14 Merchant Caravan
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So it's decided.
Bai Ning Bing will die along with Fang Yuan, as I had planned.
Honestly, I feel more comfortable that way. I already had everything planned for Bai Ning Bing's death, and if you chose to leave her as Waifu, I would have to rewrite most of the story script I had planned.
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The sky was blue and clear, looking pure as if washed clean. The sun shone golden.
White clouds floated in the distance, and a group of colourful peacock parrots sang as they flew under the blue sky, forming an arrow formation under the clouds as they soared.
This variant of colourful parrots would only appear in large groups during spring. Their bodies were full of rainbow-coloured feathers, their bodies the size of an eagle. The birds had parrot-like beaks, while their tails were long like a peacock's.
It had been over a month since Xiang Yao had refined his Gu Vital. During that time, he spent most of the time trying not to attract attention. Even when Fang Yuan started looting his classmates, he lowered his head and handed over his Primordial Stone.
Xiang Yao calmed his mood, letting his focus slide to the primal sea.
The waves of the primaeval sea rose and fell, the seawater emitting a coppery green light. Every drop of seawater was the primitive essence of green copper a Level 1 Gu master especially had. The primitive sea occupied 55% of the entire aperture, limiting Xiang Yao's C-grade talent.
The aperture walls were a thin layer of white light, supporting and enclosing the aperture. In the sky above the primaeval sea was a Moth-like Gu with its wings spread out.
Lightly flying on the surface of the aperture was a cute ladybug. Just the size of your thumbnail. Her body was a milky white, and if seen from behind, it looked like a circle. Its head only took up a small area, while the rest of its body was its big fat stomach and shiny, shiny exoskeleton. Its six tiny limbs were also cream-coloured, hidden under its abdomen.
Floating in the primaeval sea was a cute, chubby White Liquor Worm. He played his heart out in the seawater, sometimes diving into the sea, other times bobbing his head and tail, splashing and splashing drops of water around.
With a thought, Xiang Yao commanded, and the Liquor Worm stopped playing and curled up into the shape of a rice ball, floating slowly in the air. It rose halfway through the aperture and out of the sea of green copper.
Xiang Yao sent his primaeval essence to the Liquor Worm. Immediately the surface of the sea fell through a small cut. The coiled Liquor Worm transformed the primitive essence into a driving force and began to radiate white light. Within the soft light, an enveloping haze of wine smoke was gradually produced, finally converging into a pale white wine haze.
Xinga Yao took his primordial stones and refined his early-stage primal essence into middle-stage primordial essence. So he started nurturing his aperture.
Within the primaeval sea, the ebb and flow of the tides continued.
The primaeval essence of green copper gathered like water, forcing a tidal wave to roll over. Under Xiang Yao's mental guidance, the waves incessantly crashed towards the walls of the surrounding aperture.
The aperture walls of the initial stage of Rank a Gu Master resembled a white barrier. At this time, with the primaeval essence of green copper colliding with them, it produced light shadows, creating an indescribable feeling.
Time gradually passed, and the green copper primaeval sea level slowly decreased.
From the original 55%, it dropped to 8%.
If a Gu Master wants to raise his cultivation level, he must spend his primal essence to nurture the aperture.
Early-stage Gu Masters have light barriers as aperture walls, while middle-stage Gu Masters have water barriers as aperture walls, and for the top stage, they have stone barriers. To cultivate from the early stage to the middle stage, I will have to nourish the light barrier on the walls from the aperture to the water barrier.
"To cultivate from the early stage to the intermediate stage, I will have to nurture the light barrier on the walls from the opening to the water barrier."
It was already late at night when Xiang Yao finished cultivating. The stars and moon in the sky sparkled, and the night breeze blew with a hint of fragrance.
Clouds floated by, covering the moonlight. A shadow enveloped Gu Yue's village.
The watchman banged his clappers, alerting the people that it was late at night - Watch out for fires, wild beast attacks, and the possibility of foreign Gu Masters sneaking into the village.
There were still many lights in the village.
But there was very little light in the room at Xiang Yao's house. He was preparing for tomorrow's expedition in the Flower Wine Monk's inheritance; since he finished using the White Boar Gu, he could now start trying to move the stone.
Time was like a white steed that flew through an aperture. And the darkness of the night departed, giving way to the light of the morning.
On the blocked path, Xiang Yao once again stood before the giant boulder blocking the path.
His chest, two arms and legs and abdomen showed obvious muscles.
These muscles weren't as bulging as a bodybuilder's but appeared as a harmonious and streamlined type, matching Xiang Yao's slowly growing body.
Matching also with his milky white skin and handsome features gave others a youthful and vital feeling, like a young Greek god.
Xiang Yao's eyes flashed as he stepped forward with his right leg, left leg behind, forming an arc step.
His arms touched the surface of the round rock as he took a deep breath and pushed with all his might.
The large boulder moved under the pressure of both arms, gradually gaining momentum and rolling forward.
The road before the boulder blocking the path was a gently sloping incline. The Monk of Wine of Flowers had turned it into a round stone, so it was better suited for rolling. His intention must have been to allow the heir to push the stone up and away.
