A Gu chamber had been set up beside the academy. It was not very large, measuring only sixty square meters.
For a Gu Master's cultivation, Gu worms were the key to strength.
As soon as class ended, the excited youths swarmed toward the Gu chamber.
"Line up! Enter one by one!" A stern shout suddenly rang out. Naturally, guards were stationed outside the door of the Gu chamber.
The youths went inside one by one and then came back out.
It was Gu Yue Fangyuan's turn to enter the Gu chamber.
Inside, the room was surprisingly vast. All four walls were lined with storage niches, one right after another. These embedded square compartments varied in size; the largest was no bigger than a casserole dish, while the smallest was no larger than a fist.
Densely packed within these compartments were all sorts of containers—some were grey stone basins, others were verdant jade plates, some were delicate grass cages, and others were pottery braziers.
Various Gu worms were kept and raised within these containers.
Some Gu worms were completely silent, while others were quite noisy, making squeaking, clicking, rustling, and all sorts of other sounds that merged into a symphony of life.
"Gu worms are also divided into nine tiers, corresponding to the nine ranks of a Gu Master. These are all Rank One Gu worms." Fangyuan swept his gaze around, understanding the situation at once.
Generally speaking, a Rank One Gu Master could only use Rank One Gu worms. If a Gu Master forcefully drove high-tier Gu worms above their rank, they would often pay an extremely heavy price.
Moreover, Gu worms needed to be fed, and the cost of feeding high-tier Gu worms was usually something low-tier Gu Masters could not afford.
For novice Gu Masters, unless under special circumstances, everyone would choose a Rank One Gu worm for their initial refinement.
The first Gu worm a Gu Master refined was of immense significance; it was called the Natal Gu, sharing a symbiotic bond with the master's life. Once it perished, the Gu Master would inevitably suffer severe trauma.
"Alas, I originally hoped to obtain the Flower Wine Monk's Wine Worm and refine it as my Natal Gu. But right now, there is still no clue as to the whereabouts of the Flower Wine Monk's remains, and I have no idea when they might be found—or if someone else might discover them first. To be safe, I might as well choose a Moonlight Gu."
While sighing inwardly, Fangyuan walked straight toward the left-hand wall.
On one of the slightly higher rows of wall niches was a line of silver plates. A Gu worm rested on each plate.
This Gu worm was crystal clear, curved like the moon, and resembled a piece of blue crystal. Against the backdrop of the silver base, it emitted a serene aura.
Named the Moonlight Gu, it was the signature Gu worm of the Gu Yue Clan, and the vast majority of clan members chose it as their Natal Gu. It was not a naturally occurring Gu worm, but rather cultivated through the secret arts of the Gu Yue Clan. It could not be found anywhere else and could be said to be the defining symbol of the Gu Yue Clan.
These were all Rank One Moonlight Gu, with differences so minute as to be negligible. Fangyuan casually picked one up and held it in his hand.
The Moonlight Gu was very light, comparable to the weight of a sheet of thin paper. It occupied just a patch in the palm, about the size of an ordinary jade pendant. Holding it in his hand, Fangyuan could see his covered palm prints right through it.
Taking one last look to ensure there were no issues, Fangyuan put it into his pocket and walked out of the Gu chamber.
A long queue was still waiting outside the Gu chamber. Seeing Fangyuan walk out, the next youth eagerly dashed inside.
If it were anyone else, their very first reaction upon obtaining a Gu worm would be to hurry home and refine it. But Fangyuan was in no rush to do so; his mind was still set on that Wine Worm.
The Wine Worm was much more precious. Although the Moonlight Gu was a specialty of Gu Yue Village, it was not as helpful to a Gu Master as the Wine Worm.
Leaving the Gu chamber, Fangyuan headed straight for the tavern.
"Keeper, bring me two jars of aged wine." Fangyuan felt in his pocket and placed his remaining fragments of Primeval Stones on the counter.
Over the past few days, he had been coming here to buy wine and then wandering around the outskirts of the village, intending to lure that Wine Worm into appearing.
The keeper was a short, middle-aged, fat man with a greasy face who, by now, recognized Fangyuan.
"Patron, you're here." While greeting him, the keeper reached out with his thick, stubby, fat hand and deftly swept away Fangyuan's Primeval Stone fragments.
He tossed them in his hand to weigh them, and feeling that the amount was right, the smile on the keeper's face grew a bit more cordial.
Primeval Stones were the currency of this world, used to measure the value of all commodities. At the same time, they were condensed essences of heaven and earth and could be used directly to help Gu Masters cultivate better.
Possessing both monetary and commodity attributes, they were very similar to gold on Earth. Earth once had a single gold standard; this world had a single Primeval Stone standard.
Compared to gold, the purchasing power of Primeval Stones was therefore quite astonishing.
However, no amount of Primeval Stones could withstand Fangyuan's continuous consumption like this.
"Two jars of wine every day, and it's already been a full seven days. The Primeval Stones I saved up originally are almost all gone." Carrying two jars of wine out of the tavern, Fangyuan frowned slightly.
Once someone became a Gu Master, they could directly extract pure Primeval Essence from Primeval Stones to replenish the Primeval Sea in their aperture.
Therefore, to a Gu Master, Primeval Stones were not just currency, but also aids to cultivation.
