Roughly three hundred years ago, a genius appeared in the Gu Yue Clan.
He was immensely talented. While still a youth, he had already reached the realm of a Rank Five Gu Master, with the potential to go even further. His name shook Qingmao Mountain and he enjoyed boundless prestige, bearing the hopes and heavy responsibilities of his clansmen.
He was the Fourth Generation Clan Head, the most celebrated figure in the history of the Gu Yue Clan.
Regrettably, to protect his people, the Fourth Generation Clan Head had engaged in a mortal battle against the demonic path Rank Five Gu Master, Flower Wine Monk. After a fierce and brutal clash, he defeated Flower Wine Monk, forcing the demonic fiend to his knees to beg for mercy.
Yet in the end, the Fourth Generation Clan Head was careless and fell victim to a sinister ambush by Flower Wine Monk.
In his fury, the Fourth Generation struck down Flower Wine Monk, but his own injuries were too severe to heal, and he died young, a tragedy that cut his brilliant life short.
This tragic story had been passed down through the generations, widely sung and praised by the members of the Gu Yue Clan.
However, Fangyuan knew that this story could not be taken entirely at face value. After all, there was a glaring flaw within it.
In his previous life, roughly a month from now, a Gu Master who was heartbroken and drunk lay dead to the world outside the village. The potent aroma of his spilled alcohol inadvertently lured out a Wine Worm.
The Gu Master pursued the Wine Worm into a hidden underground cavern, where he discovered the remains of Flower Wine Monk along with the demonic fiend's personal legacy.
The Gu Master hurried back to the clan and reported the matter, causing a massive sensation.
After the storm gradually settled, he benefited greatly from the event, obtaining the Wine Worm and boosting his cultivation. Even the girlfriend who had abandoned him came crawling back, turning him into an overnight sensation within the village.
Stories change as they pass from generation to generation, so distortions were only natural. Yet while the tale of the Gu Master discovering the hidden legacy in Fangyuan’s memory seemed entirely credible, he suspected there might be other truths hidden beneath the surface.
"I didn't notice it before, but as I've explored and analyzed things over these past few days, I've realized there is something fishy about this entire affair." As the night grew deeper, Fangyuan walked through the bamboo grove surrounding the village, reviewing and piecing together all the known clues in his mind.
"If I put myself in his shoes and assume I was that Gu Master who stumbled upon the legacy of Flower Wine Monk, why would I keep it to myself instead of swallowing it all? Let's forget about clan honor; human beings are naturally greedy. What on earth drove that Gu Master to go against his own desires, willingly forsake all those benefits, and report the discovery to the clan higher-ups?"
The truth was always veiled in the mists of history. Fangyuan racked his brain, but found no answers.
After all, there were simply too few clues. And the only two clues he possessed were a mixture of truth and falsehood, making them impossible to fully trust.
Fangyuan couldn't help but reflect on his own situation: "Regardless, after buying this jar of Green Bamboo Wine, I am now down to just two Primeval Stones. If I still can't find the legacy, I'm going to be in serious trouble. What I'm doing today is a desperate gamble!"
Yet, his Primeval Stones were already insufficient for refining his Gu Worms. Instead, it was better to invest them in this wine to raise the success rate of this trip.
If it were anyone else, most would save up their Primeval Stones step by step.
But such an approach was far too inefficient for Fangyuan. He would rather take the risk and fight for his chance.
People of the demonic path, after all, always loved a gamble.
At this moment.
The night deepened, and the spring moon resembled a drawn bow.
Drifting clouds obscured the moonlight, casting a faint, delicate veil over the crescent moon.
Because a heavy rain had fallen continuously for three days and three nights, the turbid air in the mountains had been completely washed away, leaving behind only the purest freshness.
This fresh air, pure as a blank sheet of paper, was even more favorable for the spread of alcohol aromas. This was one of the reasons why Fangyuan was so confident tonight.
"This is the last area left to explore." He stopped in his tracks as he reached a section of the bamboo grove.
His explorations over the past seven days had not been without fruit. At the very least, they proved that Flower Wine Monk had not died in those other places.
This was the second reason for Fangyuan's confidence.
Within the bamboo grove, fragrant grasses flourished and white flowers bloomed everywhere. The green bamboo stalks stood straight and tall like pillars of jade.
Fangyuan snapped the mud seal off the small wine jar, and an intense, rich fragrance instantly rushed to his nostrils.
Green Bamboo Wine could be considered the finest wine in Gu Yue Village. This was the third reason why Fangyuan felt so confident tonight.
"With these three major reasons combined, if I am going to succeed, it has to be tonight!" Fangyuan silently rallied himself in his heart while slowly tilting the wine jar, pouring a small stream of Green Bamboo Wine onto a rock.
