Gu Artifact Array: Meeting Aunt at the Spring Examination

With a thought swirling in his mind, Fang Shu pondered for a moment and decided to ask the Lone Pavilion Master directly:

"Master, may I ask if a Gu Master's natal Gu worm is related to their Spirit Root? Are they the same thing?"

The Lone Pavilion Master was a little surprised that Fang Shu would ask this question, but she immediately remembered that she had instructed Fang Shu to refine his natal Gu worm before he began Refining Qi.

The old woman organized her thoughts and answered:

Generally speaking, Spirit Root is Spirit Root, and a Gu worm is a Gu worm.

The Gu Master's natal Gu, although it has the concept of natal, is actually still an external object, somewhat similar to a pet beast.

Fang Shu was slightly disappointed by these words, thinking that he had misunderstood.

But the next moment, the Lone Pavilion Master spoke up again, "In the path of weapon cultivation, those Immortal cultivator who have planted weapon Spirit Root, such as the most typical Sword Cultivator."

They use the sword as their Spirit Root, striving for perfect harmony between man and sword. Their natal sword is both their Law Artifact and their Spirit Root, enabling them to absorb Spiritual Qi and refine their Law Power.

Upon hearing this, Fang Shu's heart stirred.

Speaking of the natal insect embryo on his forehead, it was precisely the natal vessel embryo method from the Lead Method that he subdued. Strictly speaking, before he carried out the second step of refining the natal Gu worm, the insect embryo should actually be called a vessel embryo.

However, compared to ordinary Sword Cultivator, his Law Artifact is a pure flesh and blood Law Artifact.

As he sorted through his thoughts, a sudden realization dawned on him:

"The cultivation of artifacts is based on the artifact itself, which is the Spirit Root. My insect embryo is related to Law Artifact, so it's no wonder I was moved by that Spirit Root Atlas."

In this way, when he cultivates Spirit Root in the future, he may indeed confuse his natal Gu worm with the Spirit Root.

At that moment, Fang Shu stood in the hall and probed indirectly, asking whether the Immortal cultivator who combined Spirit Root and Law Artifact was better or worse compared to other Immortal cultivator.

The Lone Pavilion Master gave a cautious reply:

"This move has both advantages and disadvantages. The advantage is that it makes it easy to enter the Dao. Those who are wealthy and rich only need to find Spirit Artifact to enter the Dao and cultivate Refining Qi. Some clans even have Spirit Artifact passed down from generation to generation, which can be passed down from father to son, from grandfather to grandson, and become the Spirit Root of their descendants."

Furthermore, weapon cultivators only cultivate one weapon, and their Law Power is pure. Sword Cultivators, in particular, are most skilled in killing and combat. Some even use weapons as their primary means of combat, and their bodies are killing machines, making them extremely fierce.

However, as long as the artifact exists, the person exists; if the artifact dies, the person dies. Other Immortal cultivator, when their Law Artifact Law Technique are damaged, at most lose a spell, but this person loses their life.

Compared to other Immortal cultivator, these people's methods are rather weak; they are not good at preserving their lives, let alone maintaining their health, and most of them die young.

Fang Shu listened carefully, and understood.

He immediately added, "If these Immortal cultivator only use their natal magical Law Artifact as tools to aid their cultivation and not for fighting or combat, wouldn't that prevent them from getting damaged?"

The Lone Pavilion Master raised an eyebrow slightly and chuckled, "I knew you were clever, but I didn't expect you to react so quickly. What, are you planning to abandon our Gu Dao and turn to the so-called Artifact Dao?"

Fang Shu quickly lowered his head. "This disciple wouldn't dare, I was just curious."

The Lone Pavilion Master chuckled and said:

"What you said makes sense, kid. The situation is just as you said. All we need to do is not use our natal magic Law Artifact in combat."

However, you've overlooked one point: this doesn't focus on the artifact itself, so it can't be considered artifact cultivation. Instead, it should be classified as talisman cultivation, puppet cultivation, corpse cultivation, and so on. These Immortal cultivator can also refine their own natal magical Law Artifact, only they call them "natal talismans," and so on.

After speaking for a while, the old woman suddenly added casually:

"However, you have reminded me that these so-called Tao and cultivation methods are ever-changing, but in reality, they are all about using the false to cultivate the true and making good use of external things. When you truly cultivate, why bother with these rules and regulations?"

Fang Shu listened attentively to what the Lone Pavilion Master had said so far without much reaction, but the owner's last words stirred up waves in his heart.

He then inquired further in the hall, and when there was nothing more to ask, he respectfully took his leave.

The Lone Pavilion Master so many questions from him, and felt even more strongly that he was a promising Immortal cultivator for immortality. However, before he left, he still gave him a serious piece of advice:

"The exam starts in a day or two, so get some rest in your room and don't think about anything else; it's a waste of energy."

