Immortality: Raising an Ant Queen to Cultivate by increasing stat points

As he waited, he took out the manual of the Puppet Gu Secret Technique and studied it carefully. It could be seen as a last-minute attempt to learn some knowledge about controlling, nurturing, and fusing Gu.

It really was like sharpening your axe just before going into battle, a dull axe could still shine with some effort.

Through studying, he gained some new insights into controlling and nurturing Gu.

The Puppet Gu Secret Technique mentioned the art of fusing Gu.

That involved fusing two Gu, either similar or different, into one. The purpose was to elevate their ranks and give them greater power.

There was even a tiny chance of witnessing a completely new transformation.

The manual mentioned that fusing a Water Gu with a Grass Gu could potentially create an Ironskin Gu with extremely powerful defensive capabilities.

This method of fusion also existed in insect cultivation.

Qin Niu’s merging of the Green Demon Bee with the Corpse Bee was akin to the mystical art of Gu fusion.

“The manual mentions a method of imprisoning Gu, which is certainly worth trying,” he mused.

He had tried numerous methods to imprison Gu, but none could hold them.

Given any small gap, no matter how tiny, they would find a way to escape.

To address this issue, the manual introduced two methods.

The first was to attach a Sealing Talisman to the lid of the jar.

The second method was to apply a circle of an extremely yang substance to the gap. The manual mentioned rooster blood and black dog blood as substances of extreme yang, but their effects lasted only a short while.

Fresh black dog blood would normally dissipate its yang energy after three days.

The best material was yang ink.

The ingredients for making yang ink were very particular; the sap of the fire phoenix tree was the preferred choice, and the blood of certain special demon beasts and birds, such as the Fire Phoenix, Phoenix, Golden Crow, and fire Kylin, could also be used.

Combined with ink stones and fire oil, yang ink was produced.

Simply applying it to the sealing spot not only easily imprisoned the Gu to prevent them from escaping, but yang ink could also subdue evil forces.

The fire phoenix tree was said to be the favored tree where the Golden Crow perched.

On Earth, the probability of finding such a tree was almost zero.

If such a Divine Tree existed, the great Immortal Sects would have designated it as a treasured asset centuries ago and guarded it vigorously, never allowing outsiders a chance to meddle with it.

The blood of the Fire Phoenix?

Qin Niu couldn’t help but feel intrigued.

He remembered the cries of the demon birds from the tallest peak of Perching Phoenix Mountain.

He had no way to know if it was a Fire Phoenix or not.

But even if it truly was a Fire Phoenix, for Qin Niu to obtain its blood was akin to a fool’s dream.

Such beings could probably obliterate Qin Niu, this ‘ant’, in an instant.

A human in the Innate Realm might be considered an elite in Jade Stream Town, but in the presence of creatures like the Fire Phoenix, they would surely fall short.

“Rooster blood and black dog blood could also serve as temporary substitutes; I should consider acquiring some for emergencies,” he thought.

Qin Niu started to ponder.

The two Blood Spiders that had crawled into the tree hole had not come out since, suggesting they would probably stay inside indefinitely.

Just recently, he had sent two Termites to scout the area.

Although they did not venture deep into the hole and merely investigated the entrance, the Termites informed Qin Niu that there were several insects inside the hole.

If he could capture them, even if they could only be contained for three days, it would still be quite an achievement.

Besides, when the third day arrived, he could always apply fresh black dog blood if necessary.

At most, it would just be a bit of a hassle.

Roosters and black dogs were common livestock in the countryside.

Qin Niu could easily obtain them from any village.

Stealing someone else’s chicken or dog was definitely not something he would do.

As an Insect Master and a noble of the highest rank, resorting to theft would be disgraceful, and he wouldn’t be able to show his face ever again if word got out.

“You all stay here and keep watch. If any insects come out of that tree hole, notify me immediately,” he instructed.

Leaving several Termites and Green Ring Bees to surveil the area, Qin Niu leaped off the tree and landed firmly on the ground with two hops.

He quickly ran towards a distant village.

He didn’t know the name of the village, but finding someone to buy a rooster or a black dog from would suffice.

Upon arriving at the village, a large yellow dog in the courtyard of a household barked furiously at him.

His gaze fell upon it, and the large yellow dog immediately tucked its tail, hunched its body, and let out a low whining sound.

Clearly, the gaze of an Innate Realm powerhouse had instilled fear into the dog.

Dogs are very perceptive; they can discern danger.

Qin Niu noticed that this household not only had a dog but also a few hens and a large rooster with a red comb.

Its feathers appeared colorful and quite beautiful.

“Is anyone home?”

Qin Niu asked, standing outside the courtyard.

“Lad, whom are you looking for?”

An elderly man with a hunched back walked out from inside the house.

Upon seeing Qin Niu, a young man he did not recognize, he immediately became more cautious.

“Sir, I would like to buy a large rooster from you. Are you selling any?”

Qin Niu inquired.

“You want to buy a rooster? A rooster this size goes for around one hundred and twenty wen on the market. My rooster here has even knocked down eagles before, and it never fails to eat rats or snakes it encounters. At the very least, it’ll cost three hundred Wen Money.”

The old man appeared quite aged, at least in his sixties.

But when it came to business, he was unequivocal.

“Here, this is three Silver Money, no more, no less.”

Qin Niu tossed over three Silver Pieces, then approached the large rooster. Unexpectedly, the rooster was quite aggressive, thinking Qin Niu was going after its hens. It spread its wings, its neck feathers bristling, and lunged at Qin Niu while continuously making a “woo woo woo” sound.

However, just as it took off, it was grasped by the neck in Qin Niu’s hand and instantly subdued.

“Sir, do you have a pot?”

“What do you need a pot for?”

“I need one this big, do you have one?”

“Yes!”

The elderly man, pleased with the three Silver Pieces, brought out a pot from the house.

“It’s usually for pickling vegetables, but if you want to use it for chicken, you’ll need to take it home and wash it. Otherwise, the smell inside is rather strong.”

The old man handed the pot to Qin Niu.

“How much for this one?”

Qin Niu asked.

“No charge, it’s on the house.”

The old man had sold his rooster for a good price, so he was in high spirits.

In the countryside, pots are the least valuable items.

Clay pots made from mud, one or two wen apiece.

“Then, thank you.”

Qin Niu took the pot, now with everything ready.

Carrying the rooster and the pot back to the river, the Gu from within the tree hole had not emerged.

He cleaned the pot at the riverbank then and there, and slaughtered the rooster on the spot.

He collected the chicken blood and then evenly applied it around the seal of the pot.

These pickle pots have a water storage groove, mainly to keep out air.

Now Qin Niu had filled the groove with a fair amount of rooster blood.

Whether this method could contain those Gu was something he had to try to find out.

With everything prepared, Qin Niu was still waiting patiently for Fourth to show results.

Yet as time ticked by, the blood cocoon that Fourth had formed with the young Gu still showed no signs of activity.

Qin Niu couldn’t afford to just keep waiting here indefinitely.

He prepared to take down all the Gu inside.

He pulled out the Ink Blade and walked towards the large willow tree ahead.