"You want me to deal with Gu Yue Fang Yuan?" Yao Ji looked at her granddaughter, her expression blank, and soon after that she started getting nervous.
"My dear granddaughter, did he bully you?" She hurriedly asked.
"He did not bully me, but he bullied others. This time it is the Xiong clan sister Jiao Man, he extorted her, getting a Bear Enslavement Gu and seven hundred primeval stones. This is too much, if this goes on, the clan's reputation would be completely ruined by him," Gu Yue Yao Le said.
"Mmm, grandma knows this matter. Darling granddaughter, leave first, grandma will not disappoint you." Yao Ji said after deep considerations.
"Thank you grandma! Grandma you do not know but this person is too wicked, raising the price of his goods and bullying the weak, he is a true villain."
After the young girl left, Yao Ji fell into deep thought.
She had long planned to deal with Fang Yuan, not for naïve reasons like Yao Le's, but because Fang Yuan held valuable resources she wanted to seize.
First was the Liquor worm. Although Yao Ji had previously bought one from the caravan and given it to her granddaughter Yao Le, she still needed another to refine a Rank three Gu worm she intended to fuse.
Next was the Nine Leaf Vitality Grass. Most of the clan's supply was under Yao Ji's control, and selling the vitality leaves helped her maintain her power and status within the clan.
"This Fang Yuan is too arrogant! First I wanted to buy his Liquor worm, but he refused, what guts. This time he raised the price of the vitality leaves and earned a fortune. Does he really think I, the medicine clan elder, is thin air? Hmph!"
Two large banners flapped loudly in the wind.
One displayed the battle merit board, where Fang Yuan had secured a spot in the top ten. The other showed various goods available for exchange using battle merits.
However, most Gu Masters gathered in the plaza focused on a newly issued decree.
The announcement stated that the wolf tide was intensifying, with casualties among clan Gu Masters rising daily. To improve medical treatment, the medical hall demanded all Gu Masters holding Nine Leaf Vitality Grass temporarily surrender them to the clan. The medical hall would oversee production centrally.
The notification included a list of Gu Masters who possessed the Nine Leaf Vitality Grass, and Fang Yuan's name was among them.
Right now, he was standing in a distant corner looking at this unfortunate notification but his expression remained surprisingly calm.
"The moment has arrived. As I anticipated, the trigger came from Xiong Jiao Man, who somehow managed to convince Gu Yue Yao Le, ultimately prompting Gu Yue Yao Ji to act." In just a moment, Fang Yuan had already figured out the truth. This was not only due to his intelligence but also his high attainment in the wisdom path.
Gu Yue Yao Ji's actions made sense.
Those in the same field were natural rivals. By controlling the sale of the vitality leaves, she strengthened her power, expanded her influence, and maintained key connections. However, Fang Yuan's higher-priced sales subtly undermined her interests and threatened her control.
"The Nine Leaf Vitality Grass remains my most important source of income; losing this Gu would be like facing a checkmate." Fang Yuan pondered.
The discussions of the surrounding Gu Masters entered his ears.
"Medicine hall made a truly great decision! There are very few vitality leaves and they simply can't meet our needs. Every time a batch appears in the goods board, they will immediately be purchased by others."
"Elder Yao Ji is truly gentle and kind. Look at the name list, it includes several Gu Masters from both Chi and Mo factions. She has no doubt offended many powerful elders with this action."
"Elder Yao Ji is thinking for the clan, she is worthy of respect!"
"Ai, only Lord Yao Ji has such courage. If it was any other elders, who would dare to take such action?"
"Eh! Look, the notification contents have changed. Chi and Mo faction's Gu Masters have handed over their Nine Leaf Vitality Grass."
The crowd was buzzing with excitement.
The consolidation and unified production of Nine Leaf Vitality Grass meant a significant increase in available vitality leaves. This was excellent news for everyone.
Gu Yue Yao Ji was a seasoned strategist, using this move to pressure Fang Yuan. If he resisted, he would only invite greater trouble and become vulnerable to manipulation; defiance was clearly unwise.
This was how the system wielded power. The clan never demanded sacrifice outright; instead, it cloaked demands in righteousness, leaving no room for refusal.
For example, retired Gu Masters were conscripted to risk their lives—how could they refuse?
