The Terror of Option Chapter 1215 1215: 10 RI

The tree roots penetrate into the mountain soil, letting their green hands reach up towards the sky. Thick and solid tree trunks faced each other, looking similar through the distances. The exuberant branches and leaves intertwined in mid-air.

Under the surroundings of these trees was a wooden house.

The wooden house was made entirely from the solid thick barks, leaking out a type of genuine firm sll. The wooden house was not a newly built one, but it had gathered many years. Thus the house surface had green moss growing all over, and so of the tree trunks had begun to sprout out tender little branches.

Around the wooden house was a tall and great fence constructed from green spear bamboo. The back and front area was all vegetable fields, and in the middle of the fields was a man-made well.

At this ti, a young and beautiful lady was drawing water from the well.

While she wore simple and plain clothing, this was still hard to mask her complexion. She was sixteen years of age, and she had a big pair of black eyes, the black and whites of her eyes clearly defined, and pure like crystals.

The sunlight penetrated through the overlapping and luxuriant tree leaves, shining onto her face, letting her skin reflect light like it was white snow, also showing a sort of transparent red flush and gentleness on her.

Her black hair hung down unruly and half-covered her cute earlobes.

The pink lips were pursed at the mont, and she was clenching her set of white perfect teeth, her face showing an expression of full concentration.

She used all her strength to pull the bucket full of water out of the well. With another breath, she moved the bucket to the ground outside the well.

"Huff!" The young girl wiped her forehead and breathed out, using her pale hand to fan her own face.

Hearing the bucket hitting the ground, the wooden house's door opened, and an old man ca out.

The old man's hair was a mix of black and white, his face having layers of wrinkles. Although his eyes looked tired, they showed a hint of brilliance sotis. Like an elderly tiger, although old, the tiger's authority was still evident.

"Lass, this bucket is too heavy, I said let carry it. Why are you secretly watering the plants behind my back again?" The elderly looked at the young girl and showed an expression of doting affection.

"Father!" The young girl sweetly called, "You were hunting until late at night yesterday, I wanted you to sleep in later today. It's just a water bucket, look, I can carry it out, right?"

"You, always loving to act tough!" The old man's voice was full of helplessness, but his eyes were once again doting on her.

He took a large step and got to the well, stretching out his hand and easily grabbing the bucket, "Co, lass, let's water the plants together."

The air was full of the sll of wild grass and flowers, and the sumr's wind blew warmly and passed by the trees, turning into a gust of refreshing wind.

The wooden house on the mountain had a vegetable field, and the girl used the pail, lowering her back to water the plants. The father was in charge of getting the water, rotating between two water buckets. The atmosphere of a loving family was evident in this tiny space.

"Sigh, I am too old, just a few buckets and I am already exhausted." After a while, the old man stood by the well, wiping the sweat off his forehead and sighing deeply.

The young girl turned her head back, smiling like flowers, saying, "Father, you finally realized it. You're already so old, yet you want to act tough all the ti. How many tis have I told you, let second brother do the hunting, you should be resting at ho enjoying your life at this age."

"Hehehe," the old man laughed, nodding, "Relying on your second brother's abilities, he can roam this mountain easily. With his archery skills, it even surpasses in my youth. But I still cannot feel at ease, his heart is too wild, and with just martial art skills he wants to soar. Sigh, young n love to imagine freely, they all have this problem."

"Father....." The young girl dragged her words.

The old man laughed even more heartily now, his tone carrying a mischievous hint, "Oh yeah, there's still you. You're not young anymore, it's ti to get married. I have found a good partner for you, and with your good looks, there's no problems with finding a good family."

The girl's face grew red like a tomato. Imdiately she felt too embarrassed until she was lost for words.

The old man looked at the sky, imagining the great future as he sighed, "Once your second brother suffers so setbacks and curbs his nature, I will retire and never go into the mountains. Next I will find you a good family and watch you marry and have children, preferably a chubby boy. Heh heh, your father wants to take care of his grandson, that's all I want. A person's life is not easy, and as a hunter, how many can have a good ending? Sigh, all my partners and comrades from back then are already gone, I am all that's left."

"Father, you are wrong." The young girl consoled, "What do you an there's only you left? You still have us."

"Hehe, hmm?" The old man was laughing and was about to reply, but he suddenly heard a sound and turned his head.

The little entrance of the bamboo fence was broken from the outside by soone.

"You are old man Wang?" Fang Yuan's cold expression with his eerie eyes, stepped forward with a lump of moonlight in his right arm. @@@@

The old man was shocked as he looked at the moonlight on Fang Yuan's hand, rapidly kneeling, "This old man pays his respects to Lord Gu Master!"

"Old man Wang, your son dared to offend , I have executed him. Bring his corpse forward!" Fang Yuan stood proudly, staring at the kneeling old man as he brought out the main topic.

His words had just finished, and two young hunters carried Wang Er's corpse in.

Seeing this corpse, old man Wang's body shook!

"Second brother —!" The young girl scread pitifully, rushing forward and grabbing Wang Er's corpse, her face flushed with tears.

"Wang family's daughter..." The two young hunters, seeing the girl they liked crying in front of them, felt terrible. They wanted to console her, but no words ca out.

"Old man Wang, I heard you're a hunter, the best among the few villages. At such an old age, you can still hunt and get a good result every ti, this is great."

Fang Yuan paused here for a mont, and continued expressionlessly, "Draw a map of all the traps of the nearby mountain area now, as well as the results of your observation of wild beast territories from your hunting experience all these years. Draw it for and I will spare your son's sin of offending , if not... hmph."

These villages were under Gu Yue village's control. The villagers were all farr slaves of the Gu Yue clan.

With Wang Er's offense for offending his master, according to the clan rules, their entire family would be implicated!

Old man Wang's body shook again, almost falling to the ground. An impact like this was too sudden and great to him.

"Murderer, you are the murderer that hard my brother! You treat human lives like livestock, and you dare to confront us? I will exact revenge for my brother!!" The young girl scread, her voice full of hatred and anger towards Fang Yuan, and she rushed towards Fang Yuan.

But she was only halfway there when she got stopped by soone.

It was not the two young hunters, but her father.

"Disgraceful wretch!" Old man Wang scread as he gave the young girl a tight slap, sending her to the ground.

"Your second brother is dead, do you want to die too? Do you want this old father of yours to be old and alone forever?!" The old man cried profusely saying this, his body trembling furiously.

"Father!" The young girl was awakened by this, and her tears poured out. Her voice was full of sadness, unjust, pity, hatred, and helplessness.

The old man turned his body, facing Fang Yuan as he kneeled down and placed his forehead on the ground, prostrating deeply at Fang Yuan's feet. His voice shook as he said, "Lord Gu Master, my son offended you and deserved to die! I shall draw the map for you now, please spare us with your magnanimity."

Fang Yuan's expression turned milder, he looked at the old man arrogantly, saying, "Be at ease, as long as you draw honestly, I will spare you. But don't think of lying to , for if I find any suspicious points, your lives will be forfeited!"

"I understand, this old man understands." Old man Wang kowtowed non-stop, "Please Lord Gu Master, allow to retrieve my brush and paper."

"No need." Fang Yuan waved his hand, looking at the two hunters he had forced along, ordering, "Enter the room and find paper and brush, and bring them out."

"Yes, Lord Gu Master." The two youngsters did not dare to rebel under Fang Yuan's authority.

"Lord, the paper and brush are on the square table in the kitchen." Old man Wang said.

Fang Yuan's eyes shone but he remained silent.

The two hunters barged into the house and quickly brought out the paper and brush.

In the southern territory, the paper were specially made of bamboo, where the quality was bad and the paper was tough with green overlays. Paper like this was suited to the moist weather of the southern territorial weather.

If it was rice paper, it might be destroyed after a week due to moisture.

The old man carried the brush and kneeled on the ground, drawing out black lines, curves or dots.

He used over ten bamboo papers, before handing them all to Fang Yuan.

Fang Yuan looked through them and split these bamboo papers into two, handing them to the two hunters, "Take a look if there's any inappropriate areas. Every mistake, I'll give you one prival stone!"

-x-X-x-

The two hunters took the bamboo papers, their hands trembling, eyes shining.

"This is hunter Wang's life experience and effort. Us hunters, although we keep in contact, it is all about trap placent, we will not tell others about the wild beast distribution. This bamboo paper, it is all the information that hunter Wang had gathered since his ancestors."

"So this valley has a herd of wild deer, haha, after I hunt these wild deer, I won't have to worry about expenses for the next three months! Ah, this stream has a cave of mountain bears? How close, I almost hunted at this region last ti, note it, I must note it all down!"

These were precious information, it could be said to be a hunter's rice bowl!

Normally not within a generation but all the way from their forefathers, these experiences and information were obtained at the expense of their blood and lives.

But old man Wang's family had always hunted for a living. When it got to old man Wang, he had reached the peak of his family line, the acclaid number one hunter.

