The immense joy he felt did not overcome his mind; he quickly calmed down and started to consider the consequences that the Spring Autumn Cicada would bring to him:
"The Spring Autumn Cicada's ability is rebirth. But right now it is at its weakest state, at the instant I use it, it'll die. However it is still a Rank six Gu, so I can totally use its aura. This won't do any damage to its body."
"Hee hee hee." After he finished pondering, he closed his thoughts and opened his eyes. The Liquor worm was hovering before him, shivering in the midst of the smoke-like green copper primeval essence that had surrounded it.
Earlier because it wanted a chance to survive, desperation drove the Liquor worm risk everything on a single throw. Yet in the end its will was easily defeated by the Spring Autumn Cicada's aura. Due to this it suffered a heavy blow, its current strength not even 1% of the original will it had.
"Spring Autumn Cicada." With a simple thought, Fang Yuan released a small trace of the Spring Autumn Cicada's aura. This aura pressured onto the Liquor worm's body; the Liquor worm immediately stood still, motionless like a dead creature. Its scattered will felt the Spring Autumn Cicada's aura; like a mouse that had run into a cat, it was frightened.
It shrank into a ball and was too afraid to move even a slight bit.
Fang Yuan laughed and took the opportunity to mobilize his primeval essence. In the beginning when he tried using his green copper primeval essence to refine it, the Liquor worm's will resisted fiercely, so it could only expand arduously bit by bit. But right now Fang Yuan's green copper primeval essence drove straight in, flowing vigorously without resistance. There was no obstruction at all.
The green copper colour on the surface of the Liquor worm rapidly expanded. In a few winks, the once pearl-white Liquor worm was fully dyed green.
The general situation had passed; the last remains of the Liquor worm's will was finally washed away easily by Fang Yuan's will, dissolving into nothingness.
With that, the Liquor worm was fully refined!
Compared to the beginning where Fang Yuan had to endure hardship akin to trampling mountains and crossing ravines, the refining process right now was as easy as swallowing saliva.
A kind of mysterious and cordial feeling connected the Liquor worm and Fang Yuan together. The refined Liquor worm was like a part of Fang Yuan—if Fang Yuan told it to huddle up, it would curl; if he told it to curl into a ball it would curl into a round little dumpling. The feeling was like moving his own finger.
Fang Yuan took back his primeval essence, and the Liquor worm returned to its fat and white state. Then with a leap, it went through thin air and plunged into the middle of Fang Yuan's aperture. When it was inside, the Liquor worm flew a distance away around the hovering Spring Autumn Cicada and entered the green copper Primeval Sea.
On the sea surface the Liquor worm stretched its body arbitrarily; occasionally it would twist around its chubby waist, appearing comfortable as if it were bathing in a hot shower.
"With the Spring Autumn Cicada, my plans will have to change." Fang Yuan gathered his mind away from the aperture and took out the Moonlight Gu. He repeated what he did earlier: Letting out a hint of the Spring Autumn Cicada's aura, pressing it down on the Moonlight Gu.
As it felt the Spring Autumn Cicada's aura, the Moonlight Gu's will immediately surrendered, its fear so great its will could only turtle up in the furthest corner of its own body.
Fang Yuan's primeval essence poured in. In the blink of an eye, the Moonlight Gu was dyed a jade green colour. Finally, with just a simple thought, the Moonlight Gu's will was easily strangled.
After he was done he took back his primeval essence and the Moonlight Gu returned to its original, semi-transparent, blue crystal form. He put away the Moonlight Gu; it did not enter his aperture, but instead directly dropped onto his forehead, forming a pale blue crescent mark in the middle of his brow.
The entire refining process of the Moonlight Gu from beginning to end did not take more than five minutes. Comparing the start of his difficult refining process to the situation right now, the speed was rapid and created a sharp contrast.
Not only was it very fast, the consumption of primeval essence was also very little.
For the past few days, Fang Yuan had consumed six pieces of primeval stones just to refine the Liquor worm. But tonight, while Fang Yuan could see the bottom of the Primeval Sea in his aperture, he did not use a single stone.
"Ha ha, with the Spring Autumn Cicada at hand, it is as easy as having a god's help! After today all I just need to do is use its aura to pressure down, any Rank one Gu will be easily refined. Even though I only have C grade talent, I don't need to borrow the help of primeval stones. The difference between before and now is like heaven and earth."
