Chapter 34
Fang Yuan paid no heed to the man and started to multitask. He simultaneously absorbed the natural essence from the primeval stone and observed his aperture.
The primeval sea level which had originally fell drastically within the aperture, with help from the constant stream of natural essence, began to slowly rise up again. This form of recovery speed was inevitably slow, but Fang Yuan was in no hurry.
Cultivation was meant to be accumulative; it could not be rushed.
The urgent matter at hand was in fact the middle-aged servant outside the house.
After half an hour, Fang Yuan's green copper primeval sea reached 44%, the maximum capacity it could hold. But this was not the end.
At this point the primeval sea showed a jade-green colour, this was only a Rank one initial stage green copper primeval essence. The primeval essence that Fang Yuan had previously used to nurture the aperture wall was no longer initial stage primeval essence. It had been turned into middle stage primeval essence, refined by the Liquor worm.
"Liquor worm." With a thought from Fang Yuan, the Liquor worm within the primeval sea instantly flew out and hovered in mid-air, its body curling into a ball form, resembling a white rice ball.
Swoosh.
10% of his initial stage primeval essence was deployed and sent into the Liquor Worm's body, and soon the essence was fully absorbed by it. Soon after, a surge of liquor mist emerged from the Liquor worm's body and congregated into a lump.
Once more, Fang Yuan deployed 10% of his primeval essence and invested it into this liquor mist. Once the mist had been fully expended, the original 10% of initial stage primeval essence shrunk by half physically, and at the same time the colour changed from jade-green to pale-green.
This is middle-stage primeval essence.
"In order to advance in their cultivation, ordinary students all use initial stage primeval essence. However, I'll be using middle stage primeval essence, and the efficiency is at least twice of theirs. Similarly, when using middle stage primeval essence to activate the Moonlight Gu and throw a moonblade, it will be far stronger than activating it using initial stage primeval essence."
Only when all the primeval essence in the primeval sea had been converted to middle stage primeval essence did Fang Yuan open his eyes.
Time passes in the blink of an eye when cultivating, and at this point it was already midnight. The sky was no longer a pure black, but it had turned a deep dark-blue colour. The moon was no longer visible, and only a few lingering stars remained.
The door was open almost throughout the entire night, and a corner of the wooden door was already wet, showing a dark colour as the water tainted it.
The school hostel had this disadvantage, it was not as comfortable as an ordinary wooden lodge that was built above the ground (1), but it was directly built on the ground and thus it had high humidity.
Coming back to reality, Fang Yuan felt a chill down his spine. After sitting cross-legged for such a long time, both his legs felt numb. He opened his clenched right fist and scattered a handful of white stone powder.
This was the primeval stone after its essence had been fully absorbed, and what remained was only the leftover powder.
"After a night of cultivation, I had expended three primeval stones." Fang Yuan calculated in his mind.
He had C ranked talent, but in order to pursue faster cultivation speed, he used primeval stones to replenish his primeval essence. What was more crucial was the Liquor worm, as it had been used to refine his middle stage primeval essence.
This had greatly increased the expenditure of his primeval stones.
"Although I plundered another sum of primeval stones yesterday, a night of cultivation cost me three stones. In this case, although it might seem that I have a lot of resources, it is unable to sustain me for a long time with my current cultivation speed, but this is the price I have to pay for pursuing cultivation speed and efficiency."
Fang Yuan looked outside the room again, only to see Gao Wan, the muscular servant, squatting at a corner with his body curled up, seemingly fallen asleep.
"Looks like that Rank two female Gu Master had left long ago, leaving this Gao Wan here to keep a watch on me. Hehe." Fang Yuan revealed a cold smile as he got off the bed and began to exercise his limbs.
Once his body had warmed up, he left the hostel.
"Lad, you finally decided to come out. So how about it? Obediently surrender and leave with me to kowtow and apologise to our young Miss." Gao Wan's ears caught Fang Yuan's footsteps and he stood up immediately.
His muscular body was almost twice the size of Fang Yuan. The muscles in his body tightened and his brows knitted together, a pair of cruel eyes shining with evil light, resembling a starving hyena.
Fang Yuan expressionlessly walked towards him.
"Lad, you should have came out earlier. By coming out now, do you know how much The Great Me had to suffer by watching over you?" He snickered while approaching Fang Yuan, evidently planning something sinister.
At this moment, Fang Yuan lightly cried out, and with a ferocious leap he aimed both fists towards Gao Wan.
"Bastard, you're courting death!!" Gao Wan's face distorted with rising anger within him, raised his brick-sized fist and he punched towards Fang Yuan.
The fist was extremely powerful, slicing through air and the swooshing sound of the wind could be heard.
Fang Yuan's eyes shone clear as crystal. Seeing that the fist was approaching close, he side-stepped and turned towards Gao Wan's rear. Stretching out a finger, he struck towards Gao Wan's waist.
Gao Wan blocked with his retracted arm – Fang Yuan did not get a clear hit, and ended up hitting onto Gao Wan's left forearm.
Fang Yuan's finger felt like it had hit a steel plate, painful and numb.
"This Gao Wan has already approached the limits of a mortal's physical prowess. Right now I can only use the Moonlight Gu to fight, and without any other Gu worms to assist me, I am not his match at basic close combat!" Fang Yuan's eyes shone and he decided quickly to give up on attacking. Instead, he retracted a few steps and pulled some distance away from Gao Wan.
In the Gu Yue village, only the Gu Yue clansmen had the rights to cultivate as a Gu Master. The outsiders, regardless of whether they had cultivation talent or not, had no rights to attend the Awakening Ceremony.
But these mortals could train in physical combat.
Just like the Gao Wan here, although he was not a Gu Master, he had trained vigorously in his punches and kicks and his basic skill was steadfast. Additionally he was a middle-aged man, and this meant being at the physical prime in a mortal's lifetime.
Fang Yuan, other than having the Moonlight Gu to fight, had only the body of a 15 year old teenager. Be it strength, agility or endurance, he was not Gao Wan's match.
Martial artists like Gao Wan were sufficient enough to kill a Rank one initial stage Gu Master. Even towards a Rank one middle stage Gu Master, they still posed a certain threat.
"This lad is too sneaky!" Seeing that Fang Yuan had drawn some distance between them, Gao Wan felt anxiety within his heart.
The waist was a vital point of the body, and if it was damaged by someone through brute force, the harm was not negligible. If the force was exerted beyond a point, it could also be deadly.
Gao Wan had waited outside the hostel for the entire night, and thus his body was enshrouded by the moist atmosphere, causing his reaction speed to be slightly slower. Hence the strike earlier had almost succeeded. Fortunately, although he was a bootlicker, he had trained hard in his physical ability. So at the crucial moment his body's reflex instinctively reacted and allowed him to narrowly block Fang Yuan's attack.
"I can't be careless anymore! This lad behaves like a wolf, striking harsh and deviously, getting his way whenever I am even but a little careless. No wonder young master was knocked out by him twice." Gao Wan wiped the sweat off his forehead and swept away all hints of contempt. He started to take his opponent seriously.
"If I can capture this lad, it'd be a great accomplishment. Young Miss is sure to reward me! A Rank one initial stage's moonblade is at max only like a small dagger, so as long as it does not hit my vital points it'll merely be a light external injury."
