This was in a hidden courtyard within Guye Stockade.
A tall pagoda tree stood with lush foliage, its broad and majestic canopy spreading like a jade parasol, shrouding the entire courtyard beneath it.
Moonlight, gentle as water, filtered through the pagoda's branches and leaves, scattering across the courtyard floor.
A gust of wind swept through, setting the leaves to a soft rustle, the tree shadows swaying ever so slightly.
It was beneath these shadows that two people stood.
Patriarch Gu Yue Bo gazed at Fang Zheng with a gentle expression. "Fang Zheng, today you chose your second Gu. I wonder what it is?"
"Reporting to Patriarch — today I selected a Copper Skin Gu." Gu Yue Fang Zheng stood ramrod straight, his face full of reverence as he answered.
Gu Yue Bo nodded, paused in thought, and said, "Not bad. Choosing Chapter 63 — 'Moonlight Jade Skin Gift, Earth Flower Conceals White Pig' — very well done."
Gu Yue Fang Zheng stood before Gu Yue Bo, his entire body tense with nervousness. Hearing the patriarch's praise, he didn't know how to respond and could only smile bashfully. "Patriarch, I simply chose at random."
"Did you think I was just blindly flattering you? I wasn't." Gu Yue Bo stared at Fang Zheng, a faint smile hanging at the corners of his mouth. "Did you know? From the Gu one chooses, you can often discern a person's nature."
"You chose the Copper Skin Gu — a defensive choice. Paired with Moonlight Gu, one attacks while the other defends. This shows that your nature is pure and honest. In the affairs of the world, one attack and one defense corresponds to one orthodox and one unorthodox, one Yin and one Yang, one soft and one hard. That is the kingly way."
"Meanwhile, Gu Yue Mobei chose the Yellow Camel Longhorn Gu. This Gu boosts endurance, enabling prolonged combat. That reveals Mobei's tenacious and unyielding personality."
"As for Gu Yue Chicheng, he chose the Dragon Pill Cricket Gu, enhancing his evasion. This tells me he dislikes brute force, is shrewd and resourceful in his dealings — but at the same time, it exposes a certain weakness of character."
Gu Yue Fang Zheng was dumbfounded. He had never imagined that so many profound insights could be drawn from something so simple. Chapter 63 — "Moonlight Jade Skin Gift, Earth Flower Conceals White Pig."
Involuntarily, his gaze toward Gu Yue Bo grew even more reverent.
"Patriarch, what Gu did my brother choose?" Fang Zheng suddenly thought of Fang Yuan and asked at once.
Gu Yue Bo smiled. "Your brother chose the Little Light Gu. Used to supplement Moonlight Gu, it makes the Moon Blade far more powerful. This indicates that his temperament is aggressive and combative — prone to extremes."
"Indeed, brother does seem like that," Fang Zheng murmured quietly.
Gu Yue Bo observed Fang Zheng's expression and committed it to memory.
Anyone who holds a position of high authority must possess extraordinary qualities. Although Gu Yue Bo and Fang Zheng had not spent many days face to face, the patriarch's seasoned and piercing gaze had already seen through him.
He had told Fang Zheng about Mobei and Chicheng's choices for a deeper purpose.
He wanted to help Fang Zheng analyze these two rivals, hoping he would eventually defeat them and establish his leadership position with Grade A aptitude.
But Gu Yue Bo would never say this outright. He would never directly instruct or goad Fang Zheng into action.
As a patriarch, every word and action carried political weight. If he directly ordered Fang Zheng to deal with Chicheng and Mobei, and the word got out, it could easily be misconstrued as a political maneuver by the patriarch. The consequences would be severe — potentially igniting internal strife that would engulf the entire stockade.
Moreover, Gu Yue Bo also expected Fang Zheng to grasp his intentions independently. He had invested his time and energy to personally cultivate Fang Zheng — not to groom a Fourth or Fifth Transformation thug. A thug without political acumen was a double-edged sword. What he wanted to nurture was the future leader of the clan!
"I analyzed Mobei and Chicheng's temperaments for Fang Zheng, but he completely failed to grasp the deeper meaning behind it. Instead, he asked about Gu Yue Fang Yuan. It seems Fang Yuan left quite a shadow over him — but he's at that rebellious age where he's desperate to surpass Fang Yuan. That's understandable. If only Fang Zheng had Fang Yuan's intelligence. Over the years, I've encountered many young people, and when it comes to political wisdom, Fang Yuan was undeniably number one. It's a pity — he has only Grade C aptitude."
Gu Yue Bo sighed inwardly, but the smile on his face grew even warmer.
He produced a Gu from inside his robe.
"Is that — a Jade Skin Gu?" Fang Zheng's eyes lit up the moment he saw it, and he cried out softly.
Gu Yue Bo said, "Compared to the Copper Skin Gu, this Jade Skin Gu is superior in every way. It consumes less True Essence, and its defensive power surpasses that of the Copper Skin Gu. Fang Zheng, would you like it?"
"Patriarch!" Fang Zheng was startled. He looked at Gu Yue Bo, stammering, "I — of course I want it."
"I can give it to you." Gu Yue Bo's smile grew even gentler. "But as patriarch, I have always been fair and impartial. I cannot simply hand it over without cause. So I have one condition."
Fang Zheng nodded vigorously, his eyes wide. "What condition?"
The smile vanished from Gu Yue Bo's face, replaced by a solemn expression. "I want you to be the first to break through Second Transformation, becoming the foremost cultivator of this cohort! And this Jade Skin Gu is your advance reward."
"Ah — advance to Second Transformation?" Gu Yue Fang Zheng couldn't help showing hesitation. He had only just reached the middle stage of First Transformation. After the middle stage came the high stage, and after the high stage came the peak stage.
Yet Gu Yue Bo was now demanding that he become the first among his peers to reach Second Transformation.
"What's wrong? Scared? Then this Gu will have to go to someone else." Gu Yue Bo made a motion to take back the Jade Skin Gu.
Stung by these words, Gu Yue Fang Zheng's blood rushed to his head and he shouted, "No — I agree! I'll defeat everyone and become the first to reach Second Transformation!"
"That's more like it." Gu Yue Bo's gentle smile returned as he placed the Jade Skin Gu into Fang Zheng's hand.
Inwardly, the patriarch thought: *Fang Zheng, oh Fang Zheng. I know you carry a deep sense of inferiority, and it is very harmful to your growth. The best way to dispel that inferiority is through success. You have Grade A aptitude — advancing to Second Transformation gives you the greatest advantage of anyone here, and it is the most achievable victory within your reach. You must work hard. If even this ends in failure, it would be far too disappointing.* Meanwhile, Fang Yuan entered the Secret Stone Crevice Cave once more, delving all the way to the end of the passage.
This time, he brought no iron shovels, spades, hammers, or any other tools. Instead, he carefully observed his surroundings.
The previous night, when he had met his setback here, something had felt wrong on the walk back to the stockade.
By today, back in the dormitory, after using the Spring Autumn Cicada to refine the Little Light Gu, a sudden flash of insight had struck him, and he had realized the trick.
"This boulder blocking the way is far too smooth, too polished — it's been shaped by human hands. In other words, Hua Jiu Xing Zhe deliberately placed this boulder here as a barrier. Why would he set up such an obstacle in this spot?" A contemplative look crossed Fang Yuan's face.
He scrutinized his surroundings once more.