Fang Yuan's mood was joyous. Right now his situation was like pushing away the mist and cloud to see clear blue skies.
Although the Spring Autumn Cicada was at its weakest point, it was still a Rank six Gu. A fallen tiger still leaves behind threat; a festered ship still has three pounds of nails1. Just relying on its aura, Fang Yuan's cultivation from today onwards would receive a huge driving force.
At this moment, the moon outside the window was bright and the stars were few. The moonlight flowed through the window, shining on Fang Yuan's face.
"Initially I thought I wouldn't be able to get number one, but the road twisted and turned unexpectedly. Time waits for no one! I must go to the academy now and receive the top prize!" Fang Yuan's eyes glistened.
With a thought the Spring Autumn Cicada faded away from view and disappeared once more, returning to its deep slumber. Then he called out the Liquor worm and hid it away at a corner of his bed. This was to prevent the academy's unnecessary examination.
Fifteen minutes later, in the clan academy.
The academy elder had long gone to bed, but in his dreams he could vaguely hear the sound of someone knocking at the door. He was awoken by the noise and he opened his eyes, rather displeased. "Who is it outside there in the middle of the night?"
Instantly a voice replied in a respectful tone, "Reporting to sir elder! It is a student from this year's batch; he has already finished refining the Moonlight Gu. You have instructed your subordinates earlier to report to you the very instant the first name appears, no matter what time it is."
"Well… It's true that happened." The academy elder frowned, and then he got off his bed. As he put on his robes he asked, "Which student is it that got number one this year? Is it Gu Yue Fang Zheng?"
The subordinate outside the door replied, "It seems so. The moment I heard the news I hurried over here to tell you about it, sir. It seems to be someone from the Fang family branch."
"Hehe, counting the time, it is probably him." The academy elder laughed lightly, confidently saying, "Who else could it be besides the A grade talent genius? All those B grade talent students would still be worse even with the help of primeval stones. Or else why would the grade of cultivation talent be so important?"
As he said this, he pushed the door open and came out. Outside the door, his subordinate respectfully bowed, moving two steps backwards. "Sir is right," he echoed.
In the hall, ten candles or so burned together, brightening up the hall. The man who had received Fang Yuan had already cleared up all doubts by now. Under the bright light of the candle fire, his face showed a stunned expression. "Wait, what did you just say? You are called Gu Yue Fang Yuan, not Gu Yue Fang Zheng?"
Fang Yuan nodded. At this moment the elder walked in from the entrance. Fang Yuan and the man stood up and turned around to greet.
When the academy elder saw Fang Yuan, his face was full of smiles. He strode over and stood in front of Fang Yuan, patting his shoulder in a friendly manner. "You did well, Gu Yue Fang Zheng, you did not disappoint me. You are indeed an A grade talent—genius! All those B grade, C grade peers of yours will never compare to you no matter how hard they try. Ha ha ha."
Fang Yuan and Fang Zheng were twin brothers; their outer appearance was similar to a fault. Even the academy elder was mistaken.
Fang Yuan was neither haughty nor humble. He took a little step back, letting his shoulder free from the academy elder's hand. He stared at the academy elder, his hands folded behind his back. Then he said with a faint smile, "Sir elder, you have been mistaken. I am Gu Yue Fang Yuan, Gu Yue Fang Zheng is my younger brother."
"Huh?" The academy elder opened his mouth slightly, his expression startled. He glared at Fang Yuan doubtfully, his brow turning into a frown. After a few breaths, he finally spoke. "You are Gu Yue Fang Yuan?"
"Correct sir," Fang Yuan replied.
"You have refined the Moonlight Gu?" The academy elder was extremely surprised. His two eyes glared firmly at Fang Yuan's crescent mark on his forehead. His eyes were shining; he was asking the obvious.
"Indeed, that is the case," Fang Yuan said.
"Then, you are first of your batch?" The academy elder was asking stupid questions, but he was not entirely at fault. After all, this situation was entirely out of everyone's expectations.
One must know that he had been in charge of the academy for decades and is extremely experienced. He had seen C grade talent students contending for number one before this, but it was never this early. Not to mention that in this batch there were peers with A and B grade talent.
"If there is no one earlier than me…" Fang Yuan pretended to be in deep thought, then he rubbed his nose and continued, "Then it seems like it."
The academy elder: "....."