Fang Tian sat in a half-empty tavern. There was no one there except him, a few mortal humans, and one Rank One Gu Master sitting in a corner, eating in silence.
The atmosphere was quiet and soothing, allowing Fang Tian to relax. However, that relaxation ended when Jin Long arrived, smiling happily at him.
Jin Long took the seat opposite Fang Tian and sat down before speaking in a low voice.
"I have brought what you asked for, Master. It is truly astonishing that you possess such wealth. You are even more impressive than the Rank Three elders who neglect cultivation and do not spend their primeval stones on it."
Fang Tian nodded in satisfaction at Jin Long's flattery as the latter continued his chatter. He had sent Jin Long to retrieve the Rank One Gu worms he had bid on. As he had hoped, no one competed with him for the Rank One Gu after he placed expensive bids, forcing his rivals to withdraw. However, he encountered resistance when purchasing Cleansing Water Gu and had to raise the price until it became more expensive than a Rank Two Gu worm.
In the end, he obtained it, paying about one thousand seven hundred primeval stones for the Rank One Gu worms alone. From this amount alone, one could understand how costly a Gu Master's cultivation truly was. Fang Tian had spent only eleven percent of his wealth on Rank One Gu worms.
He might spend another 40% on Rank Two Gu worms, including their food. In any case, he had obtained the Gu worms he wanted, so he extended his hand, signaling Jin Long to hand them over.
"Oh,Master, you are far too impatient."
Jin Long muttered, but he handed over three Gu worms to Fang Tian—Cleansing Water Gu, Horse Strength Gu, and Cooling Gu. All of them were Rank One. The moment they entered Fang Tian's aperture, under the pressure of the Heavenly Essence Treasure Lotus, they were instantly refined by him.
Jin Long looked at Fang Tian in confusion, as if wondering what had just happened. Fang Tian ignored him and instead asked for the information he had gathered.
"Well, Master, I have gathered some information that may be useful to you. Caravan Leader Bao Qing Ming intends to settle in our clan for six days. He has even reached an agreement with the clan leader to rotate the Gu worm stock every day and a half, allowing clan members to obtain the Gu worms and resources they desire."
Fang Tian was stunned by the absurd preferential treatment the Yan Zu Clan was receiving. Such an arrangement was unreasonable—it placed the clan's interests above those of the caravan. Even an outsider like Fang Tian could see the flaw in it.
"There must be an agreement beyond what is publicly known between the clan leader, the elders, and Caravan Leader Qing Ming. But from what I can see, Yan Zu Clan is merely a small clan. What could interest the leader of a large caravan led by a Rank Four Gu Master?"
Fang Tian ended his deep contemplation and listened to the rest of Jin Long's report. He received information he already knew—such as the sighting of a Thousand Beast King- Mad Shadow Cat near the mountain's borders, or that Rank Two Gu worms would be sold after a day and a half of bidding, while Rank Three Gu worms would take three days to finalize. There was even idle gossip about one of the clan elders marrying an external female Gu Master, which led to his political suppression.
Overall, most of the information was either useless or of little value.
"Master, may I offer you some advice?"
"Oh? What do you have to say, Jin Long? This is the first time you have offered me, counsel."
"This servant would never dare to advise his master, but I want what is best for you—and thus best for myself as your servant. From what I have observed, Master, you have not invested your wealth in something that generates steady profit, such as common Gu worms like Nine Leaf Vitality Grass at Rank Two, or Stomach Refinement Gu. Although the aforementioned Gu worms are currently being sold at somewhat high prices, the returns they generate are considerable."
Fang Tian chuckled softly at Jin Long's reasoning. Perhaps Jin Long feared that Fang Tian had no method of earning primeval stones, and such concern was reasonable. However, Fang Tian did not share that worry. Although the amount of primeval stones he accumulated each month was about one thousand five hundred, opportunities like encountering a caravan occurred only once every year or two. Simply accumulating wealth over time was sufficient.
Especially since he required primeval stones only due to his natural recovery speed.
Still, he asked about Stomach Refinement Gu. Although he knew what Nine Leaf Vitality Grass did, he was unfamiliar with the function of Stomach Refinement Gu.
"Ah, yes, Master. Stomach Refinement Gu is a rare Rank Three Gu. To be honest, I only learned of its existence yesterday, but I have already gathered and confirmed information about it. Stomach Refinement Gu has only one function—feeding Gu worms."
Fang Tian inhaled sharply in shock and rose from his seat, drawing the attention of those in the tavern. However, they quickly looked away when they met his gaze. Fang Tian sat back down, and Jin Long continued awkwardly.