If you can't climb the mountain, no matter how high your comprehension or how many ingenious ideas you have, it's all useless.

Fang Shu replied in a deep voice, "Yes, disciple understands."

He then returned to his room in the inner courtyard.

Even when he was alone in the room, Fang Shu's mind was still filled with turbulent thoughts.

He also slightly closed his eyes and began to mentally review the Spirit Root Atlas, Lead Method, Insect Method, and even the Dragon-Seeking Gold-Finding Art Cultivation Method in the Dao Register... as if a storm was raging inside his head.

The three terms—natal Gu worm, natal artifact embryo, and dragon-seeking and gold-touching—represent the three Immortal cultivator paths: the Gu Dao, the Artifact Dao, and the array path!

Ordinary people can find great help in their path to immortality by choosing just one of these paths, but only those with extraordinary talent can cultivate several at the same time.

Fang Shu, though not a prodigy, possessed Dao Register and was most adept at comprehending Mystic Script and Cultivation Method, thus being able to cultivate several disciplines simultaneously.

Right now, Fang Shu's thoughts were churning, and he had already come up with a more perfect idea for refining his natal Gu worm!

"Could it be that my path to immortality shouldn't be confined to the mere Gu Dao, but rather I should broaden my horizons by exploring several other paths? After all, my master mentioned at the end that the so-called paths of Gu Dao and Artifact Dao are merely the paths taken by our predecessors; true cultivation often leads to the same destination through different routes..."

In an instant, his mind was filled with a whirlwind of thoughts, from which he could not extricate himself.

After pondering deeply for a while, Fang Shu glanced at the time it would take for the Dao Register to analyze the Spirit Root Atlas, let out a long breath, and chose to suppress these distracting thoughts one by one.

He chuckled to himself, saying self-deprecatingly, "I haven't even learned to walk yet, how can I expect to run?"

Moreover, even if one were to truly cultivate all three paths, there should be a primary and secondary distinction among them; one should not foolishly contemplate the so-called simultaneous cultivation of all three paths.

Fang Shu still possessed this self-awareness, even though he possessed Daoist talismans.

After all, whether it's refining Gu, crafting weapons, or setting up formations, each of these three has numerous branches and paths, and any one of them is enough to make one spend a lifetime studying and researching.

Even the analysis of Dao Register Mystic Script requires time and cannot be learned overnight.

In addition, Fang Shu had also seen many stories in local folk tales and some ancient books about Immortal cultivator who boasted of their abundant talent, cultivated multiple paths, but ultimately achieved nothing.

Silently reflecting on his actions, Fang Shu gradually put aside these distracting thoughts.

Finally, he stopped pondering the matters of Gu Dao and Spirit Root and began to calmly prepare for the upcoming Spring Examination.

As the Lone Pavilion Master said, going up the mountain and joining the sect is his most urgent task at present, and it is his top priority!

Only.

The various ideas about the Spirit Root Method had already left a mark on Fang Shu's mind.

Time passed quickly.

The opening time of the imperial examination was set at the perfect time, on the fifth day after Spring Examination left the Fang Shu.

The news was only sent to the various dojos that morning, and a notice was posted in the center of the market, which seemed rather casual.

But that's understandable.

The so-called Spring Examination was merely Fang Shu important day for these young Daoist disciples; for the disciples of the Immortal Sect, it was nothing more than a mundane matter of going down the mountain.

Moreover, Guling Town is not the only town at the foot of Mount Lu.

On the same day.

Upon receiving the news, Fang Shu immediately left the pass.

His second uncle, Yu Le, had also been waiting in the courtyard with Li Hou'er and the others for a long time.

Although only Fang Shu and Qin Min from the entire Solitary Gu Hall were eligible to participate in the Spring Examination, this matter was not just their own affair.

Not only were Li Hou'er and the others going to join in the fun and add to the excitement, but the Lone Pavilion Master herself was also waiting in the hall for Fang Shu and Qin Min.

Upon their arrival, the Lone Pavilion Master said in a deep voice, "Let's go!"

Under her leadership, everyone in the Solitary Gu Hall who didn't have urgent business left the sect, whether disciples or servants. They even closed the main gate, leaving only the side door open.

The group of people set off in a grand procession toward the center of the market.

It wasn't just the Solitary Gu Hall that was like this; this year, every Daoist temple with disciples who could participate in the Spring Examination selection sent out their entire force. Even those temples without disciples participating had their disciples making a racket, crowding into the Spring Examination hall in twos and threes to join in the fun.

By mid-morning, the square in the center of the market, a hundred feet wide, was already packed with people, a veritable sea of heads, shoulder to shoulder.

