The hot summer sun blazes on, the mountain winds blowing the warm winds around, Qing Mao Mountain steaming under the hot air.
In the blink of an eye, it was already near the end of June.
"Gu Yue Fang Zheng!" In the academy, the family elder called out.
Gu Yue Fang Zheng got up from his seat and came before the Academy Elder.
Under the admiring gaze of his classmates, Fang Zheng received a heavy bag of primeval stones.
"Fang Zheng, you are the first to advance to upper stage, this is your reward. Good job, continue working hard." Academy elder smiled pleasantly, patting Fang Zheng's shoulders.
Fang Zheng acknowledged with a grunt, his face full of excitement.
He took the money bag over with emotion and returned to his seat.
"I finally did it. The first to advance to upper stage, do you see that brother, I finally beat you for once!"
His eyes shone with bright light as he swept his gaze over at Fang Yuan.
Fang Yuan was sprawled on the table, sound asleep. Last night he had killed another wild boar, and after returning to the hostel, he used the White Boar Gu to improve his body and also used the natural essence within the primeval stones to refine his primeval essence using the Liquor worm. Finally, he used his upper stage primeval essence to nurture his aperture, all the way until morning.
He hurriedly ate breakfast before rushing to class, falling asleep as soon as he settled in. He was too exhausted, and Gu Master cultivation could not replace sleep.
"Hmph, even if you don't admit it, this is the truth. Brother, I have finally surpassed you! This is the first, and there will be a second time, a third time!"
Fang Zheng clenched his fists. This success was extremely meaningful to him. He had already broken through the dark clouds in his heart, creating and opening to allow light to penetrate in.
Even though this light was thin, it gave Fang Zheng hope and encouragement!
"Hmph, I actually lost to that Fang Zheng." Gu Yue Mo Bei sat on his seat, arms crossed, feeling indignant.
"This is the advantage of an A grade, damn it…" Gu Yue Chi Cheng said with a dark expression. As he cultivated, he felt strongly the advantages of a good talent. Even with his grandfather Gu Yue Chi Lian's support, plus his extremely hard work, he was still left behind by Fang Zheng.
"If only I had a Liquor worm, plus grandfather's help, I might not lose to Fang Zheng! Those accursed Fang family brothers! Little brother is A grade, suppressing us, but the brother being a C grade has a Liquor worm. Why did all the good things in this world go to these brothers?" Gu Yue Chi Cheng felt really indignant.
"This time Fang Zheng broke through to upper stage first."
"Of course, he is A grade talent".
"Yeah, even Mo Bei, Chi Cheng, and Fang Yuan lost to Fang Zheng. Fang Zheng has gained all the attention this time."
"Fang Yuan having the Liquor worm is not putting in effort. Wasting his time everyday, even sleeping in class, he might as well give his Liquor worm to me."
The surrounding students discussed, feeling indignant in their hearts, helplessness and envy.
The academy elder called them one by one, and students went up continuously to collect their primeval stones allowance, and returned to their seats.
"Everyone quieten down." After the allowance was given out, the academy elder used his hand to hit the table. All of a sudden, the academy became silent.
"Now, you've all mastered your second Gu worm and even so much as broke through into the upper stage. In the past half a year, you have all worked hard, and now you have some basics, it is time for you to train in the wilds. True battles, are not scarecrows or puppets, wooden puppets that stand there and await your attacks.
"The following mid year examination, will be held three days later, all students have to attend! The examination content is to hunt wild boars. By collecting wild boar teeth as results to record, those who collect the most wild boar teeth will get better scores. At the end of the examination, each wild boar teeth can be exchanged for ten primeval stones.
Furthermore, you are allowed to hunt in groups."
The academy elder's words caused a commotion among the students.
"The mid-year exam is finally here!"
"Every year's students study at the academy for a year, and there is always a mid-year exam and an end of year exam. Looking at the time, it really is time for the mid-year exam."
"Every year's examination content is different, to think that this year, our examination is to hunt and acquire wild boar teeth."
"What should we do? My talent is only D grade, my vital Gu isn't an attack-type like the Moonlight Gu, how can I hunt wild boars?"