Thinking of this, Gao Wan's heart started to beat faster. Stretching out his shovel-like hands, he grabbed at Fang Yuan.
Boom boom boom!
Fang Yuan showed no fear and approached Gao Wan to engage in close combat. Exchanging punches and kicks, taking turns attacking and defending, loud impact sounds echoed through the area.
When plundering the students, he had only used his palm with his objective being to control the crowd. But now when engaging with Gao Wan, Fang Yuan had gone all out.
At times he used his fingers to jab at the eyes, sometimes strangling the throat, hitting the jaw with the base of his palm, chopping at the back of his opponent's head, using the knee to strike the pelvic area, or using his hands to grab at the waist.
Gao Wan's sweat poured out like a river.
Fang Yuan's moves were all aiming at the vital points, each strike devious and deadly as if he wanted to end Gao Wan's life right there!
Gao Wan was a mere mortal, and unlike the Gu Masters, although he trained well in his physical combat, his vital points remained vital. Mortals were unable to train their eyelids to become steel-like. This was the limits of the mortal martial arts.
In addition, Gao Wan did not dare to unleash any deadly moves on Fang Yuan.
Fang Yuan was a Gu Yue clansman, so killing him would incur public rage and he would be immediately executed. In fact, the Mo family will be the first to carry out his punishment. Thus his only thought was to capture Fang Yuan alive, and it would be good if he could make Fang Yuan suffer in the process of capture.
One side has apprehension while the other side had killing intent. The situation thus became Fang Yuan suppressing Gao Wan in the fight!
Chapter 35
Fang Yuan had the upper hand for now, but it could not sustain him for much longer.
Exchanging blows back and forth, he was already panting in exhaustion. In contrast, Gao Wan's breathing was still smooth and in-sync, reflecting the huge difference in stamina between the two. At the same time, as Gao Wan exercised his limbs, his body gradually heated up while his punching speed became faster and faster. The effect of the cold that caused him to be slow and numb had worn off, displaying the true skills honed by his training for decades.
"Lad, you are unable to beat me! There are clan rules stating that within the school hostel, you are forbidden from using the Moonlight Gu. You are dead meat, doomed to be my captive!" Gao Wan laughed maniacally; his fighting experience was rich, so he attempted to use words to cause Fang Yuan's fighting spirit to waver.
"In the end, I'm only just a teenager and my body that hasn't fully developed cannot be compared to this servant." Fang Yuan's state of mind was calm as ice. Having sharpened his will for five hundred years, there was no way his fighting spirit would waver.
"Moonlight Gu!" He called out in his mind, activating his primeval essence and at the same time leaping backwards to pull away from Gao Wan.
Gao Wan wanted to chase after him, but he suddenly saw a watery-blue light emitting from Fang Yuan's palm. His face darkened and he shouted, "Lad, you are using the Gu worm to fight in the school hostel, this is against the clan rules!"
"So what if I break the rules?" Fang Yuan sneered. He learnt the clan rules and memorised it to heart, but it was not for the sake of obeying it. Immediately, his palm slashed an arc towards Gao Wan. With a 'ching' sound, the blue moonblade flew towards Gao Wan's face.
Gao Wan gritted his teeth as he raised both arms to cover his face, forming a protective shield. At the same time, he rushed towards Fang Yuan without pause, planning to endure the attack while ending the battle as quickly as he could.
The moonblade struck his arm. With a popping sound, his flesh and blood poured out under the moonlight, a wave of extreme pain hitting Gao Wan's nerves. The unguarded man nearly fainted from the pain.
"How can this be?!" His rush towards Fang Yuan stopped, and he frightfully found out that both his limbs had been cut open with a deep wound. Fresh blood oozed out from the wound and from the side, while bloody muscles could be observed hanging around his flesh. Even the broken white bones of the forearm could be seen.
Gao Wan was shocked beyond words. "This is impossible! A Rank one initial stage moonblade, the most it could do is to lightly injure my flesh. How could it cut through my bones? Only a Rank one middle stage can do this!!"
He had no idea. While Fang Yuan was a Rank one initial stage Gu Master, due to the Liquor worm's refining, he possessed Rank one middle stage primeval essence.
The Moonlight Gu, activated using middle stage primeval essence, emitted a moonblade far superior to the initial stage that he originally predicted.
"This is bad, this boy is weird!!" Gao Wan who was caught off-guard had already suffered a grave injury. His fighting spirit was gone and he decisively decided to retreat.
"Are you able to escape?" Fang Yuan smiled coldly as he started to give chase, the moonblades in his hands shooting out consecutively.
"Save me!!!" Gao Wan shouted out in horror as he fled, his voice travelling far out beyond the school hostel.
"What is going on? Someone is asking for help!" The voice alerted the school hostel guards who were nearby.
"It's the Mo Family's young Miss, Mo Yan's servant." The guards who arrived stopped in their tracks upon seeing the chasing scene.
"This is only a servant, there is no need for us to risk protecting him!"
"Letting him stay here was already a favour towards the Mo Family."
"We still have to be careful, just in case he hurts Fang Yuan in desperation."
The anxious guards all gathered around, but no one lent a hand to Gao Wan; they only observed from the sidelines.
This servant Gao Wan, even if he died, it had nothing to do with them. However if Fang Yuan died or got hurt, it would be their responsibility.
Seeing such a sight, Gao Wan despaired, he tragically screamed, "We are all outsiders! You cannot leave me to die!"
His blood loss was getting more severe, and his speed decreased.
Fang Yuan caught up to him, his voice cold as ice, announcing Gao Wan's death sentence, "Go ahead and scream! It doesn't matter how loud you do so."
While saying that, the blade in his arm rotated, and he fired two moonblades towards Gao Wan.
Swoosh, swoosh!
The moon blades flew towards Gao Wan's neck. The servant lost all hope, seemingly one step away into the abyss.
The next moment, he felt that his world was spinning; he actually saw his own feet, chest, back… and that severed neck.
Afterwards, total darkness awaited him.
Gao Wan had died.
Beheaded by two moonblades, his head flew away from the impact, his body pushed back 10 meters before falling. The neck area spewed out a fountain of fresh blood, dyeing the surrounding grass a blood red.
"Murder!!!"
"Fang Yuan killed someone!"
The guards could not help but scream out. They had witnessed the entire process, and they felt a sense of extreme trepidation and terror rushing all over their body.
Fang Yuan was just a weak 15 year old teenager, but he expressionlessly murdered a strong adult. This was the power of a Gu Master!
The victory had been set. Fang Yuan slowed in his footsteps and gradually moved towards the corpse.
His face was calm, as if he had done nothing out of the ordinary. This expression further sent a shiver down the guards' spines.
Gao Wan's head lay on the ground, both his eyes wide open, turning in his grave.
Fang Yuan stared coldly. He raised his leg and sent the head flying.
The guards' eyelids twitched.
Fang Yuan approached the corpse and found that it was still vibrating. The blood spread through the ground, forming a small bloody puddle. He looked at Gao Wan's injuries with a grim expression. These injuries were deep enough to expose the secret to the fact that he had middle stage primeval essence.
Once this was exposed, it'll be quickly deduced that he had a Liquor worm, and with that the family would naturally think of the Flower Wine Monk.
Thus, Fang Yuan had to keep this secret hidden.
"But there are too many onlookers." Fang Yuan's gaze swept through the nearby guards; there was more than ten of them. He had less than 10% primeval essence left, so there was no way to kill them all.