Information in the hands of such a person, is the most useful and truthful.

The two young hunters checked for nearly fifteen minutes, glossing through the map multiple tis. Only after Fang Yuan rushed them did they finally hand over the bamboo paper reluctantly.

During this period, old man Wang was kneeling on the ground, his forehead touching the ground as he expressed his respect. The young girl was lying on the ground, as if she had gone lifeless.

"There is no problem, lord."

"The trap areas in these bamboo papers are all accurate."

The two answered.

"Lord Gu Master, this concerns and my daughter's life, I would definitely not lie to you!" The old man on the ground shouted as he continued to kowtow.

"Mmm, not bad." Fang Yuan waved the stack of bamboo paper, yet suddenly his words changed, "But, I don't believe it."

Old man Wang jolted, raising his head, but only saw an eerie blue moonblade enlarging within the reflection of his iris.

Pew.

A skull flew into the air, fresh blood spewing all over.

"Argh!!!"

"Lord, this—!"

The two young hunters were taken by surprise. Shock and disbelief showed on their faces.

"Father—!" The young girl cried out profusely as she leapt towards old man Wang's headless corpse, but midway, a moonblade flew towards her face.

Splat.

She fell onto the ground, lifeless.

Her beautiful face, from her forehead to her chin, slowly showed a thin red line.

The line beca thicker as fresh red blood oozed out, flowing down along half of her nose and half of her lips. They flowed onto the black soil, dyeing half of her face bright red.

The other half of her face though, was still as beautiful, the skin fair and rosy. Under the bright blue sky, it seed even more lustrous, like a work of art.

"At least she looks decent." Fang Yuan looked at the dead girl blandly, nodding satisfactorily.

Using Rank one middle stage prival essence, the moonblade could slice Gu. Now that he was using upper stage prival essence, it could break bones and even cut steel!

"Wang family's daughter!" A young hunter fell onto the ground in despair after seeing her demise with his own eyes.

"Lord Gu Master, spare us!" The other hunter feeling Fang Yuan's faze, nearly died of shock as he plopped on the ground.

"Get up, go inside and search!' Fang Yuan ordered, "I know that a hunter's family always keeps a beast skin map. On top of it is the terrain, trap locations and the beast territories. Find it for , and I'll let you keep your lives."

"Yes, yes, yes, we will search imdiately. Give us so ti, Lord Gu Master!" The two frantically got up and ran into the wooden house.

Sounds of wardrobes overturning and falling could be heard from the wooden house.

But a mont later, even though the hunters ransacked the house, there was no beast skin map to be found.

"Lord, please give so ti, we will find it right now!" The two hunters were terrified as they got more desperate and searched boorishly, smashing many furniture in the process.

"Fuck, where is it?"

"Appear, please appear!"

They muttered as their bodies shivered, their eyes getting bloodshot.

"Useless trash." Fang Yuan slowly walked into the house.

"Lord! Lord! Forgive us, please...wahh..." The two young hunters shivered like they were electrified and fell to the ground, begging for their lives.

Fang Yuan ignored the two and observed the house.

There were four rooms in the house, a living room and a kitchen. All the furniture were in a ss, like they were ransacked.

Fang Yuan slowly stepped in, his steps producing echoes in the wooden house.

"It has indeed been searched, that shouldn't be right. Almost every hunter has a beast skin map inherited throughout the generations, getting refined along the way, recording all the beasts territory and pitfalls. This is the livelihood of a hunter, how can they not have it?"

Fang Yuan stood pondering, "Moreover, I tested that old man Wang earlier, purposely getting the two hunters to search for paper and brush. The old man imdiately called out the location of the paper and brush, probably worried that they might find the beast skin map, thus it has to be in this house!"

Fang Yuan observed the house again, and suddenly his inspiration struck as he looked at the firepit.

This firepit was connected to the chimney, used in winter to gain warmth. There was even so residue charcoal in the firepit.

Fang Yuan walked to the firepit, slowly squatting down and taking a shovel beside the firepit, digging out the charcoal.

Most of the charcoal still has their wooden shape, they were brittle and easily broken into two.

"Oh?" Fang Yuan inspected, suddenly finding a charcoal block that had a very tough material and was very heavy, not light like the other charcoal blocks.

He used the shovel to dig out this charcoal block, smashing it on the ground. The charcoal smashed into bits, revealing a bamboo tube.

The two hunters gasped at this scene.

Fang Yuan took the bamboo tube and opened it on one side, shaking it, causing a map to fall out.

The map was heavier than the stack of bamboo paper, made with a piece of white beast skin. The beast skin was huge, over a ters long and half a ter in breadth. There was black, green, red, yellow and blue lines on it, forming a complicated map. @@@@

Fang Yuan was slightly taken aback looking at it.

The map's range was very big, extending far beyond the village's vicinity. As a mortal, it was not easy to map out areas so far away.

His gaze focused on five spots, those with wild boar herds.

Two were small sized, two were dium sized, and there was a large sized boar herd. In the middle of the large sized herd, there was a giant red cross.

Seeing this cross, Fang Yuan snickered. On his bamboo paper, there was no such marking!

The two young hunters had also seen the bamboo paper, and found no problems. This was their own inexperience, only certain of so areas. This red cross was far beyond the village, and from this, old man Wang's cunningness could be seen.

This was why Fang Yuan killed them.

To hunt for wild boars, he needed such a beast skin map. But he was not convinced by a map drawn by others. Only getting a "real" map like this, could it be dependable.

Fang Yuan had heard of all sorts of remarks in his past life. Just a word "scram", was not enough reason for him to kill Wang Er.

When hearing the four hunters' conversation beside the boar trap, Fang Yuan had already planned his murder.

Killing Wang Er reduced his opposition, and gave him reason to obtain the map. Why wouldn't he kill him?

Fang Yuan would not kill for the sake of killing, killing is only a thod. Using this thod, if it can solve the problem, then why not?

The old man definitely had to die, even if he can endure the murder of his son, Fang Yuan would not be at ease. Otherwise, it would be a case of "When cutting down weeds, you must get at the roots. Otherwise, the weeds will return with the spring breeze."

What, you said killing the innocent?

Hehe, no matter which world, as long as one lives in this world, they would be intertwined in karma, how can anyone be innocent? Humans slaughter pigs, aren't the pigs innocent?

Big fish eats small fish, and small fish eats shrimps, in nature there is only the food chain, there is no innocence.

In this world, anybody can live, anybody can die, but nobody is innocent!

-x-X-x-

The beast skin map was very thick, it was unlike paper that could be folded and carried around easily. Fang Yuan could only roll the beast skin up and put it back into the bamboo tube, where he then tied up both ends of the bamboo tube with hemp rope, and carried it on his back.

The two hunters stared firmly at the bamboo case, their eyes unavoidably showing signs of greed. They were not idiots after all — they knew the value of the map.

This beast skin map is sothing that Gu Masters would not even bother looking at, but to mortals, especially hunters like them, it was the most valuable treasure.

The Wang family had began to pass down this map since the ti of their ancestors. Old man Wang was able to beco a famous hunter, his na known throughout the vicinity and beyond; the map had much contribution to this. It was truly an authentic family heirloom.

"I'm going to ask you — in Old man Wang's household, is there anyone else?" Fang Yuan's gaze was dark, his tone cold as he asked.

The two young n kneeling on the ground shuddered imdiately when they heard this question from Fang Yuan. They thought about what had just conspired earlier, and the greedy expressions from their faces disappeared in an instant, replaced with fear and terror.

"There is no one else, the entire family is dead, lord Gu Master!"

"Hunter Wang originally had a wife, but that was decades ago, and she was killed by wild wolves that intruded the village. Before his wife died she gave birth to two sons and a daughter. But the oldest son Wang Da died on the mountain while hunting three years ago. There is no one else in the Wang family."

This was the imdiate reply from the two young hunters.

"Is that so..." Fang Yuan narrowed his two eyes and he looked at the two n kneeling before him, knowing that they were telling the truth. When one's life and death was in the hands of others, the probability of lying was very small.

But he asked anyway, "Did you lie to ?"

"We would not dare to lie even the slightest, lord!"

"I-I thought of sothing! Old man Wang actually also has a daughter-in-law, Wang Da's old wife. But after Wang Da disappeared, his wife died due to a broken heart. That year, the village even specially sent down a chastity morial arch! But rumour has it that Wang Da's wife wanted to remarry, and she was actually hounded to death by Old man Wang. When you killed Old man Wang, lord, you are helping us citizens, rooting out the evil and bringing people peace!"

The other hunter quickly added, "That's right, that's right. Actually lord, we have long found this old Wang unfavourable. Hmph, he's nothing special, just that he can hunt better than us. We're all just mortals, yet he thinks he's more special than us and purposely moved out of the village to live here. As the younger generation, we sotis will ask him to teach us and impart his experiences, but he would just outright chase us away and never allow us to show up again near the wooden house!"

