When Fang Tian entered the fishing village, the Gu Master couple at his side pointed here and there, introducing their village to him. The village was relatively large for one whose population consisted mostly of mortals, aside from three individuals. Fishing nets and tools were hung on the huts made of red wood. The huts in this village were built from a special kind of wood cut from the Red Finger Tree.
"Perhaps this tree was affected by the Red Dragon River, or rather, influenced by the Dao marks of the blood path that are widespread within the Red Dragon River, making it a good material for refining blood path Gu… Speaking of the blood path, why does this village and the Gu Masters here all look so similar, as if they were born from the same clan, huh?"
Indeed, the people of this village shared the same slim yet sturdy build and the same large noses; these were hereditary traits common among most of them. The only apparent exception was the young Gu Master, who had a small nose and a slender but weak physique, as if he suffered from malnutrition.
Fang Tian did not think much of it. Instead, he focused on what the crafty woman was saying as she pointed toward a building resembling a manor, far larger than the other huts.
"This is our residence. I hope you will find comfort here, though I suppose someone of your cultivation has lived in better places."
Fang Tian was led inside, and a proper room was prepared for him, so proper that he had no complaints. An hour later, a mortal maid knocked on his door, inviting him to dinner with the couple. Fang Tian did not refuse their invitation.
He went to the hall, where a small dining table had been set with four leather chairs on each side of the table. Fang Tian sat opposite the male Gu Master and greeted them politely.
"Brothers, although you have treated me generously, I still do not know the names of my benefactors."
The woman laughed gently. She had removed her heavy, battle-suited Gu Master robe and changed into a loose, red linen dress, which accentuated some of her charms. Fang Tian did not look at the woman. Instead, he turned his gaze to the muscular man seated at the head of the table.
"I am Zhao Tu, and this is my wife, Chen Lan. And you, fellow cultivator?"
Fang Tian clasped his fists and replied.
"Fang Tian."
"Now that we are closer, Brother Fang, why not talk more while we enjoy this delicious food… hahaha!"
The man laughed happily, while the woman chuckled with decorum. As for Fang Tian, he raised his cup to his lips, took a small sip, then nodded in satisfaction at the muscular man.
"There is something that piques my curiosity, Brother Zhao. For three Gu Masters like yourselves to live in a remote village far from human activity is rather strange."
The muscular man sighed with sadness and leaned back in his chair, while the woman replied.
"Brother Fang, although it is indeed interesting for three Gu Masters to emerge from a mortal village, it is not unheard of."
This was a form of refusal to answer Fang Tian's question, so he changed the topic with a dry laugh and asked about what he truly wanted to know.
"Forgive me, Sister Lan, my curiosity always brings me trouble… Ah, right. Where I came from, I heard tales about the outside world. I heard of Shang Clan City, said to be miraculous, of the righteousness and piety of Tie Clan, and the strength and dominance of Wu Clan. I was always fascinated by everything related to them!"
Fang Tian wore a dreamy and excited expression as he spoke, like a child longing to roam the world. Chen Lan was deceived by Fang Tian's expression. Her shirt clung to her body from the humid air as she spoke as if recounting a story.
"Shang Clan is lofty and wealthy, Tie Clan is righteous and pious, while Wu Clan is tyrannical and domineering… These clans belong to the super forces whose influence spreads throughout the Southern Border. Shang Clan dominates Shang Liang Mountain and is the wealthiest clan in the Southern Border. Shang Clan City lies in the southeastern region of the Southern Border, neighboring clans such as Wu Clan and Tie Clan, which border it to the north and south… Tie Clan is also located north of the Yellow Dragon River, and…"
The woman poured out a great deal of crucial information to Fang Tian, information she regarded as common knowledge that anyone with some contact with caravans or travelers would know.
By the end of dinner, Fang Tian knew where he was and where he should go. He returned to his room under the guidance of a mortal maid. The maid wore an embarrassed expression, stealing glances at Fang Tian from time to time over her shoulder.
Although Fang Tian's gaze was directed toward her, he was immersed in his thoughts.
"So, I am on the opposite bank of the Red Dragon River, territory that belongs to Wu Clan. But I must cross this bank to enter the lands of Shang Clan, which are much farther away… This is somewhat troublesome. If I had the choice, I would rather go to Shang Clan than Wu Clan. They do not distinguish between righteous and demonic cultivators. I can purchase more Gu worms and materials to prepare for my breakthrough to rank three. I also need to refine the Gu worms I use to rank three, but this is extremely difficult, as refining a rank three Gu is far harder than refining rank one or rank two Gu."
Fang Tian was already close to breaking through to the peak stage of rank two. He estimated that he would break through in two to three weeks. He had already used more than half of the Horse Strength Gu and estimated that he needed three or four more days to finish it.
"But this is still not enough to move freely across such a vast distance. I need to break through to rank three. Yet if I break through to rank three, I must slow down my cultivation speed… However, there is a great chance I can find a temporary solution in Shang Clan City or the nearer Wu Clan City."
Fang Tian spent hours thinking and planning until a decent plan formed in his mind. He decided to go to the nearest Wu Clan City to replenish his stock of primeval stones and sell the stolen Gu worms. After stabilizing himself, he could increase his strength through other means. Then, after completing his preparations, he would travel to Shang Clan City.