After pondering for a while, Fang Yuan bent down and raised Gao Wan's ankle, dragging the corpse away.
"Young master Fang Yuan, you can leave this to us." The guards controlled their fear and approached Fang Yuan, politely speaking.
The respect and politeness held a tint of obvious fear.
Fang Yuan silently looked at the guards, and they all held their breaths, looking down.
"Give me the sabre," he stretched out his hand and lightly said.
With authority in his speech, he emitted undeniable pressure.
The guard closest to him uncontrollably handed him the sabre on his waist.
Fang Yuan took the sabre over and continued walking, leaving behind a dozen stunned guards staring after his back.
The sun rose from the east, and the first ray of light shone over the mountain peak, lighting up the school hostel.
15 year old Fang Yuan, with the scrawny body of a teenager, a pale look upon his skin.
Under the sunrise, he casually walked.
In his left hand was a shiny sabre.
In his right hand, a headless corpse.
His path left behind a trail of bright red blood traces dragged out on the road.
The guards were flabbergasted, their bodies stiff due to the frightening scene.
Even as the sunlight shone on them, they could not feel a sense of warmth and light.
Gulp.
Someone among them swallowed their saliva loudly.
Author's note: (He's just asking for readers to recommend his book to others. Second half is just trying to motivate the readers.)
For a book that is just written, there will be people who like it and people who don't. For those who don't like it, there is no need to struggle/force yourselves, you can just go and read another book. For those who like it, please do your best to support the book! On the first day of the new year, I ask for recommendations, please bookmark this book! After the apocalypse, I implore everyone of the same Dao to display their strengths, gather our powers and rise up as the demonic flames, and let the people of the world see the power of us demon cultivators! In the new year, those that defend the last remaining territory of the demonic ways, let the demonic way rise up again, and become legendary!!
Chapter 36
"Did you guys hear? Fang Yuan killed someone!" A student whispered to his classmate beside him.
"I heard it too, he really killed somebody." The classmate clenched his chest with a pale face.
"There were many guards who saw him do it. Fang Yuan was chasing after that man. That guy tried to beg for mercy but Fang Yuan paid him no heed and decapitated him immediately!"
"That's not all. After killing him, Fang Yuan didn't even spare his headless corpse. He dragged it back to the hostel and chopped it into a meat paste."
"Are you for real?"
"I'm serious beyond belief. I came early this morning and I could still see the bloodstains left between the cracks of the green rock."
"Oh man, why would I lie to you? Earlier, the Academy Elder called Fang Yuan over for this matter."
The youths in the Academy did not pay attention to class as they held their little conversations.
To this group of 15 year olds, the concept of killing was too foreign and too scary.
They had been under the protection of the clan since a young age and had at most experienced organized sparring or simply killing chickens and dogs.
As for killing a person, it was still beyond them.
"Who did Fang Yuan kill?"
"I heard it was a family servant of the Mo branch family."
"Yup, I'm the clearest about this matter. Yesterday, I personally saw the Mo Family's Mo Yan bring a bunch of family servants to find trouble with Fang Yuan."
"The Mo family, that's not good. Mo Bei is in trouble now."
A number of the youths turned to look at Gu Yue Mo Bei.
Mo Bei sat on his seat with a pale face – he had only heard about the news of Fang Yuan killing someone this morning. Additionally, it was the Gao Wan that Mo Bei was familiar with. As one of the more energetic family servants, Gao Wan was good at boot licking and had also put effort into his fighting skills. He was an able lackey.
A long while ago, Gao Wan had even sparred with Mo Bei for a bit. To think that he was simply killed by Fang Yuan!
It was precisely because of this that Mo Bei felt astonished. He was full of disbelief and felt twice the shock compared to the others. However, compared to his shock, he felt a greater sense of worry and fear.
Facing a murderer like Fang Yuan, it would be a lie if Mo Bei said that he was not afraid. Actually, it was not just him – the other youngsters were afraid too. When Fang Yuan had robbed them twice previously, all of them had gotten physical with him.
"I actually fought with such a ruthless murderer? To think that I'm actually still alive." Many of them patted their chest, feeling a lingering fear.
Fang Yuan killing someone was still somewhat acceptable but the crux was that he even dissected the corpse and chopped the body into meat paste.
That was way too cruel!
The truth of such a horrifying crime had a strong impact on all of the youths' pure and innocent minds.
Within the room, there was only the Academy Elder and Fang Yuan.
The Academy Elder sat while Fang Yuan stood. Neither of them spoke a word, causing the atmosphere to be extremely tense.
The Academy Elder silently looked at Fang Yuan and a hint of complication flashed in his eyes.
In the morning, the guards had reported to him about Fang Yuan's murder incident. This news had made him feel both shocked and suspicious.
He was a Rank three Gu Master and was in charge of the Academy. He obviously knew the fighting strength of a Rank one initial stage Gu Master.
Fang Yuan being able to kill Gao Wan was like the weak defeating the strong.
In truth, some guards had already reported to him that Mo Yan had trapped Fang Yuan within the Academy by barging in the previous night.
Back then, he had not paid attention to the matter and had not stopped them.
He was the Academy Elder – his objective was to nurture future Gu Masters, not to protect them. As long as there were no deaths among the students, he encouraged hidden conflicts.
Mo Yan coming to find trouble with Fang Yuan was something that he was happy to see. For one, he knew that regardless of whether the fight was won or lost, it would be beneficial to Fang Yuan's growth. Secondly, he wanted to suppress Fang Yuan's influence.
Fang Yuan had consecutively blocked the Academy's gates and robbed the other students. His influence was too great; it had to be suppressed.
However, he hadn't expected that Mo Yan would return fruitlessly and that the family servant that she had left behind would be unable to beat Fang Yuan. Gao Wan even got killed by him!
In this world, strength was above all else. Killing someone was not something peculiar. Especially to a GuMaster, it was something very common.
But it was not so simple when it was a 15 year old's first kill.
The Academy Elder vividly remembered his first killing scene. Back then, he was already a Rank two Gu Master. At the age of 19, he had killed a Gu Master from the Bai clan's village in a conflict.
After killing the person, he vomited profusely and panicked in his heart. For a few days, he had no mood to eat and had no appetite. He could not even find peace in his sleep. The moment he shut his eyes, he would see the dead person staring angrily at him.
But looking at Fang Yuan now, his face was calm as ice. Where was the fluster? Not to mention that he had no uneasy feelings. It was almost like he had slept perfectly well last night, as if the person who killed a man was not him at all!
Especially when the Academy Elder heard more about the matter. After Fang Yuan had killed the servant, he did not spare the corpse and had even dragged it back to the dormitory to chop it into meat paste in his rage. Such vicious methods, even hearing about it was a kind of terror!
Thus, at this point, the Academy Elder looked at Fang Yuan with complicated emotions.
On one hand, he was amazed at Fang Yuan's indifference towards life, his attitude was as steady and as cold as ice. On the other hand, he was appreciative of the fact that Fang Yuan was a born battle-freak. After familiarizing himself with the Moonlight Gu for a few days, he had managed to kill someone with it. An ordinary teenager—even those A grade talents—may not be able to achieve this. This was a talent for battle! If he was well-nurtured and fought for the clan, it would be all of their enemies' nightmare.
Lastly, he felt worry and distressed.
