CH-1 - Shop System

Qing Mao Mountain's depths were situated in the village of Gu Yue, with various buildings high and low, bright and dark, or old and new, giving the vast, lonely mountain a rich touch of human civilization.

In the middle of Gu Yue Village was a magnificent pavilion with several buildings surrounding it. On the edge of these densely packed buildings, a candle flickered in an ordinary little house while a young man sat on the bed in the lotus position with his eyes closed as if sleeping.

The youth had a good appearance; his eyes were as white as the clouds in the sky, perfectly matching his long white hair that stretched down to his waist; he looked pretty pleasing to the eye.

After about ten minutes, the young man, who appeared to be meditating with his eyes closed, slowly opened them.

"I was sent into this world just like that, taking on a body very similar to my old one." The young man sighed as he looked for a solution to his problems.

"The awakening ceremony is already tomorrow morning, and I don't have any plans for what to do next." The Young Man, who seemed to be thinking a lot vented.

He had been reincarnated into this world just a few days ago. And he had almost no time to plan his future; all he could do was wing it for the time being and hope it worked out.

"Unexpectedly, I was thrown into this world; I think all I can do now is try to turn the tide with the knowledge I have of this world's plot, but this world is cruel and unpredictable; it may be that any plans I make wrong."

The young man placed his hands on his face in contemplation and thought, "I ended up reincarnated in the same place and time that the demon Fang Yuan started his plot, Qing Mao Mountain."

"This could end all my short-term plans, now you may ask; who is Fang Yuan? Well, he's just the shrewdest and most creative person to get out of trouble and cause it, at the same time, a venerable future, and to complete the icing on the cake, he's protected by the will of heaven, at least for now."

"But I won't let that put me off; they say the more challenging, the greater the benefits; since I was reborn in the same place and time as Fang Yuan, I should enjoy it as much as possible. I know all the points that will be important for the future."

"First, I need to check which timeline I'm in; if I'm in the timeline before Fang Yuan's rebirth, then I can lightly enjoy this journey, but if it's after he's reborn, my life will be much more complicated. , maybe I should think about allying with Fang Yuan."

"But I have to be careful; Fang Yuan doesn't trust anyone but himself. And if I ally myself with him, I must be prepared to be betrayed."

After thinking about his circumstances, the young man smiled, contrary to common sense: "Hahaha, but unfortunately, that's exactly what excites me; imagine fighting side by side with the one you admire."

The young man calmed down and continued his thought: "But if I have the opportunity, I won't hesitate to kill you immediately. I may be a huge fan and admire him greatly, but I wouldn't risk walking around with a knife pointed at my neck my whole life."

The young man ran his hand lightly over his neck as his gaze turned ice cold: "First and foremost, I need to determine which timeline I am in; only after confirming my timeline will I be able to proceed with my plans. "

The young man thought for a while before light flashed in his eyes, "Hahaha, how come I didn't think of this before? The best time to test this is exactly at tomorrow's ceremony. For now, I have to wait until tomorrow."

In his wildest dreams, Danton, now known as 'Gu Yue Xiang Yao,' never imagined traveling back in time and, even more surprisingly, to the world of a Book he read in his past life!

In that world, they are known as 'Gu World.' Everything from civilization and knowledge or extraordinary abilities are based on the creation, use, and refinement of Gu Worms.

Xiang Yao still feels slightly hesitant in his heart, with the thoughts of 'What if everything goes wrong?' or 'What if my life is without purpose,' all these thoughts wanted to consume him. But with his determination, he pushed them away.

Because, like Fang Yuan, Xiang Yao's ambitions are not small; he knows the entire plot like the back of his hand and aims to be greater than all the venerable that ever existed. An existence that can hold everything in its palm.

It's not strength that Xiang Yao wants; he wants the power to be above everyone else, an existence that cannot be questioned; 'immortality, strength, wisdom, intelligence.' All of this is just a consequence of your goal.

As Xiang Yao lightly thought about his following plans, he realized it was already late and decided to rest to be refreshed for tomorrow's ceremony.

As Xiang Yao slept, something strange happened to him; a tiny ripple of the river of time appeared above his head; it looked like a mirage you see in the scorching desert or on hot slopes. As this mirage floated on Xiang Yao's head, bright light passed through her and entered him.

The moment ended as quickly as it started, and no one noticed anything was wrong. And the mirage ended up disappearing as if it had never existed.

...

At that exact moment, pale eyes looked silently at the same lights shining in the night, full of complex feelings inside.

"Gu Yue village was that 500 years ago?! It looks like the spring or autumn cicada worked…." Fang Yuan looked on silently, standing by the window, letting the wind rain hit his body.

"Using Spring Autumn Cicada, I was reborn 500 years ago!" Fang Yuan held out his hand, his vision fixed on his pale, young, and tender palms, then slowly squeezed them, embracing the truth of this reality with all his might.