For a moment, Fang Shu, mixed in with the crowd, couldn't tell who was there just to join in the fun and who was there to take a look.

Fortunately, the market had already dispatched people in the Solitary Gu Hall clothes and hats to manage things, and in the end, only Fang Shu and his nephew, Qin Min and her sister, and the Lone Pavilion Master.

Even the Lone Pavilion Master and Du Yu'er would normally be barred from the examination hall, because each candidate is only allowed to bring one relative or friend from their registered residence inside.

The reason the grandmother and grandson were allowed inside was because the Lone Pavilion Master released his Divine Sense, scanned the people in black robes and hats, and explained his identity as the museum master, which allowed them to enter the inner area.

As for Li Hou'er and the others, they could only gather outside the arena, looking up at the arena inside.

Fortunately, a high platform had already been erected inside the arena, with several structures resembling arenas or wooden stakes, standing tall, presumably for the upcoming magical duel.

No matter how large the crowd, those outside the venue can simply look up without having their view blocked.

"Brother Fang! Well done, keep it up!"

Suddenly, as Fang Shu stepped onto the inner field, he heard several voices calling to him, among which he could faintly hear a woman's voice.

He looked in the direction of the sound and first saw Li Hou'er making faces, then he saw the talisman master Li Yuan, and his female neighbor Dou Sufu in the courtyard.

Fang Shu bowed to Dou Sufu and the others, then turned to look into the arena and mingled into the crowd of people taking the exam.

The sun gradually reached its zenith.

All the candidates had already been called out multiple times, and not a single one was absent, but the Spring Examination had not yet begun.

This caused some unrest among the test takers and their relatives and friends, who kept whispering among themselves.

The men in black robes and hats seemed to have not expected the exam to start so late. So, after confirming the number of participants, they simply loosened the rules and let everyone talk and even walk around, whether they were chatting about relationships or secretly testing each other, it was unclear.

Anyway, even if there's some commotion at the scene, the ones who will suffer are the test takers, not the guys on official business.

On the contrary, meddling too much might anger these candidates, and if they were to actually enter Immortal Sect, they would have offended a powerful figure.

Fang Shu didn't wander around; he just stood quietly in a corner.

Unlike Qin Min, he didn't really know anyone else in the room besides the few people around him.

Suddenly, a voice rang out from the side:

"Hey! Old Yu, is that you, Old Yu?!"

Someone called out "Old Yu" repeatedly, and the voice was unfamiliar; it was a woman's voice, and she walked directly toward the uncle and nephew.

As the sound drew closer, Fang Shu, out of curiosity, turned his head and saw a heavily made-up mature woman swaying her hips as she walked towards him.

The other person stared intently at his second uncle, Yu Le, scrutinizing him with a look of astonishment on his strikingly beautiful face.

When the second uncle Yu Le, saw the other party, he looked as if he had seen a ghost. His expression was complicated, somewhat timid, yet also somewhat arrogant.

The mature woman walked over, giving her second uncle, Yu Le, a familiar look, and clicking her tongue in disapproval.

"I thought you were finished after being expelled from the dojo, but it seems you've found work again and joined another dojo. You're even sending a dojo disciple to participate in the Spring Examination today; it seems you're highly regarded."

The other person looked at Immortal cultivator Fang Shu, and immediately put on a reserved smile, "Greetings, immortal. I am an acquaintance of Old Yu. Please give me your greetings."

The woman seemed not to recognize Fang Shu, nor had she ever heard of the relationship between the uncle and nephew.

Second Uncle Yu Le stood awkwardly to the side, his lips moving as if he wanted to say something, but he seemed hesitant.

Before the second uncle Yu Le, could speak, the woman bowed to Yu Le Fang Shu and then left in a hurry without paying any more attention to him.

She staggered to the side to serve a dashing young man.

"I'm here, I'm here," the mature woman said, showing concern and care for the young man.

This woman was clearly dressed in gold and jade, appearing to be from a wealthy family and likely coming as an elder, but her behavior was no different from that of a maid or servant.

Fang Shu felt a strange sensation. He also noticed that his second uncle, Yu Le, was still staring intently at the mature woman, his face filled with melancholy.

This made him raise an eyebrow, realizing what was happening.

If he wasn't mistaken, the familiar woman who had greeted him earlier must have been his second aunt, or rather, his former second aunt, whom he had never met before.

As expected, Fang Shu subtly hinted at it a few times, and Second Uncle Yu Le's face flushed red. He stammered, "Children shouldn't meddle in adults' affairs."

Amidst the cacophony of voices, the wait stretched from noon until sunset.

As the day drew to a close, the spectators outside the arena had changed several times. Suddenly, three figures appeared on the high platform, coldly observing the crowd.