Preparing an Escape Route

Gu Jiu was deeply moved.

With a smack, Gu Jiu was about to kowtow to Yue Shuo again.

Yue Shuo stopped him.

With a single look, Gu Jiu instantly understood. Young Master did not like this sort of display of loyalty, so he immediately stopped.

Gu Jiu had always been studying his young master.

After nearly two months together.

He had basically grasped a little of his young master's temperament and moods.

His young master was different from other cultivation disciples.

His young master had a good temperament, but he was not soft-natured.

His young master...

"What are you spacing out for? Tell me more about the martial arts you train. What exactly is the difference between Third-Class, Second-Class, and First-Class Martial Artists?"

Seeing Gu Jiu standing there stupidly, Yue Shuo simply found a way himself.

Naturally, he first returned to the Spirit Field.

As he recovered his Divine Sense, he spoke with the other man through the hazy glow of the formation around the Spirit Field without affecting their conversation.

Martial Artists began their cultivation with body tempering.

After strengthening the body, they began internal refinement.

Next came cultivating both inside and out. External arts and internal arts both had to be trained, while those below Third-Class Martial Artists were Unranked Martial Artists.

In other words, they were Martial Artists who practiced purely external arts.

Only after cultivating internal arts, producing Inner Qi, and opening one meridian could one be called a Third-Class Martial Artist.

Of course, Third-Class Martial Artists had too little Inner Qi, and its quality was poor.

Their combat strength did not improve much.

With Inner Qi enhancing them, Second-Class Martial Artists were far stronger in battle than Third-Class Martial Artists.

As for First-Class Martial Artists, after opening the nine meridians within their bodies.

They could be called a match for a hundred men among Mortals!

Those hundred men referred to something like a hundred-man squad of well-trained soldiers.

Moreover, even the weakest Mortal soldiers had to train external arts and temper their bodies. They were not ordinary commoners.

At this point.

Yue Shuo naturally followed up by asking where descriptions such as military soldiers came from.

After all, he had never heard of soldiers on Lesser Desolate Island.

There had been a sentence or two of description in the books.

But it was better to ask Gu Jiu, who clearly understood the matter more thoroughly.

The topic had drifted a little off course.

Yet neither Gu Jiu nor Yue Shuo minded.

Gu Jiu had also calmed down from his earlier excitement. He focused on recalling the information in his mind and clearing up his young master's doubts.

There were human dynasties in this world as well.

And there was more than one.

Of course, those things were far too distant from Yue Shuo.

He was currently in the sea region, whose expanse was unimaginably vast. It was said that no one had ever explored the edge of the ocean.

There were also some enormous islands in the sea region.

Some had even established kingdoms.

Of course, this was a world of immortal cultivation. Even Mortal kingdoms were protected or influenced by immortal cultivation forces.

Gu Jiu did not know everything either.

After recounting some rumors about great island kingdoms and immortal sects of the sea region.

He began to falter as well.

After all, those places were far too distant from the Qin Clan's Hemu Archipelago.

Yue Shuo fell into thought.

Of course he knew that the world was far larger than the Qin Clan's Hemu Archipelago. After all, this was a world where one could cultivate immortality.

Moreover, he had learned to read and studied books from his father since childhood.

Though there had not been many books.

He still knew that the scenes described in many books could not possibly have been sights found on a tiny sea island.

But even then, he had understood.

For someone on an island far from the mainland, reaching land was not merely a little difficult.

So, rationally, he had given up.

Now... he was somewhat tempted.

After all, he had always been considering an escape route!

Suppose,

He wanted to leave the Qin Clan's Hemu Island—where could he go to be safer?

The great recluse hid in the marketplace; the lesser recluse hid in the wilds.

Of course, he did not care whether it was great seclusion or lesser seclusion. As long as it was safe, as long as he could cultivate in peace...

Still, he could prepare an escape route in advance. There was no need to rush his departure.

