Hairy Men always used support-type Gu for refinement. They didn't even try using a Defensive Gu!

It allowed Lo Jik to accumulate several rare materials again since he would instantly attack and kill the focused Hairy Men—gaining their precious Refinement Path Gu, too!

Round 61st to 70th was his most lucrative period!

His gains were too ridiculous!

But seeing the 71st round suspended Lo Jik's momentum as he appeared solemn.

Two paths were glowing in the fog. Lo Jik might be the only Gu Master to charge past the 70th round successfully. He was intimately aware that only those with master-level attainment and beyond could proceed and survive the later rounds.

Lo Jik currently possessed two Golden Relics, among other incredible rewards.

Should he continue?

He could exit King Xin's inheritance again.

A complicated emotion bloomed in his heart.

He momentarily disregarded the exit and stared at the competition. He witnessed two Hairy Men from the bucket-sized reddish-brown globe. Surprisingly, one of the Hairy Men was a Rank 5 Initial Stage Gu Master!

The other Hairy Man was a Rank 3 Peak Stage Gu Master. Unlike their other comrades, these specimens calmly meditated. A stable aura appeared around them, indicating a well-cultivated spirituality.

Tackling this stage and beyond depended on the rewards. Why would Lo Jik falter if the rewards were worthwhile?

So, he observed further before the light flickered, revealing a Rank 5 Gu.

Shaped as a golden-colored cockroach, the Gu Worm had a glistening appearance.

Rank 5 Prodigal Son Gu!

The Refinement Path included fusion, refinement of wild Gu, reverse refinement, and parallel refinement. Prodigal Son Gu targeted the aspect of Reverse Refinement. Ordinarily, a Gu Master could earn rare and almost extinct Gu by reverse-refining a cheap Gu Worm. It was the primary thought process behind the invention of Particle Viewing Gu. Imaginative Strength wished to connect the past with the present, using ordinary materials to refine and rediscover ancient glory!

So, it wasn't strange for a few Gu to exist that directly reverse-refined a high-ranked Gu into its low-ranked component.

A Rank 5 Revert Gu was already rare. It could reverse-refine a Rank 5 Gu into ONE Rank 4 Gu. The Gu Master could use supplementary Gu to decide the results, even attaining an extinct Gu.

However, the Prodigal Son Gu achieved the same effect with twice the results!

It could produce two of the same Rank 4 Gu.

This Gu in the right (greedy) hands could reinvent the market!

The only question in Lo Jik's mind was whether the rewards were worth the risks.

How was he expected to compete with two Hairy Men? What would be the rules?

Other Hairy Men from the lower rounds were emotional, revealing hints like their choice of Gu or temperament, allowing Lo Jik to exploit their weaknesses.

But these two Hairy Men were calm and stable. Lo Jik couldn't find any clues at a glance.

He frowned and observed the two Hairy Men again.

—Then again!

There must be something. Lo Jik's instincts felt weird.

King Xin wasn't an ordinary Refinement Path Gu Master. She also showed enough Information Path attainment, exploiting Wu Clan's weakness and striking them when they were most careless. It displayed her ruthlessness and wisdom—the trend of using wisdom to exploit weakness continued in King Xin's inheritance.

'Hmm?'

Lo Jik blinked as he discovered something.

'They aren't calm!' Lo Jik was flabbergasted. 'They are sleeping!'

He stepped inside, feeling the freedom to use four Refinement Path Gu.

King Xin's voice emerged, shocking the sleeping Hairy Men. The voice demanded a Rank 4 Rain Gu, adding another condition aside from the surprisingly short 3-hour time limit.

"Number of failures allowed: 1"

"Let's work, Father!"

"Yes, dear Son!"

The two Hairy Men spoke cordially, ignoring Lo Jik. The duo did not reveal four Gu Worms each. Instead, the Rank 5 Hairy Man displayed two Rank 5 Gu, and the Rank 3 Hairy Man revealed two Rank 3 Gu.

Cautious of the duo, Lo Jik spent a few minutes observing the materials.

King Xin began adding faulty materials past the 60th round, forcing Lo Jik and others to be cautious. The duo across him was the same.

They began refining the Gu soon. Much to Lo Jik's annoyance, the Rank 5 Hairy Man oversaw the defenses. However, there wasn't any offensive Gu even now.

Scoffing, Lo Jik began refining the Gu.

With constant assimilation, Lo Jik's master-level Refinement Path solidified and showed signs of progress. After all, he was emulating a genuine Grandmaster! How could his moves be wasteful or useless? Each action, be it crushing eyeballs into a paste, tossing flower petals, or refinement path techniques—was vigorous and confident.

Cautious of any surprise attack, Lo Jik maintained an even pace.

He felt more ominous as the two Hairy Men tossed him strange glances despite maintaining their refinement.

They might be preparing a surprise attack. How could such thoughts hide from a Wisdom Path Master?