Now, by demanding the collection of Nine Leaf Vitality Grass, Fang Yuan and others were forced to give up their own benefits for the clan's gain, mainly favoring Yao Ji.
Anyone who opposed this was branded a traitor, cut off from the clan, and seen as a rebel.
"To resolve this, I have no choice but to advance to Rank three. Small schemes like delaying tactics won't work and will only put me in a more passive position. Only by building greater momentum and openly defeating her can I truly turn the tide," Fang Yuan already had a solution.
Rank three and Rank two Gu Masters held vastly different positions. Within the clan, any Gu Master who reached Rank three would immediately become an elder and join the decision-making council. Even the clan leader could not easily challenge their privileges.
The Gu Masters from the Mo and Chi factions didn't simply surrender their Nine Leaf Vitality Grass out of obedience. Behind the scenes, Gu Yue Yao Ji likely made secret deals with elders like Gu Yue Chi Lian and Gu Yue Mo Chen. This was political maneuvering.
Most people failed to see this reality and were deceived by Yao Ji. If Fang Yuan were a Rank three Gu Master, even if he had to give up the Nine Leaf Vitality Grass, he would receive ample compensation elsewhere.
Why was Gu Yue Yao Ji so eager to confront Fang Yuan? Partly because of the benefits. Fang Yuan's actions threatened her interests, and she also desired certain Gu worms in his possession. But also because Fang Yuan was already at the peak of Rank two, if she waited for him to become a Rank three elder, she would lose her chance to act.
"Advancing to Rank three is a must. The clan can sacrifice Rank two Gu Masters, but Rank three Gu Masters are its pillars and each loss would incur a huge damage. Moreover, I have accumulated too many troubles. Qing Shu died but the clan didn't do a careful investigation. I have the Water Shield Gu, Plunder Gu and other Gu worms, but the clan has turned a blind eye to it. My cultivation is advancing so fast, the higher-ups clearly know about it, but are enduring it and haven't examined the secrets on me." Fang Yuan was very clear on his current situation.
On the surface, he appeared strong and secure, but in reality, he was surrounded by danger. The clan had not acted against him because their focus was entirely on the wolf tide. If they failed to withstand it, the clan would be destroyed. Under such pressure, Fang Yuan's situation was only a minor concern.
However, once the wolf tide ended, the clan's leaders would regain their strength and surely come after him to settle the score.
Previously at the academy, the elders ignored Fang Yuan because he was weak, taking cautious steps and not threatening their interests, so he didn't draw attention.
But things had changed.
Fang Yuan's cultivation had reached the peak of Rank two; one more step and he would become an elder.
This alone had already unsettled the elders. They closely watched and recorded all his actions.
Any newly promoted elder could shift the political balance within the Gu Yue clan, which led to ongoing efforts to suppress Fang Yuan.
Additionally, since he hadn't joined the system or any faction, the pressure against him intensified.
Even neutrality was considered a faction.
No one could accept Fang Yuan's current state—an outsider roaming beyond the clan's control.
"If I advance to Rank three, the suppression will definitely be much more lower than now, though they will still be there. Rank three is a point of qualitative change, a threshold. Stepping through it will bring one to a whole new world. Similarly, with Rank three cultivation, I can freely move about." Fang Yuan was clear on this.
However, reaching Rank three was no simple feat. Given Fang Yuan's C-grade aptitude, it posed an almost insurmountable challenge.
In a Gu Master's cultivation, progressing through minor stages was straightforward with enough time and patience. However, each major stage presented a significant barrier, becoming increasingly difficult to overcome as one climbed higher. The leap from Rank five to Rank six was especially daunting—more challenging than ascending to heaven!
Fang Yuan had already struggled greatly advancing from Rank one to Rank two. Now, advancing from Rank two to Rank three by conventional means seemed impossible.
Obviously, Fang Yuan would advance using the exact same method he had used in his previous life — the Man-beast Life Burial Gu.
The Man-beast Life Burial Gu was specialized for Rank two Gu Masters to break through to the Rank three realm.
In terms of materials for the Gu, if it were normal times, Fang Yuan might have needed two to three years to collect them, given his circumstances. However, the wolf tide gave him a great opportunity.
He had already collected sufficient primeval stones and Gu worms. The only remaining thing was to wait for an opportune moment.