"Grandma, what Gu is this?" The young girl curiously pointed at the central counter in the third floor.
There were three floors in this treehouse; the first floor sold Rank one Gu worms, the second floor sold Rank two Gu worms and the third floor sold Rank three Gu worms.
The higher you went, the lesser the Gu worms and the more expensive the price.
Naturally, the Gu worms that were put for sale in the treehouse were all rare and precious.
Gu Yue Yao Ji followed her granddaughter's gaze and saw a round bucket-shaped, tall and thin tree stump. The stump had five branches like five fingers of a human and were intertwined in the middle.
A sphere-shaped Gu worm that was thumb-sized was wrapped around by the fine branches and covered by green leaves, emitting a white silvery glow.
"This is a white silver Relic Gu, it can only be used once and can instantly raise a Rank three Gu Master's cultivation by a small realm," Gu Yue Yao Ji slowly explained.
Relic Gu was a series Gu worm.
Rank one had green copper Relic Gu which was specially targeted towards Rank one Gu Masters. Rank two had red steel Relic Gu which was effective only on Rank two Gu Masters, and Rank three was this Silver Relic Gu.
Rank four had yellow golden Relic Gu.
"The price is thirty thousand primeval stones, it's so expensive!" The young girl was so shocked, she stuck out her tongue.
Gu Yue Yao Ji nodded, "Its final price should reach at least fifty thousand primeval stones. Alright, we have strolled long enough here, let's go to the first floor reception desk, the results to the Liquor worm's bidding should have come out."
In the treehouse, a Rank one Gu worm would only be displayed for half a day once there was a bid on it. For Gu worms that people had little interest in, it would be kept on display till someone made a bid.
Rank two Gu worms would be displayed for a day and Rank three ones for two days.
At first glance, this practice looked odd but when put in practice, this was the most suitable way of doing business.
At the reception desk.
"What, the Liquor worm has been bought by someone else?" Gu Yue Yao Ji immediately frowned upon seeing the results. She had put a high price and was confident in obtaining the Liquor worm, but to think she had actually miscalculated.
"Hmph! Who is it to be so bad as to snatch my dear Liquor worm?" The young girl angrily asked.
"Yao Le," Gu Yue Yao Ji reminded her granddaughter.
The young girl pouted and obediently shut her mouth.
The sales clerk behind the counter was a Rank two female Gu Master. She slightly bowed and answered the young girl, "I am sorry, we can't divulge our customers' information. Each business has special rules, please forgive me."
It was this confidentiality that dispelled many customers' apprehensions and allowed them to freely take part in the bid.
Sometimes, people would have some things they clearly wanted, but they would yield to others because of feelings and courtesy. After all, they would frequently see each other in the clan.
But such a method of doing transactions secretly allowed one to go around the problem of sentiments.
Why would such a good thing need to go to you? Because you are my senior, relative or friend?
Never underestimate the dark side in everyone.
Such secret transactions allowed this dark side to come out.
Gu Yue Yao Ji ruminated for a while and said, "I know the rules. You don't need to worry little girl, I won't ask the name of that person who bought the Liquor worm, I only want to know what the final price was."
The female Gu Master bowed again, "I am really sorry, the price is also confidential. But please don't worry, the final price was definitely the highest among all the bids. Jia family's business has always centered around honesty."
"Hmph, little girl, do you know who I am?" Gu Yue Yao Ji's face sank and coldly snorted.
"What is going on?" At this moment, a Rank three middle-aged Gu Master hurried over.
This treehouse was constantly being monitored; they would naturally know if anything occurred.
"Lord supervisor." The female Gu Master immediately greeted this middle-aged man.
The man waved his hand at the girl, "You can leave now, I will handle it here."
He turned towards Gu Yue Yao Ji and smiled, "So it was lord Yao Ji. She should be your granddaughter, right? She looks smart and sweet."
Gu Yue Yao Ji's expression softened upon seeing that this man was also a Rank three Gu Master, but she still asked to know the final price.
The male supervisor felt that the situation was rather tricky.
He was an elder at the caravan and also a trusted aide of Jia Fu. After doing business for many years, he had a deep understanding of the Gu Yue village's situation and knew the influence this old woman had.
To them, even if they offended Gu Yue Chi Lian or Gu Yue Mo Chen, they wouldn't want to offend Gu Yue Yao Ji. The latter's influence was second only to clan leader Gu Yue Bo.
The male supervisor pondered and said, "How about this, since lord Yao Ji wants to purchase the Liquor worm, I could call the shots and secretly transfer one over. To be honest, the warehouse has three Liquor worms and Lord Jia Fu personally decides where to sell them. You should know how precious the Liquor worm is. As for the price, let's decide your bidding price as it."
However, Gu Yue Yao Ji slightly shook her head and knocked the cane on her hand on the ground.
She said, "I am not looking for a bargain. The price… will be the same as the selling price of the previous Liquor worm."
"This….." The supervisor hesitated, he naturally saw Gu Yue Yao Ji's aim.
Gu Yue Yao Ji pretended to be annoyed and continued to pressure the male supervisor, "What? Is the price so high that you are afraid I won't be able to afford it?"
"Of course, I didn't mean that. Sigh, alright, we will do like you say." The supervisor sighed and said a price.
Upon hearing the price, the young girl first heaved a sigh of relief, but soon after that she felt somewhat indignant, "What, it was only twenty primeval stones more than ours?"
Gu Yue Yao Ji narrowed her eyes, but didn't speak.
Meanwhile, Fang Yuan had already exited the treehouse and arrived at the wine tavern.
