8: Chapter 8 I'll Try Being a Girl

Gu Sheng watched the rolling sea of clouds outside the grand hall. The night wind blew across the white jade railing, bringing a touch of chill.

Four people were not enough. The intelligence network would take time to establish.

But danger could arrive at any moment.

The [Blood River Ancestor] experience card only had three uses. Once they were gone, Tianxuan Peak would remain an empty shell.

His main body was only at the Fourth Level of Qi Refining. Anyone like Sun Yan, a Golden Core Stage piece of trash, could crush him with ease.

He could not leave the mountain. Absolutely not.

By staying hidden on the mountain and relying on the "hidden clan" background that Mo Cangtian had imagined for him, he could at least remain safe for a while.

But resources would eventually run out. The System was a money-pit. Without Spirit Stones or Destiny Points, what could he use to draw cards?

Someone had to go out and stir things up.

Gu Sheng opened the System panel. His gaze rested on the golden orb in the inventory tab.

Peerless-grade vessel. The Lunar MysteriousChar Body.

It had no consciousness and no Soul. It was entirely controlled by the Divine Soul of his main body.

The perfect glove.

Even if it were destroyed outside, his main body would only suffer a headache for a few days. A short period of rest would be enough to recover.

"Extract."

Golden light flared in the center of the grand hall.

The light faded.

A vessel clad in a plain white dress hovered half a foot above the ground.

Her black hair reached her ankles. Her features were exquisite to the extreme, and her skin possessed a sickly, pale hue.

The temperature inside the grand hall plummeted. A thin layer of frost condensed on the jade floor.

Gu Sheng stepped forward and circled the vessel.

The Physique was top-tier, and its traits were Heaven-Defying.

But there was one fatal flaw.

"System," Gu Sheng transmitted in his mind. "This Clone has no cultivation."

[The great thousand creation system is happy to assist you. The vessel is in a pure state, untainted by any Acquired Karma, hence it has no cultivation.]

"A Mortal with no cultivation, possessing such peerless beauty, and bearing the 'Ultimate Cauldron' trait," Gu Sheng tapped the white jade pillar beside him. "Do you think she could survive for three hours once she leaves Tianxuan Peak?"

[According to this System's calculations, she likely wouldn't survive for even the time it takes to burn a stick of incense. She would be snatched away by the first passing evil cultivator.]

"If that's the case, what's the point of this peerless-grade vessel? Should I use it as a display piece?"

[Host, please do not be impatient. This System offers multiple solutions for the Clone's cultivation.]

A dark blue light screen unfolded before Gu Sheng, listing three options.

[Option 1: Synchronize with main body's cultivation. Copy the Host's current Fourth Level of Qi Refining cultivation into the Clone. Free.]

Gu Sheng skipped it immediately. The Fourth Level of Qi Refining would still be a death sentence out there.

[Option 2: Destiny Point Infusion. Consume Destiny Points to directly increase the Clone's cultivation. Current balance: 500 points. Can be raised to the Ninth Level of Qi Refining.]

Still too low.

[Option 3: Cultivation Technique Crash Course. The Lunar MysteriousChar Body has an extremely high affinity for Ice and Yin-attribute techniques. The Host may purchase compatible techniques from the System Mall, allowing the Clone to Cultivate with incredible speed.]

Gu Sheng looked at his balance.

Exchange Points: 950,000.

"Open the System Mall. Filter for Ice-attribute Cultivation Techniques."

The list of items on the light screen scrolled rapidly.

[《Mysterious Ice Art》 (Mortal Rank Low Grade): 1,000 Exchange Points.]

[Cold Moon True Interpretation (Profound Rank High Grade): 100,000 Exchange Points.]

[《Supreme Forgetting Emotions Record》 (Earth Rank Top Grade): 5,000,000 Exchange Points.]

[《Nine Nether Mysterious Underworld Heavenly Art》 (Heaven Rank Medium Grade): 50,000,000 Exchange Points.]

Gu Sheng's gaze rested on the Cold Moon True Interpretation.

100,000 Exchange Points. He could afford it.

"Purchase Cold Moon True Interpretation."

[100,000 Exchange Points deducted. Purchase successful.]

A jade manual radiating cold air appeared in Gu Sheng's hand.

"How do I use it?"