Fang Yuan listened quietly while nodding. Although these two started belittling Old man Wang in an attempt to keep their lives, he did not sense any resentnt from these two n's mouths.

Fang Yuan guessed inwardly that these two n asking to consult for hunting matters should be fake, he surmised that they were just over to covet for the Wang family's daughter and her good looks. Yet in the end they were found out by Old man Wang and disciplined a few tis harshly.

"Weeding out the wicked and let the law-abiding citizens live in peace. Enough of such bootlicking, this ti I killed them because my motive was just for this beast skin map. Well, both of you have showed a satisfying behaviour, you can both go now." Fang Yuan's tone softened, but at the sa ti the right hand behind his back shone with gloomy moonlight.

The two young n kneeling on the ground felt surprise and joy once they heard this.

"Thank you so much for your rcy, lord!"

"Lord, your generosity and indulgence, we shall rember in heart forever!"

They kowtowed on the ground, their mucus and tears overflowing, sounds of dull knocking could be heard. After several knocks they imdiately got up and turned to leave.

Although Fang Yuan was younger than them in age, but after witnessing firsthand what Fang Yuan was like in doing things, they were beyond fearful and terrified, wishing never to et Fang Yuan again.

"Hold it." Just at this mont, a voice suddenly travelled over.

The mont it finished there was a swoosh and a Gu Master jumped down from a treetop.

"You both cannot leave, tell what happened here. All of it." This Gu Master that just jumped down was wearing a deep blue uniform, and there was a scarlet belt with a tal plate in the middle. There was a huge 'Two' word carved onto the tal plate.

This Rank two Gu Master had a slim build, his two eyes slender. He wore arm protectors on his wrists, and his calves had sturdy leg bindings, his entire being radiating with a highly capable aura.

"This commoner greets lord Jiang He!" The two young n had just got up with the intention to leave, but once they saw this Gu Master they instantly knelt down again, prostrating themselves in admiration while greeting.

This Gu Master was soone they knew — it was the Gu Master stationed at the village.

Every year to reinforce their control in their surroundings, the Gu Yue Village would dispatch Gu Master down into the little villages and hamlets, stationing Gu Masters there. This would also prevent the other powers from infiltrating and at the sa ti strengthen their defences on their borders.

This Gu Master nad Jiang He did not bother with the two hunters kneeling on the ground, instead looking straight at Fang Yuan, asking in a cold tone, "I am the Gu Master Jiang He of the Gu Yue clan who has been stationed here, you are?"

Fang Yuan laughed lightly and stretched his right palm out, where the Moonlight Gu was giving out a ball of moonlight in the middle of his palm.

When the Gu Master Jiang He saw the moonlight in Fang Yuan's hand, his gaze softened considerably — the Moonlight Gu was the sign of the Gu Yue clan, this was sothing that could not be forged.

"This matter is simple actually. Old man Wang's second son offended , so I killed the entire family off in anger. Those two can be my witness." Fang Yuan straightforwardly admitted with a bold and confident manner, pointing at the two hunters kneeling down at the sa ti.

Fang yuan was not lying, and these two hunters nodded in haste; there was no hesitation.

Jiang He stared blankly for a mont before he started laughing loudly, "You killed well! Just a bunch of asly peasant servants, to actually dare to offend their masters, they deserved to be killed!!"

But he quickly added with a change in tone, full of emotion and deep aning, "However young junior, what you've done has also brought problems to . Although Old man Wang resides far away from the masses and stayed here alone with his family, they are still villagers that I am in charge of. I was sent out from the clan and stationed here in this village, this ans I'm supposed to protect the villagers and be on the alert as defence. Now that you've killed these few people, the number of villagers will have lessened. During the examination at the end of the year the clan's assessnt towards will drop." @@@@

Fang Yuan's gaze shone, and he instantly knew that this Jiang He was using this as a pretext to extort money from him.

He laughed and said out, "This isn't so difficult. Senior you just have to report the truth back. Just say that this entire family was killed by , and it has nothing to do with senior whatsoever."

When Jiang He heard this his eyelids twitched, anger rising in his heart towards Fang Yuan who did not know how to appreciate favors. His manner of speaking beca extrely solemn, "Then I will have to conduct business impartially here. Junior, if you are not afraid of the clan's investigation then report your na, I will record it in detail as how things really are on paper."

His words brought a strong implication of threat; if it was any other youngster they would have been frightened by this statent already.

But Fang Yuan could see Jiang He's weakness from it, and he instantly said, "Then senior shall report as how it should be. Ah right, my surna is Gu Yue, and my na is Fang Yuan."

"So you're actually Fang Yuan!" Jiang He's face evidently showed astonishnt for a while, "I have been hearing about you all the ti from my little brother recently. You thoroughly beat up all your classmates, extorting in front of everyone, getting sixty pieces of prival stones each ti. Every ti my little brother speaks of it he's always jealous of how you can earn money so easily. Not to ntion that ti when you gambled out a Liquor worm and a Mudskin Toad consecutively. This sort of luck sure makes people jealous. Oh right, my little brother is Jiang Ya, you both should have t each other long ago."

"So it's him." Fang Yuan nodded and admitted, "Yes, every ti when I buy Moon orchid petals, I would buy them in Jiang Ya's shop."

"Hahaha, since this it the case then we both are acquaintances. Oh well let's forget about it, this matter I'll handle it!" When he said this, Jiang He clapped his chest with his hands, putting out the appearance of one with the spirit of loyalty and self-sacrifice.

He was rely using this favourable circumstance, there was no way he could have really reported the matter.

After reporting of such a thing the clan's assessnt towards him would still drop either way. You might as well just do a good turn to Fang Yuan, as for Old man Wang's family's death, he could just report that they were invaded and attacked by a wild beast.

It's Old man Wang's fault for his unconventional ways of insisting to move out of the village, building a wooden house far away from the population!

Jiang He was not afraid of the matter being disclosed, there was just a few mortal peasants around. Their lives were cheap ass grass, who cares if they died? Even if the clan found out about the cover-up they would hardly care about such a small matter.

"But junior, you have yet to graduate from the academy and do not have the Gu Master uniform like I am wearing now. If that Wang Er saw this outfit he'd know about your status as Gu Master and wouldn't offend you. Junior you are a smart person, don't you think so, hehe," said Jiang He again.

Fang Yuan's eyes flashed. Jiang He's words had implicit aning, and was actually warning himself — do not run out of the academy and wander around for no reason, and you better not co to the area under my jurisdiction here after today to cause trouble and kill people again.

"In that case thank you very much for your advice, senior." Fang Yuan cupped his fists in greeting, bidding farewell to Jiang He, imdiately taking his leave from here.

-x-X-x-

In the black of the night, the moon is shaped like a silver plate, hanging high in the sky spewing its watery moonlight down.

The dense woods lightly unfold their dense green leaves and branches in the sumr wind. The waterfalls crash down as they flow, but the sounds are unable to cover the noises of the sandalwood crickets chirping about.

Fang Yuan stepped onto the green grass, quietly approaching a mountain boar.

This mountain boar had its head buried, puffing and snorting as it digged the erald earth with its snout, rummaging among the soil and grass to look for worms.

The wild boar was an omnivorous animal. It not only ate worms, but also stole bird eggs and was adept at hunting wild rabbits, mice, even venomous creatures such as snakes and scorpions.

Fang Yuan crept slowly from behind the boar.

Under the bright moonlight, the greyish black fur coat of the wild pig could be seen clearly. Its body was strong and firm, the four limbs short and rough. On its back was a long and stiff mane, while atop its ears were sparse fur that was erect like needles. With all four limbs on the ground, each foot had four toes but only the two middle ones were digging against the soil. Its fail was thin and short, sotis flinging about, chasing away the mosquitoes flying around.

Suddenly it stopped digging for its al, rearing its head up. At the sa ti the boar's sharp little upright ears quickly trembled a few tis. Although Fang Yuan had managed to stop his tracks in ti, this mountain boar still found him. It imdiately turned around and groaned out with warning sounds.

Fang Yuan was not surprised by this. A wild animal was not like a dostic one, they were all very alert. Especially the wild boar, they had acute sll and could find bird nests that were often hidden very well.

Even if this mountain boar did not hear any noises, when Fang Yuan neared around a hundred ters away from it, it would be able to sll the his body odour and will still be able to sense Fang Yuan's presence.

Although Fang Yuan had five Gu worms on him at the mont — the Spring Autumn Cicada, Liquor worm, Moonlight Gu, Little Light Gu and the white boar Gu, these Gu were all not able to match each other, and were incompatible.

If Fang Yuan had a Sll Lock Gu that could cover up his body odour, and another Quiet Steps Gu that concealed the noise of one's footsteps, he could completely and silently reach up to a distance of ten steps away from the mountain pig.

