Gu Changge leaned back in his bamboo chair, his fingertips tapping the armrest as his gaze fell upon the young man.
Under his Delusion-Shattering Divine Eye, the fragmented cluster of golden battle aura appeared somewhat more vibrant than yesterday. It seemed the spiritual energy of Purple Bamboo Peak was taking effect.
"Do you know what kind of physique you possess?" he asked, getting straight to the point.
Xiao Ruobai froze for a moment, then shook his head. "During the spirit testing, they only said it was Mortal Grade, Low-Tier..."
"Mortal Grade, Low-Tier?"
Gu Changge let out a scoff.
"I suppose that's right. As you are now, you are indeed Mortal Grade, Low-Tier. But did you know that you possess the War God Physique? Once restored, it will be one of the supreme physiques."
"War God Physique?"
Xiao Ruobai snapped his head up, his eyes filled with shock. He quickly searched his memory—well, he had never heard of this physique before.
But judging by his master's tone, it was clearly an extremely formidable existence.
"That's right!"
Gu Changge nodded, his tone flat.
"You have the War God Physique, born for battle. Your physical body can shake gods and demons, and a single punch can shatter stars. If it were in its complete state, you would have triggered worldly anomalies the moment you were born. What a pity..."
He paused, looking at the cluster of battle aura within the youth's body, which was entangled by a dark, chilling energy.
"When your mother gave birth to you, she was ambushed. A natal Gu poison not only harmed her but also drilled into your body through your bloodline.
"You were still a fetus at the time, and the origin of your War God Physique was eroded by the Gu poison. Your weak constitution and hopelessness in cultivation all these years are entirely because this poisonous Gu has been gnawing at your foundation. Were it not for the formidable origin of the War God Physique, you would have followed your mother to the grave long ago."
Xiao Ruobai's fists cracked, his nails digging deeply into his palms.
So he wasn't trash; he had been ruined by that poisonous Gu!
"Then... can it still be repaired?"
His voice trembled, but a spark ignited in his eyes.
Gu Changge retrieved a jade bottle from his spatial ring and poured out a drop of milky-white liquid, letting it levitate above his palm.
The moment the liquid appeared, the surrounding spiritual energy surged madly, and the air itself carried a gentle warmth.
"This is Innate Spirit Marrow. It can nourish the origin and dispel the dark chill. For the next three days, at this time every day, I will use the spirit marrow to help you force out the poison. Each session will last for two hours. The process will be excruciatingly painful. Endure it."
Before his voice even faded, the spirit marrow transformed into a golden thread and pressed into the center of Xiao Ruobai's brow.
He only felt a searing heat traveling along his blood vessels. The dark, chilling Gu poison let out agonizing sizzling screams, as if being scorched by a raging fire.
His muscles instantly tensed, and cold sweat rolled down his temples, yet he gritted his teeth and did not utter a single sound—he knew this was his only chance.
Gu Changge looked at his tightly pursed lips, a trace of approval flashing in his eyes.
Nearby, the Little Black Bird perched on a bamboo branch and watched for a while. Finding it boring, it fluttered its wings and flew off toward the back mountain.
Two hours later, when Gu Changge withdrew his hand, the clothes on Xiao Ruobai's back were drenched in cold sweat, and a cluster of black mist lay in his palm.
It was exactly a portion of the Gu poison forced out by the spirit marrow. Upon hitting the ground, it let out an ear-piercing shriek and quickly dissipated.
"That's it for the first day."
Gu Changge handed over a bottle of Spirit-Condensing Pills.
"Take this and rest. Come back at the same time tomorrow."
At the hour of Chen the next day, Xiao Ruobai appeared right on time.
The spirit marrow drove straight toward the origin of the Gu poison deep within his dantian. The agonizing pain multiplied several times compared to yesterday. His jaw cracked as he clenched his teeth, and his knuckles turned white, yet he never groaned once.
The third day, the final two hours.
