Fang Tian ate rabbit meat while he was lost in thought. He had spent four days exploring the inheritance cave and the surroundings, but he had never approached the second trial room.
He knew there was some danger there, but there were also good rewards after overcoming it, so he continued training in using both the Coiling Vines Gu and Wood Origin Gu at the same time.
He had made decent progress with them, and he didn't even need to search for food for them, since Wood Path Gu mostly fed on pure water or fertile soil—both of which were abundant here. After confirming his preparation, Fang Tian stood up and looked toward the door of the second room, upon which was written:
"Short vines avoid coiling around long vines."
Fang Tian pushed the door open with difficulty, revealing the pitch-black hall. He felt the moist air inside the room, and a faint sense of danger ignited within him. Following that instinct, he activated Coiling Vines Gu, then Wood Origin Gu.
Vines sprouted from his arm as if they were part of his body. At first, they were thin and could barely wrap around and cover him. But once the Wood Origin Gu paired with the Coiling Vines Gu, their size doubled. Fang Tian felt he could control the vines and extend them several meters without much strain.
"This looks great! Now, let's advance slowly."
Although the hall was dim, he could distinguish the protrusions that resembled vines. Now and then, one of them would stretch out and release a barely visible mist.
Fang Tian moved cautiously, covered in a thick armor of tough vines, with several tendrils waving in the air. Although he was almost inexperienced in Gu usage, he had trained seriously over the past four days, to the point that he could set traps for wild animals using his Coiling Vines Gu. Thus, he could handle most dangers here.
As he advanced, the living vines in the hall sensed his presence and began thrashing around, but the tendrils he controlled were able to repel anything that approached.
Sweat slid down Fang Tian's forehead. Controlling Gu was never easy—especially in such a hostile and dangerous environment. One of the vines, three times larger than his own, whipped through the air and severed one of his tendrils.
Pain shot through Fang Tian, making him groan silently. He quickly regenerated the vine tendril by pouring primeval essence frantically into the Coiling Vines Gu. His primeval sea level dropped rapidly as numerous long vines formed and extended at lightning speed—
Then wrapped tightly around the wild vines.
Panicking, Fang Tian retreated in a hurry back toward the entrance and shut it quickly.
"Damn it! I was almost torn apart. If I had stayed there for another minute, I'd be in pieces. I can't pass that hall unless I have a Fire Path Gu… or at least reach the peak of Rank 1."
Fang Tian smiled bitterly and brushed his hair away from his eyes. The chances of him obtaining a Fire Path Gu were slim, let alone one suitable for offense. This left only one option: reaching peak Rank 1, which he estimated would take at least three months under the best conditions. He was already close to the middle stage, but the further one advanced in cultivation, the longer breakthroughs took.
"There's no other solution… I can't rush this. This is the inheritance of a Rank 4 Gu Master after all. Unless I possess the strength, I have no right to claim it."
Fang Tian returned to his stone hut, which he had built after settling inside this hidden cave. It had taken him considerable effort to construct it. In the middle of the hut was a pile of stitched-together hides, emanating a rancid smell caused by moisture and dried blood—but Fang Tian did not mind. In another corner was a heap of egg-sized gray stones numbering nearly a thousand, collected from the primeval spring.
Fang Tian sat on the pile of hides and focused entirely on his aperture. His primeval essence had already recovered thanks to his talent and the Heavenly Essence Treasure Lotus.
Waves formed on his primeval sea, each wave containing five percent of his primeval essence. The first wave moved and crashed against the aperture wall, producing faint cracks.
Fang Tian grew cautious and reduced the amount of primeval essence in each wave to half. Many geniuses faltered at this very point by trying to break through quickly instead of patiently. Although speed was beneficial, it carried the risk of damaging the aperture, which would hinder or even reduce their talent.
Fang Tian understood this, so he proceeded calmly, pushing toward the breakthrough with patience yet firmness.
The waves crashed again against the aperture wall, expanding the damage caused by the first large wave. With every impact, the network of cracks widened.
The level of his primeval sea receded, only to instantly refill thanks to the Heavenly Essence Treasure Lotus. This cycle continued for hours until he finally heard a loud shattering sound. The remnants of the initial-stage aperture wall crumbled, replaced by a watery wall.
The primeval sea dropped as Fang Tian emptied it, then refilled it with middle-stage primeval essence.
Fang Tian groaned and exhaled, exhausted, but joy spread across his face. This breakthrough was a crucial boost to his morale. If he continued at this pace, overcoming the second inheritance hall would not be too difficult.