"Ah, forgive me, Master. It does not completely feed a Gu worm. It only compensates for a portion of its nourishment to prevent it from dying. According to the information I read, it can keep Rank One Gu in a nearly full state, but it is less effective for Rank Two Gu, and even less so for Rank Three Gu. At most, for someone like you, Master, it can reduce feeding costs and save a considerable amount of money."
Fang Tian was still eager to obtain the Gu worm and temporarily forgot his previous decision not to purchase a Rank Three Gu. He immediately asked about the price and was struck by another shock.
"So the starting price is nine thousand primeval stones? And the bidding has already reached twelve thousand five hundred? … What a pity, what a pity!"
Fang Tian felt great disappointment and a sense of helplessness, but there was nothing he could do. Even if he could place a bid, what would be the point of obtaining it if he did not possess enough Gu worms to use it on?
Thus, he abandoned the idea. He assigned several tasks to Jin Long, lent him his storage-type Gu worm, and instructed him to purchase the Gu worms he had bid on while also monitoring Horse Strength Gu and other offensive Gu worms suitable for long- or close-range combat.
After finishing his meal, Fang Tian left the tavern and headed toward the pale gray stone walls of Yan Zu Village. Dozens of Gu Masters stood atop and below the walls, conducting heavy patrols to prevent foreign Gu Masters from entering.
As Fang Tian approached the walls, he felt dozens of eyes upon him, but they quickly withdrew after scrutinizing his robe. He was wearing the Yan Zu Clan Gu Master robe, obtained through Jin Long's channels.
The Yan Zu Clan Gu Master robe was made of soft, flexible leather. Though not thick, it was comfortable to wear and highly suitable for combat. The entire robe was dyed green, with fine bronze threads sewn across the chest and shoulders, giving it an air of dignity.
Fang Tian slipped into Yan Zu Village with relative ease. He was not closely questioned; the aura of Rank Two discouraged interrogation, though it also attracted unwanted attention.
He quickly avoided prying eyes and moved toward less populated areas. Fortunately, no Gu Masters followed him. Although Rank Two was impressive in this small village, it was not extraordinary. Thus, Fang Tian obtained limited freedom.
He wandered among the mortal crowds, blending in until he was nearly indistinguishable. Expressions of joy and hope filled the faces of the mortals, and even the Gu Masters were pleased with the recent news. Naturally, Fang Tian drew some attention due to his clan robe, but far less than the first time he had entered the village.
Perhaps they were accustomed to seeing Gu Masters within the village. In a clan of thousands, what did it matter if one could not recognize a single individual among them?
The living environment within Yan Zu Village's walls was quite decent. It seemed they valued the welfare of clan members. Fang Tian estimated that mortals bearing Yan Zu blood, though not Gu Masters, lived relatively well—perhaps even among the upper class of mortals.
Of course, they had to work to maintain such a life. And the one thing abundant in the clan was work.
Fang Tian stopped before a two-story house built of pale gray stone. A wooden table and chair were placed outside. A teenage Gu Master, emitting the aura of a Rank One initial stage, sat there. His eyes were tired and sorrowful, mucus running from his nose, which he wiped with his sleeve.
Fang Tian did not care about the boy's miserable state. He stepped forward, tossed four primeval stones onto the table, and spoke indifferently.
"Give me a room on the second floor. It must be clean and orderly. If I am satisfied, I will reward you generously."
The boy raised his head and regained focus. Seeing the four primeval stones, he nodded and replied in a weary tone.
"You may rent for two weeks if you want a room on the second floor. With your specifications, you must add half a primeval stone."
Fang Tian placed another primeval stone in the boy's hand and told him to keep the rest. The boy hurried inside and returned twenty minutes later with a bronze key before resuming his vacant expression.
Fang Tian ignored him, entered the gray house, and ascended to the second floor. Several rooms were already occupied. One open door revealed a clean stone floor lit by multiple lamps, a large bed sufficient for two people, a wooden table and chair in one corner, and a large shelf mounted on the wall.
The room was worth its price, offering complete comfort.
Fang Tian entered, closed the door, and felt a measure of relief. He sat on the bed and closed his eyes, observing his aperture, which was filled to the brim with scarlet-red primeval essence. Pressure had already increased within it, and he could feel the burden of one of the Ten Extreme Physiques. However, he had not yet reached the stage of catastrophic collapse, so he remained confident he still had time to find a temporary solution.
