Lifespan Gu!
Although this was just a mortal gu worm, it was in some ways, more valuable than any Immortal Gu. It was the only method of increasing one's lifespan without any side effects. Although the Venerables were invincible, they were all ultimately defeated by lack of Lifespan Gu, which would decrease in production whenever one of them popped up until the point that they would eventually succumb to the ravages of time. In his previous life Fang Yuan had found a 500 Years Lifespan Gu and so extended his lifespan to 600 years, though he had been cornered and killed before he could even reach the point of needing further Lifespan Gu.
To think that Genesis Lotus Immortal Venerable had one of these, not only that, but was freely given it away to Fang Yuan?
"Why wouldn't you use this when you were alive?" Fang Yuan asked, the obvious question being so apparent that he couldn't help but voice it, even if he was benefitting greatly from it.
"Everything will eventually die, Fang Yuan," Genesis Lotus said. "A few more years of lifespan wouldn't have done anything but delay the inevitable. And there were plans to place in motion after my demise which required me to hold onto this. And so, I give it to you."
Fang Yuan took the Lifespan Gu and placed it in his aperture, though he did not use it. He wanted to inspect it further, though truth be told, if Genesis Lotus had done something to it Fang Yuan likely wouldn't be able to accurately tell that unless he was a Rank 9 Venerable himself.
Still, he currently had no need for it and could just keep it in his aperture until the time came.
"You didn't use it?" Genesis Lotus noted.
"I'll use it later, I'm still young after all," Fang Yuan said.
Genesis Lotus did not say anything further, but handed Fang Yuan another gu worm.
This was something that Fang Yuan did not recognize, but also didn't seem to belong to the Painting Path either. From the looks of it, Fang Yuan had a feeling that it was a Human Path gu worm, likely from his attainment level, though he could not make heads or tails of what this was either.
It was a gu worm in the strange shape of a koi. "I assume that you're familiar with the story of the koi that leapt over the dragon's gate to become a dragon?"
"Yes I am," Fang Yuan said. Though this world was not the same as the one he had been in, it did have many of the same fairy tales and legends. As another example, there was no 'Mt. Tai' in this world yet the saying remained popular throughout. More likely than not, it had been people who had transmigrated like him who had spread such tales.
"This is Rank 1 Human Potential Gu- a talent-raising gu worm," Genesis Lotus said. "Human Potential Gu comes from Rank 1 to Rank 5, with each use raising one's aptitude by 10%. However, one can only use the Human Potential Gu of a rank once, limiting the total boost to 50%. And each one can only be used by someone at the same rank or above it. Still, with enough, one is able to turn even one with worthless talent into a dragon capable of ascending to the rank of Immortal. Consider this one to be the last gift from me while you're here for now. Take it, you will need an increased aptitude to face what is coming."
The ominous nature of that was not lost on Fang Yuan. "To tackle what is coming? What are you going on about? Both you and Paradise Earth have told me nothing of substance since I've gotten here, only that things will be explained later. What do you take me for? A child who can't understand the deeper meaning behind things? I demand an explanation!"
Genesis Lotus was unmoved and waved his hand. "Calm down, Fang Yuan. There is nothing in nature worth having that can be obtained through rushing forward recklessly. A plant needs time to grow, and a human needs time to mature. Surely your attainment of the Human Path, however low right now, should let you realize that?"
Fang Yuan didn't answer.
"But tell you what," Genesis Lotus said. "Let me start by explaining what this place is. This was the Blessed Land of a Mushroomman Gu Immortal. Normally that would make it untraceable even to someone like me, but while eliminating a group of them that were pestering some humans, some of the mortal mushroommen decided to flee to a refuge that they thought was safe. The Gu Immortal took pity on his fellows and let them in - unfortunately, that was what led me to finding this place. I took over, though I did not absorb the Blessed Land into my own. No, I had seen that there was a link between it and someone else in the future."
"Everything in this world in interlinked, Fang Yuan," Genesis Lotus continued. "You and I were fated to meet. This Blessed Land was fated to be the place where we would meet. It isn't just places and people which can be interlinked, however, people's destinies can also be intertwined with each other's. Which is why I wanted to speak with you regarding something - your twin brother, Fang Zheng."
"What about him?"
"You may seem him as no one important right now," Genesis Lotus explained. "But his fate and yours are inexorably linked together. No matter how much you try to resist it, that connection will always be there. The best thing for you is to continue to nurture him and make him stronger. I know that you have been promised the Immortal Beauty Gu on bringing him to Rank 3, and while that is extremely important for you to obtain, even beyond so, you mustn't abandon him. Investing in him will yield great returns."
"So you say," Fang Yuan said, neither accepting nor refuting what Genesis Lotus was saying.
"And on that note," Genesis Lotus said, "if you wish to continue on your journey of comprehending the Human Path, know that you cannot do so alone." He smiled gently. "The demonic path excels in honing individual strength in some aspects better than the righteous path, but without being around different people, without getting to know them, you cannot advance in understanding the Human Path. That is why I want you to give up on the Demonic Path- become righteous, and join the Heavenly Court. In the future, when Human Path begins to flourish, it will be mostly the righteous path who can take advantage of it."
"..."
"Though I don't expect you to agree right now," Genesis Lotus continued. "And now is not the right time anyway. Right now, is the time to return to your clansmen and advance among them, become a leader among them, and through them get greater understanding of the Human Path. I know that you would want to leave Qing Mao mountain and wander the Five Regions, but you need to understand that now is not the right time for that either."
"I might consider it," Fang Yuan said.
Genesis Lotus laughed. "Who are you trying to fool, Fang Yuan? As if I can't see through your bluster. Let me tell you something else about this Blessed Land- when I took over it, I realized that I wasn't the one who was destined to ultimately inherit it. No, there would be a Venerable in the future, one who was part mushroomman himself, who would take over it. And so, I left my Will here in order to deal with him in the future. We came to a concord, but I've never fully agreed with his methods. There is something such as being too good, or being too peaceful. Reforming Demonic Cultivators... there are some whom you can't reform, and can only deal with in the harshest manner..."
Genesis Lotus lifted up his paint brush, and then in a manner that was so natural as to be nearly unnoticeable, dipped it in blue ink before waving it in the air, the paint remaining suspended as the streaks of blue slowly morphed and formed what became a miniature river suspended in the air.
And then, Genesis Lotus Immortal Venerable attacked Fang Yuan!