Li Ban didn't rush out immediately. He leaned against the wall and quietly cultivated for the time it takes an incense stick to burn. During this period, the cosmic river of stars flowed continuously, and his spiritual essence continued to grow steadily.
Through this cultivation session, Li Ban confirmed that the spiritual essence obtained by absorbing waste elements was no different from what he cultivated himself, nor did it affect his normal cultivation progress. It was like taking an experience potion in a game, saving countless rounds of auto-battles. The cultivation also helped calm his emotions. If he had gone to find Zhou Gu immediately earlier, his overwhelming joy might have been detected.
He stood up, straightened his clothes, and went out to inquire about other waste elements. But as soon as he stepped out, he saw Zhao Yu and Zhou Gu facing off in the corridor for some reason. Being close, Li Ban caught the latter half of Zhao Yu's unretracted words: "...if you still can't find it, why not come with me to the Eternal Tower? Ah, I forgot - with your poor aptitude, the Eternal Tower would never accept you."
Li Ban saw Zhou Gu's back suddenly stiffen. Yet Zhou Gu didn't retort. Zhao Yu wore a careless smile that paused when it swept over Li Ban before he turned and walked away without further taunting Zhou Gu.
Now it was Li Ban who felt awkward. He didn't know whether to retreat back inside or pretend nothing happened and continue asking Zhou Gu about previously failed tongue elements. Sometimes, overly deliberate avoidance could make the mocked party feel even worse - if even a menial worker pitied you, wasn't that the ultimate humiliation?
In the end, Li Ban approached Zhou Gu from behind. "Officer. I have some cultivation questions. May I seek your guidance?"
Zhou Gu entered his room directly without closing the door. Li Ban quickly followed. "What is it?" Zhou Gu, now seated behind his long desk, had regained his composure.
"Officer, do you still have any previous failed or successful tongue elements?" Li Ban didn't expect to get successful ones - some failures would suffice. He wasn't greedy.
"None. Failures were destroyed immediately. As for successes... that's none of your concern." Li Ban felt immense regret - 33% spiritual essence! What a waste! But he restrained himself, only showing slight disappointment.
Seeing Li Ban's earnestness, Zhou Gu felt slightly comforted after Zhao Yu's harsh mockery. After a silent moment, he suddenly moved a stool before Li Ban. "Sit."
Li Ban sat uneasily. Why did Zhou Gu seem like he wanted a heart-to-heart talk? "You heard earlier. Although I'm a third-tier jailer... I've never successfully fused a third element."
Li Ban truly hadn't heard this part earlier. He lowered his head, staring intently at the desk corner. Failed element fusion? Wasn't that only common for identity-less people? How could someone with corresponding identity fail?
As Li Ban processed this shock, Zhou Gu continued: "It's normal you wouldn't know. First element fusion after gaining identity usually succeeds immediately. But from the second attempt onward, failure becomes possible." Zhou Gu's expression turned self-deprecating.
"Don't be fooled by my jailer status. I failed when fusing my second element, the Ghost-Head Saber." He patted the saber at his waist. "This isn't the element - just looks similar. Hah, among four jailers, only I failed to fuse the Ghost-Head Saber. Zhao Yu was right - my aptitude is poor, extremely poor!"
Zhou Gu slapped the desk. The sound wasn't loud but nearly made Li Ban jump. "But so what? Through saving money and training, didn't I still fuse other elements successfully?" His momentary vigor faded again. "Yet I still can't fuse a third element."
"This isn't a secret - Officer Du and other jailers know. Some jailers have noticed too. The harder I try, the more ridiculous I appear to them." He looked at Li Ban with resigned amusement. "Li Ban, you're clever. If you can help me find a solution, I'll give you a fine-grade element."
A fine-grade element - two hundred taels! "I'll spare no effort to assist you, Officer," Li Ban pledged with utmost sincerity.
......
"What kind of... good person are you to dare offer help to a third-tier jailer?" The cat-woman nearly squeezed through the wooden bars upon hearing Li Ban's words before being yanked back by her neck shackles.
Li Ban sat against the wall, utterly unashamed. "Nothing ventured, nothing gained."
The cat-woman crossed her arms, puffing her cheeks. "So your solution is to come to me?" "One possible solution."
She sneered, "Guess why Zhou Gu never comes to me?" Li Ban leaned forward, squinting. "He doesn't trust you." Her sneer vanished as she scratched her cheek, chains clanking. "You're quite bold."
Li Ban leaned back, thinking of course he was bold - he wasn't the one doing the fusing. "From the second element onward, is there always a chance of fusion failure?"
"Depends on individual aptitude. Nothing's absolute - it varies," the cat-woman explained. "But most experience rejection when fusing their second element. At this stage it's not too severe - most endure it and succeed. Those who can't, fail. With luck, the element remains after failure. Without luck, the element's wasted."
Li Ban's mind raced - did other jailers have failed fusion elements? Even if they did, he had no proper pretext to request them. If discovered absorbing waste elements, his undercover mission would be jeopardized - this was an ability from his mission assistance system. How he wished for an unmanned element dump to scavenge daily!
Unaware of Li Ban's garbage-related thoughts, the cat-woman continued analyzing: "That Zhou Gu must have had a first element ill-suited to his constitution, then forced his second element for promotion, making his third impossible to fuse."
Li Ban refocused. "Elements have personal compatibility?" The cat-woman smiled. "When you fused the former jailer's eye element, it must have been effortless - showing compatibility. Otherwise you'd know fusion rejection."
"Then... my second fusion should also go smoothly?" "Definitely not as easy as the first. Pain, dizziness, nausea, or fever-like symptoms may occur. Unless the element's extremely incompatible, you'll endure. Unless you're Zhou Gu."
Li Ban pressed his lips tightly, seemingly worried about future fusions. But only he knew - when fusing his second element, it had also completed with a "whoosh," without any discomfort.