It was a black stone.
It was the size of a washbasin, and its surface sparkled with flecks of blue luminescence.
At first glance, it looked like sparse stars twinkling in a dark curtain.
This was a Star Stone.
But unlike the surrounding Star Stones, this one was perfectly square, somewhat resembling a brick.
Yet it was this very stone, buried away in a corner, that had been cut open to reveal a legendary Gu. And that lucky person — originally just a nobody — had built a fearsome reputation in the strength path thanks to this Gu, achieving accomplishments others could only envy.
Fang Yuan stood here, his gaze sweeping across his surroundings, somewhat understanding why this stubborn stone had gone unattended.
This was an extremely lavish large-scale Gambling Stone Hall, and business was booming.
Although it was located in the Third Inner City, a steady stream of people had formed around it.
The stones were divided into five zones by classification: Miscellaneous, Low, Medium, High, and Special.
In the Miscellaneous zone, each stone sold for an average of just over a dozen Yuan Stones. Low-grade stones had an average price of over a hundred. Medium went for over a thousand, High for over ten thousand, and Special-grade stones often cost hundreds of thousands each.
And this particular Star Stone was situated in the Miscellaneous zone.
Miscellaneous-grade stones were the least favored, with the poorest quality. The vast majority were solid rock. Even if a Gu was cut from one, it was usually just the remains of a dead Gu.
Ever since the Demonic Path Gu Master Wei Shenjing came into the picture, the market for Miscellaneous-grade stones had taken a severe blow.
Wei Shenjing was a master of forgery, earning him the title "Counterfeit Grandmaster."
He had made his fortune selling large quantities of counterfeit Miscellaneous-grade stones. Nearly every major family had a warrant out for him. In the Southern Border, he was a rat crossing the street that everyone wanted to beat.
Miscellaneous-grade stones grew increasingly unpopular, but it wasn't as though no one paid them any attention.
Sometimes, a Gu Master in good spirits would come out for a stroll and make a small bet for fun, picking up a few Miscellaneous-grade stones on a whim. Or professional gamblers would use them to test their luck.
After all, Miscellaneous-grade stones were cheap, and for some Gu Masters, losing the bet wouldn't sting.
But the problem was, this was the Third Inner City.
The Gu Masters here were, for the most part, Third Transformation Gu Masters.
Third Transformation was already Elder-level. At this stage, most of them had accumulated some assets. Even when testing their luck, they would pick Low-grade stones with slightly better odds.
Betting on Miscellaneous-grade stones was a bit beneath them.
Of course, in a large-scale Gambling Stone Hall like this, with its constant flow of visitors, some Gu Masters would still reach for these Miscellaneous-grade stones.
However...
"Heh heh heh, how could they ever imagine that hidden inside this Star Stone being used as a counter footrest is a legendary Gu?" Fang Yuan laughed silently to himself.
That's right — this Star Stone was being used as a footrest, wedged under one corner of a counter.
People came and went. Who would pay attention to one ordinary counter among dozens of rows of long counters in the Miscellaneous zone?
These counters were all loaded with Miscellaneous-grade Yuan Stones, one placed right next to another, one stacked on top of the next — cheap as piles of vegetables and fruits laid out at a marketplace on Earth.
The Gu Masters who came here would fix their eyes on these Yuan Stones.
And so, this Star Stone had never attracted any notice. Over time, it had gathered dust, becoming all the more inconspicuous.
No one knew when this stubborn stone had been placed here, or by whom, or how many people had passed by it in the interim.
Until one day.
A Gu Master who wasn't doing particularly well happened to walk by and tripped on the corner of this counter.
By all rights, this could only be blamed on the Gu Master for not watching where he was going. Counters don't move, and countless Gu Masters had passed without so much as bumping into one.
Like a utility pole standing on a street — it doesn't provoke anyone or offend anyone, but there's always someone who isn't paying attention and walks right into it. Can you really blame the utility pole?
But in any world, disputes are not resolved through reason — they are settled by strength.
A rooster raised by a farmer crows at dawn, disturbing the farmer's sleep. In a fit of anger, the farmer slaughters the rooster. That hardly seems unjust.
In any world, the powerful can resolve a conflict with just a small concession. But in the end, disputes are usually settled with the powerful not conceding an inch, while the powerless pay a heavy price.
The Gu Master tripped, and although he didn't fall, he was furious. He vented his anger on this footrest stone — fine! Since you dare to trip me, I'll have you cut open!
And so, the Gu Master bought the stone and cut it open right there in public.