Long, long ago, heaven and earth were still a chaotic wilderness. The living creatures of the world were all ignorant and savage, and countless ferocious desolate beasts filled the mountains and wilds, rampaging and wreaking havoc everywhere.
The humans of that time were the race with the frailest flesh and blood. They had neither sharp fangs and claws nor thick hides and hard armor, and could only gather together and cling to one another to survive.
Fortunately, humans were clever and deft with their hands. They sharpened stones to make spears and cut hardwood to make arrows. The men hunted beasts, while the women gathered berries.
But no matter how closely everyone pulled together, those stone spears and wooden arrows could at most scrape a little hide and fur off the desolate beasts, unable to draw even a single bloody gash. Humans could only scurry from hiding place to hiding place every day, often being seized by desolate beasts to serve as living prey, never knowing in the morning whether they would survive until night.
There was a man named Pan in the tribe. Watching his fellow tribespeople lose their lives one after another, he felt as though a stone were weighing on his heart. Gritting his teeth, he resolved to leave the settlement where he had grown up and travel throughout the vast wilderness to find a path to survival for humanity.
He understood clearly: humans could not defeat the desolate beasts because they lacked the strength to meet force with force.
He would bring that strength back.
Carrying only a stone club and half a bag of dried wild fruit, Pan set out.
He crossed mountain after mountain and waded through river after river. When hungry, he picked wild fruit from trees to fill his stomach; when thirsty, he scooped up spring water from mountain gullies to quench his thirst. Whenever he encountered desolate beasts, he ducked into caves or hollow trees to hide.
Along the way, he saw desolate beasts larger than houses smash through entire stretches of forest, and enormous winged beasts fly overhead, blotting out the sky and sun. His resolve to find strength grew firmer with each passing day.
After traveling for who knew how many days and nights, he reached a pitch-black ravine. Beneath the roots of an old, withered tree in its deepest reaches, he saw a worm.
The worm was the size of a palm, its whole body gleaming black as though encased in an iron shell. It lay utterly motionless, yet carried a force that pressed down on him until he could barely breathe.
Pan had only taken half a step forward when the Strength Gu suddenly raised its head and spoke, its voice rumbling like a great drum. "Insignificant human, what do you seek, coming all the way here?"
Pan planted his feet firmly and answered loudly, "I seek nothing else, only strength. Humans suffer at the hands of desolate beasts every day, and soon we won't be able to survive. I want to take strength back with me and protect my people so they can live."
The Strength Gu swayed the antennae on its head and asked again, "What is so good about strength? Strength leads people into the trap of desire. When you gain strength, will that strength make others obey, or make you free?"
Without a moment's thought, Pan straightened his back and replied, "I don't want anyone to obey me. I want my people to no longer have to cower trembling in caves, or flee for their lives whenever they see a desolate beast. I want them to stand tall upon the earth and live. If they can live freely, then I will be free."
The Strength Gu gave a low hum, then asked, "What is so good about strength? Strength leads people into the trap of conquest. When you gain strength, will that strength make others submit, or liberate you?"
Pan tightened his grip on his stone club. His voice was quiet, but exceptionally clear. "I've never thought of making anyone submit. I only want to free humanity from these days of being treated as living prey, so we don't have to open our eyes each morning afraid we may never see our loved ones again, or lose our lives simply walking along. Escaping this suffering would be enough."
The Strength Gu fell silent for a long while before its third question slowly came. "What is so good about strength? Strength leads people into the trap of arrogance. When you gain strength, will that strength make others look up to you, or keep your own mind clear?"
Pan shook his head, his tone calm yet carrying a certainty that could not be shattered. "I don't want anyone to look up to me. I will always know who I am, and why I traveled so far to seek strength. However great my strength becomes, I will fight only for my people, until humanity is utterly freed from the sea of suffering."
After hearing these three answers, the Strength Gu suddenly fluttered the thin wings on its back and said frankly, "Human, I cannot understand your stubbornness, nor can I know whether what you speak of exists. Let me witness whether humans, once they gain strength, will still hold true to their original intentions."
As soon as it finished speaking, it spread its jet-black shell and flew gently onto Pan's palm. Almost instantly, Pan felt a hot current rush from his palm throughout his body. Every limb and bone filled with a weighty strength, and even the earth beneath his feet seemed to sink a little.
The Strength Gu's voice traveled through his blood, ringing out within his body. "I am called the Strength Gu. And you? Human, what is your name?"
Pan paused, then lowered his head to look at his hands, now brimming with strength, and answered softly, "My name is Pan."
Having obtained the Strength Gu, Pan became humanity's first Gu Master.
He returned to his tribe with that strength and cleaved through the darkness for humanity. Like a pillar holding up heaven and standing firm upon the earth, he helped humanity gain a solid foothold in the vast wilderness.
Thus, later generations of humans respectfully called him-Pangu!
Having returned home after school, Hu Fangyuan finished reading the first story in the Primordial Desolation Chapter of The True Man's Biography. He could not help marveling that the Heaven Refining Immortal Venerable in his inherited memories truly possessed dazzling talent. He had actually written countless Gu recipes into The True Man's Biography, both offering admonitions to later generations and allowing countless Gu recipes to be passed down.
He closed the book, his fingertips gently stroking its cover.
The book had come with the inheritance. Its material was neither paper nor cloth, and felt as warm and smooth as jade. Several large, ancient-looking characters were inscribed upon it.
The story of Pangu and the Strength Gu had set his heart ablaze.
Humanity had been weak at the beginning, gaining a foothold in the vast wilderness through the Gu path.
The Soul Master system flourished in this world, but the Gu path passed down from another world was hardly without its own profound wonders. It was not inferior to the Soul Master system in the least.
Hu Fangyuan stood and stretched his arms and legs. His Soul Power was now at rank twenty-one, and his Soul Skills provided both offense and defense, but his physical body had always been a weakness.
Ordinary Soul Masters of the same rank did not have particularly strong bodies to begin with. As someone with a Tool Martial Soul who usually focused on cultivating Soul Power, his body was even more ordinary.
His exchange with Tang Wulin yesterday had made that clear. That boy's Soul Power was eight ranks below his, yet he had taken a water blade head-on with his body without suffering much harm. If they really fought at close quarters, Hu Fangyuan might even find himself suppressed by that boy up close.
He had to shore up this weakness.
With a thought from Hu Fangyuan, the Heaven Refining Furnace in his Soul Sea trembled slightly, giving a low hum. The next moment, a small, archaic furnace emerged from his palm and hovered in midair.
The little furnace was only palm-sized and deep blue-green all over. Fine, intricate patterns covered its body, and a faint blue-green light swirled around its mouth. It was none other than his Martial Soul, the Heaven Refining Furnace.
What he intended to refine today was the Copper Bone Gu, a basic variety among rank-one strength path Gu worms.
The Gu Canon said that of skin, flesh, sinews, and bones, bones formed the foundation of the entire body. Only sufficiently strong bones could support more muscle and withstand stronger surges of Soul Power. To temper the body, first temper the bones-this was a principle unchanged through the ages.
The Copper Bone Gu specialized in strengthening bones. Once successfully refined, the Gu worm would merge into the cultivator's bones, increasing the density of every bone in the body severalfold and greatly enhancing their resilience.
Not only would the body's ability to withstand blows soar, but it would also be able to support greater physical strength, laying a solid foundation for later tempering of the sinews and flesh.
Most importantly, the Copper Bone Gu was a rank-one Gu worm. It was not difficult to refine, and its materials were common, making it just right for him at present.
Before you continue