Fang Yuan and Fang Zheng were sitting opposite each other. Fang Zheng's left hand was resting in Fang Yuan's right hand.
With his other hand on the scales of equality, Fang Yuan was trying to help Fang Zheng breakthrough to Rank 3 once more.
This time, the fact that he had Rank 5 primeval essence did, as a matter of fact, help much as he had anticipated. Using Equality Gu was far easier now, as if earlier he had been climbing up a cliff with weights attached to his ankles and now those weights had been cut free. Not to mention the amplification from the Human Path dao marks he had accumulated.
Fang Zheng felt his aptitude rise steeply at first before it began to slow down. Firstly, it rose to 50%, then 56% rapidly, then 64%. Finally, once it had reached 71%, Fang Zheng began to show signs of exhaustion, so Fang Yuan stopped using Equality Gu and allowed Fang Zheng to recover somewhat before telling him to start cultivating.
Fang Zheng nodded and replenished his primeval essence. He had prepared himself for several days for this breakthrough and was eager not to fail this time. His primeval essence fell to 69% by the time he was done replenishing it with primeval stones. While his aptitude increased more slowly the higher it got, it conversely fell more rapidly when he was not using Equality Gu.
To breakthrough to Rank 3, however, this was ordinarily more than enough. The issue was of course, that this aptitude of his would continue to decay over time if he did not take advantage of it.
Fang Zheng was a bit surprised to see how much damage his primeval essence could do to the walls at this level. He had been trying on his own with little success and still remembered his previous failure.
'If I'd still been an A grade talent,' he thought to himself, 'I think I could have become Rank 3 by now without any outside help.'
It was a bitter thought, made all the more bitter that the Tie Clan had not been able to find the person or organization behind who had sent Lord of the Mysteries. 'That stupid girl, Tie Ruo Nan. Couldn't even figure that out. Hmph! Don't know why her father entrusted her to lead this mission - this is why woman shouldn't be allowed to be in charge of anything!' His anger washed over him, almost ruining his focus and interfering with his cultivation.
However, what Fang Yuan had told him still echoed in his ears: that it was less important to seek out those who had wronged you and more important to build yourself up. Cursing them wasn't going to make his own situation better, now then was it?
With a sigh, he focused on demolishing the walls of his aperture as best as he could.
Fang Zheng made excellent progress in the first six hours.
His aptitude was now slowly going down to just over 65%, beyond which it would be increasingly difficult to break through as this was the breakpoint to advance to Rank 3.
However, the rate at which it was going down was also decreasing, meaning that things were not entirely hopeless.
His control and discipline was less than Fang Yuan's, which is why ultimately, his attempt ended up taking longer than when Fang Yuan broke through to Rank 5. Fang Yuan already had quite a good aptitude to begin with thanks to the Goody Two-Shoes System to get a head start, which is why he had been able to do so, breaking through in one go within about 48 hours.
Fang Zheng, on the other hand, continuously cultivated, taking breaks to use the restroom and grab some small morsels of food - short breaks, during which the crystal walls had a chance to recover. It was four and a half days by the time his aptitude had gone all the way back down to normal but he was very close to success now.
Fang Zheng, however, had been practicing in anticipation of this moment. He had learned how to use his primeval essence up to a limit without expending all of it, constantly replenishing it with primeval stones to keep up the assault on his aperture walls.
However, had it not been for his higher aptitude in the beginning, there was no way he could have continued up to the point of breaking through without collapsing. That was why aptitude was so important - he had made nearly 80% of his progress in the first 24 hours, and the other 20% had taken the rest of three and a half days when his aptitude was lower. He was extremely exhausted by this point, barely able to get up. If he tried to walk, he would find himself wobbly and unsteady from exhaustion. But inwardly, he smiled as the crystal walls finally shattered and silvery-white primeval essence began to fill his aperture.
His vital Gu, the Four Flavors Liquor Worm, was resting in the middle of his aperture, unaware of what was going on. 'If I could advance it to Rank 3, it would actually be useful to me once again, and I might still be able to advance further with its help. I'll finally be able to catch up to Senior Brother Qing Shu and show my worth to the village,' Fang Zheng thought to himself. 'I heard that the clan has a recipe for the Seven Fragrances Liquor Worm I'll have to get it when...'
By this point his train of thought ended as he had fallen asleep.
Somewhere else, a notification popped up in Fang Yuan's mind.
Main mission complete!
Equality is a beautiful thing.
Fang Zheng is now Rank 3.
Reward: Rank 6 Beauty Gu has been added to your inventory!
Fang Yuan's face revealed a tiny smile.
An Immortal Gu Worm!
He had really managed to find one, despite only being at Rank 5!
He now possessed not just one, but two Immortal Gu!
Naturally though, he immediately felt a slight degree of apprehension. Could others sense this Immortal Gu? There was no way that the other clansmen could, they were below Rank 6, but it would not be a good thing if he ended up drawing the attention of another Immortal.
Immortals desire for Immortal Gu was more than the most lecherous individual's desire for beautiful woman - and their aura could leak out for dozens of li. If an Immortal detected Beauty Gu's aura, they might be drawn here. It was one thing to keep mortal gu worms in his inventory, and another to keep an immortal one. He was not dumb enough to take it out right now.
However, how could he be sure that none of its aura would leak?
Host, you may be at ease. No one can detect gu worms in your inventory unless they are at Rank 9.
Fang Yuan noted the notification from the system. It told him something interesting - that the system was still not beyond the methods of a Venerable. Then again, hadn't Genesis Lotus Immortal Venerable tampered with it some time ago? He needed to keep such a thing in mind.
Additionally, there was no numerical next to 'Beauty Gu' meaning it saw no reason to mention the quantity. Immortal Gu were unique, so there could only be one in the world - even the system could not do anything about that.
New Main Mission Unlocked!
A Younger Brother's Ambition
Description: Get Fang Zheng to Rank 4.
Reward: Rank 6 Ambition Gu
'Ambition Gu...' Fang Yuan thought to himself. He did not know much about Beauty Gu, but who did not know about Ambition Gu?
'Ambition Gu' was a legendary gu worm mentioned in 'The Legends of Ren Zu.'