The audience were stunned.
Fang Yuan stood on the spot, his gaze sweeping the area.
The surrounding Gu Masters, Rank one and some Rank two, avoided his gaze subconsciously.
The shopkeeper and clerks were all terrified and excitedly worshipped him. Who did not want a strong backer?
Behind him, Jiang Ya and Jiang He was staring dumbfounded.
He heard a commotion and ran out, but saw Fang Yuan chasing away Man Shi.
That is Gu Yue Man Shi
Gu Yue Man Shi was defeated by the newbie Fang Yuan!
The news spread quickly and caused small waves of gossip among Rank two Gu Masters.
Everyone was well-acquainted with the two key figures in this incident.
Man Shi was a somewhat well-known Rank two Gu Master, notable for surviving an encounter with Bai Ning Bing—no easy feat by any means.
He wasn't someone to be underestimated.
Fang Yuan, on the other hand, was the recent tournament champion.
Many had seen him defeat Fang Zheng during the annual assessment.
He had also secured his family inheritance and gained wealth overnight, sparking envy from many onlookers.
The difference in reputation between the two was obvious, and yet, contrary to expectations, the seemingly weaker Fang Yuan had bested the more renowned Man Shi.
The upset left many people stunned.
As word of the duel continued to spread, Fang Yuan's name grew steadily more prominent.
Even Rank two Gu Masters began to view this young junior in a new light.
"He directly attacked without saying a word. Young people are too impulsive."
"He has wealth and has also refined Moonglow Gu, he has some ability."
"He is a lunatic, he is too hard-handed. Reportedly, Gu Yue Man Shi had to lie in bed for at least three days to recover from his injuries!"
People began discussing Fang Yuan.
He had launched a surprise attack on Man Shi, striking first and dealing heavy damage right at the beginning, asserting overwhelming dominance.
To some, it didn't seem like a fair or honorable victory.
But in the end, a win was a win, and a loss was a loss.
The result was all that mattered.
Perhaps on Earth, people valued the process over the outcome.
But in this harsh world, filled with life-threatening dangers, it was the outcome that counted.
Victory meant survival.
Defeat meant death—or the loss of everything.
Winners claimed it all.
Losers lost everything.
Most people accepted this truth without question.
Fang Yuan had won.
That was the reality, regardless of the method. A newcomer had made his mark by toppling Man Shi, stepping into the spotlight.
Man Shi, on the other hand, had become a stepping stone. His reputation lay in ruins. Once he recovered from his injuries, he would inevitably resign from his position as group leader.
Such was the cost of failure. Close friends and family might feel sympathy for the defeated. But deep down, people respected and acknowledged the victor even more. Victory symbolized strength, and strength brought protection and security.
Following this incident, Gu Yue Dong Tu finally backed off from his underhanded schemes.
Man Shi's fall had made the shrewd uncle recognize the truth.
Fang Yuan's rise left him feeling powerless—resentful and frustrated.
He now understood there was no longer any chance of claiming the inheritance. Continuing to resist was pointless. He had used his network and influence to stir up trouble for Fang Yuan, which had cost him a steady stream of primeval stones.
Meanwhile, Fang Yuan's profits kept growing. If the deadlock continued, even with a sizable reserve of primeval stones, the one who would eventually fall behind was Gu Yue Dong Tu himself. He had already lost the bamboo housing, the wine tavern, and the Nine Leaves Vitality Grass. With no income left, any spent resources were hard to recover.
Fang Yuan, on the other hand, was steadily gaining wealth despite his earlier shortage. More importantly, Gu Yue Dong Tu came to the gloomy realization that dragging this out would only hurt him.
So, when he heard about Man Shi's humiliating defeat, he immediately ceased his futile efforts.
Truthfully, when even Fang Zheng had failed to make trouble for Fang Yuan, it had already signaled Gu Yue Dong Tu's defeat.
With all this behind him, Fang Yuan's wine tavern resumed normal business. A welcome and satisfying outcome.
