Relying on Gu Yue Dongtu's energy, it was only natural that he could locate Fang Yuan's dwelling.
Today, the elder had made a rare effort to don a Gu Master's combat attire. Leg wraps secured his lower limbs, and a crimson sash was tied at his waist. His appearance was neat and clean, exuding a faint air of authority.
He watched as Fang Yuan slowly approached, his gaze flicking to the youth's waistband. A wave of emotion naturally welled up in his heart.
"Merely Grade C aptitude, yet he's already broken through to the Second Transformation at sixteen. Truly unexpected. I have no idea how he managed to push through. Still... this speed is mostly thanks to the Wine Worm. What a pity it becomes unusable at the Second Transformation."
Immediately after, he noticed the faint smile hanging at the corners of Fang Yuan's mouth.
It was this very smile that sent a chill through Gu Yue Dongtu's heart.
Then, a thin thread of anger surged within him: "This brat, so composed... does he think he has me figured out?!"
Fang Yuan came to a gradual stop before Gu Yue Dongtu. He knew the other must have come seeking him.
Sure enough, his uncle spoke. "Fang Yuan, I think we can have a talk."
"A talk about what?" Fang Yuan raised an eyebrow slightly.
Gu Yue Dongtu smiled but switched the subject. "Did you know, unlike you, I started my career at fifteen?"
"That was during the Wolf Tide, when Gu Masters were dying in droves. Under those circumstances, we trainees had to step up. I had Grade B aptitude. I reached the Initial Stage of the Second Transformation at sixteen, the High Stage at seventeen, and the Peak Stage at eighteen. By nineteen, I was already pushing for the Third Transformation. Back then, I believed I'd become a Third Transformation Gu Master by twenty."
"Heh heh, I was far too arrogant. Thought I was omnipotent, completely ignorant of my own limitations. And then, at twenty, while out on a mission, I was defeated by a Gu Master from the Bear Family Stronghold. I was gravely wounded and near death. Thanks to the personal intervention of the Medicine Hall Elder, I scraped back my life. But from that day on, my aptitude was ruined, dropping to Grade C. I wallowed in despair for a full eight years."
"On my twenty-ninth birthday, I began to re-examine myself and the world. I realized that an individual's power is ultimately limited. So what if I'd advanced to the Third Transformation? The most important thing for a person living in society isn't personal strength, but one's interpersonal relationships."
"I started over at thirty. I stepped back from the front lines at forty-five. During those decades, there were dozens of times when a hundred Gu Masters petitioned to have me appointed as an Elder. Though my cultivation was stuck at the Peak of the Second Transformation, forever unable to take that next step, it no longer mattered. I had already achieved success. The clansmen called me the 'Hidden Elder.' Most of my contemporaries are dead, while I live on securely and steadily. My influence over those Gu Masters still out in the world remains."
This lengthy digression finally having concluded, Gu Yue Dongtu returned to the main topic. He looked at Fang Yuan, his lips curving into a smile. "Fang Yuan, you're still too young. Fresh out of the nest, just like I was back then. Thinking you can handle everything yourself, that nothing is beyond your capability. Heh."
He shook his head and continued. "But once you've accumulated more life experience, you'll understand. A person is, in the end, a member of society, not a lone beast. Sometimes in life, you need to bow your head and make concessions. Extremism and fanaticism, arrogance and ostentation—they only lead to isolation and destruction. I believe you're starting to feel this already, aren't you? No group is willing to take you in. Everyone around you rejects you. Even if you complete that branch family mission, so what? You're already all alone. You absolutely have no chance of succeeding. Give it up."
Fang Yuan regarded the middle-aged man before him calmly, his expression placid.
"If he knew I possessed five hundred years of life experience, what kind of expression would he wear then?"
At this thought, a hint of amusement surfaced in Fang Yuan's eyes.
In truth, his uncle's philosophy had once been his own guiding principle for a long time in his previous life.
That was why he had founded the Blood Wing Demonic Sect. Relying on systems and personal connections, he had painstakingly built a colossal force, answered by thousands at a call, dominating resources and confronting powerful enemies.
However, after breaking through to the Sixth Transformation, he witnessed an entirely different vista.
Among Gu Masters, the Fifth Transformation is mortal, the Sixth Transformation makes one an immortal. Standing at that height and looking back at life, he understood with sudden clarity—a massive force was indeed his support, but simultaneously, it was a tremendous burden and liability.
In any world, the only person you can truly rely on is yourself.
But the people of this world are often weak. They cannot endure solitude, cannot tolerate loneliness. They crave kinship, friendship, and love to fill their hearts. They are addicted to the collective and fear being alone.
Once they suffer a setback, they retreat into the collective, whining to relatives, confiding in friends, too scared to face fear and failure alone. When in pain, they rush to share it; when experiencing joy, they are eager to show it off.
Was Gu Yue Dongtu successful? Without a doubt, he was.
When he could no longer walk his original path, he found another way and carved out a piece of sky for himself.
But he was also a failure.
He bowed his head because of a single setback. He was nothing more than a coward, yet he was smugly content with his own evasion.
Gu Yue Dongtu naturally had no idea that Fang Yuan had already dismissed him as a coward. Seeing Fang Yuan remain silent, he assumed his words had made an impact.
He pressed on. "Fang Yuan, you are not Fang Zheng, so I'll speak plainly. If you give up your claim to the family inheritance, you will gain my friendship. My network of contacts can be of use to you. Furthermore, I will compensate you with one thousand Yuan Stones. I know your circumstances have been tight lately—you've even been behind on your rent by two days."
Fang Yuan smiled faintly and spoke. "Uncle, you don't wear this outfit often, do you?"
Gu Yue Dongtu was taken aback, not expecting Fang Yuan to suddenly change the subject.
However, Fang Yuan was indeed correct. He had long since retired from active duty, and this attire had been stored away in a chest. He had specifically worn it today to meet Fang Yuan, intending to add to his persuasiveness and intimidating aura.
Fang Yuan sighed, appraising Gu Yue Dongtu's clothing as he spoke slowly. "A Gu Master's clothes are never this clean and pristine. They should be stained with sweat, mud, and blood. They should be tattered and worn. Only then do they have the scent of a true Gu Master."