Black, viscous Gu clung to the walls of his aperture—this was Rank Two Shadow Traversal Gu. Another Gu worm sank deep within his primeval sea. It resembled a wooden flute crudely made by a child, riddled with holes and broken at the center.
"Rank One Air Vibration Gu. A good Gu. Although limited by space and only Rank One, in certain situations it is more useful than Rank Two or Rank Three Gu. There are many ways to counter Gu worms."
Horse Strength Gu drifted like a small pebble within the currents of red primeval essence. At the bottom of his primeval sea rested Cooling Gu beside Heavenly Essence Treasure Lotus, emitting a chilling aura. There were also Wood Origin Gu, Vine Garden Gu,
Sprouting Bud Gu, and Rank Two Jade Bark shell Gu.
Fang Tian possessed nine Gu worms!.and the number was still increasing. He would not be satisfied with only one offensive or one defensive Gu. What if that Gu were countered? What if he faced an opponent with a counter to his own?
At minimum, he aimed to possess two or three offensive Gu, and the same for defense and detection. One movement Gu and one storage Gu would suffice, but he still needed additional travel-assisting Gu.
He could not obtain every high-quality Gu from the caravan. Despite appearing arrogant and spending lavishly, competition for Rank Two and above Gu was fierce. Rank Two Gu Masters with wealth in the thousands of primeval stones. and elders far wealthier than him. competed for them. Victory in every bid was impossible.
Thus, he needed another source of resources. Naturally, Yan Zu Clan was the only option on this mountain.
Therefore, he had to investigate in a somewhat reckless manner—by infiltrating Yan Zu Clan and probing its foundations to determine whether it was worth investing in, or whether he must rely entirely on himself to sustain his cultivation.
He had practiced the Refinement Path and possessed a decent foundation. He had learned to use the Gu worms skillfully and had fed them throughout his journey. But in the end, he still faced a barrier called—
"Resources. This barrier is extremely dangerous. I once thought a Gu Master only needed primeval stones and Gu worms for smooth cultivation… That is both true and false. Primeval stones can be used for purchasing and cultivation, but Gu worms must be fed. If one cannot provide food, one must buy it."
"But what if there is nowhere to buy from? … Then one's Gu worms will die. Ah, I am already beginning to feel exhausted. All this planning and thinking is splitting my mind apart. But I cannot relax—not even for a moment. One lapse, and I will destroy my own plans!"
_______________
"Brother Li Ping, your clan truly has deep foundations. I am amazed every time I come here… Your ancestor was truly remarkable. Although merely a clan leader in one generation of Yan Zu, he nearly elevated your clan to a large-scale power."
Li Ping laughed dryly as he descended the stone steps. The Yan Zu Clan Leader's residence was built inside the mountain itself. Within it lay a secret chamber guarded solely by the clan leader. Yet Yan Zu Li Ping had brought an outsider like Bao Qing Ming into it. If this were exposed, Li Ping's head would be impaled on a stake by the elders the next day.
Inside this secret chamber lay the forbidden zone of Yan Zu Clan—the sacred ground where the Awakening Ceremony was held each year. They had already passed the clan's Spirit Spring and reached a concealed area where stone steps led deeper into the cave. Thick tree roots protruded from the walls, each dyed pale green with a faint tinge of red.
"Oh, I remember this place. Did we not come here last year, and you had me explore this cave? Unfortunately, I did not gain much that time—only nests of Divine Three-Flower Birds and a Thousand Beast King. Still, the Gu worms on that Beast King were somewhat interesting."
This was not Bao Qing Ming's first visit. Li Ping's crime was grave—he had brought an outsider into the clan's forbidden area multiple times. Yet he had never been discovered.
Last year had been somewhat dangerous. The battle between Bao Qing Ming and the Divine Three-Flower Birds nearly alerted the elders. But the fight was short. Bao Qing Ming's battle strength was at the peak of Rank Four!, despite only being in the upper stage. His strength was unquestionably formidable.
This time, Bao Qing Ming came prepared. Every hundred meters, he cast a Gu worm to isolate the inner environment from the outside world. Li Ping wanted to object angrily but could not.
They advanced until reaching an unexplored cave branch.
Bao Qing Ming entered first, Li Ping following closely. He used an investigative Gu worm ahead of them, his expression turning ugly. Even Bao Qing Ming's expression changed, vigilance appearing in his eyes.
Ahead, a bird the size of a horse perched upon a protruding vine root, sleeping peacefully.
The issue was not its size—but the aura it emitted.
Its aura alone was equal to Bao Qing Ming's.