Only until evening did the Gu tournament come to an end.
On the alliance slope, the Gu Masters from all three clans were no longer as divided as earlier. Gu Masters plastered the slope and only three densely packed groups could be vaguely seen remaining.
Gu battle sparring was both a form of venting and also compromise.
In this world where the greatest value is strength, only with strength comes respect, and that forms the basis for cooperation.
After Xiong Li challenged Fang Yuan, no one else came to look for him.
Fang Yuan was only a newbie and did not have much interaction with the other two clan's Gu Masters, not to mention any animosity. As for his own clansmen, they would not challenge someone from their own clan in this situation.
Especially after Fang Yuan admitting defeat, it caused other Gu Masters to lose interest in him. Towards this 'lazy', 'cowardly' opponent, what value is there in winning?
Not wanting to be trampled on, there are two ways. One is to become strong, strong until no one dares to step on you. Another is to turn into dog shit, something no one would want to step on.
Fang Yuan did not care about dog shit, or the reputation of the strong. He always acted unscrupulous, and only cared about the results. Without anyone challenging him, it made his life easier.
The surrounding people's contempt and disdain , he treated it like air. If he could not endure even these gazes, what right did he have to pursue the demonic way?
The alliance gathering ended successfully, and Gu Yue clan, Bai clan, and Xiong clan all reached an agreement.
First, declaring the rules. The three clans will temporarily put aside their grudges and resist the wolf tide together. In times of danger, they will assist each other. At the same time, internal killing is prohibited, and an investigating battle group will be set up.
Once they find any murders, the murderer will first be chased out of the clan, then the three clans will bring judgement together, making them pay with their lives. If the murderer escapes outside, their families' lives will be forfeited.
Even if the Gu Master dies, Gu worms retrieved from their corpses have to be given to the clan, and if it is used secretly, they will be charged with murder. After the Gu worm is submitted, they can exchange it for merit points.
Secondly, setting up the battle merit board. With a small group as a unit, every moment will be showing the battle achievements of the groups from all three clans and their rankings. A lightning wolf's eyeball is exchanged for ten merit points. Merit points can be used to exchange for Gu worms, primeval stones, and other resources.
The appearance of the battle merit board naturally inspired the hot bloodedness of the Gu Masters.
The result of the Gu battle sparring could not explain the true strength of both parties in actual combat. For example in the case of Xiong Jiang and Bai Bing Yi, other than the Water Drill Gu, Bai Bing Yi naturally had other attacking methods, but Xiong Jiang's Shadow Bond Gu only had an effective range of ten meters.
Furthermore, the results of any battle are swayed by many external factors.
Gu battle sparring lacked a convincing element, which the battle merit board can provide as a fairer method of competition.
The Gu Masters from the three clans wasted no time in hunting lightning wolves, fighting for a better ranking on the battle merit board.
This was not just for one's own glory, but also for the reputation of the clan.
Especially the top three positions in the merit board, it showed intense competition. Almost every day, the top three would have some sort of change.
Very quickly, a month passed.
Winter left and spring came, causing all living beings to grow once more.
After a battle.
Fang Yuan stepped on the remaining snow, regulating his breathing as well as observing the battlefield around him.
On the battlefield, there were over ten lightning wolves, all dead. Wolf blood and minced corpse could be seen everywhere, and the air emanated a smell of thick blood.
Howl...
At this point, wolf cries could be heard from a distance not too far away.
Fang Yuan's expression changed slightly. With his experience, he knew that a pack of wolves were heading this way rapidly.
If it was any other Gu Master, after an intense battle, without enough primeval essence in their aperture, they might have thoughts of retreating. But Fang Yuan did not care about this; he squatted down and began to gather the eyeballs from the wolf corpses.
His movements were fluid and highly efficient, but even so, after he was done extracting, he was already half-surrounded by the wolf pack.
This was a mid-sized wolf pack with around one hundred crippled wolves, their greenish wolf eyes showing a ruthless expression as they stared at Fang Yuan firmly.
Fang Yuan kept the wolf eyes well before standing up with a smile. Next, his body flickered like water ripples, and he vanished on the spot.
The wolf pack that had come to assault him were instantly riled up, and some of the crippled wolves stood in their tracks, showing their hesitance.
After all they were wild beasts. Seeing such a magical scene was incomprehensible.
"But, this is also because the lightning wolf king uses its wolf eyes to observe, and not its nose. Lightning wolves are fantastical creatures of this world; their vision is sharp like an eagle, but their sense of smell is no better from humans. My Stealth Scales Gu counters these lightning wolves perfectly, but it cannot hide from a dog's nose." Fang Yuan was clear in his heart.
