"I've completely offended Yao Ji!" At this moment, Gu Yue Chi Lian felt like he had fallen into a chasm, his heart icy cold.
"Lord Yao Ji!"
"Someone, quickly diagnose her."
"She just lost consciousness, it's not an emergency. Lord Yao Ji had not rested at all for these three days and three nights, her body and mind is exhausted and needs to rest."
The hall descended into chaos, then gradually calmed.
Gu Yue Yao Ji was taken away on a stretcher.
Old and worn from days of stress, the combined blows from Fang Yuan and Chi Lian overwhelmed her fragile heart — fainting was inevitable.
"Lord Yao Ji had led the medicine hall for so many years, she had worked hard for so long, she is truly tired. Letting her rest is also for her own good. Now that she is unconscious, the medicine hall cannot be without a leader. I advice that we let Fang Yuan take over," Gu Yue Chi Lian suddenly said.
The old man stood before his seat, eyes cold as Yao Ji was carried out.
Since he'd already clashed with her, he decided to push further — better to crush the medicine faction than leave room for retaliation. This was true political cunning.
The hall sank into silence.
Yao Le's death and Yao Ji's collapse marked the faction's decline. Politics was even more brutal than the wolf tide.
Fang Yuan remained silent.
Chi Lian's suggestion to let him lead the medicine hall was clearly a joke — no one would hand such authority to a freshly promoted elder unless the whole leadership lost their minds.
Chi Lian's words weren't casual — they carried hidden intent.
As expected, in the next moment, Gu Yue Bo declared, "The medicine hall's role shall temporarily be held by elder Chi Zhong. Fang Yuan's cultivation has indeed reached Rank three, thus according to the clan rules, he shall also assume the role of clan elder. Send out the news, and let the entire village rejoice."
Saying so, Gu Yue Bo stood up and left.
"Congratulations, congratulations…" After the clan leader left, the clan elders all walked towards Fang Yuan, cupping their fists with faces full of smiles.
Fang Yuan cupped his fists as well, replying with a warm smile.
"Elder Fang Yuan is young and promising. You are definitely a role model for the young generation!"
"Haha, we truly anticipate Elder Fang Yuan's brilliance as we work together from now on."
"Congratulations, congratulations."
The elders gathered around Fang Yuan, offering the usual polite remarks.
Positioned at the edge, the academy elder watched with a complex expression.
He had never imagined Fang Yuan would rise to become an elder. Back in class, his hopes had been on Fang Zheng, followed by Chi Cheng and Mo Bei.
Yet the first to succeed turned out to be Fang Yuan.
"How could these little achievements of mine compare to the elders? I still need to thank the clan's teachings for today's achievements. Academy elder, I have always engraved your words in my heart," Fang Yuan had a warm smile on, and he spoke modestly and prudently.
The academy elder hadn't expected this punk to take the initiative to greet him.
He was blank for a moment before a gratified expression appeared in his face, "Looks like you have matured a lot in these years, Elder Fang Yuan. Keep up the good work, I am proud of your achievements. The clan needs new blood like you."
Fang Yuan sincerely thanked the academy elder again and also replied to the other elders.
With his centuries of experience, putting on such an act was very easy.
He spoke with measured grace, his tone soft and humble, leaving everyone feeling as if warmed by a spring breeze.
Gu Yue Chi Lian remained outwardly calm, but the more he watched, the more unsettled he felt. Fang Yuan handled everything with poise, each word spoken like a seasoned statesman. Was this really someone still in his teens? Could he be a natural-born politician?
The academy elder was equally shocked. He recalled Fang Yuan's school days—rebellious, manipulative, even using his classmates. Back then, Fang Yuan had been a constant source of trouble. But now, he seemed like a completely different person.
Gu Yue Mo Chen, however, wasn't surprised. He had already seen Fang Yuan's cunning firsthand. Watching him now—elegant, composed, effortlessly becoming the center of attention—Mo Chen could only lament how well Chi Lian had played his hand.
The conversations lasted a while longer, but regardless of their private thoughts, the elders present began to see Fang Yuan in a new light. Many silently admitted how misleading rumors could be.
Eventually, Fang Yuan politely declined a few invitations and left the clan head pavilion with Gu Yue Chi Lian, a calm smile on his face.
"Hmph, are you satisfied now? After pulling down Gu Yue Yao Ji, you even dragged my Chi faction into hot water!" When they reached the study room, Chi Lian couldn't pretend anymore, and the smile on his face was replaced by fury.
Fang Yuan was sitting in front of him and leisurely smiled, "You need to thank me for this. Gu Yue Yao Ji is down, this is a great benefit to your Chi faction."
Gu Yue Chi Lian's gaze flashed, "Hmph, young man, your thoughts are too simple. Chi Zhong is my Chi faction's member but his wife is of Yao faction. The clan head appointed him as the temporary medicine hall elder precisely because he wants to balance out the internal strife between my Chi and Yao faction. You, how did you find out about Chi Cheng's matter?"
