Chapter 108: Trading In Western Desert
As one walked along the path on the mountain, they would arrive at a point part way up it. There was a huge platform here, on the mountain wall, there were the huge words of 'Disciple Selection Stage' engraved. Every year, the aptitude of the disciples who had just entered the sect would be tested, and the elders would choose their disciples here.
Once in a while, the people ahead would move forward by a bit. At the sides of the path, Five Virtues Sect disciples were passing out tokens with numbers on them.
Fang Yuan took his token, the number on it was sixty-three.
Walking into the Disciple Selection Stage, after finding the spot numbered sixty-three, he sat down on the ground.
A while later, when people had finished sitting in the square, an elder of Five Virtues Sect declared: "This Refinement Path Convention has four entry tasks, the test begins now!"
At the next moment, the hundreds of Gu Masters on the Disciple Selection Stage started showing off their skills.
In accordance with the sequence, Fang Yuan placed the Gu refinement materials in, one by one. Fifteen minutes later, he finished all of the tasks and stood up.
"Such quick speed!" The Five Virtues Sect elder in charge of the event knew about Fang Yuan's rank five Gu Master identity, he had been paying close attention.
Even so, when Fang Yuan stood up, this elder showed shock on his face.
"What, someone already completed it?!" Fang Yuan's movements attracted the attentions of many Gu Masters who were refining Gu.
Fang Yuan walked onto the highest platform, as the elder from Five Virtues Sect left his seat and inspected Fang Yuan's four Gu worms.
"No negative conditions, the Gu worms look like they are well fed and in good shape." The Five Virtues Sect elder was secretly shocked, after inspecting them, he cupped his fists at Fang Yuan, saying warmly: "Lord, please come this way into the mountain."
Fang Yuan nodded, slowly walking and leaving the Disciple Selection Stage.
He walked up the mountain and after a while, an elder from Five Virtues Sect welcomed him: "Sir, please hold on…"
The elder was about to speak but Fang Yuan waved his hand, interrupting him: "I know your intention. I have no interest. Just this mere Five Virtues Sect cannot accommodate me."
"What else do you want?" Fang Yuan looked at him coldly.
The elder's face turned purple, he snorted coldly: "Sir, you actually are looking down on our Five Virtues Sect, aren't you being too arrogant?"
"You want to duel me?" Fang Yuan's voice was cold.
The elder's anger subsided, he looked at Fang Yuan deeply: "Good, good, good, sir, you think highly of yourself, I am sure you can obtain a good position in the Refinement Path Convention. My Five Virtues Sect will be waiting to watch it!"
Saying so, he waved his sleeves and left.
Fang Yuan felt indifferent, he continued moving forward, he came to a cliff and arrived at the wood virtue hall.
Fang Yuan walked into the hall, there were many tables and chairs inside, elite disciples of Five Virtues Sect were managing the place. Seeing Fang Yuan's arrival, a disciple went up: "Senior, may I ask for your name, sect, and main Gu Master cultivation path."
Fang Yuan replied: "My name is Fang Yuan, my sect will be kept as a secret, my main path will be kept as a secret."
"Oh… okay, senior, please pay a hundred primeval stones as the sign up fee. This fee will be used in…"
Before the disciple finished his words, Fang Yuan tossed him the primeval stones that he had prepared.
The disciple caught it flurriedly, before saying politely: "Please wait a moment."
A short while later, Fang Yuan obtained a token.
On the token, the words 'Fang Yuan' were written, at the back, there was a line of words: Sect hidden, path hidden, signed up at Five Virtues Sect. At the end, there was the time of signing up.
Fang Yuan took the token and left the wood virtue hall.
Fang Yuan held the token and walked up the mountain, entering the fire virtue hall.
This was the first round of the competition in the Refinement Path Convention.
Fang Yuan went in and was informed of the Gu refinement details.
"In thirty minutes, I have to refine the rank one water light Gu, at least a hundred of them to pass and enter the second round.
Thirty minutes later, Fang Yuan's name was on the first place spot, and he obtained green shine Gu.
There was still some time until the second round.
The second round of competition of Central Continent's Refinement Path Convention was being held, one of the places was Flying Frost Sect.
Fang Yuan held the token as he came to Flying Frost Sect.
The task here was to refine the rank two ghost fire Gu. The rules had changed, it was no longer deciding the winner by quantity, but using time instead.
Fang Yuan quickly refined it.
The elder of Flying Frost Sect announced: "Refinement succeeded, using less than fifteen minutes, the first place of this round of the competition goes to — Fang Yuan."
Fang Yuan quietly stood up under everyone's gazes, slowly walking out of the stage.
Fang Yuan got through the third, fourth, fifth and sixth rounds.
Returning to Hu Immortal blessed land, he rested for a short while before using Fixed Immortal Travel to go to Western Desert.
Western Desert, impassable dunes.
The Gu Masters of Xiao clan were all in a battle formation, they were fighting intensely with the hidden sand spiders.
Fang Yuan only took a look before moving his gaze to behind the hidden sand spider group.
This was a huge area of sand dunes.
If one looked closely, they would realize that these sand dunes were moving slowly!
Several of Xiao clan's Gu Immortals were fighting on the impassable dunes, but they were at the periphery, even these Gu Immortals could not explore the inner areas.
Their opponents were three enormous hidden sand spider queens, each was a desolate beast.
However, Xiao clan's Gu Immortals were well arranged and in good order.
Xiao Hu Chi led the charge as the leader, shouting and roaring as he immersed himself in the thrill of battle.
The deputy leader, Xiao Shi Rang, sighed, transmitting: "Leader, it is almost time, we have already achieved our objective of training them, we should order our Gu Masters to retreat now."