Worry because after this incident, Fang Yuan's reputation was sure to rise and it would be impossible to suppress him. Fang Yuan was way too daring; not only did he disobey the clan rules by using his Gu in the Academy, he even killed someone with it. There was a need to suppress his influence. Otherwise, how would the Elder be able to manage this Academy anymore?
Distress was because he did not know how to perfectly resolve this issue. After all, it involved the Mo family's side.
"Fang Yuan, do you know why I called you here to meet me?" The Academy Elder used a solemn and deep voice to break the silence in the room.
"I know." Fang Yuan nodded and replied, "I used the Moonlight Gu in the Academy, breaking the clan rules. According to the rules, as it is my first offense, I should compensate thirty pieces of primeval stones as punishment."
He evaded the crucial point and did not mention Gao Wan's death.
The Academy Elder was stunned for a second, he had not expected that Fang Yuan would answer like this.
His expression darkened as he coldly snapped, "Don't try to blur things in front of me! I'll ask you, what was the matter with Gao Wan's death?"
Fang Yuan squinted his eyes and said, "Hmph, this Gao Wan went against his superiors, his intentions were vicious. Last night, not only did he block my room door, he even tried to kill me. In self-defense, I was forced to use the Moonlight Gu. Fortunately, I managed to kill this traitor. I suspect that there is a high possibility of him being a spy of the other mountain villages, I implore the elders to investigate this thoroughly!"
Upon hearing this, the Academy Elder frowned and became at a lost for words.
Now that Gao Wan was dead, Fang Yuan could say whatever he wanted. After all, Gao Wan was just an outsider, not a member of the clan. Even if he was dead, it would not matter to the Academy Elder. However, he was worried about the Mo family's reaction. Gao Wan was their servant and he had died within the academy. The Academy Elder was in charge of the academy and had to give the Mo family an explanation.
Thinking for a bit, the Academy Elder stared at Fang Yuan and questioned, "Then let me ask you. Gao Wan's corpse, how did you deal with it?"
Fang Yuan's lips curled, revealing a cruel smile. "I diced Gao Wan's corpse and put it inside a wooden box. When morning came, I put it at the Mo family's back door."
"What?!" The Academy Elder was stunned beyond words as he almost jumped from his seat.
Not only did Fang Yuan kill their family servant, he had even chopped up the corpse and placed it at the Mo family's back door. This was blatant provocation!
To the Academy Elder who was trying to resolve this peacefully, it was a true nightmare.
Fang Yuan was just a small Rank one Gu Master, how would the large Mo family react?
Thinking of this, the Academy Elder felt a headache as the matter had already developed out of his control. This Fang Yuan was a true troublemaker.
"Sigh, since it has already happened, there's no point in saying anymore. Leave first, the punishment will come within these few days, you should get mentally prepared." The Academy Elder was terribly upset. He waved his hand and signaled for Fang Yuan to leave; he needed to think through this calmly to come up with a solution.
Chapter 37
Meanwhile, at the Mo family.
"What were my instructions to you? See what you did!" In the study room, Gu Yue Mo Chen slammed the table, exploding with a rage.
Mo Yan stood opposite this old man, her head lowered. Her eyes were full of shock and rage. She had also just gotten the news that Gao Wan had been killed by Fang Yuan!
That 15 year old teenager, to think he had such methods and determination. Gao Wan was the proud servant of her Mo family and Fang Yuan's act of killing him was a blatant showing of disrespect towards them!
"Grandpa, you don't have to be so angry. This Gao Wan was only a servant, his death is of no concern. He isn't a Gu Yue clan member anyways. But that Fang Yuan, he is too daring, you have to 'look at the owner before you beat the dog'. Not only did he beat our dog but he even beat it to death!" Mo Yan said indignantly.
Gu Yue Mo Chen furiously scowled, "You still have the cheeks to say that! Have your wings grown so tough now that you don't even put my words to heart, hmm? What I told you before, you have forgotten all about it!"
"Your granddaughter dares not!" Mo Yan jumped in shock. She knew now that her grandfather was really angry and quickly kneeled down.
Gu Yue Mo Chen pointed his finger out the window and scolded, "Hmph, so what if that servant died. But now you are still showing hostility towards Fang Yuan, this is really a matter of you being short sighted and unclear of the implications! Do you know the significance of your actions? The fight among juniors is their own business. As elders, we should not interfere. These are the rules! Now that you went to find trouble with Fang Yuan, it means you are breaking the rules. I can't tell how many people are out there now, looking at this disgrace of our Mo family!"
"Grandpa, please calm down, anger will harm your body. It's Mo Yan fault, I burdened the Mo family. Whatever Grandpa tells Mo Yan to do, Mo Yan will do it! But your granddaughter really cannot take this lying down, that Fang Yuan is too despicable, too shameless. First, he lied to me and entered the academy. Next, he hid in the dormitory and no matter how much I scolded him, he would not come out. Once I left, he went ahead and killed Gao Wan. He is extremely sinister and despicable!" Mo Yan reported.
"Oh, is that so?" Gu Yue Mo Chen frowned. This was the first time he had heard this information and a bright light shone across his eyes.
He took in a deep breath, suppressing his rage and he stroked his beard while saying, "I've heard stories about this Fang Yuan. In his early years, he was able to make poems and songs, showing early intelligence. But to think that he only had C grade talent. It was difficult for him to have a good future and thus I gave up on recruiting him. But now it seems that it's slightly interesting."
Pausing for a second, Gu Yue Mo Chen knocked on the table and ordered, "Someone, bring that box over here."
The servant outside the door quickly obeyed. Soon, he brought in a box. The box was neither too big nor too small but it was slightly heavy. The servant used both hands to carry it and stood beside the study table.
"Grandpa, what is this?" Mo Yan stared at the wooden box and asked doubtfully.
"Why don't you open it and take a look?" Gu Yue Mo Chen squinted his eyes and said in a complicated tone.
Mo Yan stood up, flipped over the wooden lid and looked inside.
Immediately, her facial expression changed and her pupils shrunk to a needle-like size. She could not help but take a step back and let loose an unsuppressed scream. The wooden lid in her hand also fell to the ground.
Without the wooden lid, the thing kept within the wooden box was shown to everyone present.
It was actually a pile of flesh and blood!
The bloody flesh was obviously sliced off piece by piece and placed into the box. Bright scarlet blood had accumulated inside. There was some pale skin and flesh, while some were long strands of intestines, mixed in with a few pieces of bones, either leg bones or the ribs. In the pool of blood at a corner, there were also two fingers and half a toe floating in it.
Blech…
Mo Yan beautiful face changed color as she took another step backwards, her stomach turning as she almost vomited on the spot.
She was Rank two Gu Master and had gone out to gain experience before. Despite that, this was the first time that she had seen such a disgusting and twisted scene even though she had killed people before.
The flesh and blood in this box were obviously the corpse of a person after being minced into pieces and stuffed in.
The scent of blood burst into the air and rapidly permeated the air immediately, filling the entire study room.
Both of the family servant's hands shook as he carried the box, his complexion pale. Although he had seen the box earlier and vomited before, he could still feel waves of palpitation and disgust as he held it now.
Among the three people in the study room, only the family elder Gu Yue Mo Chen was unfazed. He lightly looked at the contents of the box for a moment and said to Mo Yan slowly: "This box was what Fang Yuan had placed at our family's back door this morning."
