Merchant Caravan

While the two factions in Xiong village were fighting for Gu Guangzhi, the merchant caravan led by Jia Fu had entered Qing Mao mountain. Usually they arrive in April but this year they were delayed by a month. Usually, they split up and stay in a village for three days. Since the Gu Yue clan was the overlord of the Qing Mao mountain, a major portion of the caravan would go to Gu Yue village, followed by the Bai village and only a tiny portion would enter the Xiong village. Thus, the Xiong clan would have less goods to browse through and purchase from, compared to the other clans. After three days, the caravan would rejoin at the base of the mountain and continue on their journey.

This year, the rains were exceptionally heavy when the caravan was about to leave. The journey could become treacherous in such conditions so the Xiong clan offered for them to stay near their village for a few more days. Jia Fu wanted to reject the proposal as it was already late but felt that he could make up for the time lost in the journey once the weather cleared up. The Xiong clan cleared a mortal village under their control to accommodate them. A few merchants from the caravan even set up shops for their unsold products. Despite the rain, several gu masters made their way to the shops to browse a larger catalog of products.

Gu Guangzhi was bored by cooping up in the village so he too made his way to the caravan. As he entered the wine tavern, the lower rank gu masters greeted him with respect. Even though he wasn't officially an elder, everyone knew it was only a matter of time before it would happen. Some of them sent complimentary drinks to him to greet him.

One gu master spoke up offering a glass to Gu Guangzhi, "I truly admire you sir for breaking through to Rank 3. You're an inspiration to all of us in the younger generation. Allow me to congratulate in advance for becoming an elder."

Another middle aged gu master added, "Yes. Our clan is really lucky to have a gu master like you. My son recently became a gu master but his talent is only D-grade. I can only hope that he has the fate to become become a Rank 3 gu master like you in the future."

The bartender looked oddly when that remark was made. Usually gu masters with D-grade were limited to being Rank 2 gu masters. Even after years of hard work they were unable to break through to Rank 3. At that moment, the bartender remembered the youth who visited him a few days ago with a liquor worm. A liquor worm was able to refine primeval essence to the next minor realm. With such a gu insect, one could progress greatly in cultivation. 'Perhaps, this Rank 3 gu master was able to use a liquor worm to breakthrough that barrier! I was unable to buy a liquor worm from that youth but maybe I can purchase one from this gu master.', he thought. As Gu Guangzhi was leaving the wine tavern, the bartender approached him.

"Excuse me Sir! Please wait a moment."

"Hmm… What is it?", asked Gu Guangzhi.

"I just overheard the conversation of those gu masters a while ago and heard that you broke through to Rank 3 despite having a D-grade aptitude. I was wondering if you used a liquor worm to do so?"

"A liquor worm? You seem to be a gu master yourself. Don't you know the use of a liquor worm? A liquor worm can only be used to refine one's primeval essence to the next minor realm. It can't help the gu master in breaking through to the next major realm. A liquor worm is extremely rare. You need to rely on your hard work to cultivate, not on luck.", Gu Guangzhi explained.

The bartender was visibly disappointed. He said, "I just encountered a youth in Gu Yue village who had a liquor worm so when I heard your story, I thought that you had a liquor worm as well. I guess I was hoping for too much."

If it was any one else who had heard this, they might just feel envious. But when Gu Guangzhi heard 'youth from Gu Yue village' who had a rare gu worm in their possession, he became alert. After the recent gu awakening ceremonies, Gu Guangzhi silently made enquires about Fang Yuan. He was relieved when he found out that Fang Yuan only had a C-grade aptitude. Now, when he heard about the liquor worm, he became tensed again.

Wasn't this a common trope in a cultivation novel? First, the protagonist would be weak but later due to a rare artifact or cultivation method, he would quickly become overpowered. So Gu Guangzhi asked the bartender for the description of the youth. Upon hearing the bartender's description that fit Fang Yuan's image in his mind, Gu Guangzhi felt distraught. It had been more than twelve years that he transmigrated into the world of Reverend Insanity but he hadn't forgotten about Fang Yuan.

Fang Yuan is cunning.

Fang Yuan is ruthless.

No one can defeat Fang Yuan.

When Gu Guangzhi broke through to Rank 3 and learnt that Fang Yuan only had a C-grade aptitude, he had forgotten his fears about Fang Yuan for a while. He thought that if he ever had to face Fang Yuan, he could take him on with his superior cultivation and aptitude. But what if Fang Yuan gets lucky and becomes overpowered with rare gu insects like the liquor worm? Under the tutelage of Yu Wen Zi, he learnt a bit about the venerables and came to know of luck path. It was not wide spread like other paths. Did Fang Yuan find a luck path gu worm using his reincarnation memories? This thought was only strengthened when he learnt upon further enquiry that Fang Yuan found a rare Rank 2 Mudskin Toad Gu in a gambling den.

As Gu Guangzhi was overthinking things, Yu Wen Zi came to his side and spoke up, "Here you are! I've been searching for you. The clan leader has organized a banquet to foster relations with the Jia clan. All the elders are going to be there. I've been asked to fetch you as well. I heard there might be a special auction at the end as well. So let's go."

"I wonder if there are any luck path gu worms at the auction…", said Gu Guangzhi thinking aloud.