Chapter 104 Bear Strength Gu

The bright moon hung high in the sky like a silver plate, pouring its clear, water-like radiance over the mountain. Beneath the moonlight, nightingales began to sing once more, while crimson crickets hidden among the grass and trees filled the night with their ceaseless chirping.

Inside a bamboo house, Lin Feng sat cross-legged on his bed, examining the Gu he had purchased from Xiong Clan Village earlier that day.

Bear Strength Gu!

Bear Strength Gu was a genuine Strength Path Gu belonging to the beast phantom branch, one of the three major branches of Strength Path. By repeatedly using Bear Strength Gu, a Gu Master’s body could slowly gain the strength of a bear. Once this strength was properly accumulated, it would become a permanent part of the Gu Master’s body.

Those who lived near mountains depended upon the mountains, while those near water depended upon the water. Every clan naturally developed its livelihood according to the resources surrounding it.

Gu Yue Village cultivated numerous crops suited to Qing Mao Mountain, while Bai Clan Village relied upon the enormous waterfall within its territory to develop various water-related resources. Xiong Clan Village had instead built much of its livelihood around the mountain bears living throughout its territory.

They planted fruit trees to provide food for the bears and raised bees to pollinate the trees while simultaneously producing honey. From the bears themselves, they could harvest various materials, including parasites, hides, bones, and meat. Over generations, these interconnected sources of income had become one of Xiong Clan’s specialties.

As a result, several of Xiong Clan Village’s characteristic Gu were closely related to bears, including Bear Strength Gu, Bear Skin Gu, and Bear Enslavement Gu.

“It cost me seven hundred and twelve primeval stones to obtain this Bear Strength Gu, but that’s still considerably cheaper than buying one in Jia Clan Village.”

Lin Feng calculated his remaining wealth. After spending heavily on Gu refinement over the past few years, the number of primeval stones he had left was no longer particularly large.

A single merchant caravan journey could bring astonishing profits. After handing over the clan’s share, an ordinary Zhang Clan elder could usually earn between fifty thousand and a hundred thousand primeval stones. If the journey was managed particularly well, earning more than a hundred thousand was entirely possible.

The caravan traveled twice each year, once in spring and once in autumn. As long as they survived the dangers along the trade routes, a clan elder participating in both journeys could earn around two hundred thousand primeval stones annually.

As an outsider to the Zhang Clan, Lin Feng naturally did not receive the same treatment as their own elders, so his share was considerably smaller. Even after spending four or five years with Zhang Clan, his accumulated savings had only reached around one million primeval stones.

Yet Gu cultivation consumed wealth at a frightening rate. Lin Feng had purchased large quantities of refinement materials over the years, leaving him with fewer than two hundred thousand primeval stones now.

Still, the expenditure had been worthwhile. Most of the Blood Path and Bone Path Gu he needed had already been refined. His Blood Path Gu were mainly refined with the assistance of Blood Refining Gu, while Feng Tianyu had helped him obtain and refine most of his Bone Path Gu in exchange for the Yellow Golden Relic Gu Tie Xue Leng had previously given him.

Tie Xue Leng had paid an enormous price for that Yellow Golden Relic Gu as repayment for Lin Feng saving Tie Yuning’s life.

Now that I’ve already visited Gu Yue Village, Fang Yuan shouldn’t be able to cause me much trouble for the time being. Next, I only need to obtain the Gu Master inheritance that Chen Cui hua encountered in the original timeline when the caravan makes its return journey.

Lin Feng already had a fairly clear plan for what he needed to do next.

Putting these thoughts aside, he sent Bear Strength Gu into his aperture. Golden primeval essence surged upward from the primeval sea and continuously poured into the Gu.

Bear Strength Gu suddenly released a dazzling brown radiance that enveloped Lin Feng’s entire body. The light seeped through his skin and muscles, slowly transforming his body as traces of a bear’s strength accumulated within him and fused with his flesh and bones.

A tingling itch soon spread throughout Lin Feng’s body. After some time, however, the sensation gradually changed. The numbness became increasingly painful until it felt as though countless thin blades were slowly cutting through his muscles.

Feeling this change, Lin Feng immediately stopped activating Bear Strength Gu.

Even something beneficial could become harmful when taken too far. Bear Strength Gu could only be used for around fifteen minutes each day by an ordinary Gu Master. Beyond that limit, the strengthening process would begin causing pain, and continuing to activate it would only make the suffering increasingly severe. If someone stubbornly persisted, they could even die from the pain.

Lin Feng’s physique was already much stronger than that of an ordinary person, allowing him to endure the effect for nearly half an hour before reaching his limit.