"What, it's really him?!" Mo Yan was extremely shocked as images of Fang Yuan showed up in her mind.
The first time she saw Fang Yuan, it was at the inn.
At that time, Fang Yuan sat near the window, quietly eating his meal. His facial features were bland and both of his eyes were dark and gloomy. His body was thin and his skin had the special paleness of a teenager.
He looked like such a normal and quiet youth. To think that he had done such a twisted and insane act!
After her initial shock came a furious rage. Mo Yan yelled, "This Fang Yuan is too outrageous, who gave him the guts to do so! To dare to do such a thing, this is a provocation towards our Mo family! I will go ahead now and bring him here to question him for his crimes!" After she said this, she headed towards the exit.
"You scoundrel, stop right there!" Gu Yue Mo Chen was angrier than she was as he grabbed an ink slab on his study desk and threw it over.
The hard and heavy ink slab hit Mo Yan's shoulder and with a 'bang' it fell to the ground.
"Grandpa!" Mo Yan held her shoulder as she called out in alarm.
Gu Yue Mo Chen stood up, his finger pointing at his granddaughter as he spoke with an extremely agitated tone, "It seems like all these years of training were in vain. You have disappointed me greatly! Against a small Rank one initial stage Gu Master, not to mention you involving so many people, but even getting led by the nose by the other party. Now that you've let your rage get the better of you, at this point, do you still not understand the meaning behind Fang Yuan's actions?"
"What meaning?" Mo Yan was puzzled.
Gu Yue Mo Chen snorted, "If Fang Yuan wanted to provoke us, he would have blown up this matter, so why did he place this box at the secluded back door instead of placing it at the front door where there are many people walking around?"
"Maybe he wants to reconcile with us? No, if he wanted to reconcile, wouldn't it be better to apologise face to face? Why must he send us this box of minced corpse, this is definitely a provocation!" Mo Yan said.
Gu Yue Mo Chen shook his head, then nodded. "He wants to reconcile, but at the same time, he is also provoking us. Placing the wooden box at the back door is his intention to reconcile. Placing the corpse inside the box, that is a provocation."
"You see," The old man pointed at the box, and spoke, "This wooden box is not big, and it cannot hold a complete corpse. Therefore there can only be a portion of the corpse inside. He is trying to tell us that he does not wish to blow up this matter and wants to settle this amicably. But if our Mo Family wants to pursue this matter, he will place the remainder of the corpse at our main entrance, thoroughly blowing up the issue. By that time, it would be a losing situation for both sides. The entire clan knows that our Mo family broke the rules first, and to our Mo Family's future head, this would be seen as him being so weak since he actually required his elder's doting and protection."
Upon hearing these words, Mo Yan was momentarily dumbfounded. She had never expected that Fang Yuan's actions would have such profound meaning.
"His method is really wise," Gu Yue Mo Chen said with admiration, "With just one action, he exercised both toughness and softness, capable of advancing and retreating safely. This is just a simple wooden box but it not only expresses Fang Yuan's intention to compromise but also his ability to pose a threat to our Mo family. And it so happens that he does hold onto the weakness of our Mo family. If the Mo family's reputation is tarnished, what follows after will be the Chi family's attack as well as the assault from the clan leader's side."
Mo Yan found it unbelievable. "Grandpa, aren't you thinking too highly of him? Are you sure that he's capable of this? He is only 15 years old."
"Too highly?" Mo Chen looked at his granddaughter unhappily. "Looks like you've had too smooth a life in these past few years. Fostering your arrogant attitude, you are unable to clearly see the reality. This Fang Yuan was unfazed towards danger and deceived you to enter the school. Next, he used his wisdom in the face of danger and hid within the dormitory to avoid trouble. No matter what insult you threw at him he did not respond, this is his ability to calmly endure. After you left, he killed Gao Wan immediately, this is his bravery and courage. Now he sent this box, clearly showing his wisdom and planning ability. Can you still say that I thought of him too highly?"
Mo Yan listened with wide eyes as she had not expected her grandfather to praise Fang Yuan so highly. Immediately she said indignantly, "Grandpa, he only has a C grade talent."
Gu Yue Mo Chen sighed deeply, "Yes, he is only a C grade. Having such wisdom and yet only C grade talent, it really is a pity. As long as his talent was higher, even if it was just a B grade, he would certainly become an influential member of our Gu Yue clan. What a pity, he is only a C grade."
The old man's sigh was full of emotion. His sigh held both regret and at the same time rejoice.
Mo Yan was silent and in her mind, Fang Yuan's image appeared once again. Under her psychological influence, Fang Yuan's frail expression was shrouded by a layer of mysterious and vicious shadow.
"This problem was created by you single-handedly. How are you going to settle it?" Gu Yue Mo Chen broke the silence as he started to test Mo Yan.
Mo Yan pondered for a while before she replied in a cold and aloof tone, "Gao Wan was just a servant, so there are no implications even if he dies. Fang Yuan is just a C grade, so he is also a small matter. What's important is maintaining my Mo family's reputation. To appease this matter, we might as well kill Gao Wan's entire family to show the entire clan our attitude to protect the rules and regulations."
"Mmm, you're able to think of the big picture. Setting aside your personal emotions to defend the interests of family, this is very good. However, your method is still flawed." Gu Yue Mo Chen analyzed her response.
"Please enlighten me, Grandpa," Mo Yan implored.
Gu Yue Mo Chen said solemnly, "This matter was instigated by you, so I shall punish you with seven days of confinement. From now on, do not find trouble with Fang Yuan again. Gao Wan defied his superiors – a servant who dares to offend his master deserves death, so he should have been executed for his crimes! Because he is a servant of the Mo family, we are responsible for our inability to educate our subordinate and thus we shall compensate that Fang Yuan with thirty primeval stones. As for Gao Wan's family members, give them fifty primeval stones as compensation and expel them from the clan."
After a short pause, he continued, "For the next seven days, rest well at home, do not go out. At the same time, think about the profound meaning of why Grandpa chose to handle the matter this way."
"Yes, Grandpa."
Chapter 38
From the layers of dark clouds in the sky, the spring rain fell.
The raindrops were thin like hair. As they fell, they enveloped Qing Mao Mountain in a layer of fine mist.
The dining hall on the first floor of the inn was rather empty. There were only four tables of guests.
Fang Yuan sat at a seat by the window. A gust of wind blew, bringing with it a poetic atmosphere and the scent of flowers.
"The light rain from the sky is sleek and crisp, the color of grass is seen from afar but disappears when close." Fang Yuan looked outside through a window and quoted a poem lightly before he turned his sights back to the inn.
Before him was a table filled with good wine and dishes. The color, smell and taste were all top notch. Especially the green bamboo wine which oozed with the fragrance of alcohol along with a hint of freshness. The dark green colored liquor sat quietly in the bamboo cup. From his angle, it shone with an amber-like luster.
A grandfather and his grandson were sitting at the table nearest to him. Being mortal humans, they wore modest clothes.
The grandfather sipped his rice wine while looking enviously at Fang Yuan. He was evidently attracted to the green bamboo wine but could not afford it.
The grandson ate his braised beans, a crunching sound emitting from his mouth as he chewed. At the same time, he pestered his grandfather, shaking his arm. "Grandpa, grandpa, tell me about the story of Ren Zu. If you don't tell me, I'll report to grandma that you secretly came out to drink!"
