Jiang Ya looked at the Gu Yue Ye whose face was grim, the former secretly feeling happy in his heart.
This old man had forcefully made Jiang Ya bring him to this place. Jiang Ya only had Rank one cultivation and was a junior, thus he had to lower his head to Gu Yue Ye and bring him here.
But now that he had been humiliated, Jiang Ya's heart was envious of Fang Yuan's unrestrained personality.
Gu Yue Ye wanted to give Fang Yuan a few tight slaps, to lecture this arrogant junior. But for the vitality leaves, he had to control himself, "Junior Fang Yuan, you can't say that. You are still young, you don't know the importance of human relationships, there will come a time when you need to beg others.
Just think, in future when you come to ask me for a favour and I treat you like this, how would you feel?"
"Bullcrap human relationships!" Fang Yuan laughed in disdain in his heart.
The so-called unity was just because they were individually weak.
Human relationships, it was important on earth. After all, there was no difference in personal strength among people. But in this world where people cultivated, things were inherently different.
Human relationships were just a byproduct of strength—if one is strong, their human relationships would thrive.
But for those who pursue relationships, they definitely have something to ask others of.
As for not needing relationships—if one is overly powerful, they can snatch anything they want, give it away or die, why would they need people's relationships?
These were demonic path thoughts, and Fang Yuan would naturally not advertise them publicly.
But since he was disturbed like this, Fang Yuan might as well do this business.
Thus, he said, "It's not that I can't sell it either. One vitality leaf for sixty-eight primeval stones. How many do you want?"
"Huh!" Gu Yue Ye outside the door was shocked by this price, quickly saying, "Junior Fang Yuan, this price is too expensive!"
Fang Yuan snorted, "Then don't buy it. Among the resources provided by the clan, there are also vitality leaves, you can exchange it with merit points."
Gu Yue Ye laughed bitterly, "How would I not know that, but these vitality leaves are all sold to those with relationships, the medicine hall clan elder Gu Yue Yao Ji has complete control over it, how can I interfere? Junior Fang Yuan, sell me a favour, I will definitely repay you. From what I see, sixty primeval stones is a just price."
"I do not anticipate people's repayment, you have wasted enough of my time. Seventy primeval stones, if you don't want to buy it, leave." Fang Yuan responded.
Gu Yue Ye was furiously stomping, "Junior Fang Yuan, how can you do business like this?"
Fang Yuan snickered, "Times are different, it is seventy-two primeval stones now, every sentence you say wastes some of my time, and when I feel unhappy I will raise the price, I hope you can make the right decisions."
Hearing this, Gu Yue Ye's face became furious; he wanted to say something, but every time he opened his mouth, no words came out.
His hagged face was green and red, and Jiang Ya who was beside him saw this and cheered internally.
Finally, he gritted his teeth, saying, "Okay, I'll buy it, I need five vitality leaves."
"You can hand the primeval stones to Jiang Ya. As for the vitality leaves, collect them from him three days later." Fang Yuan said.
This was overbearing, trading goods and money was the most basic fairness.
But Gu Yue Ye still paid the money, handing multiple bags to Jiang Ya on the spot.
His movements were slightly trembling, for this was his meagre savings, the savings from him scrimping throughout the years, and now they were all taken by a shrewd merchant!
Finally, he walked out of this bamboo building with an endless feeling of indignance.
"Lord Fang Yuan, what you did was really cool revenge! But I'm afraid you have completely offended Gu Yue Ye. This old man, when he was young he always took revenge on people, he would not let go of this easily." Outside, Jiang Ya said carefully.
"Let him be, an old man relying on his seniority, he is bound to get eliminated by the clan." Fang Yuan opened the door, and Jiang Ya handed him the bags.
The clan wants to resist the wolf tide, so that requires large amounts of resources. With less resources, they cannot maintain the large organisation structure, thus they would need to get rid of members.
These old men being alive were wasting precious scarce resources, they were destined to go.
The wolf packs eliminated the old and sickly, expelling the crippled wolves. In human society, they would not be so obvious, always masking their evil with a shield of light, thus they called these old Gu Masters to fight.
So what if Gu Yue Ye understood the intention?
Being in the system, a person in society, they had no choice.
The clan uses the reason of protecting their family and clan to call them to fight and sacrifice, how can they refuse?
On Earth there is a sentence, if the Emperor wants the subjects to die, they cannot do otherwise. But still countless people fight for the positions of being the emperor's subjects. This was the allure and cruelty of the system.
"Every round of the wolf tide in the past, those old Gu Masters who come out to fight, how many can survive? Let's not say five vitality leaves, even if we give this Gu Yue Ye fifty pieces, he might not make it out alive." Fang Yuan stood at the door, laughing coldly.
When Jiang Ya heard this tone, his heart was freezing.
He could feel an aura from Fang Yuan, full of coldness and frost, like the northern winds blowing until he cannot raise his head.
Fang Yuan looked at Jiang Ya, his eyes dark and black, continuing, "From now on, other than the arranged timings, you cannot look for me! If you break my rules, be prepared to face the consequences. Letting you sell the vitality leaves for me, is on account of your brother. But respect is given by others, and thrown away by ownself. Think over your own actions."
