Inside the quiet house, Zhou Sui's expression turned solemn.
He hadn't overheard the conversation between Liu Dong and that shady cultivator outside, but he didn't need to. He could sense the malice. Deeply.
Maybe it was because he was a transmigrator—his soul seemed to be stronger than average. Whether it was instinct or spiritual sensitivity, Zhou Sui had a keen awareness of people's intentions.
Even the slightest hint of ill will couldn't escape his senses.
That was why, from beginning to end, he had never trusted Liu Dong.
And now, that faint hostility had grown stronger. Liu Dong, a seventh-level Qi Refining cultivator, was no longer just suspicious—he was dangerous. Like a blade pressed against Zhou Sui's back.
Yes, Miyun City had strict laws forbidding cultivators from fighting within city bounds.
But in a world where strength reigned supreme, such rules were not always obeyed. And there was no shortage of cultivators who'd risk it all for the sake of power or profit.
"Give a man a blade, and sooner or later, he'll want to use it."
If Liu Dong's greed truly overwhelmed his caution, then Zhou Sui's life might end before nightfall.
Even in his past life—in a society with police, surveillance, and law enforcement—murders still happened. And this was a cultivation world, far more brutal and unforgiving.
He couldn't afford to rely on anyone else.
His survival would have to come from one thing alone—his own strength.
Zhou Sui took a deep breath and turned toward the simple wooden table in the corner of the room. Several strange herbs, powders, and insect shells were laid out neatly.
"The materials are ready…" he muttered."It's time to refine the Gu."
At that moment, Zhou Sui waved his hand—and with a flicker of golden light, a dark, ancient-looking bowl appeared in his palm.
It was deep golden, with countless cryptic patterns etched across its surface. The moment it emerged, the air around it seemed to still, as if touched by some unfathomable aura.
This was his greatest secret.
The Gu God Bowl.
It had appeared the moment he transmigrated into this world, bound to his soul as if it had followed him across the realms. In fact, Zhou Sui often suspected that the reason he had even crossed into this world in the first place… was because of this very treasure.
The Gu God Bowl's ability was deceptively simple:It could refine Gu insects.Using various materials, it could forge miraculous Gu—each one harboring unimaginable powers.
Some were legendary:
Spring and Autumn Gu — prolong life, cultivate eternal youth, and walk the path to immortality.
Golden Cicada Gu — restore flesh to bones, bring the dead back to life.
Dragon Elephant Gu — bestow the power of dragons and elephants, forging a body as indestructible as diamond.
If one could refine even a few of these… immortality would no longer be a dream.
But reality was cruel.
Right now, Zhou Sui was poor—dead poor. He couldn't even afford the basic materials required to refine high-tier Gu, let alone heaven-defying ones. He didn't even have enough to casually make a common-grade one.
And even if he could… common Gu wouldn't help.
After all, he was facing a real threat: a seventh-level Qi Refining cultivator with malicious intent. A minor insect wouldn't protect him from someone like Liu Dong.
That's when the bowl finally responded.
One Gu worm came to mind—the Infatuation Gu.
Its refining method was surprisingly simple. It required:
A stalk of Forgetfulness Grass,
One Yin-Yang Flower,
And one hundred low-grade spirit stones.
Neither of the herbs were rare. In fact, they were fairly common. Zhou Sui had purchased both earlier that day at the herbal pharmacy in Miyun City. Together, they had only cost him a few dozen spirit stones.
But that purchase had drained what little he had left. Ever since his parents' death, the Zhou household had been hanging by a thread. If this gamble failed… he'd not only be defenseless—he wouldn't even have money to buy rice.
This can't fail.It has to succeed.
Zhou Sui placed the herbs carefully into the bowl, his eyes calm but sharp.
"Let's begin."
Thinking no further, Zhou Sui moved swiftly.
He retrieved the prepared herbs—Forgetfulness Grass, Yin-Yang Flower—from his pouch, then poured them into the Gu God Bowl. Along with the materials, he added one hundred low-grade spirit stones, the final requirement.