When the spirit marrow dispelled the last trace of the dark chill, a dazzling golden light suddenly erupted from Xiao Ruobai's body. The golden battle aura surged through him like a tidal wave, though it had not fully unfurled and still carried a bit of sluggishness.
"The Gu poison has been completely cleared."
Gu Changge clapped his hands and took out an antique pill box from his spatial ring. The moment it opened, nine streaks of golden rosy clouds shot into the sky, only to be firmly blocked by the formation of the Purple Bamboo Forest.
"Now, it's time for your War God Physique to fully awaken."
He handed over the Nine-Revolution Golden Pill. "Consume it."
Xiao Ruobai swallowed it as instructed. The golden pill melted the moment it entered his throat, turning into billions of specks of light that merged into his limbs and bones.
The originally sluggish golden battle aura suddenly boiled, condensing behind him into a distinct phantom of a War God. It wielded a long spear and wore golden armor, radiating a deterrence that made the surrounding purple bamboos tremble slightly.
"This is the complete War God Physique."
Gu Changge looked at the reborn youth, a faint smile curving the corners of his mouth.
Xiao Ruobai looked down at his own hands. Faint golden light shimmered at his fingertips, and casually clenching his fists stirred up fierce gusts of wind.
He could clearly feel that the power hidden within his body seemed capable of overturning mountains. The suppression of thirteen years completely erupted in this moment.
"Thank you, Master, for the grace of remaking me!" He bowed deeply to Gu Changge, his voice carrying the hoarseness of surviving a calamity, yet revealing an unprecedented firmness.
Gu Changge waved his hand dismissively and tossed him a jade slip.
"This War God Stratagem perfectly matches your physique. Take it and practice well."
Xiao Ruobai received the jade slip with both hands. The moment his fingertips touched the cold jade, a majestic and vast aura surged into his mind through his fingers.
He subconsciously injected a trace of his newly restored battle aura. The surface of the jade slip instantly lit up with intricate golden patterns, and a line of ancient, bold characters materialized before his eyes: War God Stratagem.
Xiao Ruobai looked down at this cultivation technique.
His hands holding the jade slip were trembling. As his fingertips traced over the text flowing with golden light, every single character seemed to contain the battle intent of thousands of troops and horses, causing the War God origin within his body to resonate and vibrate.
The opening line, "Battle can shatter stars, gods can shake the heavens," made his blood boil even more. He wished he could immediately find a battlefield and fight a hearty battle.
One look was enough to tell this was an extraordinary cultivation technique, though he had no idea what grade it belonged to!
"Master, this is too precious..." his voice grew hoarse, and his eye sockets felt burning hot.
How was this merely a cultivation technique? This was clearly his master's unreserved trust and expectations for him.
Gu Changge's lazy voice drifted from inside the bamboo hut. "It would only gather dust if left alone. It will only not be a waste if you can use it to make a name for yourself."
Xiao Ruobai gazed at the tightly shut bamboo door. He suddenly bowed deeply toward the bamboo hut, pressing his forehead against the cold bluestone slab. "This disciple will definitely not fail Master's high expectations!"
He tightly gripped the jade slip, his knuckles turning white from the force.
Only at this moment did he truly understand that what he had obtained was not just an opportunity to repair his physique, but a starting point sufficient to overturn his destiny.
Xiao Ruobai did not disturb his master's rest any further. Holding the War God Stratagem, he turned and went back to his own bamboo hut.
As soon as he sat down, he couldn't wait to sink his divine sense into the jade slip. The profundity of the technique far exceeded his imagination. Every page concealed combat skills that severely shook his mind, ranging from basic body-tempering fist techniques to a world-shaking War God Domain, as if it were custom-made for him.
"Father, Mother, do you see this?"
He looked at the purple bamboos outside the window, his voice choked with emotion but full of strength. "I will be able to avenge you very soon."
The War God origin within his body slowly circulated under the guidance of the War God Stratagem. The golden battle aura traveled along the technique's trajectory, becoming more condensed and formidable with every meridian it passed through.