However if he had these two Gu then Fang Yuan would have been keeping seven Gu worms, this would cause his prival essence usage to be too great and he would have difficulty supporting them.

Gu Masters in general can only feed four to five Gu worms of the sa rank. Thus Gu Masters usually do not move alone, but instead form small groups of five, or at the very least with three.

Among the groups, there would be soone specially in charge of detection, one responsible for advancent, one bearing the offence role, another responsible for dical treatnt and soone in charge of resisting and holding back hostiles.

Fang Yuan continued without stop, getting closer to the wild boar.

The wild boar screeched lowly, the white fur on its neck standing, the symbol of its agitation.

Finally when Fang Yuan was near enough, closer than the wild boar's acceptable range, the wild boar's hoofs dug the ground three tis before spreading its muscular four limbs, lowered its head and dashed towards Fang Yuan.

Its upper jaw was withdrawn, its lower jaw turning upwards, forming two white tusks. Under the moonlight, the tusks shone with light as it stabbed towards Fang Yuan.

Fang Yuan had no defensive type of Gu worm, and if he was pierced by the tusk, his stomach would be penetrated, his intestines would be punctured and he would be heavily injured if not dead.

"Moonlight Gu." Fang Yuan's face was calm as he thought in his mind, causing the Moonlight Gu in his palm to absorb his prival essence and emit an eerie moonlight glow, interweaving with the moonlight from the night sky.

The wild boar charged towards Fang Yuan as his right palm swiped across the air.

With a swoosh, the moonblade flew out and hit the wild boar in the face, causing blood to splatter all over.

The wild boar cried out loudly, turning its anger into fuel as its charge beca even faster, and in the blink of an eye, it reached a few steps before Fang Yuan.

Fang Yuan nimbly jumped to the side, rolling and breaking his fall.

The wild boar charged right past Fang Yuan, and with a boom, crashed into a tree behind him.

The tiny tree was only as thick as a human arm, after getting knocked by the wild boar, it received devastating damage as the tree trunk tore open and split into two.

Fang Yuan stood up, quickly getting close to the wild boar while a moonblade shot out from his right hand at the sa ti.

The eerily blue moonblade drew a straight line across the air as it landed on the wild boar.

The wild boar's black fur had several thin cuts on it. The injury was very deep and bright red blood oozed out from it.

The moonblade Fang Yuan activated used up upper stage prival essence, thus it was able to break even a human's toughest bones in one shot. But on the boar, it could only cause such superficial injury, and not damage the bones.

A small wild boar like this was so strong, this showed how cruel the living environnt was in this world!

The wild boar growled, and charged towards Fang Yuan again.

In the process of sprinting, its blood-dripping wound continued to tear open, and its warm blood poured out like water.

Fang Yuan used the sa trick, taking a tumble sideways and dodged its charge.

The wild boar, although strong and very ferocious, had one weakness — it could not change directions easily. Its speed was fast, but that ant it could not alter directions easily, so this way, every one of its charges is in a straight line. As long as a Gu Master is attentive enough, it is not hard to dodge.

Boom, boom, boom.

Every ti the wild boar charged, Fang Yuan would shoot a few moonblades, causing its old wounds to be overlapped with new wounds, and the angrier it got, the more blood flowed.

After a few tis, its movents slowed and its growling also revealed a hint of weakness.

"Little light Gu."

This ti, Fang Yuan not only activated the Moonlight Gu, but also deployed his prival essence and injected it into the Little light Gu.

The Moonlight Gu after being refined had always stayed in Fang Yuan's right palm, turning into a blue crescent moon tattoo. After the Little light Gu was refined, it also resided in his right palm, turning into the shape of a five-sided star.

At this point, his dark green prival essence entered the two Gu, the moonlight emitting an eerie blue moonlight while the Little light Gu emitted a milky white glow.

The milky white light fused into the moonlight, and the originally small lump of moonlight instantly beca twice as big.

"Go."

Fang Yuan's right hand sweeped, and an enhanced giant moonblade flew out.

Using only the Moonlight Gu, the size was only palm-sized. But with the addition and help of the Little light Gu, the moonblade's size doubled, and its attack range also doubled as well.

Swoosh!

The moonblade hit the wild boar on the neck, creeping into its black grey fur. It erged from the other end and flew for about three to four ters before dissipating in the air.

Glup glup...

The wild boar stood on the spot, frozen for a mont, then blood oozed out from its injuries like a fountain.

It abruptly collapsed, half of its head cut off, washed away by the pouring blood, and only a small piece of flesh kept it together with its body.

A thick sll of blood gushed out into his nose.

Fang Yuan did not dare to hesitate, pointing a finger at the wild boar, and the White Boar Gu which was residing in his aperture instantly turned into a milky white light and entered the wild boar's body.

Fang Yuan stood on the spot, nervously staying alert of the surroundings. Although the beast skin map said that the area was relatively safe, there were always accidents in nature, what if beasts were attracted by the sll of the blood?

After a while, the White Boar Gu flew back safe and sound.

The entire boar had shrunk in half, only leaving behind its black grey fur and the intestines under its skin. As for the at, most of it was eaten by the White Boar Gu.

But the strange thing was, although the White Boar Gu ate pork nearly a thousand tis its size, it did not change physically.

There was not even a drip of blood on it, as it maintained that milky white worm appearance.

"After this al, I'll co five days later to hunt boars." Fang Yuan kept the White Boar Gu, but did not leave imdiately. Instead, he took out his knife and extracted the two tusks of the boar.

The wild boar's body had a few things of value.

The first was pork, the second was fur, and the third was its teeth.

But now the wild boar at was mostly eaten by the White Boar Gu; its skin was full of holes due to the moonblades, being aningless even if retrieved.

Only this pair of tusks had so value. It could be used as food for certain Gu worms which ate teeth as food, or used as a catalyst for so Gu worm's advancent.

Fang Yuan hid the teeth in the rock crack's secret cave before returning to the hostel. @@@@

He did not sleep imdiately, but sat on his bed and started to cultivate.

Within the aperture, the prival sea acted like waves, rising and falling.

Fang Yuan was now a middle stage Gu Master, so after using the Liquor worm refinent, he had upper stage prival essence.

Thus, while the people his age had middle stage pale green prival essence, Fang Yuan's prival essence was dark green.

Now that he killed a boar, there was only 23% of his prival essence in his aperture.

A Rank one Gu Master was not that strong in battle. Or rather, nature's environnt was too harsh. Even if the moonblade could break bones, to kill a normal wild boar, Fang Yuan had to use 20% of his upper stage prival essence.

"White Boar Gu."

His eyes were shut tight, his spirit imrsed into his aperture.

In the aperture, a gush of dark green prival essence rushed up against the flow, injecting into the White Boar Gu.

The White Boar Gu imdiately emitted a bright white light, and the light enveloped Fang Yuan's body. If one looked from the outside, they would see that Fang Yuan's body was emitting a pure white light from the inside.

Fang Yuan's every muscle and every inch of skin, was soaked in this white light.

A feeling of numbness and itchiness was felt by him. As the white light modified his muscles, it allowed strength to be slowly infused into his body, thus gaining roots and never to be lost again.

However, after a mont, the numb feeling beca pain. This pain was like getting electrocuted, from numbness to sharp pain like getting cut by razor blades.

Fang Yuan hurriedly stopped the White Boar Gu.

Anything prolonged was not good.

The White Boar Gu could not be overused, it could be applied about fifteen minutes a day. Exceed it, and extre pain would be felt, increasingly painful.

If he continued using it despite that, a person might even die from the pain!

-x-X-x-

Ti flies, and with the blink of an eye, it was already the middle of June.

The sumr night, with the golden arc of the moon hanging high in the sky, shining its radiance on the green mountain lands.

The winds blew and the leaves danced with the moonlight. The song of the cicadas and bullfrogs were simultaneous with each other. At tis the sound of a wolf howling could be heard from afar, echoing throughout the green mountain.

On a river bank, a creek was scrubbing over a piece of smooth cliff rock. Beside this bank, a battle was ongoing.

A mountain boar covered in fine and deep wounds all over kicked its legs and rushed forward once more towards Fang Yuan. The blood was pouring from its wounds, marking a road of fresh red liquid.

Fang Yuan wrestled with it, showing no signs of panic.

The wild boar was on the verge of death, but it was precisely these monts that wild beasts are the most dangerous. Using the last remaining potential of their lives, their insanity and tenacity, could cause one to get gravely injured at any careless mont.

Fang Yuan was peaceful, his black iris glowing eerily under the moonlight, showing the light of absolute calmness.

He had the experience of 500 years, a part of him was engrossed in combat, while another disengaged from the battle, and remained alert towards the surroundings.

Many tis when he was hunting wild boars, other animals ca to wreck havoc. At tis, a wild boar, another ti wild wolves, and even once a wandering tiger.

As ti passed, the wild boar's attacks gradually slowed down.

