In an instant, everything went quiet, and countless gazes fell upon him.
"So it gets more and more interesting," Fang Yuan thought with a smile. Under the stares of the crowd, he waded across the river and stepped onto the opposite bank.
Immediately, he felt a layer of pressure.
This pressure came from the spirit spring deep within the flower sea. The spirit spring generated yuan qi, and because the yuan qi was far too dense and abundant, it created this pressure.
But soon, from the flower clusters near Fang Yuan's feet, specks of light rose up.
The light specks drifted and swirled, enveloping Fang Yuan's entire body before all plunging into him.
"So these are Hope Gu," Fang Yuan murmured to himself. The person in charge hadn't explained, but he understood clearly.
Every single one of those light specks was a gu insect.
Gu named Hope.
Section 5: Human Ancestor's Three Gu, Hope Opens the Orifice
There is an ancient legend that speaks of Hope Gu.
The legend says that when this world first formed, it was a primordial wilderness where beasts roamed. The first human appeared, named Human Ancestor. He ate raw meat and drank blood, living an exceedingly difficult life.
Worst of all, there was a pack of beasts called Predicaments, and they particularly loved the taste of Human Ancestor, wanting to devour him.
Human Ancestor had no body as hard as mountain stone, no sharp teeth or claws like the beasts. How could he fight this pack called Predicaments? His food sources were highly unstable. He spent his days hiding here and there, sitting at the bottom of nature's food chain, barely able to survive.
At that moment, three gu insects came to him of their own accord and said to Human Ancestor: "As long as you sustain us with your life, we will help you overcome your difficulties."
Human Ancestor had nowhere to turn and had no choice but to agree to the three gu.
First, he offered his youthful years to the largest of the three gu, and that gu gave him strength.
Relying on strength, Human Ancestor's life began to improve. He gained stable food sources and the power to protect himself. He grew fierce and combative, defeating many Predicaments. But he soon learned his lesson. In the end, he discovered that strength was not omnipotent—it needed recovery and rest, and could not be squandered recklessly.
Moreover, compared to the entire Predicament beast pack, his individual strength was far too small.
Human Ancestor reflected bitterly on his suffering and decided to offer his most vigorous middle years to the most beautiful of the three gu.
Thus, the second gu gave him wisdom.
Human Ancestor gained wisdom, learned to think and reflect, and began accumulating experience. He discovered that in many situations, using wisdom was more effective than using strength. With wisdom and strength combined, he once conquered many targets he previously could not, slaying even more Predicaments. He ate the flesh of Predicaments and drank their blood, persisting stubbornly in survival.
But the good times did not last. Human Ancestor grew old, and older still.
This was because he had offered both his youth and middle age to Li Liang Gu and Zhi Hui Gu.
When a person ages, their muscles atrophy and their mind slows.
"Human, what more can you offer us? You have nothing left to give," said Li Liang Gu and Zhi Hui Gu when they realized this, and both coldly departed.
Human Ancestor lost both strength and wisdom. The Predicaments found him again, and he fell into the encirclement of the beast pack. He was old—he could no longer run, his teeth had all fallen out, and he could not even chew wild fruits or vegetables.
He collapsed weakly to the ground, surrounded on all sides by a dense mass of Predicaments. His heart was filled entirely with despair.
At that very moment, the third gu said to him: "Human, offer yourself to me, and I will deliver you from your predicament."
Human Ancestor said through tears: "Gu, what do I have left? Look—Li Liang Gu and Zhi Hui Gu have both abandoned me. All I have remaining is my old age. Compared to youth and middle age, old age is hardly worth mentioning. But if I offer even my old age to you, my life will end immediately. Right now, though I am surrounded by Predicaments, I will not die for the time being. I still want to live a little longer, even if only one more second. So go—I have nothing left to offer you."