"If you had not said this, I would have forgotten it! Handle this by yourself, hahaha, these three hidden sand spider queens have weakened greatly, it is time to capture them." Xiao Hu Chi laughed wildly and was just about to attack, when his gaze suddenly focused in front of him and towards his left. He shouted: "Who's there?!"
Boom!
The reply was a giant hand that passed through the sandstorm with an imposing air, directly grabbing a hidden sand spider queen.
Xiao Hu Chi stared with a furious expression, but this giant hand's timing was perfect, that hidden sand spider queen had just been forced back by Xiao clan's Gu Immortals when the giant hand smoothly grabbed it from behind, as if this hidden sand spider queen had gone straight into a trap.
"Such guts! You dare to challenge Xiao clan in our territory!!"
"Thief, you want to reap the fruits of our labor, you are unforgivable!"
"Everyone, attack and capture this person, I, Xiao Hu Chi, must see who is so daring!"
Xiao clan's Gu Immortals were furiously about to attack when suddenly, seven strength path giant hands emerged from the sandstorm.
Bam bam bam!
Intense banging sounded out, five rank six Gu Immortals of Xiao clan were routed in panic.
Only Xiao Hu Chi and Xiao Shi Rang, the two rank sevens, were able to fight equally with two giant hands.
"This is rank seven battle strength!"
Immediately, Xiao clan's Gu Immortals revealed heavy expressions.
"No need to be nervous, I have no malicious intentions. Look." Fang Yuan slowly flew out and revealed his appearance, his expression having a slight smile.
Everyone's gazes turned towards that hidden sand spider queen, which was already clenched firmly in the grasp of the strength path giant hand, screeching in pain and struggling desperately.
"Captured just like that…"
Xiao Hu Chi and Xiao Shi Rang glanced at each other, seeing the vigilance in each other's eyes.
If it were them, they could not accomplish this so easily. Otherwise, Xiao clan would not have sent so many Gu Immortals to capture the hidden sand spider queens.
"Sir, who might you be? What is your intention?" Sensing Fang Yuan's good intention, Xiao Hu Chi asked in a low voice.
Fang Yuan chuckled: "I am nothing more than a nameless lone cultivator of Western Desert, living in seclusion over my life. Not long ago, I had no choice but to become an immortal zombie, only then did I come out into the open. I am here because I want to do a long term trade with your esteemed clan. I wonder if you are interested in regretful spider groups?"
"Oh? Regretful spiders?" Xiao clan's Gu Immortals felt joyous.
Xiao Hu Chi asked immediately: "How many regretful spiders do you have, sir, and how will we make the transaction?"
Fang Yuan laughed, reporting a number, the joyous light in Xiao Hu Chi's eyes faded in an instant.
Fang Yuan then spoke: "I can supply your esteemed clan with this number of mortal spider Gu every month."
Xiao Hu Chi beamed with delight.
"As for how to trade them…" Fang Yuan said slowly: "Isn't your Ten Thousand Li Silk Corridor the best way? Give me a token for a nearby node of Ten Thousand Li Silk Corridor, every month on the thirtieth, I will arrive at this node, place the goods and take the payment."
"Then what is the price of sir's goods?" Xiao Shi Rang chipped in.
"No rush." Fang Yuan waved his hand, "Let's discuss the price after you look at the quality of the goods."
Fang Yuan took out a sample, Xiao clan's Gu Immortals were greatly pleased at the quality.
Fang Yuan quoted a price.
After a round of bargaining, the two sides settled on a price and completed the first transaction on the spot. Xiao Hu Chi made the payment on behalf of Xiao clan, and Fang Yuan also obtained a node token.
After the completion of the transaction, he turned around and left.
A few days later.
Central Continent, Floating Flower Riverbank, Hearing Wave Pavilion.
This was the one of the test locations for the seventh round of the Refinement Path Convention.
A round of the competition had just ended.
Everyone in the audience was discussing and exclaiming, with countless gazes gathered on Fang Yuan.
Fang Yuan was clothed in a black robe, he wore a mask on his face, just like previously. Silently and unhurriedly, he walked out of the stage.
Like this Fang Yuan cleared all the round upto twelfth and placed first place in all.
Central Continent, Heavenly Court.
A rank eight Gu Immortal, Heaven Overseeing Tower Lord, slowly pushed open the large door of the discussion hall.
He walked into the hall while leaning on a walking cane.
In an instant, the wills of over twenty Gu Immortals inside the hall turned towards him.
"Heaven Overseeing Tower Lord, you have worked hard for the last hundred years…"
"After completing this segment of fixing fate Gu, please take a good rest. Heavenly Court needs a senior expert like you."
"There aren't any unexpected situations in this Refinement Path Convention, right?"
The Gu Immortals' wills started talking, breaking the silence.
Heaven Overseeing Tower Lord opened his cloudy eyes and looked around, before fixing his gaze on a will seated at a high position.
Heaven Overseeing Tower Lord spoke: "Lian Jiu Sheng, you should awaken. The current Refinement Path Convention is reaching its end, we still need some preparations for the recovery of Fate."
Lian Jiu Sheng's will nodded as he slowly stood up.
He then spoke: "To restore Fate, it won't be possible with just myself and Heaven Overseeing Tower Lord, we still need the power of two rank eights. I wonder which friends will lend a hand?"
The wills communicated for a while, finally two wills decided to wake up.
"It's decided then." Lian Jiu Sheng's will nodded towards Heaven Overseeing Tower Lord, before soaring to the sky.
Following him were other two wills.
These three wills flew into the sky, towards the entrance leading outside, before vanishing from everyone's sight.
Heaven Overseeing Tower Lord turned around to leave, the door to the discussion hall slowly closed behind him.