"Sigh, I can't even drink in peace." The grandfather sighed but his face showed a doting expression towards the child. With his twig-like arm, he patted the boy's head, "Then let me tell you the story of Ren Zu who gave his heart to the Hope Gu, escaping his predicament of being captured…"
Ren Zu's story was the most popular and widespread tale in this world, as well as the most ancient legend.
The old man's story was something like this.
The story mentioned that Ren Zu was able to escape his predicament because of hope. But eventually he grew old and without Strength and Wisdom, he could no longer continue to hunt. Even his teeth fell off, making him unable to chew many wild fruits and vegetables.
Ren Zu felt death slowly approaching.
At this time, the Hope Gu said to him, "Human, you must not die. If you die, your heart will be lost and I will lose my only place of residence."
Ren Zu was helpless. "Who wishes to die? But if the heavens and earth want me dead, I have no choice."
The Hope Gu said, "There's always hope in everything. As long as you can catch a Longevity Gu, you will be able to increase your lifespan."
Ren Zu had heard of the existence of the Longevity Gu long ago but he waved his hand helplessly. "When the Longevity Gu stays still, nobody can detect it and when it flies, it is faster than light. How can I possibly catch it? It's too hard!"
The Hope Gu then told Ren Zu a secret, "Human, don't give up hope no matter what. Let me tell you, on the northwest corner of this continent, there is a huge mountain. On the mountain, there is a cave and in that cave, there is a pair of round and square Gu worms. As long as you can subdue them, there is no Gu in this world that you cannot catch, including the Longevity Gu!"
Ren Zu had no choice, this was his last remaining hope.
He braved all difficulties and finally found the mountain. He then risked his life and ventured through countless dangers to ascend the mountain. On the mountain top, near the cave entrance, he used his last remaining strength to slowly make his way in.
The inside of the cave was completely dark and one would not be able to even see their own fingers. Ren Zu walked in the darkness. Sometimes, he would bump into things not knowing what they were. This caused himself to get injured and wounded all over. At times, he felt that this dark cave was huge beyond words as if this was a world of its own. He felt as if he was the only person in the area.
He spent a lot of time but he could not walk out of the darkness. Not to mention subduing the two Gu worms.
Just when he was at a loss about what to do, two voices spoke to him from the darkness.
One voice said, "Human, you're here to catch us? Go back, for even if you had the Strength Gu, it would be impossible."
The other said, "Human, go back, we will not take your life. Even if you had the Wisdom Gu to help you, you may not be able to find us.
Ren Zu laid exhausted on the ground, panting. "The Strength and Wisdom Gu had left me long ago and I do not have much lifespan left so I'm at my wits end. But as long as there's hope in my heart, I will not give up!"
Hearing Ren Zu's words, the two voices went silent.
After a while, one of the Gu said, "I understand, human, you have already given your heart to the Hope Gu. You will not give up no matter what."
The other continued, "In that case, we shall give you a chance. As long as you can say our name, we will allow you to use us."
Ren Zu was stunned. To find their names among all the words in the world, it was akin to finding a needle in a haystack.
Furthermore, he did not even know how many words were in their names.
Ren Zu quickly asked the Hope Gu, but it did not know either.
Ren Zu had no alternatives and had no choice but to randomly guess their names. He said many many names and wasted a lot of time but the darkness did not respond to him so evidently he was wrong.
Eventually, Ren Zu's breath got weaker as he turned from an old man into a dying man. It was like the scene of the evening's setting sun. The sun that would slowly descending had already been lowered halfway across the horizon, becoming a sunset.
The food he had brought was gradually reduced, his brain becoming slower and he barely had any energy to speak anymore.
The voice in the darkness urged, "Human, you are almost dead, so we will let you go. Using your remaining time, you can climb out of the cave and take a final look at the world. But you have offended us, and as punishment, the Hope Gu shall stay here as our companion."
Ren Zu clenched his heart and rejected, "Even if I die, I will not give up hope!"
The Hope Gu was very touched and answered Ren Zu's call enthusiastically, emitting a bright light. At Ren Zu's chest area, a light began to shine. But this light was too weak, it could not illuminate the darkness. In fact, it could not even cover Ren Zu's entire body, but only engulfed his chest area.
Yet Ren Zu could feel a renewed surge of energy gushing into his body from the Hope Gu.
He continued to speak, shouting out names. But he was already muddled. A lot of names had already been said but he could not remember that and repeated them, wasting a lot of effort in the process.
As time continued to flow, Ren Zu's lifespan was almost over.
Finally, when he was on his final day, he said out the word 'Regulation'.
A sigh came from the darkness as a voice spoke, "Human, I admire your perseverance. You have said my name, so from today onwards, I will obey your commands. But only with my brother can I aid you in capturing all the Gu in the world. Otherwise, with my ability alone, it is impossible. Thus, you should give up. You're almost dead, you might as well use this chance to take a final look at the world."
Ren Zu was determined and shook his head, he made use of all his time to continue saying out names as he tried to guess the other Gu worm's name.
Seconds and minutes went by and soon he only had one hour left.
But at this time, he unknowingly said the word 'Rule'.
Immediately, the darkness dissipated.
The two Gus appeared before him. As the Hope Gu had said, one was cubic, called 'Regulations'. The other was spherical, called 'Rules'. Together, they made up 'Rules and Regulations'.
The two Gu said together, "No matter who it is, as long as they know our names, we will listen to them. Human, since you know our names already, we will be at your service. But you must remember, it is important to not let others know of our names. The more people that know our names, the more people we have to obey them. Now that you are the first to subdue us, tell us your request."
Ren Zu was overjoyed. "Then I order you both, go and catch me a Longevity Gu."
The Rules and Regulations Gu worked together and captured an eighty-year Longevity Gu.
Ren Zu was already a hundred years old but after consuming this Gu, the wrinkles on his face vanished and his frail limbs became muscular again. A vibrant aura of youth oozed from him.
With a belly flop, he jumped up onto his feet.
He ecstatically looked at his body, knowing that he had regained the body of a twenty year old!
"That's all for today, let's go home, grandson." The old man, having completed the story, finished his wine as well.
"Grandpa, continue telling me, what happens to Ren Zu after?" The grandson was unyielding as he shook his grandfather's arm.
"Let's go, I'll tell you when there's another chance." The old man wore his straw hat and jacket, then gave his grandson another set that was a smaller size.
The two walked out of the inn, stepping into the rain and slowly vanishing from sight.
"Rules and Regulations…" Fang Yuan's gaze was dark as he twirled his wine cup, looking at the liquor in his cup. His heart was touched.
Ren Zu's legend was widespread throughout this world and there were almost no people who did not know of him. Fang Yuan had naturally heard of him too.
But no matter if it was a legend or a story, it was dependant on the knowledge of the reader. The grandfather and grandson earlier merely treated it as a story, but Fang Yuan could understand the deeper meaning.
Just like that Ren Zu.
When he did not know the rules and regulations, he explored in the dark. Sometimes he bumped into things, knocking into others, causing himself to get injured and look like a mess. And at times within a wider area, he got lost and confused, moving without a sense of direction or purpose.
This darkness was not purely black or the absence of light. Strength, wisdom and hope could not oppose it.