With an ample supply of Primeval Stones, one's cultivation speed could increase quite a bit, which could more or less make up for some shortcomings in aptitude.
"Tomorrow I won't have any Primeval Stones to buy wine, yet the Wine Worm still refuses to show itself. Am I really going to have to refine the Moonlight Gu as my Natal Gu?" Fangyuan felt a trace of reluctance in his heart.
Stepping out of the tavern with two jars of wine in hand, Fangyuan walked and pondered: "The Academy Elder said that whoever refines their Natal Gu first in this assessment will receive a reward of twenty Primeval Stones. Right now, many people are probably at home pulling out all the stops to refine their Gu worms and fight for first place. What a pity—refining a Natal Gu is an extreme test of aptitude. Those with good aptitude have an overwhelming advantage. With my Grade C aptitude and no other means, I simply have no hope of winning."
Just then, Gu Yue Fangzheng's voice rang out from behind: "Older brother, you really came to the tavern to drink your sorrows away again! Come with me, Uncle and Aunt want to see you."
Fangyuan stopped in his tracks and turned around to look.
He noticed that his younger brother no longer spoke with his head lowered as he used to.
The brothers' gazes collided.
A gust of wind whistled past, fluttering the older brother's disheveled black hair and lifting the younger brother's hem.
A mere month, yet things had already changed beyond recognition.
The Awakening Ceremony a week ago had been a massive turning point for both older and younger brothers.
The older brother, Fangyuan, had fallen from the clouds, his halo as a genius ruthlessly stripped away. Meanwhile, the younger brother had begun to shine, rising steadily like a new star.
For the younger brother, Gu Yue Fangzheng, this change felt nothing short of earth-shattering.
He had finally tasted what his older brother had once experienced: being the one upon whom hopes were pinned, being looked at with envy or jealousy.
He felt as though he had suddenly been transported from a dim, dark corner into a paradise filled with light.
Every day when he woke up, he felt as though he were living in a wonderful dream. The stark difference in treatment made it hard to believe even now, accompanied by a strong sense of awkwardness.
He was not used to it.
Going overnight from being a nobody to someone closely watched and pointed at.
Sometimes when Fangzheng walked on the road and heard passersby discussing and praising him, his face would burn, he would become flustered and lose his footing, his eyes would dart around, and he would almost forget how to walk!
After the first dozen or so days, Gu Yue Fangzheng had inexplicably lost some weight, but his spirit and vitality had grown increasingly exuberant.
From the deepest part of his heart, something called "confidence" began to sprout.
"So this is how my older brother used to feel. It's truly both wonderful and agonizing!" He inevitably thought of his older brother, Gu Yue Fangyuan. Faced with such discussion and attention, how had his brother dealt with it in the past?
Subconsciously, he began to imitate Fangyuan, pretending to be expressionless, but he quickly realized he was not cut out for it.
Sometimes at the academy, a girl's shout could make him blush a fiery red. On the road, the teasing of older women caused him to flee in panic on multiple occasions.
Like an infant learning to walk, he stumbled as he adapted to his new life.
In the process, he inevitably heard rumors about his older brother—despondent, decadent, turning to alcoholism, staying out all night, and sleeping through academy classes.
At first, he was extremely shocked. His older brother, that powerful and genius existence, had actually turned out like this?!
But gradually, he began to understand a little. After all, his brother was a mortal too; encountering such setbacks and blows, depression was inevitable.
Along with this understanding, Fangzheng faintly felt an indescribable sense of gratification.
This gratified emotion was something he desperately did not want to admit, yet it truly existed.
The older brother praised as a genius, the older brother who had once suppressed him like a shadow, was now so down and out. From the flip side, this only served to bear witness to his own growth, didn't it?
He was outstanding; that was the truth!
Therefore, seeing Fangyuan carrying wine jars, with disheveled hair and untidy clothes, Gu Yue Fangzheng let out a fierce breath of relief in his heart, and his breathing inexplicably grew much lighter.
Yet, with his lips, he said: "Older brother, you can't keep drinking like this. You can't go on this way. You have no idea how worried the people who care about you are. You need to pull yourself together!"
Fangyuan remained expressionless and did not speak.
The brothers looked at each other.
Younger brother Gu Yue Fangzheng's eyes gleamed brightly, radiating a sharp edge. But older brother Fangyuan's pupils were pitch-black and profound, like a deep, secluded ancient pool.
Such eyes caused Fangzheng to involuntarily feel an inexplicable oppression. After staring into them for just a moment, he subconsciously averted his gaze and looked toward the side.
But the moment he realized what he had done, a surge of anger instantly flared up in his heart.
Anger at himself.
What was wrong with him? Did he not even have the courage to lock eyes with his brother?
I have changed; I have changed completely!
Thinking this, his gaze turned sharp, and he swept it back over.
However, Fangyuan was no longer looking at him. With a wine jar in one hand, Fangyuan walked past him, his flat voice drifting over: "What are you standing there spacing out for? Let's go."
Fangzheng's breathing hitched. The pent-up breath in the depths of his heart suddenly had nowhere to vent, filling him with an indescribable sullenness.
Seeing that his older brother had already walked some distance away, he had no choice but to quicken his pace and follow.
Only this time, his head was no longer lowered; instead, he raised it to face the setting sun.
His gaze was fixed on his own feet, stepping step by step upon his older brother Fangyuan's shadow.