Fang Yuan's eyes shone brightly as he took a few strides forward, getting close to the wild boar. Raising strength in his shoulder and arms, he carried and raised the wild boar in one breath.

Huff!

Fang Yuan growled as his face was puffed red, his arms stretching out and raising the wild boar high above his head.

The wild boar feebly struggled.

Fang Yuan's body was unstable, he used all his strength to throw the wild boar.

With a boom, the wild boar was thrown onto a large rock by the river bank. It cried pitifully as sounds of its bones breaking could be heard.

It fell down from the large rock, blood oozing out from its ears, nose and mouth.

It struggled a few tis before drawing its final breath.

The surroundings regained its peace.

The river water flowed endlessly, carrying the boar's blood along the river to so far away place.

"My strength right now can compete with a boar! Tonight I'll go try that giant rock at the passageway." Fang Yuan stood on the spot, breathing in heavily with a hint of excitent flashing across his eyes.

These days he had used the White Boar Gu non-stop to increase the strength of his body. He could feel strongly now that his strength was getting bigger.

Back then when he fought wild boars, he could only use a kiting technique with the moonblade, but now he could even carry the wild boar, so the incrent of his strength had shown great progress.

Of course, the White Boar Gu would not endless give him strength. The limit was a boar's strength, and once he reached the limit, it would no longer grant him any additional strength.

"I can carry a wild boar now, but that does not an I can go head to head with a boar, like how a strong man can carry another strong man, but it does not an they have equal strength. My strength can continue to grow."

Feeding all the pork to the White Boar Gu, Fang Yuan used his hunting knife to retrieve the boar's teeth, and finally diced up the already heavily torn boar skin, before going into the secret cave in the rock crack.

As for the boar's corpse, it did not need him to do anything. During the sumr night, wild beasts road freely, and not long after, there should be wild beasts picking up the scent of the blood and rush here to clean the scene for Fang Yuan.

Or rather, even if soone found out, it was inconsequential. The wild boar's injuries were all 'edited' by Fang Yuan, looking nothing like moonblade cuts.

Back to the secret cave enveloped in red light, Fang Yuan threw the two wild boar teeth at a corner.

The wild boar's teeth collided, causing a crisp sound.

At this corner, there was already a pile of wild boar teeth. They were the results of Fang Yuan's hunting.

Fang Yuan squird into the passageway, once again getting to the end of the tunnel. @@@@

Walking on the tunnel, his footsteps could be heard echoing in the cave, his vision dyed red due to the light.

Everything was unchanged; the giant rock was still there, quietly blocking his path. As for the hole created after digging out the earth treasury flower, it had already been filled up by Fang Yuan.

Haa!

Fang Yuan walked in front of the giant rock, raised both hands and pushed.

Although his face grew red with exertion, and he used all his strength, the giant rock did not move an inch.

"With my current strength, I can only carry a wild boar. But this giant rock, it is at least the weight of five to six boars. No wonder I cannot move it. The Flower Wine Monk's strength inheritance is not that easily obtained!" Fang Yuan's gaze shone as he estimated in his heart.

He did not give up, but instead ca out of the tunnel and returned to the secret room upstairs.

Taking a bamboo tube from the corner of the wall, Fang Yuan sat on the ground and opened the lid, taking out the beast skin map and sheets of bamboo paper.

He opened the beast skin map and started to morise it, using his fingers to draw on the traces on the map to aid in his morization.

Ever since he had obtained the map, he had been doing this everyday.

Fang Yuan did not have a storage type Gu, he could not bring the beast skin map with him everywhere. Carrying a bamboo tube on him while battling is inconvenient too. Thus, Fang Yuan put in so effort and was prepared to stuff the entire beast skin map's content into his head.

So things, even if troubleso, had to be done. In a person's life, those who did not actively resolve problems due to fearing trouble, would always face a dangerous predicant at the end. Fang Yuan understood this logic from his previous life.

"When one is young, their mory sure is good. I have already morised more than half of this map. If I was old, I would probably forget the content while morising this. Hehehe... of course if I had a Bookworm, I would feed this map to it, and from then on, as long as I do not lose the Bookworm, I will be able to recall this map clearly forever."

Fang Yuan had the Liquor worm, White Boar Gu, and was now beginning to have insatiable greed, starting to crave the Bookworm.

The value of the Bookworm was quite close to the Liquor worm and White Boar Gu, all being rare species among the Rank one Gu worms. The market price was expensive and they were often sold out in monts.

In his previous life, Fang Yuan did not obtain the Liquor worm or White Boar Gu, but he accidentally obtained a Bookworm. This Bookworm eventually advanced ranks with him, and accompanied him for a whole sixty years.

"Forget it, Bookworms are rare and low in numbers, I won't be able to get one anyti soon. To speak the truth, my current stage is way better than my previous life at this point. Last ti at this period, I was still a Rank one initial stage, while the others like Fang Zheng, Chi Cheng, Mo Bei were already upper stage, far beyond ." Fang Yuan was not soone who worried over nothing, quickly getting over it.

He was rather satisfied with his current progress.

He was a middle stage, and the others were also middle stage. With his C grade talent, he could maintain the sa speed as these A and B grades, it was not easy. Much effort was given to the Liquor worm, as well as Fang Yuan's rich cultivating experience.

The other aspect, was also due to Fang Yuan.

His act of extortion had caused the classmates to bulk up on training their physical fighting skills under the help of their elders. Unknowingly, it caused them to be distracted, reducing the ti they spent on nurturing their apertures. This resulted in everyone's cultivation level being even lower than Fang Yuan's past life.

But even so, they were not so far from upper stage now.

Gu Masters' early stage of cultivation was rather easy, seeing effect in a short period of ti. Especially Gu Yue Fang Zheng, Mo Chen and Chi Cheng, their cultivation level had already creeped and even seed to surpass Fang Yuan.

With constant cultivation, these three with their talent, or the support behind them, had already begun to show their advantage. The lead that Fang Yuan had due to the Liquor worm was starting to disappear.

Of course, there was also the reason of him hunting recently and using the White Boar Gu to raise his strength, or spending much of his ti and effort in doing so.

"At this rate, before long, soone will advance to upper stage. The first person that achieves upper stage will get a reward of thirty prival stones. But this reward, I do not intend to contest for it." Fang Yuan had decided long ago.

If he abandoned the White Boar Gu now and rushed for upper stage, he might have so hopes of winning. But that was not Fang Yuan's goal. Thirty prival stones might be good but he did not lack prival stones at the mont.

The bigger reason was that he needed to remain concealed and keep a low profile to reduce other people's attention towards him, so that he can inherit the Flower Wine Monk's strength inheritance successfully.

This is his real motive.

"The academy has all sorts of rewards, but it is just carrots to pique the student's interest, and most importantly, it is a part of the family's system. Fighting for these little rewards, is not what a wise person would do."

Fang Yuan collect his spirits and gazed at the beast skin map again.

The beast skin map had two pages; one recorded the day while the other recorded the night. Many lines of different colours intertwined on it.

These lines, so were straight, so were curved, but they all had their own specific aning. Only old man Wang would be clear of their aning, but it is a pity he died. But even if he was alive, by forcing him to speak, he might not say the truth.

These days, Fang Yuan relied on his knowledge and experience, and according to the bamboo paper's comparison, he had already deciphered it all.

"The red cross represents danger, a forbidden zone. The area with the red cross seems to be surrounded by wild boars, it is probably a wild boar king there. With my current strength, I'm as good as dead if I encounter one. Hmph!"

Thinking of old man Wang, Fang Yuan could not help but snort again.

This area marked with a cross was not marked on the bamboo paper. If Fang Yuan really believed the bamboo paper, he would probably die by the fangs of the wild boar king one day. This old man Wang was indeed experienced. To avenge his son, he did not have to act himself, but borrowed the wild boar king's strength. This way, even if Fang Yuan dies, he would be able to avoid responsibility.

"But these three spots marked with a red circle, what do they an?" Fang Yuan was perturbed.

This was the beast skin map's final suspicious point.

Three red circles, showing three very isolated areas. They were also very far apart, and had little surrounding beasts, considered safer areas in the wild.

"The red cross represents forbidden area, but what does the red circle represent?" Fang Yuan fell into deep thoughts, "Normally, red is the most alert colour. Old man Wang marked these three areas, aning they are important. It is a pity these areas are far, if not I would inspect them myself and find the reason."

-x-X-x-

The hot sumr sun blazes on, the mountain winds blowing the warm winds around, Qing Mao Mountain steaming under the hot air.

In the blink of an eye, it was already near the end of June.

"Gu Yue Fang Zheng!" In the academy, the family elder called out.

Gu Yue Fang Zheng got up from his seat and ca before the Academy Elder.

Under the admiring gaze of his classmates, Fang Zheng received a heavy bag of prival stones.

"Fang Zheng, you are the first to advance to upper stage, this is your reward. Good job, continue working hard." Academy elder smiled pleasantly, patting Fang Zheng's shoulders.