[Host, divide a portion of your Divine Soul and enter the vessel. Simply read the jade manual directly.]

Gu Sheng placed the jade manual on the low table beside him.

He sat down cross-legged.

He closed his eyes.

In his mind, he separated a sliver from a faint orb of light.

The extraction process was somewhat painful, sending a sharp, tugging sensation through his brain.

That wisp of Divine Soul drifted toward the vessel hovering in mid-air.

It sank into the center of its forehead.

His vision shifted suddenly.

Gu Sheng opened his eyes.

His line of sight was lower.

A young man sat cross-legged before him. That was his main body.

Both perspectives existed simultaneously.

His main body had its eyes closed, breathing steadily.

The Clone stood in mid-air, toes touching the ground.

Gu Sheng attempted to control the Clone.

He raised his right hand.

Fair, slender fingers flickered before his eyes.

His tactile senses were extremely sharp. The breeze in the air brushed against his skin, bringing a distinct chill.

There was no feeling of sluggishness. This vessel was a perfect fit for his Divine Soul.

Gu Sheng raised his hand. Within his vision was a fair, slender hand; this was the Clone's perspective. Opposite him, his main body sat cross-legged on the jade floor, eyes closed, breathing steadily.

Looking at himself with his own eyes—the experience was surreal.

He tried having the Clone take two steps forward. The hem of the dress swayed. Its toes touched the ground; it had no weight.

The System panel popped up.

[Friendly Reminder: It is recommended that the Host does not admire himself in the mirror. This System does not support cross-gender narcissism.]

Gu Sheng ignored it. He controlled the Clone to walk over to the low table and pick up the Cold Moon True Interpretation.

As soon as he touched the jade manual, cold air seeped through his fingertips and into his Meridians. The low temperature, which would be fatal to an ordinary person, felt exceptionally comfortable to this vessel.

He opened the jade manual. There was no text, only intricate diagrams of Meridian circulation.

The moment his Divine Soul touched the diagrams, the traits of the Lunar MysteriousChar Body were activated. The water vapor in the surrounding air rapidly condensed into frost, and the temperature inside the grand hall plummeted.

Spiritual Qi rushed in frantically. There was no need for deliberate guidance; the vessel itself was a massive vortex of Spiritual Qi.

First Level of Qi Refining.

Second Level of Qi Refining.

Third Level of Qi Refining.

Gu Sheng watched the Clone's cultivation panel. The numbers jumped faster than a stopwatch.

Gu Sheng switched back to his main body's perspective and opened his eyes. The grand hall was already covered in a thick layer of white frost, and his breath turned into white mist.

He hurriedly cut off the Clone's plundering of external Spiritual Qi and instead opened the box filled with basic Medicinal Pills.

"Take your medicine."

The Clone grabbed a handful of qi gathering pills and popped them into its mouth like candies.

The medicinal power dissolved.

Fourth Level of Qi Refining. Fifth Level of Qi Refining.

Half an hour later, it stopped at the Great Perfection of the Ninth Level of Qi Refining.

It was stuck. Foundation Establishment required a Foundation Establishment Pill, or he would have to polish his Foundation himself. Gu Sheng did not intend to rush.

This peerless-grade vessel was too eye-catching. Walking out like this would make it a walking, human-shaped trouble magnet.

"Activate Trait Three: Thousand Faces."

Gu Sheng brought up the System's character customization interface.

[Consume Destiny Points to fine-tune appearance and aura. Current Destiny Points: 500 points.]

"Tone down the appearance. It doesn't need to be peerless; just above average is fine. Adjust the temperament to be colder, the 'keep strangers at a distance' type. Mask the aura of the Lunar MysteriousChar Body and disguise it as an ordinary Ice Spiritual Root."

[Command received. 100 Destiny Points deducted.]

The Clone's facial bones emitted a faint sound of shifting. Its originally flawless features changed: the chin became slightly sharper, the corners of the eyes leveled out, and the bridge of the nose was subtly adjusted.

In less than ten breaths, a cold, aloof, and ordinary-looking female cultivator stood in its place. She would still turn heads in a crowd, but not enough to cause a commotion.

A name.

Gu Sheng thought for a moment.

"From now on, you shall be called Gu Han."

The Clone now had cultivation and an identity. Next, it was time to go out and get to work.