Stealth Scales Gu was successfully refined by him before the Gu battle tournament. It was like a fossilised carp, grey throughout, lying in Fang Yuan's Primeval Sea, letting the liquid essence flow around its very realistic fish scales.
The Fish Scale Gu that Fang Yuan lacked was naturally obtained by trading the Black Boar Gu with Qing Shu.
With this Stealth Scales Gu, Fang Yuan could retreat from under the lightning wolves' nose.
In these few days, this situation had already occurred many times.
Normally, wolves or hounds had very sensitive noses. But lightning wolves were different—they were very fast, but without a clear vision, they would knock into a tree or the mountain rocks.
But nature is fair, as when it bestowed the lightning wolves with its sharp vision, it also took away their sense of smell.
However, the lightning crown wolf was different.
Even with the Stealth Scales Gu, Fang Yuan could travel freely among the normal wolf tide, but in front of a myriad beast king like the lightning crown wolf, he had nowhere to hide.
That is because the lightning crown wolf's eyes had the Lightning Eye Gu residing in it—this Gu allowed the ability to see through all sorts of cloaking.
Other than the Lightning Eye Gu, there are actually also many other Gu worms that can detect the stealthed Fang Yuan.
For example, the Snake Communication Gu, it can detect heat. The Beast Language Gu can allow a Gu Master and wild beasts to converse and obtain information. The clairaudience Gu can allow a Gu Master's hearing to be extremely sensitive.
Thus, even with the Stealth Scales Gu, it did not mean Fang Yuan was completely safe, but it was at most a good life-saving trump card.
When he returned to the village, it was still afternoon.
The day in spring was bright and beautiful, and there were many people passing in and out of the village door. What was different from previous years was that people on the road were mostly Gu Masters, while there were very little mortals.
Under the influence of the wolf tide, the wilderness was not safe. Hunters did not dare to hunt in the mountains, and farms were almost abandoned.
On the streets, Gu Masters were high in morale, each returning with blood traces all over, or enthusiastically leaving.
They were either talking about the battle merit board's ranking, or discussing their experiences in killing the lightning wolves. Some were talking about the well-performing Gu Masters from the other villages.
Fang Yuan was among the crowd that walked into the village, and he went to the village square in front of the family head pavillion.
The square already had a stage; the merit points were exchanged here.
A large amount of Gu Masters gathered here, and Rank one Gu Masters were doing administrative work. Some Rank two Gu Masters squeezed around, using the bloodstained wolf eyes to exchange for merit points.
There was also a portion of them that were using their merit points to exchange for primeval stones, Gu worms or food ingredients, etc.
In the middle of the village square, a large banner was erected, and on it there was the written language of this world; it was constantly changing.
This is the battle merit board, and on it there are over a dozen Swimword Gu.
Rank one Swimword Gu, after being manipulated by Rank one support Gu Masters, can freely convert the contents of the writings on the banner.
"Hmph, why is the #1 still the Bai clan's Bai Bing Yi's group?" Some stared at the battle merit board, frowning.
"Let me see, Bai Bing Yi is #1, our clan's Qing Shu group is #2, and Xiong Li group is #3, my group is the 137th." A Gu Master counted.
This time, someone suddenly said, "It changed, it changed! Qing Shu group is now #1. They pushed Bai clan's Bai Bing Yi to #2!"
On the battle merit board, the symbol showing the second ranking Qing Shu group suddenly moved, crawling its way upwards and pulling the Bai Bing Yi group down with its "hands", ascending the position of number one itself, even using its "leg" to trample around.
Such a human reaction, it was naturally due to the Gu Master manipulating the Swimword Gu.
Seeing this interesting change, the Gu Masters in the village square laughed heartily, pointing a thumbs up towards Qing Shu's group, praising nonstop. The Rank one Gu Master controlling the Swimword Gu had a red face as he showed an expression of excitement.
"Lord Qing Shu, you are indeed our number one Rank two Gu Master!"
"Good job, Lord Qing Shu."
Gu Yue Qing Shu walked among the crowd, smiling faintly. Gu Yue Fang Zheng who was behind him clenched both fists, following closely with an excited expression on his face.
The praises from all over the square filled the young man's strong materialistic desire. This made Fang Zheng feel like he was walking on a bright path, unknowingly increasing his recognition towards the clan.
"Brother…" He saw Fang Yuan standing among the crowd, observing with his arms folded.
"Brother, you are still alone, all by yourself. No wonder you have been at the bottom of the ranking every since the start. Only by removing your prejudice and fusing into the masses can you feel the warmth and happiness of the clan," Fang Zheng sighed, feeling that Fang Yuan was somewhat pitiful and pathetic.