...

Tak, tak, tak.

The sound of the wind whistling and hitting the tiny house's window echoed through Xiang Yao's room; opening his dry eyes, Xiang Yao abruptly woke up while thinking about his heart; "Did I finally get my Cheat?."

"Last night, I met my grandfather again in my dreams, and he gave me a significant and powerful inheritance. Even after so long, that old man is still looking out for me..." thinking about his dream and the kind of inheritance that appeared, Xiang Yao decided to check his level of attainment in the Path of Dreams.

Since the inheritance he found was from the Path of Dreams, Checking it, Xiang Yao was startled; his Dream Path Attainment level was at Great Grandmaster.

Checking further into the dream, he discovered several dream path Gu recipes and various killer moves, formations, and battlegrounds. It was a more than complete inheritance.

"I gained a full inheritance of the Path of Dreams!"

Xiang Yao smiled from ear to ear as he remembered his grandfather: "That old man meant what he said when he said he would take care of me."

"Now that I have this heritage, I can fully update my plans and think of better ways to deal with this world."

Xiang Yao stood up with a big smile, tied his hair, put on a black robe with white trim, and prepared for the ceremony.

His parents had died just over a month ago, and the clan was very busy preparing for the awakening ceremony, so he had all of his family's inheritance.

Part of the reason the clan doesn't care about your heritage is that it could be more humble. All his parents left behind was two Rank 2 Gu and two more Rank 1 Gu, a small house with three rooms, and a handful of fifty prime stones.

The Gu are; Rank 2 Gu Grass Vines, Rank 2 MoonGlow Gu, Rank 1 Moonlight Gu, and Rank 1 Clear Wind Wheel Gu. All these Gu were from his parents.

Xiang Yao was thinking of selling the Gu heirlooms he wouldn't use, so he wouldn't have to spend so many resources feeding them. But now that he received this mysterious inheritance, he had a better use for those Gu.

The other part of the inheritance he gained will activate when he awakens his aperture. Until then, he will guard these Gu.

Xiang Yao then left the house in the direction where the ceremony would be held; on the way, he bumped into many young people of the same age, all in groups of two and three, clearly heading towards the same destination.

As he approached the spot, he heard something that pricked his ears with nostalgia.

"Look, guys, these are the Fang brothers." His ears could pick up the cautious little conversation. "The one who walks in front is Fang Yuan; he is the Fang Yuan who created the poems," some of them emphasized.

"So is he. His face is expressionless, as if he has no regard for others, just as the rumors say." Someone said in a sour tone full of jealousy and envy.

"Hmph, if you were like him, you might as well act like that!" Someone responded coldly against the person, hiding a kind of dissatisfaction.

Hearing all this, Xiang Yao looked at the Fang Brothers very carefully, especially at Fang Yuan. As if sensing his gaze, he turned his head to face him briefly but then looked away and continued walking forward.

Seeing this, Xiang Yao let out a small smile and continued forward.

Arriving at the center of the village where the grand pavilion of the clan stood, reaching five floors and with gabled roofs, heavily guarded, hundreds of 15-year-olds were waiting in the square in front of the clan pavilion.

"Well, all of you are punctual. Today is the Awakening Ceremony; it is the great turning point of your life. I won't say much; just come with me." The one in charge at the moment was the academy elder. His beard and hair were white, and he was in high spirits as he led the young teenagers to the pavilion. However, they did not go upstairs but were taken downstairs after passing through the entrance to a large hall. Following a stone-built staircase, they entered an underground cavern.

The group of youths made noises of surprise and astonishment. The underground cavern was beautiful, stalactites glowing with rainbow colors. This light shone on the faces of young people in beautiful neon tones.

They walked several hundred steps. It got darker, and the sounds of water were faintly heard. After turning a corner, an underground river over 10 meters wide greeted them. By this time, the colored lights from the stalactites had disappeared entirely, but in the darkness, the river emitted a faint blue glow. It was like a starry river in the night sky.

The river flowed from the dark depths of the cave. Fish, aquatic plants, and even the sand beneath the river could be seen within the crystalline waters. In front of the river, there was a sea of ​​flowers.

"Wow, it's beautiful!"

"It is beautiful!"

The new vision opened the eyes of young teenagers. Each had a light radiating from their gaze with excited and anxious feelings.

"Alright, listen as I call your names. The called ones must walk along this river to the opposite bank. Walk as far as you can; the further you go, the better. Did you understand?" The elder said.

"Understood!" replied the young people. In fact, before coming here, everyone had heard their family members or Elders talk about it. It is known that the further you can walk, the better your talent. Your future will also become brighter.

"Gu Yue Chen Bo." The elder held the list of names and called the first person.