If any hunters were to witness this sight, their hearts would break with anguish. This wine was worth a full two Primeval Stones...
Yet Fangyuan remained entirely indifferent.
The mellow wine aroma quickly diffused into the air. In the night, a gentle breeze blew, carrying a hidden fragrance that permeated the bamboo grove.
Fangyuan stood in place, inhaling the scent of the wine and waiting for a moment, but nothing stirred.
The only sound was that of a nightingale singing in the distance, its call resembling a string of silver bells.
His gaze remained calm, and without any disappointment, he shifted his feet, turned around, and headed to another spot a few hundred meters away.
Here, he repeated the process, pouring out another stream of wine and standing in place to wait for a moment.
He did this several times, moving to different locations and pouring the wine over and over until very little Green Bamboo Wine remained in the jar.
"This is the last time." Fangyuan sighed inwardly, turning the wine jar completely upside down so the bottom faced the sky, pouring out the very last stream of wine.
The liquor splashed into the grass, causing the green blades to sway and the wild blossoms, dampened by the alcoholic dew, to droop slightly.
Fangyuan stood where he was, holding onto a final shred of hope as he gazed at his surroundings.
The night was now deep.
A thick layer of clouds obscured the moonlight overhead.
Shadows and darkness draped over the bamboo grove like a heavy curtain.
All around was dead silence, with the individual green bamboo stalks standing in isolation, casting straight, vertical silhouettes against Fangyuan's eyes.
He stood quietly in the stillness, listening to his own exceptionally clear breathing, and felt the lingering spark of hope in his chest steadily drain away until it was entirely empty.
"So I failed after all," he murmured to himself. "Even with all three major advantages combined tonight, I still couldn't succeed, nor could I find a trace of the Wine Worm. This means the success rate will only be lower in the future. I now have only two Primeval Stones left, and I still need to refine the Moonlight Gu. I cannot afford to take risks anymore."
The results of a gamble were often far from ideal. But whenever the outcome was ideal, the rewards were bound to be considerable.
Fangyuan loved to take risks, but he was no reckless gambler. He wasn't the kind of person who would lose his mind and desperately chase his losses.
He had his own bottom line, and he knew his own capital.
Now, five hundred years of life experience told him it was time to quit.
Sometimes, life was simply like that—there was always a goal so wonderful, so full of temptation. It seemed within arm's reach, yet despite going through endless trouble, it could never be attained, causing one to toss and turn in bed, yearning for it day and night.
"This is the helplessness of life, but also the charm of life." Fangyuan smiled bitterly, shook his head, and turned to leave.
Right at that moment.
A gust of wind blew, like a gentle arm softly brushing aside the floating clouds in the night sky.
The clouds drifted leisurely away, revealing the obscured crescent moon.
The crescent moon hung in the sky like a white jade cup, pouring down moonlight as clear as water.
The moonlight spilled across the green bamboo grove, across the rocks, across the mountain streams, and onto Fangyuan's body.
Fangyuan was dressed in plain, simple clothes, his youthful face appearing even fairer under the gentle touch of the moonlight.
The darkness seemed to recede in an instant, replaced by a ground full of snow-like frost.
As if infected by the moonlight, the quiet nightingales began to sing once more. This time it was not just one, but several, echoing back and forth across the bamboo grove.
At the same time, a species of cricket that lived in the great mountains and stirred under the moonlight began to sing the rustling song of life.
These insects only came out to activity at night, their bodies emitting a red glow. Now, they leaped out in swarms, each flashing with the brilliance of red agate.
At a glance, these crickets looked like a surging wave of crimson water, stepping over grass and wild flowers as they bounded through the moonlit bamboo grove.
The bamboo grove was bright as clear water, and the emerald bamboo stalks flashed with a lustrous, jade-like radiance under the moonlight.
As if turning a corner to find a new vista, nature revealed her exquisite beauty to Fangyuan at this very moment.
Fangyuan unconsciously stopped in his tracks, feeling as though he had been transported into a fairyland.
Though he had already intended to turn and leave, he now subconsciously glanced back.
The patch of wild grass and flowers where the Green Bamboo Wine had been poured trembled slightly in the wind, still completely empty.
Fangyuan smiled self-deprecatingly and withdrew his gaze.
Yet.
Just as he was raising his head, he caught sight of a speck of white snow-shadow.
This snow-shadow clung to a green bamboo stalk not far away, looking like a round, flawless pearl suspended in the moonlight.
The pupils of Fangyuan's eyes suddenly dilated, his body trembled slightly, and his heart gave a fierce leap before beginning to beat faster and faster.
It was the Wine Worm!