"What do you want to talk about?" Fang Yuan slightly frowned.
Gu Yue Dong Tu laughed but then talked of another thing, "Do you know, I was the same as you, I became a Gu Master when I was fifteen."
"It was right at the time of wolf tide, there was a large number of casualties and we – students – also had no choice but to fight. I had B-grade aptitude; I reached Rank two initial stage at sixteen, upper stage at seventeen and peak stage at eighteen. When I was nineteen, I was already beginning my charge to Rank three. At that time, I believed I could be a Rank three Gu Master at twenty."
"Hahaha, I was too frivolous, I thought I was above everyone else and thought I could accomplish anything. I even thought I was omnipotent, I simply didn't know the immensity of heaven and earth. It was when I was twenty. I went out to do a mission and was beaten by a Xiong village's Gu Master. I was on the brink of death but fortunately, medicine hall's elder personally moved and saved me. But after that event, my aptitude dropped down to C-grade, I couldn't recover from this shock for a whole of eight years."
"At my twenty-ninth birthday, I started to have another look at myself and this world. I discovered that a single person's strength was limited. So what if I had broken through to Rank three? Living in this society, the most important thing is not individual strength, but the connections with others."
"I began my life anew when I was thirty. I stepped down from the frontlines when I was forty-five. A hundred Gu Masters jointly petitioned to elect me as an elder dozens of times. Even though I only had the cultivation of Rank two peak stage, I couldn't take that final step but there was also no need. I had already achieved success. Clan members call me as the 'hidden elder'. Most of my peers have already passed away but my life sailed smoothly. I still have influence on many Gu Masters."
After giving a lengthy report, Gu Yue Dong Tu returned to the main topic. He looked at Fang Yuan, his mouth curved up, "Fang Yuan, you are too young and inexperienced, just like I was back then. Believing you can accomplish anything and finish everything by yourself. Hehe."
Gu Yue Dong Tu shook his head and continued, "But when you gain more experience, you will understand that human is a social animal and not a lone beast. Sometimes we need to lower our heads and take a step back. Being an extremist and arrogant person will only bring isolation and destruction. I believe you have already felt it; no group will take you and everyone is leaving you out. Even if you receive the family inheritance mission, what would that do? As a person who has been left out by everyone, you definitely won't have the chance to finish the task. Give up."
Fang Yuan indifferently looked at the middle-aged man; his expression, calm.
Gu Yue Dong Tu saw Fang Yuan made no reply, so he thought the latter was absorbed in his speech.
He continued, "Fang Yuan, I won't beat around the bush, you are not Fang Zheng. If you give up your idea of inheriting the family assets, you will receive my friendship and you can use all my connections. I will also give you a thousand primeval stones. I know you are hard pressed for money these days and you are even late in paying the rent by two days, right?"
Fang Yuan indifferently smiled and spoke, "Uncle, you don't wear these clothes often, right?"
Gu Yue Dong Tu was taken aback, he hadn't expected Fang Yuan would suddenly talk about this.
Fang Yuan was indeed correct, he had already been retired for a long time now, this uniform was usually stored deep in a box. He had worn this uniform especially to meet Fang Yuan today; it was to increase his persuasion and deterrence power.
Fang Yuan sighed, he sized up Gu Yue Dong Tu's clothes and continued," A Gu Master's uniform isn't so clean and neat. It would be covered with sweat, mud and blood; it would be in shreds and patches; that is the smell of a Gu Master."
"You are old. Uncle. Your great ambitions and aspirations have already disappeared from your youth. These years, you have lived an easy life and it has corrupted your heart. You are vying for the family assets, not for cultivation but to maintain your rich life. With such a mentality, how could you obstruct me?"
Gu Yue Dong Tu's face turned pale, fury boiling within him.
In every generation, there are always those who act like they've seen it all. They wave around their so-called life experience, dismissing others' ambitions as naive, scorning youthful passion as foolish, and viewing determination as sheer arrogance. They assert their presence and sense of superiority by preaching to the younger generation.
Gu Yue Dong Tu was undoubtedly one of these people.
He had come to lecture Fang Yuan — yet to his shock, Fang Yuan not only refused to obey or show deference but even turned the lecture back on him!
"Fang Yuan!" Gu Yue Dong Tu shouted, "I wanted to guide and persuade you with good intentions as your elder but you don't know what's good from bad. Hmph, since you want to go against me, then so be it. I already know the contents of your family inheritance mission. Young people don't know the immensity of heaven and earth. Haha, I really want to see how you will complete this mission!"
A mocking smile played on Fang Yuan's lips—there was no longer any need for pretense. Their relationship had already reached a point of no return, so he might as well enjoy watching the dramatic change in Gu Yue Dong Tu's expression.
Without hesitation, he took out the bullskin water pouch and unsealed it. At once, the distinct sweet aroma of honey wine drifted into the air.
"What do you think is in here?" He asked.
Gu Yue Dong Tu turned pale with fright, his mood immediately sank to an all-time low.
"How can this be? Where did you get this honey wine?!" He roared, a stunned expression appeared on his face.
Fang Yuan ignored him, closed the cap, put the water bag back and walked towards the internal affairs hall.
Gu Yue Dong Tu's forehead was covered with cold sweat, many thoughts surging in his mind.
"Where did he get the honey wine? I already made sure that as long as he looks for other groups, I would get the news the very first moment. Could he have done this alone? No, that's not possible, he doesn't have a defense Gu worm. Someone definitely helped him. No! The point now is not finding the reason. This kid already has the honey wine, he is going to hand over the mission!"
Gu Yue Dong Tu was already panicking as he thought this and no longer had the calm appearance from moments ago.
He quickly chased after Fang Yuan, "Fang Yuan, wait, everything can be discussed."
Fang Yuan didn't speak and continued to walk, Gu Yue Dong Tu could only follow beside him.
"If one thousand primeval stones won't do, then how about two thousand, no, two thousand five hundred." Gu Yue Dong Tu kept on increasing the offer.
Fang Yuan turned a deaf ear to Gu Yue Dong Tu.
Gu Yue Dong Tu was perspiring, he saw Fang Yuan was not moved, his face revealed a fierce look and he threatened, "Fang Yuan, think this through clearly! What end will you have if you offend me, hmph, don't blame uncle for being cold-hearted if you miss an arm or leg in the future."
But Fang Yuan's reply to Gu Yue Dong Tu was only silence.
"Fang Yuan, you think everything will be well after you get the family assets! You are too young, you don't have a clue about society and its dangers!" Gu Yue Dong Tu snarled by Fang Yuan's ear.
Fang Yuan once again ignored him and walked into the internal affairs hall.
"Fang Yuan! Fang Yuan…" Uncle Gu Yue Dong Tu watched on as Fang Yuan stepped into the internal affairs hall; his whole body shook and veins bulged up on his forehead.
The light of the setting sun shone on his hair which was already turning white.
He was indeed old.
When he sustained that injury at the age of twenty, he had already aged.