Like all Gu beasts, the creature possessed the innate ability to alter its size. With practice and refinement of his Gu control techniques, Lu Fan was able to command the beast to shrink down to the size of a regular bird—making it easier to carry and conceal.
After many days of experimentation, he discovered that this strange fusion of rooster and eagle had developed astonishing traits. Its defense was incredibly high, strong enough to resist sharp weapons and even minor spells without injury. Even more impressive was its speed in flight—far faster than any spirit beast of comparable rank. It could soar through the air like a crimson blur, making it an ideal aerial scout or battle mount.
Though mindless from the Gu refinement process, the beast was entirely obedient to his will. Using talismanic controls and a binding array etched into its soul, Lu Fan had complete command over the creature's movements. It became his first successful external Gu beast—a tool of war and mobility, forged through blood and survival.
Lu Fan applied the same brutal selection method he'd used on chickens—this time to silkworms. Within a specialized section of his island, enhanced by a massive Gu cultivation array, he released millions of spiritual silkworms. Under the oppressive aura of the array and the island's dense Qi environment, the creatures entered a savage struggle for survival.
Days turned into weeks as silkworms devoured one another in a blood-soaked evolution. Finally, only one silkworm remained—a shimmering creature with a translucent, ruby-red body that pulsed with spiritual energy. This Ruby Silkworm was a Gu beast, refined through nature's cruelty and Lu Fan's artificial pressure.
The creature spun blood-colored silk—soft to the touch, but impossibly strong. The threads gleamed with a faint internal light, their texture like molten glass yet flexible as cloud mist. Fire couldn't scorch it. Blades couldn't cut it. Even thunder Qi flowed through it with no resistance.
Recognizing its potential, Lu Fan purchased an advanced spiritual handloom online, capable of weaving high-energy materials. He processed the ruby silk into bolts of fabric that shimmered in crimson and black gradients, subtly shifting under the light like ripples on a blood-red lake.
Inspired by ancient robe patterns and the manuals he'd purchased at the cultivator market, Lu Fan studied the art of robe crafting, which combined material science, formation theory, and alchemical layering. It required absolute precision—mistiming a single array rune could cause the robe to collapse or become unstable.
To handle the complexity, Lu Fan used a design software and uploaded every formation technique he knew. The program generated layered, intricate schematics of array-infused cloth patterns, guiding the placement of each thread, each symbol.
After numerous failures and iterations, Lu Fan finally created a Level 3 cultivation robe—but it was more than just a robe.
It was a masterpiece.
The robe flowed like water, draping over his form with regal elegance. It was deep crimson, patterned with glimmering silver lines—the formations subtly woven into the cloth, forming mandala-like patterns that pulsed with Qi. The sleeves flared slightly, embroidered with overlapping wave motifs in midnight black. The hem rippled with layered array patterns, like dragon scales etched into velvet.
At the heart of the robe's back was a circular formation seal, shaped like a rising moon above a stormy sea, representing the harmony between offense, defense, and adaptability. Each time Lu Fan moved, the robe shifted colors—deepening toward blood-black when channeling Qi, then returning to red once stilled.
He embedded five powerful formations into it:
Level 3 Spirit Gathering Array – constantly drawing ambient Qi into his meridians.
Level 3 Concealment Array – cloaking his aura entirely when needed.
Level 3 Defensive Array – forming a skin-tight shield on command.
Level 3 Self-Repair Array – healing tears or damage to the robe automatically.
Level 3 Healing Array – passively accelerating his physical regeneration.
But the moment he finished embedding the final array, heaven responded.
Dark clouds swirled above his island, and a column of lightning pierced through the sky. A single bolt of Heavenly Tribulation Thunder crashed down—striking Lu Fan while he wore the robe.
He braced himself as thunder roared. The lightning struck the robe directly, crackling along its formations. The crimson silk lit up like molten magma—but held strong. The robe absorbed, dispersed, and grounded the divine strike. Not a single thread was burned.
When the storm passed, Lu Fan stood unmoved.
His robe, forged from a refined Gu beast and empowered with layered formations, had been baptized by heavenly thunder.
It was no longer just a cultivation tool. It was a true spiritual artifact—an extension of Lu Fan himself, a symbol of his ingenuity, persistence, and path as a cultivator who walked alone.
In the classification of cultivation items, Level 1 denoted tools suited for Qi Condensation cultivators, Level 2 was appropriate for Foundation Establishment, and Level 3 signified items designed to support or defend against Golden Core realm cultivators.
Lu Fan's robe, now completed and refined through tribulation, possessed five fully functioning Level 3 arrays. This meant it wasn't just decorative or symbolic—it was a battle-ready artifact that could go toe-to-toe with real threats.
The Defensive Array was strong enough to withstand strikes from low-level Golden Core experts, allowing Lu Fan to remain composed in battle without immediately resorting to his trump cards. The Spirit Gathering Array continuously pulled ambient spiritual energy into his body, ensuring that his Qi reserves stayed replenished, especially useful for long battles or fast recovery during flight or travel.
The Concealment Array was perhaps the most valuable in critical moments. It allowed Lu Fan to completely hide his cultivation aura, even from most Golden Core realm cultivators. Unless they had specialized detection techniques or far superior cultivation, they wouldn't be able to tell whether he was a mere Foundation expert—or a peak Golden Core powerhouse.
Altogether, the robe didn't just increase his defense and recovery. It gave him versatility, stealth, and a strategic edge in both combat and survival—qualities that suited Lu Fan's independent and unpredictable cultivation path.