Safety remained the priority.

He also needed to look around for escape arts or other life-preserving techniques.

After chatting idly with Gu Jiu for a while, Yue Shuo saw that his Divine Sense had recovered a little more.

Only then did he turn the topic back.

"So, you've already opened eight meridians. Once you open the last one, you can advance to First-Class Martial Artist?"

Gu Jiu nodded vigorously.

Through their exchange, Yue Shuo had gained a fairly clear understanding of the key to advancement for martial artists.

After asking two more questions, he understood.

"This injury and recovery of yours loosened your bottleneck somewhat, bringing you one step closer to advancing?"

With tears welling in his eyes, Gu Jiu said:

"The spiritual-energy pills and food Young Master rewarded this servant with have made this servant's cultivation a few degrees more complete..."

Yue Shuo nodded calmly.

"But you're still at the bottleneck? Do you need to spend time in seclusion to advance, or do you need some resource to break through?"

He had advanced to Qi Refining Level One himself.

He had some experience with breakthroughs.

Seeing that his young master truly seemed intent on helping him break through and advance, Gu Jiu hurriedly answered earnestly:

"This servant only needs to polish himself for a while longer before trying to force a breakthrough. There is no need for any external aid..."

At the words "external aid."

A flash of pained reluctance passed through his eyes.

Yue Shuo had spent so much time talking and chatting with him, naturally not for nothing.

Mortals could not refine spiritual energy.

But that did not mean spiritual energy was of no benefit to Mortals.

"Other than Grain-Repelling Pills, are there any other basic spiritual pills that can help martial artists break through?"

Gu Jiu was excited, bewildered, and thrilled. He had only been thinking of following a cultivation disciple with a promising future.

In the future, not only he himself, but even his Lineage could benefit.

But that would be at least a year from now.

After Young Master became an official Qin Clan cultivation disciple, perhaps.

Yet now, Young Master already planned to nurture him?

"This servant cannot use spiritual pills, but certain specially made pellets intended for martial artists... are all quite expensive..."

After his excitement, Gu Jiu still calmed down.

"Young Master, you should first exchange resources for your own cultivation. Advancing to Qi Refining Level One and becoming an official cultivation disciple as soon as possible should be the priority!"

"This servant, this servant only needs another month or two of polishing before this servant is confident enough to try breaking through!"

"A month or two?"

Yue Shuo was speechless.

"You won't be able to handle matters for me for a month or two?"

"Of course not!" Gu Jiu shook his head hard. "This servant can handle matters for you at any time, Young Master!"

Yue Shuo said flatly:

"At the risk of your life?"

Gu Jiu replied seriously:

"It would not come to that, actually. As long as we do not offend cultivation disciples, if martial servants strike too heavily and endanger a life, they will also be punished!"

Yue Shuo fell a little silent and glanced at Gu Jiu.

"Only punished?"

Gu Jiu thought for a moment.

"If one's own master abandons him, the punishment may be more severe than ordinary punishment. Execution is also possible." Gu Jiu's manner suggested that this was perfectly reasonable.

Yue Shuo: "..."

He discovered that he had still somewhat underestimated this world's class hierarchy.

"I still have two Spirit Stones here. Use one Spirit Stone to procure some things for me. Use the rest to buy pills for your breakthrough and advancement. Is that enough?"

Yue Shuo had already saved up ten Gathering Spirit Grass plants.

If he wished.

He could exchange them for thirty Spirit Stones at any time, so he did not care much about the remaining two Spirit Stones.

But Gu Jiu did not know that.

All he knew was this.

Young Master was giving him his last two Spirit Stones, asking him to purchase some worthless odds and ends for him. Clearly, this was merely an excuse to provide him with resources for advancement.

Gu Jiu could no longer care that his young master disliked people kneeling.

With a smack, he dropped to his knees.

"Wuwuwu..." Before he could speak, he was already crying from gratitude.