An hour later, Fang Yuan exited the Chi family manor with three thousand primeval stones and a Cleansing Water Gu.
Meanwhile, Gu Yue Chi Lian sat in his study, staring at two loan receipts written by Fang Yuan. His frustration surged like an unending tide.
With Fang Yuan holding the Chi faction's weakness, Chi Lian had no choice but to yield—Fang Yuan's win was inevitable.
The next day
"Lord Fang Yuan, this way towards the secret room, please enter." In the dark eerie tunnel, a Rank two old Gu Master walked in front, leading the way for Fang Yuan.
Although Fang Yuan had already been here before, he had to act as if this was the first time he had been here.
The secret chamber holding all the clan's Gu worm combination recipes was just ahead. After reaching Rank three, Fang Yuan's status changed completely. He could now access any fusion recipe below Rank four.
In contrast, Rank one or two Gu Masters had to pay primeval stones or spend merit points to see them.
This chamber lay hidden beneath the village. Even if the village were destroyed, it would remain intact.
Long ago, the first clan leader discovered a primeval essence spring here and built the village above it.
Over generations, this underground cave became the Gu Yue clan's secret base.
Ordinary Gu Masters were banned from entering. Only elders, the clan leader, and assigned guards could come here.
Most Gu Masters only visited once, during the awakening ceremony to open their apertures.
Otherwise, entry was forbidden without special permission. Even the guards were chosen with great care.
The primeval spring was the village's foundation, producing primeval stones to support all cultivation.
Two sets of footsteps echoed through the tunnel.
In the distance, the underground river murmured.
Soon, the guide stopped before a stone door.
He tapped his belly, releasing a Gu worm from his aperture. Sparks flared as it struck the door.
Ripples spread across the surface, then the rock shimmered and vanished, revealing the chamber inside.
The room was only about 666 square meters. Every few steps stood a waist-high stone table.
Dozens of white jade plates rested on them, each holding a silent Gu worm.
The worms were fist-sized, colorful, and shaped like silkworms. They had compound eyes like bees, bright as glass. Though they looked soft, their shells gleamed with golden luster.
"Lord Fang Yuan, this is your first time to the secret room, so let me explain. These are Rank two Digital Shade Gu, all have recipes recorded in them. In the green Digital Shade Gu worms, almost all the Rank one recipes can be found in them. As for the red-black coloured Gu, there are Rank two recipes. White contains the Rank three recipes, and orange has the Rank four recipes. As for Rank five, it is contained in the most central purple Digital Shade Gu worms." Beside him, the old Gu Master introduced appropriately.
"Lord Fang Yuan, these Digital Shade Gu all belong to the Secret Hall clan elder. But it would not impede you from using primeval essence and browsing through. Just that with your current identity, you cannot browse the Rank four and five recipes. There's also two more things — the secret room is the clan's red zone, your every action here is observed fully in secret. Everyday, you can only stay here for fifteen minutes. Once the time is up, you must leave," the Gu Master continued speaking.
"Mm, I understand." Fang Yuan nodded.
"Lord Fang Yuan, this subordinate has no authority to enter, thus I will wait at the door. Once the time is up, I will bring you out," the old man bowed.
Fang Yuan walked into the secret room. Once he entered, the rock door turned from virtual to solid, trapping him in the room alone.
Fang Yuan took a red-black coloured Gu worm and injected his white silver primeval essence inside. Immediately two beams of light shot out from the Digital Shade Gu's compound eyes.
He raised the Gu up, and pointed the eyes at the white jade plate on the table.
Two beams of light hit the white jade plate, and after some fluctuations, words started to appear.
Fang Yuan did not look through closely; to save time, he skimmed through. After all, all of these Gu recipes were neither important nor worthwhile to him. With just a mere glance, Fang Yuan could even modify or completely change the recipes to make them better. Naturally, for him, mortal Gu worms were truly child's play.
"Looks like everything is still the same." After about fifteen minutes of browsing, Fang Yuan had skimmed through the entire Digital Shade Gu.
"Lord Fang Yuan, it has been fifteen minutes, I believe you have had some gains. No matter what, please come again tomorrow." At this point, the door turned into an astral state again, as the old Gu Master stood outside and said respectfully.
"Okay." Fang Yuan replied and walked out of the secret room.
