Chapter 233: Chapter 232: Experiments on Bugs (4th Update, Please Subscribe)
"Indeed, the Gu Cultivator lineage is truly a path of sorcery!"
Lu Xuanji was flipping through these books, but a glimmer of light flashed in his eyes.
The cultivation techniques circulated by the seven branches of the Demon Sect are all bloody and brutal, going against the natural order, with the only exception being the Gu Demon lineage.
Their cultivation techniques are neither bloody nor cruel and do not involve mass slaughter of cultivators and mortals. They simply cultivate Gu insects to strengthen themselves, yet they are despised by the Demon Sect because this lineage has the lowest cap, at most reaching the peak of Divinity Transformation, considered the shame of the Demon Dao.
At the same time, they are also looked down upon by the righteous path, labeled as heretical and reduced to a branch of the Demon Sect.
Within the Gu Demon Scripture, there is the cultivation method of Gu Cultivation. First, refine a bug as a lifebound insect gu. When the insect advances to the Foundation Establishment, it will nourish the cultivator, advancing them to Foundation Establishment; when the insect advances to Purple Mansion, it will similarly reward the cultivator, assisting them to advance to Purple Mansion. This process follows, relying on the insect’s advancement to push one’s own advancement.
The upper limit of the Insect Cultivator is determined by the upper limit of the insect, but the upper limit of insects is too low.
In terms of racial limits, bloodlines like Golden Crow, White Tiger, Cyan Dragon, Black Tortoise have the potential for immortality, their caps extremely high. However, most insects have a potential cap of Foundation Establishment, with a few reaching Purple Mansion, and even fewer insects advancing to Golden Core.
In terms of racial combat power, there are strong races like White Tiger, Cyan Dragon, Golden Crow, who are invincible at the same realm and can even battle across levels. In contrast, the Insect Race is nearly at the bottom, with Golden Core insect demons often defeated by Purple Mansion demon races, and Nascent Soul insect demons often defeated by Golden Core demon beasts.
In the same realm, the combat power of demonic insects is only one-tenth that of other demon beasts, or even lower.
The insect demon lineage often confronts enemies by overwhelming them with hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of insects, relying not on quality but on quantity to win.
Regarding racial lifespan, human race cultivators in Qi Cultivation Stage have a lifespan of 120 years, Foundation Establishment Stage 240 years, Purple Mansion 480 years, Golden Core 1,000 years, Nascent Soul 2,000 years, Divinity Transformation 5,000 years.
The human race, due to their short lifespan, is called short-lived species.
Ordinary demon races have lifespans three to four times that of humans; those with top-tier bloodlines, five to six times that of humans; as for pure-blooded divine beasts, their lifespans exceed ten times that of humans.
However, the lifespan of the insect race is even shorter, with many insects living only for a few months, and some strong insects living only for ten years.
In the "Insect Race Encyclopedia," according to average lifespan statistics, Qi Cultivation Stage insects live for ten years, Foundation Establishment Stage insects live for fifty years, Purple Mansion Stage insects live for 100 years, Golden Core Stage insects live for 200 years, Nascent Soul Stage insects live for 500 years, Divinity Transformation insects live for 1,000 years.
These drawbacks combined result in the low potential cap of the insect race, low combat power in the same realm, and short lifespan, making them almost the lowest in the demon race.
The disadvantages of insects also limit the development of Insect Cultivators, making it difficult for the Gu Demon lineage to thrive.
Taking the Insect Control Jar, Lu Xuanji sensed the space inside, roughly 30 cubic meters, divided into five compartment spaces, each with an insect nest, containing Flame Insect, Gold-devouring Insect, Illusion Butterflies, Blood-winged Poison Mosquito, Vajra Beetle.
Each insect has its unique features, capable of devouring fire, consuming gold, illusion techniques, highly poisonous, defense, etc.
A single insect has very poor combat power, yet if hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands swarm up together, even an ordinary Golden Core expert can’t withstand it.