People who were like Fang Yuan, always fighting alone without any companions, could not feel any kinship from the clan or friendship forged from fighting together with your teammates.
Facing everything alone is not only dangerous, but mundane.
A person living without friendship, love or kinship, what is the meaning of being alive?
Fang Yuan stood among the crowd, staring at the tall merit board. Without doubt, the last position on the ranking was written in large letters —"Fang Yuan Group".
Other Gu Masters upon seeing this, felt extremely shameful, but Fang Yuan's gaze was calm, not minding it one bit.
After being promoted to group leader, he had never recruited any members. He was a loner group leader, the most special group in the entire Qing Mao mountain's three clans.
With only him alone, of course his daily hunting results could not compare to other groups. Of course, with Fang Yuan's current abilities, if he tried hard he would definitely not be in last place.
But this was pointless to Fang Yuan.
He did not need much merit points, living resources or Gu worm's food, he had stock for everything. He had planned to exchange for a Fish Scales Gu earlier, but now he no longer needed to.
Right now he was hunting lightning wolves daily just to put on a show to fulfil the quota, and secondly accumulate some merit points to exchange for moon orchid petals.
After all, his Moonglow Gu needed this food.
Half a month soon passed, and the spring atmosphere intensified.
Trees started to grow leaves, and wildflowers on the roadside bloomed.
Under the warm spring winds, Gu Masters sang in battle, and the battle situation was getting better and better.
Fang Yuan walked on the pavement, seeing everyone's happy faces, their exchanges of praise like courageous acts and the likes.
Of course, there were also some Gu Masters who were in deep worry, showing an unhappy expression. These Gu Masters were mostly the elderly, as with their rich life experiences, they knew that the real wolf tide was coming in summer and autumn.
Fang Yuan realized in his heart.
"What caused this current situation is due to the three-clan alliance, thus people have reduced their caution of each other, and this enabled Gu Masters to be more invested in resisting the wolf tide. Secondly, the lightning wolves exterminated were only the crippled wolves. Thirdly, with the coming of spring, many wolves are busy mating.
When summer comes, the truly energetic and healthy wolves would attack from all directions, causing great damage and deaths to the three clans."
Thinking of this, Fang Yuan's eyes shone with cold light.
In this year's wolf tide, the intensity was like never before, it reached a danger level that was unforeseen. Even the clan higher-ups greatly underestimated the severity of this wolf tide.
In his memory, most of the Gu Masters died, and the trump cards of the three clans were nearly fully expended.
Fang Yuan had never thought of warning the higher-ups. One is that even if he did, they might not listen to his suggestion, and even emphasize on where he got the information, which he is unable to explain. Secondly, there was no point in telling them, it is a fundamental difference in strength. Thirdly, and the most crucial reason, warning the clan did not fit his biggest interest!
I would rather let the world down, than be let down by the world!!!
What kinship, friendship, love—these were but an ornament in life, how could they compare to a man's great ambition?
On Earth, Xiang Yu wanted to cook Liu Bang's father, and the Han dynasty ancestor Liu Bang even laughed and said, "Go ahead, don't forget to give me a piece of meat."
Tang Dynasty Li Shi Ming killing his brothers, Cao Cao's army having no rations and cooking people to turn them into dried meat as food. Liu Bei borrowing Jing Zhou but never returning.
The higher-ups praised the values and morals, but those are just tools to maintain their rule.
If one is restrained by these, how can they achieve anything?
Amongst those who stepped into high society, who didn't have bloodstained hands as they stepped on corpses along the way? In a capitalist's initial startup funding, the process was always bloody. Any politician's hands were stained dirty, and so-called philanthropists were merely using money to gain recognition in society.
It was just that the successful were apt in hiding their past acts, and those who believed the stories of the successors were truly fools.
"These fools are everywhere, restrained by emotions and morals, they deserve to be stupidly manipulated by rules. What's sadder is that when they see others not being restrained, they would jump out and criticise, trying to impart these morals to the people, not allowing others to have more freedom than them. In this process, they would even enjoy this ridiculous moral superiority and bliss."
Thinking of this, Fang Yuan looked at the Gu Masters walking past him.
These people, they had a body full of abilities, and some even had higher cultivation than him, but for what?
They were just pawns, merely restrained dogs.
What truly stalled a person's success was not talent, but mindset.
Any organisation, once a person is born, would impart their morals and rules, constantly brainwashing. Those that want to surpass humanity's achievements have to break this restraint on their mindset. Sadly, most people are trapped by this their entire lives, using this to move forward with motivation and even use their chained collar as a symbol of pride.
Thinking so, Fang Yuan laughed coldly.
Walking out of the village door, he retracted his thoughts.
There was something important today, he was preparing to enter the rock crack's secret cave again!