Fang Zheng acknowledged with a grunt, his face full of excitent.

He took the money bag over with emotion and returned to his seat.

"I finally did it. The first to advance to upper stage, do you see that big brother, I finally beat you for once!"

His eyes shone with bright light as he swept his gaze over at Fang Yuan.

Fang Yuan was sprawled on the table, sound asleep. Last night he had killed another wild boar, and after returning to the hostel, he used the White Boar Gu to improve his body and also used the natural essence within the prival stones to refine his prival essence using the Liquor worm. Finally, he used his upper stage prival essence to nurture his aperture, all the way until morning.

He hurriedly ate breakfast before rushing to class, falling asleep as soon as he settled in. He was too exhausted, and Gu Master cultivation could not replace sleep.

"Hmph, even if you don't admit it, this is the truth. Big brother, I have finally surpassed you! This is the first, and there will be a second ti, a third ti!"

Fang Zheng clenched his fists. This success was extrely aningful to him. He had already broken through the dark clouds in his heart, creating and opening to allow light to penetrate in.

Even though this light was thin, it gave Fang Zheng hope and encouragent!

"Hmph, I actually lost to that Fang Zheng." Gu Yue Mo Bei sat on his seat, arms crossed, feeling indignant.

"This is the advantage of an A grade, damn it..." Gu Yue Chi Cheng said with a dark expression. As he cultivated, he felt strongly the advantages of a good talent. Even with his grandfather Gu Yue Chi Lian's support, plus his extrely hard work, he was still left behind by Fang Zheng.

"If only I had a Liquor worm, plus grandfather's help, I might not lose to Fang Zheng! Those accursed Fang family brothers! Little brother is A grade, suppressing us, but the brother being a C grade has a Liquor worm. Why did all the good things in this world go to these brothers?" Gu Yue Chi Cheng felt really indignant.

"This ti Fang Zheng broke through to upper stage first."

"Of course, he is A grade talent".

"Yeah, even Mo Bei, Chi Cheng, and Fang Yuan lost to Fang Zheng. Fang Zheng has gained all the attention this ti."

"Fang Yuan having the Liquor worm is not putting in effort. Wasting his ti everyday, even sleeping in class, he might as well give his Liquor worm to ."

The surrounding students discussed, feeling indignant in their hearts, helplessness and envy.

The academy elder called them one by one, and students went up continuously to collect their prival stones allowance, and returned to their seats.

"Everyone quieten down." After the allowance was given out, the academy elder used his hand to hit the table. All of a sudden, the academy beca silent.

"Now, you've all mastered your second Gu worm and even so much as broke through into the upper stage. In the past half a year, you have all worked hard, and now you have so basics, it is ti for you to train in the wilds. True battles, are not scarecrows or puppets, wooden puppets that stand there and await your attacks.

"The following mid year examination, will be held three days later, all students have to attend! The examination content is to hunt wild boars. By collecting wild boar teeth as results to record, those who collect the most wild boar teeth will get better scores. At the end of the examination, each wild boar teeth can be exchanged for ten prival stones. Furthermore, you are allowed to hunt in groups."

The academy elder's words caused a commotion among the students.

"The mid-year exam is finally here!"

"Every year's students study at the academy for a year, and there is always a mid-year exam and an end of year exam. Looking at the ti, it really is ti for the mid-year exam."

"Every year's examination content is different, to think that this year, our examination is to hunt and acquire wild boar teeth."

"What should we do? My talent is only D grade, my vital Gu isn't an attack-type like the Moonlight Gu, how can I hunt wild boars?"

"Didn't you hear, the family elder said, we are allowed to hunt in groups. For those with talent that can't make it, or those with Gu worms that aren't suitable, we can help each other and cooperate! When we get boar teeth, we just need to share with one another, and that would work."

"Each wild boar teeth can be exchanged for ten prival stones, this is the academy encouraging us to hunt more wild boars, and the prize is set for that. For true market value, one prival stone can buy twenty wild boar teeth."

The students had varying expressions, so were happy while other fretted, so were eager to go, while others called on companions, even Fang Yuan was slightly moved.

"It changed! I rember that last year's examination was to collect wildlife honey. To think that it changed to wild boar teeth. Is this the butterfly effect?" @@@@

A butterfly flapping its wings can cause a giant storm on the coast of another ocean. A small change in the initial conditions lead to drastic changes in the results.

Ever since his rebirth, Fang Yuan had made many changes, the conditions of his current self was vastly different from his previous life. Back then he had already been left behind by Fang Zheng and the others, but now he was adamantly at the top of the student board.

In his past life he did not kill Jia Jin Sheng, in fact they did not even et. But this life, he did not only kill Jia Jin Sheng, he even excavated the deeper treasures of the Flower Wine Monk's inheritance.

These changes are like a butterfly flapping its wings, indirectly causing changes to the environnt. The mid-year examination change is only the first of such symptoms.

"If I continue changing things, will it cause history to beco completely unrecognisable as well? In that case, the advantage from my rebirth would be significantly reduced."

Fang Yuan looked calm, but was sighing internally.

The feeling of inability and pressing urgency road his heart, but he quickly adjusted his mood.

"No matter what, since it has already happened, I can't stop it. What I need to do now is to actively change myself. Even if the events are completely different at the end, I would not slow down my growth just because of such concerns!"

"In my past life I knew nothing about the future, does that an that in my current life I lack courage? Hehe, even if the world is full of thorns, I will cut through all the thorns in my way and pave out a blood-filled path myself!"

"Every teeth for ten prival stones, this price is very high. Should I sell all those wild boar fangs I have stocked up at the cave? But if I do, I might attract suspicion? No, according to the Gu Yue clan's political situation, if I sell these wild boar teeth publicly, I might get screwed over."

Fang Yuan shook his head, the risks were too big. If he really sold these teeth, what could he get in return?

A little over one hundred prival stones?

"Wait, prival stones aren't important. Maybe I can use this change to construct my image again." Thinking of this, Fang Yuan's eyes shone brightly.

He needed to get rich secretly now, being as low profile as possible. If the Flower Wine Monk's inheritance was exposed, he might even lose his life.

But his current position was awkward.

He stood against all his classmates, being outside the system, and among the higher-ups, he was an untamable, unhappy and indignant, intelligent and cold, C grade talent teenager.

This image was not good, it literally portrayed him as unloyal. But a clan requires loyalty, in fact, any organisation requires loyalty.

No matter which world, loyalty is the value that is most sought after in clans. Loyalty to the clan, loyalty to the country, loyalty to his leader, loyalty to his loved one, loyalty to his friends etc.

As Fang Yuan's cultivation level got higher, the higher-ups would only get more concerned, and if needed, the family may even use hard handed thods on him. At that point, Fang Yuan would be really thrown into passivity.

Fang Yuan did not like passiveness, he liked to have the control of all matters tightly in his grip.

Because of a series of events before, Fang Yuan could only operate on the go, relying on outside strength, and this image he constructed was only to protect himself in tis of need.

But now that he could protect himself, Fang Yuan needed to be stronger!

Thus, he needed to change this image, letting the higher-ups think that he had given up and joined the clan system. But this conversation cannot be too abrupt, or it would be suspicious.

More importantly, joining this system is only a facade, Fang Yuan would not really join them truly, and be manipulated and restricted. He had too many secrets.

He needed large amounts of freedom, and in actuality he was still a loner in operation.

But now the mid-year exam was a chance.

"It seems I have to do so plotting, I'll start from the extortion then." Fang Yuan's gaze beca certain as everything fell into his sche.

-x-X-x-

"You said that during Fang Yuan's extortion this ti, although he defeated Fang Zheng, Chi Cheng and Mo Bei, he left go of them and did not take their prival stones?" Hearing the guard's report, the academy elder revealed a slightly shocked expression.

"I dare not lie to lord, it is indeed like this." The guard kneeling on the ground imdiately responded.

"Mm." The academy elder did not express his opinion, and waved his hand, "I have understood this matter, you may go."

"Your subordinate takes his leave."

Once the guard had left, the academy elder imdiately fell into deep thoughts.

He was originally concerned with this matter as he was afraid Fang Yuan would snatch away the thirty prival stones that Fang Zheng had gotten as a reward. If that was the case, the academy's reward system would have no aning, they might as well give everything to Fang Yuan.

If Fang Yuan really did that, the academy would not allow it, and the academy elder was already prepared to punish Fang Yuan.

But he did not expect that not only did Fang Yuan have no intention to take the thirty prival stones from Fang Zheng, he even let go of Mo Bei and Chi Cheng as well.

"Fang Yuan has hundreds of prival stones on hand, he might not be too concerned with the thirty prival stones, that is understandable. But giving up on extorting Mo Bei, Chi Cheng and Fang Zheng, what is the reason?"

The academy elder contemplated, his eyebrows gradually easing. He had understood sothing.

