"The competition is really fierce, who knows who the final winner will be."
"I have been standing here for just fifteen minutes and have already seen over ten Gu Masters putting quotes in the counter."
"Ah, this is a game for the rich. People like us don't even qualify to compete."
On the second floor of the treehouse, a group of Gu Masters gathered around the central counter, murmuring and sighing.
As nightfall drew near, the bidding war for the red steel Relic Gu had reached its climax.
Many Rank two Gu Masters who had been watching quietly now stepped in, submitting their offers in the final moments.
Some even placed multiple bids, unwilling to give up.
"The final winner for this struggle should be either Mo Yan or Chi Shan," someone guessed.
"That's possible. Mo Yan and Chi Shan are both at Rank two upper stage. With this Relic Gu, they can advance to peak stage and be at the same level as Qing Shu."
"In recent years, Gu Yue Qing Shu has been hanging over their heads. I don't believe these two don't have any thoughts about it."
"We can't say for sure. It is not only us Rank two Gu Masters, there are even some Rank three elders who have made bids. Just this morning, someone saw Lord Yao Ji casting her bid."
"Right, I also heard that. Lord Yao Ji's granddaughter Gu Yue Yao Le is taking part in the coming Awakening Ceremony; Lord Yao Ji should be preparing ahead and paving the way for her granddaughter."
"Ah, how good would it be if I had such a doting senior!"
Fang Yuan stood quietly among the crowd, his gaze calm as he listened to the chatter around him.
No one brought up his name.
To them, he was just a fortunate youngster who had inherited some family wealth.
In their eyes, he still wasn't on the same level as Chi Shan, Mo Yan, or Qing Shu.
"After I advance to the middle stage, I should have attracted the attention of the clan. But with these repeated purchases, I should have attracted his attention as well." Fang Yuan was ninety-nine percent sure of obtaining this Relic Gu; he had already begun to consider another issue.
If things unfolded as he expected, then the outcome would mark a flawless conclusion to his past few days of effort.
The time had come.
Suddenly, the leaves and branches on the counter surged forward, enclosing the Relic Gu tightly.
The green leaves blocked everyone's view and when they opened again, the red steel Relic Gu had vanished.
In its place now lay a Revert Gu.
This Gu appeared as a flat, oval, palm-sized stone.
Its surface was gently rounded and smooth, forming a pattern resembling an eye.
The underside was flat and coarse to the touch.
The stone was black, while the eye pattern was made of white lines.
Every couple of seconds, the "eye" blinked, with the white lines rotating, making the stone look as if it were rolling its eyes.
Revert Gu had a unique ability.
It could reverse-refine a Rank two Gu worm back into its Rank one components.
For instance, using it on Fang Yuan's White Jade Gu would break it back down into the White Boar Gu and the Jade Skin Gu.
Fang Yuan gave it a quick glance and lost interest immediately.
He had no use for it.
Around him, the other Gu Masters began to argue and speculate.
The Revert Gu couldn't stir up the same excitement as the red steel Relic Gu.
Everyone wanted to know who had won the bid for the Relic Gu.
Some went searching for the caravan Gu Masters stationed on this floor, while others gathered at the reception desk.
The crowd gradually dispersed, but Fang Yuan stayed where he was.
"Young master Fang Yuan, please come to the third floor. Our lord Jia Fu would like to have a chat with you." A voice suddenly entered Fang Yuan's ears.
Fang Yuan wasn't surprised; there were many types of secret sound-transmission Gu worms in this world.
He followed the directions given by the voice and walked to a wall in the third floor.
Branches and leaves stacked together and covered the wooden wall.
The branches and leaves shifted aside on their own, unveiling a hidden door.
Fang Yuan pushed it open and was greeted by a delicate spiral staircase leading upward.
He ascended the stairs and entered a compact study.
Inside, Jia Fu was seated, swiftly writing as he worked through a stack of ledgers.
He raised his head when he heard Fang Yuan's footsteps, revealing the scar on his face. He gave a gentle smile, "We meet again, little brother Fang Yuan."
"Respects to Lord Jia Fu." Fang Yuan clasped his hands and saluted.
"Come, sit here." Jia Fu pointed at a nearest desk.
After Fang Yuan sat, his left hand pushed a bamboo paper on the desk towards Fang Yuan.
Fang Yuan took a glance and immediately recognized that this bamboo paper held all his quotes that he had made in the recent days. Under every quote was his signature.
He was inwardly happy, it had gone according to his expectations. But on the surface, he wore a doubtful expression as he asked, "I am not sure what Lord Jia Fu wants to show me?"
Jia Fu's smile slightly decreased, his eyes flashing as he looked at Fang Yuan, "These are your quotes you made along with the quote you gave for the red steel Relic Gu. I will be honest, I am amazed at your business talent. Do you know, every one of your bids was very close to the final sale price."
"Although you only succeeded in buying a Black Boar Gu, a Liquor worm and the red steel Relic Gu, your quotes for other Gu worms only lacked by ten or so primeval stones. Brother, do you have any interest in working for me?" Jia Fu tried to recruit Fang Yuan.
"Here it comes!" Fang Yuan laughed inwardly. He had repeatedly made bids these days and had intentionally lost on most of them; his bids differing from the final price by only ten or so primeval stones. He had only successfully won Black Boar Gu, Liquor worm and red steel Relic Gu.
And just like he wished, Jia Fu was interested in the business talent he showed and took the initiative to recruit him.
However, in fact if Fang Yuan wished so, he had almost full guarantee of being able to purchase all the Gu worms.
"This…." Fang Yuan hesitated, then shook his head, "I am greatly honored to receive Lord Jia Fu's kindness, but I don't want to leave the clan."
"Oh, so it's like that." Jia Fu's gaze flashed, "Brother might have some misunderstandings towards me. A year ago, I indeed doubted you, but after using the Bamboo Gentleman, the suspicions on you have already been removed. Jia Jin Sheng was my brother, I hope you understand what my mood was like then. There is another piece of good news, I have already invited divine investigator Tie Xue Leng. There isn't any case which he cannot solve. I believe he will definitely be able to investigate the truth and give justice to you."
In this world, there were many magical places and also many amazing methods that could be used to investigate.
When Fang Yuan killed Jia Jin Sheng, he had only been at Rank one. Even if he knew a lot of methods, he couldn't use them.
In his memories, Tie Xue Leng had a profound cultivation and wouldn't even tolerate a bit of sand in his eyes. He followed the thought of punishing evil and rewarding the right throughout his whole life. He had an extremely rich sense of justice and his thoughts were meticulous. He was very good at finding subtle traces from any clues.
"Divine investigator has a high reputation, I have also heard of him. But when will this lord divine investigator arrive at Qing Mao Mountain?" Fang Yuan put on an anticipating look and directly asked.
"That….." Jia Fu awkwardly smiled, "Divine investigator is very busy. From his reply, it might only be the year after the next."
"Brother, I think highly of you. I hope you can carefully consider my proposal." Jia Fu made attractive offers.
Fang Yuan tactfully refused; now was not the best time to leave Qing Mao Mountain.
"That is really a pity for your talent. How about this, I will give you this token. If there comes a day where you want my help, this token will be the proof that I will always welcome you." Jia Fu had failed in recruiting Fang Yuan, but he didn't feel surprised. He had a deep understanding towards this type of clan's cohesiveness.
Fang Yuan apologised in shame as he received the token handed by Jia Fu along with the red steel Relic Gu.
He kept the two items close to him and backtracked his way out.
As Fang Yuan knew he was the winner for the Relic Gu.