Jiang Ya heard Fang Yuan's lecture, not daring to speak. Thinking of Gu Yue Ye's sad state, sweat poured from his forehead.
"Also, from now on, raise the price of the vitality leaves to seventy primeval stones." Fang Yuan said again.
"Seventy?!" Jiang Ya was shocked as he gulped, his eyes shining, as if he can see an endless supply of primeval stones.
But he was also rather afraid, asking meekly, "Lord Fang Yuan, raising prices like this, will it cause others to think that we are growing a fortune through the misfortune? Would we have the suspicion of taking advantage of the clan's state? If we do this, we might incur public outrage."
"Public outrage? Hmph, what can they do, do what I order, don't talk crap. If someone finds trouble, tell them the vitality leaves are sold by me." Fang Yuan snorted.
"Yes, yes, yes." Jiang Ya nodded furiously, Fang Yuan's words were what he wanted to hear, he was going to do this as well.
He was just a Rank one small fry, he cannot offend too many people. Throwing all these problems to Fang Yuan, he had already started doing so.
A small fry also has his own survival methods, and towards Jiang Ya's intention, Fang Yuan was clear at heart.
But cultivation difference and era difference, results in Fang Yuan living a different lifestyle.
After using that red steel Relic Gu, he would be Rank two peak stage, near to Rank three. That means he has finally grown past the initial step, and having this strength means his life and future would be different.
In the past he needed to lay low, but now he needed to be oppressive.
Only when he is oppressive can he obtain the biggest benefit.
As for this Jiang Ya, he still has some value to make use of. Even with his petty acts, as long as it does not infringe on Fang Yuan's benefits, he can tolerate it.
Even revealing some unimportant trump cards is not a big deal.
During peacetime, those higher-ups have nothing to do, thus they might find problems. But now that there is the wolf tide, who has the energy to care about such minute details?
After the wolf tide, it is not guaranteed that the Gu Yue village still exists.
Half a month later.
Lightning wolves attack like tidal waves, causing the Gu Masters to retreat in a hurry.
"Xiong Yuan Zhen, you must hang in there! Gu Yue village is not too far away." Xiong Jiao Man stared at the clansmen on the ground, her eyes turning red as she shouted.
"Leader big sis, I can't take it anymore. I have something in my heart I want to tell you…" Xiong Yuan Zhen was at his dying breath, his injuries were severe and his face was full of death.
"Okay, speak!" Xiong Jiao Man sobbed. She knew in her heart that although this Xiong Yuan Zhen was normally quiet, but he was secretly in love with her. At this moment, she knew what he wanted to say.
But when Xiong Yuan Zhen opened his mouth, he did not manage to confess and say "I love you."
He had died, died of blood loss, injuries too severe to cure.
His body was full of injuries, all from the bites of the lightning wolves. The most fatal blow was at his chest, from his right shoulder all the way to his belly button—this was caused by a bold lightning wolf.
"Big sis, the situation is bad, another bold lightning wolf group came!" The recon Gu Master shouted, his voice filled with panic.
Xiong Jiao Man's cries ended, placing Xiong Yuan Zhen's body down. She was the group leader, her group members need her!
The dead has passed, and those alive has to continue facing the cruelty of this world.
"These goddamn wolves, is there an end to them!" Xiong Jian Man cursed fiecely. Her body figure was hot and she had a nice pretty face, so when she said these swear words there was a unique flavor about her.
Hearing her words, the others calmed down internally.
As Xiong Jian Man cursed, she observed.
The investigation result made her slightly distressed. She could kill a group of bold lightning wolves, fight her way out of two groups, but against four bold lightning wolf groups, the wisest decision is to retreat to the valley behind her and use the Signal Gu, hoping for reinforcements.
"Retreat to the valley," Xiong Jiao Man shouted as she activated both her giant bears to protect them.
These two giant bears were well-raised by her. One brown and one black, with smooth and shiny fur, but they were both full of injuries all over their bodies.
When Xiong Jiao Man and the others successfully retreated to the valley, these two bears were left with one; the black one had been engulfed by the lightning wolves' pack after killing tens of lightning wolves, having run out of energy.
A Gu worm shot out from the bear corpse, returning back to Xiong Jiao Man's hand in an instant.
This was the Bear Enslavement Gu.
It can be planted into bears to allow the Gu Master to manipulate giant bears.
Of course, it can only be an ordinary bear, for the Bear Enslavement Gu is a Rank two—it cannot enslave a bear king.
If it can enslave a bear king, they would be strong. Because a bear king, even if it is the weakest, has at least a hundred bear subordinates.
If a Gu Master can enslave a bear king, it means they have a beast group to manipulate as well.
"Now we wait for reinforcements, hopefully they can get here soon!" Xiong Jiao Man panted as she sighed.
They had retreated to the valley, thus the area they had to defend against greatly decreased, causing the pressure from the wolf packs to also decrease. But it also meant they had no way out, and the blood and continual battle would attract more wolf packs.
The crisis was not resolved.
"Eh." At this point, from the cliff above their heads, a voice was heard.
Everyone raised their heads to look, and saw that there was a young man.
"It's him…"
"Gu Yue Fang Yuan!"
The seven Xiong clan Gu Masters were first invigorated, but then showed a complicated expression.