With plenty of time in the afternoon, Gu Yuan strolled through the market streets. Looking at the ordinary people hawking their wares, Gu Yuan couldn't help but feel a little listless, thinking that he might as well have spent some more time cultivating instead of coming here.
But Gu Yuan was a little worried about Gu Yun coming to the market alone...
It might be troublesome to do something to oneself, but if one were to do something to Gu Yun, no one would object.
To them, he was nothing more than a worthless mortal. Martial City was never short of mortals, and no number of mortals could compare to the value of a cultivator.
No one would risk offending any cultivator for the sake of a mere mortal...
After all, cultivator seeds are still just mortals. If even one-tenth of the cultivator seeds recruited each year can successfully break through, then we should be very grateful.
Qualifications are one aspect, but insufficient resources are the biggest problem for Wuxin City.
Therefore, even a cultivator with slightly better aptitude like Gu Yuan doesn't receive much of a monthly subsidy.
Now, Gu Yuan's identity has undergone a complete transformation.
Even if the spiritual root is destroyed and the spiritual power in the body dissipates.
Gu Yuan's physical strength is at the level of a Qi Refining Realm cultivator, and even at the mid-stage or higher!
The reason why Gu Yuan is now like he has been abandoned is naturally because the injuries he suffered earlier were too severe. The academy has already determined that Gu Yuan is beyond saving and has given up on him.
I wonder how many pills Shanggong Changqing used, to have Gu Yuan's body recovered to this extent in just a few days...
This is yet another act of kindness; I can hardly repay Changqing's kindness.
After buying all the daily necessities Gu Yun needed during his visit, Gu Yuan also went to a tailor shop to order a few clothes and jewelry. Gu Yuan remembered that Gu Yun had once stood in front of a jewelry shop, staring intently, but she never went in because of the need to make a living.
Now that we have plenty of money, why not grant my sister's wish in a small way?
Gu Yuan wasn't too full, so he wandered around aimlessly.
Besides buying daily necessities, Gu Yuan also planned to "try his luck" at the market.
Gu Yuan is now considered wealthy among ordinary people, but among cultivators, he is absolutely penniless.
All the cultivation materials that had been accumulated were used up in order to refine the Spirit-Subduing Pestle.
Gu Yuan didn't regret it. If he hadn't had the Spirit-Subduing Pestle, his fate in the death row would probably have been the same as in his previous life.
Now, Gu Yuan needs to first solve the problem of being penniless...
Normally, righteous cultivators have very few ways to obtain spirit stones.
Aside from joining a sect or faction, receiving a fixed monthly salary, and accepting tasks for rewards, the only other way to get opportunities is to go out and encounter chances.
But opportunities are something that can only be encountered by chance, not sought after.
Arson, murder, and looting are not acceptable acts for the "righteous path".
Therefore, the only path left for Gu Yuan is to seek an opportunity.
In his previous life, when Gu Yuan first left Wuxin City, he was also destitute, his spiritual roots were destroyed, and he had no cultivation or ability.
When he first ended up on the streets, Gu Yuan disregarded his reputation and begged for food, barely managing to get by.
After walking through several towns, Gu Yuan would go to the busiest places, especially the places with the most cultivators, to join in the fun and play the victim.
Over time, Gu Yuan discovered that this "stone gambling shop" not only attracted a constant stream of customers, but also included both immortals and mortals.
Whether they are seemingly otherworldly cultivators or mortals barely clothed, their eyes become incredibly fervent when they step into this gambling stone market.
This "stone gambling" is a major path to achieving financial freedom!
Some people return with a full load, while others give their all but still gain nothing.
There are, of course, some "tricks" involved...
Gu Yuan's ability to turn his fortunes around was largely due to his gambling on stones.
Unfortunately, the stone that changed Gu Yuan's fate is still buried in some mine.
However, Gu Yuan's gambling skills from his previous life were not diminished at all!
Even after he becomes a cultivator, Gu Yuan often transforms into a mortal and ventures into the gambling stone market for a game.
But in this life...
Gu Yuan then decided to test the waters of the stone gambling market in Wuxin City.
As expected, Gu Yuan looked at the crowd coming and going, many of whom he knew.
Whether they are monks or students from the academy, many people often come to this stone gambling market, but the vast majority choose to just stand aside and watch.
When Gu Yuan entered, many people began to whisper among themselves.
In recent days, the hottest topic at Wuxin City Academy has naturally been about Gu Yuan.
It was no secret that Shanggong Changqing had been out for several days and had acquired the Fire Heart.
Furthermore, with Lin Ao and the others already dead, Shang Gong Changqing is widely recognized as the strongest of the contemporary generation.
However, the Shanggong family's attitude towards Gu Yuan was quite ambiguous, which left everyone somewhat confused.
But seeing Gu Yuan safe and sound today, and even recovering quite well, many conspiracy theories targeting the Shanggong family have been disproven.
