Black Mane Gu

The name first appears during the caravan’s rainy departure from Qing Mao Mountain, in a note on how Green Silk Gu can combine with Black Boar Gu. ^{ch. 47} Fang Yuan weighs that same rank two fusion product alongside the White Boar advancement route. ^{ch. 64}

Form and rank

The fusion result is rank two Black Mane Gu. ^{ch. 47 ch. 64} These chapters do not describe the worm’s appearance.

Effect

When activated, Black Mane Gu does not stop at hair on the head. Hair grows from all the pores, and within a few seconds the Gu Master’s body gains a black mane protective armor. ^{ch. 47}

That armor effect sits one step past Green Silk Gu’s rank one defense: Green Silk Gu grows head hair into a hair raincoat that covers body and steed, uses about thirty percent of green copper primeval essence, and is not a continuous expenditure type. Black Mane Gu’s armor instead comes from hair on every pore. ^{ch. 47}

Fusion and advancement

Green Silk Gu combines with rank one Black Boar Gu to become rank two Black Mane Gu. ^{ch. 47 ch. 64} Black Mane Gu’s advancement path is the rank three Steel Mane Gu. ^{ch. 47} Steel Mane Gu can make a Gu Master’s hair tough as steel and raise both offense and defense. ^{ch. 64}

Fang Yuan and this line

Fang Yuan never holds a Black Mane Gu in these chapters. He later judges Black Boar Gu’s best advancement path, Steel Mane Gu, of little use once he already has White Jade Gu, and prefers to trade the Black Boar Gu away. ^{ch. 123}

Path

Early chapters describe the armor effect and the Black Boar plus Green Silk fusion line without naming a cultivation path for this Gu.