The river was broad but not deep; it covered up to the young man's knees. Chen Bo's face was grave as he entered the sea of ​​flowers on land. As he did so, he could feel an invisible pressure, as if there was a wall in front of him that he couldn't see, blocking him from moving forward. During that moment, the flowers at his feet suddenly emitted a faint white light. Light gathered around Chen Bo and entered his body.

For a moment, Chen Bo felt the pressure drop; the invisible wall blocking him suddenly seemed smoother. With that, Chen Bo gritted his teeth, gathered his strength, and walked forward. He tried to force his way stiffly, but after three steps, the wall before him stiffened again back to its previous state. So he couldn't walk anymore.

As he watched this, the elder sighed. As he recorded what happened, he said, "Gu Yue Chen Bo, three steps, no talent to become a Gu Master. Then Gu Yue Zao Xie!"

Chen Bo was deathly pale as he walked across the river back to the youths, gritting his teeth. Without the gifted talent, he could live like an average human, occupying the lowest position in the clan.

His stature was unstable, a massive blow to him as if reality had killed all his hopes. Many people cast pitying glances at him, while even more had fixed gazes on the second person crossing the river.

It was a pity that this young man could only take four steps forward; he had no talent.

Not everyone has the natural talent to become a Gu Master. Even if they become one, their talent can vary as much as the twin's Fang Zheng and Fang Yuan, of which one has A-grade talent while the other has A-grade talent. Grade C. Generally speaking, it's not bad if 5 out of 10 people have the talent to become a Gu Master. For example, in the Gu Yue Clan, this ratio is higher, reaching six people; this is due to the early action of the Gu Yue Clan's ancestor purifying his bloodline and the bloodline of his descendants.

With two failures in a row, the other elders watching the scene in the dark started to make ugly expressions. Even the clan head was frowning slightly. The next moment, the academy elder called the third name: Gu Yue Mo Bei.

"Here!" A horse-faced youth dressed in linen robes called out lightly as he left. He was tall, looking much more robust than his peers. There was a brave aura about him. He crossed the river in a few steps and reached the opposite bank. 10 steps, 20 steps, 30 steps; small lights entered his body one after another. He walked until he reached 36 steps before. Finally, he couldn't go any further.

The youths on the riverbank watched with wide, shocked eyes. The academy elder happily exclaimed, "Good, Gu Yue Mo Bei, B-grade talent! Come here, let me see your Primitive sea.

Gu Yue Mo Bei returned to the academy elder's side. He reached out and placed his hand on the young man's shoulder, closing his eyes as he checked the aperture. Then he withdrew his hand and nodded, writing down on paper: Gu Yue Mo Bei, primeval sea measuring 66%, can be trained vigorously.

Gu Master Talents are divided into five ranks. Rank D, having 20-39% primal essence at its aperture, is the weakest rank, and the highest attainable realm is usually Level 1 to 2.

Rank C has 40-59% Primitive Essence at its aperture, this rank can only be considered typical, and the highest attainable realm is usually Level 2 to 3.

Rank B has 60-79% Primitive Essence at its aperture, this rank can be considered good, and the highest attainable realm is usually Level 3 to 4.

Rank A has 80-99% primal essence at its aperture; this rank can be considered exceptional, and the Gu Master can reach Level 5, the peak of mortal cultivation, and maybe even become a Gu Immortal with enough preparations.

The Extreme Physique has 100% primal essence in its aperture; this grade is only found in Gu Masters with one of the ten extreme physiques.

In other words, as long as this Gu Yue Mo Bei grows up, he will eventually become one of the elders of the Gu Yue clan. That's why the academy elder laughed happily; the elders watching in the darkness also sighed in relief, then they all turned to look at one of the elders among them jealously.

This elder also had the face of a horse, known as Gu Yue Mo Bei's grandfather, Gu Yue Mo Chen. His face was already smiling. He looked provocatively at his old enemy and said, "What do you think? My grandson is not bad, huh, Gu Yue Chi Lian."

Gu Yue Chi Lian had a full head of red hair. He made an irritated 'hmph,' not responding to the others. It was evident that the expression on his face was bleak.

Half the young people had already walked through the sea of ​​flowers an hour later. There were a large number of C and D-grade talents among them, while half of these youths had no talent at all.

"Sigh, the bloodline is getting thinner. In these few years, the clan didn't have any Level 5 masters to strengthen the bloodline. The fourth-generation clan head was the only Level 5 master, but in the end, he perished along with the Flower Wine Monk and left no descendants. The talents of the last generation of the Gu Yue clan are getting weaker and weaker," said the clan head with a deep sigh.

At this time, the academy elder shouted, "Gu Yue Chi Chen!"

As he walked to the opposite bank, the small lights entered his body; after walking straight for 36 steps, he stopped.

"Another B grade!" The academy elder shouted.