Mo Bei, Chi Cheng and Fang Zheng, they could be said to represent the three factions of the clan. Letting go of them, the aning was that he was appealing to the three different factions. This was understandable, as Fang Yuan's attitude change ant that he was finally willing to lower his head to the clan.

"Understandable. As he cultivated, Fang Yuan may have the Liquor worm, but the situation has gotten clearer to him. The inability of a C grade talent, after a few outbursts, and letting go of the majority of his negative feelings, he is probably rather downhearted and depressed now."

"It seems the clan leader's words make sense, Fang Yuan is after all a fifteen year old, how can he go against the clan's system? Now that he has started to accept reality, once he finds the position that he belongs to, he would fuse into the clan naturally."

Thinking of this, the academy elder breathed out a sigh of relief, his feelings becoming more cheerful.

Three days passed in a flash. Soon, the mid-year exam was here.

"Faster, faster, I've lured the wild boar out!" A youngster ran as he shouted out frantically.

On both his legs, there was a light green ring of swirling wind. With these two rings, it led to him having above average speed at such a young age.

However, the wild boar chasing after him beca faster and faster, and the distance between them was shortening.

The scorching sun penetrated the forest and reflected on the wild boar, causing both its teeth to shine brightly.

"The wild boar is coming, hold the rope tightly!" The four ambushing youngsters quickly hid in the bushes and pulled the ropes tightly, instantly forming a tripping rope.

The speeding youngster leapt lightly, jumping over the road and continued running.

But the boar behind him tripped over the rope and fell harshly on the ground, crashing five to six ters before stopping.

"Oww!" The four youngsters were pulled along by the rope, and fell to the ground along with the wild boar.

"Strike!" The youngster running ahead turned around and shouted.

The few people lying on the ground frantically stood up, and surrounded the wild boar.

Kacha!

A small budding tree, under the impact of the wild boar, snapped in half and the tree crown fell to the ground.

"What a close shave!" Gu Yue Chi Cheng wiped the sweat off his forehead, feeling lingering fear. "Luckily I managed to use the Dragonpill cricket Gu and leapt three ters to the left, otherwise this tree would've been my outco."

Pew pew pew!

Moonblade danced in the air as it hit the wild boar's body, causing long and shallow cuts.

Gu Yue Mo Bei's face was excited, his eyes glowing, his spirits imrsed in this battle.

Half an hour later, the wild boar collapsed due to excessive loss of blood.

Gu Yue Mo Bei breathed roughly and also sat on the ground, his entire body full of mud and grass, at the sa ti full of sweat.

"Fighting against a living being like the wild boar is indeed different from the wooden puppet, grass puppet during practise battles. I spent thirty minutes just to kill a wild boar, I wonder how are the others doing?"

On a hidden small hill, there was a temporarily built tent. The tent blocked the punishing sun rays and casted an area of cool dark shadowy shade.

Under the cover, there was a few chairs and tables, with the academy elder sitting at the main seat. Beside him, there were other clan elders. A few Gu Masters were standing behind them. @@@@

In the surrounding forests around the tent, there were also so hidden Gu Masters.

At this ti, the forest ahead had an abnormal disturbance.

Whoosh!

A Gu Master erged from the forest like a shadow and quickly ran out, kneeling outside the tentage.

"How is the situation?" Academy elder asked.

"Reporting to Lord Elder, at this point, there are no casualties among the students." The Gu Master quickly answered.

"Good, good."

"An afternoon had already gone by since the mid-year exam started. To have no injuries, this is different from the past years."

"It looks like this is all the academy elder's effort."

The other clan elders nodded satisfactorily, praising in turns.

The academy elder shook his head slightly, he knew the reason. This was due to Fang Yuan's ergence, extorting his classmates, causing them to practise hard on basic martial arts, thus having such a performance.

He looked towards the kneeling Gu Master, and continued asking, "Then at this point, whose results are the best?"

The Gu Master answered imdiately, "Reporting to Lord, at this point, Gu Yue Fang Yuan, Fang Zheng, Mo Bei, Chi Cheng, are leading. Chi Cheng killed three boars, Fang Zheng and Mo Bei killed five, and Fang Yuan has the most, at eight."

"Oh? To think Fang Yuan is leading!"

"In all the years, it is a very rare sight that A and B grade talents are being suppressed by a C grade."

"He has the Liquor worm right? That ans he has upper stage green copper prival essence, so to have such a result, it is understandable."

"I believe that from now on, Fang Zheng, Mo Bei and Chi Cheng would surpass him. Although he has the Liquor worm, his prival essence recovery rate cannot compare to A, B grade talents."

The other clan elders discussed.

"You may go." Academy elder waved his hand towards the kneeling Gu Master. "Instruct the others, focus on their protecting job. Especially Fang Zheng, Chi Cheng and Mo Bei, pay more attention and ensure their safety!"

"Yes, lord." The Gu Master retreated.

These outdoor combats to most students, it was really their first ti. Thus, there was danger and the clan naturally has plans. Dozens of Rank two Gu Masters were concealed in the forests, controlling the safety of this entire examination. At the sa ti, so Rank three clan elders were staying here to anticipate sudden accidents.

The blazing sun slowly descended from the highest point in the sky, gradually nearing the north-east mountains.

The sunset glow ignited the clouds; it was the sun's last flow of passion.

As the last sunlight shone into the forest, another wild boar fell on the ground.

"Twenty third." Fang Yuan calculated in his heart, and then squatted down, skillfully carving out a wild boar teeth.

There was a bag on his back, inside was a large number of wild boar teeth.

At the sa ti, he had another bag, carrying the teeth of those boars he killed last ti. These teeth were originally stored in the rock crack secret cave, and were retrieved by Fang Yuan the previous night, stored into a bag and buried in a secret location.

"I am familiar with the terrain and wild boar distribution, at the sa ti I have upper stage prival essence to use the Moonlight Gu together with the Little light Gu. The others' efficiency definitely cannot compare to . Just with this bag on , I can get number one easily. I wonder what expressions they would show when I take out the other bag later? Hehe."

Fang Yuan looked at the sky; it was ti to retrieve the other bag.

Thinking of this, in his head, a map showed up.

These days, he had morized the beast skin map. Fang Yuan was clear of his current position. If he turned left and walked along the stream for fifteen minutes, he would reach the location where he buried the bag.

But when he was about to move, he hesitated.

"With my current location, I am only five to six hundred ters away from the nearest red circle marking. Such a rare chance, should I go take a look?"

Once he had the thought, it was unstoppable.

Since he had already won anyway, Fang Yuan had a lot of ti left.

"That beast skin map had three red circle markings, these three locations were very important to old man Wang. It is also the only aning that I could not decipher on the map. I'll go see!"

Fang Yuan naturally knew that there were Gu Masters controlling the scene, but this was also why he needed evidence.

Imdiately, he acted like he was going to continue killing wild boars, and moved deeper into the forest.

Seven minutes later, he arrived at the red marking location.

A treehouse was hidden among the bushes on a huge tree, and if one did not observe closely they would not be able to find it.

"This is old man Wang's temporary residence while hunting?" Fang Yuan frowned, his heart getting confused.

He climbed into the treehouse.

When he saw the sight in the tree house, his expression changed!

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The space in the tree house isn't large, but there were many items inside, so at one glance it seed extrely ssy.

The floor in the center had a thick dark yellow-coloured carpet.

Inside the house, there was an iron stove beside the wall, and on it there was a bronze kettle. Inside the stove there was black coloured soot, and beside it there was a small pile of unburnt dried firewood.

Despite it being sumr, the nights in this mountain were still icy cold. The iron stove could maintain the entire treehouse's warmth when lit, despite its small size.

The treehouse has two sets of windows, two to three ropes wrapped as the fra of the windows, connecting the two together in the middle of the room.

On the rope hanged several torn pieces of clothing, the torn patches pieced together. It was obviously an adult's clothing and was still slightly damp, not completely dry from the sun yet.

The light of the setting sun penetrated the windows and shone inside the treehouse.

The treehouse was rather dark internally. At a corner there were axes and hunting knives with beast skin wrapped on the handle. On the blade there was even dark red blood traces.

On the other side of the wall, there was a piece of bamboo paper with a dagger stabbed in the middle.

There was a young man's face on the bamboo paper — it was Fang Yuan's appearance!

This all ant that during this short period, soone had co to the hidden treehouse and lived here. The person's intention was obvious, his target was Fang Yuan.

The paper was stabbed by a dagger and showed his evil intent to the extres!

Such a scenario, even Fang Yuan was taken aback.

"What does this person want, and why is he against ? No, maybe it isn't but Fang Zheng." Fang Yuan's thoughts flew all over his mind.

Fang Zheng was an A grade talent, the only one in the last three years of the Gu Yue clan, and is their only hope. If he could be truly nurtured, he would be the next figure in the clan.