At the end, Gu Yue Chi Lian suddenly asked this. He closely watched Fang Yuan with a gaze like that of an eagle's.
Fang Yuan unconcernedly shrugged his shoulders and said, "Old man, I don't have much primeval stones on me left, give me three thousand primeval stones."
Bang.
Gu Yue Chi Lian fiercely slammed the table; he lowered his voice and roared, "Fang Yuan! Don't even think that you can extort my Chi faction just by knowing that secret. I am old and don't have long to live, so at worst I will just give up my life! Hmph, I can accept cooperating, but I will absolutely not receive any threats!"
"I won't allow what happened today to happen again! If you recklessly make enemies and pull my Chi faction into your mess, you will regret it! You really think that secret can destroy my whole Chi faction? Heh, don't be so naive."
Fang Yuan remained silent, his eyes eerie as he let Gu Yue Chi Lian rant on.
At first, when Chi Lian slammed the table, his presence was fierce like a tiger's. But as he spoke further, his momentum gradually faded, and by the end, he seemed drained and uncertain, lacking confidence.
Only when he no longer spoke did Fang Yuan leisurely smile and say, "Old man, don't get so angry. I am indeed short of money recently, and I am not asking these three thousand primeval stones for free, I am just borrowing them. I can even sign the receipt for loan."
Gu Yue Chi Lian snorted, he spoke slowly, "You won't lack primeval stones, you have just become an elder and don't know the preferential treatment the clan gives to the elders. As long as you are an elder, you will receive a hundred primeval stones every week. This is the amount you receive in ordinary times, but as this is the time of the wolf tide, you will receive three hundred primeval stones as allowance."
"Not only that, you can also freely take a Rank three Gu worm. Similarly, the clan's Rank one to Rank three recipes will be opened to you. You can choose any recipe that you like and refine your Rank three Gu worm. There are also other privileges, for example: Ordinary Gu Masters can only marry one wife, but an elder can have one wife and two concubines.
"So that's it." Fang Yuan knew this of course, but he pretended it was the first time he heard it.
"But even if it is so, I still want to borrow three thousand primeval stones. You also know that I just advanced to Rank three. Refining a Rank three Gu worm consumes a great amount of primeval stones," Fang Yuan 'sincerely' said.
Gu Yue Chi Lian reflected on this.
He pondered, "With Fang Yuan's identity as an elder, he wouldn't go so far as to not pay his debt. Does he not want his reputation? If in case, he dies in the wolf tide, then wouldn't my three thousand primeval stones go in waste? Wait, won't it be better if he dies? We can continue to hide the matter regarding Chi Cheng's aptitude. But how did he learn this secret? Is there still anyone else who knows of it? I had better lend the money to him first and lower his guard, then I can probe his secret."
Thinking up to this point, Gu Yue Chi Lian no longer pressed the matter and promptly brought out brush and paper.
Fang Yuan wrote the loan receipt and stamped it with his fingerprint.
Chi Lian summoned his butler and gave instructions. Shortly after, several money bags filled with primeval stones were delivered.
Fang Yuan weighed each bag carefully and found nothing amiss.
These three thousand primeval stones were a timely aid.
Having just advanced to Rank three, he needed to refine a Rank three Gu worm to truly gain the combat and survival power of his new rank.
He already had a general plan in mind. Though three thousand stones might fall short, there was no rush—Chi faction would become his personal gold mine.
This loan was only the beginning. If it worked once, it would work again. The first time was hard, but the next would be easier.
As for repaying the debt… hehe.
Fang Yuan wasn't in a hurry to leave after getting these primeval stones, but instead smiled, "I still want to borrow something."
"Don't go overboard." Gu Yue Chi Lian was grim, but in the end, he still said, "Speak, what is it?"
"Cleansing Water Gu," Fang Yuan's' eyes narrowed as he said candidly.
A Cleansing Water Gu was previously sold in the caravan, and the buyer was Gu Yue Chi Lian.
He used his own primeval essence to boost his grandson's cultivation, causing mixed auras in the aperture that needed purification from the Cleansing Water Gu.
"That is impossible!" Gu Yue Chi Lian firmly refused.
"Don't refuse me so fast." Fang Yuan laughed, "I believe you – Lord Gu Yue Chi Lian, the head of Chi faction – know which is more important, a Cleansing Water Gu or Chi faction's reputation."
Gu Yue Chi Lian's face darkened completely, the aura around him turning cold as he fiercely looked at Fang Yuan, gnashing his teeth, "Fang Yuan, know what you are trying to do. You are blackmailing me, blackmailing the head of the grand Chi faction!"
"No, no, this is not a blackmail, it is a discussion. I am only borrowing the Cleansing Water Gu and will return you a new one in the future. I can sign the receipt of loan for this too," Fang Yuan chuckled. However, his tone was firm and it showed his determined will.
"Don't even imagine it!" Chi Lian's attitude was also firm.