Only when Ren Zu knew of the rules and regulations and said their names did the darkness dissipate and invite light into Ren Zu's life.
The darkness was the darkness of the rules and regulations and the light was also the light of the rules and regulations.
Fang Yuan switched his gaze from his cup and looked outside through the window.
He saw that outside the window, the sky was still dark, the greenery abundant and the pelting rain flying by like mist. Close by, the bamboo tall-houses were lined up in a row, extending far out. On the road, several people walked, their feet stained with the mud from the rain. Some of them wore grayish green straw coats, while others carried yellow oiled cloth umbrellas.
Fang Yuan concluded, "This world's heaven and earth is like a huge chess board. All lifeforms are chess pieces, acting in accordance with their rules and regulations. The four seasons have their own rules and regulations, rotating between spring, summer, autumn, and winter. The flow of water has its own rules and regulations, flowing from high ground to low ground. Hot air has its own rules and regulations, floating upwards. Humans naturally also have their own rules and regulations."
"Everybody has their own standpoints, desires, and principles. For example, in the Gu Yu village, the servants lives are cheap while their master's lives are noble. This is a part of rules and regulations. Because of this, Shen Cui who wants to get close to the rich and affluent is doing her best to try and escape her servant status. Gao Wan tried all means and methods to please his master, using their authorities for himself."
"As for Uncle and Aunt, they gave in to greed, wanting to hoard my parent's inheritance. The Academy Elder wants to nurture Gu masters to maintain his position in the Academy."
"Everyone has their own rules and regulations, every profession has its own rules and regulations, and every society and group also have their own rules and regulations. Only by understanding the rules and regulations can we see the situation clearly from the side. Gone with the darkness and embrace the light, moving around the rules with much to spare."
Fang Yuan thought about his own situation, his heart already clear. "To the Mo family's head Gu Yue Mo Chen, it is to protect his family branch's prosperity and benefits. Mo Yan found trouble with me and that would be considered spoiling the rules, so for the sake of his family honor, he will not do anything to me. In fact, he might even compensate me."
"Actually the Mo family has great influence, so if they risk their reputation and are bent on punishing me, there is nothing I can do to resist them. However, Gu Yue Mo Chen is afraid. He is not afraid of himself breaking the rules, but he is afraid that others will follow in his footsteps. In a junior's scuffle, if the elders interfere, it would aggravate the situation. If it involved the higher ups, it'd pose a threat to the entire mountain village. Gu Yue Mo Chen's fear lied here. What if in future conflicts, others laid their hands on his grandson Gu Yue Mo Bei? In his entire family line there's only one male, so what would happen if he died? This kind of fear, maybe he doesn't realize it himself. He is only subconsciously protecting the rules."
Fang Yuan's eyes were clear as he had the perfect grasp and understanding of the matter from start till the end.
Gao Wan's surname was not Gu Yue. Instead, he was an outsider, a servant.
The master executing a servant was nothing to be alarmed about. In this world, it was normal.
In the case of Fang Yuan killing Gao Wan, Gao Wan's death was not crucial. The crucial part was his master, the Mo family behind him.
"However Gu Yue Mo Chen should be able to understand my intention of compromise and threat from the time I sent a box of a minced corpse to them. This is also what I want him to think. If I'm not wrong, the Mo family will not pursue Gao Wan's death. Of course, if I had better talent and was at least a B grade, the Mo family would feel threatened. Even with the loss of their reputation, they would want to suppress a future threat such as myself," Fang Yuan snickered in his heart.
Strength can be relied on but weakness can also be used as an advantage.
Although Fang Yuan was in the game of chess as a pawn, he was clear of the rules and regulations, thus he already had the mentality of a player.
An ordinary character would at most be like Gu Yue Mo Chen or the Academy Elder, also knowing their own rules and regulations but unsure of their non-expertise. Being like Fang Yuan, who had a clear view of the big picture and was clear of rules and regulations was extremely difficult!
To understand rules and regulations, one has to be like Ren Zu, stumbling around in the dark and wandering about aimlessly.
At this point, strength, wisdom, and hope would be useless. One must spend a lot of time going through it themselves and gaining the experience.
For Ren Zu to be able to say out the names of the Rules and Regulations Gu, this was after spending time. Under the threat of death, he had tried countless of times.
Fang Yuan was an expert in rules and regulations due to his five hundred years of experience in from past life.
After his rebirth, he believed that he could create a brilliant future. Not because of the Spring and Autumn Cicada, not because he knew many secret troves and treasures, not because he knew what the future held.
But because of the five hundred years of experience that he had gained as a person.
Just like how Ren Zu controlled the Rules and Regulations Gu and was able to easily capture all the Gu in the world!
And Fang Yuan was so familiar with rules and regulations, thus he was able to look down upon the world and see through its truths and lies. Being meticulous and precise, or getting right to the heart of the matter. I proudly laugh as I stand on top of the world, coldly looking at the people in the world who behaved like pawns, obeying their respective rules and regulations, living their lives in a straightforward manner.
The rules and regulations of the darkness is darkness, and the rules and regulations of the light is light.
But the reborn demon had stepped foot under the path of light.
Chapter 39
The month of May was a transition between spring and summer.
The fragrance of flowers filled the air, the huge mountains evergreen and the sunlight began to gradually release its ardent side.
Under the clear azure skies, the white clouds drifted like cotton.
On Qing Mao Mountain, the bamboo forest was straight like spears as always, pointing towards the blue sky. Weeds grew wildly everywhere, and unknown varieties of wild flowers dotted the grass thicket. As the light breeze blew, the wild grass moved to and fro, the heavy fragrance of flower pollen and the smell of green grass assailing visitors.
Halfway up the mountain was a huge number of terraced fields. Layer by layer, step by step, the soft green wheat sprouts were planted down. From afar, it looked like a verdant green sea.
On the terraced fields were numerous farmers busily working away. There were some farmers cleaning the canal for the channeling of water to irrigate the fields, while some farmers were rolling up their trousers, standing in the fields and planting sprouts.
These people were naturally all mortal outsiders as the Gu Yue clansmen would never have do these lowly jobs.
Ring, ring…
The sound of camel bells could be faintly heard in the spring breeze.
The farmers straightened their bodies as they headed down the mountain, only to see a caravan moving like a colorful worm from the mountain side, slowly showing its head.
"It's the merchant caravan!"
"Yes, it's already May, it is about time for the caravan to come."
The adults caught on the situation at once, and the children stopped playing with the water and clay in their hands. Together, they energetically approached the caravan.
The Southern Borders had a hundred thousand mountains – Qing Mao Mountain was just one of them. On every mountain, there were villages after villages, which were maintained by everyone through their blood relationships and kinships.
In between the mountains, the forests were deep and ominous, the cliffs steep and full of the dangerous falling rocks. Additionally, in the complex surroundings of the forest dwelled a large number of ferocious beasts and peculiar Gu worms.
Mortals could not pass through at all. It was difficult to get past these obstacles alone, one had to at least be a Rank three Gu Master.
Because of the poor economy, trading was difficult. Thus, the most important form of trading was through the caravan merchants. Only by organizing a merchant group in such a large scale could Gu Masters come together with the power to help each other, conquering the difficulties in the traveling routes and traversing from one mountain to another.
The merchant caravan's arrival was like a bowl of boiling water that poured into the peaceful and serene Qing Mao Mountain.