Just as he walked out of the secret room, a middle-aged Gu Master stood outside, specifically waiting for Fang Yuan. "Lord Fang Yuan, hello."
"You are?" Fang Yuan knew who he was but pretended to be oblivious.
The person smiled, "I am Gu Yue Chi Zhong, the current acting medicine hall clan elder."
Gu Yue Chi Zhong had a dignified look, with a square face and an air of steady composure.
Like Fang Yuan, he was a clan elder, though his cultivation was at Rank three middle stage.
After Fang Yuan caused Gu Yue Yao Ji to collapse, Gu Yue Chi Zhong was assigned to temporarily oversee the medicine hall. His wife held an influential position within the medicine faction, so this arrangement was part of Gu Yue Bo's effort to balance the rivalry between the two factions.
Regardless of the reason, Gu Yue Chi Zhong had still managed to rise to this position.
"I have heard that Lord Fang Yuan wanted to find me?" inquired Gu Yue Chi Zhong.
"That's right. You want me to turn in the Nine Leaf Vitality Grass, don't you?" Fang Yuan went straight to the point and stated his intention.
"Oh… that is true. I wanted to find Lord Fang Yuan about this matter as well, but I didn't expect Lord Fang Yuan to already know my intention." Surprised, Gu Yue Chi Zhong admitted it. In truth, he had planned to wait a few more days to collect the clan elders' payout on Fang Yuan's behalf and deliver it personally, hoping to hint at his status and social connections.
But everything fell through when he heard from Gu Yue Chi Cheng that Fang Yuan was looking for him.
Before leaving the Chi family manor, Fang Yuan had asked Gu Yue Chi Cheng about this matter. Unable to refuse Fang Yuan, Gu Yue Chi Cheng decided to send a letter to Gu Yue Chi Zhong stating that Fang Yuan was looking for him.
"Handing over the Nine Leaf Vitality Grass, it's not that it cannot be done," Fang Yuan said.
Gu Yue Chi Zhong understood and smiled, "If sire is willing to hand over the Nine Leaf Vitality Grass, I will willingly compensate you with this command token." Saying so, he took out a token.
This token's design was simple; it was triangular-shaped with smooth corners. There were words written on the front, pilling up in a pyramid shape —'Prize Token'; similarly on the back said —'Reward Contributions'.
Gu Yue Chi Zhong had long been prepared for this.
"Sire is a newly promoted elder, and may not be clear on some matters. This Prize Token is issued to the Gu Masters who have made great contributions to the clan. Even among elders, few possess it. With this token, you can go down to the clan's underground Gu cave and choose any Gu worm you like. The underground cave holds many rare, precious Gu worms. Among the top ten Gu worms in the exchange board, four of them have been selected from the underground Gu cave," Gu Yue Chi Zhong explained.
Fang Yuan only took a moment and received the Prize Token and then handed over the Nine Leaf Vitality Grass.
Chi Zhong could quickly refine the Nine Leaf Vitality Grass as Fang Yuan is transferring it to him, only after keeping this grass Gu into his aperture did he let out a big sigh of relief.
He had his own ambitions, and serving as the temporary medicine hall elder was a crucial chance for him.
If he could seize it, he might secure the official position rather than just an interim role.
But to succeed, he needed to make compromises with all three factions. Politics, after all, was the art of concession.
While Yao Ji couldn't touch Fang Yuan during her tenure, once he took over, he managed to have Fang Yuan hand over the Nine Leaf Vitality Grass.
This not only showed goodwill to the medicine faction but also demonstrated he could handle Yao Ji's unfinished business and subtly prove his own capability.
"This Fang Yuan is an outstanding man. He knew that keeping the Nine Leaf Vitality Grass had little benefit for him now that he was an elder. Without any hesitation, he immediately sought me out to arrange the transfer. The world is immense, filled with countless remarkable talents. During the wolf tide, veterans are sacrificed while fresh faces rise to prominence. In a way, this process is also a kind of reform that helps the clan maintain its vitality and remain strong without decline," Chi Zhong sighed inwardly.
"Lord Chi Zhong, it's really delightful to chat with you. I wonder if you still have some time now?" Fang Yuan asked as he stored the token.
Gu Yue Chi Zhong's eyes flashed; he was puzzled.