Chapter 8 – Things will remain the same, but people will change.
Beside the academy was a Gu room. The Gu room was not big; it was only 60 meters² in size.
In a Gu Master's road to cultivation, a Gu is the key to strength.
At the end of class, the excited teenagers rushed towards the Gu room.
"Form a line, enter one by one," some voices suddenly yelled; it was natural that there were guards outside the Gu room. The youths went in one at a time and came out. Finally it was Fang Yuan's turn to enter the Gu room.
This room held an air of mystery. The four walls were filled with holes, each containing another square hole within. The sizes varied—some were as large as an earthenware cooking pot, while others were no bigger than a fist.
Within these many square holes were various containers: grey stone basins, jade dishes, delicate grass cages, earthen stoves, and more. Each one held a different type of Gu.
Some of the Gu were silent, while others produced a symphony of sounds—chirps, clucks, rustling noises—creating a lively, almost musical atmosphere.
"All the Gu in this room are Rank one Gu". Fang Yuan glanced around, immediately being aware of this.
Generally speaking, Rank one Gu Masters can only use Rank one Gu. If they attempt to use higher-level Gu, they would face an extremely heavy price. Additionally, Gu require feeding, and the cost of nourishing higher-level Gu is often beyond the means of lower-ranked Gu Masters. Therefore, newcomers to the path of Gu cultivation typically choose a Rank 1 Gu worm as their first refined Gu, unless in special circumstances such as Fang Yuan in which case his vital Gu is the Spring Autumn Cicada which is a Rank six Immortal Gu.
The first Gu a Gu Master refines holds great significance—it becomes their vital Gu, closely linked to their life force. If it dies, the Gu Master will suffer a tremendous blow.
"I now not only possess the Liquor Worm, but my vital Gu is also the Spring Autumn Cicada. I must now follow the same path and choose the Moonlight Gu. But first, let me take a look around to see if there have been any changes since I retrieved the Flower Wine Monk's inheritance ahead of time." Fang Yuan walked around saw many types of Gu.
After awhile he was satisfy, and walked straight along the wall on his left.
One of the top layers of the holes in this wall had a row of silver plates. In every plate was a Gu.
These Gu were crystalline and shaped like a crescent; it was like a piece of blue quartz. Against the backdrop of the silver dish, the Gu gave off a quiet and beautiful feeling.
Known as the Moonlight Gu, this variety of Gu was the local Gu of the Gu Yue clan and many of the clansmen would choose the Moonlight Gu as their vital Gu. The Moonlight Gu was not a Gu of nature; it was a breed that was cultivated with a secret method by the Gu Yue clan. The Moonlight Gu could not be found anywhere else; it could be said that this Gu was a symbol of the Gu Yue clan.
Since it was all Rank one Moonlight Gu, there was very little difference among one another. But in the eyes of the Heaven Refining Demon Venerable and Supreme Grandmaster of the refinement path, Fang Yuan noticed a few difference. The Moonlight Gu was very light, comparable to the weight of a piece of paper. The insect occupied a small area of his palm; it was roughly the size of a common jade pendant. As Fang Yuan put it on his hand, he could see through it and gaze at the lines on his palm.
With a few look, Fang Yuan choose the one which is a bit sturdy looking when it comes to refinement, with one last look at it and finding nothing wrong with it, Fang Yuan put the Moonlight Gu into his pocket and walked out of the Gu room. Outside the Gu room, the queue was still quite long. As soon as the next person in line saw Fang Yuan leave, he went into the room hurriedly with excitement.
If it were others, when they got their Gu the first thing they would do, would be to take it home and quickly refine it. But Fang Yuan was not in a hurry to do so as he already could instantly refine it thanks to the Spring Autumn Cicada aura.
After he left the Gu room, Fang Yuan headed straight for the tavern.
"Shopkeeper, two jars of aged wine!" Fang Yuan fished around his pockets and drew out the remaining primeval stone pieces, putting them onto the counter.
Even though Fang Yuan had the money to buy the Green Bamboo Wine, which would save him a bit on the cost of feeding the Liquor Worm, he still chose to purchase aged wine instead. The reason was that Green Bamboo Wine was expensive, priced at 2 primeval stones per jar. It would have seemed strange for a young teenager with no significant backing, like Fang Yuan, to buy wine at such a price. It would make no sense, and would only bring trouble for him. Do not forget that Fang Yuan always has a caution nature.
The past seven days he would be buying wine and then going around the village border before heading straight to the hidden cave. The shopkeeper was a short and fat middle-aged man, his face oily. After these few days he had already remembered Fang Yuan.
"Sir, you've come." While he greeted Fang Yuan, he stretched out a thick and short chubby hand and skillfully swiped away the primeval stone pieces. As he put them onto his palm he shifted his hand up and down and felt that the weight was correct. With this the shopkeeper's smile deepened.
Primeval stones served as the currency in this world, used to determine the value of all goods and services. They were also a condensed form of the world's essence, capable of being used to enhance one's own abilities, making them crucial for a Gu Master's cultivation.
With both monetary and practical properties, they were akin to gold on Earth. While Earth used gold as the basis for its currency system, this world relied on primeval stones. Compared to gold, the purchasing power of primeval stones is far greater. However, with Fang Yuan's ongoing expenses, no matter how many primeval stones he had, it would never be enough.