"10 steps, 20 steps, 30 steps…" Xiang Yao slowly progressed, counting in his heart,
40 steps, 45 steps...
A little while later, Xiang Yao felt unbearably tired. But still, he continued to persevere and continued pushing the giant boulder.
46 steps, 47 steps...
Xiang Yao could feel it strongly; his resistance was almost gone at this point.
48, 49 steps….
50 steps.
Suddenly, he felt that the pressure from the huge rock had eased. It rolled onto a straight platform.
Fang Yuan took a few more steps. After passing the huge boulder, he found himself in a secret room.
This secret room was like the secret cave in the crack in the rock. There was nothing in the room. The four walls were a strange red ground, bright red. On the other side of the secret room was a simple grey stone door, which Xiang Yao knew was where the Jade-Eyed Stone Monkeys' underground colony was located.
The floor in front of the stone door was slightly damp. Knowing what Xiang Yao was, he bent down, stretching both arms and loosening the soil. Carefully peel off the flower petals and retrieve the Gu worm lying dormant in the golden nectar of the Treasure Flower of the Earth.
The appearance of the 'Jade Skin Gu' was like the bedbug, flat and broad with a small head, and its green body was oval in space, emitting a faint jade-coloured glow.
Without further hesitation, Xiang Yao sold the Jade Skin Gu to the System and then bought it back to refine it as his defensive Gu.
"Now I have six Gu to create; luckily, I have the System and can buy the resources to feed them into the System for a very low price.
Keeping the Gu Jade Skin in its aperture, Xiang Yao gradually walked over and opened the stone door.
The stone door was heavy, and if Xiang Yao didn't have the White Boar Gu's increased strength, he wouldn't be able to move it. But now, with Xiang Yao pushing, the door slowly opened.
The stone walls in this space were over 16 meters high, and the ceiling was also made of stone.
From the top, there were large dark red pillars erected. Each one gave off a faint red glow, as did the walls, tunnel, and secret room. The light, although dim, allowed anyone who looked at least to see some things.
Each stone pillar was like an upside-down tree, except without branches, leaving only the stem.
The surface of the stone pillar was not smooth, and it was full of dark and mysterious holes. Numerous pillars fell, forming an inverted stone forest within the mountain.
"This underground colony of Jade-Eyed Stone Monkeys will be the perfect place to hone my fighting skills." Xiang Yao thought in his heart as he prepared to use these Monkeys to fight.
Xiang Yao approached a stone pillar and tried to get the attention of a Stone Monkey with Jade Eyes.
With a 'swoosh', a grey monkey flew out of the cave and leapt towards Xiang Yao.
Xiang Yao used his reflexes and dodged the monkey that lunged at him.
Swosh, swosh.
Soon after, he threw two Lunar Blades at the monkey, hitting and killing him in the back. After killing the monkey, Xiang Yao lowered his guard and approached the dead monkey to take his eyes off Jade.
Paw, pow.
Xiang Yao received two attacks on each side from two monkeys; when he noticed the monkeys on his side, it was too late, and he couldn't activate Gu Jade Skin in time. So he ended up wounded in the left shoulder.
"Damn it! I let my guard down briefly, and these monkeys already attacked me. It seems I am rusty; my past life self would be ashamed of my current self."
"It seems the system's help has made me complacent about the world around me." taking a deep breath, Xiang Yao dodged two more attacks from the monkeys.
Wow, Slash.
Xiang Yao landed a punch on the head of one, causing him to hit the pillar, turn it into meat paste, and hit a Lunar Blade on the neck of the other, ending the fight.
Xiang Yao returned to the second inheritance room, meditating and studying his mistakes.
"I seem to be getting very arrogant; thanks to the system handing me everything so easily, I took everything for granted, becoming very impulsive and immature."
"Sigh. I am a disappointment to Grandpa, how much he taught and guided me, but I still keep making such rookie mistakes."
"It seems like I forgot everything I went through with Grandpa."
---Flash Back---
Danton and his grandfather were exploring the Amazon rainforest when they stopped by a river to camp in the dark night.
"Grandpa, why do you keep putting me through so much? We've travelled worldwide; you make me study every subject and practice every martial art you want. Damn! You even made me fight in the Syrian war once."
"Why do you want me to keep going through these crazy things? I want to enjoy my life in another way. It's already getting boring, the first few times, it was cool and fun, but now it's just boring and repetitive."
"Anything would be better than what I have to do now." Danton speaks of frustration in his voice; it's not that he doesn't like doing these things; it's just that he thinks it's getting boring.
"You idiot grandson. Everything I'm doing right now is to prepare you for the future." the old man said as he hit the sword's sheath on the boy's head.
"Auch! Why do you always have to hit me with that stupid sword, and what's the future that you never tell me about?" Danton complained, rubbing his aching head.
"Sigh, you will know this one day, my son. One day you will go to an unknown and very dangerous place! But no matter your adversity and danger, remember that your grandpa will always protect you, even from afar." The older man said with a warm and fatherly smile.
