Fang Yuan put down his cup, sitting down.
Only then did everyone dare to sit down. Among them, not all the classmates were present. For example, Mo Bei, Chi Cheng, and the others with strong backgrounds, were not among the ones present.
"It's about time, I have to go. This was a well-organised meetup." Fang Yuan showed his inclination to leave.
Gu Yue Ding Zong upon hearing the praise, was overjoyed and quickly stood up, taking out a money bag from his pocket.
The bag was filled with primeval stones.
He smiled and bowed, "Upon hearing lord's wisdom today, I've felt a strong sense of enlightenment, reaping a great reward. This is a small gift, but I hope lord can accept my token of gratitude."
He talked a bunch of crap, and from the start of the banquet, he had been flattering Fang Yuan non-stop, so how could he have gotten any enlightenment?
But everyone else acted as if this indeed really happened, shouting loudly and urging Fang Yuan to accept his gratitude.
Fang Yuan did not reject, smiling lightly and naturally taking over this money bag.
Next, was the second, and the third, simultaneously coming up to offer their gifts, all primeval stones!
"Alright, alright." Fang Yuan smiled as he accepted them all.
Tens of bags filled with primeval stones, how could Fang Yuan carry them all? Gu Yue Ding Zong on seeing this, quickly summoned a few family servants to carry his load for him.
In this short amount of time, Fang Yuan gained almost ten thousand primeval stones!
Lastly, Fang Yuan slowly stood up, raising his cup once again, "Our encounter is by fate; this classmate relationship, both you and I remember it at heart. This is truly worth drinking over."
"Yes!""Well said, Lord Fang Yuan."
"Such perfect phrasing, taking the words right out of our hearts, this is talent no doubt!"
Everyone stood up, praising as they raised their cups.
They either had no background, or their background was not strong enough. Fang Yuan advanced to clan elder, and they were afraid of his revenge, but at the same time they also wanted to enter Fang Yuan's social network.
Fang Yuan smiled lightly, raising his hand and toasting with his wine cup.
At this point, the dark clouds dissipated, showing the lustrous moonlight enveloping the garden outside. The cool air was mixed with the smell of blood, and reality was extremely cruel.
But in this hall, it was exquisite with beautiful lights and decorations, overflowing with wine and fortune, and everyone smiled superficially as if they were in heaven on earth.
"This is the allure of the system." Fang Yuan's eyes glinted; as he stared at the wine in his cup, his mind thought about it.
Back then, when he extorted his classmates, it was only several primeval stones, but he incurred public outcry.
However right now, he didn't even have to say a word. Yet these people were all willing, fighting to be the first to give him primeval stones, each bag having over a hundred primeval stones!
This differential treatment—on the surface it looked like the result of Fang Yuan's elder status.In reality, the truth was because he had previously been outside the system. Right now however, he had entered the organisation's higher management.
Under the system, the members are all exploited willingly. Even without any hints from Fang Yuan, they would come forth and bribe him. Some would use their network to get into his faction, while women used their charms to get closer.
It works this way in this world, and the same goes on Earth as well.
"This world's people are hilarious. Being robbed and extorted only for a meagre loss and they resist violently, screaming injustice. But bribing the higher-ups, sending gifts, bodies and virginities, they do it willingly. And they are even afraid that it's not enough! Being able to get so many primeval stones today, this is all borrowing the power of the system."
Fang Yuan laughed coldly in his heart, thinking of Gu Yue Qing Shu, Mo Yan and Chi Shan.
Talented people like Gu Yue Qing Shu having B grade talent, they had much greater cultivating talent than Fang Yuan!
But all of them cultivated slowly, staying at Rank two realm for a long time.
Did they not work hard enough?
Hehe.
Let's laugh a little.
This is the deprivation and pressure from the system.
Such deprivation and pressure, it is invisible. Ordinary people cannot even feel it!
Taking Fang Yuan's situation for example. The primeval stones these people gifted, if used on themselves, would definitely be a driving force towards their own cultivation.
Thus, bribery is a form of deprivation!
Numerous lower rankers fight to bribe the higher-ups. This was a form of gathering resources and fortifying the authority of the higher ups.
Other than monetary fortune, there is also the deprivation of time.
Elites like Gu Yue Qing Shu did not need to bribe others, but their time was used up. Telling you to do this and that on a daily basis, running errands, doing missions, but acting rightfully so—this is for the higher-ups' attention and favor!
If this time was used to cultivate, Gu Yue Qing Shu would've broken through Rank two peak stage and reached Rank three. Then using the Wood Charm Gu, he might've even been able to kill Bai Ning Bing!
The amazing part was that, the clan elders did not want this junior Gu Yue Qing Shu to advance to Rank three so quickly.
For such a useful pawn piece, if he really became Rank three and was on the same status as them, how can they make use of him?
Who is willing to have their authority shaved?
Thus, they consciously dragged and suppressed him, even using the reason of —— I think well of this lad, but he needs to train. Only by refining can he become a true jade...
Hehe.
"This is the truth of the system. If one cannot see beyond this, regardless of how heroic they are or how talented one is, they are merely tigers and dragons chained up, only being slaves. People like Gu Yue Qing Shu and Chi Zhong, no matter how intelligent or talented they are, so what?"
Although he had so many thoughts, his thoughts flashed in an instant, and only a second passed in real life.
"Everyone, please drink up!" Fang Yuan moved the cup to his lips, downing the drink in one mouthful.
Everyone quickly toasted him, not daring to leave behind a single drop.
