Bang, Bang, Bang.
The patrolling night watchman banged his wooden clappers in a rhythm.
The sounds travel into the high pillar houses, Fang Yuan with a slight bloodshot eye and dark eyes bags silently thought, "It's already the hour before dawn. After a whole night of not sleeping I only managed to plan a few steps ahead."
He had not slept at all; most of the time was spent thinking up various plans. This body had not started cultivating yet, its energy was not vigorous, and thus his body and mind were still shrouded in exhaustion.
Nevertheless this was only a mere setback for Fang Yuan. This sort of sleep-deprived exhaustion is nothing to him.
The fragrance of the nature greeted him as he got up and opened the window. Fang Yuan head felt a bit clearer, the sleepiness was still there but is now quite mild.
As Fang Yuan looked around, he saw tall houses built from green bamboo and wood, their pale green hues standing out against the mountain backdrop.
Each of these houses had at least two stories, a design unique to the mountain dwellers. Because of the uneven terrain, the first floor consisted of sturdy wooden stilts, while the living quarters were situated on the second floor. Fang Yuan and his brother, Fang Zheng, were staying on the upper level.
Although it looked like he was admiring the view, he was actually multitasking by observing his surroundings and planning ahead. This ability could mostly be credited to his wisdom path attainment being at the Great Grandmaster level. It was simply unimaginable to have a Great Grandmaster attainment level before even becoming a Gu Immortal. In this world, only Fang Yuan could probably achieve such an accomplishment.
"Young master Fang Yuan, you're awake. I will go upstairs and wait for you to wash up." At this moment, a maiden's voice floated up from downstairs.
Even without looking down Fang Yuan knows whose voice that was, it was his own personal servant Shen Cui.
Shen Cui's appearance was only slightly above average, but she had a good sense of style. She wore a green robe with long sleeves and matching trousers, complemented by embroidered shoes. A pearl hairpin adorned her black hair, adding a touch of elegance. From head to toe, she radiated youthful energy and vitality.
She smiled happily at Fang Yuan as she carried a basin of warm water upstairs. The water was just the right temperature, prepared for washing the face. After rinsing his mouth, Fang Yuan used a willow twig with snow salt to clean his teeth.
Shen Cui stood by patiently, her expression gentle, her eyes sparkling like a lively spring. When he was finished, she helped him get dressed. During the process, her soft, full chest brushed against his elbow or back a few times.
Fang Yuan's face remained expressionless, his heart calm and still, like undisturbed water.
This servant girl was nothing more than a spy for his aunt and uncle—vain and heartless at her core. In his 'first' previous life, she had once captivated him, but after the Awakening Ceremony, when his status fell, she quickly turned away, offering him nothing but scornful, dismissive glances.
When Fang Zheng arrived, he happened to see Shen Cui carefully smoothing the creases on Fang Yuan's chest. A flicker of jealousy flashed in his eyes.
Though he had lived with his older brother for years and was cared for by Fang Yuan, the servant assigned to him was far from youthful. Instead of someone like Shen Cui, he was attended to by a fat and old woman.
"I wonder which day can Shen Cui wait on me like this, wonder what it feels like?" Fang Zheng thought inside his heart, yet he did not dare to.
His aunt and uncle's favoritism toward Fang Yuan was no secret to anyone. Originally, Fang Zheng hadn't even been assigned a servant it was Fang Yuan who had taken the initiative to request one on his behalf.
Though there was a clear hierarchy between master and servant, Fang Zheng rarely dared to look down on Shen Cui. This was because her mother was none other than Mother Shen, the trusted caretaker who served closely beside his aunt and uncle. As the overseer of the entire household, Mother Shen held considerable authority, backed by the full confidence of his aunt and uncle.
"Alright, no need to tidy up." Fang Yuan impatiently brushed away Shen Cui's soft small hands. His clothing had long been tidy she was only trying to seduce him.
To Shen Cui, Fang Yuan represented a bright future. With his strong potential for awakening an A-grade talent, the possibility of becoming his concubine was incredibly tempting. It would mean rising from the status of a servant to that of a master, a significant leap in status. Obviously, this will never happen as it did not happen in his both of his previous life.
"You can leave." Fang Yuan did not even look at Shen Cui as he tidied up his own sleeve cuffs. Shen Cui pouted slightly, feeling that today Fang Yuan's puzzling behavior was rather odd and upsetting. She wanted to reply in a spoiled way but being scared by his cold and confusing nature, her mouth opened and closed a few times before she ended up saying 'yes' and retreating obediently.
"Are you ready?" Fang Yuan asked Fang Zheng.
His younger brother stood at the doorway, head lowered, eyes fixed on his toes. He quietly muttered a soft "Yes." In truth, Fang Zheng had been awake since the fourth watch, too anxious to sleep. He had gotten up early and prepared long ago. Same as Fang Yuan, Fang Zheng eyes bags were also dark due to the lack of sleep.
Fang Yuan gave a slight nod. In his 'first' previous life, he hadn't fully understood his younger brother's thoughts. But in this life, how could he not see through them? Even so, it no longer mattered to him. He simply said, "Then let's go."
The two brothers stepped out of the house. Along the way, they encountered many other youths of similar age, moving in pairs or small groups, clearly all heading toward the same place.
"Look guys, those are the Fang brothers." Their ears could pick up the small cautious talk. "The one walking in front is Fang Yuan, he's the Fang Yuan who created the poems," some of them emphasized.
"So that's him. His face is expressionless as if he had no regard for others, just like the rumors say." Someone said in a sour tone filled with jealousy and envy.
"Hmph, if you were like him then you can also act like that!" Someone coldly replied against the person, hiding a sort of dissatisfaction.
Fang Zheng listened with a blank expression he had long grown used to this kind of talk. With his head lowered, he silently followed behind his older brother.
By now, dawn had broken, and the soft light of the rising sun cast Fang Yuan's shadow across Fang Zheng's face. Though the sun was climbing higher, Fang Zheng felt as if he were walking into darkness.
That darkness came from his brother. In this life, perhaps he would never escape the overwhelming shadow Fang Yuan cast over him.
A tight pressure welled up in his chest, making it hard to breathe. The feeling was so suffocating, he couldn't help but think of the word itself—'suffocate'.
"I could create a new Gu in the hidden cave, but it will require some materials." Fang Yuan still listened to the gossip around him but paid no close attention other than to the surrounding people. Whether bathing or walking, Fang Yuan was constantly making plans. He would not waste a single second of his time.
Previously, Fang Yuan would not care about the people around him and would simply do his own thing. "As long as you don't get in my way, then go aside and scram. I don't need to care about you," was his way of thinking. But now, after becoming a Supreme Grandmaster of the refinement path, his eyes could be said to be "open," in the sense that everything he saw now held value for Gu refinement.
"Fang Zheng must remain alive until I obtain the Hu Immortal Blessed Land. He will serve as a convenient excuse for the Immortal Crane Sect to fend off the other nine Great Ancient Sects."
"Shen Cui holds little to no value—even as a Gu refinement material, it would be better to use other livestock."
"As for the rest of the clan members, they are useful to me thanks to the Blood Skull Gu. Otherwise, if I manage to capture them, they would simply be used as Gu refinement materials."
Hehe.
Refine Gu! Refine Man! Refine Heaven! Truly, this is the optimal path.