In the past month, Gu Yuan learned most of the basic formations, mastering both methods of setting them up. However, due to his recent exposure, his divine soul formations were still somewhat unpracticed.
During this time, Gu Yuan also utilized the resources provided by the Martial Arts League entirely for refining his acupoints. Besides the initial *meixian zuqiao* he opened, Gu Yuan managed to open ten more acupoints over the month, all located in vital areas within his body, significantly boosting his strength.
He also spent his last purple *qiyun* points to imprint Elder Wang's two destinies. Despite Gu Yuan's strong divine soul power, his talent in formations was not particularly evident in practice. Therefore, he had no choice but to investigate Elder Wang's destinies. Unexpectedly, Elder Wang's destinies turned out to be remarkably potent.
[Name]: [Wang Duyang]
[Destiny God]: [None]
[Destiny]: [All things are formations]
[Realm]: [Wutian Realm???]
[Destinies]: [All things are formations (Crimson)], [Formation Talent Prodigy (Purple)], [Perceiving Heaven and Earth (Purple)], [Turning Misfortune into Fortune (Purple)], [Energy Affinity (Purple)], [Martial Dao Heavenly Pride], [Life Span Approaching (Gray)], [Origin Exhausted (Gray)].
This also informed Gu Yuan of Elder Wang's true physical condition. When Gu Yuan saw these two destinies, his heart sank. He hadn't expected such terrifying injuries to be hidden beneath Elder Wang's aged body.
Practitioners of martial arts do not fear injury, but origin exhaustion is a grave ailment that most systems across all heavens and myriad worlds find extremely difficult to resolve. The best remedies are rare sacred medicines, but Gu Yuan had never even heard of such medicines, let alone obtained them.
The universally accepted best solution for origin exhaustion is a realm breakthrough, borrowing an additional five hundred years of lifespan from heaven.
However, given Elder Wang's dwindling lifespan, a breakthrough seemed impossible.
But Gu Yuan was about to embark on a journey to the Myriad Races Battlefield. While searching through the Scripture Pavilion, he found an ancient text unearthed from the tomb of a great figure from ten thousand years ago. It recorded that in the Myriad Races Battlefield, there existed a sacred medicine capable of replenishing origin. However, at that time, the great figure had failed to contend with the prodigies of other powerful heavenly races and had to abandon the pursuit. In his later years, he recalled this, mentioning the magnetic stone and documenting it.
Gu Yuan's hope was immediately ignited. Ten thousand years had passed; the sacred medicine in the Myriad Races Battlefield had a high chance of having grown. Then, Elder Wang's injuries...
During this period, Elder Wang learned that Gu Yuan was heading to the Myriad Races Battlefield and might not return for an unknown duration. He was unconcerned about his legacy being lost and directly transferred all his formation knowledge into a jade slip, which he handed to Gu Yuan.
Upon learning that Gu Yuan possessed a martial technique capable of absorbing the power of heaven and earth anomalies, Elder Wang unhesitatingly gifted Gu Yuan half of the top-tier heaven and earth anomaly energy within his body. This undoubtedly provided Gu Yuan with a significant boost in strength.
Some of this heaven and earth anomaly energy contained immense power. By absorbing these anomalous energies gifted by Elder Wang, the Eight Elephants Body Art became Gu Yuan's most potent offensive technique.
The top-tier anomalous energies among them were: Taibai Gengjin Qi, Chiling Divine Fire, Tiangang Divine Thunder, Xuanhuang Qi, Wuji Heavy Water, and Cangqing Mu Po!
These were all extremely potent celestial energies.
Their amplification effect on the Eight Elephants space was exceptionally high.
They directly contained the power of the five elements. Gu Yuan separated a strand from each and infused them into his internal organs, merging with the five Divine Lords. The power of the five Divine Lords was instantly greatly enhanced.
Given how Elder Wang treated him, how could Gu Yuan possibly stand by and let him perish? He was the only one, besides the Heavenly Martial Ancestors, who had directly passed on his legacy to him.