Still, Lo Jik, unsurprisingly, refined the Gu before the Rank Hairy Man.

With that, Lo Jik expectantly gazed at the Hairy Men. He wanted their Gu!

He specifically desired the Rank 5 Stable Cauldron Gu in the Rank 5 Hairy Man's possession.

But the heavenly power did not descend. Instead, the Hairy Men calmly refined the Gu before grinning at each other.

"Hehehe! You're such an accomplished Refinement Path Gu Master, human! Although you are hairless and ugly, we admire your expertise more!" The Rank 3 Gu Master laughed.

"Indeed." The elder Rank 5 Hairy Man chuckled. "You inspired my son to try better. According to the rules, he can follow you and compete against other Hairy Men tribes."

'So, that's it!' The clue Lo Jik searched for appeared through the innocent Rank 5 Hairy Man.

A Blessed Land can host numerous lifeforms. Time did not stop after the Three Kings' demise. King Quan's Dog Group, King Xin's Hairy Men Group, and King Bao's Eggmen Group expanded and propagated. The blessed land experienced time three times more quickly than the outside world. Essentially, these groups had roughly three hundred years of growth!

How could King Xin and others be ignorant of the matter?

These groups had their hierarchy, which grew more complicated as their numbers expanded. Those unable to cope with the loneliness turned mad, appearing in the first twenty rounds. Meanwhile, the Hairy Men in the current rounds are more spiritual and innocent. Even now, the Heavenly Power did not descend to eradicate the losers, indicating King Xin's tolerance for Hairy Men's upper echelons.

"You wish to follow me?" Lo Jik repeated, sparing the Rank 3 Hairy Man a glance before looking at the father.

He was beginning to understand the kind of tests lying ahead.

"You should also follow me," Lo Jik spoke calmly as the Rank 5 Hairy Man laughed boisterously.

"Hahaha! You're funny, young man. Your skills are top-notch—better than mine! However, I shall only follow someone whose skills AND power surpasses—"

The young Rank 3 Hairy Man instantly let out a doubtful squawk. Meanwhile, the Rank 5 Hairy Man stammered when he sensed the Peak Stage Rank 5 aura emanating from Lo Jik.

"Y-Your aura!" The Hairy Man shouted before he grinned. "Hahaha! Too incredible! Mistress promised we would have to fight to escape this Blessed Land before its destruction. Hehehe. We, father and son, can follow together now!"

"Father!" The young Hairy Man teared up and gave his father a bear hug.

"My son!" The old Hairy Man returned the gesture.

The heavenly power descended, conjuring a Rank 5 Prodigal Son Gu.

"Ah! A good Gu! Good Gu!" The Papa Hairy Man praised the Gu as Lo Jik refined and stored it inside his aperture. His expression was still, not revealing any joy at the addition of his followers.

It was a Demonic Inheritance. Lo Jik knew there would be a twist to all fortunes here.

The fog rushed from all sides, and the father-son duo looked visibly uncomfortable, unable to speak. The heavenly power restricted them, and Lo Jik's gaze momentarily glimmered. It was another clue.

The blue crane flew ahead, and the trio followed closely. Soon, Lo Jik selected another Hairy Men group. Like the father-son duo, the two Hairy Men seemed to have woken from a deep slumber.

However, they stared at the father-son duo before glaring at Lo Jik.

"You must defeat us both in Gu Refinement without their assistance if you wish our cooperation. Those are the rules!"

"Indeed," the Papa Hairy Man nodded. "Those are the rules."

Lo Jik narrowed his eyes before smiling.

"I accept."

<<<>>>

72nd…

73rd…

74th…

Lo Jik always selected the Hairy Men group, steadily recognizing a pattern. Of course, he didn't forget to check the rewards for other choices to confirm whether the Gu he desired was available.

Not every round revealed a group of Rank 5 and Rank 3 Gu Master. The 75th round possessed four Rank 3 Gu Masters. These Hairy Men loved to talk and chat with their comrades, allowing Lo Jik to learn many things.

It was as he expected.

King Xin helped other prominent Hairy Men enter hibernation-like states for a few centuries to preserve their sanity with the promise of freedom before the Blessed Land's fateful destruction. However, there was a quota on how many could survive based on the competing Gu Master. Only the winning Gu Master's Hairy Men group would experience freedom. What did that imply?

King Xin planned to force Gu Masters' face-off mandatory in the later stages, where the Hairy Men would act as support.

It was a meticulous plan. Given the inheritance's state, even Rank 5 Gu Masters needed years to rush through the rounds like Lo Jik unless they were a Refinement Path Grandmaster. While Lo Jik didn't possess such an attainment, he had firmly digested the experiences of another Grandmaster. How many could claim to possess Grandmaster-level attainment in the mortal realm?

Lo Jik could only think of one fellow—Feng Tian Yu!

Feng Tian Yu was a genuinely inspiring character for the current generation's refinement path Gu Masters since he refined a Rank 5 Gu as a Rank 3 Gu Master. However, Gu Worm died shortly after.