"These are all shortcomings, but what are the advantages?"
Lu Xuanji pondered.
The short growth cycle and fast advancement speed of insects make it necessary to advance to Golden Core within 200 years, because if they cannot, their lifespan will simply be exhausted; in addition, their small size means less resource consumption, and the resources spent for a human cultivator to advance to Foundation Establishment would be enough to cultivate a hundred Foundation Establishment demon insects.
But like that, it’s meaningless. A hundred Foundation Establishment demon insects might not even defeat a single human cultivator.
...
After a moment, Lu Xuanji put down the book and said, "Thank you, ancestor!"
"These are just minor things!" Old Ancestor Jin laughed.
"I don’t need the Insect Control Jar... I just want one insect egg!" Lu Xuanji said, handing the storage bag back.
In the palm of his hand, there was only a single insect egg the size of a grain of rice.
This is the Gold-devouring Insect egg.
"What’s the use of this?" Old Ancestor Jin laughed, "The potential cap of the Gold-devouring Insect is low, at most it can only become a Purple Mansion demon insect, which offers limited help to you?"
"I just want to conduct an experiment!"
Lu Xuanji laughed.
"What experiment?" Old Ancestor Jin asked curiously.
"I cannot say!"
Lu Xuanji laughed, "Just some ideas, and how it will specifically go still needs some time to plan!"
"In ten days, the auction will be held!" Old Ancestor Jin said, "Is there anything you want to auction?"
"Yes!"
Lu Xuanji smiled, taking out ten Purple Mansion Pills and placing them on the table.
"This is supreme grade!"
Old Ancestor Jin judged the elixir’s grade by its scent, a hint of astonishment flashed in his eyes, "Your alchemy skills exceed the imagination of the world, it seems that in the future when I need a Primordial Spirit Pill to advance to Divinity Transformation, I will need your help!"
"If I can advance to the peak of Nascent Soul, I will certainly refine the Primordial Spirit Pill for the ancestor!" Lu Xuanji said with a smile, much like an ordinary person promising to donate ten million after earning a hundred million.
"I hope so!"
Old Ancestor Jin said, "Just remember, your alias is Ye Fan, and my alias is Fang Qingxue, don’t call me ancestor again!"
Lu Xuanji nodded.
Old Ancestor Jin instructed a few more things before leaving.
...
After Old Ancestor Jin left, Lu Xuanji began to drip blood, nurturing the insect egg.
After absorbing the fresh blood, the insect egg established a slight connection with Lu Xuanji.
Then Lu Xuanji pointed a finger at his chest, tearing it open to reveal a glistening heart, pressing the insect egg onto it.
Buzz buzz!
The insect egg entered the heart, running the cultivation technique, as the wound on his chest healed.
Recalling the notes from the Gu Demon Scripture, he began operating the cultivation technique, establishing a connection with the insect egg, and signed a contract.
At the moment of signing the contract, the insect egg transformed into the Lifebound Gu Insect.
Thump thump thump!
The heart beat violently, the essence blood within the heart flushing the insect egg, nourishing and enlarging it, as the insect egg’s vitality gradually strengthened.
Gu Demon Scripture, initiation.
By now, he could be considered an Insect Cultivator, or a Gu Cultivator, whatever the case may be.
Three days later, the insect egg in the heart ruptured, transforming into a bug the size of a grain of rice, the Gold-devouring Insect was born.
At this time, the Gold-devouring Insect started devouring Lu Xuanji’s essence blood, growing and enhancing its cultivation bit by bit. It only needed five years to advance to Foundation Establishment, twenty years to Purple Mansion... such a speed surpasses that of a human with Celestial Spirit Root by far.
After reaching Purple Mansion, the racial bottleneck of the Gold-devouring Insect will emerge and will remain stuck at the peak of Purple Mansion until its lifespan is exhausted.
"By then, I can proceed with the second stage of the experiment!"
Lu Xuanji contemplated.
...
PS: Seeking full subscription. Everyone’s been hoarding books lately.