"Okay, Grandpa." Danton lowered his head and agreed he would never doubt his grandfather, as he never once lied to him. If your grandfather said this is all for his good, he would obey and do his best.
"Come on, and now you will practice your survival in this jungle." The older man returned to a serious face, and then he pointed at the jungle before him with the hilt of his sword.
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"hahaha, who knew that old man knew that I would come to this world and had already prepared everything for me." From the Path of Dreams heritage to the System, your grandfather prepared everything to help you on your journey.
"I have to earn all the help Grandpa has given me so far. He gave me the System to aid my ascension, not dependent support." Xiang Yao made up his mind; he will now train to return to his peak again.
"I always had doubts about Grandpa, as he always demonstrated absurd strength and seemed to know everything. But now it all fits together; he was preparing me for this cruel world."
"That's why he insisted that I study psychology and philosophy. It was all to prepare me for this intriguing world." Xiang Yao laughed as he remembered his grandfather, who always knew everything.
"The merchant caravan will arrive tomorrow; as soon as Jia Fu arrives, I will try to make a deal with him to get a Copper Green Gu Relic. And get a lot of primordial stones." Xiang Yao knows this can be dangerous, and it could backfire.
But he decided to take a risk, Jia Fu is still a Merchant first and foremost, and merchants always see profit first, and with the excuse that he found an inheritance, he can show more things. And even if something goes wrong, he can always use the Ten Dream Moth.
She might be a Level 1 Gu, but the Path of Dreams is powerful and mysterious. Even a Level 1 Gu can affect a Level 4 Gu Master for a short period.
Under the clear blue sky, the white clouds floated like cotton.
On Qing Mao Mountain, the bamboo forest was straight as spears as ever, pointing towards the blue sky. Weeds grew wildly everywhere, and unfamiliar wildflower varieties dotted the grass's thicket. As the light breeze blew, the wild grass moved to and fro, the strong fragrance of flower pollen and the scent of green grass attacking visitors.
The sound of camel bells could be heard faintly in the spring breeze.
"It's the merchant caravan!"
"Yes, it's May; it's time for the caravan to arrive."
The adults soon realized the situation, and the children stopped playing with the water and mud in their hands. Together they energetically approached the caravan.
The arrival of the merchant caravan was like a bowl of boiling water spilling onto the peaceful and serene Qing Mao Mountain.
The merchant caravan entered deep into the village.
The merchant caravan arrived at the edge of Qing Mao Mountain early in the morning, and in the afternoon, they were stationed at Gu Yue Village. By dusk, the outskirts of the village had turned into a sprawling area of shops and temporary stores. All kinds of tall red, blue, yellow and green tents were built, and every inch between the tents was squeezed with countless small street stalls.
Xiang Yao soon approached the caravan and observed what everyone was selling.
"Blue Ox Horn Gu, with this Gu, you can have the strength of a Blue Ox for a while. Come, you will not regret it."
"Blue Silver Grass for only three prime stones a lot, come, come."
"Lunar Sugar Cane Wine, the best wine you will ever try. Come taste."
Several traders called the people and talked about their wares; it was an extremely active and noisy environment.
Xiang Yao walked past them to the central tent where caravan leader Jia Fu was staying.
"Stop; no one can enter here without permission." A guard stopped Xiang Yao's advance.
"I understand; I just wanted to ask for an audience with Senior Jia Fu about a business." Xiang Yao formally said without arrogance.
"And why do you think Master Jia Fu would want to see a brat like you? What kind of lucrative Business could you have for him?" The guard questioned, not out of arrogance or disregard for Xiang Yao, but to discover his intentions.
The guard didn't find it strange that Xiang Yao would ask to see Jia Fu to do a particular business; this happens more often than it seems. But the guard must know if this Business is worth Senior Jia Fu's time.
"I wanted to sell Senior Jia Fu an inheritance." Xiang Yao didn't stall and quickly spoke of his objective.
The guard looked surprised and immediately straightened up and went to warn Jia Fu, "Wait here for a while; I will notify Master Jia Fu about his case." It should be known that Inheritance are rare to find, and there is always more demand or supply, and depending on the level of the Gu Master, it can be even rarer and more expensive.
Soon the guard returned with a warning; "Master Jia Fu will find you now; you can go upstairs." the guard spoke as he pointed the way to Xiang Yao.
Arriving on the second floor, Jia Fu was sitting at a dark wooden table with many papers on top; the room had two chairs and a sofa, and the walls were made of slightly reddish wood.
As soon as he entered the room, Jia Fu raised his head with a smile and greeted Xiang Yao.
"Come, sit young. So what do you have for me?" Jia Fu seemed hurried, so he got to the point.
"Greetings to Senior Jia Fu. I'm Xiang Yao, The Business I came to bring you, sir, is an inheritance from a Rank 3 Gu master." Xiang Yao spoke as he cupped his hands in greeting.
Jia Fu's eyes flashed; the heritage of a rank three Gu master is very tempting and valuable in the market." Hoho, so that's it, as long as we can verify the inheritance with true. We can negotiate."