"Didn't you hear, the family elder said, we are allowed to hunt in groups. For those with talent that can't make it, or those with Gu worms that aren't suitable, we can help each other and cooperate! When we get boar teeth, we just need to share with one another, and that would work."
"Each wild boar teeth can be exchanged for ten primeval stones, this is the academy encouraging us to hunt more wild boars, and the prize is set for that. For true market value, one primeval stone can buy twenty wild boar teeth."
The students had varying expressions, some were happy while other fretted, some were eager to go, while others called on companions, even Fang Yuan was slightly moved.
"It changed! I remember that last year's examination was to collect wildlife honey. To think that it changed to wild boar teeth. Is this the butterfly effect?"
A butterfly flapping its wings can cause a giant storm on the coast of another ocean. A small change in the initial conditions lead to drastic changes in the results.
Ever since his rebirth, Fang Yuan had made many changes, the conditions of his current self was vastly different from his previous life. Back then he had already been left behind by Fang Zheng and the others, but now he was adamantly at the top of the student board.
In his past life he did not kill Jia Jin Sheng, in fact they did not even meet. But this life, he did not only kill Jia Jin Sheng, he even excavated the deeper treasures of the Flower Wine Monk's inheritance.
These changes are like a butterfly flapping its wings, indirectly causing changes to the environment. The mid-year examination change is only the first of such symptoms.
"If I continue changing things, will it cause history to become completely unrecognisable as well? In that case, the advantage from my rebirth would be significantly reduced."
Fang Yuan looked calm, but was sighing internally.
The feeling of inability and pressing urgency roamed his heart, but he quickly adjusted his mood.
"No matter what, since it has already happened, I can't stop it. What I need to do now is to actively change myself. Even if the events are completely different at the end, I would not slow down my growth just because of such concerns!"
"In my past life I knew nothing about the future, does that mean that in my current life I lack courage? Hehe, even if the world is full of thorns, I will cut through all the thorns in my way and pave out a blood-filled path myself!"
"Every teeth for ten primeval stones, this price is very high. Should I sell all those wild boar fangs I have stocked up at the cave? But if I do, I might attract suspicion? No, according to the Gu Yue clan's political situation, if I sell these wild boar teeth publicly, I might get screwed over."
Fang Yuan shook his head, the risks were too big. If he really sold these teeth, what could he get in return?
A little over one hundred primeval stones?
"Wait, primeval stones aren't important. Maybe I can use this change to construct my image again." Thinking of this, Fang Yuan's eyes shone brightly.
He needed to get rich secretly now, being as low profile as possible. If the Flower Wine Monk's inheritance was exposed, he might even lose his life.
But his current position was awkward.
He stood against all his classmates, being outside the system, and among the higher-ups, he was an untamable, unhappy and indignant, intelligent and cold, C grade talent teenager.
This image was not good, it literally portrayed him as unloyal. But a clan requires loyalty, in fact, any organisation requires loyalty.
No matter which world, loyalty is the value that is most sought after in clans. Loyalty to the clan, loyalty to the country, loyalty to his leader, loyalty to his loved one, loyalty to his friends etc.
As Fang Yuan's cultivation level got higher, the higher-ups would only get more concerned, and if needed, the family may even use hard handed methods on him. At that point, Fang Yuan would be really thrown into passivity.
Fang Yuan did not like passiveness, he liked to have the control of all matters tightly in his grip.
Because of a series of events before, Fang Yuan could only operate on the go, relying on outside strength, and this image he constructed was only to protect himself in times of need.
But now that he could protect himself, Fang Yuan needed to be stronger!
Thus, he needed to change this image, letting the higher-ups think that he had given up and joined the clan system. But this conversation cannot be too abrupt, or it would be suspicious.
More importantly, joining this system is only a facade, Fang Yuan would not really join them truly, and be manipulated and restricted. He had too many secrets.
He needed large amounts of freedom, and in actuality he was still a loner in operation.
But now the mid-year exam was a chance.
"It seems I have to do some plotting, I'll start from the extortion then." Fang Yuan's gaze became certain as everything fell into his scheme.