What King Xin wanted was a competition between two such characters!

She planned and planned, purposefully giving a Gu Master more chances to leave the inheritance site than the other two sites. It was to create hesitation in a Gu Master's heart. But Lo Jik did not hesitate. He only had to walk ahead. If they hesitated and left, the inheritance had a higher chance of directing such a conflict at the later stages.

Lo Jik fully grasped the Inheritance after stepping into the 81st round. A Gu Master could only use one Gu from their aperture. Instead, the test forced the Gu Master to either use the other three Gu from the Hairy Men or employ them as supporters, where they would use one Gu.

The opposing party was another group of Hairy Men. However, these weren't sane. Lo Jik chose between four sane Hairy Men or this group of 12 insane hairy men.

There was only one reason to form such decisions—the rewards.

While Lo Jik wouldn't be able to bolster his force after defeating them, he didn't need to.

He was the ONLY human Gu Master to step so far ahead!

The successful clearance of the stage granted Lo Jik a Rank 5 Gu Worm.

It looked nothing special, possessing a round form and a stone-like surface. It resembled a stone disc at a glance. However, Lo Jik was overjoyed!

Rank 5 Undefeated Hundred Battles Gu Worm!

It was a consumable Rank 5 Gu that could ensure a 100% refinement success as long as the Gu Master followed the recipe, the recipe wasn't incomplete, and the Gu Master possessed untampered materials!

It was an extinct Gu, not even held by Gu Immortals. Imaginative Strength Immortal searched for it everywhere but couldn't find one!

'And now I have two.'

Lo Jik didn't look at the targeted Rank 5 Hairy Man who had the other Gu.

'I already possess the essence of the Inheritance since I have the Divulge Information Gu recipe. Should I leave or see how far the inheritance stretches?'

He grew contemplative.

Successfully accepting the inheritance meant that King Xin's light pillar would disappear. It would paint an unnecessary target on his back. However, one thing still piqued Lo Jik's interest—the stone stele. It was also an Information Path Gu that could predict the completion rate of a Gu Recipe. What if the Gu was obtainable after clearing all the rounds?

'No,' Lo Jik sighed. He achieved his objective. While he didn't find any Beating Refinement Gu, he could refine it privately after counting the gains from the Inheritance. He fearlessly charged forward to attain his goals. Why should he turn the fearless charge into a foolish march by letting his greed ruin things?

So what if he missed out on a Gu?

He didn't plan to branch into the Information Path. Divulge Information's recipe was more than enough.

For all he knew, King Xin might have left a trump card in the stages beyond 91st. Anything after gaining the Undefeated Hundred Battles Gu Worm was an unnecessary risk.

So, Lo Jik quietly gazed at one of the light orbs revealing the exit.

Exiting now did not imply he would take the Hairy Men group with him. Instead, they would return to their positions and be forced to obey another master.

'Hehe…' Lo Jik turned.

'Exactly. King Xin was extraordinarily ruthless.' He eyed the restricted Hairy Men. They couldn't even speak!

'Why would King Xin force the Hairy Men into such states during the time a Gu Master selected the stage? The answer is simple. They are equivalent to King Quan's Dog Group and King Bao's Eggmen Group. She wanted the Gu Masters to treat them as such—like resources. All these Hairy Men possess extraordinary Rank 5 Gu. My refinement set would reach initial completion after taking what I need.'

'However, these Hairy Men are stubborn and innocent. King Xin predicted her inheritor's relationship turning sour against them and left a choice for Gu Masters to use this moment as they wished!'

The Hairy Men grew fearful under Lo Jik's predatory gaze.

He sighed.

'They also saw me and realized my skills. The chatterboxes they are, these Hairy Men would spill the beans to the next Gu Master they meet. Nobody can know how deeply I explored King Xin's inheritance.'

Lo Jik suddenly waved his hand. The Heavenly Power did not restrict his usage of Refinement Path Gu as he mobilized the Rank 4 Willful Refinement Gu. The ray of silver light entered a Hairy Man, instantly refining all the Gu constricted by the Heavenly Power.

The Hairy Men instantly trembled. However, they couldn't even speak and move unless Lo Jik walked.

He snickered, constantly refining dozens of Gu before nodding in satisfaction. After concluding the loot, he flipped his finger as deep purple flames erupted, consuming the group of Hairy Men.

It was another Refinement Path Rank 4 Gu—Melting Flame. A Gu Master used the Melting Flame Gu to treat Metal Path materials and Gu predominantly.

Currently, such fiendish flame burnt the quiet and struggling Hairy Men until their hair turned to ashes and their flesh melted into a sickly puddle of blood and gore.

Still unconvinced, Lo Jik used the Melting Flame Gu again, only leaving the inheritance site after watching the last puddle burn to ashes.

***

A/N: The chapter was pretty concise, and I didn't feel like making alternate titles this time.