The green copper Primeval Sea had tides rising and falling, ebbing and flowing.
Above the sea level, the Liquor worm curled into a ball, emitting the wine vapour that gradually developed into white mist.
A surge of primeval essence with a "swoosh", rushed up against the tide and into the wine mist. When the tide receded, there was already half left, and the colour was even darker. From initial stage jade green1, it had converted into middle stage pale green.
Middle stage primeval essence fell into the sea, but it did not mix with the initial stage primeval essence. As if it was denser, it sank to the bottom.
Thus, the situation became that the upper layer of the Primeval Sea was filled with initial stage primeval essence, while the lower half was middle stage primeval essence.
As time flowed, the wine mist circulated within the aperture. Under the refinement of the Liquor worm, eventually, the initial stage primeval essence continued to decrease, while the middle stage primeval essence gradually increased.
It could be seen with the naked eye where the lower layer middle stage primeval essence gradually rose, while the upper layer initial stage primeval essence continued to decrease, but also rose in sea level.
As Fang Yuan refined his primeval essence, he extracted the natural essence from the primeval stones at the same time, quickly replenishing the dwindling primeval essence in his aperture.
Finally, the 45% Primeval Sea in his aperture was fully refined into middle stage primeval essence.
"Much thanks to the middle stage primeval essence, or else I would not have been able to open the rocks five times in the gambling den." Sitting in a lotus position on his bed, Fang Yuan gradually opened his eyes.
It was currently late at night.
After he walked out of the gambling den, he did not tour around any of the other shops, but instead headed back to the academy.
Although it was at the fringe of the Gu Yue Mountain Village, as a Rank one initial stage Gu master, owning five hundred and thirty eight primeval stones is still too much.
This is not only because the primeval stones were heavy and a hassle to bring around. It also attracts other people's coveting; in another sense, it would endanger his life.
If there was a Rank one upper stage, or even a Rank two who coveted his assets, with Fang Yuan's current ability he would not be able to contend.
"Wealth comes and goes, but humans die because of wealth, it's pathetic. What's laughable is that many people in this world cannot comprehend that. The boat of benefits carries many people, but has also sunk many others." Fang Yuan's lips curled into a cold smirk as he looked at the grey white primeval stones in his hands.
A complete primeval stone was around the size of a duck egg. But the stone in his hand, as it had been extracted of half of its essence, was an entire circle smaller.
Fang Yuan did not regret it.
Everything has its gains and losses. Fang Yuan was only a C grade talent, yet he was using the Liquor Gu to refine his primeval essence, and his primeval stones expenditure was multiple times of the people of his age. Yet it was because of this that he was able to overcome the lack of his talent. If the real cultivation pace could be counted, he would be able to rank first three.
Fang Yuan put the primeval stones back into his money bag and took out that final purple gold fossil.
He bought a total of six fossils at the gambling den and opened five on the spot, bringing the last one back with him.
His eyes shone as he activated the Moonlight Gu, grinding with five fingers, slowly dissecting the rock.
The purple gold fossil gradually shrunk under the blue ripples, and finally was grinded to nothingness, leaving behind a pile of powder on the ground.
Fang Yuan was not surprised, because in rock gambling, you lose nine out of ten times.
Even with his five hundred years of experience, he could only manage eight losses out of ten times. And in the remaining two times, it depended on whether it was a live Gu or a dead Gu.
Dead Gu had basically no value. As for live Gu, they might not be a rare type of Gu worm, and even if it was a tremendously precious Gu, one might attract a life-threatening crisis because of it.
Fang Yuan's current cultivation level was still very low, it was at the bottom tier of the Gu Masters. The Mudskin Toad that he obtained earlier, if it weren't for the fact that this was the Gu Yue Mountain Village, it might have been forcefully snatched away by that Jia Jin Sheng.
Gambling was never the way for developing family wealth, and in fact it was a bigger cause of bankruptcy and debt. This was not the development path that Fang Yuan wanted to take.
Although the final purple gold fossil did not have a Gu worm, Fang Yuan was not disappointed. In fact, he looked at the pile of rock powder and gradually broke into a smile.
Indeed, his ultimate motive in entering the gambling den was all for this pile of rock powder. That Mudskin Toad was only something he had gotten out of convenience.
He privately opened the fossil, and other than him, nobody knew the truth of this result.
From that day forth, he could claim that the Liquor worm was awakened and subdued from the purple gold fossil.
This idea was fabulous.
Firstly, nobody could confirm what Gu worm really exists in the fossils. Who would dare say that the Liquor worm could not hibernate within the purple gold fossil? That's completely possible!
Secondly, he had several eyewitnesses. He opened the Mudskin Toad, which would've left a strong impression on the Gu Masters in the gambling den.
Thirdly, even if someone relentlessly questioned him, he could push everything onto his luck. Luck was something unfathomable. Even if someone suspected that this was the Flower Wine Monk's Liquor worm, against an excuse like 'luck' they'd have no idea how to argue against Fang Yuan.
Within the dark room, Fang Yuan's expression was ominous.
One-sided covering up was akin to covering fire with paper. There would be a day where he would be exposed.
To get rid of a hidden threat like the Liquor worm, he'd have to strike first. This is Fang Yuan's style.
Moreover, he had thought about it carefully, and in the cultivation process that was to follow, he would need to expose the Liquor worm.
"For a Rank one Gu like the Liquor worm, it is extremely precious to Rank one Gu Masters. But for Rank two Gu Masters, it is no longer compatible for them. Thus even if this was exposed, all I would get is some attention, but it would not affect the overall situation, thus becoming nothing to be concerned over. It is not like the Spring and Autumn Cicada.
If the Spring and Autumn Cicada is exposed, I might die a horrible death at the very next moment."
Five hundred years of experience in handling problems had already made Fang Yuan extremely familiar with human mentality, with their every thought clear as day to him.
"The Flower Wine Traveler's legacy and the Mudskin Toad, among my memories these are the only two treasures here, and now that they have been obtained by me, what I can do next is only gradual and steadfast cultivation."
Fang Yuan sighed a deep breath and relaxed his body, feeling a strong sense of fatigue engulfing him.
A Gu Master's Primeval Sea cultivation could not replace sleep.
Fang Yuan pulled his blanket and lay down on his bed, his eyes still half open.
Although there were five hundred primeval stones hidden under the bed, as well as many pots of Green Bamboo Wine, he still felt a sense of urgency and danger.
These five hundred over primeval stones were already a form of limit. From flourish to decline, Fang Yuan was clear that henceforth his primeval stone expenditure would only get bigger.
But his income was mostly from extorting his classmates.
He had been increasingly feeling the growth and improvement of his classmates. Especially in the recent few extortions, Gu Yue Mo Chen, Chi Chen, and his brother, Gu Yue Fang Zheng, had greatly improved in their kicks and punches. Previously he only needed one or two strikes to take them down, but now he needed five or six.
"Another three to four plunders, and their punches and kicks would've been polished fully. If they challenge me one by one, with my current stamina, I cannot endure that kind of round robin battle. Five hundred primeval stones might seem a lot, but with my current expenditure of four stones a day, it is actually not that much."
"Qing Mao Mountain already has no treasures left, but nearby on the Bai Gu1 Mountain, there is a secretly built strength inheritance of a Rank four Gu Master of the righteous path.
Sigh, it still boils down to the Flower Wine Monk's treasure being too little, only giving me a Liquor worm. Hmm… there is still that film image wall, maybe I can sell it to a certain merchant in the caravan…
Fang Yuan thought as his eyelids grew heavier until he finally fell asleep.