"All these past years they would come in April, but this year they only arrived in May. At least they're here now." The owner of the inn let out a deep breath upon hearing the news. The inn's business was poor in the other months, so only when the caravan came could he earn enough profit to last the year.
At the same time, there was some green bamboo wine within his storage that he could sell to the caravan merchants.
Besides the inn, the business at the tavern would also boom as a result.
The caravan merchants entered the Gu Yue mountain village one by one, lead by a Treasure Brass Toad. This toad was two and a half meters tall, its entire body orange-yellow in color. The back of the toad was thick and full of warts and knots. It was like the lumps of bronze nails on ancient city gates.
On the Treasure Brass Toad's back, thick ropes were tied around plenty of goods. At a glance, it seemed like the toad was carrying a giant backpack.
A middle-aged man with a circular face full of pockmarks sat cross-legged atop the toad. He was fat and had a large belly. Both of his eyes formed into slits when smiling. He cupped his fists as he greeted the surrounding Gu Yue villagers.
This man's name was Fu of the Jia clan. His cultivation was at Rank four and he was the leader of the merchant caravan this time.
The treasure toad hopped slightly as it moved forward but Jia Fu who was sitting on its head was stable and steady. When the toad hopped, his height would level with the windows on the second floor of a building. Even when he was back on the ground, he was at a height greater than the first level of the bamboo buildings.
The originally spacious streets were suddenly rather packed and narrow. The Treasure Brass Toad was like a beast that intruded into the midst of a great number of bamboo houses.
After the treasure toad was a huge fat worm. It had two eyes that were similar to multi-colored glass windows, the colors bright and gorgeous. The worm was fifteen meters long, its body shape resembling a silkworm. However, the surface of the worm was covered in a thick layer of black porcelain-like leather armor. On the armor was another abundant pile of goods and merchandise, a hemp rope tied around it. In between the gaps and intervals of the goods, Gu Masters sat one by one, some old and some young.
There were also mortals who were robust and sturdy martial warriors, slowly moving forward on the ground following after a fat black beetle.
After the fat beetle, there were ostriches with brightly colored feathers, hairy mountain spiders, winged snakes with two pairs of feathered wings and so on. However, these were in small numbers, most of the creatures were toads.
These toads were all similar to the Treasure Brass Toad, but they were smaller in size and had the build of cows and horses. The toads were carrying merchandise and people, their bellies bulging as they hopped forward.
The merchant caravan wound deep into the village.
Children on the road would look on curiously with wide eyes, calling out in joy or exclaiming in surprise.
The windows on the second stories opened one after another, the mountain villagers observing the merchants from a short distance. Some had eyes that flashed with fear and some others waved their hands to express a warm welcome.
"Old brother Jia, you came a little late this year, you must have had a hard journey." Approaching with the identity of a clan head, Gu Yue Bo came out himself to greet the leader of this year's merchant caravan.
As Jia Fu had the status of a Rank four Gu Master, if a Rank three elder were to be in charge of receiving him, it would be undoubtedly be seen as a kind of negligence and scorn.
Jia Fu cupped his fists and sighed, "This year's road was rather unfavorable. On the way we bumped into a group of Secluded Blood Bats and we lost quite a few good men. Then on Jue Bi Mountain we ran into a mountain fog, and we didn't dare to continue traveling at all. So we were delayed for quite a lot of time, and caused Brother Gu Yue to wait for quite awhile."
As they spoke, their tones were very polite.
The Gu Yue village needed the merchant caravans every year to come and trade, and the merchant caravan also needed business to make money.
"Heh heh heh, it's good enough that you are able to come. Please, the clan has prepared food and wine, let me host a welcoming dinner for you, old brother," Gu Yue Bo stretched out his hand and said invitingly.
"Clan head is polite, too polite." Jia Fu was flattered.
The merchant caravan arrived at the boundaries of the Qing Mao Mountain in the early morning, and by afternoon they were stationed in the Gu Yue Village. When it was dusk, the surroundings of the village had formed into a widespread area of temporary shops and stores. All kinds of red, blue, yellow and green lofty tents were built and every inch between the tents was squeezed with numerous little street stalls.
The night was descending, yet it was still brightly lit in the area.
An endless stream of pedestrians spilled into the area from the village. There were mortals as well as GuMasters. The little children hopped around in high spirits, and the adults showed an expression of joy akin to celebrating a festival.
Fang Yuan moved along with the crowd, walking alone.
The crowd was bustling with activity, groups of people either surrounding the stalls or endlessly pouring in and out of the entrance of the tents.
The surroundings were filled with the shouts of merchants hawking their wares.
"Come, come, take a look. Top notch Blue Sea Cloud tea brick, drinking this tea makes one as cheerful as a fairy! Even if it's not a person drinking, it can be used for feeding and raising tea Gu, it is a cheaply priced item for its value. One piece only costs five primeval stones!"
"Brute Force Longhorn Beetle Gu, a Gu Master who uses this Gu will be able to burst out with the strength of a cow. You can walk away, but don't regret it!"
"Intimate Grass, high quality Intimate Grass. Everyone look at this quality, it's as fresh as if a newly picked one. One catty for two pieces of primeval stones, very cheap price…"
As Fang Yuan heard this, his footsteps paused slightly, then he followed the sound and walked over.
He saw an ostrich pulling a handcart with two wheels. On the handcart was a heap of pastel green herbs. Every blade of grass was a meter in length, slender and long. Their average width was around that of a fingernail. On some of the pointed tips of the grass grew red heart-shaped flower buds.
The Intimate Grass was one of a Gu worm's supplementary food type, its worth was stemmed from the fact that it could be used to pair up with a few other foods to feed a Gu worm.
For example, Fang Yuan needed to give two pieces of flower petals every meal to the Moonlight Gu when feeding it. If he mixed in a blade of Intimate Grass, the Moonlight Gu would be full just from eating one petal.
The Intimate Grass only costs two pieces of primeval stones per catty, while the moon orchid petal cost a primeval stone for every ten pieces. With a simple calculation, one would know that mixing the Intimate Grass in to feed the Gu would be more cost-effective.
"Half a month ago, because I used the Moonlight Gu in the academy to kill Gao Wan, I was fined thirty primeval stones. However the Mo family paid me thirty primeval stones later as compensation, so I didn't really take any losses. In recent days I have robbed twice, my total number of stones amounts to 118. However, recently I continuously spent essence to refine middle stage primeval essence and nurture the four walls of my aperture, and I would use up three pieces of stones every day. Adding on the costs of feeding Gu, my own daily expenses and successively buying green bamboo wine, I have ninety-eight pieces at hand right now."
Ever since Fang Yuan killed a person, the cruel and callous image had deeply rooted itself into the hearts of the students and for a time no one dared to challenge him. This led to his plundering becoming much easier, as every time only a very small number would dare to resist.
Fang Yuan calculated in his heart, then he moved his line of sight and continued walking deeper into the heart of the setup of temporary stores.
The Intimate Grass stall was surrounded by a group of people. They were all either Gu Masters or students, holding primeval stones in their hands as they shouted and rushed to buy it.
It was not that Fang Yuan lacked the money to buy Intimate Grass, but he had no time.
"If memory serves, that Mudskin Toad should be in that store. In my previous life there was a Gu Master who got it from gambling on the first night, hence he earned big time. I must hurry, I cannot lose a great deal through trying to save a little."