Cluck, cluck...
Beneath the bright blue sky and fluffy white clouds, a group of peacock parrots suddenly flapped their wings and soared through the air. Their magnificent, long, and slender tails trailed behind them as they clucked and danced playfully in the sky.
Fang Yuan stood in the center of the training field, his gaze directed upwards. Under the warm sunlight, the vibrant, multicolored feathers of the birds shimmered even more brilliantly. His expression remained indifferent, as if the person who had just severed the grass puppet's head wasn't him at all.
As nightfall approached, the sun at the edge of the horizon glowed a deep, blood-red. The fading rays poured into the academy, where around fifty students sat with perfect posture. On the stage above, the academy elder called out names one by one, distributing their allowances.
This was the academy's weekly subsidy—every seven days, financial aid was handed out. It was essentially support for these young teens, who, given their abilities, faced the financial burden of feeding and raising their own Gu.
"Gu Yue Fang Yuan." The elder announced.
Fang Yuan rose from his seat at the back of the room, by the window. He walked to the stage and received two moneybags. One contained three primeval stones—the clan's allowance—while the other held a reward of ten primeval stones.
"Work hard," the elder said. He gave Fang Yuan a deep look. Fang Yuan had continuously achieved number one, and this had let those elders who were originally disappointed in him start paying slight attention.
Fang Yuan nodded his head and took the purse into his arms, returning to his seat.
"Damn it, he actually got number one again…" Gu Yue Mo Bei fixed his gaze onto Fang Yuan firmly, his heart rather furious.
"Those two moonblades consecutively hit the neck of the puppet. Is this because of sheer luck or real skill?" Gu Yue Chi Cheng narrowed his eyes. Since the end of the assessment until now, this question had been hovering in his mind.
It was not just him – many students unconsciously drifted their sights towards Fang Yuan. This question haunted them. Although they had lost, their hearts were unsatisfied and they wanted to question what actually had happened.
When the day was about to end, the academy elder announced a matter. "You all have been in the academy for an amount of time now, and you are familiar with how to use your vital Gu as well. In the next few days I will teach you all how to warm and nourish your aperture, advancing a Gu Master's cultivation realm. The higher the realm of a Gu Master, the more concise your primeval essence becomes. A Rank one Gu Master has green copper primeval essence; a Rank two Gu Master has red iron primeval essence and a Rank three Gu Master possesses white silver primeval essence. A portion of red iron primeval essence is comparable to ten portions of green copper primeval essence. Similarly a portion of white silver primeval essence equals ten portions of red iron primeval essence!"
"You must all remember, the Gu are just tools that we use. Cultivation is the foundation of us Gu Masters. The higher your rank, the stronger the Gu you are able to use. In the next three months, whoever can take the lead and promote to Rank one middle stage will receive a reward of thirty primeval stones. At the same time he will be able to choose the second Gu first. After three months, we will elect a class monitor and two vice-class monitors based on the results. The class monitor will enjoy a subsidy of ten primeval stones while the vice-class monitor will have an allowance of five pieces! Alright, that's all for today. You can all leave."
The elder's words made the academy burst with noise.
"Time to elect the class monitor and vice-class monitor!" Someone clenched his fist in excitement.
"The class monitor receives ten primeval stones every seven days, and the vice-class monitor gets five pieces? If I am able to be the first to reach Rank one middle stage, I will definitely be able to become the class monitor." Another had lights in his eyes.
"The primeval stones are not the important focus. What matters here is the position of class monitor and vice-class monitor – it represents glory and places one's identity over others. When normal students sees the class monitor they must all bow and greet him." Gu Yue Mo Bei and Chi Cheng did not lack primeval stones, but they deemed the glory of the position very important.
"To become the class monitor, without mistake it is the first person who promotes to Rank one middle stage first! That means when big brother see me in future, he would have to bow and automatically greet me. Hold up, where is big brother?" Gu Yue Fang Zheng subconsciously looked back, but Fang Yuan's seat was empty.
The students walked out of the academy.
"Where's Gu Yue Fang Yuan?" Gu Yue Mo Bei wanted to look for Fang Yuan and ask him face to face. However Fang Yuan was one step ahead and had long left.
"Hmph, he sure ran away fast. Is he afraid? Looks like he got lucky again in today's test." Gu Yue Chi Cheng sneered.
"Whatever, it's just ten primeval stones. I don't need to care about this small matter, right now what's important is to advance to middle stage and get that class monitor position." Gu Yue Mo Bei narrowed his eyes, looking at his side where Gu Yue Chi Cheng and Gu Yue Fang Zheng were.
"Just a mere class monitor and two vice-class monitor positions got them itching their fists. How hot-blooded and naïve they are at this age," Fang Yuan sneered as he leaned against the gateway of the academy.
The so-called glory was just a valuable tool the upper levels used to motivate those below them. In the end, it was just a layer of illusionary glory, it was useless!
"Whether it comes to a clan, sect or demonic group, whether it is this world or earth, all organizations are like this. The high and low positions are established, making the law of promotion clear, letting those in the organization climb up non-stop from the bottom. Because chasing after profit is the nature of humans, and positions of authority often make people have superiority, creating the illusion that oneself is living a more valuable life than others."
"Power is like the carrot dangling in front of a donkey. The desires of humans are stimulated by it, and each of them secure their personal gains with someone with authority for it. After climbing up one level, there will be a higher level. While they are busy currying favour for personal gain, their hard work is squeezed out from them and their value is exploited by the upper position."
"In every organization, as long as there is a chain of command, it is to give serve to those at the upper ranks. The so-called class monitor and vice-class monitor position is like the smallest carrot, luring everyone else into the structure of the clan. And to stop those below from realizing the truth, those at the higher positions integrate shared values, clear-cutting the idea of glory, meritorious deeds etc. The establishment of high and low positions are made along with unequal benefits. Sometimes the use of religion is done to dominate people's hearts."
"This is the real truth, yet it is a pity that too many people in the world do not understand; they foolishly work hard for others. And for every organization in the world, the most fundamental of its essence is just one thing, and that is – The redistribution of resources, where the higher the position the more resources they can enjoy."
"Thus any organization is just a representation, while the real basis is just one word – resources. Without food resources, one will die of starvation. Without water resources, one will die of thirst. Without cultivation resources, one will become weak and sooner or later, be bullied to death."
"And for a Gu Master, primeval stones are the most important resource!" Fang Yuan's two orbs were deep like an ancient pond, and as his mind reached this point the corners of his lips curled up slightly, creating the outline of a sneer.
He had long left the academy, and right now he stood at the gate entrance of the school. He saw the first batch of students coming out, gradually walking closer towards him.
"It's Fang Yuan."
"What's he doing at the middle of the gate entrance?"
"Hmph, every time I see his dead dysfunctional state, I feel so pissed off."
"Don't worry about him, he's probably waiting for someone."
The young teens paid no attention to him. Just as they were about to walk over, Fang Yuan strode across and blocked them. "I'm plundering. Everyone must surrender a piece of primeval stone before they can leave."