Golden Shield Gu

Fang Yuan first names Golden Shield Gu in Shang clan city while he is weighing a swap away from Sky Canopy Gu. He judges that canopy Gu’s defense might be impressive but too rigid for his punching and kicking tests, and expects Golden Shield Gu to give a clear difference in results, yet the Gu is not available to buy at that moment. ^{ch. 288} He later buys one at auction together with a white silver Relic Gu. ^{ch. 296}

Form and rank

Golden Shield Gu and canopy Gu are great defensive rank three Gu. ^{ch. 300} It is again named rank three Golden Shield Gu when Fang Yuan activates it. ^{ch. 343}

On activation, golden rays of light flash and condense into light armor around the body. ^{ch. 300} The same moment is also described as his body covered by golden light. ^{ch. 343} Cited chapters do not describe a worm form in the aperture separate from that armor light, and they do not give a Chinese name.

Effect

The Gu’s active defense is that golden light armor. ^{ch. 300 ch. 343} It cannot be used at the same time as canopy Gu. Fang Yuan keeps Golden Shield Gu stored until canopy Gu fails in a fight, then reveals it for the first time. To him it is slightly better than canopy Gu because it suits his strength path methods more. ^{ch. 300}

With iron bones, steel tendon, and bronze skin, Golden Shield Gu brings his defense to an initial success stage that chapter 301 treats as enough for Shang clan city’s third inner city battle stage. ^{ch. 301} Against Zhu Ba, counter-shock can still pass through iron bones, steel tendons, canopy Gu, and Golden Shield Gu into the organs. ^{ch. 299}

In later fights Fang Yuan sometimes leaves it unused when bronze skin, iron bones, and steel tendons already hold, and he sometimes has no choice but to activate it under a barrage. ^{ch. 316 ch. 360} Under Tie Dao Ku’s concentrated blade attacks the golden light breaks quickly. ^{ch. 362}

Fang Yuan’s purchase and early use

At auction he spends eighty-three thousand primeval stones in total for a white silver Relic Gu and a Golden Shield Gu. ^{ch. 296} The golden light armor first appears in that fight, after canopy Gu is spent. ^{ch. 300} He then sells canopy Gu because it overlapped with Golden Shield Gu and did not suit his fighting style. ^{ch. 301}

Path

Shang clan city chapters describe Golden Shield Gu as a defensive Gu and note its fit with Fang Yuan’s strength path methods, without naming a cultivation path for the Gu itself. ^{ch. 300}

Defense and upgrade plan