The youths started a commotion, sending envious glances at Gu Yue Chi Chen.

"Hahaha, 36 steps, 36 steps!" Gu Yue Chi Lian shouted, looking proudly at Gu Yue Mo Bei. This time it was Gu Yue Mo Chen's turn to have a sour face.

Watching everything go as he remembered reassured Xiang Yao; it proved that he wasn't in some alternate timeline with different happenings.

As he pondered, he suddenly heard the academy elder say, "Gu Yue Fang Yuan!"

"It is now, according to how he reacts to his C-Rank talent, will determine my timeline!" Xiang Yao looked closely at Fang Yuan, waiting for his reaction.

He saw Fang Yuan reach his limit, and as soon as he took the twenty-seventh step, he stopped for a moment, and the elder asked him, "Can't you go any further?" holding a tiny thread of hope. Fang Yuan turned around and walked back, responding with his actions.

As the crowd buzzed in chatter, Xiang Yao was the only one to observe Fang Yuan's calm and collected expression.

"So you used the Spring and Autumn Cicada, did you?"

"But that doesn't matter now; if it were before, at the very least, I would try to ally with you temporarily, but now that I've gained that inheritance, I don't need that anymore; quite the contrary, ally with Fang Yuan while I have that inheritance. it would be a great danger to me!" Xiang Yao looked away from Fang Yuan and patiently waited his turn with a severe expression on his face.

Right after Fang Zheng, it was Xiang Yao's turn; bracing himself, he started walking confidently as Hope Gu gathered around him as he walked, 10 steps, 20 steps...

24,25,26,27,28,29... 30 Steps.

Xiang Yao heard a rumble, and the ball of light reached its limit between his two kidneys and suddenly exploded. That burst of energy only happened inside his body; strangers could not see it. Only Xiang Yao alone could feel it at that moment, an earth-shaking reaction. Instantly, the fine hairs on his body stood on end; his pores tightened, and his mind strained to the edge of tension.

Xiang Yao went blank for a brief moment before coming back to his senses. He secretly focused his attention on his body and found that an aperture had formed out of nowhere below his navel and between his two kidneys.

The aperture is a mysterious and enigmatic spherical space located within Master Gu's body around the stomach area. Being ethereal, it does not occupy physical space like an internal organ. The aperture is infinitely large but, at the same time, infinitely small. Before becoming a Gu Master, the mortal has to awaken his aperture, in addition to some special methods; this is mainly done by contacting Hope Gu.

The aperture has walls that separate its interior from the exterior. These walls also serve as a primary factor in the cultivation of mortal Gu Masters, where they must be repeatedly nurtured, broken down, and replaced by the walls of the next lesser realm.

Cultivation levels are divided into five levels or fantastic realms, and each great realm is divided into four minor realms, early stage, middle stage, higher stage, and peak stage. Each minor realm has different aperture walls.

The height of the sea surface reached above half of the aperture – 55%. This was a Grade C talent. Every drop of seawater was pure primal essence, representing the condensation of Xiang Yao's essence, vitality, and soul. It was also the accumulation of his life potential over the past 15 years.

Primordial energy, also known as "natural primordial essence," is the original energy of all living beings. In the Gu world, primordial energy is like oxygen, but in a magical way. The more living beings in the environment, the more primitive energy accumulates. Gu Master can absorb it and convert it into primal essence in the aperture. Gu Masters use this primal essence to create Gu.

"What an amazing, magical feeling." Xiang Yao felt invigorated, as if a weight had been lifted off him. He enjoyed the moment for a while.

Xiang Yao composed himself, returned from the river, and stood among the other young people waiting for the ceremony to end. While waiting, Xiang Yao looked at the other part of the inheritance, which would only be unlocked when he awakened its aperture.

[Aperture Awakened Successfully!!!]

[Activating 'Trade System'!]

[System available for immediate use!]

Seeing this, Xiang Yao smiled in satisfaction. The other part of the inheritance is a system like the novels he read in his past life. And above all, the most significant benefit of this is not just the System but what comes with it; Thanks to the System, the will of heaven cannot see him; he does not exist for the will of heaven.

The 'invisibility' against the will of heaven happens for a specific reason; he doesn't have a destination. That's right, the System withdrew its fate, but that comes with its downsides.

For example, a person who is invisible to heaven's will can never ascend to a Gu Immortal. Fortunately, this System did not come broken, and there is a solution.

The System can scan a person's fate, and after adding them to your store, the user can trick the Will of Heaven into thinking you are someone else.

The trading system is straightforward in its functions; the host sells an item to the System, then the System analyzes the item and adds it to the store for sale. With a catch, which is that the System comes empty and only sells what has already been researched, the System is useless for now.

That was why Xiang Yao didn't sell his family's Gu worms; he planned to sell them to the System and acquire some easy points.