But nurturing was a process.

During this process, there were calamities and human-made disasters.

Ignoring calamities, the most important was human disasters. As everyone knew, Qing Mao mountain did not only have the Gu Yue clan, but also the Bai clan and Xiong clan. These two forces would not be happy to see the dominating Gu Yue clan successfully nurturing an A grade talent.

Thus, sending assassins to get rid of him was a common thing. @@@@

In this world, there are little geniuses, and even less of those who could successfully grow up.

A grade talent Gu Masters, it was not that they did not exist. Three years ago, one appeared in the Gu Yue clan. In even earlier generations, they also appeared on occasions.

But on Qing Mao Mountain, out of the three clans in these years, there was only one successful A grade talent nurtured — the Bai clan's Bai Ning Bing of Rank three cultivation.

Such a scenario was enough to say many things.

"This person, is he from the Bai clan or the Xiong clan? They want to get rid of Gu Yue Fang Zheng so soon?" Fang Yuan frowned, staring at the portrait.

"But why did old man Wang's beast skin map indicate this treehouse? Was he a spy from the other forces? No, this person is obviously after !"

Fang Yuan's eyes shone with brilliance.

At this mont, he thought of many scenes.

The first ti, it was beside the trap, and the four hunter's conversation —

A hunter said, "Second brother Wang, you're almost nineteen, it is ti you got married and have children."

Wang Er said, "Hmph, as a true man, how can I be lusting after such small beauty! One day, I will walk out of this Qing Mao mountain and roam the world, learn everything in the world and live up to the expectations of my male body!"

The second ti was after he himself acted, Wang Er's peculiar calmness. He pulled his bow and pointed at Fang Yuan. The others were already begging for forgiveness.

The third was when Fang Yuan was asking questions.

"I ask you, in old man Wang's family, who else is there?"

A hunter answered, "Hunter Wang originally had a wife, but that was decades ago, and she was killed by wild wolves that intruded the village. Before his wife died she gave birth to two sons and a daughter. But the oldest son Wang Da died on the mountain while hunting three years ago. There is no one else in the Wang family."

"I, I rember! Old man Wang actually also has a daughter-in-law, Wang Da's old wife. But after Wang Da disappeared, his wife died due to a broken heart. That year, the village even specially sent down a chastity morial arch! But rumour has it that Wang Da's wife wanted to remarry, and she was actually hounded to death by Old man Wang. When you killed Old man Wang, lord, you are helping us citizens, rooting out the evil and bringing people peace!"

The other hunter quickly added, "That's right, that's right. Actually lord, we have long found this old Wang unfavourable. Hmph, he's nothing special, just that he can hunt better than us. We're all just mortals, yet he thinks he's more special than us and purposely moved out of the village to live here. As the younger generation, we sotis will ask him to teach us and impart his experiences, but he would just outright chase us away and never allow us to show up again near the wooden house!"

Old man Wang's family, moving out of the village, away from people...

Eldest son Wang Da, died on the mountains three years ago while hunting...

Wang Da's wife wanted to remarry, and was forced to commit suicide by old man Wang, and obtained a chastity morial arch....

Old man Wang chased away all the young hunters who were trying to ask for guidance...

Old man Wang tried his best to hide the beast skin map, and on the bamboo paper, there were no such circles...

Wang Er was at such a young age, but was calm towards Gu Masters. At the sa ti he did not marry, and had the aspiration to surpass mortal realm in his heart...

Most importantly, the circles on the beast skin map indicated a hidden realm, there was obvious human activity in the area. At the sa ti this person held strong hatred towards Fang Yuan...

All the clues pieced together, if separated they were not easy to link, but once linked it was peculiar!

The more Fang Yuan thought about it, the more he felt that the mist shrouding this mystery has thinned.

The setting sun's afterglow passed through the window and reflected upon his face, the strong light alike to the colour of blood.

The surroundings had fallen into a deadly silence, was there soone secretly peeping at him all this ti?

Suddenly, Fang Yuan's eyes lit up, his vision crossing through ti and space; he had seen the truth!

"Wang Da, did not die."

At this mont, the glow in his eyes radiated the surroundings(1).

"Not only did he not die, he even beca a demonic Gu Master by chance!"

It was not that mortals had no cultivating talent, but that the clan restricted the cultivation thods from leaking out, and controlled it tightly in their hands.

But there was no absolute in this world.

Mortals could beco Gu Masters as well, from accidents in the wild and encountering the Hope Gu, opening their aperture. Or inheriting a certain strength inheritance, or getting the personal guidance from a certain clan's mber.

But these Gu Masters were not accepted into the clan completely, and could only be their henchn. Thus, they would not be satisfied and beca loner Gu Masters. Their cultivation is extrely difficult. As ti passed, as they competed for resources, they would have to kill snatch and murder, turning towards the demonic path.

"Because of so lucky chance, the highest possibility is that he obtained a large fortune from a certain Gu Master's corpse and beca a Gu Master three years ago. To hide from others, he sent out the fake information that he died, but no one had ever seen his corpse. Old man Wang's family found out about this and moved out of the village, risking the chance that wild beasts might invade and lived alone, just to hide this truth."

"But there were so problems that occurred, Wang Da's wife did not agree and might have wanted to report to the Gu Yue clan. Wang family had no choice but to kill her, and released so seemingly real and fake information to hide the truth. Sothing about her remarrying, or forcing her to commit suicide to hide the truth under all these rumors."

"Once in awhile, Wang Da would return ho to stay. Thus, old man Wang had to chase those youngsters who were seeking guidance away. Wang Er after interacting with his brother had dispelled his fear of Gu Masters, and naturally developed the goal of wanting to be a Gu Master and explore the greatness of the outside world!"

"Because of the fear that Wang Da might be exposed, even at such an old age Wang Er did not get married. Wang Da could not stay in the house, thus old man Wang drew three red circles on the beast skin map, these three locations should be hidden residential areas like this. Having three hiding spots, Wang Da rotated his stay around the houses, and lived in the fringe of the three clans' authority."

The aning of the three red circles was finally revealed!

Red indicated alertness, but most importantly to old man Wang, this was his eldest son's residence. Thus, when Fang Yuan wanted the old man to draw the map, he did not indicate it on the bamboo paper, it was to protect his son. Similarly, he drew fewer red crosses, to avenge the death of his son.

"Maybe at a certain ti each year, Wang Da will return ho to stay for a while. When he returned, he found that his entire family was dead. After asking around, he found out it was , thus he used the dagger to pin my portrait on the wall, so that he would exact revenge on !"

With his previous life's experience, Fang Yuan was almost certain this was the truth.

If it was so other power that wanted to assassinate Fang Zheng, they could be much more subtle. They did not have to develop a spy like old man Wang. After all, old man Wang lived at the mountain foot, not inside the Gu Yue village.

"To think that over a beast skin map, I provoked a murderer of the demonic faction. This world really works in wondrous ways," Fang Yuan could not help but snicker.

He first killed Wang Er, the old man Wang and Wang's daughter, and it was all for the beast skin map. Old man Wang was the number one hunter in the village, so his beast skin map had the greatest value.

At that ti he was thinking: It's rely three mortal lives, what's the big deal, I'll just killing them conveniently.

In this world, anyone had the right to live, and anyone could die just as easily.

To think that out of nowhere, a demonic way Gu Master erged!

With regards to this, Fang Yuan did not have a tint of regret, but instead felt at ease.

If he had been too rciful at the ti, in his goal to obtain the Wang family beast skin map, Wang Er, old man Wang and sister Wang would've been a huge disturbance. To protect Wang Da's secret, they would not give him the real product.

Wang Er's battle strength could exterminate an ordinary Rank one upper stage Gu Master. Old man Wang was even more experienced with age, and in terms of killing strength, he was even more of a threat than Wang Er.

Even if he had gotten the real product, old man Wang would've inford Wang Da, and Wang Da would've gotten Fang Yuan's information imdiately. No matter how he dealt with it, he would be in the shadows while Fang Yuan was out in the open. Wang Da would be having the advantage of being in control of the situation.

"Good thing I killed them at the start! Regardless of what, I have to control the situation in my own palm. This way, even if I do not get the real item, there is no loss to , and I can even snatch other hunters'. Killing old man Wang and that girl caused Wang Da to spend a lot of ti just to get my intel. Needless to say, those two young hunters must've already been silenced." Fang Yuan confird in his heart.

There was only a few people who knew the situation, and Wang Da would not attack Jiang He. Once Jiang He is dead, the clan would send people to investigate. But if those two hunters disappeared on the mountain, it was easy to manipulate. Jiang He would not reveal an incident like this as it would affect the clan's evaluation of him, and would even cover up the situation.

(1) 'glow in his eyes radiated the surroundings' is a taphor.

Translator's Thoughts

Skyfarrow Skyfarrow

Today I return with mass chapter release, as usual. Please wait for the rest to co in the next few minutes.

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