Gu Yuan scanned the jade gambling shop. The shop wasn't large, and the interior was divided into two floors.
The first floor is filled with "ordinary stones," which are basically just stones from which minerals can be extracted.
However, each stone only requires a small amount of silver; a single silver note can be exchanged for about ten gambling stones.
Whether you can achieve anything depends entirely on your skills.
In his previous life, Gu Yuan had paid a lot of "tuition fees" on this, but fortunately, it might not be so difficult in this life.
As for the second floor, those are all jade stones dug out from the Northern Death Row or from mine ruins rich in spiritual energy. Not only are they expensive, but the chance of finding cultivation materials is also extremely slim.
Gu Yuan scanned the various gambling stones on the table; these stones were all different in color and shape.
In Gu Yuan's eyes, the skills that the so-called "stone gambling masters" around him demonstrated in front of a group of guests were nothing but fancy moves, all show and no substance.
After all, if they could tell whether there was any good inside a rough stone just by doing that, they would already be rolling in money and wouldn't need to work for others here.
Gu Yuan only needs to touch the rough stone to vaguely sense whether there is any valuable material inside...
In Gu Yuan's experience, these were all worthless rubbish.
Even if there were something inside, it would only be a substandard item worth no more than ten silver notes.
What Gu Yuan needs are cultivation materials, not these ores.
However...
Gu Yuan casually selected a few rough stones, paid the bill, and then had them cut open on the spot.
The outcome was exactly as I had guessed: these were all worthless stones, with nothing inside.
"It's a real pity. These stones are all of very good quality. This fellow Daoist has excellent aptitude. If he could try a few more times, he would surely gain something."
The earth-dwelling cultivator in charge of quarrying the stone said with a smile.
"Fellow Daoist is absolutely right. It's a real pity. I had my eye on a few pieces of jade. It seems the treasures are all hidden in these. I'll try again tomorrow."
Gu Yuan responded with a smile, but inwardly he was sneering.
I don't know how many times I have to say this set of words every day.
Do you think I can't tell if you have genuine products here?
Gu Yuan naturally didn't want the few pieces of waste stone. After leaving them for the gambling stone workshop to recycle, Gu Yuan left directly.
Gu Yuan is just setting up a nest today; if he brings out something valuable later, no one will suspect anything.
Shortly after Gu Yuan left, a group of people happened to come down from upstairs.
The man at the head was dressed in fine clothes. He was Lin Xiao, from the Lin family, who was a student in the same year as Gu Yuan and others. He was also the first young master of the Lin family on the surface.
After all, the two unlucky guys ahead of him had already died in prison.
Lin Xiao was a spoiled brat who had little interest in his family or cultivation. Although he was considered a potential cultivator, he had never seriously laid a solid foundation. He was still a long way from reaching the Qi Refining Realm.
Aside from frequenting brothels and indulging in debauchery, he would spend his days putting on a show at the jade gambling den.
Listening to the lackey beside him excitedly shouting and saying things like they'd definitely make a big shipment next time, Lin Xiao felt quite comfortable. Even the dozens of silver notes he'd just wasted weren't so painful anymore.
It all seems like a small sacrifice made in preparation for the future production of large trucks.
As Lin Xiao descended to the next floor, he saw the people on the first floor chatting about something interesting, and his love of gossip immediately took over.
"Go see what they're talking about that makes them so happy."
"Alright, Brother Lin Xiao!"
The lackeys around Lin Xiao were well aware of his personality, and they quickly ran over to several regular customers of jade gambling to find out what they were talking about.
In no time, the lackeys had found out the gist of what had just happened.
He then embellished the story and gave Lin Xiao a report.
Upon hearing this, Lin Xiao's lips unconsciously curled up, and he murmured, "Interesting, truly extremely interesting."
"I wonder what kind of benefits Gu Yuan promised to make Shanggong Changqing go to such lengths. Hmm, but..."
Lin Xiao paused slightly, and the lackey beside him immediately understood and quickly chimed in, "This Gu Yuan is truly ungrateful. He should have rescued Lord Lin Ao first, but he only saved Shanggong Changqing, who was unharmed. He's really blind!"
"Haha, you wouldn't dare say such a thing. The Shanggong family and my Lin family are both aristocratic families in Wuxin City. How could I complain about such a trivial matter?"
"Haha, it was my fault for being so talkative, it was my fault for being so talkative."
"However, Brother Changqing has really neglected his studies these days, often going to the pigsty of mortals and associating with mortals. It's really laughable."
"So... Brother Lin Xiao, what do you want to do?"
"How about we go have some fun tonight!"
"Great, that's fantastic! I knew it! Our Brother Lin Xiao is the one who can lead us all, he..."
"Alright, shut up. I'm getting annoyed by hearing it so much."
"Yes, yes, yes..."
Afterwards, the group found a place to have tea. Tonight, they were going to cause Shang Gong Changqing some minor trouble.
Little did they know that the games they played for amusement would become the cause of their deaths...