Hualala~~
In an instant, a chaotic swirl of mist burst from the bowl. A mysterious, swirling energy—black and white like yin and yang—whirled around the herbs, rapidly refining and dissolving them. The spirit stones sizzled and shattered, their energy drawn into the mix.
The air trembled. Then—
With a flash of light, a small Gu insect materialized inside the bowl.
Its form was bizarre: half black, half white, like a miniature embodiment of duality itself.
The Infatuation Gu… was a success.
The next moment, the Gu worm flickered—and vanished.
Zhou Sui's chest tightened.
A strange warmth surged through him as the Gu sank into his body, drilling through flesh and blood with no pain, only a strange tingling sensation. It found its way to his heart and merged with it like it had always belonged there.
Then—boom!
A flood of information poured into Zhou Sui's mind like a tide, crashing into his sea of consciousness.
[Infatuation Gu: One of the strange Gu of the world. It contains the power of yin and yang and can birth countless sub-Gu.]
[Once a sub-Gu enters the body of an opposite-sex target, it will bind to their heart and slowly cultivate infatuation. The longer the bond, the deeper the obsession. In time, the target will fall irreversibly in love—until death do they part.]
[Description: Love is the strongest force in existence. Where strength fails, love endures. Devote yourself to your Dao companion, and in return, you may discover miracles.]
"Success."
Zhou Sui's eyes lit up, and a wave of excitement surged in his chest. He could feel the faint, mysterious power of the Infatuation Gu pulsing within him—subtle, but real. Like a whisper in his blood, it began altering his body in imperceptible ways.
He had finally done it.
After spending nearly all his spirit stones, he had successfully refined his first Gu insect—and not just any Gu, but one imbued with the power of love and obsession.
This... is my first step toward changing my fate.
Zhou Sui's gaze grew sharp.
With this Gu, I might just find myself a powerful Dao Companion. Maybe... Lady Hu from Hundred Flowers Tower, or Mistress Zhao from Treasure Pavilion... even Senior Chen from Elixir Pavilion, or Madam Qian of Hundred Blessings Store.
These names weren't chosen at random. Each was a well-known, unmarried female cultivator—mature, wealthy, and respected in Miyun City. All were rumored to still long for love, despite their lofty status.
He stroked his chin thoughtfully.
All of them were in their forties or fifties, but due to cultivation, they had preserved their youthful beauty. Their appearance rivaled that of fresh-faced girls, while their aura held the allure of experienced women—something no naïve young maiden could compare to.
They've each reached the ninth level of Qi Refining, just one step from Foundation Establishment. With power like that, they could squash Liu Dong in a heartbeat.
Zhou Sui's eyes flickered with ambition and cold calculation.
They say:
– A woman three years older gives you a gold brick.
– Thirty years older, a kingdom.
– Three hundred years older, an immortal pill.
– Three thousand years older... and you're immortal yourself.
That's the cultivation world for you.
Everyone knew that women could rise by clinging to powerful male cultivators.
But why couldn't a man do the same?
He had neither the time nor talent to catch up to Liu Dong in strength. His ninth-grade spiritual root made progress slow, and no one knew how long Liu Dong's patience would last.
Waiting on his kindness? That's a death sentence.
So Zhou Sui made his decision: if he couldn't beat Liu Dong himself, he'd borrow power from someone who could.
Under normal circumstances, those powerful women would never spare him a glance. He was weak, unknown, and pathetically low-ranked.
But now... he had a weapon.
The Infatuation Gu—a Gu insect that could subtly influence emotions and kindle deep desire.
With it, I might just win their hearts. Or at least, their protection.
And let's be honest... if I can get someone to support me, feed me, and protect me—all while looking that good—isn't that the ideal cultivation path?
Zhou Sui grinned shamelessly.
Of course, for now, he could only raise one active Gu insect at a time. That meant he had to choose carefully—and find a way to get close to his target.
Time to start planning. If I don't act soon, Liu Dong might not wait.
His conscience twinged for a moment—but he shook it off.
It's despicable? Maybe. But in a world like this... it's either live cunningly or die honestly.