"Two jars of wine everyday, and it has been 7 full days already. The initial savings I had are already almost all spent, after this I will have to use the primeval stones that I got from the Flower Wine Monk to purchase the green bamboo wine." Fang Yuan silently calculated.
Once someone becomes a Gu Master, he would be able to extract primeval essence straight from a primeval stone to replenish the primeval sea in his aperture. Thus to Gu Masters, primeval stones were not just a form of currency, but also a supplement in their cultivation. With sufficient primeval stones, the rate of cultivation will increase greatly; this can make up for the disadvantages of those with lower talent grade.
As he walked with the two jars of wine in his hand, he heard a voice of Fang Zheng calling him out from behind. "Big brother, you really did go to the tavern and buy alcohol! Follow me, aunt and uncle want to see you."
Fang Yuan stopped in his tracks and turned around. He found his younger brother was no longer like before, always lowering his head as he spoke. Right now the two brothers gazed at each other face to face. "Ah, he's here." wonders Fang Yuan.
A gust of wind blew, lifting the older brother's messy short hair, while the younger brother's robes fluttered at the hem.
Just a week had passed, yet people could change so much.
One week after the Awakening Ceremony, everything changed for both brothers. The older brother, Fang Yuan, fell from his pedestal—his genius title shattered mercilessly. Meanwhile, the younger brother began to shine, rising like a new star.
For Fang Zheng, this transformation was nothing short of earth-shattering. He finally experienced the same attention that his older brother once had—being the one people looked to with hope, and feeling the envious, jealous gazes directed at him. It was as though he had been dragged out of a dark corner and placed into a world of light. Every morning, he felt like he was living a sweet dream. The difference in how people treated him now compared to before was like night and day, making it hard for him to believe that this was his reality, even though it was all true. At the same time, it was uncomfortable, and he felt like he didn't quite belong.
Adapting was difficult.
In just a short time, he had gone from being unnoticed to being the center of attention, with people constantly whispering about him. Sometimes, when he walked down the street, he could hear people praising him, and it made him flustered and unsure of what to do. His face would flush, and his eyes would dart away from others. He even forgot how to walk with confidence at times!
Deep inside Fang Zheng, a sense of 'self-confidence' began to take root and bloom.
"This is what big brother had always been feeling before, how beautiful and painful at the same time!"
He couldn't stop thinking about his older brother, Gu Yue Fang Yuan. With all the attention and gossip surrounding him, how had his older brother handled it?
Subconsciously, Fang Zheng began to imitate Fang Yuan, trying to maintain an expressionless face at all times. However, he quickly realized that this demeanor didn't suit him. During class, a simple shout from a girl would make his face flush red. And on the streets, the flirtations from older women would often send him fleeing in embarrassment.
He was like a toddler trying to walk, stumbling and falling as he adjusted to his new life. Throughout this time, he couldn't avoid hearing about his older brother—rumors of Fang Yuan sinking into depression, turning to alcohol, neglecting his family, and even sleeping through classes.
This news shocked him. His older brother, once hailed as a genius and a formidable figure, suddenly became like this?
But slowly, a new understanding began to form. After all, his older brother was just a man. A setback of such magnitude would send anyone into despair. As he came to this realization, Fang Zheng couldn't help but feel a strange sense of happiness deep inside. Though he was reluctant to admit it, that feeling was unmistakable.
His older brother, once a towering genius who always overshadowed him, was now depressed and defeated. From a different perspective, wasn't this proof of his own growth?
He was the one who was truly outstanding. This was the undeniable truth!
Hence when he saw Fang Yuan holding the wine jars, his hair messy and clothes untidy, Gu Yue Fang Zheng felt relieved, his breathing also becoming a lot easier. But yet he said, "Big brother, you have to stop drinking, you cannot go on like this! You have no idea how worried the people who care about you are, you need to wake up!"
Fang Yuan was emotionless; he did not say anything. The two brothers gazed at each other.
Younger brother Gu Yue Fang Zheng's eyes were shining, giving off a sharp and keen feel. And the older brother Gu Yue Fang Yuan's two orbs were a deep black, faintly resembling a deep ancient pool. These eyes could not help but make Fang Zheng feel a strange oppression. Not long after he subconsciously turned away his gaze and looked somewhere else.
But when he realized it, he felt a sudden rise of anger. It was an anger that was directed at himself.
What's wrong with you? Can't even muster the courage to look directly at your big brother?
I've changed, I've completely changed!
With these thoughts his eyes shifted back their sharpness and he shot his gaze at his brother again. But Fang Yuan was already not looking at him. Holding a jar of wine in each hand, he walked past Fang Zheng and said in a dull voice, "What else are you gawking at? Let's go."
Fang Zheng's breathing turned uneven, the strength that had gathered in his heart finding no outlet. A heavy, indescribable sense of oppression settled over him.
Seeing his elder brother already far ahead, he could only hasten his steps to catch up. This time, however, his head was no longer bowed but lifted toward the sun. His eyes were fixed on his own feet as they trod upon the shadow cast by his brother, Fang Yuan.