"Goodbye." Fang Yuan cupped his fists, taking his leave. The family servants held the primeval stones as they followed behind him.
Everyone quickly sent him off.
"Please continue drinking, you don't have to send me off," Fang Yuan said, but everyone did not do so. Instead, they left their seats and continued their flattery.
Fang Yuan continued, "I like peace and quiet."
Seeing his expression, everyone finally got his intentions and remained in the hall.
Seeing Fang Yuan's figure leaving, some people sighed, while others remained silent, and someone exclaimed, "Elder Fang Yuan truly is a legend, such elegance…"
They were all frogs in the well, only able to see the moon from below, thinking about Fang Yuan's unrestrained position but not being able to see beyond the system's restrictions.
Actually, as long as one joins the system, they would be weakened, and their benefits would be sacrificed.
Even the clan leader has to sacrifice. He needed to manage the clan, and with this he contributed much of time and effort.
It is just that the members at the bottom of the chain are deprived more severely. The higher one's status is, the more benefits one will enjoy.
Initially, when Fang Yuan extorted primeval stones, he worked against the system, acting alone and not even sparing his own brother. That was to avoid this deprivation. Thus, he had ample time and energy to advance to Rank three and become a clan elder, causing numerous people to scream in wonder.
But now that he had undergone a huge transformation, becoming a clan elder, his temperament became mild and respectful with authority and status, enjoying the benefits of a clan elder, causing many to be filled with envy.
This separation and joining, entering and leaving, is filled with deep wisdom and knowledge.
But how many people can see clearly across this fact?
Fang Yuan was not exploited, but he still enjoyed the benefits. In the eyes of mortals, this is unrestrain and elegance.
…
"Alright, put the things on the table and you can go," Fang Yuan said.
The family servants did not dare to have an opinion, quietly placing down the items and bowing to Fang Yuan before taking their leave.
This is no longer the rented apartment Fang Yuan stayed in before.
After advancing to elder, the clan allocated him a brand new bamboo building.
There was a study room and a secret room for closed door cultivation in the bamboo building, but there were no family servants; Fang Yuan needed to find them himself.
"Tusita flower, come out."
Fang Yuan willed in his heart and with the injection of his white silver primeval essence, the tusita flower residing on his tongue as a tattoo came alive immediately.
He opened his mouth and spit out, only to see red light appearing as the tusita flower rotated gradually like a lantern in mid-air, floating and appearing in front of him.
Fang Yuan activated the tusita flower. Instantly, red light flashed and caused the entire area to be lit in a red hue.
When the red light shone upon the pieces of primeval stones, there was a formless attraction and all the stones flew out of their bags and entered the tusita flower.
A moment later, the red light dissipated and Fang Yuan opened his mouth. The tusita flower entered his mouth once more, landing on his tongue and turning into a red flower lantern tattoo.
"This tusita flower is a Rank three Gu, able to store primeval stones and other things. Among the Rank three storage Gu, this is one of the better ones, being able to store a max of thirty thousand primeval stones. But considering that I have to store other things as well, the most would probably be around fifteen thousand primeval stones."
Although it was his first time using this Gu worm, with his previous life's experience, he could quickly estimate the limit of the Gu.
Primeval stones are the most basic resource for a Gu Master's cultivation, undeniably.
Without primeval stones, Gu Masters would lack a driving force severely.
And primeval stones also help in quickly restoring primeval essence, so in battle it has a lot of help.
Especially for Gu Masters who travel alone, primeval stones are the most basic assurance for travelling. Normally, they would need at least ten thousand primeval stones to ensure that a Gu Master has the basic needs covered for a period of time. And every once in a while, they require replenishment.
A saving of fifteen thousand primeval stones, to Fang Yuan, was still too little, but also at an acceptable range.
"First I borrowed three thousand primeval stones from Chi Lian, and with today's earnings, I do not have to fret over primeval stones for a while. In the six classifications, I have the Blood Moon Gu and Sky Canopy Gu for attack and defense, Thunderwings for movement, tusita flower for storage, and Earth Communication Ear Grass for recon. I only lack a healing Gu," Fang Yuan calculated.
He previously had a Nine Leaf Vitality Grass, but Fang Yuan handed it up already, thus being able to get the tusita flower.
But for this Rank two Nine Leaf Vitality Grass, even in Fang Yuan's possession, the healing ability was not satisfactory.
"Rank three healing Gu worms, there are a few desirable ones. Endless Vitality Gu can sustain healing and expends little primeval essence. On this note, it is the best for Gu Masters like me with low aptitude. There's also the Undying Grass, a Gu that can save me as long as I have a single breath left, this is the best life-preservation type of Gu.
The most optimum is the Self-reliance Gu, relying on the Gu Master's own strength. The larger the Gu Master's strength, the more it can stimulate the metabolism of the Gu Master and thus recover injuries faster."But for these three Gu worms, how can Fang Yuan obtain them?
In the Gu Yue clan, he even checked the underground cavern, but found no such Gu.
On the resource board, they would also not display such a precious Gu.
The only hope lies in the Flower Wine Monk's inheritance.
But the chances were slim, Fang Yuan barely held any hope. He could feel that the Flower Wine Monk's inheritance was coming to an end. How could there be the exact Gu that Fang Yuan needs right at the end?
If that was the case, it would be too perfect, too idealistic.
But Fang Yuan knew how cruel this world was. Placing your faith in such a thing, that's naivety!
"But even so, I have to finish exploring this inheritance ground. At least for that Chainsaw Golden Centipede, I have to subdue it," Fang Yuan thought in his heart.