The second Liquor worm was already in his possession, and now the only things he needed were the four types of wines—sour, sweet, bitter and spicy wines.
"I already have the sweet wine; there is still quite a lot of the golden honey wine remaining from the family inheritance mission. Spicy and sour wines should not be a problem. My only concern is the bitter wine." Fang Yuan was a bit worried when he thought of this.
If he had bitter wine, he could begin refining the Four Flavours Liquor worm tonight.
Many things in life were like this, whatever you fear, it will come true.
Fang Yuan's worry became reality. He spent several hours rushing through countless tents; he found spicy and sour wines, but he didn't find bitter wine.
"Not everything in this world follows our wishes." Fang Yuan was very helpless. He could only set aside the fusion plan for the Liquor worm.
Without the Four Flavours Liquor worm, his cultivating speed would be ordinary.
In the afternoon, he went to the treehouse again.
There were new Gu worms in many counters on the first floor.
The central counter—where the Liquor worm had been displayed—was now occupied by a Cleansing Water Gu.
The Cleansing Water Gu resembled the leech on Earth, except it was much cuter than the leech; its whole body had a light-blue luster like that of the glimmering water.
"Cleansing Water Gu can remove the mixed aura in the aperture. To Chi Cheng, it is a Gu worm that he must have." Fang Yuan thought of Chi Cheng when he saw this Cleansing Water Gu.
He knew Chi Cheng only had a C grade aptitude and had forcefully raised his cultivation with the help of his grandfather Gu Yue Chi Lian's primeval essence, thus Chi Lian's aura was mixed inside Chi Cheng's aperture. If Chi Cheng didn't clean it off, then his future prospects would be jeopardized.
"Chi Lian will definitely buy this Gu worm for Chi Cheng. Hmm, let me think…..his quote should be between six hundred thirty to six hundred forty."
This price was much more than the Liquor worm's market value. The main reason was that Chi Cheng especially required this Gu worm.
"If I quote six hundred fifty, it should get me this Cleansing Water Gu. Just by adding ten primeval stones, this Cleansing Water Gu is bound to fall in my hands! As for the Liquor worm I bought this morning, my quote should have been about twenty primeval stones higher than Gu Yue Yao Ji's." Fang Yuan coldly smiled inwardly.
He had this self-confidence.
His five hundred years of experience and the advanced business knowledge from Earth had combined to form this self-confidence. It was beyond ordinary.
With his previous life's experience, when he just put ten more primeval stones, he had an eighty percent guarantee of getting the goods. When he bought the Liquor worm, the reason why he had put ten more primeval stones was because of his cautious nature.
Fang Yuan didn't make a quote, he didn't need the Cleansing Water Gu. And if he obtained it, then it would be investigated by Chi Lian. Of course, the main reason Fang Yuan did not bid was because he needed to hold onto the remaining money to see if there were any good Gu worms in the coming days.
"I lack two types of Gu worms; a scouting-type and a movement-type. The wolf tide will come in the coming year, and the caravan won't come again. Although there is the Flower Wine Monk's hidden inheritance, that was hastily left behind by Flower Wine Monk after he was injured. Who is to say if it is complete or not and what Gu worm would be next?"
In his memories, the wolf tide next year will be very dangerous. Fang Yuan didn't want to be powerless just because he lacked Gu worms, being injured or even perishing in the wolf tide.
It would be a disaster for the current him if he were to be surrounded by wolf packs.
Before that happens, he needed to make sufficient preparations; both his cultivation and Gu worms shouldn't be lacking.
After this, he repeatedly went to the treehouse for three days.
On the third day, in the first floor of the treehouse, he discovered something to be happy about—a Black Boar Gu!
Black and White Boar Gu were Gu worms that could increase the fundamental strength of Gu Masters. Fang Yuan had already used the White Boar Gu and received a power equal to that of a boar. If he used another White Boar Gu again, he wouldn't receive any increase in strength. But the Black Boar Gu was different, its ability could overlay with the White Boar Gu's.
Hence, at noon, there was one more Gu worm in his possession.
After that, there was nothing.
Some scouting and movement-type Gu worms appeared on the counters but they couldn't satisfy Fang Yuan.
These Gu worms were displayed on ordinary counters and the price wasn't good, so there weren't many who would purchase them. Fang Yuan heard the caravan would be staying for eight days, so he patiently waited without becoming anxious.
It was the seventh day.
In the second floor of the treehouse, Fang Yuan discovered a red steel Relic Gu.
It could instantly raise a Rank two Gu Master's primeval essence by a small realm!
Its price was marked at three thousand primeval stones, attracting many Rank two Gu Masters to bid over it, dropping papers in the counters; it was a very lively scene.
"If I obtain this red steel Relic Gu, I could push my cultivation to middle stage instantly. With the middle stage scarlet primeval essence, I would be able to use the Moonglow Gu and White Jade Gu many more times."
Cultivation was the foundation of a Gu Master, an increase in cultivation meant an increase in fighting power. In terms of its effects, it was far better than getting the scouting and movement Gu worms.
Moreover, these two types of Gu worms in the treehouse were all ordinary to Fang Yuan, with none catching his eyes.
"I have purchased the Liquor worm and Black Boar Gu, I also bought some wine. This red steel Relic Gu's final price will definitely cross five thousand primeval stones and could even reach eight thousand. After all, everyone knows about the wolf tide, so raising one's cultivation by a small realm will be a lot of help. My primeval stones won't be enough if I want to get this Relic Gu!"
Fang Yuan instantly realized that an obstacle had appeared in front of him.