Chapter 8: One Primeval Stone
Near sunset, the academy elder stood on the platform and distributed the weekly allowance.
Every student received three primeval stones.
When Fang Ming's name was called, he stepped forward, accepted the small pouch, and returned to his seat without unnecessary expression.
Three primeval stones were not much.
But to a Rank one student, they were still useful.
Moon orchid petals, private practice, cultivation, Gu feeding—everything required resources. Even with the Shi family's support, Fang Ming did not want to depend on them for every small expense.
After the last student received his allowance, the academy elder did not dismiss the class immediately.
"From tomorrow onward, I will teach you how to warm and nourish your aperture properly," he said. "The first student to advance to Rank one middle stage will receive thirty primeval stones and the right to choose their second Gu first."
The classroom immediately stirred.
Thirty primeval stones.
A second Gu.
Both were enough to move the hearts of these young Gu Masters.
The academy elder continued, "After three months, the academy will choose one class monitor and two vice-class monitors based on your results. The class monitor will receive ten primeval stones every week. Vice-class monitors will receive five."
This time, the students could no longer remain quiet.
Some cared about glory.
Some cared about authority.
Some cared about standing above their peers.
Fang Ming cared about the stones.
A stable weekly income of ten primeval stones was far more useful than empty prestige. With his hidden Liquor worm, his cultivation speed had improved, but his expenses would also grow. If he wanted to cultivate quickly without exposing too many private advantages, he needed public sources of income.
The middle-stage reward was important.
The class monitor position was also important.
Fang Ming lowered his eyes.
This next competition was one he had to fight for.
When class ended, students left in groups, still discussing the announcement.
"Rank one middle stage…"
"The first person will definitely become class monitor later."
"Fang Zheng has A-grade aptitude. He has the greatest chance."
"What about Fang Ming?"
"He also has A-grade. And he already took first in refining."
The voices passed by Fang Ming's ears, but he did not join them.
He walked toward the academy gate.
Then the flow of students ahead suddenly stopped.
Fang Ming raised his gaze.
At the gate, Fang Yuan stood alone, blocking the exit.
His expression was calm.
"I'm collecting primeval stones," Fang Yuan said. "Each person hands over one before leaving."
For a moment, the students thought they had heard wrongly.
Then anger erupted.
"Fang Yuan, are you insane?"
"You are only C-grade. You dare extort us?"
"Move aside!"
One student rushed forward.
Fang Yuan moved first.
His palm struck the side of the student's neck. The youth's eyes rolled back, and he collapsed before he could even shout.
The noise at the gate died for a breath.
Then several students charged together.
Fang Yuan stepped into them.
His movements were simple, fast, and precise. A palm to the neck. A kick to the lower body. A strike below the throat. A sweep of the leg. Each attack landed on a weak point, and each student who rushed forward fell almost immediately.
Fang Ming watched from behind the crowd.
He did not move.
His eyes followed the fight carefully.
This was not brute strength.
This was experience.
Fang Yuan did not waste motion. He did not panic when surrounded. He struck places that ended the fight quickly while avoiding serious injury. Against these academy students, his C-grade aptitude did not matter.
They were children who had just begun cultivating.
He was someone who knew how bodies broke.
Soon, even Mo Bei rushed forward and was knocked down in a few moves.
The remaining students hesitated.
Fear replaced anger.
Fang Yuan looked at them. "One primeval stone."
The students began handing them over.
Some did it with gritted teeth. Some lowered their heads. Some looked like they wanted to resist but no longer dared.
Eventually, Fang Yuan's gaze reached Fang Ming.
The crowd also looked over.
Fang Ming was A-grade.
He had refined his Gu first.
He had placed second in the moonblade assessment.
If he backed down now, some students would surely think less of him.
Fang Ming understood this.
He also understood something else.
Face was not worth one primeval stone plus a beating.
He had not yet copied Fang Yuan's fighting experience. His moonblade control was improving, but close combat was still a weakness. If he fought now, the result was uncertain, and even winning would expose too much for too little gain.
Fang Ming took out one primeval stone and tossed it over.
Fang Yuan caught it.
Their eyes met briefly.
Neither spoke.
Fang Ming walked past the gate.
Behind him, several students whispered in surprise, but he ignored them.
One stone was a small price.
Today, he paid because fighting was pointless.
Next month, after his copy cooldown returned, Fang Yuan's combat experience would be his next target.
When that happened, the price would change.
—
Chapter 8 Continued: The Second Time
Four days passed.
The matter of Fang Yuan blocking the academy gate did not grow bigger. No elder came forward to punish him, and the academy elder acted as if nothing had happened.
As long as no one died or suffered serious injury, the elders would close one eye. To them, pressure between students was not necessarily bad. It forced the weak to train, and it forced the talented to prove themselves.
After that day, the academy's atmosphere changed.
Students who had ignored martial arts before now practiced seriously. Mo Bei, Chi Chen, Fang Zheng, and many others trained with obvious anger. Being robbed of primeval stones had injured more than their bodies; it had injured their pride.
Fang Ming also trained.
But his goal was different.
Others trained because they wanted revenge.
Fang Ming trained because he understood the price of weakness.
One primeval stone once was acceptable.
One primeval stone every week was not.
Especially not when he needed every resource for cultivation, Gu feeding, and the coming race to Rank one middle stage. The twenty stones he had won before were useful, but they were not endless. If he allowed Fang Yuan to take from him every week, then his resource advantage would slowly be bled away.
Still, Fang Ming did not move recklessly.
His copy cooldown had not yet reached the moment he needed.
Until he copied Fang Yuan's fighting experience, fighting him in close combat was still too risky.
So he waited.
When the next allowance day came, the academy elder distributed the weekly subsidy as usual.
Every student received three primeval stones.
The atmosphere in the classroom was tense. Many students glanced toward Fang Yuan, then quickly looked away. Everyone knew what had happened last time. Everyone also guessed it might happen again.
After class ended, the students walked toward the academy gate.
Fang Ming followed calmly.
As expected, Fang Yuan stood at the entrance.
His tone was flat.
"One primeval stone per person."
Anger immediately rose among the students, but this time there was fear mixed into it.
Mo Bei stepped out first.
He challenged Fang Yuan and fell.
Chi Chen followed.
He also fell.
The other students' courage faded quickly. One by one, they handed over a primeval stone.
When Fang Ming's turn came, he looked at Fang Yuan for a moment.
Then he took out one stone and gave it to him.
Fang Yuan accepted it and let him pass.
Fang Ming walked out of the academy gate.
This was the second time. There would not be many more.