The sun had set behind the mountains.
Yet the sunset still burned across the horizon. Looking out at the distant mountain range, everything was blanketed under a thick layer of grey that was gradually darkening toward black.
The day's lessons at the Academy had ended, and the students filed out in small groups.
"What a great day — I learned so many things. Especially how to use Moonlight Gu."
"The Moon Blade flying through the air was just so cool. Too bad my Aptitude isn't good enough. In the future I'll only be a support Gu Master, never a battlefield one." The youths chatted animatedly as they walked.
Some called out to their friends.
"Let's go eat together, and have some rice wine on the side, how about it?"
"Sure, sounds like a great idea."
"You guys go ahead — I need to stop by the shop next to the Academy's Gu Room to buy a Straw Man Puppet. Section Twenty-Three: Gu Raising Is Like Keeping a Mistress. It'll be convenient for practicing when I get home."
…
Fang Yuan arrived at the Gu Room alone.
The Academy's Gu Room housed quite a number of First Transformation Gu Insects, covering a wide variety. Fang Yuan's Moonlight Gu had been selected from here free of charge.
At regular intervals, the students were given an opportunity to claim a Gu Insect at no cost. Any Gu beyond that had to be purchased.
Fang Yuan had no intention of refining other Gu Insects in the near term. He walked to the shop next door — a small establishment.
Seven students were already inside, haggling with the shopkeeper over Straw Man Puppets.
"Oh, it's a junior." The shopkeeper — a First Transformation Gu Master who appeared to be in his twenties — spotted Fang Yuan and greeted him warmly while continuing to do business.
Fang Yuan was mildly surprised. He recognized this Gu Master as Jiang Ya — the young Gu Master who had disciplined the hunter at the inn.
"So it's the senior," Fang Yuan nodded, his expression blank.
Jiang Ya pulled a Straw Man Puppet from the cabinet behind the counter, handed it to a purchasing student, then turned back to Fang Yuan with a friendly smile. "Are you here to buy a Straw Man Puppet too, junior? Want me to set one aside for you? Only three Yuan Stones. Section Twenty-Three: Gu Raising Is Like Keeping a Mistress These things sell fast — I've only got seven left. If you wait any longer, they'll be gone."
His attitude toward ordinary people was arrogant and cold, but toward Fang Yuan and the other students, he was nothing but warm and approachable.
Fang Yuan shook his head, inwardly amused. Jiang Ya certainly knew how to do business. Straw Man Puppets were crafted from Straw Man Gu. Even accounting for the True Essence invested, the cost was only one and a half Yuan Stones.
"Senior, that's not fair. First come, first served — why should you hold one for him?"
"Exactly, we were here first. Business ought to follow proper rules."
"Three Yuan Stones, fine. Here — give me the puppet."
The youths in the shop heard there were only seven puppets left and grew anxious. They abandoned their haggling and pulled out Yuan Stones to buy on the spot.
Soon enough, seven satisfied customers departed.
"Want a Straw Man Puppet, junior?" Jiang Ya asked with a grin. "I said they were sold out, but actually I've got an eighth — my personal reserve. If you don't buy it now, you'll miss your chance."
Fang Yuan had zero interest in Straw Man Puppets. He shook his head, produced a single Yuan Stone, and set it on the counter. "I'll take ten Moon Orchid Petals."
Jiang Ya froze for a moment, then gave Fang Yuan a long look. He swept the Yuan Stone off the counter, pulled open a drawer, and produced a paper packet. "Ten Moon Orchid Petals, not one short. Go ahead and count."
Fang Yuan inspected them on the spot, confirmed everything was correct, and left the shop.
Gu Insects required feeding.
A Gu Master refined Gu, used Gu, and also had to raise Gu.
Refining Gu was arduous and carried the danger of backlash. Using Gu was difficult and demanded ample practice. The art of raising Gu was vast and profound, precisely because Gu Insects were incredibly diverse and their food sources correspondingly bizarre.
Some required swallowing earth. Some needed starlight. Some fed on tears. Some drank in the cloud essence of the ninth heaven.
Take the three Gu Insects Fang Yuan currently possessed. Moonlight Gu fed on Moon Orchid Petals — two meals a day, one in the morning and one at night, two petals per meal. Wine Worm, on the other hand, needed alcohol. A single jar of Green Bamboo Wine could sustain it for four days. As for the Spring Autumn Cicada, it was even more unique — it drank directly from the River of Time to maintain its vitality.
The River of Time sustained the workings of this entire world. It was not some distant, remote force, but rather flowed right beside everyone, close enough to touch.
Every movement of every living creature required the push of time.
Time flowed like water, rushing onward ceaselessly. The River of Time was invisible and formless, yet all living things truly existed within its currents — surviving, living out their days.
Having bought the packet of Moon Orchid Petals, Fang Yuan headed to the inn to purchase Green Bamboo Wine.
Wine Worm could also subsist on cloudy wine or rice wine. But with those inferior brews, the volume needed was enormous — several jars every day. Fang Yuan did the math and decided it was cheaper to just buy Green Bamboo Wine directly. Not only was it more cost-effective than inferior wine, it also wouldn't arouse suspicion.
"Young Master, you're here!" The inn's attendant already recognized Fang Yuan.
Fang Yuan tossed him three Yuan Stones without ceremony and spoke in a practiced tone: "Bring me a jar of Green Bamboo Wine, plus a few good dishes. Keep the change — I'll settle up at the end of the month. Refund or top up as needed."
Though he no longer lived at the inn — having moved into the Academy dormitory — every time he came to buy wine, he would eat here as well.
"Right away! Young Master, please have a seat — your wine and dishes will be out shortly." The attendant ushered Fang Yuan to a table, pulled the cloth from his shoulder, and wiped down the table and stools with diligent care before stepping away.
True to his word, the wine and food arrived quickly.
Fang Yuan ate while running the numbers in his head: *One Yuan Stone buys ten petals. Moonlight Gu consumes four petals a day. A jar of Green Bamboo Wine is worth two Yuan Stones and sustains Wine Worm for four days. In other words, just feeding these two Gu Insects alone costs nearly one Yuan Stone per day.*
That might sound modest, but it was already a steep price. An ordinary family of three survived on a single Yuan Stone for an entire month.