Near sunset, the academy elder stood on the platform and distributed the weekly allowance.
Every student received 3 primeval stones.
When Fang Ming's name was called, he stepped forward, accepted the small pouch, and returned to his seat.
3 primeval stones were not much, but to a Rank 1 student, they were still useful. Cultivation, Gu feeding, Moonlight Gu practice, martial arts training—everything consumed resources.
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 1 middle stage will receive 30 primeval stones and the right to choose their second Gu first."
The classroom immediately stirred.
30 primeval stones.
A second Gu.
Both were enough to move the hearts of these young Gu Masters.
The academy elder continued, "After 3 months, the academy will choose 1 class monitor and 2 vice-class monitors based on your results. The class monitor will receive 10 primeval stones every week. Vice-class monitors will receive 5."
This time, the students could no longer remain quiet.
Some wanted fame, others wanted authority, and some wanted the income.
Fang Ming was interested in the income.
A stable weekly reward was useful, but income alone was not enough. He also needed the strength to keep it.
Thinking of this, Fang Ming smiled faintly.
Fang Yuan would soon teach these students a valuable lesson very early in life.
In the Gu world, talent was useful, diligence even more, and so were opportunities.
But if one did not have the strength to keep what they gained, it would be taken away.
This was not only the demonic way.
The righteous path was the same, only wrapped in rules and proper names. Strong clans made rules, occupied resources, and took benefits from weaker people while calling it order.
Strength was still the foundation.
Only the method of snatching changed.
After class ended, the students left in groups, still discussing the rewards.
Fang Ming walked with the crowd toward the academy gate.
Then the flow of students ahead 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 1 before leaving."
The students froze for a moment.
Then anger rose.
"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.
Several more students charged after that.
Fang Yuan stepped into them.
His movements were simple and direct. A strike to the neck. A kick to the stomach. A sweep of the leg. Each attack landed cleanly, and each student who rushed forward fell quickly.
Fang Ming watched from behind the crowd, interest appearing in his eyes. Fang Yuan had finally started.
Since awakening, Fang Ming had spent some time training his body and basic martial movements, but that amount of practice was still shallow.
Practicing alone had value, but it was limited. A wooden stake would not dodge. A practice partner of the same level would not pressure him enough.
A real expert was different.
Fang Ming did not think he could win.
In fact, he was most likely going to lose.
But that did not matter.
This was how one improved.
Lose today.
Lose tomorrow.
Lose again the day after.
As long as he understood why he lost, each beating had value.
No one became an expert by training alone in a safe corner. One became an expert by exchanging blows with someone better.
Soon, Mo Bei rushed forward and was knocked down.
The remaining students hesitated.
Fang Yuan looked at them. "1 primeval stone."
Some students lowered their heads and paid, while others gritted their teeth. Some wanted to resist, but after seeing the others fall, they no longer dared.
When Fang Yuan's gaze reached Fang Ming, the surrounding students also looked over.
Fang Ming was A-grade.
He had taken first place in refining.
He had performed well with Moonlight Gu.
The whole clan was paying attention to him and Fang Zheng. Whether he got beaten or not, the entire clan would remember it.
But Fang Ming was not thinking about face. Whether others saw him lose did not matter. What mattered was the chance to personally test Fang Yuan's combat ability.
Fang Yuan looked at him calmly.
"1 primeval stone," Fang Yuan said.
Fang Ming stepped forward, his expression turning cold. "Fang Yuan, you really think beating a few useless fools makes you something?"
The students around them froze.
Fang Ming did not forget to show how much he looked down on them, even in this situation. All of this was part of his arrogant persona developing.
Fang Yuan's expression did not change. "1 primeval stone."
Fang Ming laughed coldly. "You are only C-grade, yet you dare stretch your hand toward me? Know your place."
Fang Yuan looked at him quietly.
Fang Ming raised his fists. "Come take it yourself."
The next moment, he attacked first.
His punch was fast for a student. During this period, his martial arts training had not been wasted.
But Fang Yuan dodged it with a slight shift of his body.
Fang Ming immediately followed with a feint.
Fang Yuan saw through it.
A kick struck Fang Ming's stomach.
Pain exploded through his abdomen.
Fang Ming's breath caught.
For 1 brief moment, his body stiffened.
That moment was enough.
Fang Yuan stepped in and struck him down.
Fang Ming's vision shook.
Then everything went dark.
When Fang Ming opened his eyes again, he was lying on a wooden bed.
The place looked like a large warehouse that had been temporarily arranged as a resting room. Rows of simple beds were placed inside. Some students were still unconscious. Others had already woken up and were leaving while holding their stomachs, necks, or arms.
Academy guards moved around the room, checking injuries and carrying students in.
Fang Ming stared at the ceiling for a moment.
Then he remembered what had happened.
He had lost.
Quickly and faster than he expected.
His attack had been avoided. His feint had been seen through. Fang Yuan's kick had struck his stomach, and while he was gasping from the pain, Fang Yuan had knocked him down.
He sat up slowly.
His body was not seriously injured. Fang Yuan had controlled his strength. The goal had been to knock him down.
But Fang Ming's expression became thoughtful.
The fight had been short, but useful.
His most urgent weakness was not only movement or technique.
It was pain tolerance.
That kick to the stomach had not truly disabled him. But the pain had made him gasp and freeze for a full moment.
In a real life-and-death battle, that moment would be fatal, and true injuries would be far more painful than 1 controlled kick.
Fang Ming stood up from the bed.
He had lost 1 primeval stone and embarrassed himself in front of the other students, but to be honest, he didn't care much about either.
This fight had exposed a weakness that needed to be addressed immediately.
That made it worthwhile.
Fang Ming walked out of the resting room, his abdomen still aching faintly.
Today's defeat was actually a welcome reminder that Fang Ming had been neglecting a major weakness—a fatal flaw he had overlooked for far too long. Now, he had to address it immediately.