"Elder, these are all the items you requested," Jia Fu said respectfully, placing seventeen identical Gu on the table before Fang Yuan.
Fang Yuan gave them a cursory glance. Each Gu resembled a red lantern, with three thick, round green leaves fanning out in symmetrical directions.
All seventeen were Rank 3 Tusita Flower Gu.
After briefly examining their contents, Fang Yuan gave a slight nod of approval. Without a word, he swept the Gu into the folds of his black robe and turned to leave.
But just as he reached the doorway, he paused.
Turning back, he handed Jia Fu a thin slip of paper. "Here. Another list."
Jia Fu took it — and as his eyes scanned the contents, cold sweat began to bead on his forehead.
Fang Yuan, naturally, noticed. His gaze was calm, unreadable. "If you can gather everything on that list," he said slowly, "I'll sell you the location of a Rank 5 inheritance. Of course, it won't be free."
Jia Fu forced a laugh, but his mind was reeling.
"A-Ah, yes, of course, Lord. You don't have to worry," he stammered, his voice barely steady. "Next time, I'll have everything ready."
Fang Yuan gave a slight nod, then disappeared into the night without another word.
By the time he returned to his quarters, the moon hung high in the sky. It was already past midnight.
...
Inside the dormitory, Fang Yuan sat cross-legged on his bed. His gaze fell on the butterfly-shaped Gu resting quietly in his palm — the one responsible for converting his primeval essence into a deep purple form.
"This Gu was merely a spark of inspiration from my previous life," he murmured to himself. "Illuminati Gu. It can alter the color of primeval essence into whatever hue the user desires… but all this colourless essence is utterly useless."
To demonstrate, he channeled the colourless essence into his Moonlight Gu and flicked it toward the nearby table. A crescent-shaped moonblade shimmered through the air, slicing forward — but instead of striking the table, it passed through without leaving a scratch and faded into nothing.
"It's an illusion path Gu," Fang Yuan said, his tone neutral. "So as long as I use colourless essence to attack, it produces illusions only. No real power behind them."
He let out a quiet sigh. But when his eyes drifted toward the seventeen Tusita Flower Gu lined up in the corner — each one packed with primeval stones and a few scattered Relic Gu — his expression shifted.
A thin smile crept across his face.
"I thought that video's worth might be a few thousand primeval stones… maybe ten thousand at most." His smile widened. "But a million? Hahaha."
He chuckled softly, amused by the unexpected windfall.
He had never imagined the video would fetch such a price. If he had shown his real face — posing as an ordinary Gu Master — he might have earned a few thousand stones at best. Worse, his identity could've been exposed.
But by presenting himself as a mysterious Rank 5 Gu Master, hidden in the shadows, he ensured that Jia Fu dared not lie — and perhaps, had even given him the correct market value… or added a generous bonus.
...
In the night, the moonlight shone brightly but was overpowered by the numerous street lights in the merchant shops.
"Did you guys hear?"
"Today, a robed man opened a Mudskin Toad and earned a profit of five hundred primeval stones!"
"I also saw a Golden Bell Gu today, sigh, too bad it was too expensive."
...
"The rain is heavy, take note of the pavement."
"Don't fall behind, Gu Masters better pull your Gu properly, especially the fat beetle, don't block the mountain road anymore!"
"You bunch of mortal martial fighters, better open your eyes wide and pay careful attention. Lose a single thing and you'll be paying for that!"
There was an endless stream of shouts rising and falling in succession from the merchant caravans.
After stopping over at the Gu Yue village for three days, it was time for this merchant caravan to leave the place and follow the mountain path through Qing Mao Mountain and head for their next destination.
"We're leaving, see you next year!" Some of the Gu Masters sat on the Gu worms and turned their bodies to bid farewell.
At the entrance of the village, many people gathered as they sent the caravan off with their gazes.
"You must come again next year!" Reluctant to see them depart, the children shouted loudly.
"The road ahead is unforeseen. In these hard times, for those who are able to come to the village next year, how many would still be familiar faces?"
"Be it at the merchant caravan or in the village, it is not easy to earn a living."
Fang Yuan stood on a secluded hillside, watching the merchant caravan from far away alone. The merchant caravan was like a fat and colourful flower python, snaking through the narrow mountain road under the grey heavy rain, slowly entering the dense mountain forest.
He held a butter yellow paper umbrella, quietly standing in the rain.
Fang Yuan wore the most plain flax cloth garment, his body slim, his skin bringing about the pale whiteness of a fifteen year old teenager, a settled clump of clean and short black hair atop his head. The ends of his hair trembled slightly in the wind under his umbrella.
In his previous life, he had killed Jia Jin Sheng, and the rain that night had washed away all traces of the deed. But now, in this life, Jia Jin Sheng was still alive — and Fang Yuan had already profited far more than he ever did before.
His current path had diverged from the past, and the results were undeniably better.
Now, his next priority was clear: he needed to increase his talent and break through as quickly as possible.
But before that, there was something more urgent — he had to lose and replace his Vital Gu.
In his previous life, his Vital Gu was the Spring Autumn Cicada, the very Gu that allowed him to reincarnate. But in this life, it was the Liquor Worm that held that position.
It wasn't that the Liquor Worm was a poor choice. As a mortal Gu, it could refine primeval essence to a higher quality, and when evolved into an Immortal Gu, its true value would emerge — capable of elevating immortal essence to the next major tier.
But that was a long-term gain. Right now, as a mortal Gu, it could only refine essence to a minor stage. That wasn't enough.
He needed a different Vital Gu, one that would directly support his current cultivation speed and long-term goals.
Unfortunately, the Gu he had in mind wasn't anywhere on Qing Mao Mountain.