"Congratulations, congratulations!"
"Elder Fang Yuan is truly young and accomplished — a real role model for the younger generation!"
"I look forward to working with Elder Fang Yuan in the future. I can't wait to see what he brings to the table, haha."
……
A crowd of elders surrounded Fang Yuan, showering him with pleasantries.
The Academy Elder stood at the edge of the group, watching Fang Yuan with a complicated expression in his eyes.
He had never imagined this day would come — Fang Yuan actually being promoted to Elder. Among that batch, he had placed the most hope in Fang Zheng, followed by Chicheng and Mobei.
Who would have thought that the first one to make something of himself would be Fang Yuan?
"My meager accomplishments are nothing compared to the distinguished seniors here. I owe everything I have today to the clan's cultivation. Academy Elder, I have always kept your teachings close to heart." A mild smile surfaced on Fang Yuan's face, modest and cautious.
The Academy Elder hadn't expected this troublemaker of a student to actually approach him of his own accord.
He was stunned for a moment before a look of gratification appeared on his face. "It seems you've matured a great deal over the years, Elder Fang Yuan. Keep at it well. The clan needs fresh blood like you — I'm proud of you!"
Fang Yuan offered his sincere thanks to the Academy Elder once more, all while managing his conversations with the other elders.
With five hundred years of experience, this sort of social performance was child's play.
He advanced and retreated with perfect measure, his words warm, his manner humble — everyone who spoke with him felt refreshed, as if bathed in a spring breeze.
Gu Yue Chilian watched coldly from the side, and the more he observed, the more chilled he became. The way Fang Yuan handled every exchange — every word and phrase — so seasoned and subtle. Was he really only a teenager? Could he have been born for politics?
The Academy Elder, meanwhile, was inwardly astonished. He recalled the days at the Academy. Fang Yuan had been so wild and defiant, even exploiting his own classmates. The elder had been headaches over him back then. He never would have imagined that Fang Yuan could undergo such a complete transformation.
Gu Yue Mochen, however, found nothing surprising about Fang Yuan's performance.
He had long seen through Fang Yuan's cunning.
Now, watching Fang Yuan so refined and poised, the clear center of attention among the crowd, Mochen couldn't help but think that Gu Yue Chilian had made a brilliant move.
The exchange was only superficial and didn't last long. But no matter what motives the elders harbored or which side they stood on, they all found themselves reassessing Fang Yuan. One after another, they silently marveled — the rumors truly couldn't be trusted!
In the end, Fang Yuan politely declined invitations from several elders and left the Patriarch Pavilion with a smile, alongside Gu Yue Chilian.
"Hmph, satisfied now? You've taken down Gu Yue Yaoji and dragged our Chi Branch into the mess!" In the study, Chilian finally dropped his mask. The smile on his face was replaced by fury.
Fang Yuan sat across from him, chuckling leisurely. "Come to think of it, you should actually thank me for this. With Gu Yue Yaoji out of the picture, your Chi Branch came out ahead."
Gu Yue Chilian's gaze flickered. "Hmph, young man, you're thinking too simply. Chizhong may be a member of the Chi Branch, but his wife belongs to the Medicine Branch. The Patriarch only appointed him to temporarily serve as the Medicine Hall Elder to balance the infighting between the Chi and Medicine Branches. How exactly did you find out about this business with Chicheng?"
At the end, Gu Yue Chilian suddenly pressed the question.
His eyes locked onto Fang Yuan, sharp as a hawk's.
Fang Yuan shrugged nonchalantly and instead said, "Old man, I'm running low on Yuan Stones. Lend me three thousand first."
*Bang.* Gu Yue Chilian slammed his palm on the desk. He lowered his voice and growled, "Fang Yuan! Don't think that just because you know a few secrets, you've got our Chi Branch in the palm of your hand. I'm old — I don't have many years left to live. Worst case, I'll trade this old life away! Hmph, I'm willing to cooperate, but I will not be threatened!"
"Today's kind of stunt — I will never allow it a second time! If you go recklessly making enemies again and then casually drag our Chi Branch into the fallout, you will absolutely regret it later! Do you really think that secret could destroy the entire Chi Branch? Don't be naive."
Fang Yuan said nothing, his gaze calm and distant, letting Gu Yue Chilian berate him.
The moment Gu Yue Chilian had struck the table, his aura had been fierce as a tiger. But the more he spoke, the weaker his force became, until by the end it was clear his confidence was faltering.
Only when the old man fell silent did Fang Yuan say with an easy smile, "Old man, no need to get so worked up. I really am short on funds recently. These three thousand Yuan Stones — I'm not asking for a handout. I'm borrowing them from you. I'll write you an IOU."
Gu Yue Chilian let out a cold snort, his tone softening slightly. "You won't be lacking Yuan Stones for long. You've only just become an Elder, so you don't know about the benefits the clan provides. Every Elder receives a weekly stipend of one hundred Yuan Stones. That's the peacetime amount. During the current Tide Wolf period, you'll be receiving three hundred Yuan Stones per week."
"That's not all. You're also entitled to one free Third Transformation Gu Insect. The clan's secret recipes, from First Transformation all the way to Third Transformation, will be opened to you. You can freely choose from those recipes to refine your own Third Transformation Gu Insect. There are other privileges as well — for example, ordinary Gu Masters can only take one wife. After becoming an Elder, you may take one wife and two concubines."
"So that's how it is." Fang Yuan already knew all of this perfectly well, but outwardly he put on the expression of someone hearing it for the first time.
"Even so, I'd still like to borrow three thousand Yuan Stones. You understand — I've only just advanced to Third Transformation. Refining a Third Transformation Gu Insect naturally requires a great deal of Yuan Stones." Fang Yuan spoke with "sincerity."
Gu Yue Chilian fell into pensive silence.
He considered: "With his status as an Elder, Fang Yuan wouldn't simply default on his debt. His reputation would be ruined. But what if — what if he dies during the Tide Wolf? Then my three thousand Yuan Stones would go down the drain. Wait — wouldn't his death actually be better? The secret about Chicheng's aptitude could remain buried. But how did he know about it in the first place? Could anyone else know? I might as well lend it to him, lower his guard, and then probe further."
Having reached this conclusion, Gu Yue Chilian relented and immediately produced paper and brush.
Fang Yuan wrote the IOU and pressed his handprint.