The cold snow came to an end, and spring wind took its place.
Without realising it, winter had already passed, and the days of spring arrived.
The frozen mountain stream had begun to flow once more. Icicles hanging from the eaves of bamboo houses and tree branches shimmered in the sunlight, melting slowly as droplets trickled down.
It was still morning, and the wine tavern remained quiet. Only a few drinkers had arrived.
Fang Yuan sat inside at the seat near the window, the same as before.
Jiang Ya sat opposite Fang Yuan, his face full of smiles.
"These are the primeval stones this time, please confirm it." He took out ten money bags, placing them on the table and pushing it towards Fang Yuan.
What was inside the money bag was naturally primeval stones.
Fang Yuan did not open them one by one, but checked their weight by holding them in his hand.
He had over a hundred years of experience making deals and transactions, so he could easily tell the number of primeval stones in his hands. One less and he could immediately tell.
Fang Yuan used his hand to check, and on finding no problems, he then took out a bag and gave it to Jiang Ya.
Jiang Ya received it with both hands and opened the bag, checking the quantity carefully.
"One, two, three… fifty. Indeed, it is fifty vitality leaves." Jiang Ya took a few minutes of counting before closing the bag and carefully keeping the bag close to his body.
Next, he raised his cup, toasting to Fang Yuan. "Lord Fang Yuan, truly happy doing business with you, let me toast you!"
Fang Yuan was now indeed only concentrating on getting more primeval stones. He would only go to the secret cave to get food for the White Jade Gu and clear out the path to advance further into the inheritance. As for nurturing his aperture, he had not nurtured it at all ever since he had reached Rank two. The reason was that he was waiting to refine the Liquor worm. Only then would he gain the speed and advantage. Otherwise, it would be a waste of time, and he would rather do something more proactive.
Jiang Ya put down the cup, excitedly saying, "The clan's vitality leaves are sold at fifty-five primeval stones a piece. I followed your instructions and only sold our grass Gu at fifty primeval stones, and the demand is overwhelming!"
Fang Yuan listened and nodded. "However, sooner or later, I won't be able to keep producing more leaves and will only make nine leaves, as I need time to cultivate. When that time comes, you'll have to either stock up in advance or sell the leaves at a higher price."
"Understood." Ever since Jiang Ya saw Fang Yuan defeat Man Shi, he had been shocked to the core, and his view of Fang Yuan completely changed. From that point on, whatever Fang Yuan told him to do, he followed the instructions carefully.
After Jiang Ya left, Fang Yuan looked out the window and saw that spring is coming.
"The caravan merchant will be coming soon. I'd better prepare myself as well. I should have over 5,000 primeval stones by now, but it's still not enough to get the things I need," Fang Yuan thought silently.
"I still need to sell the wine tavern, the bamboo buildings, the land, and the eight servants to Uncle. Only then will I have enough primeval stones." Fang Yuan calculated and realized that he still had to follow the same path as in his previous life.
March.
Beneath the radiant spring sun, the gentle rhythm of the season arrived with light and warmth.
As the weather turned mild, flowers bloomed in full and wild grasses flourished.
Qing Mao Mountain was cloaked in a vibrant green, stretching endlessly into the distance.
Wildflowers blossomed along the sunny slopes, forming a dazzling sea of color.
Rivers surged like fire, winding and dancing under the golden sunlight.
Freshly hatched dragonpill crickets emerged from their eggs, forming lively new swarms that brought energy to the night.
During the day, flocks of brightly colored peacock parrots circled the skies, calling out in crisp, cheerful tones.
Spring's warmth touched everything, allowing life to flourish in brilliance.
Amid this lively landscape, a caravan slowly advanced toward Qing Mao Mountain.
Sturdy black beetles crawled steadily forward, burdened with both passengers and cargo.
Proud ostriches, their feathers vivid and glossy, pulled carts behind them.
Hairy mountain spiders ignored rough terrain as they moved effortlessly, while winged snakes slithered along, occasionally spreading their wings to glide ahead.