Therefore, Gu Yuan was determined to obtain the sacred medicine from the Myriad Races Battlefield, no matter how difficult, to help Elder Wang recover his origin. Gu Yuan had observed that Elder Wang's accumulation in the Wutian Realm was more than sufficient, but due to his physical deficiencies, he was unable to break through; attempting to do so would directly lead to his demise.
...
It was the same forest. Elder Wang looked at the handsome young man standing before him, radiating charisma, and a look of satisfaction flashed in his eyes. However, thinking about where Gu Yuan was going, worry involuntarily surfaced.
He was extremely pleased with Gu Yuan. His talent was immense, he was diligent and hardworking, and his character was excellent. He had secretly gathered intelligence on Gu Yuan and had witnessed Gu Yuan's actions at his parents' graves with his own eyes, which was why he entrusted Gu Yuan with his lifelong legacy.
It was known that the strength of a formation master depended entirely on the quality of the formations they learned and deployed. If the formations were weak, even the highest formation skills could not be fully realized.
The legacy he passed to Gu Yuan not only included his lifetime of learning but also formations acquired through his own fortuitous encounters and those he had created. Every single formation was a priceless treasure.
Gu Yuan looked at the forest behind Elder Wang, which had been ravaged by his actions. With a slight movement of his fingers, he channeled the energy from his Eight Elephants space, drawing formations in the air. Trees emerged from the ground, filling the gaps. The earth churned, filling the craters created by the formation explosions.
Having finished, Gu Yuan looked at Elder Wang and said, "Teacher, I must depart now. Please take care of yourself."
"You rascal, take care of yourself. Don't you worry about this old man. Go to the assembly point." Elder Wang scolded with a smile.
"Yes, Teacher. I'm leaving."
Gu Yuan wanted to say something, but ultimately refrained. They were both martial artists; there was no need for such sentimentality.
He then turned and walked towards the assembly plaza.
Essential supplies had long been stored by Gu Yuan in his storage ring. He had no intention of undertaking a second mission; the martial arts insights gained from the previous mission were enough for him to ponder for quite some time.
"You rascal!" Elder Wang called out, watching Gu Yuan's retreating back.
Gu Yuan turned back in confusion, looking at Elder Wang.
Elder Wang's lips moved, and his face held the same emotion as an elder from his past life seeing his descendants depart from their hometown.
"Come back alive! I'm waiting for you to care for me in my old age!"
Elder Wang had lived for nearly a thousand years. His background, like Gu Yuan's, was that of an orphan left by war. This was why he favored Gu Yuan so much – because Gu Yuan was like him.
Approaching death, he had initially expected to leave this world without any lingering attachments. But at the end of his life, he met a junior he favored, whose situation was so similar to his own back then. Thus, he took Gu Yuan as his disciple, and in this world, he suddenly had a thread of attachment, a feeling he hadn't experienced for hundreds of years.
Now, his junior was heading to a dangerous place. Throughout the past month, news of student deaths had been trickling in. He was old; his martial heart remained steadfast, but for the only attachment he had in this world, the composure honed through hundreds of years of blood and fire, now surged uncontrollably.
Looking at Gu Yuan before him, he saw himself from years ago, venturing into the demon battlefield with the belief of seeking the pinnacle of martial arts by embracing the possibility of death.
At this moment, he was no longer a grandmaster of formations, nor a powerful figure of the Wutian Realm, but merely an old man worried about his junior leaving his side.
Gu Yuan's heart trembled upon hearing the elder's words, but he concealed it well, revealing a remarkably cheerful smile.
"Old man, don't worry, I absolutely won't die. As for caring for you in your old age, that's not necessary. I'll give you eternal life! I'm leaving now, old man. Hurry back."
Gu Yuan turned and left after speaking.
Hearing Gu Yuan's words, Elder Wang's heavy heart lightened somewhat. A smile touched his lips, and he shook his head, muttering so only he could hear, "This rascal, really..."